At card classes, I often hear ladies arrive and claim to have forgotten something at home.  While I try to provide most of the supplies, I do ask you to bring the following to make the cards of the month:

1. Adhesive of choice (I recommend snail; and don't forget a refill in case you run out!)
2. Scissors (I recommend snips)

At the last class, ladies mentioned it would be beneficial if I put together a list of supplies that would be helpful, but not required,  to have to reduce the wait time while their neighbor fussy cuts!

1. Specialty adhesive (glue dots, dimensionals, liquid glue, tear & tape)
2. Trimmer (since the SU trimmer is too big to bring, consider the one from Creative Memories or the Tiny Trimmer from Michaels)
3. Adhesive remover (SU doesn't sell this anymore, but you can find elsewhere)
4. Bone folder (to help fold cards cleanly, even though I score for you with the Scoring Tool) 
5. Clear blocks (the D block is the most common; just make sure to label yours with a Sharpie or washi tape)
6. Black marker (the Stampin' Write is common, but the Journaling Pens are great for drawing fine lines)
7. Stampin' Pierce Mat (to be used under photopolymer stamps to get the best image)
8. Paper Piercer (to help poke out the pieces from your die cuts)

If you have these, collect them in a bag and grab and go next time you come to class!

Today marks the day five years ago that I signed up with Stampin' Up! 
I have said before, joining Stampin' Up! has been one of the best decisions I have ever made, especially because it has given me a hobby I can take into retirement (not sure I am retired yet or not!).  To sum it up, Stampin' Up! has allowed me over these last five years to get a discount on products, meet new people, travel fun places, plus get more creative and send more cards! 

1.  DISCOUNT:  Who doesn't love a discount on products?  When you join Stampin' Up!, you start at the Bronze level which means 20% off all products.  If you are able to sell a little more than your minimum quota, you promote to Bronze Elite and receive 25% off products!  I am currently at the next level of Silver since I have at least one downline, earning a beautiful long necklace.  My next goal is to promote to Silver Elite.  Plus, for my five year anniversary, I earn 5,000 flex points.  Flex points can be earned in different ways and can be redeemed on various things like catalogs, SU product, business supplies, events, or even ipads.

2.  MEET NEW PEOPLE:  I started making cards when I met Chris, a demonstrator in Illinois who held classes in her basement.  At that time, I was a Creative Memories consultant and was so busy scrapbooking, but I liked the idea of handmade cards rather than generic ones from the store.  As my husband neared the end of his schooling, I knew we would soon be moving from Illinois to a new state and would have to start Creative Memories afresh, so when I got to Indiana, I thought I would try something new! 

So I signed up in 2011 and just wanted to be a hobby demonstrator, which basically means you don't sell anything or hold classes, but just use the discount on yourself.  But when we moved into a house with a basement big enough to hold classes, I couldn't resist the idea of teaching others what I love, the same way I learned from Chris.  Before long, I had a new group of "crafting friends" and meeting the $300 quota was easy, just buying the supplies I needed for classes. 

3.  TRAVEL FUN PLACES:  The highlight of these five years has been my trips with Heather in 2013 to the 25th Anniversary Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah and with Jen in 2015 to Orlando, Florida for a Leadership event.  I even got to walk across the stage for my accomplishments!  I came back from fun events like these refreshed with so many great ideas! 

4.  BE MORE CREATIVE AND SEND MORE CARDS:  When my family and I were driving home from our road trip over Christmas, I sat in the passenger seat flipping through the new Occasions catalog.  My husband turned to me and said, "I am so glad you have a hobby you love."  I love having the fun of the UPS truck coming once a month, the joy of encouraging someone with a handmade card, and the fun of learning something new and creating something I never thought I could. 

Thanks to everyone who has helped and supported me during the last five years, mainly my husband,      my upline Chris, my IN Stampers teammates, Heather, Jen, Cindy, Jane, Tammy, and Beccy,                      and all of my friends who come to my classes.  Thank you! 

It's been less than a year since I started my bog, and I am lovin' learning the ins and outs of it all.  Not to mention, I have found my blog has increased my level of personal crafting responsibility.  I set a goal to post once a week (typically on Monday) and having this goal has pushed me to try new things I had before kept on a backburner.  Not that any of you would notice if I didn't post for a week or two, but the motivation is there!  

A few people have asked me how they can follow my blog.  In visiting other blogs, I noticed a button called bloglovin'. This site lets you view all of your favorite blogs in one place!  According to their website, "Follow your favorite blogs and discover new ones.  Bloglovin' helps you follow the blogs you read by letting you know when they update." So if you look to the right, you will see my button to Follow me on Bloglovin'!  And while you're at it, you can see a button there to Sign Up for my Emails  (a Monthly Newsletter).  Thanks in advance for your support!  And watch for some contests on my blog soon! 

Since I have never been very good with photography, and I was getting tired of asking my poor husband to take pictures of my cards, I decided to invest in some assistance.  In the summer, I have decent success taking pictures outside on our deck.  But in the winter, when I cannot go outside, I am moving from one spot to the next trying to find a suitable location, trying to avoid kids' toys in the background, trying to get rid of shadows, etc.  So after looking on Amazon, I decided to try a Photography Table Top Photo Light Tent Kit  by Limo Studio.  I was able to convince my husband to set it up permanently in his workroom downstairs, so I thought I'd take a picture of the actual space (above) to show its true surroundings.  Once inside the tent, the surrounding mess disappears and I am pleased with the results (below).  Now, taking pictures does not become the chore, and I can spend more time creating!   

I love the look of stitching on cards, but since I don't own a sewing machine and I can't even sew on a button, this technique seems quite out of my league.  I had perused online for a sewing machine that I might be able to start with, but it just seemed like such an investment for someone who really has intentions no more than to add a few stitches to a card.  I then came across a low cost option called the Sew Crafty Mini which  they claim is meant to "sew accents onto your scrapbook pages, make fabric envelopes, add stiches to cards, sew outlines on paper projects..."  Yes!  I threw it on my Amazon wishlist, despite glancing at the low star product rating. 

A Christmas came and went and no one purchased this for me, probably because they thought it was a true sewing machine and they know me well.  But when I saw a local friend posting one brand new in box on Facebook for $6, I went for it. 

Before reading the directions, I went back to the reviews to see what people were saying:  "This machine is horrible. I tried to sew a few pieces of paper together. It worked for about 5 minutes."  Well, I hoped for the best, but expected the worst. Last night at Craft Night, I asked my friend Amy (who owns a $600 sewing machine) to help me try it out...The first stitch went pretty well...

Then, we cut the thread to remove the paper and tried to set up again.  The second stich, well, didn't go so well.  I cut it off, flipped the cardstock over and tried again...

So yes, it worked for about five minutes.  I don't even know how to pinpoint the problem, but for me, I don't think the hassle would be worth the results.  Moving on to plan B, if anyone sees a better model at a garage sale, let me know!  If that doesn't work, I might have to invest in a real sewing machine and force myself to learn how to sew on buttons and maybe even hem some pants!       

So these days, everyone knows what DIY means:  Do It Yourself.  Probably not everyone knows what DSP is, but in my papercrafting world it refers to Designer Series Paper.  And I have a lot of DSP!  Every year, Stampin Up! releases about 16 packs of DSP which are current for just one year.  During that year, you will see several paper craft projects floating around Pinterest featuring these papers.  And then after the year is over, SU retires those DSP packs and you can usually find them in the Clearance Rack for as low as 2.19 for a pack of 12 sheets! 

Since I am getting excited about the new 2014-2015 Annual Catalog coming out June 1 (and May 1st for demonstrators), I started digging through my old DSP packs and decided to put them to a different use.  I have always thought my light switch plates in my bathroom were a little plain, but never got around to doing anything about it.  When I saw this beautiful blue and white DSP from 2007 (the year I first discovered Stampin' Up!) which matched my bathroom, I decided to try covering my light switch plates.

First, I took the light switch plate off and traced it on the back of the DSP I wanted to use.  Second, I used a cutting blade with a cutting mat underneath to cut the shape out of the DSP.   Third, I used Mod Podge to cover both the back of the DSP and the front of the plate.  Then, I pressed the DSP down on the plate and wrapped the DSP around the edges and put another thick layer of Mod Podge on it; I have also seen some people who do not try to wrap it, but instead paint the edges.  After letting it dry for about 10 minutes, I put on another layer of Mod Podge and repeated about 4 times.  Finally, it was ready to mount on the wall! 

When I first signed up with SU in February 2011, I considered myself a hobby demonstrator.  Most hobby demonstrators sign up to purchase the customizable starter kit at a reduced price and then receive the 20% off discount on all of their own purchases.  Three years later, I have reflected on how I have slowly added to my business: first craft nights, then classes, then craft fairs, then a blog, then selling cards online, and soon, hopefully youtube. 

When I signed up, I started as an "Associate" and had no idea what that meant or how to move up within the 12 different titles.  After about a year, I promoted to Sr. Associate and still had no idea what that meant.  Then I started paying attention to what it took to promote to the next level and tried to increase my sales, mainly just by meeting new people, which was my goal in the first place.  Thanks to all of my customers and friends, I am excited to have just received my next promotion to Supervisor!  At Supervisor, you get a discount on bundles with each new catalog that comes out (next one is June 1st!), so I am excited about that, as well as my name forthcoming in the Stampin' Connection magazine.

In order to move up to the next level of Sr. Supervisor, I need one more demonstrator on my team.  If you have any interest at all, I promise you you won't regret it!  Check out the current promotion for the starter kit!   And to top it all off, Stampin' Up! is offering FREE Convention right now to anyone who signs up to be a demonstrator between July 1, 2013 and the event, July 17-19, 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah, a $295 value!  I went last year, so I can promise you it is amazing! 

Have you wondered, what is a workshop?  According to Stampin' Up!, a workshop is "a creative event you host at your home, where you invite your friends to enjoy an exciting project demonstration provided by a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. When you host a workshop, you'll see new project ideas, learn different techniques, make a project, and have fun with people you enjoy--all while earning free products based on your workshop's sales." 

When I do a workshop, I usually pick one card and envelope to make.  Below is a picture of a card we made at a workshop last December.  I bring all the supplies and tools.  All you need to do is invite some friends and  maybe provide a little snack!  The idea is to introduce stamping to people who may not have tried it before, and give you a chance to do something fun with your friends.  Most people think of these "home parties" as sales pitches, but I can assure you I am focused on having fun with friends, not selling things.  However, if people do choose to place orders, which collectively total $150 or more, the hostess gets free money to order anything they wish!  Check out the possible hostess rewards here!

What if you and your friends are already into stamping and want to make more than just one card?  Think about getting them together (your house or mine) for a club.  What is a club?  A club is a group of friends that get together on a periodic basis to make more than one card and everyone takes a turn being the hostess.  Whoever is the hostess gets to choose which products or techniques they want to try.  Below are pictures of cards we made at a recent club where the hostess wanted to make cards using multi-colored heat embossing, flip cards, and washi tape.  In a club, everyone is encouraged to place an order to help out their hostess, but if they opt not to that month, the fee is $5 for the three cards. 

Does this sound like fun to you?  Are you interested to earn some free product?   Do you want to earn even more during Sale-a-bration?  Contact me to learn more!  PLUS, during February and March, I will be offering hostesses a chance to choose one free gift from my gift basket!  

I love it when someone asks me, "Hey, you make cards, right?  Do you think you could make me ___?"       So when a co-worker asked if I could make her daughter's 16th birthday invitations, I got quite excited.  I had all these ideas in my head of what a 16 year old girl might like, but when I met with my co-worker to see what she had in mind, I was caught off guard. 

The theme of the party was Back to the Future, her daughter's favorite movie. I had to admit, I had never seen the movie.  Not sure how that was left out of my childhood, but I wasn't quite getting the clocks, towers, lightening bolts and hover boards she was describing.  So step one, watch the movie.  I found it easily on cable and dvr'ed it so I could pause in various spots trying to see these classic images.  My husband even convinced me to watch the second one, and is patiently waiting for me to watch the third. 

Secondly, I had to find how to capture the clock tower.  I posted on a facebook group, and someone recommended I use Clockworks.  I assumed it was retired, but was surprised to learn it was current, right there on the same page as my beloved Gorgeous Grunge.  My favorite part of Clockworks was stamping the hands so the clock reads 5:55, the time the birthday girl was born.  For the tower, I used the Simply Scored to make lines to resemble pillars.  And for the movie image, I just printed the logo off the internet.  For the words, I used the Simply Serif Alphabet stamps, inked in the Metallic Gold Encore Pad.  To denote the 16th birthday, I used the Make a Wish stamp set and the numbers from Show & Tell 2 Photopolymer stamps.  For the lighting bolt, I couldn't find a stamp, so I went to Archiver's and had them cut them to the size I needed on their Silhouette. 

When I showed my husband the finished product, he asked if I could make him one, so that's a good sign that the invite might be well appreciated by the birthday girl and other diehard Back to the Future fans.  If you have a need for any custom cards or invitations, let me know and I would be happy to help, even if it means watching three movies before I get started :)   

Looking back over 2013, I realized I have accomplished many of my goals in trying to take my hobby to the next level: 

1.  Attending my first Convention in Salt Lake City (who could pass up the 25th anniversary?!?)

2.  Creating one card a day (for the most part!)

3.  Organizing my Pinterest boards to be more focused on stamping

4.  Starting this blog! 

5.  Participating in 3 crafts fairs, one of which I coordinated with some friends 

Now looking forward, here are my goals for 2014 (if anyone wants to keep me accountable!): 

1.  Participate in 4 craft fairs, one in the spring and 3 in the fall.  I have never done one in the spring before, so if anyone has any ideas, let me know!  For the fall, I have already booked the Lawrence Central Holiday Boutique in November, but want to find 2 more solid shows to participate in.  (And no, I am not planning to coordinate an event again this year.  Six months of planning only to be cancelled by a tornado two hours into the event is enough to deflate my coordinating efforts.)

2.  Record and upload my first YouTube video.  I spend a lot of time watching youtube videos of all sorts, yet have never uploaded anything.  For crafting purposes, I love learning new techniques and especially watching others give tours of their craft room, so what better place to start. 

3.  Decorate all envelopes.  Whether it be with the envelope liner framelits, creating an envelope with the Envelope Punch Board, or just stamping the envelope, I want to make sure to take the extra time to make the envelope special. 

Thank you to all my crafting friends, especially Heather Hitchcock, who crafted alongside of me and helped me have fun creating while trying to accomplish these goals.  Happy new year!