SU! Leadership 2014 Houston, Texas Fun

Leadership 2014 is being held in Houston, Texas.  I've been to Texas before, but never to Houston!  

Here's some "selfie" fun with my new SU! bag--love the bag!!!!  This is my MOST FAVORITE BAG EVER!!!!

Winning door prizes and all-attendee give-aways are the BEST and so much fun!!!  The crowd just goes crazy!!!!

Had a fabulous dinner on top of the city in a revolving restaurant.  Yes, those are PURPLE potatoes!!!  And, they were good too!!!

Next year, Leadership will be held in Orlando, Florida.  Hope to see you there!!!  If you would like to attend as a member of my team, you can sign up here.  Hope to see you there, Maria

Over the Top Tags

Another fun swap to participate in is the Over the Top Tags Swap. Over the Top means you're supposed to dress it up, spritz, embellish, shimmer, wrap and layer, layer, layer.  Hope I lived up to that expectation!  I was part of two groups for this swap. Every layer is popped up with dimensionals.  The base layer is embossed.  I really enjoyed creating for this swap--there was always one more thing I wanted to add. 

Supplies used:  Happy Watercolor Stamp Set

Baked Brown Sugar, Crisp Cantaloupe Ink

Baked Brown Sugar, Crisp Cantaloupe, Very Vanilla CS

Tea Lace Paper Doilies, Champagne Glimmer Paper

Decorative Label, Boho Blossoms, Itty Bitty Shapes Punches

Linen Thread, Crisp Cantaloupe Twine (from SAB), Naturals Chevron Ribbon

Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Hot Glue

Big Shot with the Oval Accent, Apothecary Accents, Window Frames, Decorative Dots Embossing Folder

Supplies used:  Perfect Pennants Stamp Set

Tangerine Tango, Coastal Cabana Ink

Big Shot with the Banners Framelits, Arrows Embossing Folder, Stripes Embossing Folder

Coastal Cabana, Very Vanilla, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, CS

Champagne Glimmer Paper

Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon, Linen Thread, Ruffle Stretch Trim (Coastal Cabana & Baked Brown Sugar)
Very Vintage Designer Buttons
Stampin' Dimensionals
Full Heart, Small Heart Punches

And, a funny little story about what happened with me and this swap.  Our hotel was very close to the convention center.  So close in fact that it was attached by a sky bridge--didn't even have to go outside!  Earlier that day (and, before the swap took place) I went to my room to drop off all the stuff I collected in my bag that I no longer needed, and to pick up my tags for this swap.  Well, guess what?  Yup!  I grabbed the wrong bag of swaps, but didn't notice it until the swap was about to begin.  Right as we were beginning to swap our tags I realized the huge mistake I made.  I told the organizer, and she very graciously told me that she would swap my tags for group 1, and to go and get my tags for group 3.  Well, I walked/ran as fast as I could all the way all the way to my room, and walked/ran all the way back to the swap area.  There they were all 6 of the swappers were waiting patiently for me!  Someone said, you got your exercise for the day.  For the day--I said WEEK!!!  We all laughed!  How embarrassing!!!  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria

Very Vintage Card Swap

These are my two cards for the Very Vintage Card Swap at Leadership using more products from the Occasions Catalog. For the Peachy Keen card, I choose the DSP and the little camera framelit because I thought it fits in with "vintage" or, at least my idea of vintage anyway. The DSP is even called Retro Fresh. The little camera framelit is so cute!  I added some Linen Thread to the camera so it would look like a strap.  When I was in high school, people would say "snap!" all the time.  So, I guess that makes me vintage or retro!

Supplies used:  Peachy Keen, Hip Notes Stamp Sets

Retro Fresh DSP, Tangerine Tango, Coastal Cabana, Very Vanilla, Baked Brown Sugar CS

Tangerine Tango Ink

Big Shot with the On Film Framelits, Fancy Fan Embossing Folder

Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensionals, Gold Sequin Trim

For this card, I choose Always Arichoke as the card base because it reminds me of the avacado green from the 70's. Do you remember that?  And, the harvest gold?  The mosaics also remind me of vintage things too. There's some old flooring in my kitchen that has the same pattern as the Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder.  We'll update the floor someday--husband says, "we can't rush into these things."  

Supplies used:  Mosaic Madness, Hip Notes Stamp Sets

Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla CS

Always Artichoke Ink

Stampin' Dimensionals, Always Artichoke Seam Binding Ribbon, Gold Sequin Trim

Big Shot with the Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder

Mosaic Punch

Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria

Stampin' Up! Leadership 2014 Houston Texas

I have the opportunity to attend Leadership in Houston, Texas.  SU! has a way of educating its sales force while entertaining us at the same time.  They make you cry and laugh all in the same day.  Shelli, our CEO, came on the stage and started crying before she barely even said a word.  Of course, as soon as I see someone else cry, I cry too--can't help it, and don't even try to fight it or hide it.  

Here's my Leadership swap.  I used the new stamp set from Occasions Catalog called Happy Watercolor.  Makes me feel like a watercolor artist because it has that watercolor look--that's why it's called "Happy Watercolor."  It goes really nice with the background stamp called Poppy Parade.  I punched out the Glimmer Paper with the  Decorative Label Punch, cut it in half and then attached it to the Window Frames with hot glue.  

Supplies used:

Happy Watercolor, Pleasant Poppies stamp sets

Real Red, Very Vanilla CS; Champagne Glimmer paper

Real Red ink

Very Vanilla seam binding ribbon

Big Shot with the Window Frames Framelits, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Decorative Label Punch

Bye for now, Maria

Christmas Cards

Here are a few Christmas cards either made by my club members (very talented group of stampers) or cards I rec'd in the mail this past holiday season.  I know it's now 2014, but I like to enjoy the hand-made holiday cards for a little while after Christmas is over (and, it's never to early to get started on this year's cards!)

Mary made this one.

Tina made this one.

 Made by Pam.

Tina made this one. 

Made by Pam. 

Hope your holiday season was wonderful. May you have a happy and healthy new year!  Bye for now, Maria

Throwback Thursday: All Dressed Up

I just have to laugh at myself sometimes. I was seeing "#TBT" on FB, and I had no idea what that meant--guess I'm showing my age!  TBT = Throwback Thursday!  I still don't get the hashtags.  The DSP on these cards are retired so they qualify for TBT--according to me anyway.

This is the Card Base Pop 'n Cuts, and the Dress Form Pop 'n Cuts along with the All Dressed Up stamp set.  The DSP, and accessories are retired--remember this is THT.  The pharses come from the Yippee Skippee! stamp set.

The DSP, stamps, and accessories are also retired on the red card.  Whirly Twirly is the name of the stamp set used.  Oh, and I just loved those flowers--wish we still had those!  

There's my take on TBT.  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria

Shop anytime www.mariamitsdarfer.stampinup.net

December Stamp Club: Snow Day

Happy December!  Happy Holidays!  It's not quite winter, yet we've had two snow storms this week with another one headed our way this weekend!

I don't really like snow, but can't resist a cute snowman.  Don't get me wrong--I like snow, but hate that the husband has to work in it!  

This month's project was inspired by a card in the Holiday Catalog on p. 11 using the Snow Day Stamp Set. 

The card base is made up of the 12x12 Textured Cardstock in Smoky Slate (Holiday p. 28) and Island Indigo Cardstock (8 1/2 x 11).   Cut Smoky Slate Cardstock to 10 1/2 x 4.  This will give you 3 cards from one sheet of 12x12. Fold in half and mount onto 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 Island Indigo Cardstock.  

Strip of Winter Frost DSP is 2 x 5 1/4. 

Stamp snowman from Snow Day Stamp Set on WW CS cut out with xxx Framelit. 

Supplies used:

Snow Day Stamp Set

Island Indigo, Smoky Slate, Pool Party Ink

Island Island, Smoky Slate, WW CS

Winter Frost Specialty DSP

Sponge Dauber

Window Frames Framelits (3rd largest)

Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (small circle)

Warm Wishes to you and yours!

Bye for now,

Maria 

Organizing Card Stock Scraps

If you've been stamping or paper crafting for a while, you end up with tons of paper scraps.  What to do with all of them?  I organize my card stock scraps by pairing up scraps that look good together.  That's the great thing about Stampin' Up!--even if it's been retired all their colors still coordinate and look good together!! 

The scrap bundles are held together by these little binder clips--purchase those at your favorite office supply store. 

These little bundles will one day be made into beautiful cards one day--that's the plan anyway! 

November Stamp Club: Gift Bow Angel

Don't you love when you buy something, and it has more than one purpose?  Like the Gift Bow die!  Trolling Pinterest the other day, I saw the most adorable angel, and upon closer view it was made with the Gift Bow Bigz L Die.  ADORABLE!!!

The Gift Bow Angel was our project for November.  These are so easy to make!  Here's what you need....

To create the halo, punch Gold Foil Sheet with the 1 1/4 Circle first.  Then, punch that circle out with the 1 3/4 circle.  You will have a circle punched within a circle.

I left the angel's face blank, because I am not gifted in drawing--that's why I stamp!

Supplies used:
Mixed Bunch Stamp Set (Annual Catalog)
Gift Bow Bigz L Die
Gold Foil Sheets
Very Vanilla and Blushing Bride CS
Cherry Cobbler Ink
Linen Thread
Stampin' Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Tombo Liquid Glue

Punches:  7/8" Scallop, 1" Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, 1 1/4" Circle, and 1 3/4" Circle

These would be the cutest gift tags EVER!!!  And, they would like so pretty hanging on a Christmas tree.  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria

Inspiration Journal

As a rubber stamper and demonstrator, I always get asked, "where do you come up with your ideas?"  This is the one question I get asked the most.  Most of my ideas come from Stampin' Up!'s annual convention--being able to attend is a demonstrator perk.  Between the swaps and displays, I see more than enough to carry me through the entire year.  I must take at least 1000 pictures when I'm there--so glad they invented digital cameras!  Our demonstrator magazine and online community have soooooo many ideas, pics, tutorials (yes, another perk, wanna sign up?).  So many ideas, so little time! 

Paper-crafting magazines (there are still a few of them around), blogs, websites, Pinterest, and even google, are great places to get ideas. The Stampin' Up! catalogs have tons of samples.  Feel free to CASE--that's copy and share everything!   When something flashes across our screen, we "pin it!"  What did we ever do before Pinterest?!  But, what do you do with a magazine clipping, or an old post card that inspires you?  How about placing these items in an Inspiration Journal? 

Inspiration and ideas can come from lots of places--think outside of the crafting/stamping world.  Think about your favorite things, places and stores.  What is about it that you love so much ?  Is it the color, textures, graphics, color combos?  Jot those down in your journal.  When you're stuck for an idea, pull out your journal.  Those ideas can be a spring board in your card-making and scrapbooking. 

Where do you look for inspiration?  Bye for now, Maria

Flower Pins & Bottlecaps

Saw these flower bases at the craft store made of fabric and burlap.  They're just begging to be decorated and made into pins!  

So, I got out the bottle caps from an earlier catalog.  One bottle cap I flatten with the Big Shot, and the other is left the way it comes in the package.  Stamps from Collage Curio fit perfectly inside the bottle caps.  I stamped on Very Vanilla in Basic Black ink.  Added Crystal Effects and a rhinestone for extra dimension and sparkle.  The square charm is something I found in the jewelry aisle of the craft store. 

Once the Crystal Effects is dry attach to your flower base with hot glue.  The only thing left to do is to attach the pin back with hot glue as well. 

October Stamp Club: Truly Grateful Circle Thinlits Card

For October's Stamp Club we created a flippy card using the Circle Thinlits.  These card dies cut and score your cardstock in one swipe through the Big Shot, and creates a card where the center will flip when you gently pull on the sides of the card.  All the guess work is gone!!  The Thinlits also come with other die such as the scallop circle used here.   

Here's the other side...

Supplies used:

Circle Card Thinlits Die

Truly Grateful Stamp Set (Holiday Catalog)

Very Vanilla CS, Crumb Cake CS, Witches' Brew DSP

Summer Starfruit and Basic Black ink

1 3/4 Circle Punch

September Stamp Club: Markers and Clear Block Technique

Hi Stampers!

I saw markers applied directly to a clear block, and then using the block as the stamp at the Baltimore Regional back in the spring. Can you believe its September already?  I can't believe it took me this long to try out this fun technique!  For September's club project, we're trying this technique. Swipe Pool Party and Pear Pizazz markers on clear stamping block C. Mist with water. Press block onto Whisper White CS (3 x 2 3/4).  Allow ink to transfer before lifting block.  Let dry. Stamp with butterfly from Best of Butterflies and "just because" from A Dozen Thoughts with Island Indigo ink. Layer on Island Indigo CS (3 1/2 x 3). Emboss strip of Pear Pizazz CS with Woodgrain embossing folder (5 1/2 x 1 3/4). Add to Pool Party card base, cut to 4 1/4 x 11, folded in half.  Add butterfly to front of card with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Stamp another smaller butterfly on the front of your card in Island Indigo. Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria