Stampin' with Kristin

Open House Make & Takes

I just realized that I never posted the cards that everyone had the opportunity to make at last Saturday's Open House.  They had the opportunity to make 2 fairly easy cards.  They have to be easy because I'm rarely in the classroom to demonstrate what they'll be making.  I wanted one of the cards to feature all Sale-a-Bration products and another to feature the new Blossom Punch and coordinating Mixed Bunch Stamp Set.

The Mixed Bunch card features the new Twitterpated DSP pictured on page 13 of the Occasions Mini Catalog.  The colors in this card are Riding Hood Red and Baja Breeze.  I haven't realy touched Riding Hood Red since Cherry Cobbler was introduced.  Thank you Twitterpated for pushing me to use it again.  I love how I'm using it in a completely different way.  It's now a spring color?!?!  Wow.  Thanks!  I also used my 1" Circle Punch to punch out the center of the flower and stamped a sentiment from Curly Cute in Riding Hood Red ink.

The second card was inspired by DawnOlchefske.  I love her clean style.  It uses the new Everyday Enchantment DSP from the Sale-a-Bration catalog, Calypso Coral Everyday Enchantment ribbon, and the Outlined Occasions Stamp Set.  Cute, huh?  I LOVED seeing all of the variations that everyone made of this card.  A few copied it exactly.  While others arranged their postage stamp squares in a variety of different layouts.  Some layered their butterflies.  And some flipped the DSP to add color.  I wish I had a camera to take photos of everyone's variations. 

Leadership Conference Check-In Day

Greetings from beautiful, sunny, and warm San Antonio!!!  Have you missed me?  If you're a friend of mine on Facebook, you've probably seen that I've been doing a bit of traveling.  I left home on the 7th to head to Houston.  I hopped on a cruise ship out of Galveston with Mike on the 8th.  We cruised to Key West, the Bahamas, and the Gulf of Mexico.  We got back on Sunday.  Mike flew home and I headed northwest to the Texas Hill Country where I spent a restful 3 days at the Horseshoe Bay Resort.  This morning I drove an easy 90 minutes south to San Antonio where I met up with SO MANY of my Stampin' Up! friends.

As you've probably noticed, I haven't done much stamping.  Before leaving on this trip, I quickly designed a swap, cut supplies, and threw everything in my luggage.  I'm thrilled that I successfully remembered EVERYTHING!  I completed 90 swaps last night up in the Hill Country.  I'm hoping to swap them all for fabulous samples that I'll have on display at next weekend's open house.  The card to the right is my swap card for 2012 Leadership!  I know I cased the layout.  I believe it was a layout I cased from Diana Gibbs about a year ago.

Here are the ingredients I used to make this card:  Triple Treat Flower Stamp Set (FREE during SAB), Love & Laughter Stamp Set (Occasions Mini), Everyday Enchantment DSP (FREE during SAB), Soft Suede CS, Very Vanilla CS, Lucky Limeade CS, Calypso Coral Classic Ink, Pool Party Classic Ink, Lucky Limeade Classic Ink, Soft Suede 1-1/4" Striped Ribbon (cut in half and frayed), Scallop Edge Punch, Fancy Flower Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch.

I also successfully created gifts for some of my friends this year!  You'll just have to tune in later in the week to see them!

After arriving in San Antonio, I quickly walked over to the convention center and picked up "The Bag".  It's gorgeous this year - new fabric?!?!?  It's got a pocket inside and the red fabric is an outside pocket.  I love this tote bag!!!

I swapped cards with a few ladies and then ran into a few friends (Michelle Zindorf, Judy Garza, and Barbara Vogt) who invited me along to go to lunch.  We ate at Texas Land & Cattle which is right on the Riverwalk.  I'm so glad I ran into them - because they're friends and we ate at a yummy restaurant.  BUT, they also told me that I had to go back to Make & Takes and pick up my gift!  WHAT?!?!?!  I missed something?!!?!?  They showed me that there was a coordinating organizer and CHOCOLATE at our seats!  I had only picked up the supplies to take home - I seriously don't stamp well with others and will make everything at home - hopefully in time for the open house.

So, after lunch, I obviously had to go back and pick up the gift that I missed.  Thanks ladies for letting me know that I'd missed out

I'm now chilling in the hotel room and waiting for Heather and Claire to arrive.  Unfortunately, they're a little delayed but shouldn't miss out on too much!   Check out the view of the Riverwalk I have from my 28th floor balcony!  Gorgeous, huh?  Well, I'm going to rest up!  We're headed to Manager's Reception and have been watching them decorate the theater little-by-little all day!