WOW! This just in from the home office...

Who doesn't want a Greenhouse Gala Craft Tote? And now if you become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator in September, it is yours free!

* This tote fits 12" x 12" products as well as 12" x 12" Craft Keepers, and it even holds your Paper Cutter! It's perfect for carrying supplies to your workshops and will help you stay organized.
* A back-zipper pocket holds seven Classic Stampin' Pads.
* Open outside pockets hold our Extra-Large punches.
* A detachable shoulder strap makes it easy to carry your tote.
* $39.95 (Item 122126) value

Do you have a wish list that is a mile long? It may pay for you to become a hobby demonstrator for Stampin' Up! Since this is your business, you can put as much effort into it. Maybe you just want to have the 20% discount all demonstrators have. Then you would only need to maintain a $50 order per month (or $150 for the quarter).

A Standard Starter Kit for $175 gets you the following:
starter kit
• Stamp sets (4 sets: Fun & Fast Notes, I {Heart} Hearts (clear mount), For All
You Do, So Many Thanks, OR 4 sets of your choice at the same or lower price)
• Clear Block C (OR clear block at the same or lower price)
• Fast Flowers Stampin’ Around® wheel (OR standard wheel of your choice)
• Stampin’ Around Self Inking Handle (standard)
• Uninked Cartridge (standard)
• Assorted color card stock 8-1/2" x 11" (Getting Started OR assortment of your choice)
• Card stock 8-1/2" x 11" (Whisper White OR color of your choice)
• Brights Patterns Designer Series paper stack (OR color of your choice)
• Classic Stampin’ Pads® (4: Basic Black, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, and Real Red, OR 4 colors of your choice)
• VersaMark® pad (OR ink pad at the same or lower price)
• Stampin’ Write® markers (2: Daffodil Delight and Marina Mist, OR 2 colors of your choice)
• Marina Mist Classic Ink Refill (OR color of your choice)
• Whisper White 5/8" satin ribbon (OR ribbon at the same or lower price)
• Stampin’ Dimensionals®
• SNAIL Adhesive® (OR adhesive at the same or lower price)
• Blender pen (single)
• Stamping sponge (single)
• Small Chocolate Songbird Tile Décor Elements® (OR Décor Elements item at the same or lower price)
• Décor Elements Applicator Tool
• Stampin’ Scrub®
• Stampin’ Mist® (OR StazOn® Cleaner)
business supplies
• Catalogs, business forms, and other printed materials to get your business off to a great start!

Or if you are a Digital person looking for a quick way to make beautiful scrapbook pages, cards, multimedia items from the comfort of your laptop, the Digital + Starter Kit for $175 might be for you. It includes the following:
starter kit
• My Digital Studio™
• Stamp sets (3 sets: Party Hearty, I {Heart} Hearts (clear mount), and
So Many Thanks, OR 3 sets of your choice at the same or lower price)
• Clear Block C (OR clear block at the same or lower price)
• Assorted color card stock 8-1/2" x 11" (Getting Started OR assortment of
your choice)
• Card stock 8-1/2" x 11" (Whisper White OR color of your choice)
• Classic Stampin’ Pads® (4: Basic Black, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, and Real Red, OR 4 colors of your choice)
• Stampin’ Write® markers (2: Daffodil Delight and Marina Mist, OR 2 colors of your choice)
• Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (OR ribbon at the same or lower price)
• Brights Designer buttons
• Stampin’ Dimensionals®
• SNAIL Adhesive® (OR adhesive at the same or lower price)
• Glue Dots®
• Small Chocolate Songbird Tile Décor Elements® (OR Décor Elements item at the same or lower price)
• Décor Elements Applicator Tool
• Stampin’ Scrub®
• Stampin’ Mist® (OR StazOn® Cleaner)
business supplies
• Catalogs, business forms, and other printed materials to get your business off to a great start!

If you are interested in joining a great group of creatively minded people, go to my Stampin' Up Website, and click on the join my team tab.

How are you getting your crafty on?

I'd love to know what you all are doing to get your creative juices flowing...my friend Cindy writes wonderful prose in her blog, Lottie Bird
My friends Lisa and Amanda and Jackie and Mandy create beautiful cards and paper crafts.

Some days I feel that all I can do is keep my head above water and forget about being creative...not something I can really do in my current situation -- art school, Stampin' Up business, craft teacher, blogger!

Stay tuned for my first art project -- put rebel, paths and dogs together and hopefully you'll see a cohesive art piece! I'll post on Wednesday since I have to turn in on Tuesday.

I'll take Spiders and Snakes over Scorpions!

The other day I went into the master bathroom.  It was about 6:30am.  In the corner where the shower door meets the wall, there was something black.  It didn't move -- not even when Big Girl (Viola) came in and sort of sat on it.  I couldn't tell if it was something alive or a really weird dust bunny.  Of course I didn't have all the lights on...just a little night light thing.

ok so maybe I should focus on vacuuming up all the dog hair and Andy hair?

Well, I shooed the dogs out of the bathroom and turned on all the lights and to my surprise it was a scorpion.  EEEEEWWWWWWWWW!!! All I could think about was where's my camera?  I have to get a shot of this guy.  Since he didn't move, I thought he was dead already.  But I guess the flash woke him up because all of a sudden he was moving.  Big Girl tried to do her patented drop and roll move on it and Lil' Sopha likes to rub her face all over bugs and seafood (don't ask me why).  It was a crazy few minutes as I was yelling at Andy to kill it!

His response, "I don't know nothin' about killing scorpions -- we don't have them in NY!"  So I did the only thing I could think of...I reached for the shoe.

"Give me a flip flop, " I yelled at him.  And then with precision and decisiveness I whacked it dead like I had been killing scorpions for a while.  Maybe it is a sign...after all I am married to a Scorpio.

Stampin' Up! Summer Mini Catalog Orders End August 31

You only have until August 31 to place your order against the summer mini so if you like something you see, you can click on the link to my online store or send me an email with your order.

Today's item is our motorcycle stamp!  Since I have a secret past life as a motorcycle babe (I was young and reckless!) I LOVE this stamp.  If you are looking for something that is more on the masculine side of things, this is the stamap for you.  Motorcycles represent a wild side, a rebellious side...or a mid-life crisis side!  You can dress them up or dress them down.  Here are three samples I've done with the motorcycle stamp.

For the top look, I stamped two images of the motorcycle -- one used whisper white craft ink on basic black paper and one used black stayz on ink on whisper white paper.  After stamping, I quickly embossed the white image with white embossing powder (remember to heat from the bottom so you are less likely to burn the embossing powder) and the black image with black embossing powder.  The motorcycle stamp block is 2" x 3" so that is the size I cut the paper.  This helps you place the stamp in the right space so that you can cut in half.  Then each half was placed on a mat of the opposite color (2.25" x 3.25").  I actually matted each motorcycle image to the mat paper and then cut the images in half.

In addition to the motorcycle, I used from the summer mini the Sentimental Journey Stamp set.

Copic Marker Certification

On Monday, I attended a Copic Marker Certification class. I am in LOVE with Copic Markers! I have the 72A set of markers. There are three other sets of 72 that I really really want.

As we were learning about the product and how to use it and blending techniques, all I could think about was my project for 2-D design. We are doing a project that takes three or more things (objects, words, hobbies, life statements, etc.) that describe us and relate them into one conceptual art piece. I have chosen the words off the beaten path, rebel, dogs and travel. One one side of the piece I will have a very straight and narrow path in blacks and grays and then there will be another path that shoots off it that leads to lush greenery and flowers and then embedded into the plants will be pictures of my dogs and places I've been to. But the lushness that I'm seeing in my mind, I think I can achieve with the Copics.

Copics are great for coloring in stamped images. With 300+ colors to choose from, you can achieve the lightest skin tones to the bluest sky. The markers are easily blendable from one color into the next so you can really play with highlights and shadows or seamless slip from one color into the next.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Stampin' Up water-based markers. You can't really compare a water-based marker to alcohol-based markers. They are two different tools. You can't screw in a screw with a hammer. You need a screwdriver. They are different tools for different effects.

My water-based Stampin' Up markers are my go to for immediate coloring of stamps when I want to multi color the stamp on the stamp with no outlines. For instance, Upsy Daisy, is a stamp that I like to color the petals and the grass different colors. I use the Stampin' Up! markers to color right on the stamp before I even set it down onto paper.

Some highlights about Copic -

• Copic has its own airbrushing system where you can use canned air or a compressor. The compressor needs to be 40-60 psi. Using the airbrush feature allows you to control the coverage of the ink and provides an even coating effects. The airbrush is great with stencils and because you are using it like the marker itself, it is easy to control. If this is something you are interested in, then tell your hubby that you need a compressor -- but don't let him try to rig you up using a compressor he has out in the garage. Anything higher than 60 psi will damage the markers and probably throw ink all over you!

• What I love about Copic is that you can refill them when they run out. Yes, the are costly to buy but the savings really comes from being able to refill when needed instead of throwing away and buying a new set. The nibs on the markers (I have Copic Sketch) can be replaced easily and depending on the marker style, there are a number of different nibs you can get.

I will be putting together a copic marker class -- maybe at Kennesaw -- later in the fall. I will keep you posted!

Look at all the free stuff I got from Stampin' Up!

I haven't really talked alot about why I became a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.  At the time, it was January and during the Sale-A-Bration campaign.  The kit was discounted.  I had so many things I wanted from Stampin' Up! that it made sense to me to become a demo, switch out everything in the kit to things I had on my wish list and get the 20% discount.  I only had to maintain $50 a month in sales to stay active.  Heck, I could do that in one order for myself a month!

I don't know if my greed, my competitive nature, my love of the products or some of everything led me to becoming more than just a hobby demo.  The incentive for free stuff was good too!  During Sale-a-Bration, I got free stamp sets for every $50 spent. Normally for $150 order you qualify for a Hostess set and $15 of free product.  I was doing that all on my own.

When you join Stampin' Up! you have the ability to get a whole lot more free stuff!  The company sets goals for you during your first six months called Stampin' Start.  It consists of sales goals and recruiting goals.  When I reached $1800 in sales, I got a free stamp set (of any cost--my choice!). For the first three recruits I got, I was able to pick out a new stamp set.  The last goal was for $4500 in sales and I got FOUR stamp sets of my choosing!  And then I got a fun surprise in the mail for completing the whole program.

If you would like to join my team click on the link below and go to the Join My Team tab.  www.craftygirlga.stampinup.net

Fish Eye Funnies

I love my camera!  And I just bought a cool zoom lens for it...I'm still playing with that lens so no pics worthy of publishing yet...but soon.

Sophie Bobblehead

I'm glad my don't get on the web and see the funny pictures I post of them.  I can imagine you moms of teenagers who are in the "don't take my picture" stage.  I guess what my girls don't know can't hurt them!

Phoebe Bobblehead

I have a fish eye filter feature on my camera.  It basically takes a portion of the picture and makes a bubble around it, distorting whatever is caught in the fish eye.  Have you ever seen those big headed dog pictures where the body is teeny tiny but the head is massive?  I was trying to see if the fish eye would give me that effect.

My favorite picture is Izzie.  I guess she naturally looks good as a bubble head!  Phoebe was just tired but Izzie is a natural poser!.

The First Crafty Girl Challenge...just a little one!

Hello all you crafty people-

So this is the first Challenge I'm throwing out to all my followers.  Anyone can play.  Ready. Get set. Go!

In honor of my first Drawing homework assignment (see Art Ninja from Aug 19 blog if you haven't already read it!). Have you heard of Inchies?  They are usually 1" x 1" mini art pieces. You can have single inchies and group them together or put them into a charm.  They literally can be anything...photos, stamps, color swatches, brads or buttons on a color swatch.  Because my homework assignment is 2" x 2" swatches, you can do a 2" x 2" or a 1" X 1" which happens to fit into the 1" square charm for the Simply Adorned line. You can create  several and use within a project you are planning or you can create just the Inchie.

Everyone who submits will be put into a drawing.  Two lucky people will be drawn to receive a Stampin' Up punch of their choice. 

Send your entries to craftygirlga@gmail.com.  Include in your email the following:

• Name
• Address
• Email
• jpeg of your Inchie or Inchie Project

EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO PLAY NO MATTER YOUR SKILL LEVEL! DEADLINE is on Sunday, September 12th.

How do you like the new look???

The first five people who leave me a comment on my blog and sign up to follow my blog will receive a free Stampin' Up! product. make sure you tell me what kind of projects you would like to see on my blog and your personal info so I can send you your present!

Open to my customers, other demos or anyone who just happened to my blog!

By the way, thanks to Laycock Designs for the blog header.  I love my crisp new design!

Cute and Easy project from Stampin' Up!

How about a cute Owl Treat box filled with M&Ms for Halloween?  This cute and easy project can be altered to fit almost any occassion!

Get the easy directions from my Stampin' Up website and take a look around my online store.

Stampin' Up! demonstrator site and online store

My Best Subjects...

Hello Creative People everywhere! Today I want to look at some of my favorite photographic subjects, my girls. Not only are they really cute and expressive but I can try out new techniques when I photography them as I'm still getting to know my DSLR camera. I have a Pentax K-x with an 18-55 lens. I'm now studying lenses and wondering what my next one will be. Photography is not an inexpensive hobby!

I'm sharing a diptich entitled I'm Happy/I'm Sad and one entitled Your Eyes Are the Windows to Your Soul.

Art Ninja

So last night began my formal training as an art ninja.  It was like I was in a trance for three hours!  When Robert our instructor called for a 15 minute break in the middle of our class I was disappointed but knew my butt and back needed me to walk around.  You see, on the very first night, we were instructed that when we go to the classroom we are to get an art bench down from storage and face the big dry erase board.  Also part of our supply list was a drawing board and a giant 18" x 24" sketch pad.  The drawing bench is made so that there is a groove where you place your drawing board and then you straddle the end of the wooden, no padding anywhere, bench.  Of course, with my fibro,  it was just a matter of minutes that my butt felt like I was grinding my bones and my lower back was sore.

But I didn't care!!! I was in an art ninja trance trying to control my muscles in my arm so the perfect line I was thinking about in my head flowed out of my pencil.  I have a ways to go before everything is working with that art ninja efficiency. 

Now, those of you who know me know that I can hardly draw a straight line when I have a ruler!  Although, my lines were never perfect, I felt like with practice I could get it.  The class progressed into perfect circles.  Mine tended to look like rounded corner squarish things at first.  But again I felt like I could get this if I tuned my art ninja skills.

Then we got into our first homework assignment.  We need to draw a variation table with six rows each with eight swatches from darkest to lightest that are two inches by two inches.  The first row is a variation of shading.  The second row is crosshatching. The third row is overlapping circles...any way you get the point.  We have a week to get this accomplished.  I'll post a picture when I'm done...I'm intrigued and scared to death of this assignment.  Will the prof take one look at mine and know I'm not an art ninja?  Stay tuned...

Convention Swaps Part Deux

Here are some more wonderful swaps from Convention!

More tomorrow!

Look at all these great ideas!

I attended my very first Stampin' Up! convention in Salt Lake City this year.  I went with three other demonstrators from my group.  It was a great convention to go to because my upline (the person I signed up to become a Stampin' Up! Demo under) won a bunch of awards.  She won a cruise to Alaska (I'm so jealous) which was fantastic.  The big surprise was that Mandy was awarded the honor of being on of the top 100 demonstrators in North America!  We had to wait until awards night to find out what rank she held and were so impressed that she was the #57 top demo in the US and Canada.  Congratulations Mandy!

One of the ongoing events at Convention is Swaps.  Let me tell you, I had agita regarding swaps and the rules and getting them done and how many to make!  As much as I tried to prepare prior to Convention, I was still making them when I got to SLC.  In fact, I left one of my packets of premade swaps at home by mistake so the stuff that I brought to make more was so necessary!  On the airplane ride out, I sat in First Class while Mandy and Amanda were in coach.  Maybe next year, I'll slum with the girls in the back of the plane.  Anyway, for one of my cards, I was making flowers from four scalloped circles and I needed to break down the fibers on each petal.  I ended up getting a blister on my left thumb and worked the entire 3 hour plus flight on breaking down and curling those petals.  Here are the first batch of my cards I got in exchange for my swaps!

I got some really great ideas for fun and fast cards for workshops.  I wonder if my cards ended up on someone's blog!

Gifts Galore--A Day of Great Crafting Projects

What are you doing to be crafty today? http://www.craftygirlga.stampinup.net/

Hey everyone-

I wanted to make sure you all had the most up-to-date information on Gifts Galore -- October 2 all day.  We have some great projects this year and I will be teaching all day but you must join me!!! http://l-inkedbygiftsgalore.blogspot.com/2010/07/gifts-galore-2010.html

The cost is now $64 but that includes fabulous prizes, goody bag, catered lunch and all the materials to complete the projects.

Where have I gone?

Dear Crafters of Creativity-

I have been an absentee blogger for July and much of August and my sincere apologies to you.  July was a whirlwind month of travel -- both work and personal,  preparation for the Stampin' Up! convention in Salt Lake City, and preparing for going back to college.  Today is the big day and my first day of classes.  I am nervous.


Why am I nervous?  Well there are a plethora of reasons.  One, do I have the stamina to go back to school, excel in my "day" job at SAP, develop my Stampin' Up! business and maintain some kind of home life too? With my fibromyalgia, I sure am cutting off a lot to chew.  But I have an energy lately that is helping me push through and I am confident I will be successful at my foray back to higher learning!

Secondly, I am nervous because I am pursuing my degree in Art Education.  This means that I need to develop some classic skills in drawing, 2-D and 3-D Design, color theory as well as develop skills in a specialty.  I am not officially accepted into the program until I turn in a portfolio. This will mostly be made up of the work in my first two art classes -- 2-D Design and Color Theory and Drawing 1 -- plus additional pieces that I have created on my own. That date to turn in is April 11th so be prepared to have me stress out as that date approaches!

Thirdly, I am nervous because I have a husband, five dogs, a house, friends, a business, a full-time job (that pays the bills and needs to continue to pay the bills!!) that all need attention.  The pressure is tremendous to make sure everyone and everything is taken care of while I'm trying to finish my degree. How am I going to do it all?

Well, like my Crafty Girl Project, I guess I take it one day at a time!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post on some of the really cute swaps I got at Convention!!!

Oh - and anyone from Book Club -- make sure get the book for September and start now!