Create With M.E.

Spring into Stamping~One of the reasons I love my job!

Well, I am totally beat but in a great way!  Today was our annual Spring into Stamping Event.  It is something our group of local (and not so local) Stampin' Up! demonstrators have been holding for many years now.  It's a day of laughing....

and learning....

Free Stuff! (I won this stampset! YAY!)

Fun Stuff (We played Family Feud Stampin' Style!)

New friendships...

and Old...

It was just such a wonderful day.  Tomorrow I will start sharing some of the great ideas I learned. But now I rest....

 

 

Happy Anniversary~to M.E.!

Ten years ago tomorrow (March 14th, 2003) I decided to join a company I appreciated. I appreciated their dedication to quality in Papercrafting supplies.  They were and have continued to be cutting edge in the craft arena.   It's Stampin' Up! of course.  When I joined all those years ago I signed up because I wanted the discount on my papercrafting supplies.  Now I can't even imagine not using those supplies to make top quality cards and projects to share with all of you!

I have met so many great women over the years from all over the world, most I would never have met without this bond of creativity. 

So let's Celebrate!!  Place a $50.00 online order here (You must create an account if you do not have one) then use the Hostess Code: GEAVPERY (not case sensitive but make sure it says the hostesses name is Mary Ellen Stites) and not only will you get to pick a FREE Sale A Bration item  from these products, but I will also send you a great Make-n-Take Packet to create 9 cards with 1 full card to copy (10 cards for 10 years!). (stamp set not included in Make-n-take packet) You can use a stampset in your repetoire to make a similar card or if you want to duplicate them exactly make sure you add #129120 "By the Tide" to your order. The card was featured here. 

This online special will end at noon on Thursday March 21st.  After all orders are in I will randomly choose one name to earn ALL the hostess benefits!  Wow!!  More "FREE Stuff!" You will be contacted via email before the end of that day so get your wishlist ready!

Remember the online 10th Anniversary Party code is: GEAVPERY

I mentioned that I have met many great women in my Stampin' "lifetime".  39 women have signed up directly under me to join me on the Create With M.E. team over the years and numerous more under them!  So I have a special one time offer for that 40th woman to join my team.  Sign up with Stampin' Up! before the 22nd for $99 and pick out $156.50 worth of stamping supplies from any current catalog.  I will also include an additional stamp set of your choice out of any current catalog!  Don't wait! You will want to be the first one! Join by clicking here or email me for more details. 

 

Hostess~Yep you can be one!

I saw this great box on the Stampin' Up! YouTube Channel the other day and couldn't wait to reproduce it! I had the opportunity this weekend when I was at the retreat I talked about here. We held a swap of hostess gift ideas and this was the first thing I thought of and when I demonstrated the washer jewelry I had just the spot for my washer pin. It's hard to tell from the picture but it has a clear lid on it made from a window sheet.  Leave the dividers out for a GREAT card box to hold your gift cards.  So if you want to be one of my rewarded hostesses in October make sure you email me, send me a message on my facebook page (like M.E.!) or send me a message on my website here so we can get your private class on calendar ASAP!

It's full of all kinds of fun Halloween goodies.  Chocolate of course! some cute little halloween note cards and the pretty washer pins.  The box video can be viewed here so you can re-create your own. 

So we did our swap the same way you would do a Christmas exchange where we drew numbers and could steal from each other.  Lucky M.E. I got the LAST number and if you know what that means you get choice!!!  OH BOY i knew just what I wanted!  It was really hard because every single item was AWESOME! But this is something I knew I wouldn't have the time  re-create and it was just extra awesome to M.E.!  LOOKIE! LOOKIE! It was made by Judy Brockway!

Here is a close up of the cat

Isn't it just adorable?  Drop me a comment so we can let Judy know how awesome she is!

 

 

Wow, you're the BEST~Mexican style

While I was in Texas I had the luck to get to visit Austin for a day and spend some time with some GREAT folks.  Meg, my upline, and I were welcomed with open arms by her parents Charlotte and Tom at the Airport and they promised me some "experiences" in Austin and they weren't kidding!  In case you don't know the saying in Austin, TX is "Keep Austin Weird!"   They took us right from the Airport to a BBQ joint called Rudy's where you get to eat scrumptious BBQ right on Butcher paper (my husband would have LOVED this being a butcher and all). There was Brisket and Smoked Turkey and Sausages oh my! A meat lovers paradise.  Here I am drooling at the counter with Meg's dad Tom.  My excuse for my look is a long day flying without eating all day.  This picture was probably taken at about 9pm.

 

Here is the food because you have to see the food!

 

The next day they told me they were taking me to a grocery store for lunch.  I was like...what?  Austin is the Corporate Headquarters for Whole Foods.  While I didn't feel comfortable snapping pictures in the actual grocery store I had to show you the way you get down to the 3 floors of underground parking with your cart.  This is M.E. being silly with Charlotte in front of me.  As soon as you touch the cart onto the escalator the wheels lock in place and can't be moved.  It's a very cool system! 

Oh about lunch, well they will cook you anything you want!  The store is huge and full of delicious goodies.  We had crab butternut squash bisque and fish tacos!  All fresh to order!  The cart is full of snackies and other goodies for our trip to San Antonio because after lunch we were headed that way.

 

While we were in Austin Charlotte took us to visit one of her neighbors.  They had a beautiful home filled with Mexican art.  Our hostess, Polly, still had her collection of nativity scenes up from Christmas and the tour probably took a couple hours she had so many and they were absolutely gorgeous and I didn't want to miss anything.  Some dated back from the 60's when Polly first started to collect.  She also had a big corner in one of her rooms full of 'Day of the Dead' artwork.  Everything was so colorful and delightful.  She really had an eye on putting together different vignettes.  Very eclectic but it all worked. Before we left she presented each of us with a little "souvenier" of our day.  A 'Day of the Dead' skeleton ornament all hand woven.  So detailed.  So I made something to send to her today .  A quick card that I think captures the mexican feel with many of the bright colors I experienced in her home. 

I saw this similar idea sometime while I was in San Antonio but I made this card from my memory and I do not know who to give credit to for the original idea. (as always if it was yours drop me a line I would love to give you credit)  It was just one of those ideas that stuck with me!  I earned the "packed for" bundle of stamps from Stampin' Up! for FREE!!  You can view the full set in the Occasions mini catalog by clicking on that link  above or my signature below.  Here is a close up of the image.  I cut it from the whole group of images.  A great way to use this stamp set.

 

 

You're an Angel~You're A Positive EXample

APEX time again!  APEX is something my upline, Meg Loven, has offered to us for the last several years and I try to NEVER miss it.  She offers it every quarter to anyone who has $1200 in sales and/or a new recruit.  It stands for A Positive Example and it's what we call an over the top swap or wow swap.  If you participate in person it's a shoebox swap but if you live far away or are busy like I am this month you can participate by mail.  

I had fun putting these little angels together for the other participants.  I had seen something somewhat similar at convention and had snapped a photo and had it in my "ideas" folder on my computer.  So when I was trying to decide what to do I pulled up that folder and saw this little cutie and thought it was time to create her.

She's a pretty nice size angel.  I started with a 12 x 12 sheet of textured vanilla cardstock and one of my dinner plates.  Yes, I needed a larger circle so I did the old trace around the dinner plate trick.  I traced with my embosser from the new simply scoring tool and cut out by hand.  Then I found my center and went from there with my folds.  I would love to give you exact measurements but truthfully I am not sure how to tell you my markings on a circle.  If you want to duplicate her I would suggest making a pattern from newspaper or brown packing paper from your Stampin' Up! order you can place with me online ;-) (you don't throw that stuff away do you?!!) Then use it as a template.  I had fun embossing then decorating her wings with dazzling details and her dress with glass glitter.  She is just heavenly.  I went with the very vanilla because I thought it just made her a little softer than the true Whisper White.  Although that would be just as ethereal.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my choir of angels.  I think they would be adorable made with their choir books in hand.  It would mimic the angel I put on my tree.  It's an angel my mom bought at the five n dime when my oldest sister was little so I would think that would make it an antique now (ha ha sorry sis!) and my mom never thought much of it.  She said it was just temporary, one of those things you get just to get by when you don't have money until you can get something better.  Her skirt is made of straws and glitter and cheap foil adorns her head as a halo and her head it a wooden ball her foil choir book it held on with cording. Growing up it was tradition to me and even though mom would buy new angels to put on her tree, as long as I lived at home I never let her. I can't remember if she gave it to me before she died or I got it after now but it's been a part of my tree since my kids were little or even before.  Mom's been gone now for almost 20 years and every year I place her on top it gives me a special moment to dream of my mom.  I think my kids feel about our angel the way I did as a child.  Funny how that works. It makes me smile thinking of our "silly" little traditions.  

Share your favorite Christmas traditions.  I'd love to hear how you make Christmas special at your house.  Leave me a comment.  

If you want to order supplies to make this cute little angel or any other stamping project click on my signature or on the Online Order icon at the top of my blog.

*Edited 10/23/2011- Download Elegant Angel tutorial here

  

A FREE Big Shot?~ Yes, and much, much more!

 

So many Wonderful promotions...don't read this blog...go, go click on the pics above to view them all!

Quick Post~Home Decor Alteration today!

I am working on getting ready for my Open House/Retired Stamp Sale on Saturday down in my family room.  I just moved a cabinet down there from my mudroom last week.  My Father-in Law made this cabinet years ago before he passed away.  He used an antique hoosier cabinet my husband and I had purchased at a sale as his pattern/model.  After my Father-In-Law passed I asked my husbands mom if we could have it.  She graciously said YES!  We have used it in so many places in our house and out in our Deer Processing shop over the years.  I just love it! 

So this morning when my daughter Abby and I were laying out the room for the sale I told her lets use the cabinet for samples and why don't you set it up. (She has a great eye for design) I walked over by her, and have you ever had a conversation where one person is talking about one thing and you are talking about another thing and they both make sense but neither are related?  That is exactly what happened to us this morning.  She said the words, you could put DSP inside....I thought she was talking about the panels on the cabinet while she was talking about something completely different but Wowee the idea was born!  What a GREAT Idea we had collaboratively!!  So I got busy and put some of the new Spice Cake Paper from the Holiday mini in each panel of the cabinet and absolutely love it!  I used Dotto so I can change it up regularly. 

Here is the cabinet it wasn't what I had planned to show you today but I just couldn't resist. Click on the photo if you want to see it a little closer up.  Imagine it plain jane...this is Much better trust me!

My wheels are turning now.  I have matching fabric of course and now I can open up some of the panels and drap it with fabric or products showcasing the Spice Cake Suite of products. 

So if you are in my area and would like to attend my Open House/Retired Stamp sale here are the details:

Huge Retired Stamp Sale and New Catalog Open House

Saturday August 13th

10am-Noon

2pm-4pm

Shop til you drop in my 8 years of accumulated Stamps and accessories area.  All items are priced to sell.  I need the room!  Then received a Gift Certificate for 30% of your retired purchases to go toward a shopping spree in the new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog!  Yep the more used stuff you buy the more NEW stuff you get for FREE!!

I will have 2 make n take projects for you to create along with lots of goodies to see so bring your camera with you to gather plenty of ideas!

Giveaways throughout the day!

Receive a FREE stampset (up to $45 value) from my "New Stamps" box for:

1. Booking a workshop in August, September or October of this year. Bring your calendar! you won't want to miss out on the great hostess dollars and any 1/2 price item from the catalog deal! Also take home your own Idea Book & Catalog that day! ($10.00 value)
2. Sign up to be a part of the Create With M.E. team!
3. Join my newly forming Daytime Stamp Club
4. Join my newly forming Evening Stamp Club
5. Purchase $50 in New Catalog merchandise over your Gift Certificate amount (before Tax, S & H)
6. Joining my next round of Marker Club
7. Do all 6 above and go home with 6 new sets! 

Love to know your coming so drop me an email at: stitesm@juno.com

Okay off to make busy!

 

Huge~Did I mention HUGE Retired Rubber Stamp Sale?

 
Saturday July 10th 10am to Noon

Sunday July 11th 2pm to 4pm

at M.E.'s House

1161 Co Rd 2400E

St. Joseph, IL

217-688-2878

(Call for directions, Map Quest will put you about 10 miles N of where I actually live)

I have to get rid of TONS (sadly close to reality come and see, you'll be amazed ;-) to make room for all the FANTASTIC new stamps and supplies on my long WISH LIST!  I have accumulated stamps and supplies for over 7 years that I have to move out! So come pick up your favorites. To name just a few items I will be selling: 

• Stamps
• Inks and refills
• Paper
• Ribbon
• Brads, buttons and baubles
• Beads
• Chipboard
• Storage
• Wheels
• did I mention stamps?
• and Much, Much more...

Come either day and pick up some GREAT deals then take a look at the New Idea Book & Catalog and make a FUN stamping project to Take home.

I will be giving away FREE stamp sets throughout both days

Pick 1 FREE Stamp set of your choice from my box when you:

• Book a workshop in July or August (bring your calendar with you)
• Sign up to be a part of team "Create With M.E."

Although not required I would LOVE to know if you can make it.  Please RSVP!

Hope to see you Saturday or Sunday whichever is more convenient.

M.E.

 

Silly Squirrel~Birdseeds for Birds!

When I get up in the morning I am often greeted with this little guy peeking in my kitchen window.  This window sits about 2 feet off my floor and is one of many huge picture windows in my kitchen.  It is about 3 feet from the chair I am sitting in while I drink my coffee and talk to you.  HE thinks we are friends.  It's pretty much a one-sided relationship.  HE thinks I like him because HE thinks I am feeding him.  I am not feeding him.  I try to feed the songbirds that are so abundant in my rural area.

 

This feeder is his goal.  I have NO idea how he can "fly" up there since it's over 3 feet straight over where he peeks his head up to greet me. 

 Silly Squirrel!  I am not sure how to stop him so I just deal with him. 

I wanted to share with you my design process that I went through when designing my swaps for the regional event last weekend.  I shared my first swap below with you earlier and I am including it as a reminder.  I liked it but yet it didn't have enough of the look I was hoping to go for.
  

Next I changed the colors around a little making the so saffron the main layer with soft subtle behind it.  I liked this better but didn't like the bow.  I liked the bow much better on version 1 but wasn't sure exactly how I wanted to change it. 

These versions were actually before I spritzed them with the spritzing tool and a soft suede marker.  That added that vintage look.  After talking to the ladies at my card class Jamie came up with this version.  That's it!  This bow has seen it's better days but you can imagine with the spritzing you see in version 1 and a better bow this is basically the final version.  It seemed to be well received when I was swapping so I hope someone can use the idea in their business because that is what swapping at these events is all about. 

Supplies:

Stamps: Elements of Style (Summer Mini catalog)

Cardstock: Soft Suede, So Saffron, Ruby Red, Watercolor paper

Ink: Soft Suede, Jet Black Stayzon

Accessories: Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Vintage Brads, Watercolor wondercrayons, Aqua Painters, Spritzing tool, Soft Suede Marker, Distressing tool.

Order your Supplies online by clicking on my signature below

Elements of Style~Vintage

It's raining out today and I had big outdoor plans this afternoon before heading out to my Forget-Me-Not class this evening.  So when stuck inside it's always fun to go into the studio to stamp.  I am leaving on Friday to go to Milwaukee, WI for a Stampin' Up! regional event and to spend the weekend with my husband who turns 48 on Saturday.  As much as I love Stampin' Up! I really NEED this weekend away with my spouse of 25 years.  I love spending time with him and we have been so busy this winter that our date time has really been lacking.  So anyway (got sidetracked daydreaming ;-) I need to have some cards to swap with my fellow demonstrators on Saturday so I am working on my prototype this morning.  This is my first attempt. 

This set called Elements of Style will be available for sale in the Summer Mini catalog starting May 1st.  I received it in January from Stampin' Up! for attending the Leadership event in Phoenix.  I love this style of set but hadn't pulled it out to use yet because I knew it wasn't available to my customers. 

I love distressing and I know Shelli Gardner the CEO of Stampin' Up! loves the Vintage style.  I really want to do so much more on this card but am trying to be realistic about it since I want to make about 40 of them and going over the top for 40 cards is not really feasible for me in a reasonable amount of time so I am thinking I will be stopping here. 

I watercolored the main image on watercolor paper stamping with Stazon ink and coloring with my Aqua painter and watercolor wonder crayons.  I love watercoloring! This picture really doesn't do this card justice as it's so much prettier in person.  I often see people say that on their blog and realize it's true.  Often times photography just doesn't capture the true beauty of something.

 

Well, back to work I have another 39 to create! 

 

...Rain, Rain Go Away!  Come again Another day!!....

 

Click on my signature to shop online at your convenience.