Saturday afternoon

Hello,
I was doing really great at posting each and every week....had my blog all ready to post and was ahead on everything but that went to crap when I lost my computer several weeks ago.  It decided to crash on me for the second time so a long story short, it ended up having a virus and competely need to be remade.  I finally got it back so hope to start posting again for you this next week, I have lots I can share with you at this point.

In the past 5-6 weeks of not having a computer, I have still made some projects...went to Convention and had a fun time.  Made a few trips to Colorado unexpectedly when my father in law passed away and got some great pictures while there and Utah. 

I am sorry if you have been missing my posts but I am back so watch for one nextTuesday.

Bonus week again

So this week is going to be a bonus week again because next week I leave w/my friend Ann on a road trip to Salt Lake City, Utah.  We are headed to Convention 2011....yeah, it is finally here.  We have both been so excited and looking forward to this trip all year I think.  Ann and I are so much alike I think we should of been sisters.  We both love to sight see, travel, stamp, make cards, hang out, and most of all having FUN!!!  I am going to post each day this week just to get caught up again so that next week while we are traveling and having a blast at Convention I can share w/you all about both. 

Time to say goodbye to the old, hello to the new!!

It's that time again this year to say goodbye to retiring stamps and accessories.  I am sad to see some of the stuff leaving but so excited to see what new is on its way. Here are links to the retiring stamps and accessories.  Be sure to get with me if you want anything before it is gone.

STAMPS!!

ACCESSORIES!!

and last but not least

DEFINATELY DECORATIVE

Memories Manor 2011

I spent this past weekend w/the most amazing and wonderful ladies...we stayed at Memories Manor in St. Clair.  I got alot accomplished for once instead of just my great socializing skills, hehe.  Normally I accomplish a whole lot of talking rather than making anything - this year I accomplished both.  I made apx 45 cards, 2 scrapbook pages, and two 3D projects...and YES, I will be sharing off of them with you over the next couple of weeks.

These are all my girls, I am not in the first couple because I took those but the last couple I am in w/them. We got the wonderful owners to take some pictures for us.  Starting left to right w/me this year was Shari, Jill, Kathy, Michelle, Emma, Laura, Dawn Marie, Ann, Lorien, Jen, and Roxanne (I am the one up in front w/the blue shirt on the right).  We had such a fun time and I can't wait to go again next year.  Love you girls.

All caught up

So here we are finally, all caught up.  So starting next week I will have more current cards to share with you and the first will be a card from the New Summer Mini using the Open Sea stamp set.  It is one of my favorite sets out of the summer mini and I used it for a swap with some of my girls.  I will also share some of the swap cards I get back from them and let you see all their talented work as well.  Thanks for sticking with me and hanging in there.

Fight for a Cure

Cancer research has been important to me for awhile now knowing that cervical cancer ran in my family and having to deal with that myself, however apx. a year ago my grandma (whom I take care of) was diagnoised with ovarian cancer.  We have spent the better part of this year in/out of U of M's cancer center for surgery, treatments and checkups, etc. so it hit home even more than before.  I am part of a great relay for life team each year and I feel SU is just the greatest for finding a way to help donate to such a great cause.

The Strength & Hope Stamp Set and Digital Kit are both available from Stampin' Up! today! You can find them on the last page (pg 27) of the Summer Mini Catalog.
You can help Find a Cure for Breast Cancer by purchasing the stamp set and/or the digital kit... $2 of each purchase is being donated by Stampin' Up! to The Breast Cancer Reasearch Foundation - they are dedicated to preventing Breast Cancer and to finding a cure! I love being a part of such a wonderful cause which is so dear to my heart.
It is a beautiful set, and I will have pictures to share soon from this set. Follow this link and it will show you the images from the set.

Bonus Blogging

Starting next monday for a couple weeks we are going to have a bonus blogging.  What do I mean by bonus blogging....well, let me tell you.  My goal when I started my blog was to blog more and more but last year seemed to be less.  This year, I have put one blog each week so far and done well with that however my posts are in no particular order soooo I made the decision to post each day until I can get current for you so you don't have my christmas pictures in July or my Mingle weekend from March in September, etc.  I hope after that to move myself up to at least two posts a week for you so it will be all current stuff and fresh projects instead of a month or so old.  Thanks for hanging with me.

Happy New Year - Welcome 2011

Sooooo....last year my goal was to post more for you and I obviously failed at doing that.....I am very sorry. I have not had much of a chance to work on projects this year and have really missed it. This year past year has been an extremely busy one for me and my family, it started off really well and I got a couple of projects posted for you all. For most of the year I have been in and out of various hospitals for two of my grandparents. I then in November had one of my very best friends pass away, and four days later my stepgrandpa passed away so I have spent the past couple months trying to deal with my feelings along w/visiting two of my grandparents in the hospital. Both are doing well now, one is home but one is not and should be soon. I do have about 20 projects ready to go, took all the pictures today and will start getting them posted this week. My goal instead of one project a day is going to be at least one project or more a week. I figure if I start little (one a week, sometimes more) and get myself into the habit of that then I can work my way up to a project each day or two for you. I would also like to start throwing in some challenges here and there for you - I hope that we all have a good and great year for 2011. Happy New Year!!!

Cupcake thank you

I just tonight found out who created the cupcake box and wanted to give Donna Howe a thank you. She created this wonderful project and shared it with her upline Elaine who created a tutorial that my upline Mary was able to use to show us how to create this awesome project. I had created my own directions/tutorial for you all and then found all this out. I believe the right people need credit and I wanted to say a big huge THANK YOU to all of them.

Goodbye 2009 - Hello 2010

This past year has been so crazy that 2010 has got to be a better one. I wanted to get where I was posting a project or card everyday but life got in the way of that and I actually have not gotten the chance to stamp in apx. 2 months. Making a long story short we had our house listed for sale at the beginning of the year, were in the process of a sale when the purchasers backed out last minute and by last minute it was exactly that. We had the whole house packed up and ready to move when they backed out so we had to unpack the house, but have not relisted and are not sure now that we will. There are so many more details that go with it but I am not going to bore you with them but it was such a horrible experience for us. Following that my grandpa had several heart attacks and was in and out of the hospital, he is doing better now - in between all this him and my grandma got into a car accident, my grandma had to have surgery. Again, they are home and doing good now. My other grandma found out she has cancer, and had to have surgery - so I have been taking her to all her appointments and was down at U of M every day for a few weeks while she was down there, she starts chemo next week but is doing good now. She actually looks better than before her surgery. I have been so busy with all of this and so much more that I have neglected my stamping, projects and you - for that I am sorry. This year I have many goals but my top three include being able to make and post more projects on my blog along with making some tutorials for you all. I wish for all of you to have a great year this year.

Goodbye 2009 - Hello 2010
Happy New Year!!!

Just a quick hello!

Hi Everyone,
I am finishing up the scrapbook/purse tutorial but can't post it until I get back to Michigan - we are hanging in Myrtle Beach this week. Pictures to also come when we get back to Michigan. My son Brayden learned to swim today on his own and Bryce let go a couple times, I think by the end of the week he will be on his own also. I also have finished up a video tutorial of the puffy box/cd box and will be posting that as soon as I figure out how to upload it.
Just wanted to get in a quick hello to everyone letting you know where things were at.
Have a fun week!!!

Remarkable Retreat in Pennsylvania!!!!

It has been a really long time since I have posted anything, I have been so darn busy this summer with work, the kids, vacations, and getting ready to move to a bigger house that I have not had much time at all. I did make time to take a weekend away with my friend and sideline Ann. We spent the weekend in Pennsylvania last weekend for a Remarkable weekend away. Our upline Janet Wakeland was the host of this fabulous weekend away and she did one heck of a job - I can't wait to go again in April. I have several pictures to share with you right now and will post some more in a few days - I have almost 300 pictures to go through. Be sure to check them all out and I will also have a tutorial for the purse/scrapbook page at the end of this post in the next week or so. First off is a picture of the Christmas project I made to swap, it is just a wooden plaque that I painted white, added some rub-ons and some die cuts made with the big shot. I also recieved a gift in return but have not gotten to the picture of that yet, it will come later.

Here is the bag I put my christmas gift in.

The desk clerk was so darn kind to make a copy of some directions for me that I wanted to make a quick little thank you gift for him and run it back up so here is what I whipped up at 3am the first night (that was when he made the copys for me). There are leaves around the whole box.

Here we are the Michigan girls - on the left is Dinne Gill, Ann Finton, myself, and Mary Swan. Ann and I drove out together, Dinne went out alone and Mary made a vacation out of it traveling out before the retreat with her darling husband Bill.

I also whipped up this little gift for my upline Mary Swan - she is a great gal and I am so thankful to know her.

The theme for the weekend was Jungle Safari so it was quite interesting when Ann and I were leaving Monday to wait on a Tiger before leaving the hotel. This is the hotel's garbage person in his Tiger truck.

Front view of the tiger, notice his plate of Gr-rrr

When I arrived back home, my children were so happy to see me. I gave them the hats and glasses we recieved at Saturday nights dinner - they have had such a bal with them. First up is my 2yr son Bryce (he never wears glasses on his eyes)

Next up is my 2yr son Brayden who usually wears his glasses correct but decided to follow Bryce this time. How darn cute are they.

Finally is the purse/scrapbook page that I took for the share table, I had 4 pages of email addresses left with it wanting directions so I am in the process of making a step-by-step tutorial for this project - the post will be coming soon. Here is the folded up outside look of them.

And here is the inside open view of them - I didn't include the outside open view but you get the idea. Be sure to check back often as I will be starting to post more and more and I am going to start offering classes soon.

Thanks for checking out my blog as always.

RETIRING!!!

It's here the retiring list for this years catalog - we will be going into the new catalog soon so be sure to get the things you want before they are gone. Contact me for your purchase or order direct from my website which is linked on the right. Be sure to get your new catalog also. Keep your eye out for my challenge cards this week from Ann's site and the Mojo Monday site.

Friends

I seen this sketch somewhere online so wanted to make a card with it and I actually made two - one I can't show you until later on because the stamp has not been released yet. The stamp I used on this one is a stamp I got at Michael's, so I am not sure what company makes it. I like the saying "Friends are those people who know the words to the song in your heart and sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." I added the flowers from the stampin' pretties kit, and taffeta ribbon to spice it up a little bit. My cardstock is chocolate chip, rose red, and regal rose. Now my second one I made is with the same sketch layout but different colors, ribbons, accessories and stamps. As soon as Hanna stamps releases the Riley stamp I used then I will share that card with you. My friend Kristi who owns Hanna stamps and I stamped together a few weeks ago at the Michigan Mingle. She had a couple of stamps there that have not been released yet, and she is such a wonderful gal that she let me stamp a couple images for myself. So keep your eyes out for that card later on.

Retired Stamp sets for sale!!!

The following RETIRED Stampin' Up items are for sale!!!!

PLEASE email me first to be sure the item is still available (I will update this page as often as I can)

PAYPAL PAYMENT ONLY to brandela12@yahoo.com

U.S. Buyers Only. Priority U.S. Mailing in a Priority box as follows:

• $5.00 for one stamp set
• $8.95 for two stamp sets
• $10.35 Flat rate shipping for 3 to 8 stamp sets
• Delivery Confirmation Included
• Insurance Extra

For pictures please email me.

STAMP SETS FOR $4.95 each
Bitty Basics (New, never used, mounted)
Burst into Bloom
Festive Friends
In the Sky
Let's Party
Organic Grace (New, never used, mounted)
Seasonal Icons (New, never used, mounted)

STAMP SETS for $7.95
Blooming with Happiness
Bold Invitataion
Eventful (New, never used, unmounted)
Fabulous Four
Fall Flair (New, never used, unmounted)
Fine Print, the
For a friend (unmounted)
Friends Forever
Little Bit of Happiness, a (New, never used, mounted as 21 little stamps)
Love (unmounted)
Love ya Bunches x 2 (unmounted)
Merci (unmounted)
Painted Garden
So Many Scallops (New, never used, mounted)
Tagger's Dozen (New never used, mounted)
Too Terrific Tags (unmounted)

STAMP SETS FOR $9.95 each
A is for Adorable (New, never used, mounted)
Bold Blossom Greetings
Buds & Blossoms (New, never used, mounted)
Circle of Friendship
Definitely Decorative
Double-Line Doodles
Funky Flowers (New, never used, mounted)
Give Thanks (New, never used, mounted)
Good Times
Infinite Goodness (New, never used, mounted)
Just for Fun
Little Layers Plus (New, never used, mounted)
Love It (New, never used, mounted)
O Tannenbaum
Painted Posies (New, never used, mounted)
Perfect Presentation (New, never used, mounted)
Petal Pushers (New, never used, mounted)
Sidekick Sayings (New, never used, mounted)
Sweet Dreams x 2 (unmounted)
Sweet Dreams (New, never used, mounted)
Tags and More
Thanks tons (unmounted)
Very Punny (New, never used, mounted)
World Over, the (New, never used, mounted)


STAMP SETS FOR $14.95 each
Best Borders (New, never used, mounted)
Big Blossom (Unmounted)
Big Blossom (New, never used, mounted)
Bloomin' Wonderful (New, never used, mounted)
Business Memos (New, never used, mounted)
Cause for Celebration (New, never used, mounted)
From the Garden (New, never used, mounted)
Petal Prints (New, never used, mounted)
What's for Dinner

STAMP SETS FOR $17.95 each
Feathered Friends
Greetings Galore

MI Mingle - Bay City - 2009

Hello Everyone,

I spent the weekend away from my husband and kids - my first time ever leaving my kids and not having at least one of them with me. I went to Bay City for the MI Mingle and had a blast, this is where we stayed at - the Bay Valley Resort. I met alot of the girls I chat with online along with some new girls that I have started some great friendships and hope to continue growing on. I will in a later post, put some of the cards and stuff that people made on here but for now, putting all my wonderful friends. I didn't get a chance to have a picture taken with all of the ladies I would have liked too but these are the ladies I did get a chance to have a picture with.

Me and my roomie Ann.

Pegg and me - such a fun girl.

Myself and Joyce - great lady.

Lorien, Debra and myself - wonderful girls.

Tracy and myself - great gal.

Emma taking a pooh on the floor (just a joke).

And lastly a great big THANK YOU to Kristi Ferro of Hanna Stamps and Karen Desmet of ArtDeclassified who both did great demonstrations and gave us alot of awesome gifts. They are both from MI, which I didn't know until this weekend. I didn't have the pleasure of getting to know Karen very well however, I did get to know Kristi and she is just an awesome, awesome lady - such an inspiration. Kristi, her friend Judy, myself and Ann all did some shopping together and then I sat with her and Judy afterwards just talking, stamping and coloring - it was such a great and wonderful time. I have gotten the chance to continue some great friendships that were started online and start some new ones at the mingle - it was such a blast!! I can't wait for next years mingle but until then, I will be talking with all my girls and meeting up with them here and there.

Kristi and myself.

Ann tagged me!!!!

Hello,

My friend Ann tagged me, and this is my first time being tagged on something like this. Here is what I have to do. I have to go into my pictures folders, go to the 6th folder, 6th picture and post it on here for you guys - wonder what it will be - here we go!!

Awe....a picture from our snowflake social this year - one of my fellow demonstrators made this to exchange as a gift. I am sorry but I am not sure as to which demonstrator it was or I would share that with you all. So now to continue the fun I need to tag 6 people myself - I pick..........

1. Dawn - Dawn's Stamping Thoughts

2. Beate - Fresh and Fun

3. Carol - Stuff by Carol

4. Becky - Inking Idaho

5. Patty - Patty's Stamping Spot

6. Dannie - Dannie's Designs

I had a very hard time picking who to use, so I just picked mine at random by some of the blogs I check out - be sure to check them all out and have fun. For those of you I tagged, here is what you need to do.

Open your photo folder on your computer

Open the 6th folder of photos

Select the 6th picture

Post the picture on your blog with a description

Invite six friends to join the challenge

Link your six friends to your blog post

Be a Demonstrator - now is the best time to join!!

Three Easy Payments for the Starter Kit
From March 13-April 30, 2009 there is a limited-time Three Easy Payments option for purchasing the Starter Kit is intended to benefit you. In these challenging economic times, some you might consider the up-front cost of signing up to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator a financial barrier. In an effort to assist you in join in on the fun and to remove this possible barrier, we're trying out the Three Easy Payments option. (Any future payment plan offering will be determined at a later date.)The Three Easy Payments option allows you to make a partial initial Starter Kit payment and still receive the Starter Kit right away in order to get your business up and running. Right now is the best time to join because you don't have an all at once up-front cost and you can take advantage of both the Sale-A-Bration Starter Kit discount and the Three Easy Payments option! That's two great financial benefits on top of an additional stamp set free from the current catalog.
How it Works - at the time you sign up, you fills out your Starter Kit form and other paperwork as usual, but must also write "Three Easy Payments option" at the top of each form. (Please note that the Three Easy Payments option is not available through the Online Independent Demonstrator Application. If you wish to take advantage of the offer I must submit your paperwork by mail to Demonstrator Support.) You must also complete a separate Three Easy Payments form , available only through me. Using the credit card information provided on your Three Easy Payments form, Stampin' Up! charges the initial Starter Kit payment (see the table below for a breakdown of payments) on the day paperwork is processed and sends the you the Starter Kit. On or around the 15th day of the two months following the month Stampin' Up! received your paperwork, Stampin' Up! will charge the subsequent payments using the same credit card information provided on the Three Easy Payments form, and the Starter Kit will be paid in full. Stampin' Up! will only accept the same credit card for all three payments, as provided on the Three Easy Payments form. Checks or money orders will not be accepted.
Details and Restrictions - To qualify for the Three Easy Payments option on the discounted Sale-A-Bration Starter Kit price of $169, Starter Kit paperwork and an accompanying Three Easy Payments form must be received by Stampin' Up! (not postmarked) on or before March 31, 2009. Paperwork received after this time will be processed for the regular Starter Kit price of $199. After Sale-A-Bration, to qualify for the Three Easy Payments option on the regular Starter Kit price of $199, Starter Kit paperwork and an accompanying Three Easy Payments form must be received by Stampin' Up! (not postmarked) on or before April 30, 2009. Any Three Easy Payments forms received after this time will not be processed. Demonstrator Support will contact you to determine how you would like to proceed.
Any applicable state taxes will be charged with the first Starter Kit payment. (The full amount of taxes applicable to the total Starter Kit amount will be added to the first payment. No taxes will be applied to the second and third payments.)
If you wish to add the Stampin' Memories Starter Kit add-on for $50.00, this full amount (including any applicable taxes for the add-on) will be added to their initial Starter Kit payment. Any commissions for you as a demonstrator will be held until the final Starter Kit payment is successfully completed. At that point, Stampin' Up! will release commissions to the you the demonstrator. In the event that the second or third payment is unsuccessful, Stampin' Up! will satisfy the payment from you the demonstrator's commissions and if necessary continue to hold commissions until the full Starter Kit payment is satisfied. Any remaining funds will then be released to you the demonstrator.
Payments Breakdown for the Sale-A-Bration Starter Kit Price (March 13-31, 2009)
Starter Kit Payment - Payment Charged
Payment 1 (charged at time kit is entered) $56.34 (+ sales tax)
Payment 2 (charged around April 15th) $56.33
Payment 3 (charged around May 15th) $56.33
Total Payment $169.00
Starter Kit and Memories Add-on Totals
Payment 1 $106.34 (+sales tax)
Payment 2 (charged around April 15th) $56.33
Payment 3 (charged around May 15th) $56.33
Total Payment $219.00
Payments indicated are for the cost of the Starter Kit, and, if selected, the Stampin' Memories add-on, including shipping. They do not include and any applicable state taxes. (Please note that any applicable taxes for the total amount of the Starter Kit and, if selected, Stampin' Memories add-on, price will be added to the first payment.)Payments Breakdown for the Regular Starter Kit Price (April 1-30, 2009)
Starter Kit Payment - Payment Charged
Payment 1 (charged at time kit is entered) $66.34 (+ sales tax)
Payment 2 $66.33 (charged around May 15th)
Payment 3 $66.33 (charged around June 15th)
Total Payment $199.00
Starter Kit and Memories Add-on Totals
Payment 1 $116.34 (+ sales tax)
Payment 2 $66.33 (charged around May 15th)
Payment 3 $66.33 (charged around June 15th)
Total Payment $249.00
Payments indicated are for the cost of the Starter Kit and, if selected, the Stampin' Memories add-on, including shipping. They do not include any applicable state taxes. (Please note that any applicable taxes for the total amount of the Starter Kit and, if selected, Stampin' Memories add-on, price will be added to the first payment.)

Some come join in on my fun and be a demonstrator with me today!! Send me an email or give me a call and ask me how. As an added bonus from me, if you sign up now - I will give you a free stamp set with all of the items you already get.

Christmas light show - so awesome!!

This is one of my favorite christmas light shows, so I wanted to share it with all of you - I hope you enjoy it. It gets good if you watch the whole thing. Be sure to pause my music player on the bottom of my blog before you view so you can hear the music with the light show.

Free Shipping!!!!

Hello Everyone!! Stampin' up! is offering a free shipping promotion from December 9-23, 2008 on orders of $70 or more - the retired list is here click on the link to the side and save 10% off any stamp sets that are retiring. There are several other specials and promotions going on right now so if you click on the links you can check them all out. If you are interested in placing an order please email me at brandela12@yahoo.com. Thank you for checking out my blog.