December Newsletter

Hello my crafty friends!  I had a wonderful time at OnStage in Salt Lake City last month!   I made some new friends, swapped about about 85 card fronts (and have lots of new ideas!), got to see the upcoming Occasions Catalog and Sale-A-Bration offerings, had the chance to order some new products and even made some projects with some of the new products!  I was even able to chat with 3 of my stamping heros!  If you would ever like to experience this fun, exciting event all you need to do is join my team to be eligible!  

 

Ever in a dither over what to get that special crafty friend for Christmas, birthday or just because?  Remember that I do offer custom gift certificates that you can purchase to give!  

 

The Year-End Sales Event Is Here
We're wishing 2017 a fond farewell by throwing a Year-End Sales Event in its honor!  The Year-End Sales Event will run from December 1, 2017, to January 2, 2018, and supplies are limited.  Be sure to check out this promotion, so you can snag your favorite items before they’re gone!  (You can view all the products from my online store, just click on the 'Specials' tab.)

DECEMBER CLASS SCHEDULE:
Thursday, Dec. 14th - Show Low High School (in the Library) at 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 16th - R&R Pizza Express in Lakeside at 9:45 a.m. (plan to have lunch and visit after class)
This month our 4 projects will focus on several different techniques.  Class fee is $10 per person.  Please bring your adhesives and any tools you like to use.  Also, please R.S.V.P. so that I have enough materials prepared for everyone.

BUYING CLUB NEWS
This is our final month in our current club.  Thank you so much to everyone that has participated!  The hostess this month is Joyce N.!  This month's hostess code for online orders is:  PTJ2NTA6.  
If you are interested in being part of the new club that begins in January, there are still some spots available!  Let me know before mid January so that we can include you in the line up.  The requirement to being part of the 6 month buying club is to place a minimum monthly order of $25 and one of those months you will receive the hostess rewards!

STAMPARATUS NEWS!  (Direct from the demonstrator update 12/1/17)
The results are in! The first Stamparatus reservation window reached its maximum number of reservations in just 15 minutes, which provided us with some very important information: You LOVE this new stamping tool! We couldn’t be more thrilled; in fact, your response was so amazing that we’ve decided to make some important adjustments to the reservation process.
As was previously announced, the second reservation window will remain open from December 5–30; however, during this reservation period we will take as many orders as we receive (yay!) and not close the window until December 30. So whether the total number of reservations is 100 or 100,000, the window will stay open!
Please note the following changes:

Please note what has not changed:

• Beginning March 19, we will ship Stamparatuses in the order the reservations were received (first in, first out) and continue through the next few months and beyond as product arrives in our warehouse. Because shipment dates are based on manufacturing lead times, not all of the reservations made during the December 5–30 window will ship on March 19 (as was previously announced).
• In order to accommodate demand, limits have changed as follows: one reservation per customer and one per demonstrator.
• Because we are not limiting the maximum number of reservations for the second window, we will not offer a third window. This is the last chance for you and your customers to reserve a Stamparatus before it becomes available in the 2018-2019 annual catalog.
  • If you reserved more than one stamping tool during the first reservation period, that number will not change; you will still receive the same number you reserved.
  • If you reserved one or more stamping tool(s) during the first reservation period, you may still order during the second window.
  • The reservation window will open at 2:00 PM (MT) on December 5. 
• We can’t wait for you to get your hands on your very own Stamparatus and look forward to seeing the projects you’ll make with this incredible stamping tool. Look for additional details on the Stamparatus product page as the second reservation window approaches.

As we close out this year, I would like to thank you all for your patronage, attendance at my events and for choosing me to be your demonstrator.  It is my pleasure to know each and every one of you.
Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and the best for a healthy & happy New Year! 
Happy crafting,
~Cathie

P.S. Let me know if you have any questions about anything mentioned in this newsletter.

2nd Annual Pink Blog Hop

Today I am participating in the 2nd Annual Ultimate Pink Blog Hop to celebrate some very special ladies in my life.  They are neighbors, friends and co-workers that have been diagnosed, undergone treatments and have come out stronger on the other side.  

I used my favorite pinks for this project; Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride and Pink Pirouette.  Also featuring the Petal Burst Textured Impressions Embossing Folder and the Sunshine Wishes Thinlets.  The sentiment came from the Ribbon of Courage stamp set which I punched out with the Everyday Label Punch and reinserted it into the punch and punched it once again to create a bit smaller label.  

Thank you for stopping by!  Please continue on with the bog hop to see all the fabulous pink projects the other demonstrators have created!

World Card Making Day - October 7, 2017

We get them on special occasions, holidays and birthdays, they sit upon our mantle and some of them even get tucked into our store of special memories. Whether it’s Christmas or our Birthday, we always look inside for the gift card from Santa Claus or the money from a grandparent, often before we’ve even read the card (what a social faux pas! You should feel ashamed!) But have you ever considered making your own card? World Card Making Day reminds us that the best gifts come from the heart, and the hands and vision of the people we love, so get out there and try making a card of your own!

History of World Card Making Day
Cards have played an important role in social circles for hundreds of years, playing a role as a thoughtful gift all the way to a necessary part of proper etiquette. Consider, if you will, the calling card of the Victorian era, a term that has become so ubiquitous that the signature element of a bomb-maker or a criminal is said to be their ‘calling card’. A small piece of paper bearing ones name and often a decoration of some kind, the calling card (Also known as a visiting card) was presented to the servants of a household that it might be delivered to the masters of the house to announce visitors.

It was this era of propriety that also developed the concept of a dance card, a card specifically carried by women to fill out with the names of the men they intended to dance with that evening. After all, with so many interested parties it just made sense to keep track of them so that you could, in earnest, indicate that your dance card was full and thus politely decline an interested suitor.

Calling Cards, Dance Cards, Business Cards, Greeting Cards, RSVP Cards, there are a million and more types of cards and could there be anything more exciting than learning to make your own? World Card Making Day encourages you to do just that.

Celebrated annually on the first Saturday in October, the day first began in 2006 and was created by Paper Craft magazine as a way to encourage crafters to get a head start on the holiday season.

How to celebrate World Card Making Day
The best way to celebrate World Card Making Day is, of course, to learn how to make your own cards! There are often card making classes to be had at craft stores nearby, and if you have friends who are into scrapbooking they’ll be more than happy to teach you how to go about making your own cards. The only limit to your cards is your imagination, so let your creativity fly and send your friends and family personalized cards on World Card Making Day!

Read on to find out more information on the World Card Making Day event I am hosting....

September Classes

Every year in September I offer different projects at my monthly classes with the idea that my friends and customers can come to my home and make any of these projects for World Card Making Day.  This year it will be Saturday, October 7, 2017.

Here are the projects from the Show Low class on Sept. 14, 2017:

And from the Lakeside class on Sept. 16, 2017:

The projects were all well liked, it was hard to pick just one favorite!  What do you think?  Do you have a favorite?

Christmas In July Blog Hop

Thank you for visiting today, I thought it would be fun to participate in a Blog Hop!  It is the first time I have done one, so please be kind.

The theme for this Blog Hop is Christmas In July featuring the new Carols of Christmas stamp set that will be available for customers to order next week, August 1, 2017.  One of the many benefits of being a demonstrator is that I was able to pre-order a stamp set and the awesome Card Front Builder Thinlit Dies that coordinate with it.  My project to share with you today is actually a quick, sweet and simple Christmas gift tag!  

I had a lot of fun playing with these products and I am secretly in love with the tree and deer dies!  The little deer is small, but guess what?  The new mini dimensionals fit right behind it to give it a little lift.  I also had fun playing with some different ribbon choices.  Have you tried the new 1/4" Copper Trim?  It is amazing!  Here is a close up for you:

It is a little stretchy, net type trim that is very versatile!  And paired with some Copper Embossing Powder it is really stunning.  

I hope you have enjoyed seeing all the fantastic projects the many talented demonstrators in this Blog Hop have shared!

Embossing Paste Class

Did you see the new Embossing Paste in the Annual Catalog?  It can be found on page 201 along with the Palette Knives and Pattern Party Decorative Masks.  The paste creates an awesome texture on your projects.   Check out page 176 to see step by step instructions on how easy it is to use.

The class I held was a success, although I did find that it was best to keep it small.  Everyone that attended received their own jar of Embossing Paste, a set of Palette Knives, a set of the Pattern Party Decorative Masks and a Silicone Craft Sheet.  Everything to create these 4 projects!  

This Embossing Paste is so much fun to work with and very versatile!   It can be left white, colored with Classic reinkers, sprinkled with Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter and we even sprinkled it with Embossing Powder and then heat embossed it!

Currently the Embossing Paste is on back order until the middle of August and once it is available I will offer this class again.  

If you are interested in attending this class, please contact me and I will add you to the list.  I may offer it a couple different times to keep class sizes small and to accommodate schedules.  I do hope you will try this exciting new product!

Don’t toss those scraps!

Don’t toss those scraps!

Wonder what to do with all those scraps of card stock and designer series papers?  Toss them or save them, that is the question!  Here are a few tips on how to use them to make the most of your scraps.

Punches like the Classic Label Punch (141491) and the Decorative Ribbon Border(143721) don’t need more than a ½” strip.  Remember to stamp your sentiment first and then punch it out with the Classic Label Punch.

Need a little ‘something-something’ on the inside of your card or on an edge?  Just look through your scraps to find a coordinating strip to dress it up.  Stamp a design or tear it for some extra texture.

Sometimes scraps are odd sized or a bit larger, use those for punch layers behind a stamped sentiment or focal piece. 

Love our framelits and thinlets?  Many sets have tiny pieces or trim that can be cut with small scraps.

Like to keep your supplies organized?  Here’s an idea to easily identify your ink refill bottles.  Punch each color with the small berry circle from the Holly Berry Builder Punch(141843) and use a Mini Glue Dot (103683)to attach it to the top of ink refill bottle to find what you need quickly.

Another idea is to use scraps as spacers.  Our Stampin’ Trimmer (126889) makes it a snap to cut 1/8” thin strips that can be used to insure you get pieces lined up with equal borders. 

So next time you are about to toss a scrap, think about the many ways it could be used!