Stamp with Michele

Sneak Peak- what does Build a Bear have in common with Stampin' Up!?

Stampin' Up! © 1990

What is coming up in the new Holiday Mini Catalog which is effective 9-1-09?  Maybe a partnership of Build a Bear & Stampin' Up! There are a couple stamp sets & some Sizzix Big Shot Bigz, Embosslit, Originals & Sizzlit dies.  One die makes the bear & another the clothes.  To announce it at Stampin Up Convention the showed us the beautiful & soft bear that they added a ribbon to & then had then for us to purchase.  Don't you just love the stamp attached to the arm? 

I have bought some magnetic sheets & also some magnetic paint.  I cut out the bear & magnetic sheet & attached together.  I will be trying to paint the backside of the clothes with the magnetic paint to see if they will then stick to the magnet bears.  If this works I will let you know & then I may have an extra class this fall for Mommy & Me or Grandma & Me. Underneath the bears iare one of the new designer papers called Pawsitively Prints that is in the new Mini Catalog.

Michele Schmidt, stamping in Waterloo, IA

More Convention Photos

 

This is a picture of my 3 Salt Lake City, UT convention roommates from left to right:  Monika, Sue & Diane.  Monika & Sue are from GA.  Diane is from IA.  I met Diane 4 years ago online looking for a roommate for Leadership.  I met Monika 4 years ago online looking for a roommate for Convention.  Last year for Convention Monika had her downline Sue & Diane was also looking to go so we decided to share a room as long as we found a room with 2 queen beds.  Monika found a hotel about 5 or 6 blocks away.  We again shared this year. 

The bag Diane is holding is actually one that Sue decorated as a roommate gift.  She took the Big Shot & used material to cut out Butterflys & decorated the jean bag.  We each had a different color of ribbon on our bag.  They are just beautiful.  I took this picture as we were entering the convention center to go get our bag, stamps, etc.  I have been blessed to meet such great friends over my years as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. 

 

You have heard me talking about swapping & have seen all my beautiful swaps I always return with.  We just walk around & start trading with everyone.  This year I can truly say is one of my best swap years. 

 

Stampin' Up has many, many wonderful boards set up with ideas for us to copy & use.  One of the nicest things is to be looking & taking pictures of the boards & finding your own card up.  The card 1 up & 1 to the right of my finger is one I left for them last year.  I also found another card this year that I left them last year. 

A few convention pictures to share

 

This is a picture of our general assembly as 3000+ demonstrators start coming in to the Main Stage & taking their seats.  It was really hard to believe that it was only about 1/2 as many as are normally at convention. 

Momento Mall is a place we can shop for logo wear and other fun logo items.  I can't tell it all as I always bring back a little gift for my downline & we want them to be surprised.  I bought a beautiful hoodie this year & some other small items.  The next day we were shown an adorable Build a Bear with a Stampin' Up! apron on & a stamp that says "life without stamps... unbearable".  This bear is because of our partnership with Build a Bear that will be revealed in the upcoming Mini Catalog that is effective 9-1-09.  I will be having an adult child class this fall using some of these items in Waterloo.   Anyone else want me to come to their town in Iowa?  Garner, Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Grimes?  Email me if you are interested.   Watch my newsletter for more information. 

I will share more with you probably tomorrow night as I need to go stay tonight to help watch my great nieces as their mom needs to have a sleep study done. 

Some of the Projects made at our Regional Stampin Up event

 

This project used 3 of the Scallop Notes along with the envelopes.  We made a holder where you put the 3 scallop notes on one side & the 3 envelopes on the other.  We decorated the front of the card holder & then the ribbon ties into a bow on the side to close it.  We also added some designer paper inside the flap of the envelop to make them matching.  The actual package from the Spring Summer 2009 idea book & catalog contains 30 cards & envelopes so you could make 10 little gifts out of one package. 

 

 

 

The last 3 pictures were all made using the Soft Summer stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  The first card is one of my favorites.  Who would have thought I would just love what the brown Mini Library Clip did to this card.  I also didn't know how much I would love the corduroy buttons & brads until I saw one up close & used it on the treat bag holder. 

Couple pictures from Regionals in Minneapolis

 

 

Sorry for the bottom picture, the light got in the way.  This is the first night in Minneapolis. We ate in the hotels restaurant & then did a shoebox swap in our room.  A shoebox swap is where each person comes up with a card & cuts all the cardstock & supplies putting everything together in a shoebox or another container.  We each set up our project & then go around doing everyone else's project to take home.   My project was a card from a previous Stamp a Stack where I used the Big Shot & the Simple Flower embosslit die along with a Texturz Plate that we inked up prior to putting it through the Big Shot.  As I was bringing my Big Shot we decided to bring many of the different dies we have to share so everyone could take samples home to show their customers without having to buy it all. 

I would love to do a Shoebox Swap with my customers.  It would have to be Stampin" Up! product unless it is a product they don't carry.  Would anyone be interested in doing this? 

Mini Convention Make & Takes

I grabbed a few of the Make & Takes we made this last weekend to show you.  I realized I didn't even have any of those I demonstrated but decided that was okay.  You guys see what I make all the time.  Here is just a part of what the other 2 talented demonstrators made.  The santa was made using one of the Stampin' Up! Exclusive Big Shot dies you will be able to purchase soon. 

On the Road for a Mini Convention

 I met a wonderful demonstrator by the name of Stacy Helm on the plane coming home from Stampin' Up!'s annual convention a few weeks ago.  She has a beautiful Bed & Breakfast called English Valley Bed & Breakfast near Montezuma, IA.  It is only about 1hour & 30 minutes away from Waterloo, IA.  I have added the link below if you want to check it out. 

Stacy invited my roommate Diane & I to come along with any of our downline to a Mini Convention.  Diane & I both took her up on it.  The picture to the left is 2 of my downline checking out the display area to get ideas.  Good thing I told them to bring cameras. 

 

This is Stacy at the start of the Mini Convention after the swapping.  She showed many neat ideas.   One of which was a card like one demonstrated at convention where things popped out at you a bit when you open it.  She also demonstrated the new Big Shot we will begin selling in September.  We made a Santa ornament  & a little mini envelope with the Big Shot.  The mini envelope was used with a very easy double pocket card she taught.  I can't wait to show you.  You really might want to sign up for the September Stamp Camp.  Hint! Hint!

 Here I am demonstrating a box we had made at convention.  I had changed my box up a bit but showed them the original.  I then demonstrated a card using the same ribbon flower used on the box but using a smaller width grosgrain ribbon.  The card will be posted on my blog in the near future as I am using it as one of the 10 cards for my September Stamp Camp.  I also demonstrated the Faux Silk technique along with my take on it. 

This is one of Diane's demonstrations.  Diane is a master of 3D items like little boxes & gifts.  She also loves designer paper & showed us some really fun things to make with them.  I now have a few more ideas for upcoming events.   

I wish I would have taken a picture of lunch.  Stacy does catering for weddings & other groups.  We had a chicken breast in a pastry with herbed cream cheese, mandarin lettuce salad, fresh fruit & praline apple pie with ice cream.  It was all delicious. 

Before we left for home we got a tour of the bed & breakfast rooms & common areas. It would be a great place to have a stamping weekend if we could ever get enough people interested.  Thanks so much for inviting us Stacy. 

You can check Stacy's place out here:  www.englishvalleybnb.com. 

Convention Make & Takes

Here is one of the cards we made at our Make & Takes at Convention this year.  We were given this set as one of our free sets.  Yes, we get free stamp sets at Convention!  This stamp set is called Inspired by Nature.  I used this card as inspiration for another card I will be using for my upcoming Stamp a Stack.  Have you signed up for my Stamp a Stack yet?

Artwork © Stampin' UP! 1990-2008

 

Here is another card we made.  It used the words from a new set called Flight of the Butterfly.  This is another set we received free at Convention. 

                                                                                               Artwork © Stampin' UP! 1990-2008

 

Convention Day 4

Today our General Session will be in the afternoon so Shelli can say goodbye to us all.  We started with Make & Takes & classes today.  Our classes feature Stampin' Up employees along with top demonstrators to give us ideas to help us with projects and other business aspects. 

General Session started with more information & our annual game show.  This year it was:

This is my friend Pearl who was one of those picked to play.  She was one of those that won $250 in product that she gets to pick out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Finale

We then got to watch a few commercials that some demonstrators did for a contest Stampin' Up! held.  These were to get demonstrators to go to Convention, Leadership & Regional events.  They were really cute but couldn't top the last commercial we watched.  It was 2 little girls with Barbie dolls called "Convention Attendee Barbie.  They were dressed just like a demonstrator with a convention name tage, swap cards, our convention shirts etc.  There was a Stampin' Up! apron, a Stampin' Up! box.  The doll house even had Decor Elements on the walls.  The girls were singing about convention when the doorbell rings & in walks the UPS man holding a Stampin' Up! box.  Shelli then had the commercial played again.  

Shortly after a real live UPS man walks out on the stage carrying a box telling Shelli he has a delivery for the Salt Palace & it says to deliver it to "Everyone!". A UPS truck came out on stage & some UPS men along with some SU employees dressed with UPS tee shirts started delivering the Ronald McDonald stamp set called "Say it with Scallops" to all of us.  SU is a big customer of UPS & they paid for the set for all those who attended Convention to help us celebrate our 20th year.

There was Confetti flying everywhere. 

Here is the stamp sets being delivered to us.  

Convention was over but the day was not.  We went out to eat with Monika's team to a Benihana restaurant.  It was Elizabeth's birthday.  That is her in the green below.

We left & got back to our room late & had to finish up packing.  Diane & I only had about 3 hours to sleep before we had to get up for our ride to the airport.  What a fun trip.  I hope you enjoyed the articles.  Michele

Convention - Day 3

Today's Pre General Session we were surprised with the All Stampin' Up! Band.  All are employee and they are so talented.  Sorry I don't have the best pictures of these guys. 

At General Session were were given numbers, had some demonstrations & were advised of a partnership with Stampin' Up! & the Sizzix Big Shot.  Wow! This was definately the big news of the day.  We will be offering 29 Sizzix dies along with 7 exclusive dies.  I can't wait until I can get the Baskets & Blooms die which makes the cutest little baskets.  We were then given a demonstration by Shelli on how easy it is to work & what we can do with it.    

Ronald McDonald showed up today to get his yearly check.  Stampin' Up! gives them a check for $100,000 each year plus $2.00 for each Ronald McDonald set we sell each year.  This years set is really cute.  Wait until you see it.

The afternoon brought several business classes & then we had the night open.  We walked back to our hotel & went out to eat.  Tonight we did a shoebox swap for just our room mates.  We then went through each others swap cards to get pictures of any we liked but didn't get ourselves.