WOW!  it’s been a MONTH and a HALF since i posted….. a record.  I’ve been BUSY, but not with my blog!  lol 

Ok, catch up.  My eldest son of 23, moved back down to FL for couple of months.  I haven’t even completely finished packing the Halloween stuff up in attic.  I have tried learning Photoshop Premiere Elements 7.0 in order to combine 5 home videos of Halloween night and decorations as promised to some of my friends,  in order to put on you tube and post a link to my blog.  That hasn’t happened  yet.  Did a craft fair, which tooks weeks of shopping and preparation including a trip to IKEA and two all nighters without sleep.  It was a bomb.  Did i mention that one of my dogs ate a bucket of peppermint bark and almost died?  Nicholas had double and triple auditions with a talent agency in Orlando, and got picked to be represented.  I spent two days shopping for the clothes he needed.  The following weekend he had a 4 hour photoshoot.  My husband hasn’t been home since September (sometimes on the weekends he makes it home).  I finished my Christmas shopping 3 weeks ago.  I adopted  two orphaned boys from the Brandon Womens’ League for Christmas present adoption and shopped for them this past week.  I drove to Atlanta for 6 days for an awesome Thanksgiving with Dan’s brothers.  I booked and then didn’t get to go to Grease on Broadway; my idea for hubby’s 42nd birthday, which came and went this week.  My hubby was actually HOME for the first time this week, and yet he wasn’t.  He had to drive to Tampa by the airport every day instead of working from home, and was on call 24/7 for two weeks, including thanksgiving in Atlanta.  Hence we didn’t get to take our trip to NY yesterday through tomorrow.  I’m still upset.  He bought me flowers.  I informed him it’s gonna take a lot more sucking up than that to make it up to me, and that if i ever go to NY in December again, it will be with girls I love.  :-)  We assembled our tree  yesterday but it’s not decorated, and my boys started the outdoor lights tonight.  We’re on our way to see Madagascar 2 at Channelside (as I type).

OK, so that’s it.  You’re caught up.

I’ve got a picture, but it’s not of a card or paper project.  I’ve got my 3 girls dressed up for the holidays.  Here they are:

Aren’t they the cutest?   Oreo (on the right) is very embarrassed at her Mrs Clause outfit. 

ok boys are waiting in car now!  bye!  hopefully, I will talk to you soon.

Technorati Tags: Add new tag, Christmas

Scrapbooking can frequently be viewed as a woman’s hobby. There are however, many instances throughout the long history of this popular craft where men have played significant roles in developing the art that is loved by millions of hobbyists today. Unfortunately, the pull for men in scrapbooking was often the money, while there is plenty of evidence that some of them truly did enjoy scrapbooking as a hobby. Here are some of the finer achievements of men in scrapbooking history.

- In the mid 1800’s, London based "W. H. Rock" began producing leather albums with pre-printed pages of flowers and birds. These albums became popular for scrapbooking hobbyists.

- In 1857, the production of "carte-de-vista" albums, containing photograph pockets, became popular.       

- Mark Twain, best known for Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn invented "Mark Twain’s Adhesive Scrapbook" with pre-pasted pages. This idea was one of his most loved business adventures, possibly because it earned him over $50,000. Don’t be too easily fooled, however, because Mark Twain enjoyed scrapbooking so much that he devoted his Sunday afternoon to keeping his scrapbooking albums up to date.

- Thomas Jefferson was an addicted scrapbooker. His albums included news clippings, drawings, and dried leaves. Men in the eighteenth century helped to produce "Dutch Gilt" or "Dutch Flowered Papers" (lithography or stenciling in Holland or Germany) using wood, metal, or blocks. Originally intended to line cupboards, these patterns quickly became a favorite in the scrapbooks of the day.

- In the 1870’s companies began mass producing embossed paper for use in scrapbooking albums.

- While stickers, iron-on letters, buttons, rubber stamps, and metal accents are used today in scrapbooking, the Prang Company developed "album cards" for use in scrapbooks of the nineteenth century. These sets of ten cards were pictures of birds, flowers, or landscapes to be used in scrapbooks.

- Most nineteenth century scrapbooks have "calling cards" in them. These decorated cards were left by guests at the host’s home. They eventually made their way into many scrapbooks because of the fond memories of wonderful parties and dances, not just by women, but, as you have already guessed, by men.

I had read about history of card giving in England that dates quite awhile back, but I found this super interesting. Thanks to Linda Plett (www.virtualinking.com) for finding and sharing this on John Sanpietro’s blog, Stamping Is My Business. 

Technorati Tags: history of scrapbooking, Mark Twain

Never Before Seen Promotion

From August 11 through September 30, Stampin’ Up! is providing never-before-seen savings on brand-new stamp sets: 15% off select new, die-cut stamp sets from the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog–no additional purchase necessary. Select items are listed in the table below:

*From Celebrando Creatividad

You can download the pdf file here.

Technorati Tags: Announcement, never before seen, promotions

Convention 2008 Highlights

Check-In Day

Kay Smith, St. Johns, Newfoundland
What an exciting first day at convention!

Inside Memento Mall, things were flying off the shelves as demonstrators filled their baskets. One of the favorites was definitely the Designer Series project tote and camera case–B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!

Next we went to pick up our absolutely gorgeous Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, and Baja Breeze convention bag with multiple compartments. Everyone was oohing and aahing over how lovely they were. Inside were three new stamp sets we’ll be using for our Make & Takes–can’t wait! Of course the main thing in our bag that everyone was waiting to see was the new catalog–LOVE IT! It has to be the best one ever. The cover features new Designer Series paper, a stamp set, AND it has a scalloped edge–a wonderful catalogue to celebrate 20 years of creativity.

A trip to the Riverton campus was one not to be missed! It was nice to see the Legacy Room featuring displays of Stampin’ Up!’s development over the years. We saw samples of new products, the Ideas Room, and Demonstrator Support. The distribution center was amazing! Employees filled boxes as the conveyor belt moved round and round the enormous center. Yuri, one of the many friendly and enthusiastic employees, described how the center worked. My bus partner and sideline, Deb Duval, noticed a number of flags from different countries hanging in the center and asked why these particular flags were there. They said the flags represent all the different countries that the distribution center employees come from. What a wonderful mix of nationalities!

Speaking of employees, I have to say everyone we met today was incredibly friendly and welcoming and expressed their appreciation to us for being there. They so much represent Stampin Up’s Statement of the Heart and definitely do "make a difference." Thank you to all of you!

Cynthia Cantrell, Kingwood, Texas
Considering that people tell me I talk a lot, it’s ironic that I’m a little speechless. It is next to impossible to describe the excitement of check-in day, but . . . HERE GOES!

My group for convention consists of four of my downline and me. We decided to get up early on Wednesday to get in line for Memento Mall first–this was a really tough decision! Memento Mall first? Or bag pickup and the new catalog? Well, for us it was Memento Mall, which opened at 9:00 AM. We arrived at the Salt Palace at 7:45 AM and had probably 500 people in line ahead of us–and no, that is NOT a typo!

So, I went up to the front of the line and met Kristin Fuller who was the first in line–woo-hoo! She arrived at 6:15 AM to secure that space in line and couldn’t believe she was actually first. This is Kristin’s first full year as a demo and you could tell she was EXCITED!

Probably my favorite part of the morning was while we were waiting in line for Memento Mall. A few demos went and got their bags and came back in line (YEA!). They held up the bag and 2,000 women screamed! They held up one of the stamp sets from the bag and 2,000 women screamed! Then . . . they held up THE NEW CATALOG and 2,000 women went crazy! 2,000+ women screaming over a glimpse of the new catalog . . . if that isn’t excitement and joy and LOVE for all things Stampin’ Up!, then I don’t know what is! WOO-HOO!

Day 1 (July 31, 2008)

Alison Solven, New Westminster, British Columbia
The first official day of convention started bright and early. As we arrived at the Convention Center, all seemed peaceful and calm, but as we approached the escalator that would take us down to the lobby, we could hear the demonstrators before we could see them. It was like a buzzing beehive! My group, Canada Inks Up!, was all dressed up in Canadian hats, boas, and T-shirts for opening session–we sure stood out in the crowd.
 
The doors opened to Main Stage, and 6,000 demonstrators made their way in to take their seats! The music and dancing were awesome and sure got us in the mood for a great convention. Of course, we still had to swap, swap, and swap our way through the crowds.

One of the highlights for me at convention is the anticipation of the opening musical number where we first hear the convention theme song. This year it was upbeat and fun and was accompanied by young people waving colorful flags. I’m sure we’ll be humming the song all week in our heads.
 
Shelli welcomed us in her usual warm, friendly, and inviting way–we love you, Shelli! We were then treated to some wonderful WOW demonstrations by Brent Steele and Jill Kocherhans. Brent always features a bird in one of his cards, and this year we discovered that even bears can fly! Then Jill WOWED us with a sneak peak of some of the new Décor Elements line coming in the fall.

After a full day of stamping and sharing we still had the awards night and entertainment. It is always inspiring to see the accomplishments of the top demonstrators from the US and Canada and see them recognized for their achievements. Stampin’ Up! makes all of their demonstrators feel like winners. I was excited to walk across the stage as part of the incentive trip march for earning the Hawaii trip. The entertainment by Tonic Sol-fa, a fabulous acapella group, was amazing and got the whole room rocking. I just had to buy one of their CDs on the way out.

Jennifer Thompson, Mililani Town, Hawaii
The morning started with stampers waiting in line at 6:00 AM for a front seat at general session. Some demonstrators from Tennessee said it was worth it, because they found seats in the fifth row. The official twentieth-year convention started with a countdown. Stampers were so excited to see Shelli. They remarked she is so down-to-earth and that her energy is contagious.

Brent Steele had us constantly laughing as he demonstrated new products and his bear card with flapping arms. He said it was really entertaining to watch an elevator full of demonstrators squished wall-to-wall trying to swap; they could hardly move, but that didn’t stop them from swapping. Everyone loved his humor.

Stampers went wild when Stampin’ Up! unveiled some of the new colors and designs of Décor Elements. One stamper is going to delay designing her stamp room so she can use the new flower wall art.

We all scribbled down Shelli’s blog address. What a great way for us to get to know a woman we all admire. Another new announcement was that Shelli is starting a signature line of some of her favorite products.
 
Everyone gave Mary Polcin a standing ovation for her sales of $1,000,000. They showed a video of how they honored her at the home office and awarded her with a $10,000 check. Today, she was excited to receive a basket of over $1,000 in stamping goodies.

The classes were full of tips and ideas. It is nice to hear what other demonstrators do to make their businesses work for them.

At dinner, one demonstrator said she felt guilty because she hadn’t missed her family yet. With food in our tummies, we headed for awards night. It was neat to see friends recognized on stage for achievements and to see all the cash awards Stampin’ Up! gives. It just proves that if you set goals and put your mind to it, anyone can earn awards.

I thought the night was over, but there was still entertainment. Stampin’ Up! brought in an acappella group of four guys. This was no ordinary group. They had us laughing, singing, and screaming for more.

Day 2 (August 1, 2008)

President Dale Fillmore informed us of the growth and blessings of this anniversary year. We have more than four times the demonstrators now (over 48,000) and ship four times the number of orders per day (4,000) than our tenth anniversary year. Many improvements have evolved, but he reminded us that what has remained constant is our "Statement of the Heart," summarizing Shelli’s desire, vision, and commitment. 

The crowd erupted when the partnership with Sizzix was revealed. Wearing a beautiful apron, created with the new exclusive dies, Shelli delighted us with a show-and-tell of samples created for her lucky grandchildren . . . party favors, room decor, and sweet felt books to share together at church. I especially liked when she sang the "Five Little Ducks" song with us. 

Linda Hansen shared the next creative product presentation. I loved the trick she shared for making yummy looking frosting (swirl craft white refill with rose red classic ink refill), and the great vinyl tote bag she created to showcase our beautiful designer papers. We share your love of paper, Linda!

The Heart of Stampin’ Up! awards were presented to Debbie Whatling, from Welland, Ontario, and Sharon Field, from Jacksonville, Florida. I am so grateful for the example these women share. There were few dry eyes in the house as the nomination letters contributed by their fellow demonstrators were read.

Ronald McDonald found his way to the stage and, first bowing reverently to Shelli, he happily accepted the giant check for $126,788. Shelli expressed the company’s goal to increase our involvement this year. After a quick photo session with Ronald (this picture will surely impress my young boys at home!), I attended the gathering to learn more about the volunteering opportunities. I am proud of my team’s contributions, and I hope we will make an even greater impact this year.

My track enjoyed afternoon classes on recruiting, technology, and the demonstrator theater. The talented and generous presenters shared many ideas for workshops, classes, and business building. How fortunate we are to see a variety of styles and approaches. 

Donna Henley, Guelph, Ontario

Friday started off with a bang! While we waited for general session to begin, we were treated to the debut performance of the Stampin’ Up! All Star Band, and they had the place rockin’! From the lead singer to guitarists, keyboard and drummer–every band member works at the home office–how kewl is that! They were so talented–I hope they bring out a CD soon. An extra special treat were solo performances by Jaron Winder, Spencer Willis, and Linda Hansen and the S-U-premes. 

It was humbling to hear the nomination letters read aloud for this year’s recipients of the Heart of Stampin’ Up Award, and when the winners were called on stage and found their nominators waiting up there to hug them . . . well, there were more than a few teary eyes in that room! Debbie Whatling of Welland, Ontario, and Sharon Field of Jacksonville, Florida, are two wonderful, selfless demonstrators who definitely deserved to win–and deserved the standing ovation that we gave them.

Of course, everyone was eagerly waiting for Shelli to take the stage to announce what the new product line would be–at the word "Sizzix" the roar of approval from the audience was so great that I thought the roof would come off the building! Did we register on the Richter scale?

As a first-time convention attendee, I thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the Riverton facility. I was in awe of the themed display rooms and the efficient sorting system Stampin’ Up! uses to fill our orders. Mind you, I was hyperventilating a bit, standing so close to every single product in the catalog! I wanted to order one of everything on the spot, just so I could watch my box being picked and head up the conveyor on its way home to me!

Day 3 ( August 2, 2008)

Mimi Henwood, Olathe, Kansas

Going into the final day of convention is bittersweet. As we look forward to the excitement of the finale, we also know it means the end of our once-a-year experience. All have shared an amazing bond and camaraderie that cannot be explained or duplicated.
 
The morning classes were no less than amazing. On this day, my track watched creative demonstrations and attended two business classes. THANK YOU to the demonstrators who sacrificed part of their convention experience to share their success with us!
 
ALL the staff presentations were marvelous! Carrie Cudney made her convention main stage debut, and she oohed and aahed us with her incredible creative ideas. Of course, humor mixed with the creative genius of Jaron Winder is ALWAYS a delight. It was SO FUN to get a glimpse into his family life as he shared an amazing scrapbooking class idea that revolves around a quarterly schedule about "Me", "You", "Us", and "Them!" And  I actually won a door prize following his presentation!  I was so excited when the purple striped wristband flashed on the screen and I received the Piña Colada Simply Scrappin’ kit AND the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set! WOO-HOO! 

What is the best way to end the twentieth-year anniversary convention? CELEBRATE!  Shelli invited one of our Men In Brown on stage. He had a Stampin’ Up! box but was unsure of who he was supposed to deliver it to. As they read the UPS label for delivery details, he stumbled and mumbled, "It looks like I’m supposed to deliver it to . . . " then he quite clearly exclaimed, "EVERYONE!" As bursts of confetti flew all over us, we screamed and jumped in delight as EVERY demonstrator in attendance received this year’s Ronald McDonald House stamp set, "Say It with Scallops." Shelli then told us that UPS showed their appreciation to Stampin’ Up! as a loyal, longtime, high-business customer and donated all of those sets to us (the demonstrators) from them (the UPS company). That is an automatic $12,000 donation to the Ronald McDonald House Charities!
 
Joan Banman Cristo, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Saturday morning started out with attending three classes. This was a little more relaxed as we did not have to get up so early to get into general session. A few more ZZZs was what we all needed after late nights of reconnecting with friends from other parts of the country.
In anticipation of the closing session, attendees lined up immediately after classes to get seated. We were all eager with anticipation of what would happen next. Once the doors opened,  the stampede of demonstrators quickly filled the ballroom, and we could feel the excitement level rising!

Pam Morgan shared with us many of the Stampin’ Up! retro moments, and talked about our circles of influence. She emphasized how touching lives of those around us happens when we share what we love by sharing what we do. The impact and results have a global impact. It is both the big and small things we do in life that have an impact in our businesses and relationships.

The fun and excitement of this year’s convention was unparalleled! As Shelli was winding down with some of her closing remarks, we all heard a doorbell ring–it was the UPS man! Who does not love a man in uniform? UPS donated this year’s Ronald McDonald stamp set to every demonstrator in attendance! The UPS truck rolled through and thousands of stamp sets were handed out while confetti fireworks erupted throughout the room! It was amazing! I wonder if that will happen when my Big Shot preorder arrives? I know it will certainly feel that way! I wonder if UPS Ken will be delivering my order? We were all entertained by Stampin Up’s commercial of Demonstrator Barbie and UPS Ken. What fun!

Convention ‘08 was exciting for sure! We have all made new friends and created new memories. Spending time with friends and downline is something that is especially important to me at an event like this. We all have something to share and learn from each other. I look forward to Convention ‘09 and what Stampin’ Up! will come up with next!

Technorati Tags: convention