Thursday, January 30, 2014

My January Paper Pumpkin from Stampin' Up! and a Video Tutorial

My January installment of my Paper Pumpkin subscription from Stampin' Up! arrived and I had fun creating my own set of note cards.  The kit is called "Love Notes," and the stamps and embellishments certainly lend themselves to being love notes, but with a change-up of the stamps used, one could make cards for any occasion!  Here's what I came up with:









Here is my newest video, giving tips and hacks for your own Paper Pumpkin subscription.



Want to join the fun?  Click {HERE} and choose "Sara Smeby" as your demonstrator.

Stampin' Up! is offering a free set of 2013-2015 In Color Stampin' Write Markers (valued at $14.95) for new Paper Pumpkin subscribers (offer is good through February 10).  What a great time to take advantage of a subscription program that is getting better each month with kits of progressively better creativity and value!  I hear great things are on their way to us and I can't wait to see what Stampin' Up! is going to send.

Got Sale-a-Bration?  Click the Sale-a-Bration catalog on the right to see what the freebies are this year for each $50 merchandise purchase...  Click {HERE} to read my earlier post about Sale-a-Bration.


Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Time for Sale-a-Bration and New Weekly Deals!

Wow!  It's a busy day in the Studio today, because it's the first day of the annual promotion from Stampin' Up! when one earns free product with each $50 merchandise purchase!  See what's available for freebies in the Sale-a-Bration catalog {link to the right} or you can click {HERE}.  Want a hard copy?  Shoot me an email and I'll drop one in the mail...


Here are some ready-made bundles to bring you to the $50 threshold (with the freebie mixed in!).  Click {HERE} to find descriptions of each one.

























And there are new Weekly Deals!

Click {HERE} to shop...

Daffodil Delight Seam Binding Ribbon 125583, Regularly $6.95, on sale for $5.21


Flower Garden TIEF 123113, Regularly $7.95, on sale for $5.96


Labels Collection Framelits 125598, Regularly $26.95, on sale for $20.21


Pear Pizazz Chevron Ribbon 130011, Regularly $8.95, on sale for $6.71


Pool Party Classic Ink 126982, Regularly $5.95, on sale for $4.46


Wisteria Wonder Classic Ink 126985, Regularly $5.95, on sale for $4.46


Winter Wonders Digital Download Kit MDS 132567, Regularly $9.95, on sale for $5.97

Whew!  That's quite a post!  Stay tuned for tomorrow's unveiling of my latest Studio Video!  Hope your week is off to a great start!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

{Weekly Deals} and a New Video Is in Production!

Here are the new deals for this week (available through Monday).  Click {HERE} to shop!  Enjoy!


Blushing Bride Classic Ink Pad #131172, Regularly $5.95, on sale for $4.46!


Epic Day This and That Designer Washi Tape, #131269, Regularly $4.95, on sale for $3.71!


Reasons I Heart You Swatchbook Download, My Digital Studio, #129031, Regularly $12.95, on sale for $7.77!
 

Shaker Frames, #124155, Regularly $4.95, on sale for $3.71!
 

Vintage Faceted Buttons, #127555, Regularly $5.95, on sale for $4.46!
 

XL Oval Punch, #119859, Regularly $16.95, on sale for $12.71!



Stampin' Write Markers New Color Kit, #130034, Regularly $28.95, on sale for $21.71!


Scallop Trim Border Punch, #118402, Regularly $15.95, on sale for $11.96!


One week and counting until Sale-A-Bration!  Please let me know if I can be of assistance and stay tuned for my new video, posting soon!



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

{12 Weeks of Christmas}: Wrapping Up Loose Ends

Happy 2014!  I've spent the last two weeks putting into motion some of the organizing madness I've been fantasizing about lately.  Before I get into that, however, I'd like to wrap up a few things from 2013.

First, thanks for another year of support.  I love stamping and I can't believe that I'm making money doing it and getting to feed another love (writing) with this hobby.  What a blessing to have this opportunity cross my path 12 (!) years ago.

Second, I was a victim of the missing week between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so certain things on my list never happened (read: a few 12 Weeks of Christmas posts).  It's not like Easter, when the date shifts around, so I'm not sure why Christmas snuck up on me.

When I was teaching fifth grade full-time, one of the things I made a practice of doing was reflecting on a unit of study when it was concluded and make notes/preparations for next time.  I've carried that practice into my home life and it's been very helpful.  I am a list-maker, so I always go back to my packing list for camping, vacations or planning list for parties or big holidays to see what was forgotten, unnecessary, brilliant, etc.

One such reflection was that I can't wait until "the Christmas Spirit" strikes to start my Christmas cards.  I have about 150 to make and send and I was woefully late this year (at least they were received before 2014).  I need to start planning and working on them sooner.  {Another reflection is to have "cream cheese" tattooed to my forehead, as I keep forgetting it for the frosting for our Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls.  Ugh.  I forgot it on Thanksgiving, too.}


S peaking of Christmas cards, I don't address my envies by hand; I print up labels.  To make my Christmas card list, I simply run this label document on regular paper.  I attach a Zip-Loc baggie to the back and keep it handy throughout the season to toss in any new addresses that come my way on cards sent to us (I rip off the sender's return address label, which is faster for me than writing it down).  At the end of the season, I go back to my computer and make necessary changes.  If I'm feeing jiggy, I might even go ahead and print up a new set of labels in January and stow them in my Christmas Planning Journal for next year.

If you're a list-maker like me and/or if you have a binder or journal for Christmas planning, I invite you to spend a minute thinking about what worked well for your preparations, traditions, budget, etc.  Also, think about what you'd leave out next year or do differently.  This doesn't have to be fancy; you can fold a piece of paper in half lengthwise and write in two columns.  Tuck this list in your planner and you've got a leg up on next year!

Stay tuned for some organizational posts/projects (it is January, after all!).  I'm gearing up for a busy Sale-a-Bration season, so be watching for information about that, too!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

New {Weekly Deal} Specials!

Hooray for Tuesday!  Enjoy these new Weekly Deals!  Click {HERE} to shop...

Alphabet Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder ("TIEF"), #130916, Regularly $7.95, on sale for $5.96!


Chalk Talk Framelit Dies, #129983, Regularly $24.95, on sale for $18.71!


Basic Black 3/4-inch Chevron Ribbon, #130010, Regularly $8.95, on sale for $6.71!


Calypso Coral Classic Ink, #126983, Regularly $5.95, on sale for $4.46!


Storytime Ensemble, #127195, Regularly $19.95, on sale for $11.97!


Note Card Envelopes, Crumb Cake, #131528, Regularly $5.50, on sale for $4.13!


Framed Tulips TIEF, #121809, Regularly $7.95, on sale for $5.96!



Core'dinations, Neutrals, #129956, Regularly $23.95, on sale for $17.96!


Tuesday, January 7, 2014

{Weekly} Deal Me In!

Another Tuesday = Another week's worth of Weekly Deals from Stampin' Up!  Check it out below and click {HERE} to shop!

Borders Scoring Plate Simply Scored, #126192, regularly $14.95, on sale this week for $11.21


Envelope Framelits Dies, #132172, regularly $26.95, on sale this week for $20.21


Finishing Touches Edgelit dies, #127010, regularly $9.95, on sale this week for $7.46.


Frosty Day II Digital Download (MDS) #128875, regularly $9.95, on sale this week for $5.97!


Houndstooth Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (TIEF), #123134, regularly $7.95, on sale this week for $5.96



Marina Mist Chevron Ribbon, #130016, regularly $8.95, on sale this week for $6.71.


Soft Sky Classic Ink Pad, #131181, regularly $5.95, on sale this week for $4.46 .


Enjoy the bargains!