Woweeee, November is wrapping up FAST! Here's a reminder of all the promotions/specials that end Friday night:

- Submissions for my Retiring List Contest
- Free Shipping & Handling (Canada only)
- "Buy 3, get 1 Free" Paper Party Promotion
- All in the Family fundraiser
- Holiday Mini Catalogue
- Early Bird registration for the Winter Demonstrator Stamp Camp

WHAT'S COMING IN DECEMBER?

- I'll begin my Holiday Countdown on December 1, where I'll post a different project each day on this blog, all the way until New Years.

- Stampin' Up!'s new "Spring-Summer 2008 Collection" Preview catalogue will be available for viewing... get some sneak peeks on what's coming soon. if you're in Canada, why not preorder your new catalogue through me and have it in your hot litte hands come January. Contact me to learn how you can get it + a coupon off your first order!

- More classes! We have 3 Stampers Club nights, a Holiday 10 card camp, a Star Book class, a Holiday Tag making night, and a Children's stamp camp during the winter school break (loads of fun with the little ones).


Happy Stamping everyone,
- Caroline

These are the 5 projects we're making at tonight's "Baroque Motifs" class: 4 cards and a candle. Please click on images to enlarge -- enjoy!




































Happy Stamping,
- Caroline

My lovely daughter Serena turned 10 years old today! I managed to sneak this shot of her with a hot chocolate at lunch time yesterday. I think it perfectly captures her in her "pensive" moods... one of the thousands of moods any pre-teen is liable to have!


You still have time to take advantage the Serena Birthday special, and get 10% off your order (plus free S&H). All the deets can be found HERE!


HAPPY STAMPIN'
- Caroline

Here are some pics of cards from last Friday's team meeting at my studio, plus some other fun pics I just needed to share too.

Thanks to Dina for bringing the champagne as her contribution to the snack -- it's been a while since I've stamped under the influence! :)


















Extra SPECIAL thanks to Carol for bringing her newest stamper-in-training, Courtney. I apologize to everyone for trying to monopolize her. Actually, I take that back -- I *don't* apologize for being greedy and wanting some sweet baby-time... so deal with it.
























Another card from Diana...
























These are the two Make & Take's I set up from everyone to do. The first one uses the new "Time Well Spent" Level 3 Hostess set that will be in the new "Spring-Summer 2008 Collection"... all active demos got one free as a surpise "We Love You" gift from Stampin' Up!. Ahhh... I love them too. ETA: Just found it: I got the idea for the flower in pink on black from April Roycroft.
























The second card is from the "A Beautiful Thing" set I received at Founders Circle in September. It too will be in the new catalogue, and for once I think I actually designed a card myself. Heavens to Murgatroyd, that doesn't happen very often!



















Here's the actual set (plus note from Shelli Gardner, our CEO)



















The following are some of the cards given to me at the meeting (I'm such a luck duck) to add to my sample wall!

Card by Laurie Palozzi
























Card by Joyce Taylor




















Card by Carol Soares
























Card by Diana Symonds
























Card by Ann Murray


























Card by Ardyth Percy-Robb


























Aren't they all so stinking talented???!!! :) Why not leave me a comment if you think the answer is yes!

Happy Stamping!
- Caroline

p.s. To all "Canadians, INK!" demonstrators, the group blog has a new address: team.canadiansink.ca. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in, please contact me!

To celebrate my beautiful daughter Serena's 10 year old birthday on Monday, I am offering 10% OFF your entire order as well as FREE SHIPPING*, from now until 6pm on Monday November 26!

This is a great time to take advantage of any of Stampin' Up!s great November promotions:

- *NEW* "Wrapping Up the Holidays" (Click HERE for details)
- "Buy 3, Get 1 Free" Designer Papers
- "Holiday Glitz" Card Kits

If you don't have a copy of the current "Fall-Winter 2007 Collection" or the Holiday Mini, links to both can be found on the right-side.

To take advantage of this deal, just say "I saw it on your blog".... so call or email me by Monday night to save BIG!

HAPPY STAMPING!
- Caroline

*orders over $100 ship direct to you; orders under $100 will ship to my Toronto studio for pickup. Sorry, offer valid in Canada only

Presenting Emily... a future stamper for sure. Her dad Rob emailed me this picture of her getting into his stamping supplies. Silly bunny!

You'd better hope that her fine-motor skills aren't such yet that she opens up all those reinkers and gets them on the carpet, Rob... Dawn will have your head on a platter is she does!

Isn't she a cutie pie??? If she's anything like my Serena, she's in for a lifelong love affair with the craft!

:)

Happy stampin',
- Caroline

This masculine "Wanted" birthday card gets to use loads of fun punches, plus the new Build-A-Brads for extra fun. Plus it meant that I got to play with my Outlaw Designer Paper -- which gives me permission to buy MORE of it while it's on sale. Amazing how we rationalize these things to ourselves, eh?


Inspired by LeAnne Pugliese















Our final card is deceptively simple and is stamped on our White Shimmery paper for a nice texture and finish, and very subtle shimmer. There are no layers.. just some faux torn edges (using sponging) and the sentiment of your choice. I absolutely LOVE the "Define Your Life" set for all the cool definitions & sayings. Yes, it was a bit on the pricey side, but I'll be using it for years to come so I bit the bullet and am oh so glad I did!


Inspired by Tara Kieninger

















Hope to see some of you at tonight's card class!

Happy stamping,
-Caroline

Here are the details on this promotion, valid from November 23 until December 15, ONLY WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

"Holiday Tag Bundle" (item 112409): A new item created just for this promotion! This bundle includes several pre-cut pieces from the Holiday Glitz kit and makes 15 quick and easy toppers for gift giving. $5.50

Empty Accents and Elements Tin-3 Pack (item 112410): A new item chosen just for this promotion! 3-pack for $13.50

Tags for All Stamp Set* (item 110380): $33.56 (20% off)

Hand Selected Accents & Elements (item 110228): $11.21 (25% off)

Designer Gift Cards* (item 110264): $6.27 (30% off)

Purely Pomegranate (item 109863) and Chocolate Chip (item 109862) Satin Ribbon*: Buy 1, get 1 free!


For a full colour flyer with details, please click HERE!

For great project ideas, click HERE

Happy stampin',
- Caroline

... today's cards are all suitable to give to the guys in your life!

Nothing girly-girl here -- instead, you'll find flannel and cloth textures, browns & greens, natural wildlife and fun-loving monkeys, hardware and tools (love my Crop-a-dile).

Please click on cards to enlarge and see details...





















Deer card inspired by Pamm (hrsecrzy on SCS)
Monkey card inspired by jenna07 (SCS)
Bear card CASE'd from Diane Pappas

These are just 3 of the 5 cards we're making at Tuesday's Masculine Card Camp, from 7-9pm. The cost is $19.95 per person or FREE with a $60 order placed that night, and includes the 5 cards, envelopes and supply list cheat sheet. "Canadians, INK!" team demonstrators and Stampers Club members pay only $14.95!

Please RSVP if you would like to attend.

Happy Stamping,
- Caroline

Woohooo!

Hard to believe that it's that time of the year again, but Stampin' Up!'s retiring list for the Fall/Winter 2007 Collection us being released on December 1. So it means it's time for another one of my great contests!!!!

CONTEST RULES:

Email me with your top 15 guesses of stamp sets that you think will retire, no later than 6pm ET on Friday November 30th. The person with the most correct guesses will win their choice of any one retiring stamp set from my personal collection. Cool, eh?

The Fine Print
- hostess sets & mini catalogue sets do not count, as we already know they are retiring
- in the event of a tie, one winner will be drawn
- should the retiring list be posted early, I'll draw from all entrants received by that point
- the Retiring list and the winner's name will be posted here on Saturday December 1

My end-of-month newsletter gets mailed out tomorrow so be sure to sign up now to get it delivered to your inbox! You'll get the scoop about the new "Spring-Summer Collection 2008" catalogue pre-orders, the new Angel Policy, and a sneak peek at what else is coming next!


Happy Stamping,
- Caroline

Here are the remaining 6 Holiday cards that were made at today's class -- I hope they inspire you.

Happy stamping,
- Caroline

p.s. Stay tuned for the cards for Tuesday's Masculine Card Camp! Those are coming next!


Stamps: Season of Joy (Mini)

Inks: Purely Pomegranate, Handsome Hunter

CS: Purely Pomegranate, Handsome Hunter, Whisper White

Other: Purely Pomegranate satin ribbon (Mini), 5-petal flower punch, rectangle slot punch

Inspired by Ann Clemmer

Stamps: Season of Joy (mini)

Inks: Chocolate Chip, VersaMark

CS: Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla, More Mustard

Other: Chocolate Satin ribbon (mini), Paper piercer, gold brads, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Inspired by Lynn Wegleitner


Stamps: Holidays & Wishes. Holiday Tag Team

Inks: Basic Grey

CS: Basic Grey, Very Vanilla, Charbon Designer Paper

Other: Scallop punch, ¾” circle punch, Glue dot, Pretties Kit

Inspired by Janet Wakeland



Stamps: Lovely As a Tree, Warm Words

Inks: Basic Black, various markers

CS: Basic Black, Glossy White, Confetti White, Not Quite Navy

Other: Acetate sheet, Stampin’ dimensionals, water spritzer, corrugator, Sticky Strip

Inspired by Karen Duke


Stamps: Lovely As a Tree, Peaceful Wishes

Inks: Brilliant Blue, Night of Navy

CS: Shimmery White, Brilliant Blue

Other: Sponge, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, 2-way Glue pen


Stamps: Big On Christmas, See You Around Jumbo wheel

CS: Bravo Burgundy, Always Artichoke, More Mustard, Very Vanilla

Inks: VersaMark, Basic Brown, markers

Other: Zig Painty

Inspired by Brenda Terp

Here are 4 of the cards we will be making tomorrow (Saturday November 17th) as part of the Holiday 10 Card Camp.

ETA card details.. enjoy!

Happy Stamping,
- Caroline


Stamps: The Snowflake Spot, So Swirly Jumbo wheel

Cardstock: Pretty In Pink, Rose Red, Whisper White, Vellum

Inks: Pretty In Pink, Rose Red

Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals, Circle Fire Rhinestone brad, Sponge dauber


Stamps: Perfect Presentation (H), All in a Row

Cardstock: Shimmery White, Bashful Blue, Real Red, Olid Olive, Sahara Sand

Inks: Old Olive, White Craft

Accessories: Bashful Blue grosgrain ribbon, Celebration Designer wrapping paper

Stamps: It's Snow Time

Cardstock: Blue Bayou, Whisper White, Soft Sky Designer Paper

Inks: Basic Black, Stampin' Write markers

Accessories: punches: Word Window, Scallop, 1 3/8" circle; pop-up glue dot

Design CASE'd on swap card from Cherie Hunt
Stamps: The Snowflake Spot, Sincere Salutations

Cardstock: Textured Wild Wasabi, Textured Real Red, Shimmery White

Inks: Real Red

Accessories: Punches: Scallop, 1 circle, 1 1/4" circle, 1/16" hole, Dashing Designer paper

You may have noticed my recent use of a watermark on some of my images... this is something I'd been meaning to get around to doing for a while but hey, was kind of low on the totom pole as far as priorities go, ya know?

Anyhow, someone pointed out Beth Silaika's work at Freckled Fun Designs and I fell madly in love with her circular design. I can't emphasize enough whata pleasure it was to work with her to create my own. She's a peach, she's likety-quick and she's affordable. Got to love it!

So if you're in need of a watermark or some banner work for your blog, go on and visit her, and please tell her I said hi!

Happy Stamping,
- Caroline

1) Pick a colour scheme (in this case, 4 of the new "In Colours")

2) Pick a pack of Designer Series paper that matches ("Darling Doodles")

3) Pick a versatile set that allows you a bunch of images & sentiments ("Fun & Fast Notes")

4) Stamp your images in Black Stazon on white Shimmery paper and colour in using a blender pen and the matching ink pads.

5) Add a bit of shading using the sponge daubers and a judicious dab of glitter and you're done!

We'll be making 8 cards (2 of each design) to go with our matching tote on Thursday night -- check out my Class schedule if you'd like to know more!

HAPPY STAMPING!
- Caroline

Here's a little preview for you of this Thursday's "Fast & Fun Notes" Stamp-A-Stack, but not of the cards we're making.. no, no, no.

Nope, this is the matching card tote we'll also create, that fits all 8 cards & matching envelopes snug as a bug. Ain't it adorable? Just click on the image if you would like to see it enlarged and in greater detail.

If you behave (and Santy Caroline knows if you've been bad or good), I'll also post the cards tomorrow morning. So be good!

All the info about my classes and events can be found on my Events page (or you can always follow the link down the left-side of my blog). I have room available for Thursday's class plus Saturday's 10 Holiday Card Camp if you need to get ready with your Christmas cards. If you're in Toronto or the local area, why not RSVP a spot and check it out? Fun, stamping & chocolate for all!

Happy Stampin',
- Caroline

I've received some "cool beans" mail recently, and want to share about it with you, my Constant Readers.

One of the packages was my long-anticipated 5 year pin & letter from Stampin' Up! Yes, my demonstratorship is now in its 6th year and I'm lovin' it more than ever. I sure didn't know what I was getting myself into, yet I wouldn't change a thing!

When I joined back in spring of 2002, it was with no more of a "plan" than to be able to get the Starter kit at an awesome price and MAYBE sell to a few friends to stay active. My never-ending thanks now & forever to Anna Monte for convincing me to sign up that night!

Here's a picture of me with our Co-founder and CEO Shelli Gardner from back in 2002; I figured it's worth a giggle or two.

What else am I getting? Nothing yet, but something that's due in the mail sometime soon. It's a FREE level 3 hostess set from NEXT year's catalogue, called "Time Well Spent". You had better bet there will be some time well spent playing with that puppy when it arrives, and I'll be sure to

Why am I getting it? 'Cuz SU ****loves**** me, that's why. Okay, they also love ALL the other demonstrators out there, since they're sending on to all of us! Yippee!!!!

If you have ever wondered, dreamed about, considered, pondered, contemplated or just plain were curious about Stampin' Up! as a business, why not come to my free Information Night on Wednesday the 14th? Take an hour to have all your burining questions answered, why not? I'll show you what's in the Starter Kit, show how its customizable to YOUR needs, and we'll have some fun (and chocolate, too. Always chocolate!).

If you're in Toronto and want to RSVP, go for it -- I'd love to chat with you. If you're somewhere else in Canada and just want me to mail the information to you, that's cool too.

HAPPY STAMPING!
- Caroline

Here are a few more bows made by some of my Stampers Club gals (Catherine, Ann & Krista) -- don't they look like they're having fun? Or maybe they've been sniffing the Crystal Effects a little too long, hmmmm. Either way, making gorgeous customized paper bows using our Designer Series papers is fun and easy, once you've tried it out.

If you'd like to see a step-by-step tutorial on how to make these, visit this Splitcoaststampers page. I'll be making these as one of our Make & Take's at all my November hostess workshops this month, so contact me if you'd like to book a date to play!

Want to get ready to scrap your holiday pictures? Or maybe you're still working on LAST years pics? Either way, hopefully these two 12x12 page layouts will inspire you... we are making them tonight at my Scrapping class. One is fun & playful, the other more elegant... but both use Stampin' Up!'s Designer papers to jazz themselves up. Can you tell I'm ordering LOTS of them for the "Buy 1, Get 1 FREE" promo this month???? :)

(Please click on images to enlarge)














Happy "Scramping",
- Caroline

(click image to enlarge...)

I believe there are 2 morals you can take from Scott Meyer's comic:

1 - Receiving a homemade gift has the potential to be both a beautiful yet scary thing and so

2 - Why not get your spouse/SO to give you what YOU really want this year, rather than risk him making you something totally wacky?

Ask for some yummy Stampin' Up! goodies this year! Take advantage of my Wishlist service (especially during November's free S&H promotion) and I'll do the rest of the work. It doesn't matter if you don't live in Toronto... UPS ships anywhere in Canada, and you can always ask for a Gift Certificate to use with the new catalogue if you prefer.

ON THE OTHER HAND....

As crafters, we pride ourselves on making beautiful hand-crafted items to give as gifts. I've made & given numerous bragbooks, scrapbooks, card ensembles, stamped candles, holiday cards and stationary... you name it.

So take a peek at my Classes schedule to see if there's something you might want to try this year - I have classes for all kinds of crafty things (scarves, gift tags, Star books, etc)

My Corel Photo-Paint is acting up today, so you'll have to wait to see some more samples until TechnoGeek takes a look at it, so stay tuned.

Until then... happy stamping!
- Caroline

As promised, here are the Stamper's Club projects we're doing this month! All 3 projects feature the Designer Series papers that are on sale, and used in differing ways.

First off are the 2 cards, one of which was a "Heartfelt Thanks" 2-step stamping card that played with the colours from the "Porcelain Prints" papers, and glitzed up a bit with some glitter (and everyone got to experience the joy of using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig for perfect alignment).














Card #2 is a bit of a peek-a-boo card, which you can't really see well since the card is laying flat in this picture, but the circle is punched through the front flap to show the embellishments below. Hmmm... maybe I'll take a better picture in the morning.















Then there were the BOWS! Ahhhh, the bows. I loved everyone's from tonight and had to show them here, and doesn't Mary rock hers as a hair ornament???? LOL!