Merrigrace's Stampin' Spot

August Only Special

2011-08-03T07:43:00.001-07:00

This month when you purchase 3 designer papers you'll get 1 for free. There are so many beautiful designs to choose from. There are no purchasing limits on this special. Simply visit the website http://www.stampinup.com. Write down the item numbers of the papers you'd like to order and email them to me at merrigracem@hotmail.com. I can arrange to have the paper (or any other Stampin' Up! products)shipped wherever your heart desires.

My Digital Studio Cards

2011-07-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here are two more digital cards I created using the My Digital Studios program. I really like how easy this program is to navigate. If you're interested in learning more about the program please contact me.

Christmas in July

2011-07-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

Get a Christmas Keepsake project kit absolutely FREE--a $40 value, when you sign up to be a Stampin'Up! demonstrator! This exclusive kit contains everything you need to create a beautiful Christmas Keepsake Box to hold your most treasured Christmas memories. It will be available with your first demonstrator order in August and must be redeemed by Sept. 30.

For a limited time (July 1st-31st) you can purchase a $99 Starter Kit. The kit
contains over $180 in products and business supplies--including new products from the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog! You CAN substitute a similar item of equal or lesser value. Receive Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Discounts and Benefits through Dec. 31, 2011 with NO obligation to purchase anything further or hold a workshop.
There's no penalty to drop. You keep everything.

Item # and Description
123225 Easy Events Clear-Mount Set*

122740 Pennant Parade Wood-Mount Set*

102277 Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

105216 Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad

103133 Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

119706 Brights 8-1/2" x 11" Assorted Card Stock

101179 Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad

107311 Whisper White Note Cards (20)

124339 Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper*

124142 Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon*

122129 Blender Pen (1)

118486 Clear-Mount Block C

104332 SNAIL Adhesive

*New to the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog!

Business Supplies
The business supplies in these promotional mini kits will be the same business supplies that are in existing starter kits; no alternative selections can be made for business items.

Getting Started DVD
Getting Started Guide
Guest Invitation Postcards (100)
2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog (8)
2011 Summer Mini Catalog (8)
Stampin' Up! logo vinyl
Décor Elements applicator
To My Hostess Envelopes (10)
My Digital Studio Marketing DVD
Recruit Folders (5)
Recruit Brochures (20)
Customer Order Forms (50)

Please contact me if have any further questions or you're interested in joining my Stampin' Up! team. merrigracem@hotmail.com

2011-07-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

Just a quick card front I made using the Cheerful Delight cd out of the new catalog. This card is 100% digital.

2011-06-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

A blast from the past. Believe it or not this is a photo from my childhood. I'm the little girl in the middle. The other two in the photo are my little sister and my girlfriend Jennifer. I scanned the picture and used MDS to create the layout. If you've got old pictures and still want to do something with them contact me. I can help you create custom scrapbooks.

Travel Book Part 2

2011-06-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

Montoya Family Road Trip

2011-06-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

So last summer my family took a road trip. We seriously just loaded up the suitcases with a weeks worth of clothes and hit the road. We knew the towns we wanted to stay in, but we didn't make any reservations. In one week's time we traveled from California to Colorado and back. It was definately a trip that none of us will forget. Here is the 1st half of the digital scrapbook I have created using Stampin'Up!'s My Digital Studio. If you have any questions please feel free to shoot me an email. I'd love to hear your feedback.

2011-06-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Even more digital downloads are available. Here are the latest downloads that SU! has to offer. Feel free to email me at merrigracem@hotmail.com if you're interested in ordering.

2011-06-01T06:40:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Check out the last chance list and email with all the great product you'd like to get your hands on before it's too late!
merrigracem@hotmail.com

2011-05-18T16:02:00.000-07:00

For all of you interested in My Digital Studio, here are some of the latest downnloads. Don't know what MDS is? Contact me and I can quickly demonstrate how easy and fun it is to use. If you can turn on your computer and move the mouse, then you can use My Digital Studio.

Scrapbooking Promotion

2011-05-16T18:53:00.000-07:00

Promotion Dates: April 29 - May 31, 2011

Promotion Details: Never scrapbooked before? Well it is time to give scrapbooking a try with our National Scrapbooking Month promotion! Scrapbooking expert? This is a great opportunity to save on some great products! You will get 30 percent off a wide selection of scrapbooking products including:

Select stamp sets
Select professional print products for My Digital Studio
Special digital download bundles for My Digital Studio
Click here to see the complete list of products being offered at 30 percent off!

Things to Remember:

Print products and digital download bundles must be purchased on an online order.
Digital download bundles consist of existing downloads that have been bundled and discounted especially for this promotion.
Digital download bundles are intended to be used to create a themed photobook during National Scrapbooking Month.
Order deadlines:
Online Store: Tuesday, May 31, 2011; 11:50 PM (MT)

Where is the Sun?

2011-05-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

So the last time I looked at the calendar it was May. I'm so confused though, isn't it blazing hot outside by now? Not even close today. It's raining! Here's a quick card I put together for the spring. I'm going to make it my goal over the next few days to update my blog. It's been a long time! Thanks for stopping by.

Pick a Petal

2010-11-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

Pick a Petal or not? I casd' this card from SCS. I was trying to think outside the box. The stamp set is intended to make a flower with different types of flowers, but I thought this card was just as cute. This card will be featured at my workshop this Saturday.

November Workshop

2010-11-14T17:52:00.000-08:00

So the theme of my workshop this month is how easy My Digital Studio is to use. I created these two cards using pieces I printed out of MDS. My group will cut out the images and adhere them to their cardfronts. I hope they like using this program as much as I do.

October's Workshop Projects

2010-10-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a glimpse at the cards my group will be making at our workshop this Saturday. If you're in the Hollister area and you want to join us just drop me an email and I'll give you all the details.

To create this card I used the following products:

Tangerine Tango 8 1/2x11 cardstock Item #-111349 $6.95
Sahara Sand 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock Item #-121043 $6.95
Glossy 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock Item #102599 $5.95
Old Olive 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon Item #119767 $6.95
Chocolate Chip Classic Ink Item#100908 $5.95
Daffodil Classic Ink Item #119667 $5.95
Autumn Harvest Stamp Set #110372 $17.95

To create this card I used the following products:

Daffodil Delight 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock Item #119683 $6.95
Whisper White 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock 102316 $7.50
Clips Assortment Item#112580 $6.95
1-1/4" Basic Black Striped Grosgrain Ribbon Item#115615 $9.95
Basic Black classic ink Item #101179 $5.95
Daffodil Delight classic ink Item #119667 $5.95
Artistic Etchings stamp set Item#120573 $14.94

To create this bookmark I used the following product:

Marina Mist 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock Item#119679 $6.95
Bashful Blue 8 1/2 x 11 carstock Item #105120 $6.95
Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack Item #117155 $19.95
2-3/8" Scallop Circle Extra-Large Item#119854 $16.95
1-3/4"Circle Extra-Large Item#119850 $16.95
Pacific Point classic ink Item#111837 $5.95
Two Tags die Item#115954 $21.95
Teacher's Pet stamp set Item #111554 $18.95

2010-10-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a glimpse at what I did with left over retired Barely Banana paper. I used the mini milk carton die,the Dark and Dreary set, and the Halloween jumbo wheel stamped in Rich Razzleberry. I made one for each of my students. I hope they like them, even though I know they'll just rip them apart to get the candy inside!

2010-10-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

Good evening everyone. Here are the cards my group put together last month. All products are from SU! Contact me via email if you would like to order any Stampin' Up! product. I can place an order 24/7.

To make this card I used the new embossing folder from the Holiday Mini. I inked the folder in white craft ink before I put the black paper inside. The stamp image is Dark and Dreary.

To make this card I used the new designer pattern paper pack and markers with a blender pen. The stamp set is Greeting Card Kids.

To make this card I used the From the Crypt stamp set embossed in clear. I then used shimmer white paint over the top to color the skull. The wheel image is also from the new Holiday mini.

2010-10-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick card I put together tonight using SU! MDS software.

Happy Halloween(a little early)

2010-09-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

You know I think I need to start writing on my calendar a reminder to update my blog! I'm getting a jump start on Halloween this year. Last year my son had swine flu so we had to stay at home(not fun). This year we're making up for lost time.This is just the start of a display that's in our entryway. I want to add some faux spider web and some plastic spiders.
We hit the local craft store last night and got these pumpkins for half price! I used the decor elements out of the new mini catalog. I had some left over so I used those on some serving plates that I'll put out at my workshop next week. I'm still surprised at how easy it is to apply. Happy haunting. Thanks for stopping by!

My Digital Studio

2010-07-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

My family and I just got back from a week long roadtrip, which was a lot of fun. Before I left I made this card using the My Digital Studio software from Stampin' Up! It was for a swap I have every month with my downline on Facebook. I used the new colors Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso.

My dad's birthday is on Monday,and since snail mail wouldn't make it in time I used MDS to create this card. He's a diehard Dodger's fan so that's where the blue and white theme came from. The blue is a new color called Marina Mist.

I think there's a theme going on here. Once again, I used MDS to create this last card. It's such a simple program to use. If you haven't seen a demo of it yet, you don't know what you're missing! You can make cards, scrapbook layouts, calendars, etc., in a matter of minutes. To create this card I used another new color Daffodil Delight. The bird is from the stamp set Friends 24/7 and the border is the scallop edge punch.

2010-07-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Today's the day you can order from the brand new catalog. When you view the catalog online you'll notice that the color families have changed. Fear not, the company is offering some color kits so that you won't have to completely replace everything you've already purchased. Even though they aren't pictured there will be a color kit for the watercolor crayons and the pastels. Although, I do not offer online ordering anymore, you can still order at anytime by emailing me your item numbers. My email is merrigracem@hotmail.com

STAMPIN’ WRITE MARKERS NEW COLOR KIT, $35.95 (120948) - (Contains all the new Core Colors and returning In Colors that were previously retired)

13 markers. Includes replacement insert for existing case. Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi, River Rock.

BRAND NEW IN COLORS- $29.95 (120952)- 5 Classic pads and 20 sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" smooth card stock 4 ea. of 5 new In Colors: Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Poppy Parade, Concord Crush.

CARD STOCK AND CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD NEW COLOR KIT, $34.95 (120950) - (Contains all the new Core Colors)

6 Classic pads and 24 sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" smooth card stock. 4 ea. of 6 core colors: Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Marina Mist

CARD STOCK AND CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD COMPLETE NEW COLOR KIT, $94.95 (120951) - (Contains all the new Core Colors and returning In Colors)

16 Classic pads and 2 card stock assortments; 32 sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" smooth card stock. 2 ea. of 16 colors; Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi, River Rock, Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Melon Mambo.

Baby Shower Invites

2010-06-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

So once again I've been MIA for too long! I've been busy with life(and gallbladder surgery). I made these invites for a good friend that's throwing a shower for her friend. She wanted them pink and very girly. I think I accomplished that, don't you?

Yearbook

2010-05-02T14:27:00.001-07:00

It's been a long process, but I'm finally done with my daugther's Preschool yearbook. Here is what her copy will look like. Each kid will have the same group shots and four pages that are just pictures of themselves. I hope everyone is happy with the turnout. I used MDS to create the whole project. Very easy. When you view the photos the bottom picture is the first page of the book. They're in reverse order. I'm too tired to upload them in the correct sequence. Just start at the bottom and work your way back up to the top. Thanks for looking.

Retiring Colors

2010-05-01T09:21:00.001-07:00

Here's a quick list of the colors Stampin' Up! will retire. Be sure to get yours before they're gone!

Almost Amethyst, Apricot Appeal, Ballet Blue, Barely Banana, Blush Blossom, Bordering Blue, Brilliant Blue, Brocade Blue, Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Gable Green, Glorious Green, Going Gray, Green Galore, Handsome Hunter, Lavender Lace, Lovely Lilac, Mellow Moss, Only Orange, Orchid Opulence, Pale Plum, Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Really Rust, Ruby Red, Sage Shadow, Summer Sun, Taken with Teal, Yoyo Yellow

I Say Hello, You Say Goodbye

2010-04-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

Well as the saying goes, SU! has decided after two years of intense research, to change their color families. I'm really excited because some of my favorite old in-colors are coming back as permanent colors! Have I lost you yet? Are you sitting there thinking, "Huh?" Check out the flyers and see what I'm talking about. Please feel to drop me a line with any questions, or to order the colors on the farewell list before they're gone. Happy stampin'!

Happy Birthday Johnny Ray

2010-03-11T18:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a MDS card that I made for a girlfriend's son who loves trains. I made the train using the punch shapes. What fun! Can't wait for his party on Saturday. Fingers crossed that it doesn't rain.

Inkerbelle's Swap

2010-02-06T11:31:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago my girlfriends and I traveled up to Walnut Creek together. We had the pleasure of getting together with other gals who make up our SU! team. It was a pretty intense afternoon, but well worth it. These are just a few of the projects that we put together that afternoon. Thank Jennifer for posting these on your blog first!

January Demo Card Swap

2010-02-06T11:26:00.000-08:00

Lenore's Card

Kim's Card

My Card

Jennifer's Card

I don't think I realized until just a few minutes ago, just how long it has been since I updated my blog! I hope you enjoy all the new goodies today.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T10:33:00.001-08:00

So I played around a little yesterday with the new MDS(My Digital Studio)and came up with this card. I'm going to give it to a girlfriend tonight when we go to her house for a New Year's Eve party. I hope she'll like it. Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas Calendar

2009-11-02T18:03:00.000-08:00

Tonight I'd thought I'd share with you some of the calendar pages I made for my husband's Christmas gift. Just like most guys he's very difficult to shop for, so this year I decided to make his gift. I used the calendar options from the My Digital Studio. Fun and easy.

Christmas Card Class

2009-10-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

Good evening everyone. My BFF Jennifer came up with this great idea over the weekend and I decided to give it a try. If you sign up for my 1st Annual Christmas Card class you'll get 1/2 of a Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' kit, 15 sheets of Very Vanilla cardstock, three kinds of ribbon, 30 Very Vanilla envelopes, and full use of my stamps and ink pads. You'll be able to create 30 cards and 2 6x6 scrapbook pages. Contact me today to sign up, space is limited.

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Cast-a-Spell

2009-10-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, this is a digital card. It's a premade card that comes with the new Cast-a-Spell digital download. Another great feature of the the My Digital Studio software. Click the title of this post to visit my website and purchase a copy of the software for yourself.

Happy Unbirthday

2009-10-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

While I was uploading my last pics I came across this one. At my daugther's school they celebrated her unbirthday. Her birthday was before school started. My mom and daughter had decided to make Hello Kitty cupcakes for all the kids. I came home to a frustrated mom who didn't like how her cupcake came out so I took a wack at it. I ended up taking over and pushed out 30 of these before rushing my son off to practice. Crazy but worth it!

Catching Up on Card Swaps

2009-10-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have those times in your life where you get so busy that you feel like a loser in some areas of your life? I was having one of those moments when I realized just how behind I was with my downlines monthly swaps. Not only have I not been able to attend the swaps, I haven't been able to make the cards. Most people tell me "life happens" and some things just get pushed aside. Well I pulled those things back for a short time this morning and created all my cards. I hope you enjoy them, my gals will get them in the mail this week. Happy stampin'

Clearance Shopping!

2009-09-29T21:26:00.000-07:00

Stampin' Up! has just launched a new Clearance Rack section of their on-line shopping store. All items are retired or discontinued and most clearance rack products are marked at substantially reduced prices - up to 80%! This is not a short term promotion but rather a regular Stampin' Up! feature. Items will change continuously and sell out quickly so it's always a hot spot to stop when you are ordering on-line.

Follow this link to visit my online store and start shopping now! Drop me a line if you have any questions.

Go Vikings!

2009-09-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

So my life of blogging has pretty much been on hold since football season started. With practice Tues.-Thurs. and games on Saturday's it been pretty difficult to do anything. I think the dust bunnies are going to carry our beds out the door any day now.haha. Anyway, I did get a chance to create this layout with a great photo my husband took of my daugther at one of the games. I hope everyone is hanging in there. Take care.

My Digital Studio

2009-09-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

Here are a few projects that I created using the new Digital program. I was surprised at how easy it was to use. I have Photoshop and rarely use it because I can't figure it out. This program is compatible with Photoshop, but it works wonderfully all on it's own.

Can't Get Enough of MDS

2009-09-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

So one of the perks of attending convention was getting the new My Digital Studio program at a 40% discount. I received it last Friday and can't stop creating cards and scrapbook pages. I admit at first that I was somewhat against digital scrapbooking. However, after I realized how quickly I could create cards and scrapbook pages, I'm hooked. I take very little credit for what's shown. I pretty much started by recreating some of my favorite things out of the Stampin'Up! catalog. Don't fret you'll be able to purchase MDS on October 1st. Hold a qualifying workshop in October and receive it at a discount. Contact me for more details.

Convention Pics

2009-08-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics that I took at my very first convention. Unfortunately, my camera died the first day there so I didn't get to take pics of all the great idea boards. I had an amazing time at convention. I even got to go on stage the last day and play family feud. I can't wait to go again next year. The pics below are of the Riverton campus where all the magic happens. We were allowed to walk through the facility that day. It was just like walking through the pages of the catalog.

Convention Countdown

2009-08-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon everyone. There is only one more day until I leave for convention. I can't wait to see what my first convention is like. I know that the gals I'm going with are just as excited. We are going to take the factory tour in Riverton. I promise to take lots of pictures and post them as soon as I get home. We're going to receive a couple of free sets while we're there. I love free stuff. Enjoy the rest of your day. Happy stampin'.

The Final Deal of the Week

2009-07-27T12:25:00.001-07:00

This is the last Deal of the Week: Heart to Heart Punch!

You are going to love our Heart to Heart punch, especially when it is just $10.99 - that's more than 30% off the regular price of $15.95!

Ordering Deadline: July 31, 2009 @ 11:50 PM (MT)

July Team Swap

2009-07-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my team's July swap. I chose the layout above for this month's swap. This is my version of the layout. My colors are Brillant Blue, Bashful Blue, Only Orange, and Whisper White. I used the Define Your Life stamp set and Define Your Live Alphabet Set. The strip across the bottom was created with sticky strip and blue microbeads. Thanks for looking.

Purse Goodies

2009-07-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I finally decided to order business cards. I figured that I'm not really going to get my name out in the community by just telling people my name in passing. It doesn't help that my name has an unusual spelling either. Anyway, me being me, I had to come up with a creative business card holder. Then of course I had to make a matching post-it holder, chewing gum holder, and pen. Why not? Maybe people will see me using them and it'll give me a reason to hand them a business card.haha. Thanks for looking and as always, Happy Stampin'.

Sneak Peek

2009-07-15T09:52:00.001-07:00

Good afternoon everyone. Do you every have those days where you just can't seem to make a card layout work no matter how much you try? That was my day yesterday. It seemed like everything I tried just didn't look right. I finally just took a deep breath, left everything where it was and shut the door to my craft room. This morning I walked in and started over. Here's what my gals will be doing on Saturday morning. If you're in Hollister and you want to join us just let me know and I'll give you directions. Have a great day.

Luggage Tag

2009-07-14T11:07:00.001-07:00

My girlfriend Jennifer sent me a link to a blog called pattystamps. Patty had created a similar tag to go on her bag at convention since everyone is walking around with the same demo bag. So I figured, I'm going to convention I should make one. Here's my version of Patty bag tag.

Everything Must Go!

2009-07-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon. Here is a list of all the stamp sets that I am selling. All sets are $8.00. If you're local contact me and we can make arrangements to meet. If you're not local I'm willing to ship if you pay the shipping fees. Just let me know. You can follow the link to Splitcoaststampers to see what each set looks like. All stamp sets have been slightly used.

Lots of Thoughts
Office Accoutrement(sold)
So Much(sold)
Something New to Love(sold)
Botanical Blooms
Echoes of Kindness
Someone New
Happy Harmony(sold)
Happy Hearts Day
Wild About You(sold)
Heartfelt Thanks
Organic Grace
Live Like You Mean It
Doodle This(sold)
Say It With Scallops
A Little Somethin'
Thoroughly Thankful
Natural Beauty
Birthday Whimsy
Party Punch
Edgy Eloquence
Think Big(sold)
Circle of Friendship
Alphabits
Cause for Celebration
Polka Dots and Petals
Thinking of Father
Double-Line Doodles
Polka Dots and Paisley
Small Script
Deer Friends
It's a Date
That's Nice
Canvas
Give Thanks(sold)
Big Blossom
Beautiful Beach(sold)
Word Search
French Script

2009-07-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon everyone. I just wanted to pop in and show you a quick pick of what the $85 starter kit includes. Keep in mind when you join you will have an opportunity to get 30% off your first order. Contact me if you'd like to know more.

Happy Anniversary

2009-07-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my 8th wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that my husband and I have been a couple for 12 years. I met him my first year of teaching. We've been together ever since. We have two beautiful children and a loveable dog. I made this card tonight when he was practicing football with our son. Enjoy your day.

To make this card I used:
Baja Breeze cardstock
Urban Garden Designer Paper
Craft cardstock
Oval scallop diecut(BigShot)
Texture plate(BigShot)
A New Someone stamp set
Under $10 stamp
Kiwi Kiss classic ink pad
Baja Breeze button with hemp
Dimensionals and Snail adhesive

Deal of the Week #2

2009-07-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

So here's a look at this week's deal of the week. Remember you have until Sunday night to purchase the deal of the week. If you have the Big Shot then the doctor's bag is something you need. Just think you can transport you machine anywhere! Visit my website to purchase.

Join Stampin' Up! for $85

2009-07-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone. The new catalog will go live online at 12 noon today. I hope you're as excited as I am for its arrival. The company has also decided to offer a special discounted starter kit. If you're like most of us money isn't growing from the trees like it used to. If you're looking for a way to continue your hobby of stamping and scrapbooking check out the link on the title. The normal starter kit is priced at $199, so $85 is a great deal. Please contact me if you have any questions or if you're ready to join the fun at SU!

Sneak Peek

2009-06-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon everyone. Is there anyone out there? Here's a sneak peek of the three projects we will do at my class on Saturday. I wanted to highlight the many uses of the BigShot and review how to emboss. I got the layouts for all of these cards out of the company's demo. magazine Stampin' Success. It's a great magazine that the company sends us monthly. Contact me if you'd like to get your own.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T11:21:00.001-07:00

Here's a little something that I made my husband for Father's Day. I got the idea from my friend Lenore. She made a similar box for one of our team swaps. The box was pretty easy to put together, just a little time consuming if you know what I mean. It was well worth it though. Now he has something to keep on his desk at work.

Another Batch

2009-06-16T17:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, so if you saw my previous post you saw that I tried to dye my own ribbon and it turned out darker. Well being the perfectionist I am (my husband refers to it as OCD)I wasn't happy at all. Low and behold I found new ribbon and I remade those 22 favors. I'm much happier now with the finished project. I know the bride will be as well. Thanks for looking.

June's Team Swap

2009-06-15T12:39:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was our team swap. This month Kim gave us this layout to use. Take a look at what we each came up with. If you would like to join the swap just drop me an email and let me know. We'd love to have you join the group.

Lenore's card:

Kim's card:

Jennifer's card:

While I Was Out

2009-06-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

While I was out today my husband "caught" my daugther in our room. She had carefully arranged all of her shoes in an oval and then was sleeping in the center. When she was done with her nap she woke up and put all of her shoes back in her room. Too funny!

Kim's Sketch

2009-06-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my team swap and I pulled together this card. This month we're doing things alittle different. Usually we meet at a Starbuck's and drink coffee and just swap cards. Every month one of us chooses what the month's theme or layout will be. This month Kim chose to give us a layout to follow. We're also going to meet at her house and do a make and take format with our cards. I can't wait to see what the other gals came up with!

To make my card I used a Baja Breeze base that was texturized with the polka-dot plate. Then I used pink pirouette texture paper and ribbon The print is from Bella Birds designer paper series. The bird is out of my current favorite set Friends 24-7. I used chocolate chip ink and then used certainly celery and barely banana to color him in. The for you stamp is out of the All Holidays set. Thanks for looking.

Item number 113218 $25.95

Busy Day Indeed

2009-06-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

Today has been a very busy day. I've been working to get back on track with my blog. It's been over a month of nothing new and I realize now how neglected my blog had gotten. I've also been working to complete 100 wedding favors by Sunday. Here's a picture of the finished product. I've got 50 left to finish. Wish me luck.

Item #114890 $42.95

May's Team Swap

2009-06-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here are two projects that were completed during our May swap. Jennifer created her's using the BigShot pop-up cake. Below her's you'll see the inside of Kim's card. I didn't post Lenore's great project because I'm going to give it to my husband for Father's Day. Thanks for looking.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-06-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, so my birthday was last month, but I thought I'd still post these. Here are 3 beautiful cards sent to me by girlfriends. The first was made by Lenore, the middle by Kim, and the last by Jennifer. Thanks so much gals. It was a special day getting these in the mail.

Sneak Peek New In-Colors

2009-06-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

I'm back and ready to blog. The month of May was a blur between baseball, and the end of school. I hope that you'll notice the new links that I've added to my blog. Stampin' Up has some great promotions running right now. Click the links at anytime to shop online and ship anywhere. Here's a sneak peek to the new in-colors that will be available in July. Happy stampin'.

April's Technique Class

2009-04-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon everyone. Here are two of the projects that my gals will be creating on Saturday. I still have a project to finish up using the new Cutter Bee Circle Cutter. I'll post that as soon as I finish it up. I wanted to create cards this month that used simply techniques. My thinking behind that was the weather and the current state of our flooring project. I figure my gals don't want to stamp and listen to the saw too long. I'm hoping that the floors are done by next week. My awesome floor guy will be here Saturday morning before my party starts. He even asked if I would make his wife a card for Mother's Day. As if we don't have enough going on in our life's we've decided to have a....... puppy. Raise your hand right now if you thought I was going to say baby! NO WAY!!! Well, I'm starting to ramble. Enjoy the rest of your day. Happy stampin'.

To make this card I started with a whisper white base. The brown paper is from the Bella Birds Designer Paper pack. I also used chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon. The sentiment was created using glossy cardstock, choco. chip ink, and pink pirouette ink which I rolled on with a brayer. My secret tool, a white crayon.

To make this card I started with a Baja Breeze base. I used the Top Note BigShot Die with Slumber Party Desingner Paper. The stamp is out of the All Holidays set. I used the scallop circle punch with Baja Breeze paper, and diecut the button with the BigShot buttons die and So Saffron paper.

Happy Birthday Viola

2009-04-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone. I was up bright and early registering for Convention. It will be my first time attending, and I can't wait. I've been running around not doing a whole lot of anything. The kids and I are enjoying Spring Break. We spent Easter Sunday with my husband's side of the family. The kids enjoyed a bounce house while the adults sat around and talked. Today's post are some cards that I made for my cousin's daughter's birthday. Yes, they named her Viola. She is just the cutest little thing. My mom asked that I make these, which I found funny because she still buys her cards even though I offer to make them! As always, I enjoyed making these.

To make this card I used the BigShot scallop circle for the card base. The letter v is from the sticky cut letter set.

To make this card I used the BigShot and a Cuttlebug envelope to create the card base. The cupcake stamp is from the Party Hearty set.

To make this card I used the BigShot to create the textured card base and the Top Note Die piece. The stamp set is Cheep Talk.

I've Fallen and It Hurts to Get Up!

2009-04-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

Well I can finally sit long enough to create my weekly post. I was shocked to see that I haven't posted since March! I seem to have had a string of bad luck over the past couple of weeks. First the kids were sick, then I was sick, and my latest was a fall at work. I stepped off a curb at school and ended up spraining the top of my left foot. Not fun. Today is hopefully my last doctor's appointment. She'll make the decision to send me back to work or not. I hate to admit that I actually miss being at school.

Since I can't stand for long periods of time (my desired position when I stamp) I once again went through my card box and pulled out these two gems. The top is the annoucement I created for my nephew Lincoln. The bottom is the invitation I created to my BFF Jennifer's 2nd daugther's baby shower. Check out her blog to see the album that we created at that shower. Enjoy your day, thanks for stopping by.

Special Treat

2009-03-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

So the other day I asked my upline Julie if I could use one of her sets for a workshop. Not only did she bring the stamp set to my classroom, but she gave me all of these beautiful cards!I'm always really impressed by the cards Julie makes. The gals at my workshop were also impressed, and made me promise before the end of class that I would post them to my blog. Thanks for stopping by.

March Team Swap

2009-03-24T17:40:00.001-07:00

Good afternoon everyone. The kids' are actually both occupied right now(that's code for watching tv). I met with my stamp team on Sunday morning. As always, we spent lots of time talking shop. It's great bouncing off stamping ideas off each other. I've got lots of great ideas for future workshops. Anyway, here are the cards that we swapped with eachother. The criteria for this month's swap was to create a "retro" card using Cheep Talk and a texture plate. Happy stampin'.

This is the card I came up with.

Lenore's card

Kim's card

Jennifer's card

March Technique Class

2009-03-18T16:33:00.001-07:00

A happy Wednesday to everyone out there. I'm in good spirits right now, and hope you are too. I was on a stamping kick last night and actually created a whole workshop worth of cards in a matter of about two hours. I have to admit I cased all the cards from my upline Julie. I just tweeked the colors and the cardstock. I'm especially pleased with how my Easter Wishes card came out. I hope she likes what I came up with. Thanks for stopping by. Happy stampin'.

To make this card I used:
Regal Rose cardstock
Shimmery White cardstock
Chocolate Chip cardstock
Going Gray Taffetta ribbon
Bloomin' Beautiful stamp set(thanks Julie for letting me borrow yours)
various punches,and dimensionals

To make this card I used:
Bashful Blue cardstock
Metallic Silver cardstock
The large scallop circle w/ my BigShot
Jumbo Eyelet set with the Crop-a-dile
Sale-a-bration products
White grosgrain ribbon
Bashful Blue classic ink

To make this card I used:
Baja Breeze cardstock
Manhattan Flower embossing envelope
All Holidays stamp set
Small oval punch
Snail adhesive

Spring Cleaning

2009-03-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

Good evening everyone. Thanks so much for your kind words on my previous post. I'm in much better spirits now. My husband and I rolled up our sleeves today and each cleaned a kid's room. He took on the massive job of my son's room and I took on our daughter's. Needless to say, we'll have a huge garage sale in a few weeks. Or as I like to think, a money for convention sale.haha. Anyway, after I was done with my daugther's room I decided to clean up my stampin' space as well. I came across this card and thought I'd post it. I used this for a workshop to highlight the faux metal technique. Tomorrow we're off to see the Golden State Warriors play. Can't wait! Take care everyone.

Bucket O' Bunnies

2009-03-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I haven't been around much lately. Life has throw a few curve balls my way. I've had parent-teacher conferences all week and some health issues. I know that Easter isn't until next month, but I wanted to share a cute project I did last year. I got the inspiration for someone on splitcoaststampers. I gave everyone that came over for lunch one of these covered lollipops. They loved them. I'm definately making them again this year. Thanks for stopping by.

Why I Love Being an SU! Demo

2009-02-28T19:15:00.000-08:00

Boy what a day I've had(I'm currently looking at the clock wondering if it's over yet). The kids and I were up early this morning. I wanted everything to be just right for my technique party. My husband says it's just an excuse to let my OCD run wild. haha. I was really happy though that I took the time to really pull things together, because I ended up having my largest class ever. 10 people!!! I knew most of them were coming, but then moments before the class I had a couple call and say they were coming. My favorite part of a class is watching everyone interact. I love watching my gals explain to eachother how a card was created. Then they always take it a step farther and change a piece of the layout. I love seeing how they take what I started with and tweak it. I think even though I stress out before a class, deep down I always know it's going to be okay. I enjoy having people in my home creating, even if it's just for a couple of hours.Okay, I'm going to get off my "why I love being and SU demo soapbox." Have a wonderful night everyone.

February Technique Class

2009-02-26T21:06:00.000-08:00

Good evening everyone. I hope this post finds you in good spirits. I just realized that I haven't posted a thing this week(or maybe I have and I just can't remember). Anyway, here are the four projects my technique class will create this Saturday. I have to say I'm beginning to get a little nervous. You would think that teaching all day long would take away the nerves. Nope. I have the possiblity of having the largest class I've ever had. I'm really excited that three of the gals are brand new. But, for some strange reason I always get nervous around new customers. I think I fear that they won't like my style and they won't come back! My goal for this class was to try to introduce some of the new product. This is actually my first class since the new catalog was released. I pulled the wheel technique right out of the catalog. On the treat envelope I watercolored the flower in with crayons. I also used the texture plates and one of the embossed shapes from the BigShot. A little for everyone is my goal, but not too difficult that it takes them too long to do. Well, I'm beat. Time to go lay on the couch and watch CSI:Vegas. Take care everyone. Happy stampin'

Weekend Warriors Part 2

2009-02-22T14:41:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon everyone. On Friday, I posted pics of our home office before the massive painting project began. 4 gallons of paint later and we're finally done! I don't think I'll be painting again for a very long time. I'm really happy with how the room turned out. We ended up having the entire family help out with the process. My mom and I painted from 10 until around 4 when my husband got home and took over. Later that night and early the next morning my brother and sister in-law came and helped. My sister in-law did an amazing job at cutting in on the corners. Thank you so much Amanda!! Well I just got home from my team meeting. I'll post the cards we swapped later. I need to spend sometime with my kids now. Take care everyone and have a great week!

Weekend Warriors Lookout!

2009-02-20T08:01:00.000-08:00

Hello all. Today is the big day. I will finally be painting our home office. My husband decided that he wanted the two outer walls to be a silver with a blue undertone, and the ceiling and two short walls to be a color called garlic clove. My wonderful mom is on her way over to help out. I will post the finished pics as soon as we get the room back together. Enjoy your day everyone, I'm going to be up to my elbows in paint!

Rubber Bombshells Challenge #1

2009-02-18T16:45:00.000-08:00

For our first challenge we were to create a valentine using non-traditional colors. I think you can't get anymore non-traditional than orange,green, and brown. I channeled my mom's old orange shag carpet for this one. To make this card I used:
Tango Tangerine cardstock
Bella Blossom designer paper
Die cut Blooms Again blooms
True Friend stamp set
All Holidays stamp set
Big Shot texture plate

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekend Project

2009-02-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I know this doesn't have anything to do with paper crafting, but I had to post this pic. My husband worked his butt this weekend. Let me give some background. For the past six years he has pondered what to do with his one "room" in the house. Our kids somewhat decided for him that it was a playroom for them. Fast forward to this past Christmas. We found some really good deals on furniture for the room and claimed it back as our home office. I got the furniture layout idea from an episode of Design on a Dime. He has been collecting all these skateboards for awhile. The top row are actually boards he used growing up. Anyway, after 6 years the room is almost finished(my mom and I are going to paint it this week). I'll post the finished room once were done. Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Valentine's Day Part 2

2009-02-14T11:17:00.001-08:00

As promised in an earlier post here are the goodies that I made some of my co-workers. I am part of a great 2nd grade team at an awesome school. I made these mailboxes for my team. Their students loved filling them up with valentines. I made the chocolate treats for some great parents who help out in my class every week. Take care everyone. I'm off for the day. I'll be enjoying the day with my beautiful family.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T11:08:00.000-08:00

So, I'm starting to feel alittle better. Amazing how a cup of coffee and a grilled cheese can make you feel on a drizzly day. Anyway, here are two little gems that I created this morning for the two most important people in my life. The top is for my wonderful husband. He was out early this morning to work,so I took the opportunity to make him this card. I know deep down he likes my handmade creations.

I made this card for my mom for Valentine's Day. I would be so lost without my mom most days. She takes care of my son everday after school, and take my daugther to preschool twice a week. There isn't enough time in the day to tell you about how great my mom is.

Happy Birthday

2009-02-14T08:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I hope that this post finds you in good spirits. I'm in the middle of one of those "blah" moods. I think the rain is to blame, or it could be that I feel myself getting sick. Anyway, for this week's post I decided to pull out two cards that I made awhile back. The first is another card with the Just Jawing set. The other card used last year's Sale-a-bration set called Birthday Whimsy. It's a complete case from Splitcoast. I just couldn't resist making it myself. Enjoy the rest of your day!

A Busy Day

2009-02-08T19:07:00.000-08:00

Boy what a day. I started off the morning by completing the skull invites for Mariah. Then I made a little Valentine treat for some of my co-workers. Next, I made Valentine mailboxes for my 2nd grade team(I'll post those later)Last, I finished this wreath that I started last month. To make it, I just attached a zillion 5-petal punch flowers to a foam wreath with straight pins. The large hearts are from the Love You Much set. Boy am I tired!

Watercolor Challenge

2009-02-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

Every month my downline and sideline get together for a card swap and team meeting. Every month one of us gets to pick the challenge. This month Lenore chose to do watercoloring directly on the stamp. Here is my creation. I chose to use Bold Bright crayons directly on the stamp. Then I stamped over the image with classic ink. For the background I used one of the texture plates.

Happy Birthday Mariah

2009-02-05T18:13:00.001-08:00

This morning I got a great request from a parent of a student in my class. She asked if I would make the invites to her daugther's birthday party. Her daughter is totally into the whole rock star thing right now. She even has a backpack with little skulls all over it as well. These are two cards that I came up with. If you were going to be 8 which would you like to send to your friends?

The vote is in... She chose the skeleton.

Photo Wallet

2009-02-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this little gift that I made for a good friend's birthday. It holds 3-6 wallet sized photos. I hope she likes it.

Live Like You Mean It

2009-02-03T17:06:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon everyone. I hope this finds you in your happy place. I wanted to post this card that I made for one of Frank's aunt's birthday. I got the inspiration for it off of SCS. My favorite site to visit for SU! ideas.

My Take

2009-01-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

So last night when I was able to "sneak,"away from the family I cased these two cards. It seems like lately casing is all I do. Sometimes with two kids I just don't have time to let my own creative juices flow. I picked up the wheel technique out of the new Spring/Summer catalog. The other card was inspired by my friend Julie.

2009-01-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to Jennifer. She made my morning alittle better by giving me an award.
Here's my addictions:
1. All things Stampin' Up(or as my son puts it stamps, stamps, stamps)
2. Blogging
3. Drinking coffee
4. Taking pictures of my kids being goofy
5. Reading(When is the next Stephanie Plum coming out already!)

Party Hearty Card Swap

2009-01-19T09:26:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite reason's for being a SU demo is that I get to be creative with a group of great people. After I joined the company I encouraged by BFF Jennifer to do the same. She quickly turned around and signed up two of her friends, Kim and Lenore. Every month the gals and I meet and swap cards. It also gives us the opportunity to talk shop(our husbands grow tired of hearing about cards). We've had some great conversations, and I'm happy to know and feel that now Kim and Lenore are my friends as well. We are always on the lookout for others to join the group as well. So if you're interested let us know. Anyway, enough rambling. Here are the cards we made for our Party Hearty swap.

Lenore's creation is the first one, then Jennifer's, and then Kim's. Sorry, I gave mine away already(before I took a pic of it).

Love You Much Bundle Swap

2009-01-19T09:10:00.000-08:00

Every month my downline and I get together for a monthly card swap. Each month one of us gets to choose the layout choice. This month Kim choose to use the Love You Much Bundle. These are the cards that we each came up with.

A Weekend in Malibu

2009-01-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

So, Frank and I decided at 4:30 on Friday afternoon to take the kids down to Malibu. By the time we packed, got gas, and drove through McDonald's it was 8:00. We checked into our hotel by 1:00. I love the trip down, the kids sleep and Frank and I catch up on things. The next morning we got up and headed for the beach. We stopped at a local coffee spot and saw Scott Caan(Oceans 11)star sitting with a group of friends. The weather was gorgeous the whole time, although it felt alittle eerie sitting on the beach in January. Back to reality today. Laundry is done, and I just took pics of all the cards I want to post. Happy stampin'

2009-01-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

I created this layout of my darling daughter to showcase the Diecut Blooms. A product that definately looks better in person than it does in the cattie.

2009-01-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

Okay so this was my attempt at a technique called shadowing. I wanted to show the gals in my group how to use the wheel guide to line up two different colors of ink. The stamp used in this card is from the Love You Much Bundle. Tonight I will post the cards my downline made using the same set. As always, Happy Stampin'

2009-01-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

Good morning everyone,

I wanted to share a new promotion with you all. This is a great way to get an idea book in your hands. The catalog release is just around the corner. I can't wait!

2009-01-15T17:22:00.000-08:00

So these are just a few pics of where my magic happens. My wonderful husband and mom got together and transformed my laundry room into my stampin' spot.

Welcome All!

2009-01-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,
I hope that this blog finds you in a happy spot(or puts you in one). Welcome to my blog. My name is Merrigrace and I'm a demo for Stampin' Up. I've been a demo for the company for about 3 years now. I'm also a mother of two children and a 2nd grade teacher. My goal with this blog is to post my artwork for all to view. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments that you may have. If you're in the mood to shop you can always visit my company website at http://merrigracem.stampinup.net/ Happy stampin'

Merrigrace