Planet Creative Studios

The Importance of Connecting

2011-09-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

I found this poem today as I was going through some recovered files on my computer. I'm so glad it was saved! I just had to share it with you!


*A card I created on My Digital Studio.*

What is a Greeting Card?
Author Unknown

It’s a little piece of paper
That tells someone how you care;
It can be a ray of sunshine –
It can be a wish or prayer.

It can simply say, “I love you”
Or just say, “I understand”
It can be a little visit,
Or the clasp of someone’s hand.

It can be a word of comfort
When somebody’s heart is sad,
It can be a smile or chuckle
Making someone’s heart feel glad.

It can keep folks close together
Even though they’re far apart;
It can show someone you’re thankful
From the bottom of your heart.

It can travel any distance
In all kinds of weather, too.
And it has the “magic something”
That some “big things” never do.

Yes, it’s just a piece of paper
And it costs no big amount,
But it proves that old, old saying;
It’s the little things that count.

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Estella Banks 

Creativity Coach

Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

Free MyDigitalStudio Downloads, anyone?

2011-09-01T23:38:00.000-07:00

Check out the contest from Stampin' Up! and MyDigitalStudio!

We have until October 15, 2011, to come up with some fantabulous creations! Will you join me? :-)

http://mydigitalstudio.net/page/contests

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Estella Banks 

Creativity Coach

Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

What's your manifesto?

2011-08-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever really given it much thought? A manifesto...what is that?

Definition of MANIFESTO: a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer...Origin: Italian, denunciation, manifest, from manifestare to manifest, from Latin, from manifestus.

Isn't that something reserved for people who have strong opinions about stuff? I'm *just* a creative geek of sorts...and then I see a blog post on Brain Pickings entitled Five Manifestos for Life. When I first read the post, I was drawn to the Holstee Manifesto (pictured here on the left). It really resonated with me and I even printed it with the intention of framing it and putting it where I can see it...

Today, though, I feel challenged to create my own manifesto for life...what about you? What's your manifesto? Let's take a week to think about and let the idea marinate. Check out some of the ideas in the blog post on Brain Pickings and let's share. Sounds a bit like homework, but you can make if fun and interesting by blinging it up with your favorite papers, stamps, embellishments and/or your favorite digital designing software (my personal favorite is My Digital Studio). Check back next Friday for an update! I'm so excited!!

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Estella Banks 

Creativity Coach

Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

So I started my day organizing scraps...

2011-07-20T22:35:00.001-07:00

...and look what happened! LOL! I decided that I couldn't dare separate these carefully cut treasures, so lovingly prepared for a workshop with many more promised guests than were able to make it. ;-)  

Not to worry...they have been keep in tact and transformed into a beautiful set of 8 mini cards (3" x 3").   Now for the carefully trained eye, these colors have since retired and moved to the Bahamas where they're enjoying time with their new younger husbands! Stampin' Up!'s handy Color Coach has many awesome color combinations that would easily rival this one....

Riding Hood Red and Cherry Cobbler, or
Regal Rose and Rose Red, or
Melon Mambo and Pretty in Pink

...just to name a few. You're only limited by your imagination and your creative eye!

Enjoy your creative adventures!  

Products I used: 

Paper:

Stampin' Up! Card stock: the lighter pink (Pink Passion) was cut to 3" x 6" and scored at 3", the darker pink (Purely Pomegranate) card stock was cut to 2-1/2" x 2-1/2", and the Whisper White cardstock was cut to 2" x 2". There is also a sprinkling of Basic Black.

Stamps:

Vintage Vogue (clear mount)
I used the "Thank You" greeting from a retired stamp set called "Because I Care." There are a few stamp sets with a small "Thank You" greeting such as: Just Believe, Trendy Trees, Pocket Silhouettes, For All You Do, Kindess Matters, Tiny Tags, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Short and Sweet, &; Thank You Kindly.

Ink:

Wild Wasabi
Pink Passion 
Purely Pomegranate

  Tools & Accessories: 

3/16" Corner Punch 
Eyelet Border Punch
SNAIL Adhesive 
Stampin' Dimensionals 
Paper Cutter

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Estella Banks 

Creativity Coach

Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

A Inspiration Challenge

2011-07-11T00:05:00.000-07:00

As I recently shared, I find inspiration in lots of places...and probably one of my favorite places is the Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog. I've discover that the Stampin' Up! website can be just as inspiring!

So I have a challenge for you...here is your inspiration image borrowed right from the Projects area on the Stampin' Up! website (I clicked on Cards to get to this sample).

Your mission/challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to use this card as inspiration for your own creation by changing at least three things about this card. When you've got something you'd like to share with me and my blog readers, post a comment and you have a good chance of being published! The only "rule" is that the project must feature Stampin' Up! products.

Now, go, get creative!

PS: I will be creating my challenge card in the next couple of days and will share it with you!
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Estella Banks 
Creativity Coach
Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

IBC Inspiration

2011-07-06T01:03:00.000-07:00

Since I received my new copy of the Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog (affectionately known as the IBC), I've been studying it ever soooo carefully! The first time I look through the IBC, I usually start by looking for what's new -- stamp sets, papers, tools & accessories -- to make my wish list. Then, I highlight the stamp sets that I own. On the next few passes, I look for samples that I find inspiring and mark them with sticky notes or write notes next to the photos. Sometimes I'm inspired by the color combination and sometimes it's the layout that gets my attention.

Over the weekend while I was grilling, I spent some of the waiting time going through my IBC and on page 160 I discovered a sample that inspired me. So I immediately (yes, right in the middle of grilling) challenged myself to see how quickly and easily I could recreate the card that I liked.

I was able to make a decent window focal point on this card on the second try ... AFTER I got out a ruler and a pencil AND while grilling...I must admit, though, that I finished the card tonight. (Use the 1-1/4" Square punch to create the "windows.") I am still contemplating using the first window focal point that I made even though the windows aren't lined up perfectly nor are the square punches straight.

This evening I finished up by punching out some retired Designer Series Paper (DSP) using the 1-3/8" Square punch. I also added texture to some of the DSP squares by using the Texturz Plates and Embossing folders with my Big Shot. The flower on the right center panel comes from some discontinued rub-ons that I have in my stash. I suggest using an image stamp set and greeting stamp set and some ink to take the place of the rub-ons. I will sometimes show samples like this so you can see how YOU too can use an inspiring sample and find some cool supplies to improvise. Here is a photo of my sample next to my inspiration.

Have you discovered a sample in the new IBC that inspires you?

What I used:
8-1/2 x 11" Chocolate Chip Card Stock (item # 102128)
Designer Series Paper
1-1/4 Inch Square Punch (item # 119865)
1-3/8 Inch Square Punch (item # 119877)
Bone Folder (item # 102300)
Paper Cutter (item # 104152)
SNAIL Adhesive (item # 104332)
Ribbon
Backgrounds 1 Stampin' Up! Texturz Plates (item #114512)
Perfect Details Texturz Plate Die (item # 115962)
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Estella Banks 
Creativity Coach
Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

Christmas in July?

2011-07-04T07:56:00.001-07:00

What better way to start the beginning of the rest of this year and the first day of the rest of your life than with a new business! From July 1-31, you can join the Stampin' Up! Family for only $99!

The Starter Kit is packed with over $180 worth of products and business tools to get you started out on the right foot!

Easy Events Clear-Mount Set*
Pennant Parade Wood-Mount Set*
Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
Brights 8-1/2" x 11" Assorted Card Stock
Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper*
Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon*
Note Cards (20)
Clear-Mount Block C
Blender Pen (1)
SNAIL Adhesive
Business supplies

* Brand new to the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog!

  To spice things up a bit, Stampin' Up! is also offering a free Christmas Keepsake Project Kit (a $40 value)!   

Visit my Stampin' Up! website for details and to sign-up online. Of course you can also call or e-mail me for personal assistance completing your application.  

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Estella Banks 
Creativity Coach
Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

Marble Paper Tutorial

2011-07-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

One of my daughter's favorite activities is to create faux marble paper. The process for making it is fun and messy -- just what kids and the kid in us love! Here are the supplies you need:

Stampin' Up! Classic Ink Refills - in three coordinating or harmonious colors. You can use the Color Coach (item # 120148 or 120146) to give you some great color combination ideas.
Glossy White Card stock (item# 102599) or Whisper White card stock (item # 100730)
Shaving cream -- an inexpensive one from the dollar store is fine. I like the one that has a pleasing scent so I usually get one of the girlie scented ones. :-)
Cookie sheet -- I got one from the dollar store that I use just for this purpose.
Plastic table cloth or other table cover that you don't mind getting dirty (you can probably find a plastic table cover at the dollar store).
Spatula, plastic knives, plastic forks, paper towels.

Prepare your workspace by covering/protecting your table/workspace.

Gather all your materials and place them on your table/workspace.

Fill the cookie sheet with shaving cream.

Fill 'er up!

Spread out the shaving into a smooth, even layer, using the spatula or plastic knife like you're frosting a cake.

Strategically squeeze drops of the ink refills across the smoothed out shaving cream. Use one drop of each color in three or four places.


Smoothed shaving cream with ink drops.

Next, use the tines of the fork (pointing down or at a slight angle like you're going to scoop something from your plate) to swirl the color around the cookie sheet. Use a light touch as you swirl the color through the shaving cream. Your swirled ink and shaving cream should look something like this:

Messy fun!

Place the glossy side of the card stock face down on the shaving cream. Apply light pressure with your hand to press the paper into the shaving cream. Run your hand across the back of the card stock to make sure that color has transferred to the entire sheet.

Carefully pull up the sheet of card stock and place the sheet with shaving cream side up on a paper towel. This is what it looks like:

The masterpiece in hiding!

Let it sit for a minute or two and then use a plastic knife (smooth side of the knife) to scrape the shaving cream off. Put the shaving cream back into the cookie sheet as you scrape it off. Wipe the card stock with some paper towel and set aside to dry. This is my first sheet of marbled paper.

Viola! The masterpiece is done!

You can smooth the shaving cream again and repeat the process a couple more times. You may want to sparingly squeeze a couple more drops of ink on the shaving cream. The more you swirl the colors, though, the more they get mixed and a little muddy, so proceed carefully and lightly on the swirling.

Now you use your marbled paper for lots of different projects:

Scan your marbled paper and use it for background paper in your My Digital Studio projects.
Use it as background paper in your traditional hand-crafted creations.
Die cut shapes or 3D items with your Big Shot.

I like to make a quite few sheets during a session that I can use for whatever my creative heart desires!

Have fun!
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Estella Banks
Creativity Coach
Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

The New 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog is here!

2011-07-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

It’s here!!! July 1, the brand new Stampin’ Up! 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalog is released today!! These beauties retail for $9.95, however you can get one free from me or purchase yours for a limited time for $6.95 (plus shipping) and get a coupon for $10 OFF your first order July 1 - August 15, 2011.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW CATALOGS ONLINE >

Get a Free Idea Book >
Purchase Idea Book & Catalog pay via Paypal (US only (chose ship or local pick up) Includes coupon for $10 OFF $75 July1 - August 15, 2011):

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Estella Banks 
Creativity Coach
Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

What Spurs Your Creativity?

2011-06-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

I get great ideas when I'm driving and late at night. Some of my favorite creations are I call "my midnight masterpieces." :-)

USA Today - Scotch and Swimming Spur Creativity

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Estella Banks 
Creativity Coach
Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

A Digital Invitation

2011-06-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

Here is an invitation that I created with Jessica's help. It was made with My Digital Studio! I really enjoy digital designing!

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Estella Banks 
Creativity Coach
Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

Bow Boutique Tutorial

2011-06-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest tutorial!

Bow Boutique

*********************************************
Estella Banks 
Creativity Coach
Inspiring, Nurturing, Sharing Creativity

Sale-A-Bration is here!

2011-01-25T23:03:00.000-08:00

Sale-A-Bration is one of my favorite times of the year as a super-fan of Stampin' Up! products. Stampin' Up! shows their appreciation for our patronage by treating us to free stuff (with a minimum $50 purchase).

Check out the awesome offerings this year (click here to view the brochure online). I'm super excited about the new digital content that I can use with My Digital Studio.

My Reading List

2010-08-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

What are you reading these days?

Yes, I know that reading can be time consuming... but what are you feeding your most complex and powerful organ, your brain? What shows & movies... music, images, words... words are powerful shapers & molders of our lives... what words are you using to program the most powerful computer on this planet?

Here are some of the books on my reading list that have been influential/impactful on my thinking...

Good to Great by Jim Collins
Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute
5 Minds for the Future by Howard Gardner
The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of Our Inner Resources by Lynne Twist, Teresa Barker
The Compassinate Samurai: Being Extraordinary in an Ordinary World by Brian Klemmer
If How-To's Were Enough We Would All be Skinny, Rich and Happy by Brian Klemmer
Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 7 Powerful Tools for Life and Work by Marilee G. Adams & Marshall Goldsmith
The Dream Giver Bruce by Wilkinson (Author), Heather Kopp (Contributor)
The Bible
Plus many more ...

Are the answers to your prayers/"unaswerable questions" hidden in an un-read book? Why?

Ready for a Creative Challenge?

2010-07-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

Hello Creative Friends!

Last night before I finally went to sleep, I asked the fans of my "Planet Creative Studios" Facebook page who was up for a creative challenge... I had one person of 37 fans who "liked" the idea (LOL), so here is your challenge. This is your inspiration for today:

Remember the post about card maps and sketches? This is an easy sketch! It consists of five 1-3/8" squares punched from Designer Series Paper and one 1-1/4" square punched from a neutral card stock (Whisper White). Square punches make this card a snap to make. I used two square punches from Stampin' Up! - the 1-1/4" and the 1-3/8" since they layer so nicely. I used Stampin' Dimensionals to give a little lift to the focal point/center image. I made this card a while ago, so although the Designer Series Papers (DSP) (I got free when I placed an order as the hostess) you see here have taken their place in the retired products hall of fame, there are many more DSPs available. You will need a card base; Whisper White was used in this sample, a small stamp image and a greeting. Voila! A simple card that can be mass-produced for everyone on your Thank You card to do list. This design is also great for making card sets to give as a gift.

Cross-Creative Applications:
Home Decor: Framed art arrangement
Fabric or Paper Covered Canvases
On canvas... the possibilities are endless!
Scrapbook Page: Digital, Traditional or Hybrid

So now that you've seen some inspiration...pull out those supplies you've been saving for a very important occasion and show me what you make!

Supplies Used
Stamps:
Family Accessories (Item # 113494, Set of 12, $19.95)
Fundamental Phrases (Item # 114968, Set of 24, $37.95)

Ink:
Basic Black Classic Ink Pad (Item # 101179, $5.95)

Paper:

Whisper White Card Stock (Item # 100730, 40 sheets, $8.50)
Designer Series Paper of your choice

Accessories/Tools:
1-1/4" Square Punch (Item # 119865; $15.95)
1-3/8" Square Punch (Item # 119877; $16.95)
Stampin' Dimensionals (Item # 104430, 300 each, $3.95)
SNAIL Adhesive (Item # 104332, 472", $6.95)
Medium Envelopes, Whisper White (Item #107301, 40 envelopes, $6.50)

The New Stampin' Up! 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog is here!!

2010-07-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to have the opportunity to present the new Stampin' Up! 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog to you!! Today begins the new catalog year! Yippee. There a many new beautiful stamp sets, cool embellishments like the new sticky rhinestones (can we say bling, bling?!), gorgeous new colors and some of our favorite (well, MY favorite) colors have come out of retirement!

While you're in the mood to browse for creative ideas, here are the Spanish supplement: Celebrando Creatividad

and Definitely Decorative.

Enjoy!

Card Maps/Scrap Maps

2010-06-30T01:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Creative Friends!

Have you ever looked at a card or a scrap book page, finding yourself drawn to the design elements of the image, but perhaps you lack the featured stamp image? Or have you ever had one of the Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalogs which is nearing its expiration date and think to yourself, what am I going to do with this?

This is where card or scrapbook map/sketching skill comes in handy. Let's look at an example. Here is a card I created many moons ago. It's one of my favorite cards; it has one of my favorite color combinations, plus I like the juxtaposition of the squares in relation to each other and the bold, yet simple design. I CASEd this card from another card designer or the Idea Book and Catalog (can't remember at this moment). I'll call it Grateful Cascading Boxes.

So you can see why I call it cascading boxes!

If you take a look at this card with a different pair of lenses, though, you will see the more "global" shapes that are recurring in the layout design. How many squares do you see? How many rectangles? If you said 5 squares and 3 rectangles, then you are right!

Here is the same card from the layout perspective:

When I look at this image, I see five squares (or parts of a square) and three rectangles (including the outside border of the card). So, you may be wondering why I've spent some time on this exercise... Well, it's because I believe that knowing how to look at a card or scrapbook sample and break it down mentally or on paper as a sketch helps you to see things differently and can later become an inspiration for another card or scrapbook page at some point in the near future! Also, by looking at a sketch rather than the card sample, your mind is not limited by the color and/or stamp image choices made by the sample designer/artist.

So, what do you think? Are you up for a challenge? Create your own revamped card using a sample from the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog. Reference the page number so we can all go and check it out. Share your samples with me and I'll post some samples here on my blog (e-mail your image to me at planetkreative@gmail.com). I can't wait to see what you have created! Happy creating!

The New Catalog is Coming...!

2010-06-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

There are just two days left to get your favorite stamp sets from the current catalog. Please visit my website to view the LAST CHANCE LIST and to place your order. The online ordering system is available 24 hours / 7 days a week. All orders fro the current catalog must be placed by 10:59 PM (PDT) [11:59PM (MDT)] on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010. Please note that retiring accessories are only available while supplies last!

The beautiful new 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog and 2010-2011 Celebrando Creatividad will be available here on my blog on Thursday, July 1, 2010!! In the meantime, take a look at the Summer Mini Catalog...it's full of beautiful and fun samples to help you make your Summer events memorable.

Join us for the New Catalog Release Open House on Saturday, July 10, 2010, from 6:00 - 10:00 pm. Please RSVP via e-mail to reserve your SEAT and your FREE copy of the new CATALOG!!

"Last-Minute Lucy" Gift Making Class

2009-12-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

Give handmade love this year! Join us at my house on Tuesday, December 22, 2009, from 3:00 - 10:00 pm for an impromptu "Last-Minute Lucy" gift-project buffet. This is an open house-style stamp camp. You can show up whenever you have time, but please no later than 7:00 pm so that you will have time to complete your selected projects. Class fee will be $10.00 (beverages, snacks & pizza will be provided). You may choose any quantity of the following projects; you pay for each project. Please include the quantity of each project you wish to make in your RSVP:

Tile Coasters (Set of four -- here is a simple sample) $10.00 / Two sets for $15.
Approximate time to complete four tiles 45 mins - 1 hour.

Magnetic Calendars $3.50 each or 3 for $9.00
Approximate time to complete three calendars - 30-45 mins.

Ribbon/Chipboard Bookmark ($3.50 each) & Jumbo Paperclip Bookmarks ($2.50 each)
Approximate time to complete 3 bookmarks 30-45 mins.

Nugget Tin - 5 Covered nuggets in a beautiful hinged Altoid-sized tin $4.50. Approximate time to complete one nugget tin: 30 -45 mins. (w/o eating any nuggets :-) )

Thank You/Greeting Card set with box (1 set of 6 cards) $8.00

Decorated Composition Journal (1 each) $8.00

Bath Salts (1 jar) $5.00.

Please e-mail me at planetkreative@gmail.com to RSVP & get my address & directions; let me know how many of each project you'd like to make. Space is limited, so please respond quickly! I look forward to seeing you there!

Merry Christmas - Your gift has arrived early!

2009-12-10T23:45:00.000-08:00

It’s beginning to look a lot like the Holidays. Let’s face it, the holidays seem to appear earlier every year. They also have the uncanny knack of showing up when we are at our busiest. We have holiday gatherings and parties. We have places to go with the kids. Presents that need to be bought. So many things that just have to be done.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have creative ideas delivered to your inbox? 12 days full of great holiday help. These ideas will cover gift giving, decorating and card making. They will be packed full of inspiring ideas. Just when you need the inspiration and the ease of great projects I'm available to you, ready to help you though the busiest time of the year.

The holidays are a time of sparkle and wonder. Handmade gifts and decorating add to that in a way that is uniquely your own. Having inspiration for great projects, that are simple and easy to do, can be a jumping off point that will spark your creativity. Adding that little bit of your own personal touches to decoration, cards and gifts really does show that you care enough to go that extra step.

Sign-up for the 12-day Holiday Helper. Set to be delivered to your inbox every morning starting today! Just add your name and your primary email address and click submit (on the right sidebar). I'm here to help you add that sparkle and glitter to your Holidays!

One Sheet Wonder Fun

2009-10-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

What in the world is a One Sheet Wonder? It's a miracle ... a veritable stampin' wonder ... I tell ya. So I'm in a bit of a goofy mood, but I wanted to share some pictures of something I've stamped recently! Yes, I actually stamp and take pictures of my "work." I like to call them my mid-night masterpieces, because some of my best stuff often happens in the weeeee hours of the night!

So, here's how it works. This recipe yields 10 cards. This project will take about two hours or less depending on you! Here are the supplies you will need:

2 sheets Neutral card stock (Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" is used in this case)
2 sheets Bermuda Bay card stock 8-1/2" x 11"
1 Sheet Crushed Curry card stock 8-1/2" x 11"
2 sheets Rich Razzleberry card stock 8-1/2" x 11"
2 sheets Melon Mambo 8-1/2" x 11"
Coordinating Classic Stampin' Pads (see list of colors above)
Circle Circus Stamp Set
Sincere Salutations (or other greeting set)
Modern Label Punch
Stampin' Dimensionals
SNAIL Adhesive
One Sheet Wonder printable templates (please send me an e-mail to request these templates).

Print the neutral page cutting template onto one of the sheets of Whisper White card stock. Flip this sheet over and randomly stamp with the various circle images from the Circle Circus stamp set using the different colors of ink. Make sure you have good coverage on this page and stamp off the edges of the paper for the best results. This page is your One Sheet Wonder.

Flip this sheet over again and cut on the printed lines using your paper cutter (the paper cutter is critical for best results and the straightest lines).

Print the three other cutting templates onto one sheet each of Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay and Melon Mambo card stock. Use your paper cutter to cut on the lines provided.

Using the photo as a guideline and the numbers for each piece, begin matching up the numbered pieces from the neutral card stock with the numbered pieces of the colored card stock; embellish with ribbon and adhere.

Make card bases using the remaining sheets of card stock. You should have one sheet each of Rich Razzlebery, Crush Curry, Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, and Whisper White. Lay each sheet on the paper cutter with the 8-1/2" side facing down. Use the scoring blade (the black one) to score each sheet at 4-1/4". Now, lay each sheet on the paper cutter with the 11" side facing down. Cut at 5-1/2". Fold on the score line. You will have ten card bases (4-1/4" x 5-1/2").

Adhere your one sheet wonder pieces to your card bases using Stampin' Dimensionals and SNAIL Adhesive. Be sure to stamp "Hand stamped by" on the back of each card and sign your name - You too have a hallmark!

Tell me what you think! I'd love to see pictures of your works of art. Enjoy!

Top 10 Reasons to Send/Give a One-of-a-Kind Hand-Crafted Card

2009-10-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

They’re guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of the recipient. If you use a clear envelope, it will bring a smile to the face of every person who sees it along it’s merry way!
In this e-mail and information age, we’ve lost sight of how fun it is to receive “snail” mail instead of just bills. Let’s make it FUN to go to the mailbox again!
Everybody likes to receive something personalized instead of mass-made. It makes them feel special! Think about the last note YOU received.
A stamped card or gift wrap adds an extra pizzazz to a gift card or small token. Turn a small gift into something special.
It takes a little time to create something handmade, and the recipient can feel that extra unique touch. No one else creates quite like you!
Handmade cards are often kept long after the store-bought ones are tossed!
You’ll never be at a loss for an occasion—there’s always somebody getting married, having a baby, graduating, retiring, moving, or having a birthday.
Handmade cards can be recycled. Just cut off the fronts and adhere to a new card. You’ll never see anyone do that with a store card.
Handmade cards can cost up to four dollars LESS than store-bought ones. WOW!
If you think hard enough, you’ll come up with a least one person you really ought to send a thank-you. Your mother would be proud!

Deals of the Week

2009-10-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

This month Stampin' Up! is offering some wonderful deals each week. Here are the deals of the week for October 19, 10 AM (MT) through October 26, 9:50 AM (MT). You can easily add these to your order or start a new order now -- click here to shop now.

The next Deal of the Week will be announced at 10:00 AM (MT) on Monday, October 26, 2009!

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Special Price
114348	179	Basic Jumbo grommets	$6.95	$4.49
109857	179	Mini Library clips	$12.95	$8.99
112571	179	Circle Designer brads	$5.95	$3.99
112581	179	1/2" Library clips	$6.95	$3.99

You're Invited ... Upcoming Christmas Jingle Card Class

2009-10-19T00:30:00.001-07:00

If you haven't already started, this class with be a great time to create your own one-of-a-kind Christmas greetings. We will use one of Stampin' Up's Simply Scrappin' Kits to create quick, yet elegant, one-of-a-kind Christmas cards.

Join us for a Christmas card class using the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' Kit! You'll be able to make 30 cards, a gift bag and tags with this incredibly festive scrapbooking kit for just $50. Your kit will include 1/2 of the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' Kit, 16 sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" Very Vanilla card stock, a package of 40 Very Vanilla medium envelopes, a spool of coordinating ribbon and your very own SNAIL (simple, neat, affordable in-line) adhesive!!

Please bring your own paper cutter (these are available to order when you order your kit -- ask me for more information.)

Come early to have a late breakfast/early lunch at the Node's delicious cafe and then join us in the Node's Banquet Room ... be prepared to roll up your sleeves for some Christmas Card making fun! Children are welcome under the following conditions: Please include your child in your RSVP count. One child per adult permitted - aged 8 or older. Child must be closely supervised with common materials. Child may share your kit or you may purchase a complete kit for your little friend.

Invite a friend! There will be Christmas music, door prizes and a fun, creative environment. Men and women are welcome -- paper crafting is not just for women!

You may also order a kit-by-mail for the same price to make this project at home. You may either pick up the kit from me or add $10.35 for USPS Priority Mail.

PLEASE reserve your seat and your kit IN ADVANCE. I will only be able to have kits for those who RSVP and pay by the due date -- October 30, 2009. Payments may be made by cash, PayPal (e-mail me at stampabella@gmail.com for an invoice) or check payable to Estella Banks. Mail your payments to PO Box 7304 Fullerton, CA 92834. Thank you!!!

May is a great month

2009-05-06T07:21:00.000-07:00

May is such a cool month! I really enjoy this month for some reason ... probably because there are several great celebrations during the month of May: Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, and of course, it's National Scrapbooking Month!

There are several exciting promotions this month in celebration of National Scrapbooking Month! Please take a minute to visit my website to see what's in store for you. One of the promotions is such a great deal!! Designer Series Paper Buy 3 Get 1 Free. There's also a sneak peak purchase of the Jumble Alphabet and of course you can join the Stampin' Up! family as a demonstrator for just $75! It's a great month!

Upcoming Classes:
May 16, 2009 - National Scrapbooking Month Celebration continues. Join us to take the scrapbooking plunge with a Scrapbooking 101 class. As a bonus, if you RSVP by Friday, May 8, 2009, you'll get a free class-to-go instruction manual. June 20th or 27th (TBD) we'll ring out the old and bring in the new from the current and upcoming catalogs. As an additional bonus, we'll be celebrating my birthday! Don't miss it!
Please save the dates for July 18 & August 15 for more fun!

Exciting News!!!
I'm excited to announce that I will be teaching Scrapbooking classes for the City of Garden Grove during June, July & August. These classes will be on Wednesday or Friday evenings from 6:30 - 9:30 pm. I'll post the dates on my website calendar and here on my blog over the next few days!!

Please visit my blog often for more details about the exciting classes planned for this summer. Better yet, subscribe to my blog for the latest updates as they happen!

Upcoming Class - Scrapbook in a Day on May 2, 2009

2009-04-22T05:43:00.000-07:00

Let's celebrate National Scrapbooking Day together! Just in time for Mother’s or Father’s Day gift-giving, create a fabulous 22-page 6" x 6" mini album in one day using a quick-fast "innovative" scrappin' system -- simply add photos and journaling later (hey, how else did you THINK we were going to finish in one day?). :-)

Event fee is $75 (includes snack/lunch, creative coaching, scrapbook materials, & linen finish ring album – you must pre-register and select your Simply Scrappin' Kit & album by Sunday, April 26, 2009.

Please bring your own paper cutter and archival quality adhesive. (You may order at the time of registration for an additional charge.)

PLEASE NOTE NEW LOCATION: The CoWorking Place, 122 N. Harbor Blvd, Suite 110, Fullerton, CA 92832; near the corner of Amierage and Harbor Blvd. Suite 110 is on Amierage. Parking lot conveniently located across the street.

To register for the class, simply send me an e-mail (planetkreative@gmail.com) with your selection of Simply Scrappin' Kit, your choice of album, and your payment option.

The Simply Scrappin' Kit options can be found here. There are two pages of options, with 12 kits total to select. The photo to the right is a peak a the one I plan to use, called Petal Party. Stampin' Up! gave me the coordinating stamp set, Best Wishes and More, at the Seattle Regional Conference I attended on April 17.

The ring album options can be found here. You have a choice of Natural, Mellow Moss, Night of Navy, or Real Red.

Please feel free to call me with any questions. I look forward to getting your e-mails and seeing you at the class!

Have you ever wondered...

2009-04-21T23:00:00.000-07:00

how one makes the decision to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator?

We'll here's a little (okay a really lonnnnnng) story about how I became a demonstrator...

Way back in 2002, my darling daughter (DD) was jus' a weeee little young'n and she needed a good babysitter. I found this here babysitter gal, named Andrea - but she liked to be called Miss Amy, through a referral agency in Orange County, Ca-li-for-ni-a. After a little while, Miss Amy started showing me all these puuurrrty things she was making with sum'um called rubbah stamps from this never-before-heard-of company called Stampin' It Up! -- I mean Stampin' Up! She invited me to a little round-up called a workshop on her back patio one really nice spring day, kinda like today, 'cept it was in March, cuz I got some free stamps with my order during that special promotion called Sell-a-Bration - that's what they called it back in them there days.

So at this round-up, um er, workshop thing, we made sum really puurrrty projects using stamps, ink and paper - we wuz taking a SIP of what Stampin' Up! had to offer. Boy oh boy wuz that a fuuuuunnn afternoon! I went home thinkin' 'bout that paper and them inks and them there stamps and I was jus' a tinglin' when I though 'bout all the things I could make to put a smile on someone's face - 'specially mine! I been liking to make things with my hands, see, since I wuz jus' a little girl so this wuz jus' like destiny fell right in my lap!

After a few days of thinking 'bout it and waiting for the boss wo-man to pass me my paycheck, I made the big decision to become a demonstrator and the rest is his-stor-y! Miss Amy has gone on to be with the Lord, unexpectedly, at a very young age of 41, but I am thankful that she introduced me to Stampin' Up! and I have been enjoying it every minute since April 23, 2003. (If you're a quick math-y person, I'm going on my 6th anniversary!) I'm happy for Amy because I know she is at peace and knew the Lord before she passed -- so one day I will see her again. We had lots of laughs and shared a lot of creativity.

What I love about Stampin' Up! are the people that I been blessed to meet and the relationships that I been blessed to develop. One of my closest friends, who is now a demonstrator too, I met because of an event where I shared a Stampin' Up! project (a mini scrapbook album) at a baby shower for a group of unwed teenagers in 2005.

I also really like ...

the one-of-a-kind Stampin' Up! stamps
the Classic and Craft inks
the "yummy" cardstock, textured cardstock, & Designer Series Paper
the home decor line of vinyl art called Decor Elements (which by the way makes a laptop look great),
the new Sizzix BigShot and the exclusive Stampin' Up! dies,
the Simply Scrappin' Kits,
the Simply Sent card making elements and complete card kits...
shall I go on?

I also really like...

having my own "store" in my catalog
getting a great demonstrator discount -- One of the reasons I started as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator was to get my products at a discount.
receiving the exclusive demonstrator newletter/magazine called Stampin' Success -- some of my dear customer-friends tell me I'm so very creative and I say thank you -- my "secret," though, is that I am also a great imitator of others' beautiful work
having access to the demonstrator-only website with training and inspiration galore
attending Stampin' Up! events like the Annual Convention in Salt Lake City last August and the Seattle Regional convention this past Friday -- lots of great training and creative inspiration!

There are so many great reasons to become a demonstrator! Just in case you are on the fence leaning in towards the Stampin' Up! business opportunity, let me just git my feather here and push you right into a great adventure of creativity, fun, friends, and oh yeah, we earn a bit too (how much depends on you!). Stampin' Up! is offering an unprecedented three-payment option for the Demonstrator Starter ($199 + tax -- Stampin' Up! pays the shipping for your kit -- how nice!) through April 30, 2009.

I am also excited because I can offer you a $50 discount on the Starter Kit through May 4, 2009, cuz I wuz a good girl and went to the Seattle Regional!

Won't you join me in this fun and creative adventure? Click on the Join Stampin' Up Link for more information. To take advantage of the special $50 discount, please call me get started today!

Bye for now... y'all come back now, y' hear? :-)

Fifth Avenue Floral Class - rescheduled

2009-04-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

PLEASE NOTE: This class will be rescheduled for a future date (TBD). Thank you for your interest!

FREE GIFT: Can't make it to a class? Get this class planner FREE with $50 online purchase.

Look for the Shop Now! button in the top right hand corner under my name. Happy Shopping!

Fifth Avenue Floral Class

2009-03-30T01:29:00.000-07:00

Add a touch of elegance and class to your Mother's Day gift this year with this gorgeous Fifth Avenue Floral card set! The card set includes four trendy card designs packaged in a unique window box.

Date: Saturday, April 25, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Cost: $25
Location: The Node, 11723 Firestone Blvd., Norwalk, CA 90650

Please e-mail me by Saturday, April 18, 2009, to sign up for this class: planetkreative@gmail.com

Supplies
* Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Thank You Kindly
* Ink: Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze Classic ink
* Paper: Urban Oasis DP, Whisper White, Kraft, Basic Gray, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss 8-1/2" x 11" CS, Medium Whisper White Envelopes
* Accessories: Sticky Strip, Snail adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals, Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Kraft Corduroy Buttons, Linen Thread, Window Sheet (also called acetate sheet or transparency), paper snips, wide oval punch, paper piercer and foam mat, large oval punch, bone folder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, blender pens, Stampin' Scrub, Stampin' Mist, Paper Trimmer and scoring blade, pencil and ruler, hobby blade and craft mat.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Join us for the upcoming Classes

2009-03-16T00:25:00.000-07:00

Start your day off right with the "Breakfast of Champions:" A Stampin' 101 Class! On Saturday, March 28, 2009, from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, discover the fun of stampin’ & papercrafting at this short class. We’ll make a simple card and a 3-D gift item, for only $15.00!

Scalloped Card Organizer Class
(Saturday, March 28, 2009, 1:00 - 4:00 PM)
Just in time for Mother’s Day gift-giving or for any occasion, you’ll create a beautiful Forget-Me-Not Keeper with monthly birthday/anniversary calendar dividers and four coordinating cards. What a great way to stay organized for the rest of 2009 (hey, it’s never too late). These projects feature “Say It with Scallops,” the 2008/2009 Ronald McDonald House Charities stamp set. The colors used are trendy and can span the seasons and occasions to provide you with a supply of ready-to-use cards (please note: the Designer Series Paper featured in the sample photos has been “retired,” so we will use a similar Designer Series Paper with coordinating color scheme). The Forget-Me-Not Keeper will help keep your important dates organized and keep you ready for whatever life throws your way! All the inspiration you need to keep your card supply stocked up and ready to share…plus for every participant who purchases the Ronald McDonald House Charities stamp set, a donation will be made in your honor. Get organized and support a great cause…now that’s a gift that gives twice!

Class will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 1:00 - 4:00 PM.
Location: The Node Bookstore & Cafe, 11723 Firestone Blvd, Norwalk, CA
Register by Sunday, March 22, 2009! For your convenience, you can register below.

Products we will be using:

Stamps
• Say It with Scallops
(111678; Set of 4)

Paper
• 111353 Card Stock – 8 ½” x 11” – Kiwi Kiss
• 111352 Card Stock – 8 ½” x 11” – Baja Breeze
• 102851 Card Stock – 8 ½” x 11” – Basic Black
• 102125 Card Stock – 8 ½” x 11” – Kraft
• 100730 Card Stock – 8 ½” x 11” – Whisper White
• 113978 Designer Series Paper – 12” x 12” – Urbban Oasis

Ink
• 111835 Classic Ink – Kiwi Kiss
• 111833 Classic Ink – Baja Breeze
• 103954 Classic Ink – Blender Pens

Stampin’ Up! Accessories
• 102845 Blender Pens
• 111375 5/8” Striped Grosgrain Ribbon – Baja Breeze
• 111372 5/8” Striped Grosgrain Ribbon – Kiwi Kiss
• 109025 1/4” Grosgrain Ribbon – Whisper White
• 109027 1/4” Grosgrain Ribbon – Basic Black
• 109071 Taffeta Ribbon – Kraft
• 105525 Forget-Me-Not Keeper
• 112577 Designer Brads – Filigree Assortment
• 112081 Scallop Square Punch
• 112091 Scallop Edge Punch
• 109047 3/16” Corner Rounder Punch
• 104390 ½” Circle Punch
• 101227 1/16” Handheld Circle Punch
• 108362 Crop-A-Dile
• 104430 Stampin’ Dimensionals
• 107301 Medium Whisper White Envelopes
• 103683 Mini Glue Dots
• Adhesive, scissors and paper trimmer

Looking for a Creative & Fun Home-Based Business?

2009-03-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

There is a business niche for everyone. Mine is sharing the fun and awesome sense of accomplishment one experiences through hands-on creativity and memory preservation by paper crafting, rubber stamping and scrapbooking. I invite you to join me in the fun!

Why Stamping, Scrapbooking and Why Stampin' Up! in Particular, You May Be Asking?

Here are some industry stats:
“Based on consumer recall, 16 million households spent about $2 billion on scrapbooking supplies--including stickers, embellishments, albums, die-cuts, cutters and more--in 2005.” (Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing/market-research/3988060-1.html) I read that the total sales revenue is more like $2.8 billion lately, but can’t find the source! (By the way, these statistics are JUST for scrapbooking and doesn't take into account the dollars spent decorative rubber stamping.)

And here is a little about Stampin’ Up!:
http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/11671.asp

$2.8 Billion… that is no small beans. Even in the current economy, people are still buying stamps, ink, paper, albums, accessories, embellishments, tools and supplies. Paper crafting, rubber stamping, and scrapbooking bring people joy. We all could use a little bit of joy right now!

So, I invite you join me in this fun venture! Attend a class or host a private class in your home. My online store is open 24/7 (click on Shop now to get started) to provide the products and creative inspiration to get you started. I am also available by phone at (714) 264-0026 or e-mail me at planetkreative@gmail.com. Now is an awesome time to get started as with a business. Our demonstrator starter kit is 15% off the regular price and is now available for $169.00. :-) You can watch a video about the business opportunity on my website. Call (714) 264-0026 or e-mail me today (planetkreative@gmail.com). Let’s get you started on your way to a successful home-based enterprise!

The History of Greeting Cards

2009-02-14T22:30:00.000-08:00

(from the Postcard and Greeting Card Museum - www.emotionscards.com)

Sending greeting cards to friends and family is a tradition that goes back about 200 years. They were mostly sent by the elite and wealthy in the early to mid 1800's. Most of the early greeting cards were hand delivered and many were quite expensive, but they soon gained mass popularity with the introduction of the world's first postage stamp issued in 1840 and a few ambitious printer's and manufacturer's perfecting printing methods, hiring artists and designed both elaborate expensive cards as well as simple affordable ones by the 1850's.

As you visit our galleries you will see that cards of the past were fine pieces of art. Manufacturer's used quality artists and many of the large manufacturer's held "art" competitions to generate interest and to get new ideas for cards. Some of these competitions awarded as much as $1,000.00 to the winner!

The oldest known greeting card in existence is a Valentine made in the 1400's and is in the British Museum. New Year's cards can be dated back to this period as well, but the New Year greeting didn't gain popularity until the late 1700's. The Valentine and Christmas Card were the most popular cards, with Valentine's offering us the most "mechanical", "pop-up" and filigree cards, followed by Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Cards gained their highest popularity in the late 1800's and early 1900's offering us cards with some of the most unusual art. The Victorian age give us the most prolific cards.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, when lovers said or sang their Valentines. Written Valentines began to appear after 1400. Paper Valentines were exchanged in Europe where they were given in place of Valentine gifts. Handmade paper Valentines were especially popular in England. In the mid to early 1800's, Valentines began to be assembled in factories. Early manufactured Valentines were black and white pictures painted by workers in a factory. Esther Howland (see below) known as the Mother of the Valentine made fancy Valentines with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap". She introduced the Paper Lace Valentine in the mid 1800's. By the end of the 1800's, Valentines were being made entirely by machine.

Christmas cards were introduced and popularized by John Calcott Horsley, the artist of what is known as the world's first Christmas Card and Louis Prang, known as the Father of the American Christmas Card.

The rest is History. With the exchange of New Year's, Valentine's, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Birthday Cards, just to name a few, there is probably no occasion that doesn't have its own greeting card!

Send a Card to a Friend Day

2009-02-06T22:30:00.000-08:00

When: Always February 7th

Send a Card to a Friend Day is a great chance to get in touch with a friend. We all lead busy lives. Its easy to let a friendship or two lapse, as we try to shuffle kids to and from events. It's hard to stay in touch, when workload demands eat up countless hours.

Today is the perfect chance to send hand-stamped & hand-crafted card to a friend.

Valentine's Day is around the corner...

2009-01-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

Hi ECS Friends!

Thank you for your interest in the Valentine's Card Stamp-a-Stack. You and your little angel(s) will get the chance to tap into your creative side at this fun Valentine Card class. Each child will get to make 30 3" x 3" Valentine cards and a gift for his/her teacher for only $15.00. If you choose to join us, you'll get to make a card for your sweetheart absolutely free with at least one paid student.

Not able to participate in this class? Click here to see the entire product line and then call me TODAY to help you design your custom Valentine Card Kit. Or click on the Shop Now button to place your online order today. The Love You Much Valentine Bundle is on sale for 25% off until January 31, 2009. Take advantage of the savings today!

Here are the details for the upcoming class:

When: Friday, February 6, 2009
Where: ECS/C, Room 124/125
Time: 3:30 – 6:00PM. Open House ->You may arrive anytime between 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Class Fee: $15.00 per student includes all supplies, drinks, snacks, & Parents/Guardians/ Grandparents’ card. 10% will be donated to ECS!!!
RSVP: Complete registration form (attached to original flyer) and drop off check by Tuesday, February 3, 2009 – (payable to: Estella Banks) at ECS Elementary School Office or pay here by PayPal. Complete fields below and click on the "Add to Cart" button below.

Contact: Estella Banks (714) 264-0026 or planetkreative at gmail.com for questions or more information.

True love, after all, is handmade!

I look forward to seeing you at the class!

Interested in a craft class or birthday party idea for your child or children?

2009-01-30T21:29:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for an interesting & innovative craft class or birthday party idea for your child or children? Well, you've come to the right place! As a mother myself, I can relate to your search for a fun and creative way to spend an afternoon or to celebrate a birthday.

Recently, my daughter celebrated her 7th birthday with a Scrapbooking & Stamping class with a few of her friends. She entertained young men and young ladies ranging in age from 6 - 13. All of the young ladies and gents made a scrapbook page and a mini photo album. We kept the original scrapbook pages and put them in a keepsake scrapbook for my daughter. I scanned the scrapbook pages and had them printed at Costso, along with the photos of the party. I divided the photos up by guest and gave the guests a copy of their scrapbook page and photos from the party as a thank you (days after the party). Some of the parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents got involved and everyone had a blast!

Contact me today to design a creative and crafty class or party for your child! Estella Banks (714) 264-0026 or planetkreative at gmail.com. Click here to see the entire product line.

A Little More Valentine's Inspiration

2009-01-27T22:13:00.000-08:00

A Little Yummy for Your Tummy treat pouch

Our friends and designers at Stampin' Up! are working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring ideas like this one to the creatively challenged! If that's you, join the club! So many days, after working at my "day job" and then coming home to my "night job" (i.e. parenting), I can just be plum tired! So it's off to the Stampin' Up! demonstrator website for a little inspiration. It's just one of the many benefits of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. Click here to get more information about being a demonstrator or to join my team today! :-)

Sale-A-Bration (SAB) is just days away. This is a very special time of year because for every $50 in product purchases, you get to select one of 6 FREE products from our special SAB collection. Quick, check out the special SAB collection and send me your order which will be placed on February 1, 2009!

Stamps:

Big Bold Birthday Stamp Set
Yummy SAB Stamp Set

Paper:

Card Stock Pretty In Pink 8 1/2X11
Card Stock Old Olive 8 1/2X11
Card Stock Whisper White 8 1/2X11
Card Stock Rose Red 8 1/2X11
Card Stock Bashful Blue 8 1/2X11

Ink:

Classic Stampin Pad Chocolate Chip
Classic Stampin Pad Rose Red
Versamark Pad

Accessories:

Bone Folder
Scissors Paper Snips
Glue Dots Mini
Stampin Dimensionals
Ribbon Grosgrain Chocolate Chip 5/8 Inch

Instructions:

Fold Bashful Blue card stock (8-1/2" x 8-1/2") in half to create triangle. Fold front of triangle down so that tip of flap is approximately 1/2" from bottom edge. Fold right side of triangle in so that top edge of side is even with the top edge of flap. Repeat with left side. Pull right and left sides back and pull flap up, then fold sides in and fold flap over.
Stamp dots image repeatedly in VersaMark ink on inside of pouch. Wrap Chocolate Chip 5/8" grosgrain ribbon around pouch and adhere.
Round corners of Pretty in Pink card stock (3" x 2") using 3/16" Corner Rounder punch. Adhere Old Olive card stock (3" x 1/4") to Pretty in Pink card stock.
Stamp “A little yummy for your tummy” in Chocolate Chip ink on Whisper White card stock. Cut out image. Stamp heart image in Rose Red ink on Rose Red card stock. Cut out heart and adhere to yummy piece. Adhere to Pretty in Pink card stock using Stampin’ Dimensionals. Adhere entire piece to Bashful Blue pouch using Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Tie Chocolate Chip 5/8" grosgrain ribbon in a knot and adhere to left side of pouch.

Get Your FREE Copy of the New Stampin’ Up! Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book and Catalog (USA Only!)

2009-01-19T12:00:00.000-08:00

Stampin’ Up! has done it once again with the new, award-winnning Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book and Catalog! Filled with over 200 pages of project samples and ideas, it is so much more than just a catalog - it is an amazing source of stampin' inspiration!

Celebrating 20 years of quality, award-winning designs and innovation, I know you’re just going to love our latest product offerings. They have some awesome new stamp sets, gorgeous new Designer Papers and some mind-blowing new embellishments, tools and accessories -- there is something for absolutely everyone!

Sounds great doesn’t it? How would you like your own FREE copy (value: Approx $10)? Here’s what you need to do:

You have to live in the United States (sorry Stampin' Friends, but I’m only allowed to sell Stampin’ Up! products within my own country).
You cannot already be connected with another Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator -- I don't believe in "stealing!" (If you currently buy Stampin’ Up! products from another demonstrator, then he/she should be making it available to you).
Email me your name, address & phone number. You MUST include your phone number. My email is planetkreative@gmail.com - please make sure to write "Free Catalog" in the subject line.
Here's the catch... You can expect a call from me about once every three months to see if there’s anything you need or I can help you with. If you’re not okay with me calling, then please don’t ask me for a free catalog - they go hand in hand *lol*

I look forward to hearing from my US stampers!

Obtiene una copia de Celebrando Creatividad Primavera-Verano 2009

2009-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Estoy muy emocionada de ofrecerles la oportunidad de obtener su propia copia de Celebrando Creatividad Primavera-Verano 2009 (Catálogo y Libro de Ideas) -- GRATIS! Esta lleno de ideas creativos y adorables para las invitaciones y los regalitos de las quincineras, las bodas, baby showers y mucho mas!

A Little Valentine's Inspiration

2009-01-18T21:00:00.001-08:00

Valentine's Day is less than a month away! Here is a little stampin' inspiration for your Valentine's Day projects.

Love You Much Card

Stamps
• Love You Much stamp set

Paper
• Baja Breeze card stock
• Candy Lane Designer Series paper
• Watercolor paper

Ink
• Baja Breeze Classic Stampin’ Pad®
• Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Riding Hood Red Classic Stampin’ Pad

Accessories
• Chocolate Chip 1″ double-stitched grosgrain ribbon
• Flower Fusion Too Accents & Elements
• Pretties Kit
• Stampin’ Dimensionals®
• Heart to Heart punch

Did you know that the Love You Much Bundle is available for 25% off regular retail price through January 31, 2009... Check out the details here (also, see the right side panel for a copy of the flyer).

Your Help Is Needed!

2009-01-12T13:32:00.000-08:00

You have a unique opportunity to help improve Planet Kreative and how I conduct business!

I am currently conducting a survey. I value your feedback and would appreciate if you took a few moments to respond to some questions. The survey has 21 questions on three pages and will probably take about 20 minutes to complete. You have an opportunity to enter your name in a drawing to win FREE Stampin' Up! Products!!

Click Here to take survey

Created for a Purpose

2009-01-11T00:53:00.000-08:00

Hello again!

Since we are discussing the subject of casting your vision and writing your goals... there are some related topics that will be food for thought for your vision & goals book.

Created for a Purpose
Did you know that you were created for a purpose? Your very existence and the reason you were created is an answer to someone's prayer! If you are curious, you can read more about that here, especially 13-16. Our lives are important and must not be wasted! You may be wrestling with this very question right now as you read this.

You're probably thinking...
... there must be more to life than this!?
... how does what I'm doing matter in the big picture?
... why am I here again?
... what IS my purpose?

Here are some clues to your purpose... If you're feeling restless in your current situation, what do you dream about doing? Another way to know what your purpose is... think about what angers/frustrates you to the point that you want to make a difference & change the situation. These are two clues to what you were designed to do. You have probably had many opportunities to build skills that are critical to the achievement of your purpose. Your current job may or may not be your purpose.

Defining your vision and setting your goals are closely tied to your purpose.

Get to know your Creator personally ... He has big plans for you.

NEWS FLASH!! Cool Deals Going on Now through JANUARY 18, 2009!

2009-01-09T06:35:00.000-08:00

Please take note of the special deals going on right now through January 18, 2009:

Inventory Blowout Sale - Some things are up to 50% off!
Retiring Stamps - Last chance to get you favorites like Fabulous Flowers, just to name one of my favorites!
Love You Much Bundle
Catalog Sampler Special

Links have been provided for your convenience. Go now and check them out and then call me to place your order OR order ONLINE RIGHT NOW! :-)

Now back to your regularly scheduled broadcast....!

Vision/Goal Book ... Another Layout

2009-01-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

Hi!!

Well, as I promised, here is the next installment of my Vision/Goals Book.

One of the things that I am working on is to improve my chances of buying a house. Now, we all know what that means, right? Good credit AND a miracle from God!! So, I know that I need to do my part in the natural world and let God do His thing in the Kingdom... so here it is.

The Road to Good Credit leads to Buying a House. On the Road to Good Credit page, I will list the specific actions I need to take to ensure I achieve this goal. On the Buying a House page, I will list the specific deal-breaker criteria for selecting the home and therefore solidifying in my mind what it is exactly that I am looking for (see explanation and goal statement below). The pictures on these pages serve as visual reminders and programming language for my brain -- because you know my house is da bomb!

The photos of the house were taken in Victorville, CA, at a model home I visited with my friend Amarachi during the Christmas 2007 season. She loves interior design and so one of her pastimes is to visit model homes for great home decor inspiration! And I was definitely inspired.

I plan to type the SMART Goal statements and place them in the "empty" Top Notes. In order to enhance your chances of successfully achieving your goal, the goal statement needs to be written in a SMART Goal format.

Here is an example of a common goal statement that you will hear:

Buy a house.

That is a worthy goal, but it's lacking pizazz and color and, well lots of other things to make it achievable. So let's pick it apart a bit. I must ask you a question. Is this goal SPECIFIC? (SPECIFIC is the "S" in SMART). Is there any information about what kind of home, size of the home, location of the home, price-range, etc?

Uhhhh, in a word, "no!"

So let's revise the goal to make it more SPECIFIC.

Buy a three-bedroom Spanish-style house under $200,000 in Southern California.

Okay, now we're getting better, but I may have stepped on the toes of "REALISTIC" when I stated a $200,000 home in Southern California, but this is a BIG goal. I just have to trust God to do the miracle.

Let's look at whether or not the goal is MEASURABLE -- the "M" in SMART. How will we measure the completion of this goal? A goal becomes measurable when you have identified specific criteria for measuring progress against those goals. In this case, I either buy the house or not. Simple as that!

The next area to evaluate is where or not the goal is ATTAINABLE or ACTIONABLE. I could revise the goal to read:

Buy a three-bedroom Spanish-style house under $300,000 in Southern California.

Changing the price of the home makes it more "ATTAINABLE."

The final two letters in the word SMART are R and T. R stands for REALISTIC and T stands for TIME-BOUND. The current goal statement is NOT time-bound. Depending on the the time-frame stated for completion, the goal will then be REALISTIC or NOT. I've observed that it has taken two other single mothers around 2-3 years to reach their goal of home ownership, so I will revise my goal once again to take this into consideration. So, here goes:

Buy a three-bedroom, two-bathroom Spanish-style house with two-car garage and guest house or rental unit under $300,000 in Southern California (North Long Beach, Cerritos, Cypress, South Compton near horse properties, or Rancho Dominguez) by December 31, 2011.

So there you have it: the SMART Goal setting process in a nutshell. You can see that I revised the goal to make it even more specific. The rationale is each piece of information clearly states what I want in the house to make sure it meets my criteria! That makes the goal Measurable.

Thank you for letting me share a bit of what I've been learning along the way and finally applying! :-)

Supplies List

Paper:
Whisper White Textured Card Stock (12" x 12")
Urban Garden Designer Series Paper
Kiwi Kiss Card Stock (8-1/2" x 11")
Baja Breez Card Stock (8-1/2" x 11")
Not Quite Navy Card Stock (8-1/2" x 11")

Accessories:
Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
Top Note Bigz Die
Birds and Blooms Sizzlet Die
Swirl Sizzlet Die
Paper Cutter

Images (except those from the model home) were collected from the Internet.

A Peek at MY Vision Book - and into my private world

2009-01-08T00:28:00.000-08:00

Hi Stampin' Friends!!

I am very excited to share a great project with you; it's something that can be started at any time -- you do not need to wait until the beginning of the year to start on it. So many people are reflecting on their goals for the year, why not create a powerful visual tool to help keep you on track!

Here is a peek at the title page of my Vision/Goals book. When I first envisioned making the book I thought about putting a year on the title page, but as I started looking at the goals that I was setting, the goals are more multi-year/long-range goals with consistent, short-term actions required to achieve them. I recommend putting dates on each individual page to record when the page was completed. As I continue to share each section of my book, you will see, though, how important dates are in creating a goal completion time line (SMART Goals).

Project Details
I decided to use the Fabulous Flowers stamp set because the one word stamp in there "Dare to Be Fabulous" just resonates with me! I fell "in love" with this set when it first came out mostly because of this powerful little statement. The Fabulous Flowers (Item # 109343) stamp set is retiring effective January 18, 2009; it will probably be a long time before I can part with this set!

I used the color combination that is reflected in the Urban Garden Designer Series Paper (Item # 112042; also retiring effective January 18, 2009). The colors include: Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, and Not Quite Navy. In addition, later in the book you will see that I used Riding Hood Red -- red is a powerful, action-oriented color -- perfect for inspiring goal achievement.

On this page used a technique called "One Sheet Wonder;" I stamped a full 12" x 12" sheet of Whisper White Card Stock (Item # 106529) with the "Dare to Be Fabulous" stamp from Fabulous Flowers using Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, and Not Quite Navy. I was going for a pattern that could be read from any direction. I started with a row that could be read from my stamping vantage point. I continued to stamp the pattern, varying the colors... then, I rotated the page 180 degrees and continued stamping until I filled the page.

Next I cut the 12" x 12" sheet in half, yielding two 6" x 12" pieces. With one of the 6" x 12" pieces I cut it again to yield 2 - 6" x 6" pieces. Finally I cut the two 6" x 6" sheets in half diagonally to create the "corners" on the page you see here. I layered the corners (triangular pieces) on 12" x 12"Basic Black Textured Card Stock (Item # 108693) to create the framed look. I used the remaining 6" x 12" piece on the following pages. One Sheet Wonder (OSW) is a great technique for creating personalized "Designer Series Paper." OSW is also awesome for completing multiple quick cards.

I used On Board Loads of Letters (Item #112084) to create this title. I sponged or used the direct-to-paper method to cover the letters completely with the Classic Ink. My preference is to use Craft Ink (pigment ink) with Sponge Daubers (Item # 102892) to do this kind of job, but the 2008-09 In Colors are available in Classic Ink only. I feel that the coverage was very good! I saturated those letters, for sure!

The page seemed as though it needed a couple of finishing touches, so I broke out the BigShot and started cutting these flowers and swirls from the coordinated card stock colors, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Gray, and Baja Breeze. I used the Birds & Blooms Sizzlits Die (4-Pack Item #113485) and the Scribbles, Swirls Sizzlits Die (Item #113441). The flowers seemed to give it a more polished look. One final touch I did was to sponge the edges of the stamped Whisper White sheet with Kiwi Kiss ink (you can kind of see it on the top right corner of the photo). I was able to get away with sponging AFTER I had assembled the page, but ONLY because the background paper is Basic Black. I highly recommend sponging the edges BEFORE putting your page together!

I'm very happy with the result, although I will sneak some Riding Hood Red onto this page eventually -- probably in the center of the flowers!!

New Resolves & Happy New Year!!

2009-01-07T10:55:00.001-08:00

The year is only a few days old... how are you going to make it count this year?

Project Idea
I've started a Vision & Goals Book. It's similar to a Vision Board or Dream Board. The idea is to collect images (photos, magazine cut-outs, etc.) showing the end-result of one (or more) of your goals. For example, if your goal is to get fit and healthy, find a photo of yourself (or someone who looks like you) when you are at your desired "peak" (for me that was in my 20s!). Arrange your photos on a scrapbook page, in a mini-album you can carry in your work bag, in a frame, on a mirror... where-ever you will look at it regularly... your brain will start to believe the images you present and after a while, subconsciously, you’re working towards the achievement of your desired image! Not magic, just a bit of psychology!

I will be sharing pages from my Vision/Goals Book and information about setting SMART Goals over the next few days. Part of the goal-setting process is to share your goals with someone or a couple of people close to you who will help you remember your goals when your behavior seems to be off-track! I realize that by opening up the pages of my Vision/Goals Book to you, that you will become a part of my "accountability team." Please be gentle with me. :-) I pray you will commit to setting and achieving some worthwhile goals and that this project will impact your life for years to come!

So who will join me? Make an appointment with me today to get started creating your Vision Book and achieving your goals.

Rare Sale on Retiring Stamps & Free Shipping on orders over $70!!!

2008-12-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

Hi Stampin' Friends,

Stampin' Up! offers hundreds of beautiful stamp images in each catalog release. The release of a new catalog is often a highly anticipated event for stamping enthusiasts! So, in order to make room for new and exciting stamp images, Stampin Up! selects certain stamp sets to "retire" or discontinue. This year, Stampin' Up! is offering an unheard of sale on retiring stamps (they usually don't discount the retiring stamps) - 10% off. To sweeten the deal, the are also offering FREE SHIPPING on orders over $70. So now is the time to take advantage of this unusual opportunity to get your favorite stamps before they become a sweet memory. This offer is good through December 23, 2008. Please visit my website for the lists!

Santa's Workshop - December 6, 2008

2008-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

UPDATED December 5, 2008: Check out the NEW, IMPROVED Prices!
UPDATED December 3, 2008: Here are some project sample photos that I promised.

Give handmade love this year! Join us on December 6, 2008, from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm for a Santa's Workshop gift-project buffet. This is an open house-style stamp camp. You can show up whenever you have time, but please no later than 2:00 pm so that you will have time to complete your selected projects. Class fee will be $10.00. Projects will include:

Tile Coasters (Set of four -- here is a simple sample) $7.00 / Two sets for $10.
Approximate time to complete four tiles 45 mins - 1 hour.

Magnetic Calendars $2.50 each or 3 for $6.00
Approximate time to complete three calendars - 30-45 mins.

Ribbon/Chipboard Bookmark ($2.50 each) & Jumbo Paperclip Bookmarks ($1.50 each)
Approximate time to complete 3 bookmarks 30-45 mins.

Nugget Tin - 5 Covered nuggets in a beautiful hinged Altoid-sized tin (no window) $3.50.
Approximate time to complete one nugget tin: 30 -45 mins. (w/o eating any nuggets :-) )

I want to give a big "Thank You" shout-out to Julie Case for granting me permission to use her photo. The cool window tins are in transit and wanted to give you all an idea of what to expect. I like the simple elegance of her sample and plan to CASE (copy and share everything) her ideas. The actual Designer Series Paper may vary, but no matter which one, the nugget tins will be cute (or handsome) and perfect for a quick and easy gift!

Thank You/Greeting Card set (1 set of 6 cards) $8.00

Decorated Composition Journal (1 each) $5.00

Bath Salts (1 jar) $3.00.

Please RSVP and let me know how many of each project you'd like to make. Please e-mail me at stampabella at gmail dot com. PayPal link & shopping cart will also be available soon.

Going, Going, soon to be Gone - 20-50% off

2008-12-01T02:48:00.000-08:00

Today, December 1st is your final opportunity to find the products that you love at a 20-50% discount. I am so excited about all the bundles, but personally, the Sticky Situation and Scrapbookers Dream bundles are on my Christmas wish list - I am my favorite Santa, after all! These are great prices for high quality, reliable scrapbooking and crafting supplies.

Speaking of Christmas Wish Lists, subscribe to the 12-day Holiday Helper newsletter (it's FREE) and you'll be able to download the Santa wish letter and give it to your favorite Santa. Take advantage of the great deals, until 10:59 PM PST or while supplies last.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-11-27T09:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a little poem for you.

Thanksgiving is....
(Author Unknown)

Thanksgiving is a
time of gratitude to God,
our Creator and Provider,
whose guidance and care
go before us...
and whose love
is with us forever.

Thanksgiving is a time
to reflect on the changes,
to remember that we, too,
grow and change
from one season of life to another.

Thanksgiving is a time
of changing seasons,
when leaves turn golden
in Autumn's wake
and apples are crisp
in the first chill breezes of fall.

Let us remember the true meaning
of Thanksgiving.
As we see the beauty
of Autumn, let us acknowledge
the many blessings
which are ours...
let us think of our families
and friends..
and let us give thanks in our hearts.

Holiday Extravaganza Sale Begins Today!!!

2008-11-26T06:30:00.000-08:00

Save a bundle on selected bundled products today through December 1, while supplies last. Please check out the flyer to the right for more information. Shop 24/7 on my website.

Check out this post which features one of the sale items: the Curly Label Punch Bundle.

Remember to subscribe to the 12-Day Holiday Helper Newsletter. It's my expression of appreciation for your support during this year! Please see the post below for more details. Subscribe now.

Country Living Holiday Collection Stampin' Kit

2008-11-25T06:30:00.000-08:00

Invite the warmth and coziness of the holidays into your home with Stampin' Up!'s Country Living Holiday Collection Stampin' Kit. This kit has everything you need to create beautiful handcrafted ornaments.

The Holiday Collection Stampin' Kit includes the following products:

Holiday Collection stamp set (six stamps)
Four 12" x 12" sheets of die-cut chipboard
Eight 12" x 12" sheets of die-cut Designer Series paper (2 ea. of 4 double-sided designs)
Four 12" x 12" sheets of Designer Series paper (2 ea. of 2 double-sided designs)
Two 12" x 12" sheets of Whisper White card stock
25 yds. Silver Metallic cord
10 yds. 3/8" Whisper White taffeta ribbon
Pretties Kit brads (20)
Stampin' Dimensionals
Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter (1/2 oz.)
Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive
Riding Hood Red Classic Stampin' Spot
Old Olive Craft Stampin' Spot
Uninked Stampin' Spot
Whisper White Craft Ink refill

Create dazzling ornaments and memories that will last a lifetime! This offer is only good through December 31, or while supplies last,

Subscribe to Country Living magazine at a 75% discount and get a bonus mini-stamp kit! Go to stamp.countryliving.com.

Special Offer - FRE*E Holiday Helper Newsletter!

2008-11-23T22:47:00.000-08:00

Man, I am sooooo super excited that I get to give you your Christmas present early!!! I get happy because I have the opportunity to give something back to my faithful Stampin' Friends! I don't know if I've ever really relayed this about my business, but the title of my growing enterprise and my mission statement really sum up what I'm all about...
Planet Kreative: Inspiring, Demonstrating, & Nurturing Creativity

In the meantime and in between time, Planet Kreative is created, temporarily, whenever we gather to have fun and get creative. Eventually, Planet Kreative(tm) will be an actual gathering place for all things "kreative."

Anywhow, when I get an opportunity to provide 12 days of creative inspiration, I get excited! So, here it is....

I have a special treat for you this year. You're invited to subscribe to my special 12-Day Holiday Helper newsletter. Once you sign-up you will begin to receive 12 days of holiday craft projects, tips to bring more joy into your holidays and great gift ideas. My compliment as a special thank you for your support.

What does the Holiday Helper include?

12 step-by-step tutorials
11 complimentary gifts
10 easy and inexpensive Christmas gifts
9 handmade gift ideas
8 projects to decorate your home
7 tree ornament ideas
6 creative wrapping ideas
5 holiday card ideas
4 ways to involve your children, family and friends in the fun
3 different scrapbooking projects
2 planning documents to make your holiday smoother
2 different scrapbooking themes
1 creative consultant on standby to assist you (that's me)

As your Stampin' Up! demonstrator I am always here to help. I'm just a phone call or email away with ideas, inspiration and convenient home delivery of products -- especially now that online ordering is available on my website 24/7.

I hope you will take me up on my offer. For most of us, this is the year to simplify. This is the year to cut back. AND this is the year to be organized and create the handmade gifts we've always wanted to give. Join me as I plan and prepare for the month ahead and really accomplish the goals of having a simple and meaningful Christmas.

Updated: I Wish for Simplicity ... How about you?

2008-11-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Upcoming Class:

In the hustle-bustle of life, people are looking for ways to stay in touch with friends, business associates, loved ones, etc, even if it's just once a year. So let's kick the Christmas season off right; join me for THE One and Only I Wish for Simplicity Christmas Card Affair! Saturday, November 15, 2008--please note the new date--10:00 am - 2:00 PM, @ The Node, 11723 Firestone Blvd., Norwalk, CA 90650. A note about the class time: I reserved the Banquet Room at the Node with plenty of time cushion for the class. If you cannot make it at 10:00 AM, I still encourage you to come when you can... especially if you are a quick stamper. I suggest that you arrive no later than 12:00 pm (with a full tummy), however, to ensure you have enough time to complete your projects. Also, please be sure to let me know if you plan to arrive later!

By the end of the class you and your friends will have completed your holiday cards, a scrapbook page for the memories and a gift bag to carry it all home in. How simple is that? We'll use the I Wish Simply Scrappin' Kit, the Handmade Holiday Simply Sent Card Elements Kit or a “IMIM” (I Made It Myself) Kit to create quick, yet unique, Christmas cards for the special people on your 2008 card list.

Class fee is $10.00 PLUS the cost of materials (see details below). I call this my I Wish for Simplicity Set because it is extremely easy to use the Simply Scrappin' kits or Simply Sent Card Elements kits to make handmade and personal greeting cards for the holidays in a matter of hours, not days.

Materials cost for the I Wish Simply Scrappin' Card Class Kit, (completed projects include 15 - 3" x 6" cards, 15 envelopes, a scrapbook page and a gift bag) $35.00; 30 cards, 30 envelopes, two bags and two scrapbook pages $60. UPDATE: Due to back orders, this kit will not be available in time for the class. Sorry!

Materials cost for the Handmade Holiday Simply Sent Card Elements -Card Class Kit (completed projects include 18 4 ¼” x 5 ½” cards, 18 envelopes, one 6” x 6” scrapbook page and a coordinating gift bag) $37.

Materials cost for the I Made It Myself Christmas Card Class Kit (completed projects include 15 - 3" x 6" cards, 15 envelopes, a scrapbook page and a gift bag) $25.

Bring Your Own Kit: If you have supplies at home that you'd like to use, please e-mail me for the shopping/packing list to ensure you have everything you need to create your Christmas Card Masterpieces. You must bring your own tools (paper cutter) and consumables such as designer paper, card stock, envelopes, ribbon, adhesive, etc. You will be able to use the stamp sets and inks that are made available at the class for no extra charge.

To register for the class, please RSVP by sending me an email (planetkreative@gmail.com) and include the following information for each guest. I must receive your payment for the materials IN ADVANCE (by November 9, 2008) in order to ensure your materials will arrive in time for the class ... the earlier the better :-).
Name
Address
City, ST Zip
Phone #
E-Mail Address
Kit Selected (select one or more kits):

Payment methods accepted: Cash, Check, Credit Card, PayPal

I look forward to seeing you there!

Estella

Products Used:
Stamps
• Snow Swirled (Die Cut) (111690; Set of 6)
• Simply Scrappin’ Kit – I Wish (112193)

Paper
• Kraft
• Whisper White
• Old Olive

Ink
• Classic Ink – Real Red
• Classic Ink – Chocolate Chip
• Classic Ink – Old Olive
• Stampin’ Write Journaler – Basic Black or Basic Brown Stampin’ Up!

Accessories
• Small Open End Envelopes - Kraft
• Build-A-Brad – Pewter
• Crafters’ Tool Kit
• 1/16” Handheld Circle Punch
• 1/8” Handheld Circle Punch
• 1/2” Circle Punch
• 1/4” Grosgrain Ribbon – Real Red
• 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon – Real Red
• Brads - Silver
• Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Sticky Strip

Wow!

2008-11-06T06:30:00.000-08:00

It's official... the barriers have been broken. I am so very excited about the possibilities that President-Elect Obama represents.

It's Election Day - Go vote!

2008-11-04T06:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Stampin' Friends!

I trust all is well with you on this historic Election Day, November 4, 2008! Thank you for being faithful readers, despite my posting record! Blogging is such an interesting "art." My canvas is waiting daily! This blog artist is still learning! Have patience with me!

Holiday Preparations

2008-11-02T23:46:00.000-08:00

I hope that you will find this little video tidbit fun, inspiring and helpful & not "annoyingly" early! You gotta understand how crafty people work...starting early is the "only" way to get all those ideas out of your head and into the "real" world.

Anyhow, I was taking a gander at Shelli Gardner's blog (www.soshelli.com). Shelli is the co-founder and CEO of Stampin' Up! She is always making appearances on local television and crafting segments. Here is a clip from one of the shows she did recently. I really liked the variation of colors to change the "mood" of the place settings. I hope that you like it as much as I do!

Each place setting includes a napkin ring, nameplate, favor, and confetti - all based on the same template. Just for Studio 5 viewers, Stampin' Up CEO Shelli Gardner shares the design tricks that give that template three terrific twists.

Supply List

Stamp Sets

Cute & Curly Punch Label bundle
Everyday Flexible Phrases
Holiday Blitz
Simple Serif Mini Alphabet & Numbers
Wild West Alphabet

Stampin' Pads
Baja Breeze Classic
Chocolate Chip Classic
Old Olive Classic
Real Red Classic

Card Stock/Paper
Ski Slope Designer Series paper
Baja Breeze card stock
Chocolate Chip card stock
Naturals White card stock
Old Olive card stock
Real Red card stock

Accessories
Dies:
Big Shot die cutting machine
Pillow Box die
Scallop Circle #2 die
Top Note Bigz die

Accents:
Pretties Kit
Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware

Adhesives:
Anywhere Glue Stick
Stampin' Dimensionals
Sticky Strip
Two-Way Glue Pen

Punches:
1/16" Circle punch
3/4" Circle punch
Horizontal Slot punch

Ribbon/Cord/Thread:
Alpine Ribbon Originals
Baja Breeze 5/8" striped grosgrain ribbon
Linen thread
Silver elastic cord

Miscellaneous:
Acetate (from office supply store; thick)
Bone folder
Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter

Instructions

Napkin ring
Make card stock note using Top Note Bigz die. Adhere Designer Series paper on card stock, stamp (on New Year's napkin ring), fold, and smooth folds using bone folder. Stamp label image, punch out and/or cut, and adhere to napkin ring. Punch out slots and tie together with ribbon (Note: New Year's napkin ring is tied together with Silver elastic cord). Accent as shown.

Name plate/Place Card
Make card stock note using Top Note Bigz die; stamp (on New Year's name plate), fold in half, and smooth fold with bone folder. Adhere Designer Series paper on card stock (Note: layer paper on Old Olive card stock first for Christmas name plate). Accent as shown.

Favor
Make favor box using Pillow Box die, and fill with treats. Create belly band out of Designer Series paper (Note: layer paper for New Year's favor), and adhere to favor. Stamp label image, and punch out. Adhere label and accent as shown.

Confetti
Make several large and small scallop circles out of Designer Series paper. Stamp and cut out/punch smaller images (acorns for Thanksgiving, trees for Christmas, and snowflakes for New Year's) as shown. Glue glitter on snowflakes.

Celebrate the "Everyday"

2008-10-07T00:55:00.000-07:00

October is here, what a wonderful time of year!

School is in full swing, but soon sleigh bells we'll hear.

Sleigh bells? What happened to Columbus Day, Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving? Are we in a time warp? Not! But, it doesn't hurt to plan ahead!

While I'm contemplating the schedule of classes for the rest of this year and the coming year, I find that I must first be aware of my busy-ness, then, slow down and look for ways to be present in the here and now...celebrating the everyday things with the special people in my life. It's easy to forget or dismiss documenting those very ordinary, yet special moments that make up the fabric of our lives... Wait a minute...”the fabric of our lives…” Man, who is the copy writer here? Sounds like a Hallmark and Cotton commercial rolled into one! Tee Hee...:-)

Seriously, though, documenting (a.k.a. scrapbooking) your everyday "celebrations" is just as important as documenting the momentous occasions. In fact, your children's children will be more interested in your daily life than they will be in knowing about only the special occasions. Thankfully, scrapbooking can take on many forms, from the simple journal with few embellishments/mementos and no, or almost no, photos to the more elaborate, embellished photo-filled page. Your life is worth living, so it's worth documenting, too! Even the "everyday" things

Let me help you find your scrapbooking style as I introduce [strong]Scrampin’ 101 and Progressive Pages [/strong] at the upcoming class on [strong]Saturday, October 18, 2008.[/strong] Please stop by the events page on my website for details on this and all upcoming events.

Save the dates for these Upcoming Events:

October 18 – Scrampin’ 101/Progressive Pages

November 8 – Christmas Card “Marathon!” Crank ‘em out early, enjoy your Turkey (day)!

December 6 – Santa’s Workshop, featuring Tile Coasters, a Stationery box, book marks and a fragrant relaxation potion bottled and bejeweled for gift-giving…just can’t give away all the secrets now,

January 3 – Customer Appreciation & Fall Winter Favorites Retirement Party

I do hope you’ll join me at an upcoming event soon and please remember you can schedule your own private “Friends' Night In” event exclusively for you and your friends. Call me TODAY to put your event on my calendar!

Feeling neglected, anyone?

2008-09-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Stampin' Friends!

Hope all is well with you and your families! As I mentioned in my September 2008 e-Newsletter, I can't believe how quickly we're rounding 3rd base coming into the home plate aka the end of September.

I can't even begin to tell you all that has been going on here in this dugout! (What's with the baseball analogy? Tee hee hee! I don't know! Just flows.) I started the "season" after the last Stampin' Techniques class with serious school shopping for my DD (dear daughter). She is 6 going on 16. She started 2nd grade earlier this month in a small private Christian school near our home. She is one of 12 in her class -- coming from the public school perspective that is a super small class, usually only reserved for those with special needs, but don't all of our children deserve the same attention? Anyhow, she seems to be settling in and has adjusted to the new teacher, a super sweet lady, Mrs. Dolphin.

I, on the other hand, have had my own settling in to do. In addition to my Planet Kreative and Stampin' Up! adventures, I am the department chairperson for the English as a Second Language (ESL) department at an adult school in South West Los Angeles County. I've been there for a few years now, going on my third year in this role, but every year is so different. This year, I've had the disctinct honor of facilitating some of the school-wide professional development workshops for my colleagues (although it sounds impressive, there are about 70 teachers total working at our school, split 1/3 and 2/3 between day and night classes). Needless to say, I've been very busy at work and working longer hours during registration. Hopefully, you've not completely abandoned me!? :-)

On to stampin' fun! At the last Stampin' Techniques class, held on August 16, 2008, we focused on unique card folds: double pocket card, trifold, & flap fold. These were so much fun. Here are a few samples for inspiration.

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes (remember it's the one I won at Convention! Item #111618, $23.95)
Ink: Classic Stamin' Pad in Basic Brown, Riding Hood Red, and Pink Pirouette
Paper: Pink Pirouette & Whisper White cardstock, Bella Rose Designer Series Paper
Accessories: BigShot, Birds & Blooms Sizzlets Die 4-Pack (comes in the BigShot Special Edition Starter Kit, Item #113481 - $195.95 w/o bag; Item #113482 $259.95 w/ Doctor's Bag), Scallop Edge Punch, Paper Cutter with Scoring Blade, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds, Aqua Painter or Blender Pen, SNAIL adhesive, Pretties Kit

To the left, here is a close up of the pocket inserts.

To the right, on this card I just used other sheets from the Bella Rose Designer Series Paper.

This is unique tri-fold card sized to fit a small open-ended envelope (finished card dimensions 3-3/8" x 6-3/4").

Stamps: Say It with Scallops (A gift from UPS at Convention)
Ink: Classic Stampin' Pad Kiwi Kiss
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss & Whisper White cardstock, Bella Rose Designer Series Paper.
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, BigShot, Birds & Blooms Sizzlets Die 4-Pack, Paper Cutter with Scoring Blade, SNAIL Adhesive, Pretties Kit

This sample uses the same supplies. The only addition is the Illuminated Stampin' Around Wheel used as a border on the bottom. I didn't use any BigShot die cuts on this one.

This Flap Fold Card. It opens at the top, you lift it open from the Scallop Circle. There is a magnet to keep it closed.

Stamps: Fall Flair (Hostess - Level 2), Flores Llamatives (also available in English - Wow Flowers).
Ink: Classic Stampin' Pad in Perfect Plum, More Mustard, Old Olive, Rose Red
Paper: Whisper White, Rose Red, More Mustard, Old Olive Cardstock
Accessories: Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon (dyed with Perfect Plum ink pad), 1-1/4" Circle, 1-3/8" Circle, and Scallop Circle Punches, thin business card magnets cut up into small squares.

So, there you have it! Hope to see you at our next class: Celebrate World Card Making Day with a Card Buffet! (Hey, did you notice that it rhymes?!) October 4, 2008, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Check out my website's calendar for more details. I will post sneak peeks as soon as I get a couple done. See you next time!

Estella

Pssst... where have you been!?

2008-08-12T23:32:00.001-07:00

Okay. So I was doing pretty well last week with posting semi-regularly and then silence. Not a peep out of me and not a peep out of you either! :-) Communication is a two-way street as they say.

So in the August 2008 e-Newsletter "Be a (Nearly) Perfect Neighbor," I was sharing an example of why knowing your neighbors is important...

I recently realized that besides the possibility that our neighbors are super cool people, who could possibly enrich our lives in some way, we just downright need to be inter-connected with those who live around us. Case in point... while in flight to Salt Lake City to attend the annual Stampin’ Up! convention a couple of weeks ago (so much fun, by the way … details are here on my blog), the Chino Hills Earthquake hit…

We were none the wiser ‘til we touched down in Utah and I received a text message from my sister. Her message read, “R u okay?” I responded “Yeah, y? What’s up?” Then the news came. An 5.8 earthquake had just hit. Mind you, we’re standing in the aisle of the plane, bags in hand, waiting to get off the plane. I must have been reading my text messages out loud because those around me were looking at me with questioning eyes. Some of them got on their cell phones to check in back at home.

Now, I'm thinking about how blessed are we to be completely out of range during the earthquake (don't know too many people who enjoy them)! My mom and daughter are fine, I'm fine... I wonder if our "stuff" is fine? Then a slight mental panic sets in. Our stuff... it'll be days before we return. Do I need to worry about the condo and its contents, or is ignorance really "bliss?"

Enter our neighbor, L.J. Ms. L.J. contacted me a couple of years ago by pure coincidence through the Stampin' Up! demonstrator locator on the Stampin' Up! website. She had been to a stamping class or workshop recently and enjoyed her experience. So she searched for a demonstrator in her area. When she contacted me and I realized that we were neighbors, I was so excited because I'm thinking "Stampin' Buddy"!!! I did my best not to "bother" her too much, seeing that I could throw a stone across the walkway to her patio and kitchen window.

During the past couple of years we have had several cordial exchanges in the alley, at the local church where she works with the child and have even crossed paths at a stampin' class. Thankfully I had her number with me in my PalmTX, so I called to get the neighborhood scoop and hoping that she could check out the environment for me. I left a message for her and she returned my call later in the evening after returning from work. She agreed to scan the area that was visible to her and them she reported back to me that all was fine as far as she could see. Just this small gesture of neighborly helpfulness put my mind at ease. A simple phone call for a favor and kind follow through was all that was needed to allow us to enjoy our vacation. A huge THANK YOU goes out to our sweet neighbor L.J.!

The point of this long story is just to say that you never know when and how your connection with your neighbor may hit that crucial moment when you find that you can help them or they can help you. You just never know! Get to know your neighbors -- they could be uber cool and helpful, too!

By now, you're probably wondering, "does this chick ever stamp?" The answer is yes! Here is a sample of a project that my cousin Joy inspired me to do. My cuz and her husband are practically still newly-weds with one year of bliss under their belts, but let it be known that no grass grows under their feet. These folks are BUSY! They've recently launched a catering and event planning enterprise called Manna Feast (www.mannafeastexperience.com). Their food is excellent and the ambiance is so carefully prepared and executed; you would be amazed!

So back the the inspiration... Joy has been planning and preparing a British Carribean Tea Party and wanted to present some super special invitations to her client. Joy saw some samples in the new Fall Winter 2008 Idea Book and Catalog that she wanted to see. So I set about recreating and CASE-ing the catalog sample on page 134. She scoured the catalog for other stamp sets that we could use to create the look that she wanted to achieve. After a few e-mail exchanges, here is what I finally presented to her as the "final" sample. She also requested a table place card and a cellophane bag favor tag.

Paper: Only Orange, So Saffron, Gable Green and Whisper White cardstock.
Ink: Only Orange Classic Stampin' Pad
Stamps: Frames with a Flourish, Floral Background, Sincere Salutations, and Pun Fun
Accessories/Tools: Corner rounder punch and 1/8" Handheld Circle punch (to create"lacy" scalloped border), Paper Snips, Paper Cutter and SNAIL Adhesive.

Here are all the pieces together.

The other pieces basically use the same materials. The only addition is the use of the "Dare to be Fabulous" text from the Fabulous Flowers stamp set on the place card and "a Fabulous Gift for You" text from the Taking Care of Business stamp set on the cello bag favor tag.

Overall I'm pretty pleased with the samples and have learned that I must print the client's name on the place card as though it were the final product. It's easier for everyone to visualize what to expect!

Thanks for stopping by today and hanging in there with me! Next time I'll share some of the Techniques Class samples from previous and hopefully a sneak peak of the projects that we'll do this weekend at the Technique Class/New Catalog Unveiling. Would you like a copy to take home? Let's talk! Call me for details.

Prize Patrol on the Loose!

2008-08-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

I promised to share with you some of the free gifts that I got at Convention, just because I was in the right place at the right time (must be present to win)!

During each convention there is one general session per day and the rest of the day is set aside for business-related classes. One of the cool things about convention, besides the AWESOME demonstrations by the corporate creative types, is the Prize Patrol. This year we were given colored wrist bands; my wrist band was "Neon Blue." Right before a break or during a transition from one speaker to the next, the prize patrol was on their job. Well, after almost three days without a prize, my belief that a prize was coming my way was beginning to dwindle... But not all hope had been lost... It happened on Saturday afternoon right after Carrie Cudney presented a demonstration featuring gifts from the kitchen. She had just shown us how to make a cute cupcake ensemble complete with cake mix, etc. It was approximately 2:30 pm MST... Carrie announced the winning color... it was neon blue... I jumped from my seat in the front row (of my section) and started jumping up and down. The prize patrol (a.k.a. Stampin' Up! staff members) came running out of the black curtained area into the aisles with shopping bags in their hands. I was in an accessible area so I got mine right away ... Here is what I got. Isn't that the coolest? The prize package includes the Crazy for Cupcakes set (Item #111618, $23.95), the Cupcakes Stampin' Around Wheel (Item #113121, $6.50) and a spool of 1"Chocolate Chip Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (Item #111849, $8.95, 10 yds) all available in the new Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book and Catalog. Here is the card she made with the Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set. She used Dazzling Diamonds on the cupcakes so there is plenty of sparkle! It is such a cute card.

Later that afternoon, we got another super surprise! It was near the end of the last general session. We had been given a hint at a one of the business classes earlier in the day that something fun would be happening later. I believe the presenter's exact words were ... "I know something you don't know" ... sung in a very taunting tone! The other class participants were begging to hear the news and she said no way! Anyhow back to the general session. So it was nearing the end of the convention and Shelli Gardner, the CEO and Co-Founder, came onto the stage to bid us farewell and make the traditional next convention dates announcement. Well, while she's on stage talking to us we hear the sound of a doorbell and onto the stage walks a man in a brown UPS uniform with a Stampin' Up! box in his hand. Here is what happens next:
Shelli: "May I help you?"
Mr. Brown: "I have a delivery."
Shelli: "Who is it for?"
Mr. Brown: "Um, let's see. There's no name but they told me that it's for... EVERYONE!"

At this point the whole room of 6,000 women (and a few men) goes CRAZY!!! There were cannons shooting out confetti and music to match the excitement of the occasion. It was so much fun! So what was all the excitement about, you might ask? More presents! UPS purchased and gave to the demonstrators a FREE STAMP SET. They selected the new Ronald McDonald House Charities stamp set, Say It with Scallops (Item # 111678, $17.95). (Talk about a win-win!) This set coordinates with the new Scallop Square punch (Item # 112081, $15.95) that will be available in the new Fall Winter 2008 Idea Book and Catalog. Do you have your copy yet? Contact me to find out how to get a FREE copy! (714) 264-0026 or planetkreative@gmail.com.

It was an awesome conclusion to a spectacular week. I do hope that one or two or three (or more of you will consider joining me at convention next year August 5-8, 2009). Let's chat so you can learn more about how you can attend.

Coming up next time... British Caribbean Tea Party Ensemble inspired by my cousin Joy Jones-Harris, Co-Owner of Mannafeast, a full-service global chic cuisine catering and event planner.

Have an awesome day!

Photos, ya gotta give me photos!

2008-08-05T00:05:00.000-07:00

Hello again! I was reviewing my previous post as I traverse this blog journey and realized, what's a blog without photos? BORING! Tee hee. I have to laugh at myself sometimes!

Here are some photos of the convention trip and a sneak peak at some of the new goodies.

The welcome sign at the airport. Isn't that sweet?

Hey did you get a load of those shoes? Hey wait a minute, did you stamp them? You betcha!

On the train to Ogden...
Is that a sneak peak at the cover of the new Spanish Catalog... Celebrando Creatividad??? You are sooo observant! (Believe it or not, this photo was not staged just for my blog! My DD (dear daughter) was practicing her photography skills and snapped this photo. Pretty good, huh? And so timely!

Here is the cover of the new catalog! Now before you go getting all excited, this is the special edition of the catalog that Stampin' Up! gave us at the convention. Not all of the catalogs are spiral bound. (It is such a nice touch though, don't you think?) Notice the cool scalloped edge... just a hint of one of the new tools inside (pssst, it's a punch).

Here are some of the stamp sets that we received at convention to use in our Make and Take classes:
Inspired by Nature (double mounted see the next photo below for the grass). This set is an example from the new Silhouettes Style Watch. Very chic!

Inspired by Nature (reverse side of the flower above).Eastern Blooms from the Eastern Eclectic Style Watch.

Flight of the Butterfly. This is a fun Two-Step Stampin' Set.
My Convention bag contained all the goodies you see above.
Okay, that's it for today. Next time you'll get to see a gift pack that I won and a stamp set that UPS gave to everyone in attendance as a thank you for the great volume of business they do with Stampin' Up!

News from Stampin' Up! Convention "Celebrate 2008"

2008-08-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Stampin' Friends!

I am so excited to be able to report to you from sunny Salt Lake City, UT. We've been here since Tuesday (traveling with my Mom and daughter). I'm in Salt Lake City because I'm attending my second Stampin' Up! Convention, entitled "Celebrate '08."

Stampin' Up! is celebrating its 20th year of stampin' fun in October 1988. This convention has been a fun reminder of how far we have come in 20 years, me included [if I were brave enough, I'd post my high school graduation photo, but I'm in SLC! :-)]. There are so many awesome things that Stampin' Up! (SU!) is doing that I am soooo very excited about.

Allow me to recap just a bit...

Last week, SU! announced that we will soon (in the fall) be able to offer online ordering!! That means, you can shop from the comfort of your favorite slippers and armchair. This announcement made dance, since I know that my own comfort level with online ordering has increased over time as I've had successful transactions. I look forward to offering another method for you to get your hands on your favorite products! (Just remember how much fun the hands-on make and take workshops are though! Have you scheduled your Totally Hands-on or Girls Night Out workshop yet?)

Wednesday (July 30) was check-in day. I received a copy of the new Fall-Winter 2008-2009 Idea Book and Catalog and three new stamp sets from the catalog!!! Each convention attendee receives stamps sets that will be used in the demonstrator make-n-take sessions during convention. I think that is the coolest!

Yesterday (July 31), we received a few new product announcements but nothing like what will knock your stampin' slippers off like the announcement we received today (August 1). Okay, so here goes...

Would you like to discover how SU! makes home decorating fun and easy? ... with Decor Elements, of course!! These exclusive coordinating images are a super simple way to add flair to your walls. Available in Chocolate, White, and Kraft, coming this fall the line will be expanded and various other colors will be offered as well. When you have a chance, I invite you to view a short video about the current Decor Elements offering on my website.

Shelli Gardner, the CEO and Co-Founder, announced the launch of Shelli's Signature Collection, a line of products that span the entire Stampin' Up! product line, including stamp sets, home décor, and accessories. "These will be products that I either personally love or, in some cases, even played a part in developing," Shelli explained during the announcement.

For the second time, Stampin' Up! will partner with Country Living magazine to offer an exclusive holiday kit. The Holiday Collection Stampin' Kit will include exclusive stamps, a combination of Designer Series paper, and coordinating accessories that will only be available by purchasing this kit.

Today (Friday, August 1) was super awesome as well! The most amazing announcement this morning was that I get to offer you more fun and time-saving tools like the Sizzix BigShot made for Stampin' Up! This die cut machine will be available on September 2, for those who already know what this baby can do. I was amazed as I watched the demonstrations this morning. Shelli showed us several samples of projects done using the BigShot, which can cut over 50 different types of materials including thin sheet metal, felt, chipboard, etc.

Photos and more to come later!

So are you as excited as I am? I hope that you will find that the new toys and tools will make you smile, either because you were able to complete a project that made someone else smile, or because you deserve it!

Retiring Accessories List

2008-07-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hello Stampin' Friends,

Here is a list of the accessories that will be retiring from the current catalog. This list will change daily. Please let me know if you want to receive the updated list everyday. The items listed here are available while quantities last. Most items listed here are in the back of the catalog (the Simply Sent Kits are the exception). The starred (*) items are available for 25% off (while supplies last).

UPDATED August 1, 2008 @ 7:58 PM PST

Item Number
Page #
Product Description

Availability

109200
177
Accents & Elements Build A Flower

Not Available

110718
177
Accents & Elements Lucky Star

110719 177 Accents & Elements Messenger

103158
184
Acrylic Graph & Grid

108638
163
Card Stock 12 X 12 In Color

108642
163
Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Blue Bayou

108643 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Groovy Guava

108637 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 In Color

108640 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 River Rock

108639 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Soft Sky

108641 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Wild Wasabi Not Available

108644 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Purely Pomegranate Not Available

103975 166 Card Stock Brushed Copper Not Available

108694 163 Card Stock Textured 12 X 12 In Color

107312 167 Cards & Envelopes Gift Whisper White

107292 167 Cards & Envelopes Greeting Whisper White

109116 167 Notes & Envelopes Long Notes

109118 167 Notes & Envelopes Love Notes

109117 167 Notes & Envelopes Pocket Notes* Not Available

110729 167 Notes & Envelopes Scallop Notes

109119 167 Notes & Envelopes Gift Notes

109018 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Blue Bayou Not Available

109019 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Groovy Guava

109017 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Purely Pomegranate Not Available

109016 163 Classic Stampin' Ink River Rock Not Available

109015 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Soft Sky

109020 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Wild Wasabi Not Available

109013 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Blue Bayou

109012 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Groovy Guava

109011 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Purely Pomegranate

109010 163 Classic Stampin' Pad River Rock

109009 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Soft Sky

109014 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Wild Wasabi

110751 171 Designer Series Paper Azure*

110696 169 Designer Series Paper Bali Breeze

110749 169 Designer Series Paper Berry Bliss

109154 169 Designer Series Paper Cutie Pie

110699 168 Designer Series Paper East Coast Prep* Not Available

109160 170 Designer Series Paper Fall Flowers Not Available

109159 169 Designer Series Paper Flowers For You*

110697 169 Designer Series Paper Ginger Blossom

110479 168 Designer Series Paper Jersey Shore*

109151 170 Designer Series Paper Le Jardin

110748 170 Designer Series Paper Notebook*

110750 171 Designer Series Paper Olive Press

109153 170 Designer Series Paper Porcelain Prints* Not Available

109175 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Almost Amethyst* Not Available

109177 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Always Artichoke

109173 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Blue Bayou Not Available

109174 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Brilliant Blue

109178 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Certainly Celery

109169 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Close to Cocoa* Not Available

109168 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Groovy Guava* Not Available

109171 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Lovely Lilac

109172 171 Designer Series Paper Prints More Mustard Not Available

109176 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Old Olive

109170 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Pumpkin Pie Not Available

109164 171 Designer Series Paper Prints River Rock*

109167 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Rose Red

109166 171 Designer Series Paper Prints So Saffron

109165 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Soft Sky Not Available

109163 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Tempting Turquoise Not Available

110698 168 Designer Series Paper Spring Break

110273 169 Designer Series Paper Spring Fling* Not Available

110271 170 Designer Series Paper Spring Silhouettes

110272 170 Designer Series Paper Western Sky

107299 167 Envelope Confetti Cream Medium

105320 189 Eyelets Basic Not Available

100375 189 Eyelets Bold Brights Not Available

100381 189 Eyelets Earth Elements Not Available

107233 189 Eyelets Fresh Favorites I

107234 189 Eyelets Fresh Favorites II

105316 189 Eyelets Rich Regals

100378 189 Eyelets Soft Subtles Not Available

105515 188 Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter Not Available

105531 188 Hodgepodge Hardware Antique Brass Not Available

105532 188 Hodgepodge Hardware Aged Copper Not Available

101120 183 Metallic Art Pencils

107307 179 On Board Accents

109181 178 On Board Blossoms & Basic

109179 178 On Board Ginormous Pieces

107306 179 On Board Simon Lower

102678 166 Mulberry Paper White Not Available

109227 181 Punch Box Three For You Not Available

102686 180 Punch Handheld Rectangle

100271 183 Pure Color Pencils

109060 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Blue Bayou Not Available

109063 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Groovy Guava Not Available

109061 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Purely Pomegranate Not Available

109062 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched River Rock*

109059 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Soft Sky Not Available

109058 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Wild Wasabi Not Available

109189 190 Ribbon Originals Beachfront*

109187 190 Ribbon Originals District*

109188 190 Ribbon Originals Fairy Tale

109185 190 Ribbon Originals Jersey*

109184 190 Ribbon Originals Sherbert

109186 190 Ribbon Originals Theater

110716 191 Ribbon Striped Grosgrain Wild Wasabi*

110281 182 Rub-Ons Cherished Memories* Not Available

110284 182 Rub-Ons Eastern Elegance*

110285 182 Rub-Ons Urban West*

110557 174 Simply Scrappin' Boho Blend

109610 174 Simply Scrappin' Confetti Not Available

110572 172 Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Boy

110567 173 Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Girl

109597 175 Simply Scrappin' Home Again

110562 174 Simply Scrappin' Rose Cottage

109648 173 Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Boy

109627 173 Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Girl Not Available

110587 175 Simply Scrappin' Summer Days

110577 175 Simply Scrappin' Tie The Knot

111184 15 Simply Sent Friendly Notes

109228 16 Simply Sent Simple Delights Not Available

109229 16 Simply Sent Three Thoughts Not Available

106662 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Daisy Field

107561 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Garden Annuals

109681 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Good Dog

109678 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Kisses

107482 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Lily Pad Not Available

109680 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Meow

109677 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Mistletoe Not Available

106610 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Basics Outline

107467 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Birthday

109571 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Baby

109570 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Friends

109569 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Party

108423 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Leaves A La Carte Not Available

107468 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Nature Hike

108980 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Petals

107464 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Rough Texture Not Available

111261 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Spunky Spots

109554 193 Stampin' Color Index Labels Not Available

106694 194 Stampin' Kids Markers

102673
183 Zig Painty
*Items are 25% off and part of our discounted retiring accessories promotion.

*Items are 25% off and part of our discounted retiring accessories promotion.

Item Number	Page #	Product Description	Availability
109200	177	Accents & Elements Build A Flower	Not Available
110718	177	Accents & Elements Lucky Star
110719	177	Accents & Elements Messenger
103158	184	Acrylic Graph & Grid
108638	163	Card Stock 12 X 12 In Color
108642	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Blue Bayou
108643	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Groovy Guava
108637	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 In Color
108640	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 River Rock
108639	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Soft Sky
108641	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Wild Wasabi	Not Available
108644	163	Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Purely Pomegranate	Not Available
103975	166	Card Stock Brushed Copper	Not Available
108694	163	Card Stock Textured 12 X 12 In Color
107312	167	Cards & Envelopes Gift Whisper White
107292	167	Cards & Envelopes Greeting Whisper White
109116	167	Notes & Envelopes Long Notes
109118	167	Notes & Envelopes Love Notes
109117	167	Notes & Envelopes Pocket Notes*	Not Available
110729	167	Notes & Envelopes Scallop Notes
109119	167	Notes & Envelopes Gift Notes
109018	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Blue Bayou	Not Available
109019	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Groovy Guava
109017	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Purely Pomegranate	Not Available
109016	163	Classic Stampin' Ink River Rock	Not Available
109015	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Soft Sky
109020	163	Classic Stampin' Ink Wild Wasabi	Not Available
109013	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Blue Bayou
109012	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Groovy Guava
109011	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Purely Pomegranate
109010	163	Classic Stampin' Pad River Rock
109009	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Soft Sky
109014	163	Classic Stampin' Pad Wild Wasabi
110751	171	Designer Series Paper Azure*
110696	169	Designer Series Paper Bali Breeze
110749	169	Designer Series Paper Berry Bliss
109154	169	Designer Series Paper Cutie Pie
110699	168	Designer Series Paper East Coast Prep*	Not Available
109160	170	Designer Series Paper Fall Flowers	Not Available
109159	169	Designer Series Paper Flowers For You*
110697	169	Designer Series Paper Ginger Blossom
110479	168	Designer Series Paper Jersey Shore*
109151	170	Designer Series Paper Le Jardin
110748	170	Designer Series Paper Notebook*
110750	171	Designer Series Paper Olive Press
109153	170	Designer Series Paper Porcelain Prints*	Not Available
109175	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Almost Amethyst*	Not Available
109177	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Always Artichoke
109173	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Blue Bayou	Not Available
109174	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Brilliant Blue
109178	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Certainly Celery
109169	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Close to Cocoa*	Not Available
109168	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Groovy Guava*	Not Available
109171	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Lovely Lilac
109172	171	Designer Series Paper Prints More Mustard	Not Available
109176	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Old Olive
109170	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Pumpkin Pie	Not Available
109164	171	Designer Series Paper Prints River Rock*
109167	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Rose Red
109166	171	Designer Series Paper Prints So Saffron
109165	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Soft Sky	Not Available
109163	171	Designer Series Paper Prints Tempting Turquoise	Not Available
110698	168	Designer Series Paper Spring Break
110273	169	Designer Series Paper Spring Fling*	Not Available
110271	170	Designer Series Paper Spring Silhouettes
110272	170	Designer Series Paper Western Sky
107299	167	Envelope Confetti Cream Medium
105320	189	Eyelets Basic	Not Available
100375	189	Eyelets Bold Brights	Not Available
100381	189	Eyelets Earth Elements	Not Available
107233	189	Eyelets Fresh Favorites I
107234	189	Eyelets Fresh Favorites II
105316	189	Eyelets Rich Regals
100378	189	Eyelets Soft Subtles	Not Available
105515	188	Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter	Not Available
105531	188	Hodgepodge Hardware Antique Brass	Not Available
105532	188	Hodgepodge Hardware Aged Copper	Not Available
101120	183	Metallic Art Pencils
107307	179	On Board Accents
109181	178	On Board Blossoms & Basic
109179	178	On Board Ginormous Pieces
107306	179	On Board Simon Lower
102678	166	Mulberry Paper White	Not Available
109227	181	Punch Box Three For You	Not Available
102686	180	Punch Handheld Rectangle
100271	183	Pure Color Pencils
109060	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Blue Bayou	Not Available
109063	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Groovy Guava	Not Available
109061	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Purely Pomegranate	Not Available
109062	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched River Rock*
109059	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Soft Sky	Not Available
109058	191	Ribbon Double-Stitched Wild Wasabi	Not Available
109189	190	Ribbon Originals Beachfront*
109187	190	Ribbon Originals District*
109188	190	Ribbon Originals Fairy Tale
109185	190	Ribbon Originals Jersey*
109184	190	Ribbon Originals Sherbert
109186	190	Ribbon Originals Theater
110716	191	Ribbon Striped Grosgrain Wild Wasabi*
110281	182	Rub-Ons Cherished Memories*	Not Available
110284	182	Rub-Ons Eastern Elegance*
110285	182	Rub-Ons Urban West*
110557	174	Simply Scrappin' Boho Blend
109610	174	Simply Scrappin' Confetti	Not Available
110572	172	Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Boy
110567	173	Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Girl
109597	175	Simply Scrappin' Home Again
110562	174	Simply Scrappin' Rose Cottage
109648	173	Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Boy
109627	173	Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Girl	Not Available
110587	175	Simply Scrappin' Summer Days
110577	175	Simply Scrappin' Tie The Knot
111184	15	Simply Sent Friendly Notes
109228	16	Simply Sent Simple Delights	Not Available
109229	16	Simply Sent Three Thoughts	Not Available
106662	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Daisy Field
107561	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Garden Annuals
109681	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Good Dog
109678	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Kisses
107482	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Lily Pad	Not Available
109680	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Meow
109677	197	Stampin'Around Wheel Mistletoe	Not Available
106610	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Basics Outline
107467	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Birthday
109571	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Baby
109570	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Friends
109569	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Party
108423	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Leaves A La Carte	Not Available
107468	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Nature Hike
108980	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Petals
107464	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Rough Texture	Not Available
111261	196	Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Spunky Spots
109554	193	Stampin' Color Index Labels	Not Available
106694	194	Stampin' Kids Markers
102673	183	Zig Painty

Planet Creative Studios

The Importance of Connecting

Free MyDigitalStudio Downloads, anyone?

What's your manifesto?

Definition of MANIFESTO: a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer...Origin: Italian, denunciation, manifest, from manifestare to manifest, from Latin, from manifestus.

So I started my day organizing scraps...

A Inspiration Challenge

IBC Inspiration

Christmas in July?

Marble Paper Tutorial

The New 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog is here!

What Spurs Your Creativity?

I get great ideas when I'm driving and late at night. Some of my favorite creations are I call "my midnight masterpieces." :-)

A Digital Invitation

Bow Boutique Tutorial

Sale-A-Bration is here!

My Reading List

Ready for a Creative Challenge?

The New Stampin' Up! 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog is here!!

Card Maps/Scrap Maps

The New Catalog is Coming...!

"Last-Minute Lucy" Gift Making Class

Merry Christmas - Your gift has arrived early!

One Sheet Wonder Fun

Top 10 Reasons to Send/Give a One-of-a-Kind Hand-Crafted Card

Deals of the Week

You're Invited ... Upcoming Christmas Jingle Card Class

May is a great month

Upcoming Class - Scrapbook in a Day on May 2, 2009

Have you ever wondered...

Fifth Avenue Floral Class - rescheduled

Fifth Avenue Floral Class

Join us for the upcoming Classes

Looking for a Creative & Fun Home-Based Business?

The History of Greeting Cards

Send a Card to a Friend Day

Valentine's Day is around the corner...

Interested in a craft class or birthday party idea for your child or children?

A Little More Valentine's Inspiration

Get Your FREE Copy of the *New* Stampin’ Up! Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book and Catalog (USA Only!)

Obtiene una copia de Celebrando Creatividad Primavera-Verano 2009

A Little Valentine's Inspiration

Your Help Is Needed!

Created for a Purpose

NEWS FLASH!! Cool Deals Going on Now through JANUARY 18, 2009!

Vision/Goal Book ... Another Layout

A Peek at MY Vision Book - and into my private world

New Resolves & Happy New Year!!

Rare Sale on Retiring Stamps & Free Shipping on orders over $70!!!

Santa's Workshop - December 6, 2008

Going, Going, soon to be Gone - 20-50% off

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Holiday Extravaganza Sale Begins Today!!!

Country Living Holiday Collection Stampin' Kit

Special Offer - F*R*E*E Holiday Helper Newsletter!

Updated: I Wish for Simplicity ... How about you?

Wow!

It's Election Day - Go vote!

Holiday Preparations

Celebrate the "Everyday"

Feeling neglected, anyone?

Pssst... where have you been!?

Prize Patrol on the Loose!

Photos, ya gotta give me photos!

News from Stampin' Up! Convention "Celebrate 2008"

Retiring Accessories List

Get Your FREE Copy of the New Stampin’ Up! Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book and Catalog (USA Only!)

Special Offer - FRE*E Holiday Helper Newsletter!