Kathy's Stamping Niche

Mini Convention Swaps - Part 3

Thanks for being so patience.  Time got away from me and this is the first time I had to post the rest of the Mini Convention Swaps.

Gina Taylor did this wonderful tin.

 

When you open the tin, this is what's inside.

 

Mary Hetherington did an Itty Bitty Box.

 

Look what she put inside the box!

 

A variety of Christmas Labels AND she included the cord for them too.

Most people did card swaps, but I didn't want them to miss out on Gina's wonderful Tin Swap and so I asked everyone to make a 3D project we could send to Gina.  Now, I'm not the brightest bulb in the box because I forgot to take pictures of them.  Cindy Fuller did this gorgeous mini canvas with watercolor crayons and included a little easel too!  Jan Bliss did an Itty Bitty box decorated with the Fancy Fold Flowers Die and included wrapped nuggets.  I put in an match box that looked like an easy bake oven and cookies.  I think we sent her a decorated book, a cello bag with a Santa in it and I made and forgot to send her a money book.  It will be on it's way to Gina today.

I hope you enjoyed your tour through our Mini Convention.  I know I had the best time this year and look forward to next year.  I think even if I get to go to the SU Convention in 2010, I will still host the Mini Convention because it's so much fun!

Mini Convention Swaps - Part 2

Here are more of the Mini Convention Swap Cards.

Jann Patton made this card.

 

Kathy Tapp shared this one.

 

Jan Bliss also gave everyone a book mark.

 

The 2nd Day of Convention, I placed a decorated box of candy at each work station.

 

I have a few more swaps to share, but won't be posting the rest of them until Friday.  I have a class I need to put together for Wednesday and Friday.  Thursday I will be attending my adopted Upline Meeting and need to make swaps so please don't worry if you don't see anything new on the blog until Friday. 

Thanks for stopping by and I will be back!

Mini Convention Swaps - Part 1

Not all convention participants are SU Demos so they were not required to use current SU products.  However, all the swap cards could easily be translated into current SU stamp sets and card stocks.

I've already shared my swap card with you, here are a few of the others.

Blythe Klipple actually went to the SU Convention the week before and her swap card is one of the Make-N-Takes from Convention.  If you are coming to my One Day Convention in September, you will be making this card.

 

This is Cindy Fuller's card.

 

Cherie Zuniga made this card for us.

 

Coreen Spurling shared this card.

 

And the last card shared today is made by Jan Bliss.

 

More swap cards and 3D swaps to come.  More sharing tomorrow.

Mini-Convention - Day 3

This is our last day together and it's kinda' sad.  It has been so nice to have friends over to play with!

Today we start off with 2 word games.

 

Here we have Mary, Cherie, Jan and Blythe working on the Word Search puzzle.  I went to www.discoveryeducation.com to build a Word Search Puzzle.  You enter the words you want them to find and the website makes the puzzle for you and lists the words they should be searching for.  All of the words had something to do with rubber stamping and scrap booking.

 

The second game we played was a Cross Word Puzzle.  All the answered were stamping related and everyone attending was an answer too!  Coreen and Jann are working hard on the Cross Word Puzzle.

Mary, Jan and Jann were the co-winners of the Word Search Puzzle and Mary was the winner of the Cross Word Puzzle.  They each won a stamp from the $10 and under page.  Mary took the Reindeer and Jann and Jan each took home the Snowflake stamp.

This morning, I demonstrated how to make a Sweet Treat Flower.

 

The Holiday Mini that will be available on September 1ST, has a stamp set called Sweet Treat in it.  This stamp set is designed to have the centers punched out and a small cup placed in the hole and you can add whatever fits inside!  Don't do the candy DOTS.  They were too big and I used a few anyways and 3 days later they popped right off!  It took me hours to figure out why the DOTS were on the floor!

 

Here's a flower close up.  Very easy to do, I promise.  Because the Holiday Mini has not been released yet, this is all I can show you.  Another word of advise, save your $ for the Holiday Mini.  This Mini will last for 4 months and will adversely affect your wallet!  LOL.  This Flower will be featured in my September Newsletter.  To get step-by-step directions, sign-up for my newsletter now.

The last of the official projects was completed quickly.

 

This card was CASED from Stamp Addict 77 on Splitcoaststampers.  The bling you see in the picture are Hot-Fix Crystals that were set with a Kandi Kane tool.  I didn't have enough Clear Rhinestones for everyone to use and it was too late to order them.

Stamp Set:  For All You Do
Cardstock:  Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Whisper White
DSP:  Cottage Wall
Accessories:  Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sparkle Sizzlet Die, Big Shot, Snail

The rest of the day was spent playing.  I demonstrated some different techniques using the Embossing Folders and Texture Plates so a station was set-up to try the different techniques.  Another station was set-up to make cards from the Mover and Shaper Die Cut.  The last station set-up was to make the new O Christmas Tree.  This die will be available in the Holiday Mini.  This die is exclusive to Stampin' Up!  Sizzix does have another Tree like this, but it is missing the third layer.  The third layer really completes the tree.

 

Now how cool is this little tree?!  It is actually a pop-up, but everyone made one without putting it on a circle or in a card.  Sometime in November, I will invite my friends and customers to help me make gifts for Santa to give the residents at Silvercrest and I think this is it!  Everyone will get their own little Christmas Tree!  I tried to convince the Convention Participants that we needed to make 70, but no dice!  Actually only need around 40 to 45 for Silvercrest and I was thinking the left-overs would be Les' and mine Christmas Card!  LOL.

Lunch today was THE best!  Les made Salt and Pepper Shrimp.  Oh it was better than yummy!  It was served with Japanese Rice (or sticky rice or short grain rice) and veggies and fruit.  Heaven in our tummies.

Throughout the Convention, when everyone heard the Woo Hoo Song, they would see what bracelet was being displayed on a card and if it was their's they won a door prize.  Everyone was a winner of something fabulous out of the catalog.  Today we choose the Grand Prize Winner.  A $50 shopping spree and the winner was Jann Patton.  She was a very happy camper!

Tomorrow I will start sharing the different swaps.  Thanks for stopping by!

Mini-Convention, Day 2 - Part 2

I wanted this Mini Convention to be product based.  If you don't know how to use it, how can you sell it?  So the next 4 projects are using things that we don't use very often.

The first 2 cards are made with the Printed Acetate Sheets.

 

This Dandelion Acetate pieceis from the Clearly Thanks Acetate Sheet.  Cut your Acetate Piece and DSP to 5 1/4" x 4".  Place your Acetate Piece directly over the DSP and with the Paper Piercer, pierce a hole in the middle of each dandelion.  Insert and secure one large rhinestone in the large dandelion and a medium rhinestone in the smaller dandelion.  Gently peel back the right corner of the acetate piece and stamp your words.  Now secure the entire piece to the cardstock with snail.  Easy!

 

This one is a little trickier.  The problem is you want to adhere the acetate piece to the cardstock without seeing the tape so this time, after you tape the bottom piece and th DSP onto the cardstock, you place Sticky Strip on the backside of the Acetate Piece.  Adhere the Acetate Piece so the bottom is even with the bottom of the card.  Now place another piece of Sticky Strip on the top of the Acetate Piece and adhere the small Bermuda Bay Cardstock to it.  Acetate is secure and not seen!

 

This is the Elegant Note Card.  The emblem is lasered cut and all you do is punch out the pieces.  The Bridesmaid Specialty Paper is used on the back to highlight the laser cut.  Also used is Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon.  The Flowers are stamped from the For All You Do Stamp Set.  The Words are from Teeny Tiny Words.  Pretty In Pink ink is used and also a Small Clear Rhinestone.

Last, but not least is the Pendant Note Card.

 

This time the Grooms Specialty Paper is used and the Jumbo Brads.  There is not a Basic Black Jumbo Brad so this one is dyed using the Black Staz On Stamp Pad.  Up close you can't even tell it's been dyed!  I want to thank Patty Bennett for letting me CASE this card.  You ROCK Patty!

Day 3 will follow tomorrow and I will probably have to split it into 2 blog posts.  Hope you're enjoying all the projects.  See ya soon!

Mini Convention - 2nd Day, Part 1

Up at 7:15 AM to get ready for the 2nd Day of the Mini Convention.

Everyone starts to arrive around 8:30 AM and we begin our "General Session".  Instead of WOW demo's, I just go over the projects of the day and then everyone breaks off into groups.

The Convention in Denver, Colorado SU had professional photographers there and we had a group picture taken and before we left the booth, they gave us a 5x7 black & white photo for our scrapbook page we made that evening during the Make-N-Takes.  I just LOVE this idea so I've incorporated it into both Mini Conventions.

I asked everyone to wear something that would co-ordinate with Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Soft Suede, and Old Olive.  This way, we were able to have a color photo.

 

When you pull the Bermuda Bay Round Tab, a 4x6 photo slides out and we all are doing funny things!  I forgot to ask everyone if I could show the funny photo, so you only get to see the "proper" one.  LOL.  The words in the Circles were computer generated.

Cardstocks:  Kraft, Crushed Curry, Rose Red, Olive Olive, Bermuda Bay

Patterns DSP:  Rose Red, Bermuda Bay

Accessories:  SU Lattice Die Cut, SU Flower Folds Die Cut, Serif Essentials Alphabets, Round Tab Punch, Elementary Ribbon Originals, Stampin' Dimensionals, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, White Gel Pen, Tombow Multi-Purpose Adhesive.

 

This card was CASE'd from Split Coast Stampers site.  I believe that it was one of the Make-N-Takes from the Hawaii Incentive trip this past spring.  I'm not sure what the style of the card is called, I just call it a Slant Card.

 

Here's the card open.  I just thought it was a fun card.  For all the projects at our Mini Convention, I wrote up hand outs.  If you would like the directions to this card, leave a comment on this post and I'll send you a pdf file.

How cool is that!  The Post-A-Note Coaster with a clear acrylic top was provided by my friend, Gina Taylor of Martinez, CA.  Gina wasn't able to attend the Mini Convention so she sent a baggie that contained everything you needed to make the Post-A-Note Coaster.  She also sent every participant a box of Mini Glue Dots, an ATC and a fun "I Love Scrapbooking" pin that flashes!  You ABSOLUTELY ROCK GINA!  We can't thank you enough for such a fun project!

 

Here are (left to right) Blythe Klipple, Mary Hetherington, Coreen Spurling and Kathy Tapp in the stamp room after completing Gina's Post-A-Note Coaster.  Love, Love, Love this project!

Lunch today was the ever popular Les' Asian Pasta Chicken Salad.  If you click here, you'll find the recipe for it.  Oh, it is delicious!  I forgot to mention that Jan Bliss brought Chocolate Chip Cookies and Jann Patton brought Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for everyone.  What a treat!  Thank you very much!  Everyone enjoyed those cookies, right Cherie?

On the 2nd Day of Convention we did another 4 cards, but I think this post is long enough so I'll post another Day 2 - Part 2 tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by!

Mini Convention Day 1

The doors for the Mini Convention opened at 8:AM, Friday - August 14.  The first thing everyone did was pick-up their Convention Bag and Name Tag.  Inside the Convention Bag was the Make-N-Takes, Lunch Tickets, RSVP Pen, Bracelet for door prizes, For All You Do stamp set and a rubber stamp charm that can actually stamp "love"!

Everyone worked on mounting their rubber stamp set and waited for our "general session" to start!

9:00 AM and we are off.  I get to make a welcome speech and let everyone know what could be expected over the next few days.

 

Here I am explaining the number and lettering system on our name tags.

 

This is my good friend, Blythe Klipple.  She presented a WOW demo.  A fabulous corner page book marker.  Do I have a picture of the book mark?  NO!!!!  Next year we need someone just to play photographer.

After our general session, we split into 2 groups.  One went to the stamp room and one went to the dining room and we started on our make-n-take projects.

The Luggage Tag is one of the first project done.

 

Here's the front and back.  The large Circle was cut out using the Clear Circle Die from SU and the Big Shot.  2 from Chocolate Chip Cardstock and 1 large circle using the backing that comes with the DSP.  The 1/2" circle was used for the small circles on the front.  8 of them.  Next size is 3/4" circle and you punch 5 of them and last, but not least, the 1" circle punch; you need 3 of them.  Adhere all the circles randomly and adhere both Chocolate Chip Circles to the front and back of the chip board circle.    Everyone had their Initial cut from the Serif Essentials Alphabet die using the Big Shot.  Both Close to Cocoa Cardstock and chip board were used.  Glue the 2 together.  The Flower is from the Pretties Kit.  Color the Flower with a Pretty In Pink Marker.  Punch a hole wherever you want the Flower on the Initial and secure it with a Medium Pink Circle Rhinestone from the Fire Circle Rhinestones.  Attache the finished Initial with Stampin' Dimensionals.

The back of the Luggage Tag had the Chocolate Chip Circle on it from the instructions above.  The Pretty In Pink Circle is cut using the Circle Scissors at 3 1/4".  The name and address was printed on the computer and cut out using the Circle Scissors at 3".  I like the way our Luggage Tag and Convention Bay look together.

We also made a "Color Inventory Wallet".

 

When you open the wallet, you see the charts for the In Colors, Earth Elements, Soft Subtlest, Rich Regals and Bold Brights.

 

Sue H. from Greenfield, WI shared the directions and the charts for making this great project.

Another project we did was using the Decor Elements.

 

Everyone received a glass square to apply a Chocolate Chip Decor Element Flower to it.

The last project for the day was the Treat Bag.

 

These easy to use Treat Bags are located on page 159 of the current SU Catalog.  Add 30" of the Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon and a tag made from the Christmas Punch set and the Curvy Label Punch and the Mover and Shaper Curvy Label and you've got yourself a pretty nice gift bag!

We also took a group picture right before lunch, wanted to be sure we didn't spill anything on ourselves! 

Lunches this year were all made by my DH, Les.  Today's lunch was a doctor'd calzone.  A large Pepperoni and Cheese pizzas with Sesame Seed crust from Hungry Howie's un-cut was the base.  Les added mushrooms, onions and chicken sausages to them, folded them over and re-baked them in the oven.  They were cut-up and served with a red sauce and veggies and fruit.  Yum!

 

This one is a keeper!  He shops, he cooks and he cleans!  AND HE'S ALL MINE!!!!

First Day of convention is over.  We did swap card fronts and 3D items and I will share them later.

Check back tomorrow for Day 2.

2nd Annual Mini Convention

Last week, Friday through Sunday, was the 2nd Annual Mini Convention held at my house.  Once again I was unable to attend SU's Convention in SLC so I threw our own Mini Convention!

 

Here's a picture of all the items that went into the Convention Bag.  The cool looking Convention Bags are on the left side of the picture.  Just like at SU's Convention, we had name tags, lunch tickets and bracelets to win door prizes.

 

This is a close-up picture of the Convention Bag!  I love it!!!  But, of course, I chose it.  LOL.  A huge thanks to Fran at Frantic Stamper.  She gave me a wonderful deal on these as I brought 10 of them.  The Circle Luggage Tag you see is one of the projects and I will go into more detail in another post. 

Of course one of my favorite things to do at Convention is to swap and here is my swap card.

 

I cased the card from Creations By Patti. 

Stamp Set:  Circle Circus, Sock Monkey

Cardstocks:  Basic Black, Kraft, Real Red, Whisper White

Inks:  Craft Whisper White, Classic Real Red, Classic Basic Black

Accessories:  Red Tissue Paper, Ticket Corner Punch, Modern Label Punch, Window Word Punch, 1/4" Wide Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail.

This is the "Faux Silk" Technique.  Stamp your images on tissue paper.  After they are dry, crumple the tissue paper and then smooth out.  Tape your tissue paper onto your Cardstock and you have something that looks like silk!

Cool technique and easy to do.

More information on the Mini Convention to come.  I promise to share everyone's swap and all the projects we did.  I was very pooped after this convention but I had the most fun too!  Thanks for not giving up on me!