Stamping & Scrapping with Jen

I Have a Scrapbooking Weekend for You!

We are holding our next scrapbooking weekend from February 24-26, 2012.  If you want (or NEED) to get away, we have TWO spots left.  If you'd like a glimpse of what will be in store, here is a highlights video from our Fall Weekend.

 

There is tons of food, great space, lots of amenities, like:

* coffee, tea, soda, juice, water, & snacks in the crop room 24/7
* ergonomic seating in the crop room and classroom
* every seat is an aisle seat!
* bell hop service from your car right to your table
* complimentary wireless internet throughout hotel
* all meals included (and they are yummy)
* amazing goodie bag full of scrapbooking supplies
* use of a Cricut Expression, Sizzix Big Shot, and a large variety of punches
* fitness center, swimming pool, and hot tub
* and MORE!
For more info & registration form, visit
http://www.njcropweekends.com/wintercrop2012.html.

We'd love to have you scrapbook with us for the weekend here in New Jersey!!

 

10 Weeks of Sale-a-Bration

Those of you who have been around for a while know that I always run a 12 Weeks of Christmas campaign that counts down 12 projects from the end of September to Christmas.  Well, if you like that campaign, I have some good news for you!!  This year, I am going to be providing my mailing list subscribers a brand new Sale-a-Bration project every single week for the 10 weeks of Sale-a-Bration!!!!

So, starting TODAY, if you are on my mailing list, check your inbox this afternoon and every Wednesday afternoon from now through the end of March!!!  If you are NOT on my mailing list, please sign up now so you don't miss anything!!!  The projects will vary and include cards, 3D items, and scrapbooking related projects.

I look forward to sharing lots of Sale-a-Bration samples with you!!!  Don't forget to sign up for my mailing list!!

It's Sale-a-Bration Time!

Today is the FIRST day of Sale-a-Bration!!!  Have you seen the new Sale-a-Bration catalog?  There are MANY cute exclusive stamp sets inside AND many catalog products that can be "redeemed" as your free Sale-a-Bration items!  Things like fabric, embossing folders, buttons, stamps, and MORE!  It's a great time to make your purchases because for EVERY $50 you order, you can select one item!!

And if you are a hostess, you get even more bonuses!  You'll earn all the same benefits as a customer for your orders, PLUS receive a free shopping tote, and an exclusive hostess bundle when your workshop is $400 or more.  All this is on top of the regular hostess benefits!!!

And if that is not enough, it is also a great time to be a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator!!  YOu can join Stampin' Up! for the low investment of $125 and you'll receive a starter kit to help you get your business off the ground!  You will also receive a free pack of DSP or a free download every month for the rest of the year that you place an order!!  Awesome deal, right???

Without further ado, I wanted to share a sample with you!  This card uses the Elementary ELegance stamp set, which can be yours FREE with a $50 purchase!!!

Stamps: Elementary Elegance
Cardstock: Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder
Ink: Pool Party, Calypso Coral, and Wisteria Wonder
Accessoreis: Curly Label Punch, Pool Party 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon

Will this be the FREE set you select when you place your Sale-a-Bration order??

Scottsdale State of Mind

I had the very fortunate opportunity to spend last weekend in sunny Scottsdale, AZ.  I decided (sort of last minute) to go out & visit my friend (and downline) Jen and her family.  They just moved there from New Jersey on January 1, and I wanted to come help her unpack and see her beautiful new house.  Plus I thought I would add Arizona to my list of states that I have gone running in!!!

While I was there, I took full advantage of the fact that I have so many other friends there.  I was able to see four other friends who have relocated here from New Jersey, all either high school or college friends.

Here are some pictures; they'll be coming to a My Digital Studio scrapbook page soon!!

I didn't do any sightseeing, so I only have pictures of people from this trip. I am absolutely going back again soon, and hope to do some hiking and some other fun stuff while I am there.  Look for some "back to some regular stamping" tomorrow.

 

 

 

My Digital Studio: Christmas Card

I decided to make my Christmas cards this year with My Digital Studio.  I actually created two different cards.  One was for my family who got a photo of my kids and our annual update which my husband very cleverly writes.  Every year I DREAD taking the photo of my girls.  It's usually torture!!!  However, this past year, I'm not sure if it was because they were older or because they just think they are supermodels, but they were actually EXCITED to pose for the picture and have their little photo shoot.  It was BY FAR the easiest year ever to get a good one!! 

So here is what we picked.

I look at that photo and I don't know WHO those big kids are!! Surely that couldn't be MINE, right?????  But whoever they are, I think they are adorable, and I sure do love them to pieces!!!

So next year, consider using My Digital Studio for your holiday cards - it made things a lot easier - and I was really happy with the quality and ease of them!!!

Quinoa for Dinner (or Lunch)??

I've been on a quinoa kick lately.  Have you tried it???  It's sort of like a grain, but it's really more of a protein, but technically if you look it up, it's a plant based protein and (believe it or not) falls in the same family as spinach!!  I don't really get that, but that's what they say!!!

When I first made quinoa, we just had it for dinner as a side - sort of like rice.  I mixed in some chopped onion and herbs and a little olive oil, so it was pretty plain, but still good.

Then I read you can make a bunch of quinoa, store it in your fridge, and scoop it out and use it as you need it.  I had read a lot about quinoa salad, so here is a quinoa salad I concocted last week.

I say concocted because I really did just throw it all together.  I started with a big spoonful of quinoa - maybe a cup or so. (After it's already cooked; I think it's like rice, so if you were cooking it from raw, it would probably be 1/2 cup uncooked.)  I heated it up in the microwave just a little bit - maybe 30-45 seconds.

Then I made a dressing with some raw vegetables.  In a container that had a mathcing lide, I sliced up some cucumbers, red onion, red pepper, threw in some cooked corn, and then drizzled on some olive oil, red wine vinegar, and squeezed some fresh lemon juice over top.  I added a little salt & pepper and covered the container and shook it up so the dressing coated all the veggies.

Then I dumped them over the warm quinoa and mixed it all up.  It was SO YUMMY!!

I plan on experimenting more with quinoa so I might post some more recipes soon!!!

Hope you enjoy!

10 Card Class - Next Tuesday 1/24

Here is a sneak peek of one of the cards from my 10 Card Class next Tuesday.  I still have room in the class (there is a morning session at 10:30 and an evening one at 7:00 - there is more room in the evening class).

If you would like to sign up for the class, please click here.

This card uses the Outlined Occasions stamp set from the Sale-a-Bration catalog.  If you are not familiar with Sale-a-Bration, prepare to fall in love!!!!  All the stamps that are part of the promotion are FREE!!  You just spend $50 in other merchandise, and this stamp set (or any one of the other options) is your FREE!!!!!!  This promotion begins next Tuesday, so this class will also be a Sale-a-Bration kick off!!

Here is a full photo of the card.

I'd love to see you next week!!

Occasions Mini Catalog

I have talked about the Occasions Mini Catalog and even showed a few samples, but here is the official announcement that the Occasions Mini Catalog is HERE!  And it is pretty awesome!  There are so many great sets and new accessories to check out!  I will be showing you lots more over the next few weeks and months as we go through this catalog period.

Some new accessories are the Framelits, the embossing folder borders, Adorning Edges, new pearls, new ribbons, new buttons, and lots & lots of new stamp sets!!!

To place your order for any of these items, you can visit my online store.

Check back for more & more samples!!!

Packed for Birthday - Club Card

Here is a sneak peek for all my clubbers this month - a card created with the Packed for Birthday stamp!!!

I had some great intentions of getting some stamping done yesterday, but ended up with a sick kid home with me. :(  Needless to say, I wasn't as productive as I wanted to be, but I did get to give lots of love to my little girl.  One doctor's visit and a prescription for antibiotics later and I had no cards made.  Luckily, Pam, my fabulous assistant was coming over and I knew she could help!  I told her what I wanted and she created a bunch of cards for me for upcoming events!

The first one I will show you will be one of the club cards for this month.  If you join my Virtual Club, you will get an exclusive video tutorial on this project!!  If you are in my "traditional" in-person Stamp Club, you will be creating this card on January 26!

Last week I used the Packed for Baby stamp set and you can see that sample here.  Both these stamps are sold individually and as a set with two others.  (You can save a little money if you buy all 4!!)

Hope you enjoyed today's sample!  See you tomorrow!

Tip of the Week: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle

When you order many of the Stampin' Up! embellishments, they come in these small Ziploc bags.

I always save them because they can come in handy for so many things!!  Here are a few ideas:

• packing embellishments as part of page kits when you go to a crop
• packing your jewelry in when you travel
• use on your scrapbook page to hold keepsakes
• collecting shells on the beach
• storing ink refills when traveling to crops so they don't leak, and (my favorite)
• they are the perfect size for storing 50 Box Tops when you need to send them in!!

And if you can't come up with an alternate purpose, you can always recycle the bags with your plastic bag recycling.  Most grocery stores and large department stores like WalMart & Target have bins and accept them.