Convention 2010…Did I Get Lost in Denver?

The verdict is in, and I can say without a doubt that Convention 2010 was AMAZING! Attending Convention definitely inspires and motivates…and it is a moving experience, too. From Shelli’s opening remarks (why didn’t someone tell me that I needed to have my Kleenex ready), to my teary-eyed farewell to my fellow Pals, it was an emotion-filled four days. I was overwhelmed by the large number of you, my readers, that found me amidst the throng of demonstrators. Isn’t it great to be able to connect faces to names? And I know that some of us will be keeping in close touch over the upcoming months. Of course, when I left for Salt Lake City, I had concerns about making my connection in Denver. So here I am to answer the burning question: Did I get lost in the Denver terminal?

I navigated the airport at Moline, IL just fine! One of my fears was lifting my baggage. A wonderful young man lifted my carry-on bag onto the conveyor belt during the security check. All I had to do was just use puppy-dog eyes! Who can resist an elderly woman in need? And I lucked out that the gate from which I needed to fly was right across from where I deplaned in Denver. No problem with making connections! The problem occurred after I landed in Salt Lake City.

You see, Salt Lake City has more than one Marriott Hotel. For the past few months, I seriously thought that my Marriott was right across the street from the Convention Center. When people would ask, “Where are you staying?” I would smugly say, “In the Marriott right across the street from the Convention Center!” You know the old saying about assumptions? You guessed it. I ended up at the wrong hotel! So with my little “rolly-bag” trailing behind me, and armed with a map, I set off in the wrong direction to find the right hotel. My husband will be the first to tell you that I am map challenged. However, I had a lovely 45 minute walking tour of Salt Lake City until two sweet young businessmen headed me in the right direction. Do you realize how embarrassing it is to stop complete strangers and tell them that you seem to have misplaced the Marriott? Next year, I am thinking The Shiloh, or The Monaco, or The Plaza, or “The Marriott Right Across the Street from the Convention Center” as viable choices of places to stay. However, the room was wonderful, and my roomies (Ginger and Kylie), were delightful.

You may have seen us at Convention. From left to right, are Mike Funke, me, Ginger Toivonen, and Kylie Nicolosi. Isn’t Kylie adorable? She watched over Ginger and I, making certain that we were always headed in the right direction. As for Mike, he was my dance partner as we waited for each day’s General Session to begin. I swear that there was not a group who had more fun than the four of us!

What did I enjoy the most? My favorite sessions were the new product shares and the demonstrations. I definitely have several ideas of projects in mind that I can hardly wait to share with you, as well as new techniques and tips. Another highlight was watching my upline, Mary Fish, being named #6 Demonstrator of the Year. Of course, I spent way too much at Memento Mall. They had an adorable little “Convention Only” Love What You Do stamp that I purchased as a gift for my downline members. And speaking of downlines, just email or call if you would like to be the next member of The Schach Pack. I would like to discuss the opportunity with you. Being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator is more than just discounts and fantastic product…it is about relationships and sharing what you love! I would love to have you join me at Convention next year! The new Starter Kit, priced at $175 is a fabulous value, and we can customize it to suit your style! And we can complete the paperwork in time for you to take advantage of the Holiday Mini pre-order period. Are you ready to talk about joining my group?

All in all, I had an incredible four days! There is nothing that compares to being surrounded by people who share your passion for stamping. Will I brave the airport terminals next year…you bet! Stay tuned as I share what I have learned with you in the upcoming weeks! You won’t be disappointed! I will leave you with one final picture. Who is this hippie chick? Tuesday: A Convention Make and Take share! Until next time… Peace baby!

Pals Swap Card

Isn’t the little witch from Greeting Card Kids bewitching? I love the versatility and the vintage feel of this stamp set. This card was designed for my sideline friends who are attending Convention with me this year. They are always commenting on my watercoloring and distressing. What do you think? Is this a card that you would like to receive as a swap? Let me know in your comment!

The Stampin‘ Schach Design Tips:

  • Design your own vintage Designer Paper! The new Teahouse background stamp was inked with Early Espresso and stamped onto Pear Pizzazz card stock. It is delightfully feminine and looks perfect with our little witch!

  • Design your own button! I used a left-over strip of Watercolor Paper to punch out a circle using the 1″ Circle Punch. I then selected the “Diminutive Dot” Peach Parfait Designer Series Paper from the Hostess Level 1 In Color Paper Pack, and punched another 1″ circle and adhered it to my button base. I used a Sanding Block to smooth the edges. The “Flourish” stamp from Tiny Tags was inked with Early Espresso and stamped onto the button. For finishing touches, I distressed the edge with Soft Suede ink and a Sponge Dauber. A piece of Hemp Twine was threaded through two holes which had been punched with the 1/16″ Handheld Punch.

  • Seeing circles! The larger circle was made by zipping a piece of Peach Parfait card stock through the Big Shot with the Scallop Circle #2 die, positioning the paper over the larger of the two circles. The smaller circle was punched from Blushing Bride card stock using the new 2-3/8″ Scallop Circle Punch. Both circles were then zipped through the Big Shot with the Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. Soft Suede ink and a Sponge Dauber were used to softly distress the edges. I also smooched the Peach Parfait circle with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz to add just a touch of bewitching sparkle!

  • Delightful details! A Tiny Tags “Boo” is suspended from the button by means of a Vintage Trinkets Safety Pin, while a snippet of the new Victoria Crochet Trim adds even more vintage charm. And who can overlook the three Basic Pearls in the upper left hand corner of the image mat. So sweet!

  • Watercolor whimsey! Blender Pens and inks were used to watercolor our little cutie which had been stamped onto Stampin’ Up!’s Watercolor Paper with Basic Gray ink. Peach Parfait and Pumpkin Pie were used for the pumpkin, Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose tinted the cape and stockings, while the dress was colored with Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive. Blush Blossom, with just a touch of Pretty in Pink for her cheeks, were used for the face, arms and legs. And for our little witch-in-training’s curls, Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie did the trick. Oh, the broom was Soft Suede and So Saffron. Shading around the entire image was provided by Sahara Sand. Whew! Thank goodness I only had to do 11 of these!

Remember, your comments are important to me. So what is the verdict…do you think my friends enjoyed this card? I’ll let you know when I return from Convention! And if you have any questions about the techniques used to create this card, don’t hesitate to email me! I love your comments and questions. Until next time…

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Stamp Sets: Greeting Card Kids, Teahouse, Tiny Tags; Inks: Pretty in Pink, Blush Blossom, Regal Rose, Peach Parfait, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Gray, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Sahara Sand; Card Stock: Pretty in Pink, Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Blushing Bride, Early Espresso, Watercolor Paper; Tools: Big Shot, Scallop Circle Die #2, Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, 1″ Circle Punch, Tiny Tag Punch, 2-3/8″ Scallop Circle Punch, Blender Pens, Sponge Daubers; Glitz and Glam: Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Vintage Trinkets, Early Espresso 5/8″ Satin Ribbon, Victoria Crochet Trim, Hemp Twine

Notably Ornate for PPA 52


It’s Thursday…and that means it’s time to play the Pals Paper Arts challenge! This week we are hosting a challenge featuring a delightful sketch, which I tweaked a little to better suit the Notably Ornate stamp set. The moment I saw this set, I knew that it would be on my “Must Have” list! It’s ornate lines appealed to my love of Victoriana! Of course, this card features a little distressing, texture, and satin ribbon, which I just adore! Have fun with this week’s challenge!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Texture, texture everywhere! Although I have been showcasing the new Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder lately, I selected two old friends for this card…Finial Press and Square Lattice. Why? The answer is simple. The smaller visual field warranted a smaller pattern! So I quickly zipped Marina Mist through the Big Shot with the Finial Press folder, and Early Espresso through with the Square Lattice folder. Aren’t these colors wonderful with each other?

  • Fussy cut! The “Ornate Ledger” image from Notably Ornate was inked with Early Espresso ink and stamped onto Very Vanilla. It was then paper snipped. When fussy cutting, don’t worry about snipping around all of the little details…just stick with the major outline!

  • More snipping! The floral edges of the Ornate Ledger stamp were inked up again with Early Espresso and stamped onto Marina Mist. I then snipped out the flowers and adhered them to the Very Vanilla image. A small Basic Pearl serves as the center. What did I do before Stampin’ Up! came out with their pearls!

  • It’s all in the details! The “Just Because” sentiment was stamped in Early Espresso onto Very Vanilla, and then punched out with the Modern Label punch. The edges were distressed using Crumb Cake ink and a Sponge Dauber. For extra pizzazz, the label was layered onto a second Marina Mist Modern Label.

  • Smooch a Fan Flower for fun! Log Cabin Smooch Spritz adds a bronze patina to the Marina Mist Fan Flower. And how about the gorgeous Antique Brad center? To make the Fan Flower, I punched two Scallop Circles from Marina Mist. I used my stylus to crease from indent to indent, after which I cut each circle in half. I pleated each half like a fan, and adhered the four halves together. Easy!

I hope that you enjoy this week’s challenge. It’s a classy sketch which I know I will use again! I am always amazed at the talented stampers who participate in the Pals challenges, and I look forward to seeing your work! In closing, remember that your comments are important to me. So please let me know what you think about today’s card. And if you have any questions about this card, or any of the cards that I create, just send me an email. I just love answering your questions. It’s my teacher genes! Until next time…

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Stamp Set: Notably Ornate (C 120561; W 117098); Inks: Early Espresso (119670), Crumb Cake (121030); Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Marina Mist (119682), Early Espresso (119686); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976), Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (115963), Paper Snips (103579), Modern Label Punch (119849), 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch (119854); Glitz and Glam: Log Cabin Smooch Spritz (119921), Marina Mist 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (119751), Antique Brads (117273), Basic Pearls (119247), Victoria Crochet Trim (118841), Whisper White 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (114616)