MONTHLY SCRAPBOOKING CLASS

My daughter, Shannon, asked me to start up another Scrapbooking Class. We are both thrilled with the results of last year's class: a completed 24-page Album In A Year filled with holiday highlights, birthdays, special days, and the everyday traditions that make each family unique. Now most of you know how much work it is to prepare packets for scrapbookers, where everything is measured and pre-cut and ready to be stamped and assembled. And I must admit, it can be a lot of work. But I just LOVE doing it! I love seeing all the strips of paper lined up, and collated into groups, with embellishments carefully counted out and selected to create just the right "look". Here are the pages we made at our first class.

We used the BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES Bigz die and the Sizzix Big Shot for Stampin' Up! to die-cut the butterflies, and various swatches from the Hostess Level 1 PATTERNS PACK of Designer Series Paper to create the colorful eggs in the Easter/Spring page spread you see here.

This page spread uses the GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE Designer Series Paper (now retired) and Pacific Point card stock (also retired).

The owl is a personal creation, and was really very simple for everyone to make using various Stampin' Up! punches. He's sitting on branches die-cut with the SWEETEST STEM Embosslits die. (Sorry for the blurred image.)

The cost to attend the Monthly Scrapbooking Class is only $17, which includes almost everything you need to complete (2) 12"x12" double-page spreads. All you need to bring with you is adhesive! The theme changes from month to month. Please R.S.V.P. 2 weeks prior to the class date so that I have time to order enough supplies for everyone. I would love to have YOU join us! Just send an e-mail to Angelsme@aol.com today! It really is that easy!

~Alice

ALOHA

This is the greeting that welcomed customers to my Open House last weekend. I had lots of fun making it! The letters were cut by hand from chipboard, and mounted on all different samples from the new Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper. I think I'm IN LOVE!! hehe It's hanging from a long piece of Polka Dot ribbon, which is available in all of the new In-Colors. Again I say, "I think I'm IN LOVE!" hehe This is Bermuda Bay shown here.

This close-up shows one of my favorite new stamp sets, WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP, a Level 2 Hostess Set. This means that the only way you can get this set is to invite a few of your friends in for a night (or morning) of creativity. I'll bring the stamps and supplies, and you have all the fun! Based on the sales at your workshop, you might be eligible to choose this stamp set -- for FREE! Contact me to learn more!

This close-up shows a stamp from RAZZLE DAZZLE, another favorite stamp set found in the new catalog, and a few of the Flower Assortment Designer Brads. The butterfly punch, silver brads, and adhesive-backed pearls are non-Stampin' Up! products. I rarely use anything that isn't made by Stampin' Up!, since I can almost always find exactly what I'm looking for in our catalog. But sometimes it's fun to see what else is available, too. I find that searching around usually brings me right back to Stampin' Up! -- wholly satisfied and excited about the variety -- and the quality -- of Stampin' Up! products.

This last close-up shows the sentiment from RAZZLE DAZZLE inside a Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware oval frame. Next to it are some of the FLOWER FUSION custom colored felt flowers, held together and to the background, by a Turquoise Circle Ice Rhinestone Brad. This square version of this brad was last week's DEAL OF THE WEEK #3, and the STYLED VANILLA version of the Hodgepodge Hardware shown here is this week's current DEAL OF THE WEEK #4, see my post from yesterday below.

As I said at the beginning of this post, I really enjoyed creating this banner. The RICH RAZZLEBERRY In-Color Card Stock makes a heavy, strong background to mount all these pieces to. It has been hanging in the niche in my foyer for over a week now. I hate to take it down! :-) Thanks for looking!

~Alice

Deal of the Week #4

There are 1o each of five different metal accents which coordinate with many of the wonderful Stampin' Up! punches, such as the square shape shown above. There are also 10 each of 4 different brad designs, 10 ribbon slides, and 100 3/16" plain brads for mounting the punch shaped hardware. That's approximatly 200 pieces of Styled Vanilla Hardware for only $18.99! What a GREAT deal!! Contact me to place your order, or visit my Stampin' Up! website here to place your order directly 24/7/365. Just click on the SHOP NOW button below my name in the upper right corner.

~Alice

Open House Highlights

My Open House celebrating the Stampin' Up! NEW Idea Book & Catalog 2009-2010 was held last Saturday. What we lacked in numbers we made up for in enthusiasm!! There were Make 'n' Takes featuring the NEW In-Colors and lots of Retired Stamp Sets for sale. Every half hour a name was drawn to win one of the awesome Door Prizes! I think everyone who attended ended up winning one of those! We experimented with the Color Spritzer tool, adding some texture to the sand on this Make 'n' Take card.

The palm tree branches were punched out of Old Olive card stock using the Scallop Oval Punch. Fold the frond in half, then cut diagonally from the bottom of each scallop toward the center. We used a sponge and Old Olive ink to shade the edges and center vein. The sentiment is from the new Level 2 Hostess set, Wings of Friendship.

We used that set to create another Make 'n' Take at the Open House, too. This set of three 3"x3" note cards has matching lined envelopes gathered into a holder that's wrapped up with some of the new gorgeous polka dot grosgrain ribbon which comes in every one of the new In-Colors. We used Melon Mambo here.

The cards were created with the NEW 8-1/2x11 TEXTURED In-Color Card Stock, Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper, the Boho Blossoms Punch, and the new Modern Label Punch. Stamp sets used include the Wings of Friendship, Razzle Dazzle, and Teeny Tiny Wishes. These are some of my favorites in the new catalog. Don't you just LOVE this bird?!?!?

There's one more thing I'd like to share with you. Click on this link here and you'll see the Recipe List that used to be at the end of the Stampin' Up! catalog. Do you remember the one that listed absolutely every product used to create every sample in EVERY photo on EVERY page in the entire catalog? Well, this is it, Ladies. It's not at the end of the catalog anymore. But here it is!! You can open this, then save it to a file on your computer. Then you'll be able to see all the products you'll need to C.A.S.E. every awesome project in this FANTASTIC NEW CATALOG!! What? You don't have one? Contact me NOW and I'll see that you get one! It's only $10! Or you can get it FREE if you schedule a workshop with me. OR... if you place an order for over $100, I'll give it to you for FREE!

Go to my web site here and click on the SHOP NOW box in the upper right hand corner. You can shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! Or if you would like some assistance, e-mail me and I'll get back to you and we'll shop together! I'd love to help you start working on those projects you've had on your "To Do" list for sooooo long! Don't keep putting it off. Today's the day! Do it now! :-)

~Alice

Deal of the Week #3

Contact me to place an order, or shop 24/7 on my website here . This deal is only good until 10 AM next Monday, so HURRY!

~Alice

THE NEW CATALOG IS HERE!

First of all, I would like to invite everyone to an

OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, July 11, 10AM - 2PM

The gala will be held at my house, and you may come and go anytime during the event. But allow enough time to create a couple of Make 'n' Takes, enjoy snacks, and win FREE GIFTS! That's right. I said FREE! There will be lots of samples made with this year's new, gorgeous In-Colors, which are available in MARKERS this year, too. Isn't that exciting?!! So mark your calendar now and contact me to let me know you're planning to attend. (That way I'll be sure to have a packet of supplies with your name on it!) Would you like to invite a friend? Please do! Just let me know. If you bring someone I've never met before, I'll order a stamp pad in your choice of color -- and, of course, it's FREE!

The deadline for reserving your FREE packet of supplies is Monday, July 6 at 5:00PM. As always, I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible. Don't wait until the last minute -- e-mail me at Angelsme@aol.com.

P.S. Did I mention that the Open House is FREE??!! :-)

~Alice

Just Buzzin' By...

Hello all. Has it really been over six weeks since I've posted to my blog? WOW! I have been fighting a cold/virus/respiratory infection/yucky cough for almost that long, too! I am sooo tired -- ALL THE TIME! But I think I might just be turning the corner to getting well. WHEW I'm ready!

Anyway... let's move on to what you've been patiently waiting for... those BEE CARDS! As I promised, I'd like to post here some of the cards I received in swapping at the SU! Regional Seminar in Orlando in January. I apologize to the demonstrators who created these cards for my poor photography. Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas with us all. My customers thank you for inspiring them to create beautiful cards using JUST BUZZIN' BY (Item #113228, page 57, Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog).

The first is by Nancy Hewitt. You can visit her blog here . This square image which frames her focal point honey jar is created by using the Scalloped Edge Punch and some careful punching into a 2-3/4" square of So Saffron card stock.

The next is by Karen Mickel. Can you see the Dazzling Diamonds on the wings of the bees? Also, Karen created a "wet" look when she applied Crystal Effects on the honey on the middle jar which has been popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals to give it more dimension.

This card was designed by Susy Miller, a Senior Executive with Stampin' Up! Obviously, she is a talented artist as well as an accomplished business woman. Susy also mounted her honey pot on dimensionals to create that extra dimension. She used a red brad to create the look of a knob on the lid of the honey pot. How cute is that?!?!

Our next sample is by Diane McMullen, who chose to create a simple 2-color design. Diane colored in her bees and the "Hive Sweet Hive" sign with a YoYo Yellow Marker. I just love SU! markers because of the different tip on each end of the marker. One end has a really fine point which is great for journaling or getting into those tight spaces. The other is a brush-tip, which is great for "painting" color onto the image.

Susan Barron created this next card by stamping the honey pot in More Mustard ink on More Mustard card stock, thus creating a subtle background image. Her honey pot has Crystal Effects on the honey to give it a "wet" look, and is placed on a strip of Haiku Designer Series Paper. If you look closely, you can see some paper piercing on the Tangerine Tango Photo Corner Punch and in the bottom right hand corner of the card.

All images copyright Stampin' Up! 1990-2009.

~ Alice

WATERCOLOR CARD CLASS

Time flies when you're having fun! That's what they say, right? Well, I must have been having lots of fun... hehe, because the time sure has flown by! I was planning to start my monthly card class up again after the holidays, but half of January is gone already! So let's get to it! This will be the first in a series of three classes featuring various watercolor techniques.

Card Class

Saturday, January 24

10AM-1PM

$17 for 12 cards & envelopes

Bring your own adhesive and aquapainter.

If you do not own an aquapainter, you may order a set of two (one medium, one large) at the first class for $16.95. Please RSVP by Monday, January 19 so that I can prepare a packet of pre-cut supplies just for YOU!

Come see the NEW 2009 Spring/Summer Idea Book & Catalog, filled with new stamp sets, new Designer Series Papers, and lots of new accessories. SPECIAL OFFER for Jan. 24th only: Place a minimum $50 order from the new 2009 catalog and I will give you a Classic Stampin' Pad FREE (you pick the color).

Remember, RSVP soon to reserve your seat. Space is limited.

~Alice

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME??

I have been trying to paste a little picture here so you can just click on it and see a flyer, but I don't know what I'm doing. I want to find someone who can teach me how to do all this cool BLOGGING stuff... hehe I've been just fiddling around, pushing buttons and getting lucky so far. But I am getting frustrated that I can't do more.

I have seen many Stampin' Up! demonstrators' blogs with lots of pictures in their sidebars that link up to every event listed on the SU! website, including catalogs, mini catalogs, brochures and sales flyers. Why can't I figure out how to do something that everyone else can do?

SCREAM!! Ahhhh that feels a little bit better, getting that out... hehe

It seems that recently I have seen more and more demonstrators charging each other for their ideas, templates and class outlines. When I first signed up to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator almost 4 years ago, it seemed that most demonstrators shared ideas and knowledge of techniques with each other... not for money, but just because we all love stamping and sharing what we love with each other.

Sooooo, is there anyone out there reading this who is willing to give me some lessons on technology and how to blog??? I would like to learn how to use widgets, how to add links and photos to my sidebars, even just how to size my photos and place them around the text so that it looks like how I WANT it to, instead of just how it happens to land on the page... hehe I would be more than happy to offer a trade for your services... free hand-made cards, scrapbook pages, water-color lessons... I'm sure we could come up with something.

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME??

~Alice

INVENTORY BLOW-OUT SALE!!

Stampin' Up! is having a huge INVENTORY BLOW-OUT!! I think if you click here you will be taken to the Stampin' Up! website where you will be able to see a flyer with merchandise that is on sale for up to 50% off the original price. If that doesn't work, try clicking on this:

http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Inventory_Blowout_109US.pdf



But you need to act FAST because this merchandise is moving out of the warehouse faster than I can keep up with it! Go visit my website here or by clicking on the link below:

http://www.alicehancock.stampinup.net/

and just click on the SHOP NOW button located in the upper right hand corner, just underneath my name. The retired stamp sets and accessories will only be available until January 18! Then we will start with a BRAND NEW Spring/Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog. I am soooooo excited! Demonstrators have been able to pre-order some of the new stamp sets, and I am looking forward to showing you some cards I've made featuring them. I can't do that yet, though. If I show you before they're available, I might have to kill you. hehe Not really... but you'll have to wait until January 19th! I'm going to the SU! Regional Seminar in Orlando this Saturday, and will have lots of swaps to show you when I get back. See you then!

~ Alice