Designer Fabric Mug Mats

Pardon me for a few moments while I go back to Christmas.

I resisted ordering the Designer Fabrics that match our beautiful Designer Papers when the Holiday Mini Catalog came out. Ehhh, I did my share of sewing in high school and even made my girls' Halloween costumes.

Now I'm a stamper, not a seamstress.

Well, let me tell you, I started seeing some of the cutest things done with the fabric! Like the little mug mats, and I could no longer resist! I thought, "What a perfect gift to give the ladies who come stamp with me!" Luckily, there was minimal sewing, just a little knot here and there to hold the fabric and felt together. I used the Bigz Clear Scallop Square, #115950 to cut all three pieces. Also the center heart was cut with the Movers and Shapers Extended Die, #114506. It was applied with our Big Shot Fabric Adhesive Roll, #122194. Marvelous stuff.

I'm hooked!

Unfortunately, the Candy Cane Fabric is gone, but I can just imagine how pretty this little mug mat would be with the Springtime Vintage #121817, or the Sweet Stitches #121818 Designer Fabric. I just made the little pin cushion on page 39 of the new Occasions Mini Catalog!

I'll post that soon...CUTENESS!

Don't resist like I did!

Try the Designer Fabrics today!

"T.A.L.K. of the Town" Shopping Expo

“T.A.L.K. of the Town” Shopping Expo
at Helfer’s Pastries & Deli Cafe
Two Dates: January 29th 7pm-9pm
January 30th 2pm-4pm
Featuring 10 different vendors:

Discovery Toys-Annie Shindel- www.discoverytoyslink.com/annieshindel
Mary Kay-Kim Miller- www.marykay.com/kim.l.miller
Stella & Dot-Teresa Goodlett- www.stelladot.com/teresagoodlett
Tupperware-Laurie Wallace- http://my2.tupperware.com/lauriewallace
Pampered Chef-Debby LaPlaca- www.pamperedchef.biz/debcooks4u
Heritage Makers-Dana Muse- www.yourlifestorybook.com
Thirty-One Gifts-Janet Hertz & Brianna Griffin- www.mythirtyone.com/hertz
Scentsy-Danielle Peltonen- www.daniellepeltonen.scentsy.us
Stampin' Up-Pam D'Urso- www.pamdurso.stampinup.net
Designs by Daphne-Daphne White- Facebook Fan Page:"Designs by Daphne"

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s the perfect time
to shop for all the loved ones in your life!
INCREDIBLE DOOR PRIZES!!!
REFRESHMENTS by HELFER’S
380 Saint Ferdinand Street Florissant, MO 63031
talkexpo@gmail.com
Check us out on Facebook: “T.A.L.K. of the Town Shopping Expo"

Become a Part of My Pieces of Heart Team During Sale-a-bration!

SALE-A-BRATION IS FINALLY HERE!

What a great time to become a demonstrator and help your stamping friends get free Stampin' Up! merchandise, while you receive benefits and/or start your own business.

From January 25 through March 31 when you become a part of my Pieces of Heart Team, you will receive this awesome starter kit at a 15% discount! That brings it down to $148.75!

Look at what is included in that kit!

PLUS!

You will receive this Bonus Bundle Bundle

FREE!

It includes:

The Color Coach

Something Special Simply Sent Kit

(or any Simply Sent Kit)

Live, Laugh, Love Stamp Set

(or any Simply Sent Stamp Set valued at $12.95 or less)

Heart to Heart Punch

(or any punch valued at $17.95 or less)
That's a bonus value of over $50 in free products!

Contact me today and let's get

YOU

started during this fantastic opportunity!

Valentine Stamp Camp

This little 3 x 3 card just makes me happy.

It is made using the Filled With Love stamp set and Love Patterns designer paper included in the Filled With Love Bundle.

(#124380 Wood Mount; #124381 Clear Mount)

Today, Monday, January 24Th, is the last day you can order this cute bundle.
Let me know ASAP if you would like to order it before it goes away forever! If you do, you will receive a free package of the Bitty Buttons!

Using the 1" Circle Punch inside the 'O', there is just enough room for a Kiss!
Inspired by Brenda Quintana

Love Pattern Designer Paper again. The Scallop Border punch was used on a strip that was then run through the Crimper to soften the fibers and fashion around the oval. That cutie-patootie in the oval is from the Greeting Card Kids stamp set. They remind me of the Old Campbell Soup kids. She is holding a heart punched from our new Glimmer Paper.

Inspired by Jen Sannes

I think this one is my favorite this month.

The bench is from the stamp set called Have a Seat. Two little hearts from the Filled With Love set are popped up with Dimensionals inside.

I just love the sentiment from the Filled With Love stamp set.

So sweet.

Inspired by Chat Wszeluki

Another idea from the Filled With Love Bundle.

(See, you NEED this set!)

This time we took a departure from the usual pinks and red,

and used Poppy Parade and Pear Pizzazz.

Around the outside, is the new Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Framed Tulips.

The heart has been made shiny with Crystal Effects.
Inspired by Phyllis Johnson

This pretty heart is from one of our a' la Carte single stamps. #122045, and only $8.95. You can't tell from the picture, but the banner has been popped up with Dimensions. The Rose Red Seam Binding Ribbon looks so pretty with the Very Vanilla card stock.

Inspired by Amy O'Neill

This flower-heart was made using the Sweetheart stamp set. We used the perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder to give it a pop. Just below it and tied with a Linen Thread, is the word love from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set

and then punched using the Jewelry Tag Punch.

Inspired by Naoko Page

Fancy Kleenex Box

Would you like to have one of these? Make your reservation now for my

Coffee or Tea and a Wednesday 3-D

on Wednesday (DUH!) February 9th @ 9:00 am,

and you can make one of your very own!

It's only $5.00, plus, I serve you a hot beverage and a pastry!

Fancy!

Uh-oh Little Birdie!

Good day to stay in and STAMP. And that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

We have about 10" now and expecting maybe another 3".

Sounds like a good day for a pot of chili too.

Uh oh little birdie! Better work from home today!
The Stampin' Mobile.....somewhere in there.

Petal Card Heart Pocket

This little candy pocket was made using the Petal Card Punch. I punched two pieces using the Real Red Card Stock. Then folded two sides at the scored marks, (the punch scores it for you!), to make a heart shape with both punched pieces. I trimmed those side pieces so it would be flat and adhered them together. Punched a hole on each side for the ribbon. To make it frilly, I crimped two scalloped edges to fit inside.

Slip in a couple pieces of chocolate, and give to someone special!

Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference 2011

I am still pinching myself!

I just got back from attending the Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

All I can say is OH. MY. GOSH!

The place is absolutely fantastic. It has 4000 rooms and is more than huge. Everything is under one roof...restaurants, shopping, bars, atrium with lush foliage, boat rides, entertainment and convention halls.

It is unbelievable that just nine months ago the place was under water. If I didn't know that had happened, I never would have suspected it. They have done an amazing job of restoring it. Here are a couple of youtube videos that say it much better than I can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfL5j9ckcyo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFjaQoOdJvI

God Bless you, Nashville!

Following a map on the way to our room,(yes! they give you a map when you check in. It is THAT big!), I had to turn around and take a picture of how pretty this was.
We had breakfast one early morning at this little restaurant.
I had to take a picture of this creation in the middle of the lobby for my daughter, Megan, who is an artist. I knew she would appreciate it.
Once I saw the banjos up above on this stained glass dome, I was reminded that, yes, we were in Nashville.
I wish you could hear how lovely this little waterfall sounded. I could have sat there all day.

Did I tell you this place was big? This is a mansion in the middle of one of the areas. A MANSION!

While we were there, they were in the process of taking down the Christmas decorations, which were beautiful, and putting up Mardi Gras decorations.

How could you not love this?

Yes, those are little hot air balloons hanging from the ceiling in the distance.

If you are the Gaylord Resort, you have to have BIG Christmas trees!

These were B I G!

More waterfalls.

Oops, added this picture twice, but since we are here, notice the hanging strings of lights? They are lit at night and are just breathtaking.

Told ya!

I learned so much at this Leadership conference, but these two women were why I had so much fun.

Julie Kasper, on the right, is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. I took in every little tidbit of advice she had. Her beautiful laugh, was infectious. You just want to be around her!

On the left, is my precious sister, Penny Thomas. She is my best friend and I just can't imagine attending without her. We 'get' each other, and finish each other's sentences. We can give each other a look and not need to say a word. What a treat to do what I love best, with one of my favorite people in the world!

Wouldn't you like to go to fabulous places like this too? Join my team and let's do it together!

Mini Heart Boxes

I found and purchased the tutorial for these darling little mini heart boxes on Kay Sha's blog, http://creationsonpaper.blogspot.com/.

If you would like the directions, please contact her there.

Mine are not nearly as pretty as hers. I had to improvise a bit,

but what cute party favors these would make.

They are just big enough to hold two chocolate Kisses.

I think the tiny roses are just as cute as the boxes.

Using various sized circle punches, you spiral cut around from the outside to the middle.

Then, starting from the outside, roll it up until you have a sweet little rose.

Easel Calendars for 2011

Nope, still no solution to my background problem, but I'm not giving up. I'll get it fixed eventually. Hang in there with me.

Every year, we make a calender, and over the years there have been some very interesting ones. This one, however, has got to be the simplest and maybe one of my favorites. It's using the easel-style that is actually the size of a standard card. It folds down, so, if you wanted, (and I do), you could insert it into a standard greeting card envelope to send to a friend.

The flowers are from the Upsy-Daisy stamp set and using Baja Blue and River Rock markers, (try that combo together, it's really pretty), I stamped off once so as not to take away from the sentiment stamped in Basic Black. The Sentiment, "To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." - Henry David Thoreau, is from the retired, (sorry), set called The Art of Life. I love the saying and it just seemed to fit. The base is Soft Suede. My friend, Christine, said the colors remind her of the beach. Very soft and calming.
This is the calendar I made for my downline. This little lady is from the stamp set called Tote-ally Tess. It includes all kinds of 'tools' we stampers use everyday, such a wheel, snips, etc. Tess is holding a popped-up heart stamp, ready for her Stamp Camp! I believe I stole this idea from Dawn Olchefske, (www.dostamping.typepad.com), who is a fabulous stamper. The little calendars are from http://www.stamponthis.com/.
The possibilities are endless!

And you'll always know what day it is!

HELP!

As you can see, my blog looks a bit bland today.

Since it's a new year, I wanted a new background. So I went to http://www.shabbyblogs.com/ and started looking for something that would portray ME. Found a great one, actually found several, love that site. Anyway, I couldn't get it to load. So, like always, when I have a computer problem, I go to my resident geek...Steve. He watched as I went through the steps, only to have that maddening little box pop up that tells me the action I had taken was aborted, (?) kinda harsh wording, don't ya think? And like always, he tells me to get up so HE can sit down and go through the steps....with the same results. That's when it starts to get interesting. NOT! He started moving things around and deleting things. To make a long story short, not only do I not have a new background, now I don't even have the old background. Poor Steve, he was trying to help, and I DID ask, but we are frustrated because it should be simple and we have no clue how to fix it. So, if you know what we did wrong, or have a suggestion...

HELP!

Filled With Love Bundle

FREE Bitty Buttons

when you puchase any bundle listed above until January 24th.

Contact me at

pamdurso@sbcglobal.net

or

shop my online store

www.pamdurso.stampinup.net

Pieces of Heart Stampers Christmas Cards

Whew! The holidays are over.

But before I move on to Valentine's Day,

I just had to show you the pretty cards made by the Pieces of Heart Stampers.

Thank you, ladies. You continue to inspire me!

What a great idea, a New Year's card!

This is from Judy Sumner.

I'm going to remember this idea for 2012!

Judy Sumner
Penny Thomas.
I love this one because it is simply elegant.
Unfortunately, my camera does not do it justice.
Jayne Singleton

Becca Sadler

Susanne Jeffery

Patty Schnell

Back to the Real World From Paradise!

I haven't posted anything for a while, because I was

HERE!

Yep, those are my little, sand-covered, pudgy toes on the beach of Princess Cays in the Turks and Cacaos Islands. Rough, huh? I was actually sipping a margarita and enjoying the view of our ship, the Crown Princess. Ahhhhhh......

But then reality hit, and we had to come home to the cold and snow.

PLUS, I found a bad cold somewhere along the way that knocked me up side of the head for a while. Still trying to shake that.

But anyway, I am back and ready to

STAMP!

'All Wrapped Up' Gift Card Holder

What a pretty little 'package' for a gift card.

I am sure the recipient will be just a pleased to get the 'package' as they will the gift card inside!

The bow is made from two different sizes of the Oval punch.

Too cute!

Easy Christmas Tree

This is my kind of Christmas tree! No dropped needles.

It is made using strips (6" x 1") of designer paper, pinned onto a Styrofoam cone. That's it!

If I could just figure out how to hang lights on it, my Christmas decorating would be done!