p.s. i love you

You almost don't need a sentiment inside this card.
The front says it all.
I used the stamp set, P.S. I Love You.
It can be found in the new Occasions Mini Catalog.
I also used the Adorning Accents
Embossing Folder
to make the rows of hearts under my little
Petal Punch envelope.
The Red Shimmery Paper
gives it a real Valentine feel.

San Antonio Leadership 2012

I never miss an opportunity to visit my beloved Texas.
So when I heard that the Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference
was taking place in San Antonio,
I grabbed my suitcase.

When we weren't attending classes and demonstrations,
we were taking in the beautiful Riverwalk.
Our hotel and conference center are just to the right of this bend.

Cards, cards and more cards!
That is Penny and Kirsteen Gill on the left,
looking at a few cards hung on a little clothesline.
Sooo many ideas. Sooo little time.

How fun to take a leisurely boat ride on the Riverwalk.

Lots of pretty restaurants to choose from right on the water.

A little piece of Heaven.

I was so excited to attend the Manager's Reception.
This year it was a Chinese Acrobats show.
Everything was decorated so pretty.

Before the show, we had appetizers with an Asian theme.
Have you ever tried eating noodles with chopsticks?
It's an art,
especially when you are standing with a drink in your hand!

Shelli started the show with a bang on the gong!

I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was so
enthralled with what those acrobats can do, that I completely forgot!

On one of our free nights, our group had dinner at
a fun Mexican restaurant called
Mi Tierra.
We had a blast. Here I am taking a picture of my sister, Penny and I.
I didn't realize she was giving me the bunny ears!

How lucky was I that my daughter, Kim, came by to join us?
She will NOT let me take a normal picture of her.
She's a stinker, but it was wonderful that I got to see her
for a while since she lives in Houston now.

We had some very special friends join us for dinner.
Above is Angie Juda,
AKA Chic'n Scratch.
She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met.

While Penny is working on her camera,
Dawn Olchefske, AKA DOstamping with Dawn,
is posing for me.
Another really nice lady.

I also got to spend time with one of my favorite bloggers,
Diana Gibbs, AKA Stamping with Di.
She had me laughing to tears.

This Leadership was so much fun
and I learned all kinds of things.
The people make it that much more memorable.
I LOVE MY JOB!

Save the Date! February 4th

I'm finally ready to get my Stampin' Up! business going again!
After a very eventful November and December,
I have not had a chance to do what I love so much.....
STAMP with fellow stampers.
So, I am having an Open House Saturday, February 4th, to introduce what I do to family and friends. If you are in the Champaign County, Illinois area, drop in anytime between 1 - 4 pm that day and see what it's all about. I'll have light refreshments, stamping samples, prizes
and free, quick make & takes!
Come join me for a fun afternoon!

Mark Saturday, March 10th @ 1:00 pm on your calendar.
That's the date for my next Stamp Camp!
Stay tuned, details for that will be coming soon.

Thinking of You, Mary Ellen!

A very sweet lady in our group is having
surgery on her foot this week.
This is the card I am sending her
and hope it brings a smile to her face.
Get well soon,
Mary Ellen!

Pieces of Heart Dinner Out January Challenge

I always look forward to our
Pieces of Heart
Dinner Out every month.
This group is so special to me.
We have so much fun together
and this month was no exception.

The January Challenge, given to us by Judy,
was to make anything with a Valentine's Day theme.
Above is mine.

The inside.

Jayne Singleton

Kathy Boxdorfer

Patty Schnell

Don Schnell, our mascot.

Diane Mikles

Diane made this cute little gel
container too.

When I got home, this cute card was in my mailbox
from Deana Schultz.
What a cute idea for a New Year's
or
birthday card!

Thanks everyone.
Looking forward to our next
get together!

Sending You Love

Love the stamp set called Easy Events.
The top of this tree is popped up using
Stamping Dimensionals.
Such a cute all purpose card.

Clean & Simple Christmas Card

Since I didn't have much time to make Christmas cards this year,
I needed a design that would be quick and simple.
This card fit that criteria for me.
The stamp sets used were Pines & Poinsettias
and Bells & Boughs on
Crumb Cake card stock.
What you can't see is a sprinkling of
Dazzling Diamonds on the pine cone.
A bit of a vintage look this Christmas.

I'M BACK!

Whew!
What an interesting few weeks I have had!

We FINALLY moved into our new house in Illinois.
While unpacking, I realized something was really wrong.
I wasn't feeling like I should.
I was extremely tired.
I even turned down invitations from Steve for dinner out
because I couldn't walk from the car to the table
without stopping several times to catch my breath!
Now you KNOW something was wrong with me.
So I found a doctor who told me I had congestive heart failure,
and I needed to get to the emergency room ASAP!
Once there, I was bombarded with all kinds of tests which confirmed her diagnosis.
I was admitted to the hospital and stayed five days while more tests were done,
including a heart cath.
They were suspecting a blocked artery.
Luckily, there wasn't one and my problem can be treated with
medication (lots), a low sodium diet (ugh),
and regular monitoring by my new best friends,
my family doctor and cardiac doctor.

It is such a blessing to feel good again.
I have taken it easy lately,
but also slowly putting my new home together.
My stamping 'studio' is coming together too.
I'm still missing things like my punches and designer paper.
I suspect they are outside in the garage underneath more boxes.
But for the first time in weeks,
I pulled out some stamps and paper and made some cards yesterday.
A little smile crept up on my face and I felt whole again.

I was sent so many beautiful cards.
In the next few days I hope to get them on my blog.
I am looking for the cord to download them from my camera!
Thanks for the good wishes and prayers.
I so appreciate them all.

HOME

This is our new home.
Steve and I are excited to begin a new chapter in our lives, in Illinois.
But we are also sad to leave so many wonderful friends who
have been a huge part of our lives in St. Louis.
I already miss the camaraderie, the fellowship, the laughter, the tears,
and, of course, (!) stamping, with you all!

This last weekend I was completely touched by the
surprise lunch given for me.
I never suspected!
Thanks to all of you who were a part of it.
I would love to send each of you a pretty card, but as you can imagine,
all my 'stuff' is packed away.
Give me some time, and I will get that stamping groove going again!

We won't be far, it's only a three hour drive.
Conducive to a stamping weekend!
I will stay in touch and hope that you will too.
Continue to check my blog.
It will keep you posted as to what we are up to.

Thank you, sweet ladies.
You will always be in my heart.

:o)

Are you missing a golden opportunity?

Friday, November 11!

That's the last day to take advantage of the Free Big Shot or $100 in Stampin' Up! merchandise when you become a demonstrator, and a member of my
Pieces of Heart Team.
I sure would hate for that day to pass without you finding out how much fun,
and how satisfying being a part of the Stampin' Up! Company can be.

Why not give it a chance?

HAVE FUN
GET CREATIVE
DO WHAT YOU LOVE!

Contact me and I will fill you in on all the details.
stamppad@sbcglobal.net
314-831-3265

Medallion Stamp

Isn't this a great way to use the Medallion Stamp?
The base card is Poppy Parade, along with the ink.

The Medallion is stamped and then trimmed around the edges,
cut into halves, (ready to make a second!),
and then popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.
The embossing around the edge of the Whisper White card stock
is called Framed Tulips.
Imagine this done with Christmas colors and accented with
Dazzling Diamonds!
Lovely!


Nancy Berg

Spice Cake Designer Fabric

I took Home Ec in high school and was pretty good at sewing my own clothes.
That was then,
this is NOW!
Now I like my projects quick and easy.
My sister, Penny Thomas, made some of these awhile back,
and I just loved how it looked.
For this little bag,
(which I found at a large craft store),
I used the Spice Cake Designer Fabric, the Big Shot Fabric Adhesive Roll,
the Flower Folds Bigz XL Die, and my Big Shot.
The Adhesive Roll is so easy to use.
Simply iron the adhesive onto your fabric, die cut the fabric using the Big Shot
and peel the transfer sheet off, then iron fabric die cut onto the purse.
Add one of our Jumbo Designer Buttons, maybe a Simply Adorned Bauble to
the zipper and you will look
FABULOUS!

JUST IN TIME!

I just attended the Louisville, Kentucky Regional with my Pieces of Heart Team. We had a blast. (We've decided that what happens in Louisville, stays in Louisville, but we definitely made our presence known while watching the last game of the World's Series in the hotel lobby...with towels, the wave and all!)

Here is the good news for you. Because I attended, I am able to give you a free stamp, from the Mini Occasions Catalog no one else has seen yet, when you become a member of my team by November 13. AND SU has extended the free Big Shot or $100 in SU merchandise promotion until November 11. Fantastic! That means you get a free Big Shot or $100 in SU merchandise plus, a new stamp just for becoming a demonstrator. Cool!

Don't wait any longer!

Join now, and you can SALE through the new year with the Sale-a-bration promotion starting in January! You can show your friends how they can receive FREE products then. That will get them excited and wanting more! The rest is icing on the cake.

If you like to stamp, if you like to stamp with a fun group of ladies, if you like to save money with discounts, if you'd like to be a part of a company that really cares about you, then please call or email me and let's get you started now.
stamppad@sbcglobal.net
314-831-3265

Road Trip for the Pieces of Heart Team

I must apologize right off the bat.
My photography skills are not the best.
That being said, here are some photos of our group,
The Pieces of Heart Team,
attending the Louisville, Kentucky Stampin' Up! Regionals.

Above is very excited Mary Ellen Cope,
(a bit bleary, my fault.)
She is about to start card swapping.
Her excitement is infectious!

Above, looking at swaps, are
Jayne Singleton, Judy Sumner, and Susan Fields.

One of our favorites at Stampin' Up! is
Bonnie Thurber.
She is so funny and gets the morning started with a few
tips and Christmas tag ideas.

We were in a big comfortable room full of card-swapping,
idea demonstrations, make and take tables, and display boards.

How fun to see your name on the screen that you've won a free stamp set!
Our friend, Diane Mikles did!

Here she is with her prize.

Stampin' Up! is so generous with us.
They gave all of us prizes.
Mary Ellen is showing off the On Board Journal we received.

And how about this for a snack?
We were given a very fulfilling box lunch,
and this pretty cupcake for an afternoon snack.

Some of the wonderful people who make Stampin' Up!
the company we love to be a part of.

The Pieces of Heart team had a blast together.
We even watched the Cardinals win the World Series
in the hotel lobby, right down to the rally towels and
The Wave!
I'm already looking forward to the next
Pieces of Heart Road Trip!

Happy Halloween!

'Nuff said!


Debra Currier

Talented & Spooky Friends

I love receiving cards just as much as I love to send them.
Here are a few from my very talented and spooky friends.
Above is from Pieces of Heart member, Judy Sumner.
The 'skirts' are popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.
What a cute idea.

This one is from Patty Schnell, another Pieces of Heart member.
(Why don't you be a part of our very talented and fun team!)
Love that background paper and the punched bat.
(The Bat Punch, by the way is on the Clearance Rack on my website:
www.pamdurso.stampinup.net)

Mary Strande, my sweet friend,
who has recently turned me onto Thia food,
sent this one to me.
That little girl sitting on the pumpkin just makes me smile.

All I can say is
OH MY GOSH!
This is a pop-up card sent to me by my very dear friend,
Phyllis Phegley.
When you open it, all those little spooky things
jump up at you.
My favorite is the skeleton.
Doesn't he look like he is coming out of the grave?
YIKES!

Thank you ladies, for sending me a smile
in the mail.

BOO! Cuteness

Love this card!

Step away from the candy!

Is it just me, or are those eyes FREAKY?
Yikes!