Pieces of Heart Dinner and February Challenge

Time for our monthly
Pieces of Heart Team Challenge!
The challenge for February was to make something
with a St. Patrick's theme.
We had quite a few entries
along with a few Valentine's too.
(Once again, forgive the shoddy photography!)
Above is a Tootsie-Roll Pop flower pot made by
Dawn.

This little box was made by
Kathy Boxdorfer.

A chocolate was slipped into
this little 3-D heart by
Deana Schultz.

Patty Schnell
added a little sparkle to her
Shamrocks.

Our beloved mascot,
Don Schnell,
entered his fancy pot of shamrocks.

Such a cute Valentine.
I failed to get the artist's name of this entry.

How cute it that little lady bug?
By Mrs. T

Another sparkly shamrock.
Diane Mikels

Love the double hearts on this one.
Deana Schmidt

Don't you love how hearts can be
fashioned into a shamrock?
Jayne Singleton

This shamrock even has a pot o' gold!

Mary Ellen Cope

Wow!
Very pretty.

Judy Sumner

Mine.
Scalloped Envelope with bit of
Chocolate inside!

We've got a doozie of a challenge next month!
Check back to see how we do.

Happy Valentines Day!

This cute little cherub is from the stamp set called
P.S. I Love You.
He's embossed with gold embossing powder.
Underneath, is the yummy
3/8" Pleated Satin Ribbon in Blushing Bride.
The card stock beneath that has been
fashioned into a sour cream container
with a few pink M & M's inside.
I think this idea would work for any holiday or occasion.

Love Birds

A very sweet lady and her favorite guy
recently got married.
I thought this card was very appropriate for them.
Unfortunately, that beautiful Designer Paper
and those love birds (die) has been retired.
But a pretty card just the same.

Morning Cup

I think this card is what you might call
girly-girly.
I love the pink colors and
the lacy-ruffles.
The stamp set, called
Morning Cup,
is one of my favorites,
and I don't know why I haven't used it until now.
The Designer Paper is from the new mini catalog and is called
Twitterpated.

Inspired by Kelly Rose

Pretty Postage

Pretty Postage in Rose Red and Certainly Celery.

Aviary Thank you

I think the Aviary stamp set is just so cute.
That little Riding Hood Red bird pops out
against the Pool Party card stock
and Designer Paper.

Finally-Home Sweet Home

My new house is finally starting to feel like a home.
When I saw that someone had made this framed piece using the FREE
Home Sweet Home Decor Elements,
I knew I had to have one too.
After finding this frame at a craft store,
(inside opening 8" x 20")
I attached the vinyl lettering to the outside of the glass.
The designer paper underneath the glass can be changed
to suit the season or holiday!
By making a purchase
of $50 during Sale-a-bration, you can get your
FREE Home Sweet Home Decor Elements too!
It comes in Chocolate, Black, White or Crumb Cake.

Open House Make-n-Takes

Here are the two make-n-takes we made at my recent
open house.
The top card uses two of the free Sale-a-bration stamp sets you can
receive once you have placed a $50 order.
Triple Treat Flower and Outlined Occasions.
The bottom card uses the
Adorning Accents Embossing Folder,
along with the new set,
P.S. I Love You.
I also used the
Dazzling Details glitter in Cherry Cobbler
on one of the hearts.

Blushing Bride Valentine

I love that this card is so 3-dimensional.
The heart is from the
P.S. I Love You
stamp set.
Then punched out using the
Heart Punch.
The card stock is
Blushing Bride.
So soft.
The tiny heart border is done with the
Pinking Hearts Border Punch.
The sentiment says,
from my heart to yours.

www.pamdurso.stampinup.net

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