Back to Stamping!

I wanted to share with you a top note easter basket that Linda Kincaid made. She used the so saffron card stock and put it through the Big Shot with the top note die. Then she stamped the saleabration set polka dot punches in so saffron on top. I love the look. For any of you looking to make something cute and adorable for Easter, this is it. The easter chick is from a good egg stamp set - one of my favorites and she used dazzling diamonds on the egg. Inside she filled this basket with chocolate easter eggs. Really nice job Linda!
Watch for some other card samples that Linda made coming in the next few days!

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY AND I'M 27 AGAIN and special 30% OFF SALE

It's my birthday! Yes, I wish I were 27 again! My husband and son took me out yesterday to Carraba's for dinner. It was great. It was the first time I ever went there. Unfortunately, they didn't have French Fries there and my son was a little upset. However, they are right next door to the Outback Steakhouse so I asked the waitress if she could get some from the Outback and they did. It really made JP happy. Of course, Jp had chicken and french fries. Bill had a spaghetti dish and I had rigatoni with chicken. I also had a mojito and it was pretty good. It could have had a little more mint in it, but it was not lacking in ETOH. After dinner we had dessert at dunkin doughnuts. We love their Boston Kreme doughnuts. I have loved those since I was a child. So instead of a cake, I asked for a doughnut. It was my son's idea and it was great!

Here is a lovely spring basket that Diana Hnat made for me last year for my birthday. One side says happy spring and one side says Happy Easter. She is very creative. I love this time of the year and having my birthday at this time makes it even better.

Speaking of birthdays...get 30% off any SU! items you want if you send me an order before 9 pm tonight. Just put Happy Birthday Maria in the subject line and I'll take 30% off of the retail price. This is a great offer and one in which I'll be paying you to buy from me. This is my 30% on my birthday on the 30th- sale. This is not an offer that SU! ever does so take advantage of my one time only special.

HAWAII SU! SAMPLES

While I'm headed home to Maryland, I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the great samples from the SU! Hawaii boards in the hospitality suite. All of the demonstrators brought things to share. I posted my share the other day. Here are some other fabulous ones.

This first one uses our BRAND NEW MATCHBOX die. Leave it up to SU! to come up with some cute adorable samples. Here is one that uses a clear overlay for the box top. Inside are some cute baby blue socks. The outside was stamped with white staz on. Notice our new train set on the box?

This is another sample using clear overlay for the entire box and brand new SU! rub-ons. I also love how this die makes adorable tags. Of all of the SU! BIG SHOT dies, this is definitely the one to have. I hope to be able to show you even more samples. Remember that matchbox box that CARLA made? Well you can make a version of that with this die. I hope to have that to show you at an upcoming class.
Here are some of the card samples. I love this true friend sample. Notice how the demonstrator used the rocking technique for the edges of the butterfly. We've done this technique before and Linda and I will be showing it again soon.

This is a great homemade book! I've been wanting to do this book with the group for some time. It is a little blurry in the photo but you can get the idea. It is made from CD covers and bella rose paper. It has lots of hidden tags and pockets and is really clever.
Here is another view of this fabulous book.

This is another brand new BIG SHOT die that SU! is carrying. We made a calendar a few years ago with this pattern and I had to hand cut the entire thing. This is done for you with the BIG SHOT. This is really clever. I can't wait to demo this one also.

More Brand New! Here are some more card samples.

This card just might be my favorite. I love all the glitter this demonstrator used! Hope you have received your SU! occasions mini catalog because many of these new sets and the new scalloped oval punch are in it! This stamp set is very versatile. It is called wagon full of fun. If you buy this stamp set and the egg wheel and your subtotal is at least $50 - you get a FREE saleabration set (valued at $19.95) and also my free easter project pdf file valued at $30 - so it is like getting $50 for $50. This is good until March 31st.

Here's the new SU! scalloped oval punch!

This card uses a brand new stamp set also - it is called Sense of Time. The designer used our chunky glitter on top of the clock and it is incredibly beautiful to look at in person. Linda and I are going to have to try this sample or a version of it.

You know how I feel about chipboard. I love it! So this is a great scrapbook page that I love. Notice the large heart from the new SU! heart punch. The colors in this page are really neat together. Just about everyone I know now has this stamp set. This is probably the most beautiful set that SU! has ever made. It looks like the designer used our new Parisian breeze papers too. If you haven't seen or touched these papers, you must! They have the most awesome texture and weight to them!

Ok, great samples! Enjoy these and I'll see you shortly!

MORE HAWAII

This is the famous Rainbow Falls. They are breathtaking. We got to see several views and this is one of them. This particular day the falls were in full force and our guide told us that this is not always the case. It depends on how much rainfall there is. The night before it had rained a lot. It is interesting, we are staying on the Kona side of the island and that is the dry side. In fact, there is no dirt on that side. The Rainbow Falls are on the Hilo side and that side of the island can get 150 inches of rain a year. There was a great rainbow in the am. I'll try to find that photo and post it later.

Bill and JP are water bugs. This is Bill underneath the falls at the pool.

JP is loving the 175 foot slide. Here he is ready to splash down for the 6th time and is working on a record. The pools here are huge and really widespread.

LUAU PHOTOS SU!

Greetings from Hawaii!
ALOHA! Last night, SU! treated all of the attendees to a fabulous Luau. It was an incredible experience. JP was able to pose with this Hawaiian warrior god. Really cool.

Bill is having a warrior tattoo placed.

Of course, I asked for a flower tattoo. This princess made me a gorgeous Hawaiian Lilly.
The food was really fantastic. They had so much! And yes, there was lots of fruit. SU! also gave everyone a beautiful lei and each SU! demonstrator received an ALOHA sterling silver necklace. Today is our last full day here. It has been an amazing week here in Hawaii, Big Island.

BRAND NEW SAMPLE

This is a new sample that I made using the new WALK IN THE PARK papers and the stamp set oval all (I used the FRENCH version) -yes, you can get it in ENGLISH, FRENCH, or SPANISH. I also used my favorite Butterfly die cut from Shelli's exclusive die, new white satin ribbon and new large designer grommets. The ink color on the statement is regal rose, one of my favorite colors. This paper and stamp set are available April 1st and you can see them in the new Occasions Mini catalog which should have come by mail now if you are on the mailing list. I will put a link up to the mini when it is available online. We had a display board in Hawaii and this is the card I posted. I got a lot of compliments on this card. I think you will all love what is coming in the new OCCASIONS mini. This ribbon is so soft. Do you remember the chocolate chip and burgundy ribbons from 2 Christmases ago? This ribbon is just as soft and smooth!

SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF HAWAII

ALOHA! We are having a magnificent time in Hawaii. The Hilton Waikoloa is a gorgeous hotel resort. I am here with my family courtesy of Stampin UP! and a BIG thank you to all of my customers. There is a lot to do at the resort. This area is for the watersports.

This is the most blue water of the Pacific Ocean. We have been whale watching and it has really been great. There are lots of whales really close to the shoreline. The whales that jump are the males. They are flipping and spouting and it is just magnificent.

We really enjoyed these Hawaiian dancers. Their movements are really graceful!

JP is having a great time. We were greated with these great plumeria scented lei's when we arrived.

This is Kilauea Volcano at Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii. The summit is at 4000 feet. This is an active volcano!

Seeing the sulfur containing smoke from the rim is just amazing. Look at the plume from the volcano smoke. Really cool.

I hope to post more photos of this majestic trip of a lifetime soon!

MORE HSIAO-HUI CREATIONS

Hsiao-hui has been busy creating again. She came to the nursery the last week with these adorable critters she made from card stock and SU! punches. They each have candy inside. In this first photo she made a pig, a kitty and a bunny.

In this photo we have more Hsiao-hui creations - a penguin, a chickadee and a moo moo cow! She's going to give these to her children to take to their classmates at school for Easter. Please enjoy these samples while I'm away in the pacific. I hope to see everyone again soon. Keep on creating and please send me photos of what you make so we can post for all to see.

Card for a Friend

My friend Julie has the flu. I really wanted to chear her up so this is the card and envelope I designed for her. I used the stamp sets cheap talk, thoughts and prayers, and a brand new set coming out April 1st (butterflies and the branches) called Great Friend. I also used some so saffron grosgrain and some designer double sided paper from the Simply Scrappin Kit Sunshine Garden. We are going to use these colors at Stamp Camp next week. I am giving everyone a sampler of the simply scrappin kit and we are going to make 5 cards from the kit. I'm getting really excited about stamp camp because we are making some great projects including a wonderful framed project from Linda Kincaid, a special home decor or desk piece by Linda as well, jewelry and a designer box by Sandi Haertig, and some other surprises, including a great technique card using SU! sponge daubers. If you are coming, you are in for a real treat.

NEW CLASS - SOFT SUMMER - COMING SOON

I can't wait to offer this class. It is called SOFT SUMMER and features the stamp set by the same name. I will be offering this class in either May or June. Note that the box at the top is a card holder and it is really adorable. You will want to recreate this for gifts for family and freinds. You will love this project. The class cost is $20 but if you order the stamp set from me in April or May (debuting April 1st), you will get $5 off of your class, making this a deal you will not want to pass up! If you are not local or are unable to come to class, I will have a kit to go with good instructions. Watch for more details!

Hawaiian Paradise

This is the Big Island of Hawaii. Just wanted to show you the view coming in from the Plane. The island is gorgeous. The water is crystal clear!

This is such a typical Hawaiian sunset. I don't know...I may want to stay here forever.

off to Hawaii

Just wanted to let you all know that I leave for Hawaii this morning. We are really excited about our trip with SU! I also wanted to thank all of you who have supported me in this business. I've been a SU! demonstrator for over 6 years now and this is the first trip I have ever earned. Thank you all so very much. I'll try to post from Hawaii when I can, but the first day or so we may need to adjust to the time change and the warm weather.
Aloha everyone!

ANOTHER ADORABLE PUPPY

My good friend Sandi - who is another SU! demonstrator- sent me this adorable photo of her puppy Charlie. He is so cute. Luigi would love to play with him! We'll have to find a time to get those two together. If you would like to put a photo of your pet on my blog, email me a photo.