Color me silly...

What do you do when you are on a plane with noone to talk to? Well, if you are like me, you flick through magazines looking for color inspiration of course! :-) I suppose this is my cue to say...Hi my name is Marie and I am a creative rubber stamping addict and no, I do not need a 12 step program because I LOVE my addiction!

I must say, the guy sitting next to me was looking at me with that "you're a nutcase" look when I was taking photographs of the magazine pictures. I made the mistake of trying to explain my theory behind my perceived madness. Well....all I can say is that it's not my fault he doesn't get it...LOL I think if he could have, he would have changed seats.

Here is my eclectic collection of inspiration photos. Why don't you pick a color combo that you haven't ventured to use before and try it?! Color challenge yourself! I know I will be just as soon as I get home!

Today I am in Boston and tomorrow I head home...yahoo! :-D

World Trade Center

I am in New York for work and staying at the Millenium Hilton hotel across the street from the World Trade Center site. It is still a very sobering view. Here are photos taken from my hotel room.

Saint Paul's Chapel - across the street from Ground Zero.

The making of new friendships...

Convention is not only about learning new techniques, making samples, getting business advice, jostling for position in front of the sample boards to take photos, but also to forge new bonds and develop new friendships.

We were fortunate to bump into Cheryl and Theresa, demos and super cool chicks from Pennsylvania. Email addresses and phone numbers were exchanged and hopefully this is the start of brand new friendships that will last many conventions to come :-D

Theresa and I



Cheryl and I


Kristy and I

Last day of Convention *sniff sniff*

The last day of convention is always bitter sweet. On one hand you are so tired, all you want to do is jet home and on the other hand, you can't believe it's flown by so quickly! What!, no more Make and Takes??!! Sheesh :-D

No make and takes were made yesterday but a lot of fun was had nonetheless. We attended classes all day...oh!!!!! Did you know there are more than 20 ways to use Markers???!! Want to know what they are? Read my blog tomorrow :-D

Awards night wrapped up convention. The entertainment was Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band...very fun!!

My evening ended with having my photo taken with Jaron. He is so "stinkin' cute!"

Time to pack my bags and head to the airport. New York, here i come!!

Day 2...

Another day of convention over and another day of fabulous ideas and techniques!

Today's highlights, in no particular order;

• Jaron's singing a Broadway song from Jekyll and Hyde - totally awesome
• Seeing Brent do the hula in a coconut bra and a hula skirt, as they unveiled the 2009 Incentive Trip to Hawaii!
• Great watercolor technique class with classic Ink Pads, Watercolor crayons and the incorporation of the pretties kit...oh boy...guess what class I am adding as soon as I get back home?? :-D
• Great Workshop Wows

Today's technique class was Watercoloring using - Paint brushes, aqua painters and blending pens with classic inks, chalks and watercolor crayons on watercolor paper as well as the Pretties kit flowers (super cool!).

Coming to you live from Denver....

Day One of convention is officially over and boy, what can I say? I am totally jazzed!!

For those of you who are my customers and attend my card classes or purchase long distance class packets, host workshops or are part of my Inner Circle Monthly Card Swap, all I can say is, YAHOO!! you guys are in for a REAL treat! The workshops held today were totally awesome and boy, I cannot wait to get home and start creating and sharing the ideas and techniques with you all!

If you would like to learn more about my classes, monthly card swaps or long distance class packets, drop me a line at marie@stamplounge.com

More tomorrow - *fingers crossed we are making more samples tomorrow*

The madness has begun...

Staying at The Curtis - super cool place! Retro and fun. I love it :)





We landed in Denver yesterday afternoon. By the time we arrived at the hotel it was close to 4PM. Bags were dropped, a quick orientation of the room was done, (love it) and headed back downstairs to meet Kristy so we could head over to the Convention Center to check in.

The Stampin' Up! event ran from 6:00 - 10:00PM. It was a pyjama party and packed with Make and Takes.

We made 7 projects last night. Super fun projects using the new accessories.

























































Off to another day of fun and frivolity!

Inner Circle Card Swap Club - July

As you know, I host a monthly card swap with some very talented ladies across the US and Canada. July's card swap was no exception! Here is the roll call of received cards for this month's swap.

Regular Swap:

Shirley


Holly


Lisa

Susan


Judy

Lou


Mary


Gail


Marie




July Challenge: Waterfall Card

Sign of the times...

I cracked up laughing at this :-D

Rockin' Girl Blogger Nomination!

What a super cool surprise this morning I received in my email box! Kristy over at the Stamp Garage (also my friend, neighbor and SU upline) nominated me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger!

I am glad that Heather over at {Witty Title Here} nominated Kristy as she rocks in so many cool ways! (Heather also rocks...if you haven't checked out her blog - run on over!)

I haven't posted for over nearly a week thanks to an illness and my work load. I am hoping to get SOME time in the craft tonight to get in the last of the Sketch This: Card contest **fingers crossed** but I am not feeling too optimistic that will happen :D

2 more sleeps before leaving for convention. The realization that I am NOT ready hit me this morning. A flurry of emails and calls later, check lists marked off, lists made, shuttle tickets purchased etc. etc., and now all that is left is to pack my bags...yipee!

Kristy and I travel to and hang out at convention together which is always a hoot. I am sure we will be transmitting from Denver, so check back for convention going ons real time! :-D

Bumpy road...

I haven't posted for a couple of days as I have been feeling under the weather. I was afflicted with either a bug or food poisoning and have been well...how to delicately put it...errr...keeping close to a bathroom :)

This morning I feel a lot better, so with being 10 pounds lighter (yippee!) and a new burst of energy, I plan to post some stuff tonight after my time in the craft room as I prepare the make and takes for my Stampin' Up! New Catalog Open House tomorrow night.

Have a great day everyone!

Altered Tin

Here is an altered tin I made for card storage. I love the fact it's so bright.

I used a Stampendous acrylic alphabet set, a flower from Michael's that I plucked off it's stem and assorted scrap ribbons and paper (Not sure which brand either are) and lots and lots of sticky strip from Stampin' Up!

Fabulous Flowers - Sketch This Card Contest

I love the Fabulous Flowers stamp set from Stampin' Up! I created this card that just so happens to work for this weeks Sketch This Card Contest ...yippee!

The Fab Flower has been cut out and the edges curled up. I used the distressing tool around the edges of the green layer.

For the border on the green layer, I used the dotted stem stamp from Stampin' Up's In The Spotlight Hostess stamp set.

For this card i used:
Chocolate Chip, Real Red and Very Vanilla cardstock
Fabulous Flowers and In the Spotlight stamp sets
Stampin' Up! Outlaw Designer paper
Stampin' Up! Jeweled brad

Another Beate Challenge #9

Mr Brown turned up with my order from the new catalog yesterday afternoon so of course I had to get some craft time in last night!

Here is another Joy fold card for Beate's Sketch Challenge.

For this card I used:
Stampin' Up! Moose You and In the Spotlight stamp Sets
Stampin' Up! Outlaw designer 12x12 paper
Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip card stock
Stampin' Up! Real Rust, Close to Cocoa and Sage Shadow classic ink pads

Beate's Sketch Challenge #9

Beate's challenge this week was a Joy Fold Card. Here is my version of her card. Of course I had to dirty my new Memories Box Pengiun stamp - I just love that stamp.I wanted to keep this card as monotone as possible. I nearly made it :D