20% off "Love You Much" bundle

Stampin’ Up!’s® Love You Much Bundle (item 115405) contains the perfect products to create fun and fanciful Valentine’s Day projects that say “I love you” from the heart. From December 23, 2008, through January 31, 2009, you can purchase the Love You Much Bundle at 20% off the retail value! These products are all from the new catalogue which will be released on January 19, 2009, so this bundle gives you a sneak peek and a chance to get your hands on some new product early at a great savings!

Merry Christmas!

Here is a little 2-4-6-8 box I made to hold a small gift for my sister. It gets its name from the measurements at which it is scored. There are clear instructions from the talented Jan Tink for how to make it here.

Wishing you the peace and warmth of Christmas wherever you are tonight!

Snowed in!

It's definitely looking like it will be a white Christmas around here! Actually, I heard on the radio yesterday that there have only been eight white Christmases in the last 71 years in the metro Vancouver area. Hard to believe! As I am typing this, the snow is continuing to come down harder and harder outside. The forecasters are calling for another 15 cm by the end of the day. This is what it looked like outside two days ago, when there was already quite the accumulation:


...and this is what it looks like today:


The backyard:

Look at the pile of snow on the roof of the birdhouse!:

...and of course, the Paper Cottage:


All this snow means I am contentedly cozied up inside, making cards. Here is a card I made for my cousin Rex, whose birthday we are celebrating tonight, if we are not completely snowed in. I tried to make it not too girly.
Here are a few more holiday cards I made using SU's Ski Slope DSP and the little felt flurries. These were inspired by Andrea Walford's designs. Love the warm, fuzzy look and feel of those felt flurries!

Christmas Treats

Here's a peek at some little treats I made for my coworkers. They look like a matchbook on the outside...

...and hold a Ghirardelli chocolate square on the inside. Sweet and simple, and I love how this idea can be adapted for use as party favours, Valentine's treats, etc.

I received this adorable, yummy bag of sugared pecans from my talented coworker, Cathy. She used the tiny leaf/pinecone image from "Lovely as a Tree" and coloured it to make it look like holly. Clever!

The Retired List is here!

Dozens of stamp sets from the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalogue are retiring, and it's a bit sad to see some really nice sets going. Now's the last chance for you to get them--these sets are only available through January 18, 2009! And they're 10 percent off from December 9-23, so don't wait to order! Click here to see the entire list and have your catalogue handy as they are listed by page number. You can also see them here with the 10% off pricing.

Stampin' Up! has also announced that all orders of $100 or more will receive free shipping! That means if you are ordering retiring sets, your total savings will be 20%!

Happy shopping!!

20% off select stamp sets!

Product Offer: December 1, 2008-January 18, 2009

In celebration of Stampin' Up!'s 20th anniversary, spend $20 on any Stampin' Up! product and get 20% off any stamp set from the Fall-Winter Sampler--no limit! Choose from any of the stamp sets below.

**I am offering free shipping with any order over $60 (before taxes) from Dec. 1 – 31, 2008.

Item #	Description	Retail	20% Off
111564	Flight of the Butterfly	$37.95	$30.36
111752	Sur les ailes d'un papillon (French Flight of the Butterfly)	$37.95	$30.36
111676	Puns From the Past	$32.95	$26.36
111660	Just Jawing	$30.95	$24.76
112881	Je t'ai en tête (French Just Jawing)	$30.95	$24.76
111624	Dreams Du Jour	$22.95	$18.36
112869	Rêves au menu (French Dreams Du Jour)	$22.95	$18.36
111700	Thank You Kindly	$16.50	$13.20
111742	Tous mes remerciements (French Thank You Kindly)	$16.50	$13.20
111714	Wow Flowers	$15.50	$12.40
112652	Bonheur fleuri (French Wow Flowers)	$15.50	$12.40
111600	Bella's Bloom	$15.50	$12.40

Some bling for a bride-to-be...

Hello! It's been a while since I've posted. I can't believe it's already DECEMBER and Christmas is just a few short weeks away! I'll be having a Christmas Stamp-A-Stack this Sunday from 1 - 4 pm, and it's sure to be lots of fun! There are still a few spots available - let me know if you're interested.

I made this card tonight for a colleague who just got engaged. I'm so excited for her; she is going to make a stunning bride. I layered two images from the "Say It With Scallops" set; Stampin' Up designs an exclusive set each year to help raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities, and this is it. I've had the little bling in my stash for ages. I can't wait to give it to her tomorrow!

Holiday Extravaganza is HERE!!

The suspense has been killing me, but it's finally here! Stampin' Up! has just released its list of fabulous, bundled product promotions at up to 50% off! There are amazing deals to be had! Click here to see the flyer. Have your catalogue handy as the items are listed by page number.

This is a very limited-time offer; the sale is only on from now until Monday, Dec. 1, while quantities last! Once they're gone, they're gone, and I can tell you that these items are going to go fast! You can call or email me your order (I'll be putting in my order Wednesday afternoon) or order online at my demonstrator website. Just click on "Shop Now" in the top right hand corner of my site. Happy shopping!

Christmas Stamp-A-Stack

Sunday, Dec 07, 2008

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Get a whole stack of Christmas cards stamped in one fun afternoon! We'll be making 12 cards (4 each of 3 designs) with matching stamped envelopes, all for $25. RSVP soon!

Upsy Daisy Thank You

Here's a card I made today using the Upsy Daisy set, which I loved right away when I saw it, but haven't got around to inking up until today. The cardstock and ink on the flowers is Cameo Coral and I used my Chocolate Chip marker to colour the stems.

Rub-Ons Promotion!

Just in time for your Christmas card making and gift giving, Stampin' Up! is having a 20% off promotion on all their rub-ons! These are super handy to have on hand to give your cards and creations that finished look or to use on materials that can't be stamped on. Contact me to place your order!

Click here to see the flyer.

Dates: November 10-30, 2008

Promotion Details: Spend $20 and qualify to purchase any Rub-Ons assortment at 20 percent off ($10.36 per package; regularly $12.95):

Item #	Page #	Rub-Ons Description
111416	178	Chateau Bella
111417	178	Word Flurries
111414	178	Hidden Garden
112735	178*	Jardin secret en fleur
111277	178	A Perfect Day
110283	179	Take Note
111806	179	Chills & Thrills
111804	179	Chit Chat
111415	179	Greatest Moments
111805	179	School Days
110282	179	Anchored
112844	11**	Old Saint Nick
112843	17**	Season of Cheer

*From Livre d'Idées & Catalogue automne-hiver 2008
**From Holiday 2008 Mini Catalogue

Join the Club!

Clubs are a great way to earn free merchandise, get a free monthly class, and hang out with others who share your love of papercrafting! They also help you to 'pace yourself' with your purchases if you love everything you see in the catalogue :)

Sign up for a waiting list for the Stampin' Technique Club starting in January!

How they work:
Basically, a group of people get together and commit to each other for several months. The number of members is equal to the number of months. For example, if eight people join, they commit to each other for eight months. Each month, one of the members gets to "play" Hostess, and everyone contributes a minimum order, so that person gets the first level hostess benefits. You have the option of hosting at your home or my Paper Cottage. The hostess can choose to then host a private event to boost her numbers for more benefits, or just enjoy the rewards of club benefits.

What you get:

• 8 months of FREE monthly club meetings with your ‘club mates’, where you learn techniques, do make n’ takes, and use my tools, punches and stampsets.
• One month where YOU get to be the ‘hostess’ and receive the first level of hostess benefits ($20 free merchandise and a free stampset)
• Time to work on your own projects. Plan a project around my tools/stampsets, and work on it during club night while chatting with your clubmates!

What you do:

• Sign up for 8 months in the club
• Each month, contribute at least $25 in orders (which will go towards the benefits of that month’s ‘hostess’).
• Pick a month where you are ‘hostess’
• Come to the optional club night at my house in Port Moody, where we learn techniques/create make n’ take projects.
• Optionally increase your benefits in your hostess month by hosting a workshop with me and your friends. All orders placed at the event will be added to the club month, to increase your hostess dollars dramatically! Or, just sit back with your automatic first level benefits if you choose.

Contact me if you have any questions or are interested in joining!

Onesie cards

I've been thinking about all things baby lately, as my best friend is expecting! I found the instructions to make this ADORABLE onesie card on Lauren Meader's blog (thanks, Lauren, for so generously posting this tutorial!). This is a super quick, fun card to make; it really only takes about ten minutes from start to finish! I used the retired "Very Punny" set for the pig, lollipop and crib images. The flower on the pink onesie is from "Eastern Blooms," one of my favourite sets, and the dots on the other two are from "Itty Bitty Backgrounds." These cards would make great birth announcements and shower cards; they could even be strung along a line with little clothespins to make a cute banner decoration for a shower.

The Paper Cottage - My Crafting Retreat

I know some of you have been curious to see what the namesake of my blog looks like, so here it is...

We live in a one-level rancher, so it's nice to have this extra space just a few steps out the back door in the backyard. It's about 300 square feet, fully wired and heated, and has two rooms. So quiet and cozy!

I'll post pictures of the interior soon...I promise! I just have to do a bit of tidying up first...=)

Have a great weekend!

Carousel Notes Purse

I've been eyeing these super-cute carousel note purses for a while now, as I've seen my upline, Kari, create a few. I decided to give it a go last night, and did I ever have fun! I used some retired SU DSP that I've been hoarding and the carousel notes in the current In Colours. When I first saw the carousel notes, I wasn't sure how I could use them, but they are perfect for this project. Hmmm...I'm already thinking this will make a great Mother's Day project for my students at school...

So 'tweet' of you...

Here's a quick thank you card I made for a former colleague, whom I jokingly refer to as my "Mama Bird." I am in the process of applying for a graduate diploma program called Learning and Teaching with Technology, and she helped me out by writing me a fabulous reference letter. Thanks, Carol!

The paper is by KI Memories, and the stamp is from Imaginisce. I did some paper piecing on the chick's belly. Of course, I had to pull out my SU scallop punch for that finishing touch!

Neutral Christmas card

Here's one of the cards we made at the Christmas card class on Sunday. We had a great afternoon of stamping and chatting. The tree image is from "Lovely as a Tree" and the sentiment is from "Season of Joy." This card was inspired by one I saw on SCS; it appealed to me because of the neutral colours, which are unconventional for Christmas. Thanks for looking!

Gobble, gobble!

Here's a few cards I made tonight with my version of the punch turkey as seen in the Stampin' Up magazine I get each month as a demonstrator. Isn't he the CUTEST?!? I used SU's Scallop punch for his feathers, the 3/4'' Circle and 1-3/8'' Circle punches for his head and body, and the Boho Blossoms punch for his feet and beak.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Another Promotion!

Stampin' Up is celebrating World Card Making Day (yes, there really is such a thing!) by offering customers 20% off their fun and colourful Simply Sent Card Elements and easy-to-use Simply Sent card kits! These items are on page 176 - 177 of the catalogue. Click on the image to see the flyer. This offer is only valid from October 4 - 11.

It's Stampin' Up's 20th birthday!

In honour of Stampin' Up's 20th birthday, there are loads of fantastic specials coming out! Here are a few that are currently in effect:

From Oct. 1 - 31, get 20% off a great selection of birthday stamp sets with a purchase of $20 in regular merchandise! There is no limit to the number of sets you can purchase once you have made the minimum $20 purchase. Click here to see which sets are available.

Another special offer right now is the single, large-tip Aqua Painter for $8.50, while supplies last! The Aqua Painter is a super handy tool for watercolouring and is normally only offered in a set of two. No minimum purchase required for this special.

Did you know you can order online now directly through my demonstrator website? Just click on "Shop Now" at the top right corner of the website and you can have the convenience of placing your order anytime, day or night ;)

Christmas Card Class

Happy October! Hard to believe that winter is around the corner with the warm, sunny weather we've been having. October brings Thanksgiving and Halloween, and then before we know it, the holiday season will be upon us. I'll be offering my first Christmas card class of the season on Sunday, October 26. Come on out for a fun and festive time! We will be stamping four merry and bright cards, with matching stamped envelopes, to get your stash started. Sign up early as class size will be limited to ten.

Christmas Card Class
Sunday, October 26, 2008
1 - 4 pm
at Monica's Paper Cottage
Class fee: $15

Love the sunshine...

...we had today in the afternoon. I'm cherishing every last bit of sun we get around here before the weather starts turning wet, although I love those cool, crisp days of autumn that are just around the corner. I hope the sun makes an appearance for our school's Terry Fox Run this Friday - I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Today is my mom's birthday - happy birthday, Mom! I made her this card, which was inspired by this one that I saw on SCS. I had to chuckle to myself as I stamped the background image. It reminded me of the time she came to visit me in Japan and I took her to visit the beautiful, serene little town of Arashiyama. We ended up traipsing through a bamboo forest! It was an amazing sight, but Mom was happy to stop at a teahouse afterwards for a rest, some matcha and mochi. Happy stamping!

Back to School!

Whew! After a busy back to school week, I am definitely glad it's Friday. I managed to find some time to stamp last night and made this card with SU's Pick a Petal set. It's inspired by a card I saw on my upline, Kari's, sample board. Actually, I stamped the main image last week; last night, I added the sentiment and mounted it. I find that I do that quite often, work on elements of a card or project, and then leave it and come back to it later. It needed some bling, so I embellished some of the petals with Dazzling Diamonds glitter. The cardstock of the main card is Cameo Coral.

I think I'll give it to my school secretary, who's been so patient and levelheaded with all the craziness of the first week of school. On top of the pile of late registrations she's handled this week, we had a bear sighting at school yesterday afternoon and she ensured that all the kids who usually walk home had an adult to come get them. She sure is a gem!

Fun & Fast Notes

Here's a couple of cards I made using the bird stamp from "Fun & Fast Notes." Love the versatility of this set with its greetings and images that can suit many occasions.

I coloured in the images with my Stampin' Pastels and blender pen. I did the paper piercing with the Mat Pack. If you haven't used this tool before, do check it out. It makes it so quick and easy to get straight, even piercing! I added the faux stitching with a white gel pen.



















On the purple card, I crimped the mat behind the image with the paper crimper to add some texture and interest. I'm thinking this card is a bit too symmetrical for my liking, though...what do you think?

Back from Paris

Hi there! I just got back from a wonderful week in Paris, so that's why I haven't posted in a while. The thing I love about traveling is getting a fresh perspective and seeing how things are done differently in another part of the world. In Paris, I was so impressed by the lovely manners and general sense of civility of the people towards one another; if someone was struggling up a staircase at a subway station with a heavy suitcase, a passerby would undoubtedly stop to help, followed by a genuinely grateful, "Merci beaucoup, Madame/Monsieur." They don't seem to stop to think twice about helping a stranger in need; they just do it instinctively because it is the right thing to do.

Of course, I LOVED the art, history, culture, architecture and food as well. The Louvre was a must-see, with the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, among other famous works. However, I enjoyed the Musee d'Orsay (above), a museum of 19th-C. art in a huge, light-filled old train station, infinitely more; the colours and subject matter of the Impressionists are just so easy to appreciate. Here's a pic of Degas' "Little Ballerina"; she looks so proud and dignified!



I'll leave you with a pic of some of the yummy treats available at the patisseries that seem to be everywhere:

Starter Kit Promotions

Join the fun of Stampin' Up! now to take advantage of the great starter kit promos! Right now, you can buy a mini starter kit for only $119! This is a great option for those of you who already own lots of stampsets, tools, inks, etc. There are 3 themes available for the mini kit; click to view the flyer.

Or, get the big starter kit, which is at almost a 50% discount off catalog prices! For $249 get a HUGE array of stampsets, tools and more, PLUS, pick ANY stampset from the catalog for FREE as an additional bonus! You can watch an informational video, and even join as a demonstrator on my website.

Promotions on Brand-New Stamps!

For a limited time, Stampin' Up is offering a 15% discount on select, brand-new, die-cut stamp sets from the just-released Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book and Catalogue! There is no minimum purchase necessary. This is a great deal for those of you dying to get your hands on some new sets! Click to view the flyer. Check out the "Eastern Blooms" set for some beautiful Asian-inspired flower images and "Under the Stars" for it's super cute camping theme!

Welcome!

Welcome to my little corner in the vast world of blogs! I am a full-time elementary school teacher in Coquitlam, B.C. and recently became an independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator. I attended my first Stampin' Up event not long ago and was instantly hooked on the huge variety of beautiful, exclusive product and coordinating colours with yummy names! Cardmaking/papercrafting is a big part of my life and I am lucky enough to be able to escape to my "Paper Cottage" in my backyard when the urge to play with paper and ink hits me. Visit often and join me as I follow my bliss...