Thinking of Fall...

Hello and welcome to the Fall Fun Blog Hop! A group of online buddies decided the holiday weekend in the US would be a GREAT time to get inky together, and so we've put together a fall themed blog hop to inspire you as autumn approaches. As you meet our stampy bloggers today, you may discover that some have goodies for you, so be sure and visit everyone on the list. We have hoppers from all over the globe today, and they are amazing artists.

Thanks for visiting us - grab yourself a nice fall beverage and enjoy!
 

Here is the full list of our blog hoppers today:

Lydia Fiedler

Libby Hickson

Kim Williams

Michelle Single

Lee Murphy

Sara Henton

Yapha Mason

Lisa Adametz

Jimmi Mayo

Jeanne Streiff

Bev Gerard  

Shannon Oellrick

Dana Keith

Joan Ervin

Maren Benedict

Teresa Kline:ME

Hannah Clark

Dina Kowal

Wanda Cullen

Korin Sutherland

Taylor Usry

Monika Davis

Harriet Skelly

Kim Schofield

Cathy McCauley

Mary Marsh

Julia Aston

Bridget Finlay

Alison Habetler

Leslie Hanna

Sue Farrant

Michelle Hanway

Misti Oblander

Judy Rozema

Jenna Barber

Tammy Hershberger

Eva Dobilas

Kerri Michaud

Cheryl Navarrete

Neva McMullen

Marianne Baugher

Samantha

Cindy Wallach

You know, I have to admit that I have a very hard time getting into the autumn mood when we are still breaking 100 degrees everyday here in Austin.  So today, just to make sure that I could get myself thinking "fall" instead of "I want to fall into a pool of ice cubes but they would melt before I could do it" I turned the a/c down low, made a cup of my favorite coffee, and made this: 

I find myself loving this stamp set more and more, since it works across every single season.  Just grab some autumny colors and you are set!  Here are the details on the card: 

Stamp set:  Field Flowers

Card stock:  More Mustard, Soft Suede, Pool Party, Very Vanilla, and Spice Cake DSP

Inks:  Soft Suede, More Mustard, Pool Party

other:  distressing tools

Quick and simple and full of the fall spirit!  I hope that no matter where you are that you are enjoying a gorgeous fall day, or if you are like me you are dreaming of that crisp air and cooler temps!  Now, make sure to pop on over to Michelle Single's blog for the next stop on this fun hop! 

Have a safe and Happy Labor Day...

Kim

Summer in Texas

I love the summertime! My backyard fills with hummingbirds and squirrels, my dogs run around like they are crazy, and the weather gets, ahem, warm. If you have never experienced the joy of "Summer in Texas", you should try it once. However, if you can't get to the Lone Star State this summer, here is how you can live the dream that is the Central Texas summer:

First, go purchase a heat lamp. You want the biggest one you can find. Set it up in your kitchen next to the stove (you'll understand why soon). Position it up high so that it's light covers your entire kitchen floor, with the exception of a 2 x 2 foot square of "shade" for you to stand in.

Next, you need to procur about 10 hair dryers. Mount them on your kitchen walls so that they point in all directions. Set the fan speed to high on some, low on others, but make sure the temperature on all of them is "hot". Now turn them on.
Third step: the oven! Find the highest temperature you can set your oven to and turn it on. It really helps if you have a convection style oven so that you can use that fan to really pump the heat out into the room. Make sure that any potential sources of water are completely turned off, because we wouldn't want a hint of moisture to offer you relief.

Now, set your family up in a room that is a couple of rooms away from the kitchen. Make sure that the temperature in that room will not exceed 76 degrees. Give them comfy places to sit, a nice beverage, the works. We will call these your "friends who live in places north of Kansas".

Your kitchen should be ready, so go on in and just try to do some regular daily activities.  Every now and then give yourself a "break" by stepping into your safe zone of shade.  I would tell you to enjoy the breeze from the hair dryers, but hot air swirling in all directions does nothing more than mess up your hair and make you stabby, doesn't it? 

If you still have any calm feelings in your heart, just call into the room that your family is in, and make sure you speak to the person who is "just burning up in this 76-degree heat" and see how much peace you can muster then. 

Yep.  That is summer in Texas.  And, lest you all think that I don't love my new home state, I will make sure to post in December about "winter in Texas".  It is why I make it through each July and August! 

Well, the winters, and working on Christmas cards like this one during the hot summer months: 

Card from my "Christmas in July" class

I hope you all are having a great time this summer.  Stay cool, and come make a card with me!

Some days...

...you just want to make something that is pretty. 

I have no reason for doing it, other than maybe I feel I have neglected the girlie side of my personality, or I want to play with softer colors, but when the urge strikes to make something pretty I don't fight it.  And sometimes, what you get is something like this: 

Stamps:  Elements of Style, Four Frames
Cardstock:  Pink Pirouette, Wisteria Wonder, Watercolor Paper
Inks:  Black Staz-On, Cherry Cobbler, Pink Pirouette, Old Olive, Wisteria Wonder
Accessories:  Butterflies Die, Designer Label Punch, Pearls, Wisteria Wonder Ruffled Ribbon

This card was what we did in my Hostess Club this month.  It used a technique where you mask off part of your embossing folder in order to get some blank space in the center of it.  After that we stamped and watercolored our flowers, and then cut them out using the Big Butterflies die to make our gorgeous butterfly.  It is amazing how a few simple steps can give you something very, very pretty! 

If you would like a chance to come make some pretty things with me, just let me know!  I am always starting up new hostess clubs and having classes, too.  And, if you want to enjoy amazing friendships, expand your creativity, and earn great products while you do that, you should really go check out the $99 Starter Kit that is being offered this month only.  I would love to have you as a part of my team! 

I hope that you all find the time to make something pretty today! 

Until next time,

Happy Stamping!

Kim

A Whale of a Tale...

...or a "Tale of Two Whale Tails", take your pick.  Either way, this is a story about celebration.  

Let me take you back in time a few years.  When Little Miss was about 18 months old, I got the bright idea that we would take her to Sea World.  She was already showing signs of loving all thing aquatic, and I thought this would be a fun way to spend a day.  A day.  Turns out, she loved it so much that if there is ever a "Sea World Docent" job opening soon, I am going to put an application in for her, she loves it that much. 

The memory that sticks in my mind as clearly as if it were yesterday is this one:  We went to see the Shamu show.  This was in the "good ole days" when the trainers were still allowed to get into the pool with the whales and basically get launched like a missile out of the water at 40 miles per hour by the orcas.  At this point in her young life, Little Miss had never seen such a sight as this:

So, imagine her surprise when Shamu jumped out of the water.  She stood bolt upright on my lap, pointed a chubby little finger towards the water, and shouted, "What's up, what's up....what's up with THAT!!!"  I was laughing, the DH was laughing, everyone around was laughing.  And, Little Miss was hooked.  She began just casually mentioning (say 20 to 30 times a day) "I was just thinkin'.......about Sea World."  Anyone who came to my house can tell you she never stopped thinkin' about Sea World.  And we kept going with season passes every year since. 

Now, fast forward to this year, last week to be exact.  We decided to brave the heat and spend a day at the park.  Little Miss still loves all things aquatic, and now has developed a love of the carnival games, too.  So we were not surprised when she wanted to go to the Midway and take her turn to try to win a prize.  Let me tell you, over the years we have amassed quite the collection of Shamus.  Big ones, little ones, you name it, we have won it.  I'm surprised that Greenpeace doesn't set up outside my house with signs saying "Free the Whales" we have so many.  But we have never, ever, won The Big Prize. 

Until this trip: 



Yes, the hubby did it.  He finally threw a little plastic ring onto the neck of a glass 2-liter bottle and captured the elusive Pink Shamu.  It now resides on the entire bed of Little Miss.  She does make this denizen of the deep go to the floor at night, but she has a couple of fish rugs from IKEA down there to "keep her company".  Daddy has confirmed his "rock star" status for at least another year around here. 

Needless to say, there was much celebration at Chateau du Williams that night, and all the next day, and pretty much every day since.  The greatest moment for me was watching as the DH was carrying his catch out to the car and we were passing by all the other folks at Sea World.  They would each say something about how magnificent his prize was, and each time Little Miss would just give him a little pat on the back and look up at him with pure adoration in her baby blue eyes. 

Then I took money out of his wallet and took the kiddo to eat ribs while he carried the whale out to the car.  Because isn't that his job?  He hunts the quarry to take care of his family. 

So, to celebrate I wanted to share this card with y'all: 



Stamp Sets:  Pennant Parade, Fabulous Phrases
Card stock:  Island Indigo, Cherry Cobbler, Pool Party, Whisper White
Ink:  Island Indigo, Cherry Cobbler, Pool Party
Accessories:  Pennant Punch, Cherry Cobbler/white baker's twine



I hope you enjoy it, and take the time to celebrate the good things that are in your life today!  Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Kim



Starter Kit Special

 Every now and then a deal comes through Stampin' Up that is so good I have to share it with everyone I know, and some that I don't know yet, too!  This month one of those deals is here.  First of all, have you seen the new catalog yet?  For those who haven't, here is what you are missing: 

It is my favorite catalog so far, and I love the multitude of amazing ideas and beautiful stamps and accessories that are in it.  You can see all of the products available, as well as special sales items in my online store anytime you want. 

Now, on to the special.  For the month of July only, Stampin' UP! is offering a mini starter kit with new products for only $99!  The kit contains two stamp sets, designer paper, ribbon, ink pads, cardstock, note cards, SNAIL, and a blender pen, as well as all the business supplies you need to get off and running.  If you have ever thought about making some money doing something you love, now is a great time to get started.  

Not only do you get the support that comes from Stampin' UP! in the form of the demo website, Stampin' Connection, and our monthly magazine, Stampin' Success, you also get training from me to help you set your goals and then reach them.  Whether you want to just have fun with your friends and earn some products for free, or if you want to supplement your family's income each month, Stampin' UP! has a way to meet your needs.   

Finally, when you sign up this month you will also receive additional products to make this gift box for free:  

This free gift includes a stamp set from the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalog, which will go live on September 1st.  The items in the free gift set total $40, so it really is a nice gift for you to receive! 

I have always enjoyed working with Stampin' UP!  It has met my needs throughout my five years, and I would love to answer any questions you may have about being a demonstrator and add you to our team.  The friendships that I have made over the past 6 years have been amazing, and it is so much fun to celebrate the successes of my team with them as they reach their goals.  If you would like to celebrate with us, just click here to go to my website.  You can read more about becoming a demonstrator, and if you are ready to have fun while earning money, you can click the "join now" link in the left column to get started. 

I hope to see you all soo, and until next time, Happy Stamping!

Kim

There's a new tab in town...

...and it is to the right of my "home" tab.

You may be asking yourself, "Why is that new tab there?", and the short and simple answer is: because I have stamps everywhere in my house. And, even worse, there are new stamps coming out on July 1st. And I need them. Wait, did I say that was worse? Sorry, my brain must have gotten foggy from the huge pile of retired stamps that I need to find new homes for!

So, I am selling some stamps. My stamps, that I have loved and enjoyed over the years. Now, don't get me wrong, I am still hoarding...er, keeping, some of my all time favorites for myself, but sometimes you have to thin out the herd a little bit. The great thing about this is you can get some fantastic deals on new stamps, while I get to feel good knowing that they are going to people who will love them and make beautiful things with them.

Here are the "rules" for you to go over before you click that new little tab:

1. No one, and I mean no one, is allowed to tell Little Miss that I am selling stamps. It is like this: she is more emotionally attached to these stamps than anyone you could ever imagine, and when I sort them out she hovers over my shoulder like a little moth. A little teary-eyed moth that knows how to emotionally control her mother with pleas of "Oh, not that one! That is my favorite!", and "I remember when we made a card together with that one. Don't you, mommy?" Every time something goes into the sell pile she just lets out a little pitiful sigh that would break the average person's will. It really is a sight to behold, but I want to keep the trauma to a minimum.

Seriously, she is either going to win an Academy Award one day or be the most formidable trial attorney in the country. She is that good.

2. If you live in town you are welcome to come look them over and pick up here, or I can bring them to you. Out-of-towners can email if you want any descriptions or pictures of sets before you commit, and I will get a quote on postage for you as well.

3. Lastly, there is no limit to the number of sets you can get. If anyone emails me and says, "I'll take them all" then I will do a happy dance all the way to your house to deliver the lot of them. Of course, I don't expect that to happen, but a girl can dream, right?

I will update the list as sets sell, and in the future will be posting more sets as well, so check the page often. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at baxter1@austin.rr.com and I will be happy to answer them for you.

OK, time for you to click that tab and see if there is anything you want to add to your collection today! Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Kim

Happy Together

You know, I have been spending a lot of time thinking about people. I am that person who is perfectly happy to go to a coffee shop or restaurant alone and just enjoy watching people around me. You can learn a lot just by taking the time to pause and be still.

My biggest issue when I try to do this is that my mind likes to insert a running dialogue, or make up some kind of back-story for the people that I am watching. Then, there are the times that I don't have to do that much, because their own story is remarkably public for everyone to know. For instance, when Little Miss was 4-years old (can that really have been 3 years ago?) we took her to Disney World. In August. Yeah, we were kind of crazy, I know, but it seemed like a great idea at the time.

Anyway, have you ever heard the saying, "Weddings and funerals can make in-laws become outlaws."? I would like to add that scorching hot Disney vacations can do that exact same thing. We always try to take the approach that when on vacation we have almost no structured itinerary. The husband and I understand each other's temperments enough to know that if we don't have a schedule, then we don't have a schedule that something can go wrong with, and that makes for a much happier group.

The poor family that we walked by on that fateful day obviously either didn't know that they had a "no schedule" option or they haven't taken many trips together, because they were in the middle of a meltdown. I don't know what transpired up to the point that we passed them, but we saw and heard a very passionate, "Oh YEAH?!? Well, everything was fine until YOU decided...".

Fill in whatever you want there:

"...to feed the kids ice cream before Space Mountain."

"...that we weren't going to pay $20 for a stroller."

"...to keep breathing air."

You get the picture. I honestly don't even remember if it was the mom or the dad that was launching this missile at the other, but I can tell you what I do remember. I remember that every time since then that the husband and I have perhaps wanted to lob a big verbal bomb at the other one of us will say, "Everything was fine until YOU decided," and then we both crack up with laughter. So thank you, hot and tired Disney family from three summers ago. I'm really sorry that at that moment things weren't going so well for you, but I truly appreciate that you gave me one of the best lines ever.

If I had your address, I would send you this card, in hopes that you are all ok and still happy together.

Stamp set: Happy Together

Cardstock: Poppy Parade, So Saffron, Whisper White

Ink: Poppy Parade, Jet Black

DSP: Build-a-Bear

Accessories: Scallop-edge punch

So, go be happy together with the people that you love, and even the ones that you don't. It will make your day better, I promise!

Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Kim

Already Missing You!

This past week we saw the end to another school year. Little Miss has successfully completed the 1st grade and is already looking forward to starting 2nd. And, while her last day of school was Wednesday, by Friday of that same week we were "playing school" because she misses her class. And her friends. And the playground, and art, and music, and her teacher, and pretty much everything about school, except for the getting up early in the morning. That, my friends, no one misses. I mean, just the other day she slept in all the way until 7:07. A.M.


Can you feel the sarcasm dripping from my cyber-voice yet? Those who know me know that I believe everyone should be up by the crack of noon. Give me a gorgeous sunset over a crack-of-cranky sunrise any day of the week and I am a happy camper. Or happy stamper, as the case may be!


In any case, it brings me to the next year-end ritual: the end of the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog. Time to give the retiring stamp list a good going over and remember all the great times we have had together. I have to say that I am happy to report I did not suffer any catastrophic losses in my sheer stamp volume, as has happened from time to time. (Anyone remember the Stampocalypse of a few years back?) Yeah, that one left me with six "current" sets in my repetoire.

This year, however, I am seeing some of my favorite sets go. Over the next few days I'll share with you some cards that I made to bid these stamp sets adieu. Today's entry into the "going, going, gone" category is this little cutie:

Stamp set: Great Friend

Paper: Pacific Point, Very Vanilla, Blueberry Crisp DSP

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Pacific Point

Accessories: Chantilly Crochet Trim, Pearls, Clear EP

This set, "Great Friend", has gotten lots of mileage from me over the time that I have had it. It is one of those go-to sets that calls to me whenever I am having a bad day. And, while it is retiring from this catalog at the end of the month, I am sure that it will live on at my house for quite some time yet. If you haven't added this one to your own collection, remember, you have until June 30th to fix that! After that, you will just have to look at all the pretty cards stampers around the world have made with it through tear-filled, angst-ridden eyes.


Don't let that happen to you! Friends don't let friends leave this little beauty behind. I hope you are enjoying some special stamping time very soon, and can't wait to come back with another soon to be leaving us sample tomorrow.


Until next time, Happy Stamping!


Kim

From Fun...

...to flu. Just like that!


Have you ever had a week like that? It has been more than a little crazy around here. I was preparing for several workshops this week and really needed some time to get everything pulled together. I had to keep Little Miss home from school on Monday, because she was recovering from strep throat, but Tuesday she seemed great and I happily carted her to school so that I could get everything done for a big workshop that night.


Then, the school called. But not just the school. The school nurse. "Well, that is never good," I thought to myself as I answered the phone, and I was right. When I got to school I saw my sweet little girl laying on one of the cots, looking like she had been hit by a truck. I went down to her classroom to gather her things and came back to retrieve her. The nurse took her temp one last time and told me, "Well, she isn't running a fever, that is good!".

And it was.


And then we got to the car, and the full extent of her flu reared its ugly head.

By the time we drove the one mile to our house, her temp was 103. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to sponge baths and popsicles and a big nap (like 12 hours long) for my child, while my amazing and wonderful friend Janas came in to rescue me and sit with the little one so I could go to my workshop.


See, I laugh that when I have my schedule all planned out nice and neat for an entire week that something like this happens to help me "re-prioritize" as it were. I believe I have finally learned that to keep my family well I need to take a more fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach to everything. So, be warned, my days of preparedness are OVER! ;-)


All kidding aside, the one workshop I was able to do this week went really well, and I had a great time with everyone that was there. I'll even share another project from it:
















I love this Dreams du Jour set because of the great sayings in it, plus it has one of my favorite Stampin' Up butterflies as well. I have decided to take this saying to heart this year, and grow great with big dreams. Dreams of things like normal temperatures, and no calls from the school nurse, and no cedar trees in the entire state of Texas.

Hey, a girl can dream, right? Absolutely!

So, keep on dreaming, and I hope to see some of you soon. Until next time, everyone, Happy Stamping!


Kim

Who loves...

...a great deal? I know that I do, and you will notice that I added a new little banner over on the right side, right under my picture, that advertises the best deal that Stampin' Up! has each year, Sale-a-Bration.


In order to get everyone in the mood for getting a great deal, I decided to share this little card with you:




This one is made with the most popular Sale-a-Bration set, Punch Bunch. While I have to say that I love all of the offerings in this year's catalog, I have a particularly soft spot for this little owl. That combined with the fact that the stamp works perfectly with our owl punch guaranteed that this was the first SAB item that I ordered!




This card is going to be featured in my February workshops as well, so if you would like for me to come to your house and show you and your friends exactly how to make it, then let me know. I love the chance to teach people how easy and fun it is to make cards for any occasion, and there is nothing better than spending time with your friends discovering what we knew as children: a little paper, some ink, and a stamp can make for a really fun time!




Also, this year Stampin' UP! put a digital content CD in the Sale-a-Bration mix! It has all of the new items shown in the catalog on it, and will really help expand your possibilities when using My Digital Studio. For those of you who don't know or haven't looked at my class schedule for February, I am offering a "How to" class on My Digital Studio this coming Wednesday. Check out the details and call or email me to save your spot. I will be teaching how to get started with MDS, as well as how digital downloads work and basic design of cards and scrapbook pages. (The price is especially nice for my girls who have already purchased the software!)




Now, if the thought of getting some free stamps isn't exciting enough for you, how about not paying shipping costs to get them? Because tomorrow is the Sunday before the Superbowl, I am offering a super deal that includes free shipping. Just click here and scroll to the bottom to see all the details, then email me your order at baxter1@austin.rr.com to get your stamping order without paying the shipping charges. Remember, this deal is good for tomorrow only, although if you email your order this evening I will hold it until tomorrow and you will get my special offer, too!




I hope that everyone is enjoying their weekend and making time for all kinds of fun, whether it is watching the big game or stamping up some great cards. You know there is still time to work on your Valentine's day stuff. (I should know, I am putting together 20 of them for Little Miss' 1st grade class party!) So, stay dry and warm and busy, and until next time...Happy Stamping!




Kim

Back in the saddle...

..again! I think it is a sure sign that I am getting older because it takes me much longer to recover from a trip away now than it did 10 years ago. However, that being said the loss of sleep was well worth it when you consider all the amazing things we got to see and do at Leadership.

For instance, here is a view of one of the 4 different atrium areas that was inside the Gaylord:

That is a 30 foot waterfall inside the Cascades area. I ate a cafe style restaurant near that waterfall twice while I was there. The sushi was great, but the crab bisque was absolutely wonderful! I enjoyed walking through the area late at night when it was not hustling with people and all the little twinkle lights were on. Simply gorgeous!


The first night we were there those of us who were at the title of Manager or above got to go have a night out at the Wildhorse Saloon. There was plenty of fun to be had, starting with all of us receiving our cowboy hat, decked out with an Early Espresso ribbon hat band and antique brads to embellish it. Then we loaded up the buses and went off for an evening of great barbecue and line dancing with Dave Robbins and then Brother Trouble entertaining us.



When we arrived back at the Gaylord, we were greeted by Stampin' Up staff who gave us our Leadership bags that look just like all those cute Vera Bradley purses you see everywhere! The trim on them is the striped ribbon, and inside the tag is red rubber and has the Stampin' Up! logo on it!




The next day was filled with classes. I am just going to post some of the pictures that I took so that you can enjoy them!

This is a project from one of the Mainstage presentations. I have a strong feeling those of you who attend my classes will be seeing this one again in the future!





A great sample from the display area. I love how they used the new Springtime Vintage fabric around the main stamped image...beautiful!

And speaking of display boards, see the top left corner of this board? Yes, that is my swap card that got picked out of the Stampin' Up drop basket to go up on display, along with around a hundred and fifty or so other cards. That was a fun new experience for me!

The Delta courtyard area at night. This is in another area of the resort from the first picture I posted. It was a lot of fun to just walk around and enjoy the beauty of this grand resort. It is hard to imagine that on May 2, 2010, the Gaylord flooded and had water 12 feet deep in it, causing over $200 million in damages. They were able to clean up and reconstruct it in just 6 months.

The best part of the entire time is the people! I got to have fun with friends, both new and ones that I have known for years. The picture on the left is me, Mel (who works in the Concept Art department for SU!), and Lydia during Make and Takes. The one on the right is my upline, Megan, and one of my sidelines, Celia, on Thursday night. We were all making cards for the Ronald McDonald House. Always a fun time!

Finally, one last Mainstage project, this super-cute album that is made from products featured in the new Occasions Mini Catalog. What a nice gift for mom on Mother's Day!

I hope you all have enjoyed the photos, and I would love to be able to take a large group of demonstrators with me to Leadership in 2012, especially since it is going to be in San Antonio, Texas! If you would love to get to go do what I do, let me know. I still have one FREE starter kit that I can give to a new demo this week only, so drop me a line at baxter1@austin.rr.com or leave a comment on my blog if you are interested. You will never get a better deal on the starter kit, and what a way to start a new business that can be anything you want it to be for you and your family!

Thanks for spending some time with me, and until next time, Happy Stamping!

Kim

HUGE WOWS!!!

I am finally back in my room after two full days of jam packed stamping classes and fun here in Nashville. I promise when I make it home and grab a couple hours of sleep I will be posting all kinds of pictures, but right now sleep beckons and I have a 7 a.m. flight to catch.

I will say this: Stampin' Up has made an incredible offer to every demonstrator here, one that I have never ever seen before. The theme of this year's Leadership is "Plus One", and to get us all to bring one more demonstrator into the Stampin' Up family, each of us who attended can offer a free starter kit!

One free starter kit will be available through me for one week. Here are the details:

The Independent Demonstrator Agreement must be filled out on paper, not online.

The paperwork must be submitted to SU by January 21st.

I am looking for a person who wants a chance to build relationships with others who love stamping and crafting. If you have ever said to yourself, "I really wish I could do what Kim does. I want to have my own business doing something that I love," then let me know. I would love to add you to my team, and what better way to start than with a free starter kit?

If you are interested, please contact me at baxter1@austin.rr.com or leave a comment here in the comments section. Make sure to leave a valid email where I can reach you tomorrow, and I will get in touch with you once I am back in Austin.

I look forward to talking to some of you soon!

Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Kim

Live from Nashville...

...it's Leadership! I am safely at the Gaylord Opryland resort, and all I can say is "Wow!". It is absolutely stunning and HUGE! Very, very huge. There are so many amazing things to see I have just spent the last several hours wandering around and seeing the sights.

So, let me start by showing you our room:

It is very spacious, gorgeous bathroom, and for the first time ever since I have been traveling for Stampin' Up it is just Meg and I sharing. We usually have to share, but this time she is going to have to stop my snoring from 5 feet away. Good luck with that, Meg!

Next up, swaps! I made the same design in two different colors, so here is what I will be giving out to the other demonstrators:

I love this technique of embossing on vellum and then laying it over the top of Designer Series Paper. I have seen some of the swaps that other demos are working on, and they look amazing! I am really looking forward to getting some great new ideas.

Finally, a shot of the Cascade Garden area fountains, and my tasty sushi lunch!

More to come, now it is time to get ready for Manager's Reception!

Thanks for stopping by, and until next time, Happy Stamping!

Happy Birthday...

...to my father-in-law, J.P.Williams! Jay will be 91-years old on the 17th of this month. He fought in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps. They didn't have an "Air Force" branch back then. It was before those days. He was born and raised in West Virginia, and other than his military service which sent him to Guam, and his several month stay with us last year, he has lived there all of his life.

He spent his life working hard, raising his one son, and just being a good man with a huge heart. He has always treated me like his own daughter, and don't get me started about how much he loves Little Miss, because I will be talking for days. I can say that I am a better person for having him in my life, and I can't think of anyone that I would rather send a card to.

So, since I know he doesn't visit the intergoogles and won't see this until it hits his mailbox, here is his birthday card:

I have loved the "Countryside" set ever since I first saw it, and knew that dad would appreciate the beauty of an older model truck sitting by a still, blue pond. I hope that he knows how much we love and miss him here everyday, and I can't wait until we can see him again.

In case you are wanting to know the rest of the details about the card, here they are:

Stamp sets: Countryside, Occasional Quotes

Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Marina Mist

Ink: Timber Brown Staz-On, Marina Mist, Old Olive, Sahara Sand, Real Red

Thanks for stopping by to take a look. Now, go stamp something for someone special in your life!

Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Kim