Now HERE'S something fun!

Two Weeks Only! 15% Off Personalized M&M'S® Candies

Do you have any big events coming up this fall or winter?  Wedding, special birthday, baby shower, etc.?  How about a holiday party or event - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, or Valentines?

I know I'm not supposed to post any pictures yet, but there's an AWESOME stamp set and coordinating candy cup arriving in the soon-to-be-released Stampin' Up!® Holiday Mini Catalog that you're just going to SWOON over!  And I'll bet it'll cause you to immediately start thinking candy – like M&M's®, for instance! 

And did you know you can have your own personalized message printed on the M&M's® of your choice?!?  How cool would THAT be? And not only that, but for the next two weeks the enclosed links will get you a 15% discount on your custom M&M's®.  Just click the either of the enclosed links in this post and start choosing your own colors & custom message. 

I can't wait till mine arrive!  I know exactly what I'm gonna do with 'em, and if you'll be at one of my events this fall you'll get to see these precious sweet treats, too!

Remember though - your 15% discount only lasts for 2 weeks…… so don't wait too long!

Two Weeks Only! 15% Off Personalized M&M'S® Candies

Here's what to look for when you visit me at the Island County Fair!  We've totally redesigned our booth this year, so be looking for our overhead banners and hanging shelves!  Find me in the Turner (Commercial) building, booth #61.

Get your kids measured with our brand-new, limited-edition growth chart, see the Big Shot in action, and get a preview of some of our upcoming product lines from the Holiday Mini Catalog, too! 

Come visit me at our booth at the Island County Fair this weekend (booth 61 in the Turner/Commercial Building), and get the little ones measured while you check out Stampin' Up's cool new Growth Chart!  This fun chart will help you record and remember those special years that fly by much too quickly. 

Mount yours directly on a wall – or make it portable by placing it on the side of a tall piece of furniture or a framed board. 

Only $24.95 for a generation of precious memories!

You can order your own growth chart here – but hurry, because this is a limited-edition item that will only be available through September!

It's almost here!  We've spent the past 2 days over at the Fairgrounds setting up our booth and displays (same location, but completely different set-up this year, btw), and I think I may actually be ready by the time my first shift begins Thursday afternoon!  I've only got 1 display board left to assemble this evening, and then it's just a matter of running around gathering up detail-y stuff I need to remember to take along.  I'll run over early tomorrow morning to polish off the finishing touches before opening  (fingers crossed it's not raining at the time I have to carry in the display boards!), and then hope to get a nap before my shift begins that afternoon.

So please come see me!  I'll have a little gift for any of my readers who stop by during my shift and ask; here are the *approximate* hours you'll find me in booth #61 in the Turner (Commercial) Building:

Thursday:  3:30 – 10:00 pm

Friday:  9:30 am - 3:30 pm

Saturday:    4:00 – 10:30 pm

Sunday:    9:30 am – 2:30 pm

See you there!

Well.  Sometimes the best-laid plans just don't work out the way you envision.  And blogging during Convention was one of those things.  Why?  Well, mostly because I was just too busy, and havin' too much fun hanging out with my Sea to Sea Stamper friends that I only get to see once a year!  The alarm would go off at 5:00 am, we met for breakfast at 6:00 am, and headed out the door for our hike to the Convention Center by 7:15.  Then on the other end of the day we had dinner together (along with lots and lots of laughs), and a couple of times I got hauled off to the pool area to watch while others swam or enjoyed the hot tub.  (Why "others", you ask?  Well, this body hasn't seen a bathing suit in about a decade.  And there are NO plans to change that anytime soon!)

So by the time I wrote a Convention update to my downline group back home I was falling asleep and that oh-so-comfortable-and-luxurious bed was calling me and reminding me that 5:00 am was just around the corner again!

But so now I'm home.  And I'd like to share an overview of the week, but "overview"?  What is that?  I could try to recall most of the activities of our super-stuffed days – or just stick to the highlights.  The latter is probably more realistic.

So that's where I'll begin. 

Christie and I were the only two Conventioneers from Whidbey Island this year.  Travel on Tuesday went reasonably well, although Delta seemed to really be having trouble that day getting OTHER flyers to their desired destinations.  But we lucked out and arrived in Salt Lake City on schedule.  Which was good, given that we had signed up for a shoebox swap that began at 6:00 pm that evening.  So after a quick dinner at Denny's we made our way over to the Hilton, where we joined into the swap – already in progress.  Here's the table where we set up shop:

What a fun night!  I'd definitely do it again next year!  Each participant had been asked to create 57 swaps – 30 of them completed in their entirety, and 27 ready for others to stamp them up themselves.  Similar to the style of my events, we moved from station to station….. all around 3 large tables of stamping stations, making a card at each.  The cards were awesome, too….. so don't be surprised if some of 'em show up at some future events of mine later this season!  

But we all know that where there are stampers there has to be chocolate.  So of course stamping wasn't the only attraction of the evening.  Here's our chocolate fountain with goodies for dipping.  (And just to confirm, choosing fruit for dunkin' makes the chocolate a health food, right?) 

There was another table of chocolate treats on the other side of the room, too, but would you believe I was so busy stamping I hardly got a chance to explore it?

Here's the card I contributed to our swap.  Yes, it's the same one I presented at my Hostess Appreciation Party last month, but I figured why reinvent the wheel when it was so popular?!?  Ask to see the swaps I got in exchange - next time you're here!

 Well, by the time you read this I should be on my way to my 14th consecutive Stampin' Up! Convention!  Thank you to those of you who helped get me out the door on time, coming through with extra supplies I ran out of and needed at the last minute for my swaps, processing packages that will arrive in my absence, and so many other things!  And a special note of thanks to my parents for always helping with the last-minute scramble and for looking after things in my absence!

This year I will have my brand-new, less than 1 week old, sweet little netbook with me and therefore hope to be able to post some news from time to time.  Look for this Convention logo for posts about our Convention experience! And if it all sounds like fun, remember you, too, can join me next year!  Being able to attend Convention is only one of the many benefits of being a demonstrator; read more here, and remember that during the month of August you can start your own Stampin' Up! business for as little as $85 plus tax! 

This just in! 

The price of the Country Living Summer Cookout Kit has just been reduced by 40% - to $10!  Still available through Aug. 31 – or until they run out…… and I expect they WILL!  (The refill kit, which includes just the paper goods for 8 additional people, but no stamps or ink - is still $9.95)  If you've had your eye on this charming kit for your remaining summer BBQ's, better get yours quick!

So the final Deal of the Week is our fun Heart to Heart Punch – shown on page 187, item #28.  It's regularly $15.95, but this week (through Friday) it's only $10.99!  If you don't already have it, now's a great opportunity to add it to your punch collection!  I reach for mine often.  Order it here.

Ok, so planning time has completely gotten away from me this month!  I've got the projects for this class planned, but not fully prepped, and I still need to polish up and print your reference handouts.   AND, most of all,  I haven't had sufficient lead time to let y'all know the details of the class!  

So here's the scoop:  I'm going to postpone this class (originally scheduled for tonight, Friday evening) until tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 10:00 am….. and then will repeat it Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm.  And then I'll do it again in its entirety in August, too.  (Date not yet determined.)  But if you can fit it into this weekend, that will be best.  I can take up to 5 people per session.  And be sure to bring your Big Shot if you have one!  (Along with any questions or puzzlements you may have, too.)

This class includes a complimentary handy reference chart to assist you in putting together the various "sandwiches" for your dies.  You'll also learn how to make a scallop envelope large enough to accommodate a gift card (you've probably noticed the pesky things just don't quite fit, but I'll show you how to "cheat" that), and you'll see some new tricks for your Top Note die, and several other "out of the box" tips, tricks, and ideas, too!  Four (4) make & take projects in all!

There's no charge for this class if you have purchased (or earned) your Big Shot through me; otherwise, $6 materials fee if you do not yet own a Big Shot (or got it elsewhere)…… (or $5 for current  Stampers 30 Club members).

Give me a quick call or email if you'd like to come – and I'm sorry for the late, late notice!

Good news about Bermuda Bay:  progress is being made!  We should be able to start ordering the Classic pads and refills on July 29th.  If you have already paid me for them I will place an order for yours automatically at that time.  Otherwise, if you've been holding off and waiting to order – it's almost time!