Each of my current Stamp Clubs have only 2 more sessions remaining: May (Make & Take sessions are this week) and June.  And beginning in July, we'll be starting a brand-new cycle.  Would YOU like to share in the fun and join us this year, too?

Currently I have two closed-membership Stampers 30 Clubs going:  the 2nd Tuesday evening *here*, and the *following* evening in Oak Harbor.  But early in 2009 I began offering yet another format – where you may choose the make & take session you prefer to attend, as well as which *level* of participation you prefer:  Basic membership ($15 per month purchase commitment), or Premium membership ($30 per month) – and there's even a "no purchase required" option, too!  Depending on the Club sign-ups I get over this next month or so, I expect to continue offering those same activities as we roll into July and the new Stampin' Up! year.

If you'd like to join us this next year, please let me know right away – and indicate which level you'd like to participate at, as well as which make & take session you will likely attend.  I look forward to continuing to bring you unique and fun make & take projects throughout this upcoming year! 

Find more details about Stamp Club here.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Every 3 months the local contingent of Sea to Sea Stampers (my downline demonstrator group) gets together at my house to share brunch and a shoebox swap.  (A shoebox swap is where each participant prepares a project for each attendee to make.)  So this is one of our make & take projects from this morning's get-together - designed by Becca.

The color technique is the same technique I showed here and here…… and I'll be teaching it at my workshops this month.  Wanna learn how to do it yourself?  Call me for an invitation to a workshop!

These shoebox swaps are only one of the benefits of becoming a Sea to Sea Stamper.  If you'd like to learn more, let's chat about how being a Stampin' Up!® Demonstrator may fit with your lifestyle!

Yesterday I posted the baby girl card we made at my April Stamp-a-Stacks.  Today I'm sharing the baby BOY card from my May Stamp-a-Stacks.  But first, some background about how this card came to be….

I recently received a swap card that particularly caught my eye.  It featured the sweet little "Bambi" from the Forest Friends stamp set that we had used on last month's baby card, and Becca's layout really charmed me as well.  I knew I wanted to copy it, but it seemed a little redundant to double right back with the very same stamp we used just last month. 

So here's what I ended up doing:  I kept the overall layout (template), repeated the baby theme (from last month - except for a boy, this time), and switched out the colors and the stamps used.

I took my own color challenge – from my latest newsletter:  Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, and Tempting Turquoise.  The stamp set is Nursery Necessities.  (BTW, if you don't already get my newsletter, you can subscribe in the left-hand column of my blog – www.StamptheRock.com .)

And now you know the story of how this card came to be! 

Here's how I created the oval frame:  I cut an oval mask with my Coluzzle,  laid it onto the Whisper White layer and sponged So Saffron Classic ink all around.  Each stroke began on top of the mask and swept out towards the edges of the paper. This left the most intense color right at the edge of the mask.  Once the mask was removed, I used a Stampin' Write marker to draw "stitches" around the edge of the oval.

You know?  I just realized I never got this card posted from our APRIL Stamp-a-Stack, and now we've already had our MAY sessions!  But one of the cards we did at my May Stamp-a-Stack was linked in a way to this card, so I figured I'd better get the first one posted before posting the more recent one.

So here's that sweet baby girl card from April.  All together now, "Ahhhh……"……

Check back soon for the baby boy card we made at my May Stamp-a-Stacks this past weekend, and if you'd like to make cards like this, too, be sure to sign up for my monthly Stamp-a-Stacks.  All supplies except your SNAIL adhesive are supplied, and you don't even need any prior stamping experience to participate!  Your basic price ($12, unless you are entitled to a discount) includes 5 different card designs.  And if you've got time and want to make duplicates, they're only $1 each!

As you know, one of the 3 specials Stampin' Up!® is offering during May's National Scrapbooking Month is a sneak peek at the upcoming Jumble Alphabet stamp set, which will officially debut in the 2009/2010 Idea Book & Catalog, but which is available THIS month for 20% off its price in the catalog.

This unique stamp set comes with 3 different sizes of blocks, and to make it easier for you to mount it, Stampin' Up!® has published a mounting guide.  If you order the Jumble Alphabet and would like some mounting guidance, or even if you just want to view the individual uppercase and lowercase images of that particular set, this PDF file is for you.

To review the THREE National Scrapbooking Specials that Stampin' Up!® is offering this month, please click here.

This was one of the cards from my Stamp-a-Stacks this weekend.  Featuring the darling stamp set  "Cheep Talk", this  went together quickly in Kiwi Kiss, Pacific Point, and Tangerine Tango.  To add some "texture" to the background we used the "Sanded" background stamp (Kiwi Kiss ink), and tore along the bottom edge of the card.  Then we burnished Kiwi Kiss Classic ink onto the back layer to provide even more contrast.

Below are the images from Cheep Talk; you can order this set at www.StamptheRock.StampinUp.net

Since it's National Scrapbooking Month, I have another video for you – featuring 3 sweet scrapping projects that incorporate the Designer Series Papers that are on sale this month (buy 3, get 1 free)!

Click here to view the video as well as the products featured.  Enjoy!