Monthly Archives: August 2014

19 Greeting Stamps!

Good Greetings

Space at a premium? Then this 19-piece rubber stamp set is just what you need! And the best thing is – it’s free! Just host a $300 party (in person or a book party) and in addition to your regular hostess gifts (at least $50 of whatever you want from the catalog), you will receive the Good Greetings stamp set (wood mount or clear mount – your choice) absolutely FREE!!

I will be in San Antonio until spring and would LOVE to do a party with YOU!! I can come to your home or your RV park or we can come up with a creative solution! Just Email Me and we’ll set it up.

And I would love to send you the Stampin’ Up! catalog and the brand new Holiday Catalog Email me your best phone number and the best time to call.

Holiday Crafting Projects

Holiday Mini

In a few days it will be Labor Day and then…. BOOM!  Halloween…. Thanksgiving….. Christmas…… New Years!  Time for gifts and parties!  And even if you live in an RV, it doesn’t mean that you have to forgo all the fun!

The new Stampin’ Up! Holiday catalog is packed FULL of versatile stamp sets that can carry you all way from the BOO to the Champagne.  And there are tons of other products that you will need, too.  AND they can be delivered direct to YOUR home, no matter where (in the US), your home is!

Everything is more fun with a party, though, and I would love to party with you – if you are in the San Antonio area, invite me and a few of your friends over for a stampin’ party.  We will make some cute projects and YOU will earn free products for your efforts!  Call me at (210) 684-5800 for more information!

Special Offer – Don’t Miss Out!

Special Offer1

I have loved being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator for the last 19+ years.  Here I am, getting ready to go RV’ing full time and I can take my business on the road.  If you are an RV crafter too, check out this special deal and you can take YOUR business on the road, too!  (Or you can keep it at home – totally up to you!)

When you purchase a Stampin’ Up! starter kit between August 21st and August 28th for $99 plus tax, you will receive $150 worth of products in your kit! Normally, you can select $125 worth of products, so you can see that this is a special deal!  In addition, you will get catalogs, order forms, and more – everything you need to share your craft with your friends!

Here is what else you can look forward to:

  • 20% (or more) commission on whatever you sell
  • 20% (or more) discount on whatever you buy
  • Early and exclusive access to new products
  • Opportunities to earn free products, cash bonuses, even all-expense paid trips
  • Access to Demonstrator-only websites with lots of creative and business ideas

You can view the Annual Catalog HERE to start your list, and then click HERE to get started.

Please let me know if you have ANY questions at all!!

And Progress Continues….

I haven’t been at the RV much since my last post.  I did take some stuff from the bathroom and bedroom over and I put the DVD media shelf together.  Other than that, I have spent time at the house with my business (did some stamping and got ready for my team meeting) and I also went through my *stuff* one more time.  The first time I did a purge, I got rid of about half my stuff, then a month or so later, I went through it again and got rid of half of that.  I had a pile of boxes, etc of stuff that I wanted to keep, but wasn’t sure what to do with.

I spent 2 half-days going through it again, probably for the last time until I move it over and this is what I ended up with.

The shelves to the right are mostly stamp sets and the will go into the media shelves that I  mentioned earlier.  I love that all of Stampin’ Up!’s stamp sets are stored in DVD-style boxes.  It makes organization a breeze!

Most of the rest of this pile is fabric-related and for now, it will all go in the “basement”, a large area under the RV.  I intend to do sewing but not right away so I will just stow it away for now.

Boxes1

These boxes are for scrapbooking – decades worth of photos and memorabilia that I “plan on scrapbooking” some day.  This will go into storage because I just don’t even want to think about it just yet.

Boxes2

And here are my Elfa shelves that will go into the studio – smack in the middle of room (in a 2×2 square with a solid wood top.  The one on the far right will go under the crafting table.

Elfa

That’s it for now… more later!

RV Renovation – Day 2

Second day.  I am so tired.  Why am I doing this?  I know me and I know I must have a good reason, so let’s keep going!

Yesterday was pulling apart.  Today is about putting together.

The crafting space.  The desk used to be the bunk.  It is held up by some MDF panels and the bunk brackets.  The curtain rods have a 2-1/2″ return which makes them stick out too far, so on the bottom window, I replaced the rod with some wire.  They will never be open but should look ok from the outside.  By the way, these photos make the blinds and curtains look pink – I can assure you that there are no pink curtains in my house! 🙂

Craft Space2

The office space.  You may recall from yesterday that this slide has the sliding mechanism under the box.  We cut the bunk into 3 pieces and used MDF for the sides and the shelf on top.  I’m sure it won’t be the most comfortable place to work, but since I have a laptop, I can move it anywhere.

Office Space2

Where my media shelves (to store stamp sets and more) will live.  I wanted to keep the outlets, so we built a base with a false bottom for the DVD shelves.  I’ll be able to store catalogs on the bottom shelf to keep them out of the way.

Media Shelf base

What was once a desk.  Is now a shelf.  The TV bracket will go on the top section.  I think maybe the other shelves will work for displaying 3-D samples.

Desk now shelf

Next up: put the DVD shelves together, install the TV, and bring over the big Elfa shelves that will live in the middle of the room.  On paper, everything looked good, but in person, it looks like it is going to be too tight.  I think that the new office chairs I bought will be too big.  But I won’t know for sure until everything is in the room.  Mike has other clients to work for, and I have quite a bit of stuff to move in, so we will resume the redo next week.

I always include a blurb about where I am and what I am up to in my weekly emails.  If you want to keep up to date, sign up for my newsletter.  There are also some cute projects you may like!

RV Renovation – Day 1

The RV finally made it to San Antonio (though the auto-leveler is not working), but it is time to start turning that bunkhouse into a studio.  I must admit that it was scary pulling apart a brand new unit!!

First up: remove the closet.  A closet seems like a good idea to have in a craft room, but I am going to put DVD shelving here instead and it is much better fit (you’ll agree later).  It seems like a simple job but look closely at the bottom – see that white square?  It’s an electrical outlet, so we have to be very careful.  Also, there are a LOT of screws holding this thing to the wall!!

Before:

Bunkhouse3

After:

Closet Gone

Next, let’s remove the bunks and couches.  First, the right side.  This is where my office desk will be.  There was a problem right away.  I thought that the we would have a nice, clean area to work with.  I even verified it with the factory rep, but apparently, we had a communication issue.  Under the couch, there is a box that holds the mechanism for the slideout.  I got that familiar “what have I done” feeling in the pit of my stomach, but gave it some thought, discussed with Mike, and I think we have a solution.  You’ll see.

Before:

Bunkhouse2

After.  The Elfa shelves on the left and the file cabinet were supposed to go *under* the desk, but instead, they will go *next* to the desk.  I hope this works!

Office Space

OK, onto the Crafting Space – the other slide-out.  There are drawers under this couch, so I think we are going to be ok here.  Except for a ton of screws and  tight fit, it all came out just fine.

Before:

Bunkhouse1

After:

Crafting Space

And the final project – the desk.  My original plan was to remove it altogether, but we learned early on that wouldn’t work.  There are outlets, bracing for a TV, and a thermostat in and on this desk.  Instead of removing, we are going to cut it down, changing it from a desk to a shelf.

Before.  I don’t think I ever took a picture of the desk before, so I grabbed this one off the internet – thank you, Merch!

Desk - before

After.  We are going to cut the bottom sides down 3″ and remove about 10″ from the desk.

Desk - was

After we did the demolition, we loaded everything into Mike’s van and headed to his house to do some cutting.

This is what is planned:

  1. When we removed the bunks, we realized that we could use them for the tables.  They are finished, appear to be sturdy enough, and will save some bucks.  So, tables on both sides in the slide-outs.  Each will have a file cabinet and an Elfa drawer system.
  2. The desk will be turned into a shelf and the TV will be installed.
  3. The DVD shelving will be put together and placed where the closet was.  We’ll build a platform to put the outlets in and hide the wires.

After the demo, Mike and I went to his house to drop off the stuff we took out of the unit and to do some cutting.

Meet Mike, my friend and handyman:

Mike1

and his race car:

Mike's Car

Cutting….

Cutting down the office desk2

and fine design:

Design Specs

After that, we went to Lowe’s and got 3 sheets of MDF and a TV bracket.  FYI, MDF is a good material to use because it looks fairly good, can be painted, or not, and is always straight.  But the sheets are HEAVY!  After loading the MDF into the van, we decided that we were exhausted and would call it a day.

Be sure to check back here tomorrow for some progress shots!!

Rosette Die – A Weekly Deal!

Every week, Stampin’ Up! puts a handful of products on sale and one of the items this week is the Rosette XL Die (125594).  With this die, you can make beautiful medallions up to 10″ in diameter, like these:

Rosette Die

And here is one of my videos, showing how easy it is to make them:  (the video is from 2012 when my main site was Stampin’ With Gail before I started RV Crafting)

And here are ALL the deals for this week.  By the way, I LOVE the purse die and the envelope liners, too!!

Weekly Deal - Aug 12-18

You can order any of these and so much more at my Stampin’ Up! store.  Email me if you have any questions.

Moving my new RV – Or maybe Not!

Yesterday was supposed to be a big day but it didn’t go the way I had intended. I drove to Buda Texas, where Crestview RV Sales has been kind enough to let me leave my fifth wheel for a while.  The plan was to do the final walk-through to see how everything worked and then to have my new friends, Sheila and Roger tow it back to the Admiralty RV Park near Sea World.

First, it was HOT!  Second it was CROWDED!  I had a 4:00 appointment, but they got a bit backed up and didn’t get started until nearly 4:30.  The walk-through started ok enough…. though I wonder why they sell you an RV and then make you have to buy the hoses and connectors.  Shouldn’t those come with it?

Propane tanks, battery, storage, check!  The auto-leveler is pretty cool – push one button and the jacks go up and down until the unit is perfectly level.  Say, why didn’t the jacks on the back go down?  Hmmm, looks like someone set the pins too high on the front jacks.  We’ll have to address that when the truck comes (or get the forklift).

On to the inside…. buttons for lights, awning, slide-outs, air conditioners, and fans… Say, what is that beeping?  Why is the refrigerator unhappy?  After pushing buttons and explaining that you want AC, but automatically switch to propane when the electricity is off, the error code (Li oP) won’t go away.  I just so happened to have brought all the papers with me so I rip open the refrigerator manual and look it up.  Oh, oh, says that the consumer can’t fix this one and to call for service.  As it turns out, the service guy lives in San Antonio – he can fix it at the park.  Good.

About this time, Sheila and Roger arrive and we try to hurry through the rest of the walk-through…. cabinets, doors, toilets, check.  OK, let’s button this down and get out of here.  Close slide 1, slide 2, slide 3, slide 4, slide 5…. slide 5?  Oh oh, slide 5 won’t go in.  Check the fuse.  It’s blown.  Go to office and get another fuse.  Try again.  Fuse blows again.  (maybe I need to keep some spare fuses)  Pull the panel off.  Look at all those wires!  Can’t fix it.  It’s now after closing time.  They will have to fix it Monday and deliver it to the park.  So I pay Sheila and Roger so they can head back to San Antonio, make a shopping list of hoses, etc that I need to get from the service department which is now closed, get it in writing that they are going to deliver my unit to me, give Robert a hug (bless his heart), and head home.

Wow.  What a day.  Wish I could give you some pictures.  Hopefully the next post will be more productive!!

 

Big News!

Interesting title, isn’t it?  When I typed it, it was because I am going to share with you 2 samples that Lori made using the stamp set, Big News.  But it has another meaning today – today I am going to bring my RV to San Antonio!  My handyman and I will work on it this week, converting the bunkhouse into a studio, and over the next couple of weeks, I will be moving in full-time!  Wow!  Exciting!!  Scary!!

But now, on to the cards!!  Take a good look at this one – It’s big but really oh, so simple!  Lori made the background by inking up the largest clear block we have, spritzing it with water, and stamping on some white cardstock.  Cool!

Big News - Birthday Color Wash Big News - Birthday Color Wash - inside

  • Stamps: Big News (wood: 134015, clear: 134018)
  • Inks: Coastal Cabana (131175), Island Indigo (126986), and Calypso Coral (126983) Classic Stampin’ Pads
  • Paper: Whisper White (100730), Coastal Cabana (131297), and Crisp Cantaloupe (131298) cardstock
  • Accessories: Big Shot (113439), Apothecary Accents framelets (127003), What’s up punch (133781), Coastal Cabana thick bakers twine (135638), Stamping Dimensionals (104430), Clear Block F (118483), Stampin’ Spritzer (126185)

And this one is so fun – that big stamp has so much presence!!

Big News - Flashback Awesomeness Big News - Flashback Awesomeness - inside

  • Stamps: Big News (wood: 134015, clear: 134018)
  • Stampin’ Write Markers: Real Red (100052), Pool Party (from the Subtles Collection: 131263), Hello Honey (from the 2014-2015 InColor Collection: 133654)
  • Paper: Smokey Slate (131202), Pool Party (122924), Hello Honey (133678), and Very Vanilla (101650) cardstock; Flashback Designer Series Paper (133699)
  • Accessories: Big Shot (113439), Beach House washi tape (133689), Bitty punch pack (133787), Zigzag embossing folder (193738), Real Red 1/4″ cotton ribbon (134563), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430)

Shop at my Stampin’ Up! store to order any of these supplies, and to be sure you are getting all my news every week, sign up for my Mailing List (fill out the form on the right).

Tax-Free in Texas This Weekend!

Tax Free2

Don’t fight the traffic and the crowds!  You can purchase any of these from now til Sunday tax-free!!

  • 2-way Glue (100425)
  • Snail Adhesive (104332)
  • Snail Refill (104331)
  • Fast Fuse Adhesive (129026)
  • Fast Fuse Refill (129027)
  • Stampin’ Glue Sticks (130654)
  • Crystal Effects (101055)
  • Sticky Strip (104294)
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430)
  • Glue Dots (103683)
  • Transfer Adhesive Sheets (133722)
  • Jumbo Sticky Rounds (127852)
  • Shaker Frames (124155)
  • Multipurpose Liquid Glue (110755)
  • Grid Paper (130148)
  • Craft Scissors (108360)
  • Paper snips (103579)
  • Fringe Scissors (133325)
  • 1/16″ Hole punch (134363)
  • 1/8″ Hole punch (134365)
  • 1/4″ Hole punch (134364)
  • Project Life Journaling Pens (135304)
  • uni-ball Signo Gel Pen (105021)
  • Silver Stampin’ Dazzle Makers (128978)
  • Gold Stampin’ Dazzle Makers (133634)
  • White Stampin’ Chalk Markers (132133)
  • Blender Pens (102845)
  • Stampin Write Marker Kits (various)  but not Many Marvelous Markers because it is over $100
  • Stampin’ Write markers (various)
  • Stampin’ Blendabilities Markers (various)

Order at my Stampin’ Up! store or email me now.

Blended Brayer

I wanted to share a gorgeous card that I am doing for Stamp Club this month:

Thank You Card

I have been in love with blending with a brayer for many years and used to make big stacks of backgrounds to have on hand for a quick card.  I almost always used glossy cardstock because the ink stays wet longer, allowing the colors to blend easier.  Sadly, Stampin’ Up! doesn’t sell glossy cardstock anymore and I figured that the brayer would be next.  I sure hope not, though because at convention, Michelle Zindorf demonstrating this technique using our Whisper White cardstock and when I tried it, I realized that it wasn’t hard!

This month will probably be my last one to have a traditional stamp club here in San Antonio but my current Virtual Stamp Club members will have lifetime access to a video of my making this card (plus 2 others!).  It’s not too late to join for this month – just click HERE (or the Virtual Stamp Club button under the RV) for all the details.  I have one member who has been a Virtual Club member for over 2 years, but you can sign up for 6 months and make up you own mind.  Check it out!

Bloom with Hope

OK, back to the new Catalog swaps!!  Today I want to share some amazing cards by June, using the stamp set, “Bloom with Hope”.  This one might actually be my favorite card of the entire swap.  The little flowers are punched, but the larger ones are hand-cut: a labor of love!

Bloom with Hope - Happy Birthday Bloom with Hope - Happy Birthday - inside

  • Stamps: Bloom with Hope (wood: 133949, clear: 133952)
  • Inks: Momento/Tuxedo Black (132708); Blendabilities Coastal Cabana assortment (130996) and Old Olive assortment  (130999)
  • Paper: Coastal Cabana (131297), Hello Honey (133678), Baked Brown Sugar (131296), and Whisper White (100730) cardstock, and Lullaby Designer Series Paper (133695)
    Accessories: Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack (133787), Rhinestones (119246), Pearls (119247), Linen Thread (104199); 2013-2015 In Color Sequin Assortment (133631), Hello Honey Washi Tape/Happiness Project Life Kit (135309), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), and Glue Dots (103683)

In contrast, this elegant card is simply black and white with a touch of blue – striking!

Bloom with Hope - Sympathy Bloom with Hope - Sympathy - inside

  • Stamps: Bloom with Hope (wood: 133949, clear: 133952)
  • Inks: Momento/Tuxedo Black (132708)
  • Paper: Basic Black (121045), Pacific Point (111350), and Whisper White (100730) cardstock, and Back to Black Designer Series Paper (133700)
  • Accessories: Black/White Baker’s Twine (134576), Pacific Point Candy Dots/Brights Collection (130931), Party Pennant Bigz L Die (133732), and Dimensionals (104430)

If you need any supplies to make these cards, or if you have any questions about them, email me!

 

My August Swap Card

Each month, I make a bunch of the same card to swap among my team members and stamp club members.  I guess when I hit the road, I will be making a change there, huh?  This is the card that I made 24 of today:

August Swap

It uses a new stamp set, Seasonally Scattered, from the upcoming Holiday Catalog.  The set also includes “Merry” and “Love”), and I think you will love it!!

In addition to my team and stamp club members, I will also be sending this to my Virtual Club members (but don’t tell them because I want it to be a surprise – nudge, nudge, wink!).

If you want to know more about my Virtual Club, click HERE.

Oh My Goodies!

I took a little creative break yesterday and put together these adorable bags – perfect for a favor or small gift.

Goodies

I used the All Abloom paper stack (133703) which is sized perfectly for these treats.  The paper is 4-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ so I didn’t need to cut it to size.  All I did was score 1″, 3″, 4″, and 6″ along the long side and 1″ along the short side.  That gives me a bag that is 3-1/2″ tall, 2″ wide, and 1″ deep.

I stamped the tags from the Oh My Goodies stamp set (wood: 134807, clear: 134090) with Melon Mambo (126948) and Island Indigo (126986) ink, die cut with the Deco Labels framelits (130102) and attached with the In Color Clothespins (133630).

They look to be a perfect size for Ghirardelli chocolates and a perfect gift for my upcoming Stamp Club!

Good news: This month, when you buy a Big Shot (113439), you can select a free stamp set & framelit bundle – so you can get the Oh My Goodies stamp set and Deco Label framelits FREE!! (you save $42.90 or $49.90 depending on if you select clear mount or wood mount).  #BigShotSpecial

Save BIG with Big Shot Special!

This month, when you buy the Big Shot die-cutting machine, you can select a stamp & framelit bundle for FREE! (value from $36.90 to $63.90).  I love crafting with my Big Shot and can’t imagine not having it around.  With matching stamps, you can stamp all kinds of images and cut them out perfectly every time. You can make cool boxes. You can emboss amazing textures on your cards.  You won’t know what you would do without it – or how you managed before you had one!

A Big Shot makes an amazing gift, too!  Hours of enjoyment for the paper crafter, card maker, and scrapbooker – did you know that with steel-rule dies (the thicker gray ones), you can even die cut fabric?  Up to 8 layers at a time!  Wow!

If you already own a Big Shot but want to take advantage of this special, you can order any of these bundles (even the one with the stamp set from the Holiday Catalog), for 15% off.  Check it out:

Big Shot Special