St. Luke's Craft Show 2010

So this is Stephanie at our booth at the St. Luke's Craft Show last fall. I sold more than anyone, however, it wasn't very busy since the show was in many diffeent classrooms, rather than a large area. So it was difficult to see everyone and get around. I think the parking may have been difficult, but I don't know for sure. We had fun getting ready...my girlfriends came out to help finsih up projects and then to set up. Stephanie and I had a fun time regardless! I think I 'll look for some other craft shows...especially now that Bob is retired...hahaha!

Christmas in July?!?!?

So here are two gift bags that contained gifts from a hubby to a wifey for Christmas. Part of my services include gift wrapping of holiday, birthday or special events. So - don't want a new vacuum or blender for a gift from your sweetheart? Give him/her a Stampin' Up! Wish list and tell him/her to contact me! Consider it done! Lookie what you could receive!!! I don't know about you, but these days, the wrapping excites me as much as the gift! LOL It's all in the presentation! So get that Wish list going from our new 2010 -2011 catalog - and hook me up!! You'll be glad you did! LOL

There were more gifts that I had wrapped, and here is a link to two other gifts for the same person. Kris' gifts. This was one of the most fun days of my holidays! I love to make other people feel good and I KNEW how much it would mean to Kris to have such fun, fab gifts to open! And I knew Peter would be happy giving such gifts! I LOVE when a plan comes together!

So if you would like to have gifts WONDERFULLY wrapped for a holiday or a birthday or other special event, give your wish list to your honey and have him/her email or call me - leave the rest up to us!!

The Gifts I Made MY Secret Sister, Cassie

Well, what do you do when your Secret Sister is one talented lady and from Texas (everything's bigger and better in Texas ya know! lol)? Well - you kick it up a notch that's what!! So check out what I made for Cassie! Besides some purchased gifties: I made her a journal; a flower arrangement using my Big Shot, my inherited floral skills, and my luscious Corduroy buttons to make Daisies and Black Eyed Susans!, and then some lovely SU rub-ons for the lil watering can (I really scared myself with how well this turned out!! LOL); and I followed many of my talented stamping sisters (especially Gretchen Barrows) on the trail to creating the flower pot cards...and I really like how this turned out too!; and finally - a tin with a belly band and a Dahlia flower - that my own little baby Stephanie helped me make since I was short on time...Enjoy the pictures!

sorry - its a little blurry - take it from me though...

very beautiful IRL!

Gift Wrapping...

I was lucky enough that one of my customers loved the wrapping on the gifts her husband got her from Stampin' Up! (through me) so much that she saved them! Why am I lucky? Because I should have taken a picture of them and posted it AFTER I knew Kris got the gifts....one of my OTD moments (older than dirt- right Wendy?) These are just two of the packages she got...Remember, part of my service in gift giving from "your honey" is that I will gladly wrap the items...so give your wish list to someone and send them on over to me!

My gift from Judy

My girlfriend Judy is a former history teacher, and took a trip to Israel recently. Kindly, she brought back souvenirs for her friends, and I was lucky enough to be a recipient. She brought us necklaces made from shells from the Sea of Galilea. So, since the necklace was strung on a rough string, I (after a suggestion from Judy herself!) made the shell into a bookmark. I used my Big Shot to cut out two larger scallop circles from chipboard (and it cut "like butta") and sandwiched the ribbon in between the scallops. I then tied the Baja Breeze ribbon onto the shell charm Judy gave me. Its hard to see unless you double click on the pic, but the inside part of the shell has a dove charm that says "peace", and then is filled in with a clear substance. I used the new Designer Series Paper called Parisian Breeze to decorate the scallop circles. Then I had a flower with a clear gemstone brad in it from something else I had been working on, and I added that as well. So now I have a beautiful religious bookmark with the soft muted color of the sea as an accent. It is truly a very special gift.

Judy is so kind to me....she's like my spiritual cheerleader. She just sent me a note (using one of the note cards I had made her for her birthday) about having faith through a rough time we are having right now ...She reminded me of the story of Esther and sent me a copy of the reading to encourage me. She and the gang of my other friends (the doll club) are all a gift from God as it is...and they have been a wealth of support to me these last several weeks...and I am sure in the upcoming ones as well....I even get a pep call every morning from Kathy....so while times are tough.....things are good.....and friends are golden....

Check out this ADORABLE Santa!!!

I am going to have to research the lovely woman who posted this on Beate's list serve...but I CASE-d this....because it is SO STINKIN" CUTE!! It uses the Big Shot (available from Stampin' Up!) and the Top Note die ... It consists of 3 die cuts in Whisper White, Real Red, and Blush Blossom. I used the small 1/2" round punch for the holly berries, used the small oval punch on Handsome Hunter paper and then trimmed them up to look like holly leaves, the 1" round punch for his nose and the 3/4 punch for his mouth, and 1/4" round punch for his hat pom pom...I sponged pink cheeks and edged his nose with Pretty In Pink ink...and lastly, used some googlie eyes from the craft store...I kept the Santa on the candy cane stick but cutting a strip of whisper white 1 3/4 X 5 1/5, scored the piece at approximately 1 1/2 inches from both ends and then used the 1" round punch on both ends, and attached the middle portion of the white strip to the back of Santa. Then I was able to slip the candy cane stick through the two circles to hold it in place. The candy cane stick was one of those fabulous finds at the Dollar Tree, where they are 2 for $1....Put the whole thing in a clear gift bag and tied it off with Real Red grosgrain ribbon... DONE!!!! I am making them for my students and for my grand kids....they are so very quick and easy!!!! Try 'em, you'll like 'em!!! LOL

Check out these conventin make and takes...

This card and the gift bag are more of our convention make and takes...I really LOVE this set they gave us for free...I need more time to play with it!! Why oh why is summer over!! {sniff sniff}...Enjoy!

I couldn't help myself!!!

OK - so this little book is very "pretty" for a toddler learning to write, but I couldn't help myself!! You know how much I LOVE making this out of our Bitty Board Book... and the only DSP I could pre-order was Bella Rose (you'll have to forgive me if I screw up and call it "Rosabella" - several years ago I had the pleasure of performing the role of Cleo in the musical Most Happy Fella at the local college - and I am having a brain misfire...every time I write or say it - it comes out "Rosabella" and not "Bella Rose"!! Argghh! Rosabella was the lead and I was her side kick! Eh - could be worse!! LOL) Anyhoo - back to the point at hand - my grand-daughters (6) all have and love "pretty" things - so they would all love this...my step-daughter and DIL's all have done the pretty route....while sticking to primary colors and sports and dinosaurs and such for the boys (5). Yeah....I know.....its fabulous to be a really young "Gram" ...ahhhhh, the blessings of a second marriage!! LOL OK OK OK -- so here's the book! We saw this demo'ed at convention in Denver in 2007...totally cool idea!! You write right on the page cover with the dry erase marker, wipe it off and give it a go again!! TA DA!!!! Enjoy!

The Secret Sister Gift I received - DDSS10

Thank you to my secret sister Pam! Look at the great stuff she sent to me!! I have to retake one of the close up shots as my camera is being a little fuzzy lately - of course its most likely me!!! LOL But check out these great gifts! I am sooo sad I decided I was unable to be a secret sis this round - but with everything going on - I thought it best to wait for DDSS 12.

Can you see it says Pixie DUST on the glitter!? LOVE THAT!

My Mothers' Day gift from Stephanie

Look what Stephanie made me! Its us with Queen Shelli! We had this taken at Session II Convention 2007. It was our first convention. She put it in a frame and decorated it with our Stampin' Up!® Rub-ons...Came out nice, eh?

OK - fooled ya! I am still in Mexico - where we went for a destination wedding (see ReenS creations page and you can see the progression of hand made stuff and cool wedding things) Steph and Scruff are holding down the fort...she probably has a thousand friends over making stuff...but that's a good thing!!

Anyway - hopefully my Secret Sister DDSS#10 has gotten her package by now. These were the other gifts that I made her. I made a whole set for her. Its a matching Journal, photo album, paper clip, and little lunch box. I loaded the box with all kinds of hodgepodge and pretties. Then, my DH had found this little round box that is covered in shiny fabric, and he said, "Hey Reen - can't you stamp on this or put those things on it?" - things being the rub ons - and I was so impressed I bought it even though I didn't think it would work. But guess what? You're right!!! It did!! So I put rub on's like no tomorrow sista! Came out cute. I put a ribbon sampler from 2007 convention in it for my Secret Sis. Hope she doesn't have one already. Let me know what you think!

ONE more thing - from the Spring Fling...

Surprise! No - not home yet!!!

This little guy is different pockets where you see the ribbon. We made it using the white cardboard that comes in the back of your DSP paper. I LOVE using stuff like that! Its a very green thing to do actually, and we all need to do a bit more of that. YKWIM? But - too cute I say. My up up up there upline Tina Rosenkrans and her gals are just FAB and I love going to her events. Plus - I just love Tina! If you look in the dictionary, under the word "PIP" - it says Tina Rosenkrans. LOL

a Preview of my Secret Sister Gifts I am sending...

OK - so ... YILMS....do you ever just make stuff and scare yourself it comes out so cute?!?!? That is what happened with this...so I have to share it and pray that my DDSS#10 doesn't see it...I made a squash book using one of my favorite sets. I will have to post actual colors and the actual DSP - but I used regular coasters for this and all SU stuff....so ENJOY it....I have to make another one cuz I am gonna cry when I mail this puppy out!! (yes - pun intended - muwha hahahahah)

ps= YILMS = yes I love myself!! - as per JanTink on SCS

My mother's Mother's Day gift

I wanted my mom's card to somewhat match the gift - so forgive me if I have posted a card with a retired set...I used the sunflower set (sniff, sniff)...however, the Designer Series paper is new, as well as the current sky blue in color paper...If you like the finale shot of the CD crate with flowers, I have more but they are listed on the ReenS Creations page ...Normally I would put retired stuff on those pages only, but I loved this too much and from the counts I see not everyone checks out the other pages as much...so ENJOY....cuz I adore this project!!

ABC Book

For those of you who went to convention last year, this item will seem familiar. I tweaked a project I had already done with a retired simply scrappin set - and since I wanted it to be current - I used this simply scrapping set that is current. I am sending it to a friend of mine up north as a sample for her business. I used the chip board, the on board bitty book and the Summer Days simply scrappin kit. If you use a dry erase marker - the kiddies can write on the plastic pages for practice and then wipe it off and redo again and again!!! Cute, eh?!?!?

Hey...a GIANT scallop!!!

So here is my take on a new use for the Stampin' Up!® scallop punch! Stephanie was getting ready for work on Sunday (poor thing - the hospital is ALWAYS open so she had to work on Super Bowl Sunday!)...and she wanted to display some type of team allegiance to the Giants (even though at heart she is an Eagles fan!) and so I said "hold on honey - I have an idea!!!!" She cut the ribbon, I whipped out my little alphabet and my scallop punch and WALLA!!!! Look how Stephanie represented for the Super Bowl!!



I had french braided her hair and since Steph wanted ribbons, I said that they actually looked like they could be for the Patriots too - and that's when the light bulb went off!! How Bout It???

Oh yeah - now I am 5'9" and I am standing right behind her shooting straight on...and yeah she's like 6'1.5" (she would prefer I not say 6'2"!)

Weekend work

Ok - so this is really what my daughter Stephanie did - while I cleaned the studio, got her materials, offered suggestions, put away the things I had from my Thursday evening class, and demonstrated to her....but it was fun none the less...So first - here are two altered notebooks - the new western paper (which I ADORE- already ordered more of it!) for herself and a small notebook for odds n ends....That ginger blossom DSP is great too!



Here is a grouping of the small notebook and a recipe box Steph did for her kitchen and a small candy holder - unfortunately I ran out of camera battery before I could take another photo so that's it of the candy...I did these at the class Thursday - it is 2 small pieces of card stock, with two scallops attached to the bottom, then eyelets set, ribbon through, two Hershey nuggets wrapped to match, sticky stuck to the card stock and WALLA! cute candy holder....My dearest upline Tracy taught me that one! Thanks Mama Bear!!



Inside the recipe box Stephanie made the dividers...by the way - box was $1 from Michaels...



and here is a close up of the box outside...yes - chip board flower, embossed white with a jeweled brad...and some hodgepodge...



Above are two travel mugs - one I believe is one from StarBucks Stephanie redid and the other is a small mug I found at the dollar store...and I will be offering a stamp camp with these in the project listings...its hard to see the flowers she punched - dang battery - should have turned the mugs for another "mug shot" (sorry BAAADDD joke but I couldn't resist!)




close up of the lil notebook again...



and last but not least, a gift for Stephanie's friend's lil girl Aliviah - so KIERSTAN STOP LOOKING! It's a surprise!

So - you wonder how could Stephanie do all these projects at a moments notice? Because I am the queen of collecting...you name it I most likely have 10 or so tucked away for a class "in the future"!! Trouble is, I end up just collecting - but one of my resolutions for 2008 is to get that stuff out and alter it!! WOOO HOOO!! You may be lucky enough to be in on any one of those projects!!!