When Indy Demonstrators Get Together....Part One!

One thing that gets those of us who LOVE Stampin' Up! stuff really excited.....is when there is a brand new catalog with lots of new things to play with.

Of course in January of each and every year the new stuff is also accompanied with the Sale-A-Bration catalog full of new stuff - that is also FREE stuff. 

One way to get to try out a lot of the new stuff - and get to catch up with/meet/eat/and just generally have a great time - is to participate in a Shoebox swap.  That is what a group of us did just a couple of weeks ago.  If you are unfamiliar with what that is - it is simply where everyone who is participating designs a card or project following the guidelines for that swap.  Ours was that it feature a new stamp set and any other new things from the Occasions and Sale-a-Bration catalogs.  Because we are demonstrators we make sure everything we use is current, that way everyone can easily go home and re-create what they have made.

You pack up all your stuff, cut (sometimes even stamped, punched, die cut - all up to the creator) in a 'shoebox'.  When you get there, you lay your project out and everyone goes from project to project.  We completed 13 projects in 3 hours!

Then, because we had stamped in a super cool nursery, we shopped.  They had just marked their Christmas Clearance 70% off.  We scored some major bargains!

You may have missed the project that I brought to the swap - it was designed with the Myths and Magic bundle - here is the Short and Simple video showing you how to make it.  Scroll back a post or two if you want to read the entire post on that project.

Then - let me show you just how fabulous some of the many ladies in my stamping group are!  Such talent here in the midwest!  Because there are so many cards, I am going to post half today and then half again tomorrow.  You are going to want to make sure you check back tomorrow.  BECAUSE - there is going to be 1) a short and simple video of one of the shoebox projects that was NOT mine!  2) a FLASH sale highlighting some of the sets these ladies chose  You won't want to miss it - as the flash sales are gone in a flash!

Teresa did a super easy card with the Waterfront stamp set.  Not only is it possibly the EASIEST stamp set you will ever use.  It had us dreaming of much warmer temperatures on the subfreezing, snow is coming day.

You will find yourself reaching for this set over and over.  Don't believe me?  Search it on Pinterest!

Susan has so much new stuff on it your head can spin!  Silver Gable boxes, Sale-A-Bration ribbon, Scallop Punches, and the adorable A Good Day stamp set.  If you have missed it, go now to check it out!

This card is beautiful and looks like you slaved away, but such little effort was really involved.  Susan used the Sweet Soiree suite - it is so beautiful - the metallic accents in the papers and the fine details on the dies - it is so delicate, but so simple to make!  Lovely!

 Heather got cheers all the way around when she showed off her project.  Not only is so striking - she had done most all of the work - leaving for us to just adhere it all together!  Love!

She used the True Gentlemen suite.  It does show up a tiny bit in the picture, but that corduroy ribbon - it is so lush.  Soft and gives such texture to the card.  Any guy in your life would be sure to love to get this card.

Another unicorn lover!  Gwen used the same stamp set that I did!  Although, she didn't use the dies.  If you don't have the Big Shot you can just get the stamp sets and the papers and look just how cute this card is!

I especially loved the way she cut out 'horns' from the glimmer paper for us all to add to our unicorns!  Adorable!

These two cards look like they could do a mash up later on!  Tonya did such a cute card with the rainbows.

The bundle is called Sunshine and Rainbows.  Seriously, not sure how I can not get it to go with my Unicorns??  Help, lol.  Love the way that she sponged our suns for us so we had glittery suns to match our glittery clouds.

Amy did an elegant Easter card.  Daffodils ARE coming (as I type the giant snowflakes are falling fast....but spring will be here soon and one of our first signs will be when the daffodils start to push up out of the ground)

The doily adds a nice spring old fashioned touch.  Look close to see the yellow rhinestones.  The card and the rhinestones are both colored with the Blends.

Finally - one of the most popular FREE selections so far this year has been the adorable Pandas.

If you have not been sold on them yet, maybe what Debbie did with them can help sway you!

Look at this fun tri-fold card!  Truth be told, mine doesn't look quite like hers as it was the last one I made that day and I was still recovering from the being sick.  I smudged his tummy and am missing a balloon on my middle panel.  Hers was much cuter!

But he is such a cute little guy, I don't think you notice too much!

I am not going to close this post with a special, because I want you to come back tomorrow to catch the flash sale and the rest of the cards that we made!!

See you then......