It's here - It's here - and not a minute too soon!!!

The 2013-14 Catalog is up and running - just in time -as I have been on pins and needles to place my first order.  Order now through June 2 and get a FREE catalog sent to you with any $50 online purchase along with an adorable "In-Color" bookmark for using in your new catty. 

Click on the "Shop Now" link to the right, and be sure to enter the following Hostess Code when you add to the shopping cart.  See the blank near the left hand bottom where it will ask you for the code, then hit apply -

Code is - GV3XBGCM

It's gonna be a great year!!!  ~Maureen

Goodbye to Artistic Etchings!

Today I wanted to share the technique and card we made at our last Technique club. It uses the inked embossing folder technique that was our technique of the night.  Also used the collage technique which we have done before.  This is such an awesome set, and I really hate to see it go - but just wait till you see all the great new sets in the new catalog.  Plus we have a couple spots open in our Technique club - so let me know if you're interested in joining us and I'll send full details!

Wanna see - wanna see - well join us at our Open house -

Sunday, June 2, 2013 - 2:00 – 5:00 PM

New Catalog Open House and

Discontinued Product/Stamp Sale

Maureen's Home in Simi Valley (let me know if you need my address)

Cost:  No Cost –

so grab your Mom, sister, daughter and friends and come see the new Stampin' Up! catalog and what it has to offer. There will be refreshments, doorprizes, new product samples to see, free make and take projects, PLUS tons of discontinued product and stamps, priced to sell!!   

Purchase BONUS  - for each discontinued stamp set you purchase you'll get a $1.00 credit in the new catalog for purchases made at the Open House.

Don't miss out - but be sure to RSVP by Saturday, June 1 at Noon so we have enough food and projects prepped. Hostesses will receive a separate invitation to their special pre-event event. 

Anyone wanting to purchase a catalog - cost is $5.00 and you’ll receive a coupon  for $5.00 to apply to your first catalog purchase of $25.00 or more after the event. Order when you RSVP and we’ll have it and your coupon ready for you at the event. 

Hope to see you there!!!  ~Maureen

Fun day with Zav and Zam

So last week I had my first Gramma Day with my little 3 year olds Zavian and Zamarah - no their not twins - but cousins who really love each other.  We had such a fun time together.  Here are the two of them playing on play area at the mall.

Posing in the the hollow log -

And then it was off to have ice cream - Zav picked Cotton candy ice cream with gummy bears -

Zamarah chose Strawberry ice cream with M&M's -

Here's Gramma with each of them at the end of our day.

Now they get into the rotation for Gramma days, and next time will each get a special day of their own - can't wait!!  Nothing better than being a Gramma.  ~Maureen

Goodbye to the "Best Dad Ever" Stamp Set

Today we're saying goodbye to another great set that will be retiring May 31 - "Best Dad Ever"  - I love this set because it comes with multiple sentiments to use through out the year - including "Happy Father's Day" and "Best Dad Ever".  The ties are great - and you can see we cut out and popped up the middle one - adding a little tie tac made out of our mini brads. 

We're also saying goodby to this "Parker's Patterns" Designer Series Paper and the biggest shock to me - the amazing "Distressed Dots" background stamps is going away.  So if you are interested in ordering any of these retiring products be sure to "shop now" at my website - www.stampingwithmaureen.stampinup.net. See you soon - Maureen

Goodbye "Oh, Whale!"

This little guy is soooo cute and I was so surprised when he did not appear in the new catalog.  So from all indications he'll be gone with the Spring mini ends on May 31st.  We made this card at my last week's Cards camp - the yellow oval in the back is from a continuing set - so will not go away.  To me it reminded me of the sun setting over the ocean.  The other great part of this set, is it has a matching wheel (that makes the water image below him) and a matching Clearlit die so you can easily cut him out with your Big Shot or Cuttlebug.

You can order these products and any other current Stampin' Up! products as well as clearance items at my website - www.stampingwithmaureen.stampinup.net - just click the "shop now" button at the upper right of the screen.  Stop back soon - Maureen

Come join my club - come have some fun!!

~*~*~*~*~Come Join my Stamping Club~*~*~*~*~

I'm currently taking sign-ups for my next round of Stampers Club that will begin meeting in June - with the start of the NEW catalog year.   If you join, you’ll have a $22 purchase commitment per month for 10 months and for that commitment you get a FREE Idea Book and Catalog; FREE seasonal catalogs for the next year; 10 workshops to attend where you'll make three projects (a 6x6 technique/project page, and a greeting card and another project at least one of them using that technique) at each workshop and you'll get to see all the newest products as they become available; PLUS one month to be the hostess where you'll get a hostess gift and all the hostess benefits (a hand stamped gift from me;  a minimum of $15 FREE merchandise of your choice); an invitation to my annual Hostess Appreciation Event (with make and take and door-prizes) - plus you get to stamp on a regular basis with friends - what could be better! 

(Samples of one club projects.  
Goodbye to Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper)

All workshops are held at my home - usually the 3rd Friday evening of the month - so you don't even have to clean.  As hostess your month - you'll need to bring beverages, snacks and paper-goods - that's it!

This is a great way to stay up to date on what Stampin’ Up! has to offer; learn all about stamping products and techniques; spend time with other friendly stampers; and build your stamping supplies little by little.   I hope you’ll consider joining us!

~*~*~*~*~

SPECIAL OFFER - For 2013-14 Club Members!

Five FREE 6x6" page protectors (that will hold up to 10 technique/project pages.)  ($7.50 value)  Plus I'll offer a couple other surprises as the year goes on :)  Sign-up by May 31 and you will receive them at our first Stampers Club meeting in June.  Sign up by May 24th and pick up your brand new CATALOG on May 25th :)  Let me know if you'd like more information.

Stampingly, Maureen

Goodbye to some old friends....

So, we have two weeks left before the new SU catalog - and believe me I can't wait.  But in the meantime we'll be saying goodbye to a bunch of my old favorites - so over the next couple weeks I'll be sharing cards made with retiring sets.  Today we're saying good bye to "Chock-full of Cheer" pg10 of the current catalog.  This was a card from last month's card class - the verse and ornament are from that set. 

But what I really love about this card is the use of the branch from "Betsy's Blossoms" which by the way is NOT going away :)   Hope you like the card.  See you soon.  ~Maureen

Happy Mother's Day to our Mom's

Today I wanted to honor two amazing women - first my husband's mother, Gloria - she lives far from us, but is always in our hearts - she is a wonderful, Godly woman, who tirelessly prays for us and our family and I so appreciate that.  She is truly amazing - 92 years old and still walks miles each day - I can't even do that now :)  She means the world to us and we wish we lived closer!

Second, I want to honor my beloved Mom, Bernice.  She is no longer with us and I miss her everyday.  She raised nine wonderful children who rise up and call her blessed - her impact on my life is endless.  How I long to some day be reunited with her (and my father) in heaven.

If your Mom is still alive - please give her an extra hug today if you can.  ~Maureen

Christmas Card Stamp Camp

Today I'm sharing one of the two cards we made at my last Christmas Card Stamp Camp - Isn't it lovely!!  I especially love the wood grain background.

This card was designed by my daughter Heidi - she and I do many stamp camps together.  You can see more of her work at www.stampinking.blogspot.com.  Stop back soon to see the other card we made.
~Maureen

Club Project!

Today I wanted to share the cute little boxes we made at Club in April - the top and bottom are each made with a 2-4-6-8 pattern.  We used a 2 3/4" x 8 1/2" strip and scored each at 2" 4" 6" and 8" which leaves 1/2" to adhere with tape.  The bottom out of cardstock we also scored lengthwise at 3/4", cut up to horizontal score at each of the veritical marks to fold in and make a bottom.  The top is just the strip - adhered and punched and threaded with ribbon. 

Both pieces were then folded in on the sides so that the top fit over the bottom.

Now you have an adorable little box to fill with candy - how about a chocolate truffle :)  Sounds good to me - stop back soon!! ~Maureen

Paper Toile Butterfly

So for our card made with the Paper Toile method -we used this beautiful butterfly.  Stamped it several times, and cut out parts of the wings to layer up.

Here you can see a bit closer the different layers - especially when you look at the body of the butterfly.

And here it is from the side showing the base and the three smaller layers we popped up - great look for an elegant card.

Thanks for stopping by.  ~Maureen

Paper Toile Technique Card

Today I'm sharing last month's technique card from my Club - it was Paper Toile -

It's an image stamped over and over and cut out different layers of it - layering with dimensionals in between to give this great look!

Hope you can see the different layers in this picture - makes the flower pop right up off the page - Love it!!  Stop back soon to see the greeting card we made using this technique.  ~Maureen

He's HERE!!!

Hi All - sorry my posts have been so sporadic recently - April was a crazy month at home, at work, with birthdays - and now as you can see my newest grandbaby arrived - barely made it in April - but he did it :)  Welcome to Kyan Racine King - welcomed at home by my daughter and son-in-law Heidi and Aaron, as well as their three other children.  What a full-house they now have - full of blessings!

Kyan arrived weighing 7 lbs 15 oz and was 20 1/2" - just perfect in every way!!

It was Heidi's shortest labor and delivery (thank God) and everyone is doing fantastic.  I just can't get enough of holding this new little one.  Each birth of one of my grandchildren is such a miracle - and my heart overflows with gratefulness - I think I was born to be a Gramma :)  I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot more pics of this little guy as time goes on!  ~Gramma Maureen