A bit early..

Thought I'd get my February Background and Header on. My internet is so temperamental .it only took 3 hours to get it to load.

Well get this ..talk about false advertising ...Dish network has a commercial on TV that their internet is available EVERYWHERE...well it's not here.

I couldn't believe I can have their TV service but not internet, that just boggles my mind.

I am using Virgin Mobile Broad band... it is unlimited for $40 a month, but I can not watch any tutorial videos, can not Skype with my grand son, major issues opening blogs with slide shows on the side bar.

Oh well ... I have a workshop Saturday, first one I got for SAB (surprised me!) Serious sign of how bad the economy really is huh!

I'll get the projects posted in a few minutes (well it could be hours LOL)

New signature too!

Elegance

Fab Friday's Color Challenge
 Cherry Cobbler, Pool Party, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake,Pink Pirouette
Had to use Mojo Monday's Sketch Challenge 276 ... haven't done that in a while!

Now just what to do with it!

Fab Friday

Fab Friday Blog has a Color Challenge this week, and I love these colors!

Oh, I am so making a card now.....

A new thought...

I've come across a couple Demo blogs with cool ideas; my fave,

FREE STAMPS FOR CUSTOMERS!

I'm thinking about offering a new monthly promotion for my customers. 

Each month, I will give away one free stamp set. 

You can enter the drawing by placing any order outside of Clubs, Workshops or Classes. 
Simply order online at stampinup.com and select me (Vikki Selix, Brook Park, MN) (email orders straight to me count too!) as your demo.

You'll get one entry for each order that you place with me anytime during the month. I would draw a winner on the 1st of the next month.

Opinions anyone?

Best of 25

Please note:

• All Best of stamp sets will include 3-5 images, including a never-before seen image, and will be priced at $14.95.
• While we are releasing just one Best of stamp set per month (with a new theme each month), all of the Best of sets will be available until March 31, 2014.
• A new flyer will be released every month for each new Best of set.
• All Best of stamp sets are available in Clear-Mount only.

This is my favorite part!! As a special incentive to collect the Best of stamps, starting in February we're including a collector's card and 25-year proof of purchase sticker with every Best of set. Collect six stickers, and send it in to redeem a FREE set of your choice valued up to $14.95! (Free sets must be redeemed no later than April 30, 2014.) 

Click here to download a Collectors' Card.

Feel the Love Valentines Offer

From January 3 through January 21, you will have the opportunity to purchase the exclusive Valentine Treat Bundle.  This bundle, created specifically for this special offer, contains the brand-new Happy Valentine Heart Single Stamp (see Treat Giving below) and a package of 1" x 8" cellophane bags.

During the My Little Valentine promotion, you will get the Sealed with Love Simply Sent Kit FREE (a $7.95 value) when you purchase the brand-new My Little Valentine Set (see Card Giving below).  This four-piece set was created exclusively for this promotion and will not be available again after January 21!   The My Little Valentine Stamp Set is only available in clear-mount.

 Promotion Details:

• The promotion will run January 3-21, 2013.
• During the promotion, you can place both promotion orders on any order type (customer, workshop, or online).
• For every My Little Valentine Set that you purchase, you will get a Sealed with Love Simply Sent Kit FREE!
• There are no limits to the number of My Little Valentine Sets that you can order and the number of Sealed with Love Simply Sent Kits you can earn for free.
• The Happy Valentine Heart Single Stamp coordinates with the Full Heart Punch (#119883; $16.95), but the punch is not included in the bundle.
• Promotion deadlines:  Monday, January 21, 2013; 11:50 PM (MT)

Paper Pumpkin

FAQs

Q: When Will I Be Billed?
A: Your credit card will be charged as soon as your Paper Pumpkin ships. You will get an e-mail notifying you that your card has been charged.

Q: What comes in my Paper Pumpkin?
A: One of the best parts of your Paper Pumpkin membership is that you never know what is going to be in that beautiful red box.  It’s like opening a present every month— we don’t want to ruin the surprise for you!  No worries, though, you'll have everything you need to complete the project: paper, stamps, ink, accessories, and more! (You will need adhesive.)

Q: Will the items in each Paper Pumpkin be available for sale individually?
A: Part of the fun of having a Paper Pumpkin membership is receiving exclusive products to play with!  Most of the items in your Paper Pumpkin are exclusive, never-before seen products (can you say yippee?)  You will, however, see a few tried-and-true products in your Paper Pumpkin that you can buy individually in the catalog.

Q: Is my subscription on auto renew?
A: Yes, your subscription is on auto renew.  However, you can skip a month or cancel at any time. Simply log on to your account on www.mypaperpumpkin.com and click skip a month before the 10th of the month in order to skip the Paper Pumpkin for that month. If you click skip a month on the 11th of the month, you will receive that month's Paper Pumpkin and not receive the following month's Paper Pumpkin.

Q: When do I need to sign up in order to get my Paper Pumpkin for a specific month?
A: You need to sign up by the 10th of the month in order to receive your Paper Pumpkin for that month.  If you sign up after the 10th―no worries!   You will get your first kit the following month. You'll know your Paper Pumpkin is on its way when you receive your shipment confirmation e-mail.

Q: It asked me if I have a demonstrator—what is that?
A: That's me!  Please be sure to put my name―Vikki Selix (Brook Park, MN)―in that field.  And if you have more questions, please feel free to call or email me and I will be happy to help you out!

Paper Pumpkin

Available in March:

• Afraid of commitment?  You can try me and I'll visit just once. (But I know you'll want me to come back every month.)
• I'm $16.95 plus shipping.
• I've got all the stamps, ink, paper, and accessories to create beautiful projects.
• I'm all cut, measured, and ready—with easy instructions included.

Paper Pumpkin

How to Get Started .....

It's so easy to get started. Simply sign up for the program starting Monday, January 14 by visiting   Paper Pumpkin and click Get it.  

Select me (Vikki Selix) as your demonstrator and then every month a new, surprise project kit arrives at your doorstep. 

Just think of the anticipation of creating a fun project to pin, showoff, and share with your friends and family-every month!

Here's the nitty gritty:

• Each month you'll receive a unique, surprise kit with a project-cards, journals, décor, and more! (We've even color-coordinated, measured, and cut everything for you!)
• Each kit includes stamps, ink, paper, and accessories-everything but adhesive.
• Each kit gives you a 30-minute creativity escape.
• We will ship your Paper Pumpkin on or around the 15th of the month.
• You need to sign up for a kit by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit. If you sign up on the 11th of the month, your first kit will come the next month. (Let's say you sign up on May 10th, we'll send your kit around May 15th. If you sign up on May 11th, we'll send your first kit around June 15th.)
• A Paper Pumpkin membership is $19.95 per month (and shipping is included!)
• There's no commitment, you can cancel your monthly Paper Pumpkin at anytime. You can also skip a month if you want.
• Starting in early March, we'll offer a Try-It kit if you'd like to try Paper Pumpkin for one month.

The Welcome Kit is the very first Paper Pumpkin you will receive in your first month of membership.

The Welcome Kit includes a free gift-a clear acrylic block! 

Subscribe now... Paper Pumpkin

Single Stamps

Offer Details:

• These stamps are available on any order type: customer, workshop, or even online!  
• Use the single stamp numbers above when ordering.
• The single stamps WILL NOT be sent to you in our typical cases or packaging; they will be packaged in cello bags (see banner above).  If you'd like a case for your single stamps, you can buy our Clear-Mount Stamp Cases that come in packs of four (#119105). 
• This offer is available for clear-mount stamps only. 
• The stamps do not come with a Clear-Mount Block.  You will need to buy a block separately if you don't already have one. The recommended block sizes can be found in the charts above. 
• There's no limit on how many pieces you can buy. 
• This is a limited time offer available now through March 31, 2013.

Seriously! I must get the towel stamp, how cool is that one!!

Dude, You're Welcome! Kit

Guys don't always have the easiest time expressing themselves, but with the Dude, You're Welcome! kit, they'll have

• Four wood-mount stamps (double-mounted) with the perfect sentiment for every occasion
• Twelve 4" x 6" postcards in four different (manly) colors
• Twelve gray envelopes
• A Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad
• An instructional guide (for the most novice stamper!)

Basically, the kit includes everything a dude needs to create the perfect manly card that any woman would adore, all packaged in an appropriately masculine box.

Item	Description	Price
132807	Dude, You're Welcome! Kit	$24.95

Top 10 dangerous driving songs

This was tonight's topic on  the 10 pm news! I got a giggle by their findings!

Most of us like to listen to music while we’re driving.

However, there are some songs you would do well to avoid when behind the wheel, according to the results of a new motoring experiment by Confused.com.

American dance act the Black Eyed Peas’ 2004 hit Hey Mama topped the chart of songs not to drive to.

And it seems rock music is the most dangerous music genre to listen to if you want to stay safe on the road, judging from the make up of the top 10 dangerous driving songs.

Top 10 dangerous driving songs

1. Hey Mama – The Black Eyed Peas
2. Dead on Arrival – Fall Out Boy
3. Paper Planes – M.I.A
4. Walkie Talkie Man – Steriogram
5. Paradise City - Guns N’ Roses
6. How You Remind Me – Nickelback
7. Hit the Road, Jack – Ray Charles
8. Get Rhythm – Johnny Cash
9. Heartless – Kanye West
10. Young, Wild and Free – Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa (feat. Bruno Mars)

Now for me personally Radar Love by Golden Earring tops this list! LOL

What's yours?

For Aunt Helen

I've been busy CASing

Michelerey's card Antique Vine Thanks

Here's mine.....

tamps: Thoughts and Prayers and It's A Wrap

Paper: Whisper White, Not Quite Navy

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, Chocolate Chip, and Always Artichoke

Accessories: Beveled Windowpanes and Not Quite Navy and Linen Thread, Unknown CB Embossing folder

I usually don't do anything inside  but for this one I stamped a piece of the branch with the "Know I Care" Verse from this set.

What do you use for a sentiment for someone who is not going to get well?

CASE'd Snowfall

For the All Occasion Card Challenge Sheri challenged us to go through our fave's folder and CASE one, I chose this one

Jay_Bee's Jugs53 

It was for a Just us Girls Blog Sketch

Stamps: SU Lovely as a Tree

Paper:  SU Basic Black, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White

Ink: Versamarker to make the snow, Basic Black, Baja Breeze, Night Of Navy

Accessories: Sizzix Dots embossing folder, SU Not Quite Navy Ribbon, Iridescent Ice EP

Dresser Card

Stamps: Baby Bundle

Paper: SU So Saffron and Whisper White

Ink: Su Markers and Soft Suede

Accessories: SU Brads, Decorative Label Punch, Dimensionals

So Saffron;

Base - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" 

See tutorial for step by step scoring and folding

* In the tutorial I did 3 smaller drawers *

For this card they are 2 3/4" x 1"

The Clothes Hanger is 2 1/4" x 1/2"

All edges are rubbed with Soft Suede Ink

I can see my Brads are not very straight..go figure! 

Dimensionals behind the drawers and Clothes Hanger

Whisper White Pieces (from the scrap box)

inside piece to hold Gift Card 2 3/4" x 1 3/4"  (I used 1/8" Score Tape)

I used the markers to ink my stamps, stamped the image then cut them out...

(NEVER AGAIN! LOL )

* Also, in the tutorial I used a Nestie for the leg area of the dresser * 

For this card I used the Decorative Label Punch 

(it is for a SU Workshop)

To line up the holder piece, I put the score tape on it, peele doff the backing, and lined it up with the top of the leg opening and closed the card to adhere it to the back 

I will also suggest making the legs down a bit lower as the Gift Card JUST fits. and you do  not want that white holder piece showing when the card is closed

Queen For The Day

Stamps: None

Paper: Razzleberry Ripple CS & DP

Ink: None

Accessories: Sharpie Markers, Aluminum Foli, CB Folder, Butterfly from Prima

Queen For The Day #147... is mother's daughter

Here's her card... http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ga...;ppuser=241694

Baby Shower Tri Shutter

Stamps: Baby Bundle

Paper: SU Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie and So Saffron

Ink: SU Markers and Water Color Pencils

Accessories: SU Square Lattice EB Folder, SU Label Framelits

So Saffron Pieces;

Use the 4th Die and Cut 2 Pieces (Emboss)

Base;  5 1/2' x 12"

Score at 2", 4", 8" and 10"

Cut the long way 1 1/2" from Top at the 2" score all the way to the 10" score

Pumpkin Pie Pieces;

Cut 2 - 3 3/4" x 1 1/4"

Cut 4 - 1 3/4" x 1 1/4"

Cut 2 - 5 1/4" x 1 3/4" (Emboss)

Cut 2 - 2 1/4" x 1 3/4" (Emboss)

Cut 1 - 3 3/4" x 2 1/4"

Whisper White Pieces;

Using the 5th Label Die Cut 3

Cut 4 pieces - 1" x 1 1/2"

Cut 2 pieces - 3 1/2" x 1"

Inspired by Pinterest

The neighbor, who has been running us around this week, her daughter just turned 6. Carrie saw this card on Pinterest and I thought it was so cute!

Getting anything to stick to the Glitter Paper was rough! 

The wire is the only part not SU..well I guess neither is the money... ha ha
Oh shucks, neither is the orange Stickles for the flames! 

Stamps: SU Birthday Bliss

Paper: All SU

Ink: SU Basic Black

Accessories: Build a Bird 'Branch' Punch for flames, Stickles for flames

Queen For The Day

SCS has a challenge called "Queen For The Day" Where they have picked someone's gallery for you to find one of their cards to CASE. Well this week's queen was yourself.

Unfortunately I borrowed out my EB Folder Dots...so I went with SU Stripes

This Card was Almost SUO...them darned little Eyelets! LOL

Stamps: The Open Sea

Paper: SU: Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede

Ink: Old Olive, Versa Mark, White Craft

Accessories: Unknown Eyelets, SU Linen Thread, Oval Punch, White EB Powder, Corner Notch Punch

This here is my card that I CASE'd Imagine

Happy New Year

Well I got my background and Header all changed for January. Not too sure I like it though.
Background along the sides, seems alright.

The header should have a clear background, it looks so ... square! LOL

WOW! Just got a look at the new signature... not liking that either. Oh well now I know what not to do for February, right?

I was going to only have the little snow man and the greeting, but I didn't think he'd show up with the white background in the post box.


Does anyone else use MDS for their blogs? Any tips or ideas?