TWELVE DAYS OF BLOG CANDY 2011

I got this idea a couple years ago from the Ellen DeGeneres Show's 12 Days of Giveaways, and decided to host my very own Twelve Days of Blog Candy Giveaways! You'll want to Subscribe to My Blog in a Reader, or Subscribe to My Blog in Email, to ensure you don't miss a single one of my Twelve Days of Blog Candy!

I have a dozen stamping prizes, one each day, that I will give away from December 13th through December 24th, 2011. Each prize will feature at least one stamp set, and possibly/probably some great holiday accessories and/or embellishments. These stamp sets are not brand new but are in excellent condition. Don't worry, I'll put separate pictures up each day of what the winner will be receiving, so you can choose what you'd like win! You will get what's pictured and described, but I reserve the right to toss extra goodies in the package if I'm so moved ;-) I may also give away discontinued patterned paper, ribbons, and other accessories and embellishments with any or all stamp sets.

Giveaway stamp sets this year tenatively will be: Snow Angels, Christmas Punch, Holiday Basics, Heavenly Peace, Supersize Snowflake (double-sided background stamp), Santa's Helpers (oh my gosh these elves are the cutest!), Patterned Pines, Season's Sketches, Peace on Earth, A Cardinal Christmas, Holiday Minis & Happy Winter, and Poinsettia Greetings!

Here's how it will work: you leave a comment on my blog under the post of the giveaway you want to earn, and you must include your first and last name, and email address in the comment. You may comment only ONCE per giveaway post, or all your entries will be discarded. HOWEVER, if you refer a friend who enters in accordance with the rules, and they choose to also mention your first and last name, and email address, in their comment--they get an entry PLUS you get another entry! So, if you see a giveaway you really, really want, enter yourself and then go email everyone you know and send them to the blog post to comment and mention your name!!!

NOTE: If you do not follow the directions, your entry will be disqualified! Be sure all the proper information appears in the comment itself--not just in one of the fields on the comment form, or your entry will be discarded. Also, you are encouraged to list your email address in text form, such as procrastistamper at gmail dot com, to prevent machines from harvesting it. (I will hide the comments, after each giveaway is over, for your added protection.)

DISCLAIMERS: One winner per name, delivery address, and/or email address during the 12 days, please. No purchase necessary to enter, however, each separate purchase from my ONLINE STORE will give you 10  Bonus Entries that will remain in the pool from the time I receive notice of your purchase, until the end of the giveaways. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be emailed the morning after the giveaway was posted, and MUST claim their prize by providing a valid postal address for delivery within 24 hours. (If you want to give the prize as a gift, by having me mail it directly to a third party, be sure to let me know so I can wrap and label it appropriately!) Prizes will be delivered via Priority Mail to U.S. addresses only, and may require the addressee's signature on delivery--so you need to give me the correct information to ensure your prize can be claimed. You must know the laws of your own state, and it is your responsibility not to enter if this giveaway is prohibited by your state law.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Mark Your Calendars for December 13th & 14th

Starting on December 13th, going through December 24th, I will once again be offering Twelve Days of Blog Candy! Every day for 12 days, I will offer something different...it may be for everyone, or you might have to be chosen to win. It will most likely be a used/retired item, or collection of items, from my stampin' stash. I have given away stamp sets, usually with a coordinating wheel if available, and/or coordinating patterned paper, coordinating ribbon or other embellishement, and/or a coordinating punch. See the pic below for samples of past giveaway items. You'll want to Subscribe to My Blog in a Reader, or Subscribe to My Blog in Email, to ensure you don't miss a single one of my Twelve Days of Blog Candy!

Also starting on December 13th, going through December 14th ONLY, is a special SALE when you PURCHASE A STARTER KIT that I am authorized to offer to you!!! This limited offer is available only through Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference registrants such as myself, and only on December 13th and December 14th, 2011. During this sale, you can Become a Demonstrator for only $125 (reg. $175), PLUS receive your choice of either: a FREE package of Designer Series Paper, or a FREE digital download each month in 2012 (excluding January). The value of the product in the Starter Kit is over $335, and you can get over $100 more in product with these bonuses!  Purchase a Starter Kit, it is customizable (you can pick the stamps and colors you want), so it makes a great HOLIDAY GIFT for yourself--just ask Santa for your holiday money on December 13th or 14th!

BONUS PERSONAL OFFER: I still have extra My Digital Studio Software, and Content Discs that were not claimed in November. I am giving those away to the first and second individuals who Become a Demonstrator on December 13th and December 14th. See this previous post for details.

By the way, when you Become a Demonstrator, there is no obligation to sell to anyone. If you find you cannot remain active after your entry period (which would be by the end of April 2012), that is okay, there are no black marks or hard feelings. When you Purchase the Starter Kit, it allows you to get a great deal on Stampin' Up! product, and see if Becoming a Demonstrator is a good fit for you! So, try it on for size with this great SALE and find out whether or not it's for you! Demonstrators always get 20% off their catalog purchases, and can qualify for larger rebates and commissions. Lots of demonstrators enjoy simply supporting their own hobby, and others use their demonstratorship to supplement their family income. The choice is always yours! You are welcome to EMAIL ME for more details, or call or text me at 719-205-5957 so I can help you make an informed decision that's best for you :-)

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Whoo's Ready for Christmas?

Okay, so I thought I was getting over the chest cold, but it tricked me and just went deeper. Grrr. I've been taking it easy all morning, just sitting with my laptop...then all of a sudden I got an idea, and I had to get up and try it out. Have you ever pictured a project in your mind and just almost wet all over yourself with glee as it came together even better than you imagined??? That's what happened when I stepped up my Owl Gift Box to make this little guy:

Uh, you may not believe this, but the Santa hat and the wings were actually made from our new Holiday Stocking die. I know, right?!? There is also a new coordinating Stocking Accents die you could use to cut out a candy cane and put on the box so it looks like the owl is holding it. (Note: the dies are used in the Big Shot machine):

Or use the Stocking Builder Punch, and the owl can hold a stocking:

I moved the ear tuft pieces farther into the owl's head, because my son said it looked more like a Gremlin (actually Mogwai) than an owl when they stuck out more. And I changed the color of the eyes, so all the card stock you'll need for this project can be found in the Neutrals Collection, and the 2010-2012 In Color Collection, so you can just buy those two assorted packages and be done with it. The handle is optional, so just skip it if you don't want to invest in the ribbon and brads.

This would be a great gift box for your kids' teachers! Trick him out even further by tying some of our adorable Mini Jingle Bells onto the brim of his hat with White Baker's Twine:

And for those of you who love penguins, I'm sure you can see how easy this would be to modify :-) I'll see if I can work one out for tomorrow--if I don't cough up a lung first. Sorry the lighting in these pictures stinks, I would have shot them outside except it was snowy and windy all day!

Stampin' Supplies: Big Shot die-cutting machine, Fancy Favor Box die, Top Note die, Holiday Stocking die, Stocking Accents die, 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, XL Oval Punch (to take "bites" out of scallop punch pieces for belly and feet), Heart to Heart Punch (beak), Boho Blossoms Punch (pom-pom on hat), Crimper, Early Espresso ink & Stampin' Sponge, Early Espresso card stock, Soft Suede card stock, Crumb Cake card stock, Whisper White card stock, Pear Pizzazz card stock, Poppy Parade card stock and Poly-Twill Ribbon, Basic Black card stock, Peach Parfait card stock, Mini Glue Dots, Sticky Strip, Mono Multi Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals, Rhinestone Gems, Jumbo Brads - Neutrals (to hold the ribbon handle on each side of the box), Crop-a-Dile (to punch holes thru ribbon and sides of box).

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Whoo Wants to See an Owl Gift Box?

Yeah, that title ranks right up there as one of the cheesiest I've come up with. Anyway, a friend of mine placed a birthday order with me recently, and her order included the Owl Builder Punch. (she just turned 29, right, Beth??? wink, wink) Well, I wanted to give her a little gift with her order, and since it appears she likes owls, I came up with this box for her gift [click image to see it full size]:

See those little tufts coming out of his ears? I have no idea where I saw that, but whoever came up with that design detail is just genius. It's actually the body of a punched bird (just the tail end sticking out) from the Bird Builder Punch. The gift is tucked in tissue paper into the box, which was left totally open at the top. The owl "face" is just a Top Note die cut piece, folded over, attached to the front of the box.  This is another project you could bling up with more layers of tufts at the ears, and some wings that stick out instead of just the illusion of wings. But, the more stuff you have sticking out, the harder it is to keep the box from getting mangled in transit. (that justifies my laziness, right?)

Stampin' Supplies: Big Shot die-cutting machine, Fancy Favor Box die, Top Note die, 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, XL Oval Punch (to take "bites" out of scallop punch pieces for belly and feet), Heart to Heart Punch (beak), Crimper, Early Espresso ink & Stampin' Sponge, Soft Suede card stock, Crumb Cake card stock, Whisper White card stock, Pool Party card stock, Basic Black card stock, Peach Parfait card stock and Poly-twill Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots, Sticky Strip, Mono Multi Glue, Rhinestone Gems, Vintage Trinkets - Brads (to hold the ribbon handle on each side of the box).

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Last Chance Online Extravaganza & FREE My Digital Studio

Before I get started, I just want to apologize for not posting with much regularity lately...probably this whole year. My father passed away in early February. In May, my son graduated high school and shortly thereafter was injured at work. I managed to get to the Stampin' Up! Convention in July, and then my mom passed away near the end of August. Over the summer we'd noticed a lump on our oldest kitty's throat, and by September he started needed progressively more care. We had to put him to sleep right before Thanksgiving, as despite some very comprehensive treatment, he got to where he could no longer walk or eat. So, that's the abbreviated version of my distractions in 2011. I'm ready for a much happier 2012 :-)

But, the reason I am posting today is that today and tomorrow are the last days of Stampin' Up!'s Online Extravaganza--with deals up to 60% off current merchandise!!! I wanted to make sure you don't miss it, as it will end at 11:50pm MT November 30th. Check out my ONLINE STORE to get in on the savings NOW!

View or download the PDF list of all Online Extravaganza deals HERE.

Hint: Insert an item number from the PDF in the Search the Store field near the top right of my ONLINE STORE page, then click the arrow, to see an image and full description of each item.

Also, today and tomorrow are the last days I'm offering a FREE My Digital Studio software DVD, and FREE Digital Content Discs to the first and second individuals who Become a Demonstrator in my group by 11:50pm MT November 30th! See THIS POST for complete details.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

FREE My Digital Studio Software or Digital Content CD...

...when you are the first or second person to Become a Demonstrator in my Stampin' Up! group, by purchasing the Starter Kit between now and 11:50pm Mountain Time on November 30th, 2011! (You must live in the United States to join my team, and qualify for this offer.)

Why am I giving these things away?? The Starter Kit is such a great deal anytime, but it is especially convenient throughout the holiday season, for making cards, tags, gifts, and decorating. The products I am giving away were free to me, and I already have one of each of them*. PLUS, I will get a free surprise from Stampin' Up! when someone new joins my team by November 30th. So, I am just paying forward the freebies :-) 

The first person to Join My Team will get the My Digital Studio® DVD software--an $80 value, yours for FREE when you Become a Demonstrator. Create your own personalized greeting cards with Stampin' Up!'s exclusive images & have them professionally printed (even comes with envelope!). Choose from multiple templates and sizes, even photocards! You can also print your creations at home**. Create personalized calendars for your family and friends. Choose from multiple templates and sizes, including desktop and (CD) jewel case! EVERYONE on your shopping list can use a calendar. Pamper yourself and personalize your own softcover Monthly Planner to start the new year off right--you'll get to brag that you made it, every time you take it out. (Please be aware that predesigned templates are available for tons of projects, and some may only be obtained as separate downloads.)

The second person to Join My Team will get a My Digital Studio® Savor the Season Ensemble Content CD--a $26+ value, yours for FREE when you Become a Demonstrator. [UPDATE: I actually have several Content Discs to choose from if you are not interested in the holiday ensemble!]  The images can be used in My Digital Studio, or in ANY graphics editing program that can handle .jpg and .png images. These are perfect for holiday bows, tags, and packaging, as seen in the image above.  The content includes a 36-piece stamp brush set, 10 Designer Series Papers, and TWENTY décor template pages! These are predesigned sheets you can print out to make paper bows, banners, mini boxes, treat labels, and more.

There's no obligation to sell anything after you Become a Demonstrator...seriously, it can be nothing more than a great deal on holiday project supplies for you :-)  As a demonstrator, you'll always get at least 20% off catalog purchases, and you can still be your own Hostess and earn FREE dollars to spend in the catalog on top of that!  Make it a part-time or even full-time income whenever, and if ever, you want.  The great thing is that you can customize the contents of your Starter Kit, and get the supplies you know YOU want to use.

Contact me if you'd like to know more before you sign up!  FYI: there are two Starter Kits available--if you are the first person to Join My Team and you choose the Digital+ Starter Kit, I will give you your choice of my copy of the MDS Software (because you'll already get one in your kit, but may want one to give as a gift), or other free Content CDs I have obtained in duplicate.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

*I inherited my copy of My Digital Studio from my mother, who passed away recently, so the software has been opened but is in its original package. I have already cleared it with Stampin' Up! to give away this copy, so there will be no licensing issues.

**Home printing requirements vary by project, and capabilities are limited by your home printer. For best results and color matching, choose Stampin' Up!'s professional print services. Must be a registered MDS user to submit projects for professional print services.

Worldwide Week of Workshops

Wow, it's November 10th already. I've spent just over a week now trying to get my computer to cooperate with me after Windows fried itself. Thank God I'm good with tech stuff, and I back up my stuff...most of the time has been spent reinstalling (and updating) Windows, reinstalling (and upgrading some) programs, and making sure I understand how to get graphics device drivers installed cleanly so I don't have the same problem again later. Unfortunately, on Windows, when you uninstall something, you don't necessarily get ALL of it...and those little artifacts can really mess up your day (or week, in my case) at some unforeseen juncture down the road! My computer is a lot more stable now, and I feel a lot more geekier. But I've missed stamping!!!

November 1-8th was Stampin' Up!'s Worldwide Week of Workshops. I held a Workshop in my home on the 8th, and below are the cards we made. You don't have to spend hours creating a masterpiece every time you stamp...these cards are cute and they only took a few minutes to make:

Yes, this card is another version of one I posted HERE...it was much easier to make this way!

Stampin' Supplies: Warmest of Wishes stamp set (Hostess Exclusive), Pool Party card stock and ink pad and marker, Very Vanilla card stock, Soft Suede ink pad, Pear Pizzazz Poly-Twill Ribbon & marker, More Mustard marker, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, Antique Brads (legs cut off), Stampin' Dimensionals (for wreath and brad), Mini Glue Dots (to adhere ribbon knot), Stamp-a-majig.

Stampin' Supplies: Gift Givers stamp set, Christmas Greetings stamp set, Cherry Cobbler card stock and ink pad, Very Vanilla card stock, Soft Suede ink pad, Old Olive ink pad & 1/8" Tafetta Ribbon, Blender Pens, Stocking Builder Punch, Crop-a-Dile (1/8" hole in stocking), Snow Burst Embossing Folder (use with Big Shot), Stampin' Dimensionals, Paper Snips (to cut ends of banner).

When you visit my ONLINE STORE to get your supplies, don't forget the envelopes! The Very Vanilla Medium Envelopes are the perfect size, and coordinate nicely with either of these cards. Now is the perfect time to get started on your handmade cards, gifts and décor for the holidays. Remember, you can always call (719-205-5957) or email me to place your order--I can save you time by helping you find the tools and coordinating product you'll need for your project(s).

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR