A Productive Weekend at a Virtual Creative Escape!

I haven't had such a productive weekend in I can't remember how long! That's what always happens when I go on a Creative Escape Weekend with Stamp Spectacular Desiree Spenst and Inking on the Fly Amy Jasper! When I put on a weekend retreat, I'm usually too busy to get as much done, so it's a real treat when I get a chance to take advantage of one put on by my upline. Now, you must be wondering how we did that with quarantine orders in place? Well, since we had all paid for our retreat back in January, Desiree and Amy decided we could go ahead with it virtually, by Zoom!

There were some drawbacks, of course, but also some great advantages! The best for me was that I didn't have to pack up and haul my whole craft room with me and I had everything I needed right on hand! For some of the other attendees, who weren't demonstrators, I'm sure they missed having access to all Desiree's and Amy's equipment, but they asked people to let them know if there was something they were particularly hoping to borrow and they made sure it was in their swag bags for the weekend.

What we didn't get in time away from the house and meals already made for us, we got back in improved treats and swag bags and a guest speaker and a gift certificate! All in all, I actually preferred this online version I think. and you can tell by how much I got done.

These were some thank you cards for customers, made with leftovers from April's Paper Pumpkin kit and other materials.

These are cards for my team for our team meeting on Wednesday (also using Zoom, I might add). I used Butterfly Wishes for these in notecard size. 

We had some challenges during the weekend and these are some of the results.

In the middle, you can see three cards made with Seaside Notions, which will be the stamp set for my next Online Class! And these will be the samples for it.

And the two cards in the middle are the last ones I made. They are floating frame technique cards, using the Timeless Tropical stamp set in the Mini Catalogue and will be the subject of my May newsletter tutorial.

So lots to look forward to in the coming days! Tighten your seat belt and come along for the ride!!

 If you live in Canada, and don't have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I'd love to be yours. I can help you with ideas, get you catalogues and provide you with Stampin' Up products. You can leave a message in the comments or contact me using any of the methods listed in the right side bar at the top of the page. You can shop with me from anywhere in Canada by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the top menu or clicking on any of products below from my Online Store. 

Product List

Butterfly Wishes Cling Stamp Set [149346] $31.00	Seaside Notions Cling Stamp Set [149278] $31.00	A Good Man Cling Stamp Set [149270] $33.00	Beautiful Moments Cling Stamp Set [151677] $31.00	Winter Woods Cling-Mount Stamp Set [151359] $31.00
Timeless Tropical Cling Stamp Set (English) [151497] $31.00	Timeless Tropical Bundle (English) [153811] $71.00	So Sentimental Bundle (English) [153828] $66.50	Parisian Blossoms Specialty Designer Series Paper [151192] $20.00	Best Dressed 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [151319] $15.75
Bird Ballad Designer Series Paper [149592] $15.75	Pressed Petals Specialty Designer Series Paper [149500] $20.00	Come Sail Away Designer Series Paper [149481] $15.75	In The Tropics Dies [151495] $48.00	Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690] $44.00
Stitched Rectangle Dies [148551] $48.00	Layering Circles Dies [151770] $48.00	Power Of Hope Bundle [152318] $0.00	Scripty 3D Embossing Folder [149634] $14.00

All Good Things Must Come to an End

I got home yesterday afternoon from our Creative Escape Papercrafting Retreat.  Rockridge Canyon proved to be just as beautiful as the pictures and the food....Oooh, la la!  It was a location very nurturing to one's creativity and I got a lot done.  Here's a photo of the gang:

I got quite a few cards made, but can't show you too many now because some are top secret!  I will show them to you when they are declassified!

I will show you a couple though, because they are for some challenges.                                                                                                      

The Paper Players Challenge #169 is a sketch by Anne Marie Hile.  And Dynamic Duos has a colour challenge this week for Challenge #76

I had some glittery fun with this one:

• I think that the Silver Glimmer paper adds just the right touch with these two shakes of purple.
• I went back to an old favourite stamp set, Lacy and Lovely for the doily in the 2 1/2" circle.  The silver matte is the next biggest Circles Collection framelit.
• The sentiment is from Loving Thoughts.  With the concentric circles above it, it's almost like your being hypnotized.  Look at the middle of the circle.  You are getting sleepy!  You will go immediately to my on-line store and purchase the 25 stamp sets that are on sale now for 25% off.  When I snap my fingers, you will awaken.  You will remember nothing!

• I really like the border of Scallop Border Punched silver glimmer paper with the Delicate Details Lace Tape underneath.

One of the challenges we competed in over the weekend at the retreat was a colour challenge, that I found out later was from a Challenge Blog I'd never heard of before, ColorQ Challenges.  Here's their challenge logo:

Obviously, I've been hiding my head in the sand, because they've been around for a long time.  This is their 212th Challenge!

Here's my card:

• Since we no longer have Kiwi Kiss, I used Pear Pizzazz instead.  
• The starburst that is supposed to represent fireworks on Halloween night, is made with a stamp I don't own, but was able to use at the retreat - Betsy's Blossoms.  I will say that when it first came out last year, I grew to dislike it intensely because everyone and his dog was using it and I got pretty tired of seeing it on every blog.  Since then, I've grown to like it, especially this particular image.
• I was happy to be able to use more of my Witches' Brew DSP on this project, because it's almost Halloween and I have a heck of a lot of it left!
• The sentiment is from Seasonal Sayings, and LOOK!  I used WASHI tape, which I don't do very often, if at all!

Anyway, I'm happy to be home and back to work, brimming with lots of new ideas for you and a couple of new techniques to show you!  Have a great Monday!

Stamps:  Lacy and Lovely (w132025; c122887); Loving Thoughts (w128436; c125845)

Paper:  Subtles Designer Series Paper Stack (130135); Silver Glimmer Paper (124005); Perfect Plum (101889), Wisteria Wonder (122922) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pad in Perfect Plum (126963)

Accessories:  Silver Mini Brads (122941); Delicate Details Lace Tape (130966)

Tools:  2 1/2" Circle Punch (120906); Circles Collection Framelits (130911); Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882); Paper Piercing Tool (126189)

Stamps:  Betsy's Blossoms (w131955; c126006); Seasonal Sayings (w131937; c128009)

Paper:  Witches' Brew DSP (132185); Basic Black (121045), Whisper White (100730), Pear Pizzazz (131201), Wisteria Wonder (122922) cardstock

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Basic Black (126980) and Wisteria Wonder (126985)

Accessories:  Neutrals Designer Buttons (130031); Witches' Brew Designer Washi Tape (132156)

Tools: 2 1/2" Circle Punch (120906); Circles Collection Framelits (130911)

2 1/2" Circle Punch

Circles Collection Framelits

Delicate Details Lace Tape

Lacy and Lovely Stamp Set

Witches' Brew Designer Series Paper

Witches' Brew Designer Washi Tape

Betsey's Blossoms Stamp Set

Seasonal Sayings Stamp Set

Creative Escape

As I mentioned before, I'm spending the weekend blissfully crafting and enjoying the outdoors at this fabulous facility!  My upline, Desiree Spenst, organized this creative retreat, and I'm so happy to have this escape at this time.  My life has been crazy busy all fall and I've been feeling like I'm missing out on life's important stuff, so this will be a chance to chill out and get back on an even keel.

Here, all together, are the projects I've been showing you all week that I designed for the products in the goodie bags everyone gets.

That was a lot of fun!  If you want more details on any of these projects, scroll back through this week's posts.

And, speaking of exciting, look what arrived in the mail recently:

Ticket information and itineraries and some homework for my Rising Star trip to Salt Lake City, coming up Nov. 11 - 13!  I'm really excited about that.  The training we will get will be priceless!

You still have three more days to take advantage of this huge sale - 25 stamp sets at 25% off to celebrated Stampin' Up's 25th Anniversary, which was officially yesterday.  I thought I'd share some of my favourite sets and some projects I've done with them today and tomorrow. (By the way, you can still email me your orders while I'm away.  I will have internet access.)  It's also Mystery Hostess Week so your orders will give you an entry in the draw for hostess rewards.  Extra entries for every $25 you spend.  I must have your orders by Monday at noon.

Here are some samples:

                                      

Snowflake Soiree (w127922; c127925) (on the right)

Gently Falling (w128430; c123804)

Oh, Hello (w131931; c130733)

Hearts a Flutter (w131922; c129252)

Apothecary Art (w128415; c125527)

Oh, Hello (w131931; c130733)

Happy Day (w130924; c130927)

Oh, Hello (w131931; c130733)

Zoo Babies (w130453; c130456)

Cuddles and Kisses  (131913; c127314)

There's a few samples.  I'll have a few more for you tomorrow.  Which sets are you going to order?