I'm EXCITED!

Most of you know that when I get excited about something I just go for it and my friend Kelly, brought up a fantastic opportunity today! I am now proudly a demonstrator for Uppercase Living! WHOOHOO! What is it? A trendy new way to decorate your home with words. You can customize anything with these fabulous phrases. If you would like to see for yourself go to www.uppercaseliving.com, click on customer login. Enter 995131 for the number and Raycroft for the token. :o) Want to know more...email me at fabphrases@comcast.net!

EVERYONE has favorite quotes and sayings, subliminal messages they would like displayed in their homes, they are not permanent and can even be taken off and re-positioned somewhere else! FUN! Wish me luck and join me if you dare ;o)

SALE-A-BRATION is COMING February 1st!

SALE-A-BRATION
February 1-March 17, 2008

Our Sale-A-Bration promotion gives everyone a reason to celebrate! Your purchases during this period of time earn you FREE products from the catalog above!

Customers: For every $50 purchase you make, you will receive a free Sale-A-Bration product.

Hostesses: In addition to our regular hostess benefits, hostesses will receive a free Sale-A-Bration stamp set for workshops that reach $300 or more.

Recruits: Anyone who joins as a demonstrator during Sale-A-Bration can choose any stamp set--a value of up to $47.95--from the current 2008 Spring/Summer Collection catalog.

Whether you would like to take advantage of this great special get free stamps or host a fun night with your friends, I will be more than happy to help you make the most of the Sale-A-Bration promotion. Email me at stampn@comcast.net or call me directly (219-513-8640) to get started!

Punch Away!

My friend Sue, sent me this beautiful card highlighting the use of the scallop punch in a new way! See directions below. What a gorgeous card!Thanks, Sue!

New Scallop Punch TIP!

Are you ready for this WOW technique using you're scallop punch? Get ready...here it comes...

First, punch a scallop out of cardstock. Then adhere it to a scrap piece of paper using temporary adhesive. Next, take you're scallop punch and line it up over the punched scallop, alternating the scallops. Punch and detach from scrap paper and there you have it a new design using your scallop punch!

Welcome Back to Cold NW Indiana!

The kids and I just returned to chilly, snowcovered Indiana from a week on Sanibel Island with my parents. This was the first trip for the kids and the first for me in ...oh....18 yrs or so... There was just so much to do in and a mere week's time that we could not fit it all in. On our first trip to the beach we found an octopus, a starfish and many, many shells. They kids have a fantastic time playing in the water and learning about the many wonders of the ocean environment.

GIFT BAGS!

This morning I finished up the gift bags that will hold the frames I made(previous post). I took white lunch bags and decorated with the Cutie Pie designer series paper, personalized with an alphabet and our circle punches. To make teh polka dots on the bag, I simply took a sponge dauber directly to the ink pad and then stamped on bag....quick and easy. Enjoy!

Limited Time Savings!

Limited Time Savings! All orders will receive 20% off the entire order now through January 27th! This is a perfect time to get the Valentine's Bundle which includes FREE ribbon! Just email me at stampn@comcast.net to place your order.

Stampin' Up! in the News!

January 17, 2008
Shelli surprised members of the Utah National Guard with a special gift--a cruise to Bermuda! 85 members of the Utah National Guard and their guests will be joining many of our Stampin' Up! demonstrators on our annual cruise this year, as a thank you for the service they render to our country. Read the local news story.

Yet, another reason why I am happy to be an SU demonstrator!

Designer Paper Projects

Aren't these frames just the cutest?! I used the Cutie Pie Designer Series Paper to create alter wooden frames. Maycen has a birthday party this weekend and the guests of honor will receive these adorable frames. I used the scallop punch, 1 3/8 circle punch and the Lots of letters chipboard for the embellishment. The chipboard was colored using my purely pomegrante ink and a sponge dauber...super quick. I used mini glue dots to adhere it to the cardstock. To secure the embellishment to the frame I used the Pop Up glue dots. Last but not least, I took Stampin Up's purely pomegrante double stitched ribbon and lined it with sticky strips, cut to size and adhered to frame.

The decorated tin is a project I completed for Jackson which Maycen gave him for Christmas. He was always borrowing her crayons, markers, and art supplies in her tin so she wanted to get him his own. Now they both can carry these handy altered tins with them from room to room or in the car. (I also used the Lots of Letters chipboard on this project but this time I inked it with Chocolate Chip Craft Ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder to give it a shiny coated appearance.)

Please email me if you would like more directions on how to complete either projects. Both are super simple with our designer papers. (All supplies are Stampin Up!)

Happy Stampin!

Greetings from Northwest Indiana

Where it has been down right frosty outside! Whew! Fortunately the sun has been making a presence the last few days helping it not feel so bitter outside.

Today the kids helped me try out my new camera. If you recall, I mentioned that while in Hawaii I dropped our current digital camera in the sand while attempting to capture Charlie catching a wave during his surf lessons on the North Shore. Well, since I got through the holidays without a camera and we managed to get our techical problems straighted out at home with the new computer Santa brought, we decided I NEEDED a camera before leaving for Sanibel Island this weekend with the kids.

Of course I was not sure what camera would be best but Charlie and I did figure out that we wanted something that had a great zoom feature on it and one that has little delay between pressing the button and actually processing the photo. Our other criteria was that it would capture action photos as we will be on the soccer fields of the Highland Soccer Club alot this spring. (Did I mention Charlie signed up to coach Jackson's team?)

What digital camera did I end up with? The Canon PowerShot S5IS. Boy...was I surprised when I got home to see all the features this little wonder has...not to mention the studying I will need to do to know what to use. So this afternoon I have been reading and clicking, reading and clicking...and low and behold I am THRILLED! Not only can I create movies (yes,more reading to do) but I can take photos in sepia and black & white..all by pushing my finger...LOVE IT!

I am posting some photos from our "photoshoot" today. The kids were great helping mom! Jackson got a few more shots in than Maycen as she needed to hit the books. Take a look at her first photos in her new glasses!

Retired Stampin Up stamp sets for sale.

It's time for me to do some more organizing and sorting to make way for new product. That said, most of you know I like to sell my retired stamp sets and reinvest towards new products to show you the latest and greatest Stampin Up has to offer.

The list is a first come, first serve basis. Just email me with your choices.

Delightful Doodles $6
Burst into Bloom $6
Fresh Flowers $10
Love Ya Bunches $8
Simple Sayings II $12
Simple Shapes $12
All the Best $10Holiday Basics $ 10
Along the Same Lines $10
Pretty Princess $ 14 SOLD
Fun with Shapes $15
Tag Line $18
Cheery Chat $18 SOLD
Nice and Easy Notes $18
Baby Frame $18
Flower Fest $20
Mini Mates $20
Brushstroke Alphabet $20
Brushstroke Numbers $14
Cute As A Bug $12
Itty Bitty Borders $6
Tag Time $20
In the Sky $6
Holiday Woodcuts $15
Little Layers II $10
Fresh Fillers $ 6
Flashy Florals $10
Nice and Narrow $10
Loving Hearts $15
Trim the Tree $12
Send a Celebration $9
Tags So Much $10
Totally Cool $15
All Occassions $12
Springtime Smiles $12
All Year Cheer II $20
All Year Cheer I $20

Shipping is not included in the price.

Happy Stampin'
Becky

My New Stampin Up! Site

Stampin Up! has launched our business websites and I must say...LOVE IT! I have updated mine and added my events. Oh yeah- this is in between the flooding we had today in our basement...after several hrs of mopping water, I needed a distraction :)

Check out my site by clicking on the link on the right and let me know what you think. My intentions are to keep everyone well informed and add ideas on a regular basis so that this is a site you will have to add to your favorites!

Our Hawaiian Vacation

I love my new computer! I have worked most of the afternoon uploading and printing photos from our Hawaiian anniversary trip. What a difference an up to date computer can make :)

We went to Oahu in late November and stayed on the North Shore. It was extremely relaxing, especially since Charlie would not allow me to book my time with tons of sightseeing activities...I typcially pack the itinerary so full that its not a vacation.

The first photo above was taken along the North Shore just down from the Banzai Pipeline. The next is a view from our balcony the day we checked out. We really didn't want to end our beautiful trip so we continued to shoot pictures until we had to check out. I had to have Charlie pull off the road to photograph the Hale'iwa sign because we traveled to the small town daily for shopping and meals. I don't think there was a day that past that we didn't take the 20 minute drive between the quaint town and our resort. The last day of our trip we ventured down to Waikiki Beach, photograph of the shoreline...Waikiki and the North Shore are amazingly different even though its only a 45 minute drive between the two. Waikiki is very busy with tourists and part of the city. The North Shore is a vast range of country. The last photograph posted is the infamous Diamond Head Crater. We did not hike the crater however we had a picture perfect view from the beach of Waikiki.

I have many more pictures to share so I will be posting more soon!

Valentine's Day Bundle!

Valentine's Day Bundle January 2-31, 2008

Promotion Details:
Customers: Purchase the Valentine's Day Bundle (item #111903) for just $33.40 and get Regal Rose wide grosgrain ribbon--FREE!

Hostesses: Hold a workshop of $350 or more and choose any one stamp set from the Spring-Summer 2008 Preview Brochure for FREE!

The Valentine's Day Bundle includes
Item Description Price
111089 Happy Heart Day stamp set $20.95
109052 Real Red wide grosgrain ribbon $7.95
102757 Medium cellophane bags $4.50
109056 Regal Rose wide grosgrain ribbon FREE!

All together in a Bundle:
111903 Valentine's Day Bundle $33.40

Be sure to check out my stampinup website at http://beckyraycroft.stampinup.net/ to view complete details of the bundle promotion.

The New Year ....new happenings

The NEW Spring and Summer Collection is here! Aren't the colors just gorgeous! This year my complimentary copy arrived the day we left for the holidays. I was so excited that I could now drive 13 hrs down the road with my catty in hand...what a treat! Stampin Up surprises me everytime a new line is unveiled. They never cease to amaze me with trendy product lines. My only problem seems to be what I NEED first :) Not only do we have great new stamp sets but we also have new chipboard, fantastic rub-ons to create amazing projects, sticky cut letters (I can't wait to use these with our new duo beads), striped grograin ribbon, and did I mention DUO Beads? FUN FUN FUN!

We have just returned from our Holiday vacation. We made it back after 13 hrs on the road, which was pretty good for some stressful driving, 2 kids and a dog :) Today has been a day full of organizing and rearranging to make room for all the goodies Santa brought the kids.

Did I tell you what Santa brought me? A new computer! WOOHOO! Yes, now I am blogging away at a much more rapid and sane pace. The last computer had been ailing for quite some time. It did serve its purpose for nine yrs. On my new computer I can print my scrapbook photos in record time and upload to my websites until my little heart is content. Now, all I need is a new digital camera to replace the one I broke while in Hawaii. If anyone can recommend a camera, please do. Once I get the camera issue resolved I will be technologically fulfilled for quite a while.

A big THANK YOU to Santa's helper who got the computer up and running last night...what a big task that took into the wee hours of the night.