Stamping 411 Challenge and Demo Swap

I created this card for two reasons. One is apart of the Stampin 411 Saturday challenge and the other is for a demonstrator meeting swap. If you click on the link, you can see the sketch that I used to make this card. I scored the blue paper using my paper cutter to make the checkered background. I border punched the yellow paper. I used one of the stamps from the Flower for All Seasons set. It's a great set with four different flower pots. I used the earth elements crayons and blender pens to color in most of the stamp. I used the colored pencils and blender pens for the tulips. I stamped happy mother's day with versamark then used my stampin' pastels to add a little color. I am very happy how this card came out. It's inspired me to make a flower pot card for Mother's Day to send to my mom and mother-in-law. Check back this week for pictures of my version of a flower pot card.

My demonstrator meeting is tomorrow night so check back for the cards I get from the swap. There are always great cards from the other demonstrators.

Here are the supplies and directions I used to make this card:

• Bordering Blue 8 1/2 by 11 paper cut at 5 1/2 then folded at 4 1/4.
• So Saffron paper cut 4 by 2 1/4 then punched with Eyelet Border Punch.
• Sage Shadow paper cut 1 3/4 by 2.
• Flower for All Seasons stamp set stamped onto Whisper White paper cut into 1 1/2 by 1 3/4.
• Using Earth Elements Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Watercolor Pencils and Blender Pens, color flower pot
• Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon cut 2 3/4 then wrap and glue onto back of So Saffron.
• Stamp happy mother's day from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set with Versamark then using Stampin' Pastels, rub Sage Shadow over happy mother's day to add color to stamp.
• Glue So Saffron onto Bordering Blue

Thank you for looking and reading!

Starter Kit Has Arrived

I never got to post this because I have been working with my kit nonstop this weekend. I received my kit Friday afternoon. I spent most of Friday just going through everything and becoming familiar with the contents. The funniest thing was before I even opened the box. Here's what the box had on it.
And boy was that statement true! There was extreme excitement!
Here are pictures of everything in the kit.
All of the contents inside the box

VersaMark - watermark ink - used to make tone on tone designs

Stampin' Scrub - used to clean stamps
Stampin' Pastels - chalks in all Stampin' Up! family colors
Classic Stampin Pads in red, pink, black, green and blue

Snail Adhesive

Stampin' Around Handle with Stampin' Around Wheel - Always in Bloom
Blender Pens - used to make watercolor effect
Butterfly Decor Elements

Box of 2009-2010 Idea book and catalogs
Stack of stamps - Bitty Birthday

Eastern Blooms

Define Yourself

Teeny Tiny Wishes

Elegant Thank You

Fun and Fast Notes

I didn't take pictures but the kit also included 3 stacks of 8 1/2 by 11 24 sheets of white, bold brights and soft subtle cardstock. It also included a starter DVD and CD that shows our digital scrapbook kit. Promotional catalogs, postcards and some other business catalogs were included. Finally there was a bunch of business forms to make customer orders at workshops.

It definitely has everything to help get started, but I am already planning on ordering some of the other supplies Stampin' Up! has to offer. For example I want the border and corner punches we have to offer. There are so many things I can do with these during my workshops. I am also a HUGE fan of Sizzix. I cannot wait to get some or all of these dies. Another great tool I will be able to feature during my workshops. And then there are the stamps. I have a feeling I will have a ton of these as well! I am going to wait for my first workshop at the end of February before I order anything more though.

I really look forward to using this starter kit to help me with my first workshop at the end of February.