Our new blog will be located here:  http://www.stampaloooza.wordpress.com

Keep clicking on the link above…. right now we password protected it but in a few days you’ll get to see what all the excitement is about!

Our new blog will have the following features:

• easier access to shops
• new workshops
• new scrappin’ kits
• focus more on scrapbooking and faithbooking
• better tutorials
• a new look …blue toile… my most favorite thing in the word!
• featured product of the month
• easier way to post comments
• rss feed
• registration to the workshops and north shore crafter’s guild
• Stampin Discussion Group – Post questions to get answers!
• Stampin’ Up! Downline Area for Downline Demos only

Wow!  We ask that you be patient as we transfer the contents of this blog to our new one!  I promise we are keeping the blender pen, big shot and crop a dile tutorials…

We are hoping this will be a smooth transition and most of all we are hoping you’ll like our new look.

I won’t be posting here anymore… but I will leave this up for all to see…

Thanks so much and can’t wait to find you at the new site!

Marie

Ps.. for those who are curious… here’s a sneak peak to our new look…

Put some heart into your valentines with our sweet and cute heart punch and matching stamp set and designer paper!  Imagine how easy and cute valentines cards can be with this sweet new bundle!  And what is even sweeter is you can save 20% when you order the I love you much stamp set bundle (115405) between now and January 31, 2009!  Bundle Price: $41.48!  You get a wonderful heart punch, stamp set and designer paper – everything you need to create awesome valentines from the heart for your friends and family!  Click on link or image for more details!

Here’s a few ideas of what you can make with the Love You Much new Stampin’ Up! stamp set:

• http://cindyvernon.blogspot.com/2008/11/love-you-much-stampin-up-sale.html
• http://www.stampingdelight.com/my_weblog/2008/12/love-you-much-promo-samples.html
• http://stampingwithlisa.com/love-you-much-project

Remember you can order online here:

• Stampaloooza Paper Arts Studios Stampin’ Up! Website

Happy Stampin’,

Marie

A candy maker wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and the firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd” with which He reaches down into the ditches of
the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as Candy Cane, a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who “have eyes to see and ears to hear.” I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness To The Wonder of Jesus and His Great Love that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominant force in the universe today.

The Candy Cane Legend

Look at the Candy Cane
What do you see?
Stripes that are red
Like the blood shed for me

White is for my Savior
Who’s sinless and pure!
“J” is for Jesus My Lord, that’s for sure!

Turn it around
And a staff you will see
Jesus my shepherd
Was born for Me!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Here’s a few Stampin’ Up! sets that have a candy cane in them…

• 109469 Wishing You Cheer (has a snowman with a candy cane!) (Retiring)
• 109353 Holiday Blitz (has a candy cane stamp!)

Also don’t forget to use our wonderful designer papers to make really cute candy canes…

• 112162 Rose Red Striped Designer Paper
• 112155 Riding Hood Striped Red Designer Paper
• 112149 Parisian Summer Striped Designer Paper
• 112469 Holiday Treasures Striped Designer Paper

Project Idea: Candy Cane Poem Bookmark

1. Print the one of the Candy Cane poems above on very vanilla or whisper white cardstock 5″ x 2.5″ inches.  Make sure you leave room for a 1/4″ hole punch and Jumbo Eyelet at the top.
2. Cut a 7 small candy canes from one of the striped designer papers listed above and fasten them to the back of the bookmark using snail adhesive.
3. Laminate the Bookmark you just made.
4. Using the 1/4″ paper punch, punch a 1/4″ hole at the top of the laminated bookmark in the middle.
5. Fasten the 108432 Pewter Jumbo Eyelet to the 1/4″ hole at the top of the laminated bookmark using the 108362 Crop-A-Dile tool.
6. Cut one 8″ strip of 1/4″ Grossgrain Ribbon using one of the following colors:
   • 109034 Real Red Grossgrain Ribbon
   • 111366 Rose Red Grossgrain Ribbon
7. Cut one 8″ strip of 1/4″ Grossgrain Ribbon using one of the following colors:
   • 109025 Whisper White Grossgrain Ribbon (if your bookmark is printed on Whisper White Cardstock)
   • 109026 Very Vanilla Grossgrain Ribbon (if your bookmark is printed on Very Vanilla Cardstock)
8. Fasten the Grossgrain ribbons to the bookmark by threading it through the Pewter Jumbo Eyelet.

Now you have a beautiful bookmark to use in your favorite scripture book that reminds you of the beauty of Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

Marie

With that being said – I decided to share my wealth of knowledge with other parents of special needs children. My children’s disability is very similar to ADD/ADHD but with a twist – they struggle with reading and comprehension. So I thought instead of fighting with the school system – why not negotiate and facilitate understanding – see each year I have to explain my children’s disabilities to new teachers and well let’s just say it’s a mixed bag – sometimes I have teachers who understand and sometimes I have teachers who have bought into a bunch of misconceptions that I have to undo…

So here’s the web site:

• http://www.unifiedadvocate.wordpress.com

I decided to make this a place for both parents and teachers to learn about each other and maybe come to some type of consensus – implementing the IEP and Section 504 plans are hard and for a parent it is really confusing to keep up…  Also the website can be translated into the following languages: Spanish, Hindu, Russian and French… there’s a translate menu option on the right of the website…

Let me know what you think… monograms are coming in October!  Thanks for understanding and mostly being patient while I sort all this out with my daughter!

Enjoy and Happy Stamping… Cutting… Embossing… and Creating!

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Here’s the link:

• Let’s learn about Stampin’ Up’s! new tool:  The Big Shot

Enjoy and Happy Stamping… Cutting… Embossing… and Creating!

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For those of you who want to really make some nice gifts, you have to get this little die cutting/embossing magical machine… it is amazing and I cannot wait to get my little hands on this one!

Here’s a write up from Julie Ebersole’s blog on the Big Shot die cutting machine:

http://papertrufflez.typepad.com/paper_trufflez/2007/01/big_shot_faqs.html

The neat thing is it works with other cutting machine dies – and Stampin’ Up! has exclusive cutting dies you will not find anywhere else!  And to top it off – they are selling a really cute handbag to put everything in!  (See bottom left corner of pic)… oh my oh my – my christmas wishes are complete! 

 Just think how many things you can dream up with Stampin’ Up!

Enjoy and Happy Stamping!

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Happy Stampin’!

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During the month of August I will be demonstrating how to make beautiful monogram gifts… using the new In Colors, new Stampin’ Up! Designer Papers and the new scallop straight line punch…  Monograms make beautiful cards and gifts… and they are so versatile – you can use monograms to make:

• Bookmarks
• Place Cards/ Napkin Rings
• Invitations
• Stationary/ Cards
• Gift Tags

I created a supply sheet for this project series to make ordering Stampin’ Up! supplies a breeze.  Take a look at the supply sheet and order a few supplies you don’t have – I would not want you to miss out on these easy but beautiful projects!

Here’s the Monogram Project Series Schedule:

• August 1-8 Project: Bella Rose Monogram Card Stationary
• August 9-15 Project:  Blue Baja Breeze Wedgewood Monogram Bookmarks
• August 16-22 Project: Scalloped Monogram Gift Tags & Boxes
• August 23-29 Project: Elegant Monogram Invitations
• August 30-31 Project: Maine Blueberry Monogram Baskets

I can’t wait to get started on this series!  Stay tuned for our first project…

Happy Stampin’!

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Stay tuned… more Fall 2008 information to follow…!

Happy Stampin

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