Christmas make and take

Last night was my last workshop of November, and it was great! (Driving home in a blizzard: not so great.)

I am sure the hostess, Helen (no, not me) will be thrilled when her big box of goodies - with so many freebies! - arrives! And I was happy to introduce several new people to the joys of Stampin' Up!®

This was the Make and Take card that everybody made. 

Aren’t those colours gorgeous? I can admit now that I was sceptical about River Rock. It’s a very unusual colour, not quite beige, a bit more greeny. Very odd. But when I tried all the Neutrals with Riding Hood Red and Old Olive, River Rock just shouted at me because it was the best one.

Thanks to everyone who hosted/attended/placed an order at the workshops – hope you had as much fun as I did! I’m now taking bookings for January onwards ... and you KNOW that January and February are the BEST times for a workshop! Banish the winter blues with some stamping!

Stamps: Gifted, Serene Snowflakes

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, River Rock, Very Vanilla

Ink: Riding Hood Red

Accessories: Wide Oval Punch, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon – Old Olive

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Christmas Market at the Roundhouse

It's a winter wonderland out there, so what better day to show you our stand from the Christmas Market at the Roundhouse last weekend. It was a steep learning curve for us, the beginners, but we loved it and are definitely up for next year’s Fabulous Places Christmas Market – and probably the summer one, too!

On our stand we had a selection of products and stamped projects. Several people wanted to buy our cards – and I could have sold my Eiffel Tower journal over and over again! – but we were there to promote Stampin’ Up!® and the idea of making your own handcrafted projects.

It was wonderful to receive to many visitors, and to get so many people excited about rubber stamping! I hope to see lots of them at my classes and events in 2011.

One of the most popular items on the stand was the Designer Series Paper star. Alison and Tricia had made a few of these to put on the tree and dot around the stall. I will be sending the template to everyone on my mailing list but if you’d like one, too, please leave a comment and I’ll get one to you.

The most traumatic part of the day for Alison was cutting into her brand new roll of Basic Black 1¼” Striped Grosgrain ribbon to make tie-backs for the “curtains” and to decorate the tree pot. But don’t worry, she will be using it again!

Thanks to Alison and Tricia for all the help, and big thanks, too, to Kelly, who made so many fabulous things on the stall, including the stunning tie-back holders. She’s a real stamping star and I know a lot of you are concerned about her because she hasn’t updated her blog recently, but she has had to cut back on crafting and computer time for health reasons, unfortunately. But she’s fine and, if you sign up for any of my classes in 2011, I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of her!

Get your birthday pants on!

Today is a friend from work’s Big Birthday so I hope she is wearing her birthday pants!

Birthday pants? Well, apparently in her family, it’s a tradition to have new pants for your birthday and she was telling us all about this when it was her son’s birthday a few weeks ago. It’s a tradition which she sees as perfectly normal (as we all do with our quirky family habits) but that everyone else in the office thought was downright weird, so we decided to surprise her at work yesterday with a special gift of some Really Big Pants, lovingly made by the office seamstress in vile brown and yellow checked fabric.

I also surprised her with a cheeky pink and red number featuring pom poms (her reaction is unprintable) and made her this card.

You open it up to reveal a line of colourful pants, all punched from the Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper using various circle punches. The striped pair was a little pale, so I brayered some Daffodil Delight ink over the top. The washing line was hand-drawn with a marker – scary, eh?

Here’s how to get the hole on the front of the card in the correct place.

1. Decorate the inside of the card first. Yes, it feels weird to do it in that order but it works.
2. Punch a circle from some scrap paper and apply a small amount of any adhesive to it.
3. With adhesive side up, place it over the part of the image you want to show through to the front.
4. Close the card. The circle will stick to the inside of the front of the card.
5. Now you can use this circle as a guide to punch a hole in the front of the card. 

NB: Punches do not like going through more than one layer of card at once. They don’t mind one sheet of Designer Paper and a sheet of card, but not two sheets of card. So punch each layer separately.

Here’s how to get the scallop edging around the aperture:

1. Punch 1 3/8” circle from a piece of Baja Breeze cardstock, leaving more space than usual around the edge.
2. With the Scallop Circle Punch upside down, carefully position it over the hole so that it is nicely even, then punch again. Now you have a scallop circle with a hole in the middle which you can glue to the front of your card.

Stamps: Just Perfect Alphabet

Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Paper: Greenhouse Gala

Ink: Baja Breeze, Daffodil Delight

Accessories: 1 3/8” circle punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, ¾” circle punch, 1 ¾” circle punch, Stampin’ Write Journalling Pen

All products by Stampin’ Up!®           

  

PS: A note for American readers who are not familiar with the British use of the word “pants”. Pants are what you call underwear, which you will no doubt have worked out by now from the picture. The word “pants” is also used as a general derogatory term. 

Get your hands on all these Designer Series Papers for less than £15!

Aren’t all the Designer Series Papers in the new Stampin’ Up!® Idea Book & Catalogue gorgeous? Wouldn’t you love to get your hands on all of them? The problem is, if you buy all 13 packs (not 

including Patterns Stacks), it will cost you £116.15... and it would take you ages to get through it all!

So, how would you like to get your hands on a little bit of EVERYTHING (not including Patterns Stacks) for just £14.60? In this share you will receive one 6”x6” square of each double-sided sheet from the following collections:

*   Nursery Suite Speciality  (full pack £9.95) *   Sweet & Sour Speciality (full pack £9.95) *   Greenhouse Gala (full pack price £8.75) *   Woodland Walk (full pack £8.75) *   Love Letter (full pack £8.75) *   Celebrations (full pack £8.75) *   Jolly Holiday (full pack £8.75)

*   Lap of Luxury (full pack £8.75) *   Sunny Garden (full pack £8.75) *   Blueberry Crisp (full pack £8.75) *   Newsprint (full pack £8.75) *   Elegant Soirée (full pack £8.75) *   Play Date (full pack £8.75)

  

Use these sheets to make 6x6 scrapbook pages, to embellish your cards or to create other projects. You’ll soon discover which ones are your favourites and then you can order full packs if you wish.

Each sheet is double-sided. If you wish to make the most of both patterns on each sheet, put yourself down for two slots in the share.

There are only SEVEN slots in this share (because I want a pack!) so please book early to bag yourself a slot! The paper will be delivered to me for cutting, after which you can collect it from me or I can post it out to you at cost. Please email me asap to reserve your slot! 

Channelling Shelli Gardner

This is my version of a much nicer card created by Shelli Gardner, Stampin’ Up!’s co-founder and CEO at Convention. I was getting frustrated because I didn’t have the “right” ribbons... but, of course, once I’d finished the card and rooted in the bottom of my ribbons box properly, I found them after all. Must tidy my ribbons box.

The ribbons are stuck down on a piece of any coloured cardstock. Then you punch out the Fancy Flower Extra Large from a piece of Crumb Cake and pop that up on top. The leaves are an optional extra – created using the wing from the Two Step Bird punch. The button adds the perfect finishing touch.

Stamps: Tiny Tags

Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery

Ink: Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: Regals buttons, Two Step Bird punch, Fancy Flower punch, linen thread

Ribbons: ¼” Grosgrain - Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie; 3/8” Grosgrain– Marina Mist

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Party This Way

I have pictures to show you of our stall at the Roundhouse but I haven't got round to uploading them yet so they will have to wait. 

Meanwhile, here's one I made earlier... a really cute little card, which we made at Convention using our free Party This Way stamp set. Now I’ll admit I wasn’t too sure about this set – until I used it... and now I’m convinced that it’s a really useful little set and I’ve used it a few times in a way I wouldn’t have expected. Watch this space...

Stamps: Party This Way

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Rose Red, Bashful Blue, Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron, Whisper White

Ink: Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz, Bashful Blue, So Saffron

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Fabulous Places - WOW!

What an amazing - albeit exhausting - weekend! Nearly 7,500 people through the Roundhouse doors over the two days and LOADS of interest shown in our little Stampin' Up!® stand. We enjoyed spreading the word about Stampin' Up! and showing people the lovely goodies available.

Will definitely be doing Fabulous Places events next year!

At a loose end this weekend?

Looking for something FABULOUS to do this weekend? Want to get some Christmas shopping done and support local businesses? Want to come and say 'hello' to me and some of my team-members and help spread the word about rubber stamping being the best hobby ever?

Then please come along to see me at the Fabulous Places Christmas Market! We'll be preaching to the unconverted so could do with the support! 

Thanks!!!!

PS: It's from 10am-4pm and £1 admission (free for under 16s). 

Convention swaps - part 1

These are some of my swaps from Convention – what a lot of stamping talent there is out there in Great Britain, France and Germany! I had so many swaps that I couldn’t fit them all on one photo, so took out all the Christmassy ones to show you another time. Although, oops, I see one slipped onto this photo in the bottom left hand corner.

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Watery thanks

Here one of our make and takes from Convention. If you’re a regular blog-hopper, you’ll probably recognise this card as it’s been everywhere, especially on US blogs after their Convention in the summer!

To create this watery look, we coloured the stamp in using markers, then sprayed it with water – a little too much water in my case! Then we stamped the wet stamp down onto watercolour paper. Did you know we now sell watercolour paper? Useful little rectangles which are just right for cardmaking.

We stamped the greeting, tore and curled the edges, then spattered ink all over it using the new Colour Spritzer. This is a FUN tool!

I love this card and have since made it in another colourway – but you’ll have to wait a few days for that one.

Stamps: Just Believe

Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Watercolour Paper

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Old Olive and Bashful Blue markers; Bashful Blue ink pad (for envelope)

Accessories: Brights Buttons, Satin Ribbon – Old Olive, Colour Spritzer

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Olive and I are reunited

This card is inspired by the beautiful work of Pam Morgan, vice-president of Stampin’ Up!®, who demonstrated some wonderful projects to us at Convention. It’s not a lot like her card, but it’s where the idea came from.

First I punched a large flower from some Newsprint paper, then brayered it with Certainly Celery. I sponged some Old Olive ink around the edges of the petals to create a bit of contrast.

Next I ran the flower through the paper crimper. Then again the other way. And again. And possibly again, I can’t remember. By now the paper was looking pretty battered, which is just what I wanted. The battered look is in, have you noticed?! The rest is just layering of Newsprint papers, distressed around the edges, then layered onto some Old Olive cardstock. Oh Old Olive, I have neglected you so much recently – will you ever forgive me?

Stamps: Just Believe

Cardstock: Old Olive, Basic Black

Paper: Newsprint

Accessories: Fancy Flower Extra Large, Regals Buttons, ¾” circle punch, linen thread, 1/8” taffeta ribbon – Basic Black, Scallop Edge Punch, paper crimper

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Button card with Convention stamp set

I came back from Convention all fired up to stamp... but too exhausted to open an ink pad! Finally the need for an up-to-date card overrode my exhaustion and I made this little fella. I really love it – am I allowed to say that?

I love the colour combo – Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy and More Mustard... I love this new stamp set, Just Believe, which I was given at Convention. I love these new buttons, they’re so lush! And, of course, I love my beloved Newsprint paper, which is just peeping out from behind the top layer. This is the ideal way to use those ever so tiny scraps which you nearly threw away!

Stamps: Just Believe

Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy, More Mustard, Very Vanilla

Paper: Newsprint

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Linen Thread, Scallop Square Punch, Regals buttons

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Fabulous Places Christmas Market

I will be having a stall at the Fabulous Places Christmas Market with some of my team in a week's time.

We are hoping to spread the word about Stampin' Up!® and show lots of non-crafters just how easy it is to create beautiful cards, scrapbook pages and other projects with stamps, ink and paper.

Please come along to say hello - and why not bring along your non-stamping friends to introduce them to this absorbing hobby?

See you there!

Team gifts for Convention

I’ve starved you of stamping projects lately, I know, so here’s one I made earlier...  these are the gifts I made for my team members who joined me at Convention. There is actually a fourth gift not shown here – it was for Kelly, who couldn’t make it at the last minute due to illness. As I’ve not seen her since I got back, I can’t show you until she’s seen it herself, it wouldn’t be right.

So, what did I make? Typically, I left everything to the last minute so didn’t have time to order SU journals, so I bought some notepads which had rather convenient Kraft covers. Not quite Crumb Cake but near enough for my needs.

I couldn’t possibly decorate them all the same, especially after making 50 swap cards, so I stuck to the same colours, three stamps sets and got to work.

The pens were from WHSmith if I remember correctly – I decorated them to match the pads by slipping a tiny roll of Designer Series Paper inside.

And the little boxes are really cute. They each contain two tiny bars of Green & Blacks chocolate. I have a bit of a confession about that, so may as well come clean. There was enough chocolate in the pack I bought to give each person three little bars. But, well... Green & Blacks is my most favourite chocolate ever (top choice is slightly darker than milk, second choice is milk, don’t like the dark – just in case you’re thinking of buying me a present, LOL!), so I decided that it wouldn’t hurt if I helped out a little! Oops.

The box is a simple matchbox style – just a Basic Black tray with Newsprint Designer Series Paper wrapped around it. Tied with ribbon and decorated with Jewellery tags and the Tiny Tags stamp set.

The bags were from my stash, as were the tags. I could have made my own tags but it was getting REALLY late by this time!

Stamps: Tiny Tags, Artistic Etchings, Vintage Vogue

Cardstock: Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla

Paper: Newsprint

Ink: Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake

Punches: Scallop Circle Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, 1 ¼” circle punch,  Jewellery Tag

Ribbons: ¼” Taffeta – Basic Black, Very Vanilla, 1/8” taffeta– Basic Black

Other accessories: Champagne Mist shimmer paint, Basic Pearls, Clear rhinestone brads, Paper Piercer, Mat pack

All products by Stampin' Up!®

oops!

Oops, posted in error! Please scroll down for my final Convention report. 

Convention - the finale

To conclude my report of Convention... Day Two was even more exciting than the first day, if that’s possible. It started with Make & Takes in the marquee. And how wonderful is it having everything cut up for you? That’s something that doesn’t happen very often for me so I really appreciate it when it does.

All the supplies were in a box with detailed instructions. Naturally, we didn’t read them, just kept asking each other what to do! We made two cards, a 6x6 scrapbook page and a pouch. All fabulous and all using our new stamp sets which we’d received the day before: Just Believe and Party This Way. They played music while we worked and there was a real party atmosphere. I wanted to show you these fabulous Make & Takes but I’m never home in daylight at the moment to get a decent picture. Very frustrating.

The rest of the day was taken up with presentations and demonstrations. It was very relaxed and there were lots of laughs – and some fabulous inspiration. There were demos from Shelli Gardner, SU’s CEO and co-founder. She makes beautiful projects and is just like the rest of us – really enthusiastic about fabulous products and a big fan of chocolate! She admitted that she’d nearly opened one of her projects two days before so that she could eat the chocolate inside!

There were also demonstrations from Pam Morgan, Stampin’ Up!®’s vice-president. She makes amazing creations and is a really relaxed demonstrator, even when things go wrong. Not like me at all! She gave us a little peek of something fabulous to come in the New Year... but I’m afraid my lips are sealed for now. She also gave us all some more FREE STAMPS! The level of excitement was very, very high by this point, as you can imagine.

Finally, came the announcement that next year’s Convention is to be held at Disneyland Paris. They broke this news with a short video and the contingent of French demonstrators went wild almost immediately... shortly followed by everybody else.

So that’s it for this year. I’m still on a high from all the excitement and can’t wait to show you all the ideas I picked up for some really exciting demonstrations. I’m sure you’re going to love them!

More about Convention

Well I promised you more Convention news, but I really don’t know where to start. It was such a fabulous weekend. If you love crafting as much as I do – and I know you do – it’s worth signing up as a demo simply to get the chance to go on this trip!

I travelled down with three of my team: two Alisons and Jacqui. Despite setting off nice and early, we didn’t arrive at our hotel until about 7.30pm, thanks to the M25. We had decided to save some money by staying at the Travelodge in Croydon, instead of one of the two hotels where Stampin’ Up!® had blocked rooms. It was perfectly fine... and we got a room each for half the price of sharing at the other two hotels!

After a snack, we spent the first evening in my hotel room. I held court from the bed (I was too tired to do anything else after the drive down – while the others did some last-minute stamping. I wasn’t surprised; I really hadn’t expected Alison to have finished her swaps in time! The other Alison helped her pack them into cello bags, while Jacqui made her bag tag. We all get given a bag at Convention, so it helps to make a tag to distinguish yours from everyone else’s. I WILL take a photo of mine when we get some daylight!

Eventually I turfed them out of my room so I could go to bed and attempt to get some rest – not easy as I don’t sleep well in towns, I’m too much of a country girl!

Next day we set off bright and early. Well, early – I certainly wasn’t feeling bright as I’d woken up at 4am to the sound of police sirens and couldn’t get back to sleep again. But we wanted to get to Addington Palace early to beat the queues.

No chance. Registration was from 8.30am to 11am... we arrived at 8.34am to a huge queue!!! The main Convention hall was in a marquee at the palace, which you reached through a tented walkway. It was a bit like queuing up to see Santa... only at the end we received our Convention bags and free stamp sets!

In the queue, the swapping began. I will take a pic of some of my swaps in the next few days – there are some stunning creations! It was good to meet lots of other demonstrators from all over the UK, France and Germany.

 

During the rest of the morning, we visited Memento Mall (see picture) – this is where we can buy special Stampin’ Up! memorabilia such as fabulous craft totes (sadly they ran out and are sending some more over from the USA so I will have to wait until Christmas for mine), gorgeous 12x12 bags (I use one for work – I need a big bag for all my snacks!), pens, rulers and other goodies.  

We also stamped some sheets with all of the 40 colours, plus the five In Colors – this is a really useful activity for demonstrators because, believe it or not, we don’t all have all of the ink pads, cardstock and markers! So this gives us something to show to customers without having to buy absolutely everything. This was quite fun as everything was laid out at very long tables which were decorated with this gorgeous cardstock bunting!

After brunch, the main session began, with the arrival of Shelli Gardner, Stampin’ Up!’s co-founder and CEO – you know, the lady pictured at the front of the catalogue with the big family! She is an amazing lady and passionate about stamping, just like the rest of us!

In the afternoon we had some business presentations and saw some fantastic demonstrations from some of the top demonstrators from here, as well as France and Germany. They were truly inspirational – and I’m sure you’ll be seeing my versions of some of their ideas over the next few months!

Then it was time to nip back to the hotel to change for the gala dinner... which you already know ALL about.

That’s all for now. Didn’t want to bore you with all the tiny details, but seem to be doing so anyway! Will tell you more about the even more exciting Day Two another time. I really want to get some photos to accompany the post, but it’s very difficult in this horrible weather because it’s so dark everywhere.

My BIG news!

I have some BIG news to share, if you will permit me to blow my own trumpet for a short while.

When I arrived at the Stampin' Up!® Convention I was given the usual kit... a special Convention bag like this one containing our two free stamp sets, a special Stampin' Up! pen, current Idea Book & Catalogue, event programme, meal vouchers for the event, a "Share What You Love" badge to reflect the theme of the Convention, a "My First Convention" badge, as it was my first time and another badge which I really couldn't understand.

This mysterious badge read "Demonstrator of the Year 2010"... but I KNEW I couldn't possibly be Demo of the Year, as I am not even in the same league as some of the ladies. Then someone told me that this meant I was in the TOP 25 demonstrators in the UK!!!! Unbelievable! This award is based on a combination of sales and recruiting, rewarding demonstrators for having a rounded and balanced business. Other than that, I have no idea how they work it out!

Then it dawned on me... this meant I would have to... WALK THE STAGE!!!!! Which, as anyone who knows me will tell you, is my worst nightmare.

There was an agonising wait until almost the end of the evening ceremony, when the list of top 25 was read out. Was it read out? Actually I can't even remember. But the list appeared on the screen, in reverse order, and I was staggered that my name wasn't on the first page ... I'd actually made it to number 12!!!!!!

On stage I received a single red rose from Stampin Up!'s lovely co-founder and CEO, Shelli Gardner - there she is, pictured on one of the big screens which were positioned around the marquee so that all of the 300 demonstrators there could see properly.

I can't say I enjoyed the experience of walking the stage, it was far too scary, but I am thrilled to be number 12! And it's all thanks to my wonderful customers and hard-working downlines!

So I'm sorry for blowing my own trumpet but I had to share that news... I'll tell you more news about Convention in the next few days.

The view from my hotel room...

- When I pay for a view, I expect something more interesting than that...

- But that is Croydon, madam.

- Well it's not good enough.

- Well may I ask what you expected to see out of a Croydon hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plain...

LOADS to tell you about the fabulous Stampin' Up! Convention - don't know where to start! I went with three of my wonderful team and we had what the Americans call "a blast"! We swapped, we met loads of lovely demonstrators, did Make and Takes, saw outstanding demonstrations and got stacks of freebies!

I also have some extra special news to share but I'm still getting my head round it...

Meanwhile, if you want to be in on next year's fabulous event, you need to know that it's at DISNEYLAND PARIS!!!!!!!!! Why not join my demonstrator team now, so you can start earning money to pay for your trip?  I paid for everything out of my SU commissions - not one penny came out of my personal account! Please email me if you'd like to find out more! 

Off to Convention!

Comfy shoes: check. Camera and charger: check. Bag packed: check. Boot loaded: check. Swaps done: check!


Here are my swaps for Convention, which starts today, although I'm typing this on Thursday afternoon, waiting for Jacqui from my team to arrive before we go and collect the two Alisons and head down south.


Sadly, Kelly won't be able to join us as she has tonsilitis. Very disappointing - for her, and for us!


Here are my swaps - very simple because I had to make 50. Well, I didn't have to but 50 seems to be about the minimum people make and I really am not into making vast quantities of cards all the same as I may have mentioned several times!


The picture is rubbish so I'll describe the card: first I stamped strips of Whisper White with the Growing Green stamp set in Baja Breeze. With hindsight, I should have stamped whole sheets before cutting it up but never mind, it didn't take long because I put three unmounted stamps on one large block and stamped pretty much in one go!


Below that is a strip of Baja Breeze cardstock, scalloped, and below that is a label stamped with "thanks so much". I think it's Curly Label Extra Large but I can't check because I don't have time!


The card base is stamped in the corner, again mounting three stamps on one large clear block for speed. 


The ribbon is tied around the white strip only (ie, doesn't go all the way around the card) as this saves ribbon. I still used a whole reel though - had to get some more in a hurry! 


That's it - will try to report back during Convention but if I do, it will most likely be via Twitter. Click the Twitter logo at the top left to see my page. If there are no updates it's because I'm too busy or couldn't get a connection!

Jacqui's here - better go!

Stamps: Growing Green, Pocket Silhouettes

Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Ink: Baja Breeze, Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain ribbon – Rich Razzleberry

Tools: Scallop Edge Punch, Curly Label Extra Large punch

All products by Stampin' Up! ®

Busy, busy, busy

Frantically preparing for Stampin' Up!® Convention! This is a two-day event for demonstrator at the rather swanky-looking Addington Palace in Surrey. There will be training sessions, stamping sessions, swapping, chatting and a gala dinner with prizes.

I have made my swaps but it's that time of year when getting a photo is tricky, but I'll try to get a pic to post while I'm away. I've only made 50 because, as I may have mentioned, I really don't like making cards in bulk!

Can't wait to tell you all about it! And if you think this sort of event sounds fun, you know what to do... sign up as a demonstrator so that you can join in the fun next year!

Like it or not, Christmas IS coming!

In fact (close your eyes if you don't like cold, hard truths), there are only 54 days until Christmas! 53 really, seeing as today will be over in less than two hours!

But Stampin' Up!® is giving you the perfect opportunity to be prepared, with all the tools to create classy Christmas cards, gorgeous giftwrap and tantalising tags (apologies for the excess of alliteration). There's some brand new Designer Series Paper, too - only available during this promotion.

From today until 29th December, there are four fab product bundles available - and whichever one you purchase, you get to choose a roll of exclusive festive ribbon to co-ordinate with your products. These ribbons are really stunning - and they are only available during the promotion and only while supplies last.

Here's a (pretty fuzzy) pic of the ribbons. As you can see, they come in perfect festive colours; Old Olive, Real Red, Riding Hood Red...

The prices represent the retail value of the ribbons. They cannot be purchased separately. So how do you get your hands on these beauties?

Simply order one of the following bundles... the lower price, where listed, is for an unmounted stamp set to use with our new clear blocks.

Gifted Bundle Gifted Set and Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper	124051	£35.70	124052	£30.70
Welcome Christmas Bundle Welcome Christmas Set and Christmas Cocoa Specialty Designer Series Paper	124063	£36.90	124064	£31.90
Season of Joy Bundle Season of Joy Set and So Swirly Stampin’ Around Wheel	124055	£36.45	---	---
Delightful Decorations Bundle Delightful Decorations Set and Ornament Punch	124058	£37.45	---	---

With each of the bundles, you can choose one of the four exclusive ribbons, absolutely free!

There's more information, with better pictures, at the Stampin' Up! website, here. Please get in touch if you'd like to place an order. Postage is £4.95 per delivery, so if a group of you get together, you share the cost. If you are able to collect from me, I will be ordering on the 15th of the month and you can have free postage!

And if you'd like to use this promotion to boost your workshop sales, why not book a party for December? Send me an email and we'll sort out a date.