After Photos - Kitchen!

I forgot I'd promised to show you the kitchen after I'd personalized it!

I'm SO HAPPY with my new kitchen. NOW - don't think just because I got a new kitchen that I'm going to turn into a Julia Childs! While she was one of my mom's heros, I've never been that drawn to cooking.

Not that I can't, but it's not on the top of my "I want to do that" list. My mom loved to experiment in the kitchen. As kids, my brother and I were FORCED to try new foods almost every day. And we HAD to eat at least three bites of everything on our plates. There were times when I sat at that table for a LONG TIME after everyone else got to leave. It was pure torture, living at our house, I tell ya!

Anyway, I digress. Here are some photos for your entertainment.

Here's the "sterile" version...













And here's the more personalized kitchen that we're living in these days.












Oh, and I can't forget to share with you a couple photos of The Kidz as I unpacked the cherry items for the tops of the cabinets! They couldn't figure out WHAT was going on, but, of course, they had to check it out!















One of these days I'll remember to take photos of both bathrooms, now that they're finished, so I can share those with you as well.

Hope you've been using those stamps. I promise, I'll get some stampin' samples posted on here soon!

The Temple

The Temple was a busy place for weddings while we were there. We saw at least two different brides making their way to the door while we strolled around.

While we were there, Utahns (?) were getting ready to celebrate Pioneer Days - the day they became a state. There is a parade each year, and I took photos of some of the floats, which I will share with you soon.

I'm assuming it's considered good luck to get married around Pioneer Days, and that's why there was a "rush" of weddings - but I could be wrong!

Anyway, I watched this couple getting ready to pose for their photographer and their precious wedding photos, and I just KNEW the bride was going to fall into the pool. What do you think? Did she get that beautiful dress wet?












I don't really know the answer to my question - I was on the other side of the pool, using my telephoto lens, and was just happy I got a half-way decent photo!

The sun was setting, so lighting was a bit of a problem. I've touched up this photo below (and maybe I shouldn't have! Not the best photo of me I've ever had taken) because it was past sunset when Susan took it. I'm sure her camera captured a much better one, but I forgot to ask her to email it to me, so this one will have to do.


That's the temple in the background. Quite a striking building, isn't it?












I'm glad we took the time to see some of Salt Lake while there this year. We had to give up some Convention time in order to do it, but it was a nice break for us.

Want to go to Stampin' Up! annual Convention? Join my 'we StAMp everything' team and you'l be invited!

We have so much fun while we're there!

Thanks for stoppin' by...

Salt Lake City

Our Stampin' Up! conventions are held most years in Salt Lake City, UT. I've been there numerous times, and most of the time, we're so busy with swaps, and classes and just chit-chatting, that I don't even go anywhere except our hotel and the convention center.

But this year, after a particularly excellent (but very filling) meal, Susan and I decided we needed to walk some of it off. Our hotel is right across the street from the Temple, and someone told us the gardens there were very lovely.

So, we decided to take a stroll and check it out. And they were correct!




















This little guy was having a wonderful time running around and ran for this pool as I stood there taking pix of the flowers - so I asked his mom to pose with him for me.






And here's a closer view of the pool itself

Isn't it lovely, too?










More photos of the Temple grounds to follow - wait til you see the hollyhocks they grow there!

Hope you're stampin'! Call me if you want a stampin' buddy!

More Sweet Shoppe Photos

I still have lots of photos of The Sweet Shoppe display to share with you, so without further ado...


Aren't these cookies yummy looking?
















And how about these strawberries!!?


They look good enough to eat, too!









Candy! All made with dowel rods, card stock and ribbon!

In the background, you can see that they've also filled little dessert dishes with brads, buttons and other bling - all color coordinated!




There was a display for each of our Core Colors - that's FORTY different displays!



And, finally (for tonight at least) some candy bars -- there actually WERE candy bars inside these lovely items!








I would love to teach you how to make some of these beautiful things - think of how lovely they'd be as a centerpiece for a Thanksgiving or Christmas party!

Call me to book a workshop, and I'll be happy to show you those that I've figured out (or SU has given us directions for).

In the meantime, STAMP SOMETHING! And have fun while you're doin' it!

WOW Great Hostess Bennies During August!

Stampin' Up! has announced some awesome Hostess benefits for $350 (or greater!) workshops that close by August 31, 2010!

AN ADDITIONAL $25 IN HOSTESS BENEFITS! How awesome is THAT?

So, dig out that catalog (you don't HAVE one, you say? Well, give me a holler and I'd be happy to get you one!) and gather your friends - and get enough orders for that $350 workshop!

Or better yet, give me a call and let me come to your house with my goodies and we can PLAY! You, as Hostess, will earn those freebies for that $350 workshop and we'll all have fun in the meantime!

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Convention has come and gone. I always get so pumped while there and want to try EVERYTHING I hear about - but then I get home and reality sets in, and I realize I need to focus on one or two items and not try to do it all!

I'd love to get back in touch with you again, if you've been a customer in the past - give me a call! I'll be trying to reach you, too, so if you get a voice mail from me, I hope you'll take the time to get back with me so we can catch up.

I'll be sending out some RAK cards, too. What's an RAK card, you ask? It's a Random Act of Kindness card. I've been busily creating some with new stamp sets and inks and papers and will be mailing some out soon. Watch your mailbox - maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones!

How about a few photos from convention?

There was one exhibit this year that just knocked my sox off! It was called "The Sweet Shoppe" and it was GORGEOUS!

I know my photos aren't going to do it justice, but here are just a few to whet your appetite...

This is one of the displays - there were about 10 of them and each and every one of them was just breathtaking!

I happened to be there during a class (shh - don't tell anyone, but it was right after lunch and I just couldn't sit in that chair and stay awake anymore! LOL)

So, Susan and I stopped by The Sweet Shoppe when it wasn't so crowded.

Here are a few of the items in a closer view. Remember, EVERYTHING was made with Stampin' Up! products!

Don't these look good enough to eat?

I'll show a few of the trays in a closer view, so you can get a better idea of how the items were made.

I'm hoping SU will post some directions for us on specifically how they made some of the items - helps me not have to think so hard! he he


















Don't these look good enough to eat?

The tray of brown 'candies' actually consists of boxes made with cardstock and decorated with buttons, ribbons, and other bling. Notice the ribbon roses on the top of one of the boxes? I do know how to make those...

And those cupcakes are VERY sparkly! Lots of glitter used on those!

There was so much detail to each and every one of these displays. I asked one of the Helpers how long it had taken to get this display ready and she told me a couple of months... There must have been a TON of people working on it for that length of time. Everywhere you turned, there was something more beautiful than the place you'd turned from!

These boxes were some of my favorites:

Aren't they gorgeous? Wish I'd been able to get closer. They, too, were very sparkly - lots of glitter - and used the new Elegant Lines embossing folder. Mine's on it's way - I hope to have it in my grubby little paws by Friday!

Then I'll try to duplicate these - and I'm sure my attempt will fall short of the magnificence of these.

I'll post more photos of the items from The Sweet Shoppe soon...

I haven't been WOWWED by much at convention in a long time (I've gone to 21, so it takes some doing!), but this display certainly did it this year!

What have YOU been stamping lately? When would you like me to come do a workshop for you? Let me know!