Song of My Heart Stampers

Cards for veterans

As you may recall, I promised to share the total card count from this event. Last night my team and I assembled to go over the boxes for quality control, making sure every card was written in, and to get a final count. I am SO PROUD to say that the volunteers and stampers created a grand total of 1,276 cards for Badger Honor Flight!!! I was very hopeful we'd get to 1,000, but we blew that total out of the water. THANK YOU to everyone who worked on this enormous project with us.

I know you want to see the designs, so while we were sorting and counting last night we tried to pull out one of each design and snap a pic. Please forgive me if I missed yours! I think I counted 41 total designs.

I am sorry some photos are not as clear as they should be, but hopefully if you've stumbled on this post looking for ideas to support your own state's Honor Flight chapter, make cards for your local VA hospital or honor a special soldier, you'll have some starter ideas.

Notice how many of the cards do not use a specifically patriotic stamp set. So much can be done with just the color scheme and a star punch or dies. I thought some of these were immensely creative!

I especially appreciated the amount of prep work in advance that was done so that we had a chance of making our HUGE goal of 1,000 cards. All die-cutting and any embossing or heat embossing was requested to be done in advance so all the volunteers needed to do was stamp, assemble, and write inside the cards. That was a lot of effort our volunteers put into it behind the scenes.

Looking at these cards makes me smile... as I know they will make the veterans smile when they are received during the Mail Call portion of their flight back from Washington, D.C. If you'd like to read more about our event, click here for a complete review of that super-fun evening.

Now that the cards are all packed up and waiting to be presented, I'll get back to my regular stamping schedule, I hope! I know ya'll want to see some more sneak peeks from the upcoming catalog and I will HAPPILY share them in the next two weeks! One of my stamper friends has already gotten her catalog in the mail from me--maybe yours will come today??? This is going to be so much fun! See you soon.

Honor Flight Stamp Night 2019

We gathered on a Friday night with a goal of making 1,000 cards in one evening for the Badger Honor Flights out of Madison, Wisconsin. Not only did we have a fabulous time stamping and goofing off, we got MORE than 1,000 cards done AND raised over $1600 to help veterans get to Washing, D.C. to be honored for their service. What a fantastic night!

Twenty-five demonstrators brought 40+ cards all prepped and ready to stamp and assemble. Almost 70 people showed up (including some husband-and-wife teams!) to put them together and hand-write a message inside. I still can't quite believe what we got accomplished in just three hours!!!

Of course, it's not a Stampin' Up event without handmade nametags, displays and decorations! We transformed the room into a red, white and blue extravaganza. Combined with a silly photo booth and props, card-count updates and star-spangled music--which we couldn't even hear over the hubbub of happy voices--it was such an energetic evening.

There are too many people to thank for everything that was donated and done that evening, but there's a few standouts. I especially want to thank my team for being the most amazing committee ever--I had to stop them from doing and donating too much!! Kathy Van Duser has been our Honor Flight liasion since we took them on as our team's community project four years ago. We also appreciated a visit from Shannon West (below, middle left) from Stampin' Up's home office in Utah, and their donation of SNAIL adhesive refills for our event.

It was our privilege as well to meet the super-sweet Marnette (below, top left) from Badger Honor Flight and we're looking forward to personally presenting our cards and officially registering the donations next month.

Donations included a Stampin' Up branded suitcase (our top bid!!) and hundreds of dollars' worth of other items for the silent auction and raffle. A huge thank you to every one who bought tickets, bid on items, brought food or cards and especially thank you to those who stayed past nine to make sure EVERY card was written in. Mount Horeb United Methodist Church was our host and we appreciate the use of their lovely facilities.

Penni's daughter Anna was an amazing helper during the event. She emptied trash bags over and over, brought SNAIL refills around and picked up finished cards to transport to the writing tables. She's going to make an awesome demonstrator some day!

During registration we asked our stampers to tell us who they would be stamping in honor of. I cried when I put this board together... not just for my own grandpas, who didn't live long enough to get to go on an Honor Flight, or for my great-aunties, who never married after their generation of young men was decimated. I cried for all the bravery and hope those slips of paper represent, the tears and the pain, the women left behind and the children who never got to know their dads or uncles or grandpas. These names are just the ones who made it, who came home and went on to have families and descendants who remember.

Our board was a tiny microcosm of the courage of America at her best and most honorable.  

I love that all of us worked together to pass on the practice of honoring our veterans and their sacrifices for our country and make sure every one of them got the homecoming they deserved. We will never know the full impact of our card efforts, but I love the "ripples in the pond" that we set in motion just by putting our crafty talents towards a great cause.

If you'd like to know more about (or get involved with) the FANTASTIC work of Honor Flight, go to www.honorflight.org and find the chapter nearest you. I hope you will look into donating cards for veterans, whether it's at VA hospitals near you or just the local nursing home or assisted living facility. They need to know we remember. And cardmaking and Honor Flights are a match made in heaven!

Thanks for reading this post! Leave a comment if you love a veteran... or have an Honor Flight story of our own to share!

Wanna come and stamp with me for a great cause?

Like my patriotic centerpieces??!!I had fun this weekend sewing paper bunting, making nametags and creating these boxes for a unique event I am inviting YOU to participate in!

I'm busy preparing for a HUGE stamp camp in which my Stampin' Up team is attempting to make 1,000 cards in a single evening! From 6-9 p.m. on Friday, May 3rd, a whole ton of stampers are getting together to work on cards for Badger Honor Flights out of Madison, Wisconsin. Mount Horeb United Methodist Church has graciously donated the use of their building and we're looking forward to a totally fun night with a silent auction, raffles, photos ops, yummy treats, card displays and lots and LOTS of stamping!

We're especially excited to have a representative from the Stampin' Up home office, my good friend Shannon West, as our special guest. It's going to be so fun! I know it's short notice but I hope you can make it!

Twenty-five area demonstrators have designed and donated 40 prepared cards each to be stamped and assembled that evening, for a grand total of 1,000 cards to be given to veterans as they return home from their day of recognition in Washington, D.C. We will be stampin' our little fingers off to get them all completed. We could use some extra sets of fingers!

If you can join us, here is the registration link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9JX5B2Q

Please do not fill out the form unless you intend to attend : ) If you have items to donate for the raffle or auction, or wish to stamp and send us cards to add to the stack that night, email me! Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com

Hope to see your name on the registration list! It would be so fun to stamp together, and for such a great cause, too.

Honor Flight Night cards and decor

As many of you know, my team has adopted Honor Flight as our official service project for the last four years. Under the leadership of Kathy Van Duser, we've created and sent thousands of cards to veterans involved in the Stars & Stripes Honor Flights to Washington D.C. Every vet gets one of our cards with a handwritten message inside thanking them for their service to our country.

This is a fantastic organization and I'm so thrilled that it meshes perfectly with our talents as cardmakers.

We work on Honor Flight cards instead of one of the Make N Takes at every monthly meeting, but last night we turned our whole gathering over to the effort.

Volunteers brought batches of prepped cards in quantities of 20-40, and we went around the tables working on them until the last ones were completed and written in. It was a huge event that netted us 190 cards in the end, with more coming in from non-local demonstrators who are participating by mail.

A BIG thank you to our seven volunteer designers! L-R Top row: Haley Wulf, Gail Vogel, Lyssa Zwolanek. Bottom: Lori Brausen, Mary Schultz, Cheryl Noble. Not pictured: Penni Litwiller.

You know me and parties... we went all-out with the decor! Between Stampin' Up and Dollar Tree we definitely had a Pinterest-worthy vibe goin' on. Bonus: you can use these ideas for your Fourth of July picnic this year! Look at how precious these wrapped water bottles are with a striped paper straw tied on with sparkly twine.

 Team members have also donated hundreds of dollars' worth of cardstock, ink refills, embellishments and adhesives over the past few years. Last night brought in over $100 worth of adhesives from a single donor. I'm so proud to be part of a team that generously shares their time and supplies like this!

I shared my card earlier but here it is again. It looks complicated, but it only took two presses in the Stamparatus, once it was set up. Feel free to copy any of the designs. Some were inspired by Pinterest and the Cheat Sheets Collections.

I hope you've enjoyed this peek into our Honor Flight Night--and I hope I've inspired some of you to check out Honor Flight in your area and see how you can help. From donating letters and cards towards Mail Call, to paying for a companion to attend with each veteran, to being a greeter at the welcome home at the airport, there are many ways to support this fantastic organization. For more information you can visit their website at http://www.starsandstripeshonorflight.org/ 

Don't wait to get involved--time is of the essence for many elderly veterans. Our team lead, Kathy, works on this project on behalf of her older brother, a Vietnam vet. I do this in memory of my grandfathers and step-grandpa, all World War II veterans, and the wives who worked in factories and waited for them to return. Many of my team have similar stories. It's time to hear those stories and honor the sacrifices.

Honor Flight thank you card event

So excited to announce the date of our special Honor Flight event. Area Stampin' Up demonstrators are getting together on Monday, June 11th, 2018, to work on 100 cards for our Song of My Heart team service project, Badger Honor Flights.This is all volunteer effort, with donated supplies, designs and handiwork.

Every year, under the amazing leadership of fellow demonstrator Kathy Van Duser, our team creates hundreds of cards to cover the "Mail Call" on every flight from Madison and Milwaukee. We started this to be a blessing to our American veterans, but it has ended up being a HUGE blessing to US instead. How lovely that we can use our cardmaking skills to make such a difference!

Would you like to join us? Please RSVP to Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com The event runs from 6:30 to 8:30 and is held in Watertown, WI. You do not have to bring anything but yourself--volunteers will be bringing cards for us to make and I provide adhesive.

Not local but want to help? You can contribute to the cause by sending finished patriotic thank you cards, OR cardstock for cardbases. We also use a lot of adhesive. We do not need envelopes or postage as these are hand-delivered to the servicemen and women right on the plane. Email me for my address! 

I also encourage you to get involved in Honor Flight in your home area, whether it's to make cards, be a greeter at the airport, or a companion to one of the veterans on the trip itself. Have a loved one touched by this amazing program? Leave a comment below! The stories keep us all inspired.

Honor Flight project and August demonstrator amazingness

it was great to see my wonderful group of Stampin' Up teamies last week, after a break during July. We always have so much fun! And this month, we had a brand new 2017 Holiday Catalog to drool over together. BONUS!

First things first, though! We had 80 Honor Flight cards to make this month, thanks to Kathy Van Duser's amazing organizational skills.I donated the new Loyal & True stamp set and Kathy designs and preps all the pieces so we can run an assembly line. We're on our third year with Honor Flight as our team charity project, and we all just love it.

We spend a lot of time stamping the fun Make N Take projects that people volunteer to bring, too. And of course, swapping samples! We always have a contest to see who brought the best swap, and boy is it hard to pick. Rashanda King won this month with this adorable spinner card. It was Rashanda's month, let me tell you--she had two recruits, a promotion, the winning swap, AND she had a new baby! Congrats!!

A highlight of the meeting nights is always the display boards and samples people bring to share. I loved this awesome shadowbox project Diane Vander Galien made from an old Paper Pumpkin kit. Diane is a whiz at adapting the monthly craft subscription kits into even more amazing projects than they were originally designed to create.

I hurried to assemble a couple of the ornaments in the new holiday decoration kit coming up in the 2017 Holiday Catalog, so I could bring them to the gathering to show in person. They were MUCH easier than expected, and turned out truly adorable.

This kit is going to be amazing for not only ornaments, but wreaths and package toppers, too! (I should have put something in the photo to show the scale; these are each about the size of your palm).

I also brought a sample of our NEW acetate card boxes! Yes, we are getting gift packaging that exactly fits our cards and envelopes! I am really excited about this one. The pack shown below holds 4-5 cards and envelopes, depending on how heavily embellished they are. What a great gift that will make this Christmas.

We had a lot of wonderful things to celebrate this month--13 new members, 3 re-joins, 2 promotions, many anniversaries, and some really amazing sales totals. Our team is on fire! I also brought some of my goodies from Thailand to show a little bit of how Stampin' Up pampers us on these incentive trips. Look at the teeny gold elephant necklace! Too cute.

Lori Brausen was awarded a gorgeous bouquet in appreciation for her work as our membership moderator, approving all the demonstrators around the world who want to join the Song of My Heart Business Demonstrators group on Facebook. I could never manage checking up on the active status of thousands of demonstrators. So thankful for Lori!

I could go on and on... these evenings are so inspirational! I seriously have the BEST ladies. I'm so thankful that the Lord brought each one of them into my life. They sure make a difference for me... and in our team... and in our community.

Thanks for giving me a chance to brag! And I'd be a bad friend if I left you today without offering you the chance to join us. If you've got questions, email me at Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com, and if you're ready, click here! http://bit.ly/joinSUnow

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Join the Fun!

 

Song of My Heart Team Stampin' Up demonstrators live all over the United States--over 20 different states are represented in our group! While we enjoy our big Facebook group with daily themes, advice, challenges and contests, and love a good virtual pajama party with lots of projects and giveaways, there's nothing like actually getting together with friends to stamp. I encourage all our SOMH demos to gather regularly, wherever they live!

Once a month I host an area-wide demonstrator gathering in Watertown, Wisconsin, and we do fun things like put together business tools such as paper shares, and learn to make little baskets and other fun hostess gifts. We also work very hard on card for our team charity project, the Stars & Stripes Honor Flight organization, under the leadership of the indefatigable Kathy Van Duser.

Our meetings are always jam-packed with information, Make N Takes, swapping and demonstrations. This month was no exception... and we all had the brand new Idea Book & Catalog in our hands, to boot, so it was even more exciting. We got to play with the new In Colors, learned a new fancy fold, and we made over 150 cards for Honor Flight. Not too shabby!

I'd so love to have you join our happy team! There really is no downside to joining Stampin' Up. It's a fantastic company with fabulous products and unparalleled color coordination. There's income potential of anywhere from 20% to 38% of your sales--and all your own purchases count towards your minimum quarterly sales. I'd love to answer any questions you have about the company or what I can provide as your team leader. If you're looking to join somewhere with enthusiasm and energy, we're the perfect size--not too small, and not so big you get lost in the crowd, either. Let's chat today!

Ready now? Why wait? http://bit.ly/joinSUnow

You can even pick out the new in Colors and demo-only preorder products in your Starter Kit!

Hoping to be sending YOUR "welcome to the team package," very soon.

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The power of a card: Honor Flight

My team has participated in a lot of very worthy service projects over the last few years. I never cease to be amazed at how giving Stampin' Up demonstrators are, whether it's time or supplies, or even donate cash for shipping or postage stamps. It's such a privilege for me to watch them brainstorm ways to give even more, and go the extra mile. And the delight with which they jump on the latest project is so fun to see.

We've enjoyed helping all the great causes and charities we've worked with, but Wisconsin's Badger Honor Flight is special.

I think because it affects us all. Whether our loved one is able to be the honoree on one of these special trips, or whether we wished they were still around today to see how America can rise up and honor her soldiers, it's personal.

My grandfathers died before this program existed, and my step-grandpa is in too fragile of health to go, but when I see those men receiving their due from a grateful nation, I see Robert Griffin Sr. and Sidney Bohren and Carl Collea and my heart breaks with love and pride. I see their wives, Helen Griffin, Norinne Bohren and Grace Collea, whose hardest battles were fought after the war was "over" and the soldier came home to her arms.

And I see the best of us. The America I hope we can be again.

(Photo credit: Stars & Stripes Honor Flights Facebook Page)

So many of us don't think we have anything to give. Well, yes, I can make cards. But- "It's just a card."

Fact is, "just a card" is so often all that's needed.

Ask that soldier there in the wheelchair with the Mail Call packet on his lap.

Ask him what he eyes were too blurry to read on the plane, but that will be read and lingered over many, many times in the days and weeks to come as he recalls the day the nation thanked HIM. Ask him about the day a total stranger prayed a blessing over him with the work of her hands and with the words of her heart.

Ask him the power of a card.

I think you already know the answer.

Honor Flight service project card designs

Last weekend a dear demonstrator friend of mine from Arizona was here in Wisconsin for a health conference, and we squeezed in a grand time around her schedule. We only had ONE shot at having a stamp time together, so rather than just putz around unproductively in proximity to each other, I asked her if it was ok if we worked on Honor Flight cards for my team's service project this month. She was delighted! And I am happy to report that not only did we get my goal of 20 cards finished, we doubled that and managed to get 40 done!

I wanted to share the designs for these cards in case any of you are looking for easy patriotic layouts. Just a reminder, if you are making cards for the military, they absolutely cannot have ANY glitter, glitter paper, glitter washi tape, glitter embossing powder, etc. These cards do not qualify in that regard. But you can swap out the glitter paper punches for regular or foil paper punches.

I hope these cards inspire you to thank a veteran! It only takes a few minutes, but will mean the world to someone whose life is completely different because of the sacrifice they gave to their country. Soldiers' wives and mommas would really love a note, too. And if you're part of a fun group of crafters who likes a project, consider Honor Flight--they need tons of cards for every flight!

Suggested Color Combination:

Real Red

Lost Lagoon

Whisper White

Crumb Cake

Night Of Navy

 

 

Honor Flight team service project

We had so much to celebrate at this month's Song of My Heart Demonstrator gathering, I hardly know where to begin! What a wonderful Sale A Bration 2016 it has been. I wanted to share some of the cute things we saw, the smiling faces of friends, and our very special service project.

For three years now, our team has been giving up one of their Make N Takes in order to have time to create cards for a special designated charity or deserving group. It serves as a reminder every single month how much of a difference a card can make, how little time it actually takes to make someone's day, and how much we can accomplish when we all work together.

I want to THANK my team for being the kind of people who do this every month without a second thought. It makes me more proud and simultaneously humble than anything else in my entire Stampin' Up career, which has been frankly amazing since day one.

Appropriately, Cristy B brought this amazingly fun thank-you card for us all to make at our meeting. Isn't it cute?

Here's some of those smiling faces! I didn't catch everyone, but I did make a pretty decent nuisance of myself with my camera. Julie R made adorable nametags for all of us. I appreciate everyone who brings Make N Takes, participates in the swap, does demonstrations, brings snacks, and helps clean up and set up the room. It really does take a village to pull off meetings of this size every month!

I have more stamping pictures to share, but let me tell you about our team project right now...

Our group Stampin' Up service project for the entire year is Badger (Wisconsin) Honor Flights out of Milwaukee. Kathy Van Duser has been our lead for this project, and every month she puts in HOURS of work to make sure we have our pieces cut, prepped and ready to go for the meeting. We have a significant number of cards to assemble and write inside every month, so it's super important that it be organized. Kathy has been completely amazing. We could not do this service project without her outside efforts.

This month we honored Kathy with a flower arrangement (NOT red, white and blue--she's probably tired of that combo!) and made a fuss over her. I've nominated her for the Heart of Stampin' Up award, but neither of us is going to convention this year so that's not likely. But I wanted you all to know about my amazing friend Kathy, just an ordinary Stampin' Up demonstrator who knows the power of a card.

You know I have to say it... I want YOU on my team by our next gathering.

I want you there for your OWN sake, because you'd be having the time of your life, and I want you there for MY sake, too, because I want to meet you and stamp with you and watch you become part of this fabulously inspiring group of women that have gathered together under the Song of My Heart umbrella.

Knowing them has changed my life. Let's chat about getting you plugged into that same kind of inspiration! Email me: Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com

Join us at the Crop 4 the Cops!

Enjoy a fun day of crafting for a great cause! All proceeds from this event go towards a special appreciation day for the local law enforcement personnel of the Watertown, WI Police Department. Show your support for these hard-working, dedicated men and women who serve and protect our community.

• Doors open at nine a.m. and close at nine p.m. Come as soon as you can and stay as long as you want!
• There will be a catered sub sandwich lunch with your choice of ham or turkey, condiments, chips, cookies and bottled beverage. Snacks and bottled water are also provided. Dinner is on your own.
• The community room is on the lower level of the Bank of Lake Mills' Watertown branch. It is handicap-accessible, warm and spacious, with bright lighting.
• There will be games and door prizes, plus a silent auction with locally-donated baskets further benefiting our cause!
• Cost is $45 per person and includes three cute Make N Take projects, lunch & snacks, HUGE swag bag and more!
  
• Cash, check and PayPal accepted. Your space is not reserved until payment is confirmed.

To register or for more information, email Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com

Hope to see you there! Please SHARE THIS POST to spread the word

and help support our police officers. Thanks!

SOMH Demos, Making A Difference

This year my SOMH demo team started a new challenge called Make A Difference A Month. We're excited to be using our papercrafting talents for good in our community in 2014!

Our first project was completed on Monday night and was headed up by Lori Brausen. She designed these great cards to be given to the workers at a local adult daycare service provider. It tickled our hearts to think of those employees, whose sometimes-thankless jobs really are a labor of compassion "for the least of these," opening a special card thanking them for being that kind of person. Individuals like that truly do make the world a better place.

As we made the cards and signed our names, I could just feel the warmth and goodwill in the room. I have a sneaking suspicion we're going to really find out the truth of the verse, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

I want to take a moment to give a heartfelt thank you to the Bank of Lake Mills' Watertown branch for allowing us to use their Community Room for free. They are making a difference in our town as well!

If you're aware of a charity or good cause that could use some cards, either as an encouragement or for use in their work, please email me to submit it for consideration for one of our Make A Difference A Month projects.

Challenge Update: 100 Cards by Christmas

How are you doing with the 100 Cards by Christmas Challenge? Oh yeah, remember that? Click here to see the original challenge. I am happy to say I have donated 125 cards to a nursing home and have 65 ready for the Humane Society here in town. I am cleaning out and using up, and feeling GREAT that these cards are going to a good home where they can be put to use.

Here's a recap of the "rules" of the 100 Cards By Christmas Challenge. I hope you'll participate along with me in using your Supplies Accumlated Beyond Life Expectancy (S.A.B.L.E.) to work for a good cause!

Choose one of these options:

• choose a charity that is near and dear to your heart and can use cards;
• or be a part of my own personal 100 Cards By Christmas Challenge, which will benefit the Watertown Humane Society. I'm hoping for lots of cute kitty and doggie cards : )

Post a comment below accepting the challenge and:

• tell us your charity organization choice or commit to join mine by mailing your donated cards to me (email me for address: zwolaneks@att.net)
• post a link to your charity if you would like to spread the word about your cause
• you can do it alone as a personal challenge or go in together with a friend or group if you're concerned about getting 100 cards created/collected by yourself.

Ready, Set, Start! Suggestions:

• start by looking through your own stash--you probably have "a few" made up that would be suitable for the purpose already!
• demonstrators can turn appropriate sample swap cards into full cards
• be sure to provide envelopes, too--otherwise your donation will be offset by an expense to the charity--nobody wants that.
• not sure what kinds of cards would be best? Will they be used in the office, or sold as a fundraiser? Contact your charity and ask!

 I'm excited about this fun way to do some good in my community, and reduce my S.A.B.L.E. at the same time-- and I hope you are, too! Leave a comment and let us know how you're progressing!

How are you doing with the 100 Cards by Christmas Challenge? Oh yeah, remember that? Click here to see the original challenge. I am happy to say I have donated 125 cards to a nursing home and have 65 ready for the Humane Society here in town. I am cleaning out and using up, and feeling GREAT that these cards are going to a good home where they can be put to use.

Here's a recap of the "rules" of the 100 Cards By Christmas Challenge. I hope you'll participate along with me in using your Supplies Accumlated Beyond Life Expectancy (S.A.B.L.E.) to work for a good cause!

Choose one of these options:

• choose a charity that is near and dear to your heart and can use cards;
• or be a part of my own personal 100 Cards By Christmas Challenge, which will benefit the Watertown Humane Society. I'm hoping for lots of cute kitty and doggie cards : )

Post a comment below accepting the challenge and:

• tell us your charity organization choice or commit to join mine by mailing your donated cards to me (email me for address: zwolaneks@att.net)
• post a link to your charity if you would like to spread the word about your cause
• you can do it alone as a personal challenge or go in together with a friend or group if you're concerned about getting 100 cards created/collected by yourself.

Ready, Set, Start! Suggestions:

• start by looking through your own stash--you probably have "a few" made up that would be suitable for the purpose already!
• demonstrators can turn appropriate sample swap cards into full cards
• be sure to provide envelopes, too--otherwise your donation will be offset by an expense to the charity--nobody wants that.
• not sure what kinds of cards would be best? Will they be used in the office, or sold as a fundraiser? Contact your charity and ask!

 I'm excited about this fun way to do some good in my community, and reduce my S.A.B.L.E. at the same time-- and I hope you are, too! Leave a comment and let us know how you're progressing!

CHALLENGE: 100 Cards by Christmas

I have a challenge for you all, if you're willing to accept it! There are so many great causes out there and so many organizations in the world that need our help (I hope you've donated to the typhoon victims or are planning to shortly!). But funds are a bit scarce these days for many of us, and during this time of year, our budgets are tighter than ever. The need never goes away, however--so how can we help?

Enter the Craft Stash!

You know, the one that has this warning label on it: Supplies Accumlated Beyond Life Expectancy (S.A.B.L.E.) I have one, and I'd be willing to be you probably do, too! Let's put that guilt-inducing stash to work for a good cause, shall we?

So here's the challenge! I'll post periodic reminders, and list the names of the participants in a follow-up post after Christmas. That's it--no prizes--just the joy of creativity and the satisfaction of knowing you are making a difference for your chosen organization.

Ready to play? Choose one of these options:

• choose a charity that is near and dear to your heart and can use cards;
• or be a part of my own personal 100 Cards By Christmas Challenge, which will benefit the Watertown Humane Society. I'm hoping for lots of cute kitty and doggie cards : )

Then post a comment below accepting the challenge and:

• tell us your charity organization choice or commit to join mine by mailing your donated cards to me (email me for address: zwolaneks@att.net)
• post a link to your charity if you would like to spread the word about your cause
• you can do it alone as a personal challenge or go in together with a friend or group if you're concerned about getting 100 cards created/collected by yourself.

Suggestions:

• start by looking through your own stash--you probably have a few made up that would be suitable for the purpose already!
• demonstrators can turn appropriate sample swap cards into full cards
• be sure to provide envelopes, too--otherwise your donation will be offset by an expense to the charity
• not sure what kinds of cards would be best? Will they be used in the office, or sold as a fundraiser? Contact your charity and ask!

Like I said, my personal goal is to collect 100 cards for the local Humane Society to use to thank donors and adoptive pet parents, between now and Christmas. I'm excited about this fun way to do some good in my community, and reduce my S.A.B.L.E. at the same time-- and I hope you are, too! Have you thought of an organization who needs your help? Leave a comment below, and let's get started!

Convention 2013 Punch Art Inspiration

I'm headed back to good old Wisconsin the next two days, so I've lined up some of the best samples I spotted at Convention 2013 to share with you. I know the "people" part of convention is always MY favorite thing to hear about, but the stampin' part of it is what really floats YOUR boats! I cannot WAIT to get home and get some of these ideas into practice. Monday is Calendar Club, Tuesday is Create A Card Club, and the 31 Pages in 31 Days challenge begins in just over a week... I'm going to have plenty of excuses to play, play, play the minute I walk in the door!

This kleenex box get-well card makes me smile. That's just the new hexagon punch, can you believe it? That kind of punch art is easy enough even for ME : ) And look at this next slider-card cutie!!! Angry Birds are a big hit at my house. I love the cupcake punch topper used as clouds, and the Word Window used for the slingshot. You can click here to view all of Stampin' Up's punches in my shopping site.

This card is just perfect... I love the layers of "grass" and the little snipped bits of "dirt." The sun is the Pennant builder punch. The stamp set is called Tag It, and that's our new charity set for the year. Proceeds go to Ronald Mc Donald House. In fact, Ronald himself came by to thank Stampin' Up for our  donation.

I forget the actual figures, but our little annual stamp set has raised over a million dollars just by itself, not to mention the donations of time and product from local demonstrators. I was really proud to be able to take 50 cards with me to convention to donate on behalf of the Song of My Heart team, collected at our July meeting. Yay team!

I was out of swaps by the time this cutie pie came along, but they let me take a picture of it anyway. Isn't he precious? I definitely have to try to attempt this cheerful little guy when I get home. If he turns out, I'll post the punches needed and list any that need to be trimmed. Wish me luck... punch art is not necessarily my forte!

More Birthdays for Bella

 

This auction has ended. Many Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to Michelle Stark, winner of the complete set of ink pads! Please continue to keep little miss Bella in your prayers and stay informed on her Facebook Page and Caringbridge site.

I'd like you to meet my friend Bella! She is an adorable tiny not-quite-nine-year-old who has had quite the journey--may I tell you her story? Born prematurely and weighing only four pounds, Bella was in and out of hospitals all throughout the first six years of her life wth a laundry list of conditions and disorders, enduring eight major surgeries including open heart surgery. Because of multiple medical issues, Bella never learned to eat, and takes in all her nutrition through a g-tube. You can't keep Bella down, though, and she is a fiesty little sister and a sweet and sassy girlfriend with a dazzlin' smile!

Sadly, our little fighter friend was ultimately diagnosed with a rare, terminal illness called Fanconi Anemia. FA life expectancy is in the mid twenties due to bone marrow failure and a high incidence of leukemia and other cancers.

Bella's mom, my friend and former Stampin' Up team member Stephanie, has dedicated her life to raising funds for Fanconi Anemia research. A tireless fundraiser, Stephanie runs a More Birthdays for Bella Facebook page as well as a CaringBridge site where you can keep updated on Bella's story and read about ways you can help us find answers and ultimately discover a cure for Fanconi Anemia.

I wanted to help my little friend Bella, who is the same age as my daughter Natalie. I knew once you'd met Bella you'd want to help out, too, so I'm providing a fun and easy opportunity for you to do so!

One complete set of Stampin' Up's new Firm Foam ink pads

38 Colors in all, brand new individually wrapped pads

All together over $200 retail value

Complete boxed set of Regals, Neutrals, Subtles and Brights

Bid between now and midnight TONIGHT CST

Highest bidder will win the pads plus free shipping anywhere in the U.S.

Silent Auction bidding by email: zwolaneks@att.net  with the subject Line: More Birthdays for Bella

Bidding is now over. Congratulations to Michelle Stark, and thank you to everyone who participated in our auction fundraiser!

 

WI Stampers Regional Convention

Please note: this post will periodically be pinned to the top of my blog to help spread the word.

Please scroll down for more recent posts. Thanks!

Ready for some fun this spring? My extended Stampin' Up "family" is throwing a regional stampin' convention for all area demonstrators and their guests in Madison, Wisconsin, April 19-20, 2013! You'll be treated to stamping presentations, motivational talks, business tips and more from ten levels of my uplines and downlines, as well as special guest presenters we're bringing in from other groups! There will be Make N Takes, organized swaps, display boards, and a professional digital photo package is included in the entry fee.

Located in the beautiful Crowne Plaza Hotel just off Interstate 90 in Madison, optional activties will begin on Friday, April 19th with a Pajama Party mixer, snacks and games at six p.m. followed by a shoebox swap from seven to ten p.m. Then it's off for a sleepover with the girls if you've booked your room there for the night.

Saturday, April 20th, the fun begins at 9:00 a.m. sharp, with presentations on the stage showcasing stamping tecniques, Workshop Wows, business training, and other related topics. Then we'll take a break with fantastically creative Make N Takes before our lunch break from 11:30 am to 1:00 p.m. There are 2 full miles of restaurants along this streatch of East Washington Avenue--something for everyone!

Come back to participate in an optional Organized Swap in the Odana Room lobby from approx 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm. Register under options and choose to join one group or two.  Afternoon sessions begin at 1:30pm until 3:00pm including more exciting stage presentations--and let us not forget the Prize Patrol!

We'll conclude our time together with a Service Project from 3:00pm to approx 4:30pm. We're asking all attendees to bring extra cards or card fronts, and we will be sorting, assembling and packing up these cards which will be donated to several organizations. Our charities for this event are "From Our Hearts/Operation Write Home," who provide cards to military members, and "The Necessities Bag"  organization which benefits Breast Cancer patients. 

It's going to be a FABULOUS weekend and I really hope you can join us! I am excited to play my part and share in several areas over the weekend, see demos from all over the area and meet new friends.

Ready to register or want more info? Click here to visit the convention website:

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=5syt4vdab&oeidk=a07e74etfph3f6ad061

All questions should be addressed to the organizers listed in the link above.

Not a demonstrator? If you've been considering it, I invite you to attend the WI Stamper Regional Convention with me as my guest. Not only will you have a blast learning and stamping your way through the day, if you decide to sign up as a demo after the conference, I will write you a check for the registration fee as my welcome gift to our team.

Ronald McDonald House charity stamp set

Through the Making a Difference program, launched in 2003, Stampin' Up! began a partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities. Each year, they design an exclusive stamp set and donate a portion of the proceeds from the each sale of that set. To date, almost $100,000 has been donated just from RMHC stamp set sales. Awesome!

You can help us make a difference! Purchase this year's set, Moving Forward, and SU will donate $3 to RMHC for each set purchased. It's super cute, and it's for a great cause! Can't beat that!

Stampin' Up and the Today Show Toy Drive

One of the things I appreciate most about Stampin' Up is that they believe in making a difference in the lives of others--whether they're demonstrators, employees, the people who use our products, or children in need of a way to express their creativity. And Stampin' Up puts their money where their mouth is! It's not just a pretty saying on the wall of the home office.

Since 2005, Stampin' Up! has been honored to participate in the TODAY Show's Holiday Toy Drive. This year, Stampin' Up! will be donating over $500,000 worth of stamping and paper crafting products. In conjunction with the donation, Stampin' Up!'s Shelli Gardner will make an appearance on NBC's TODAY Show on Tuesday, December 6. Be sure to tune in and watch Shelli with Hoda and Kathie Lee--it's always very short and she hardly gets a word in edgewise, but its fun to see!

Shelli will be blogging about this fun (and somewhat nerve-wracking) experience in New York City. If you haven't been to her blog yet, it's a MUST! www.soshelli.com There are even challenges you can enter and win free stamp sets from her personally, whether you are a demonstrator or not!

 

2011 JD Crop for a Cure

Today's Crop for a Cure was both well attended and fabulously fun! We had a wonderful time crafting our arms off, shopping, winning prizes, eating, and of course, lots and lots of chatting!

This is Carol R. making her first papercrafting project ever! She came to sit and do her yarn work, and wound up getting totally hooked on the Make N Take. I'll have pictures of that later--forgot to take any today, wouldn't you know.

Kathy N had a lovely visit with her grandbaby. I got to hold this little sweetie, too! We both agreed there's nothing like a chubby baby in an adorable froggie-footed sleeper for warming up your hands on a chilly day.

Other daddies and kids came to visit during the day, too, including Jenny M's little girl, who had a great place to keep all her stickers. Isn't that just too funny? I'll have to send this photo to her mom to scrapbook.

Here is a rare picture of Kim R--rare because she's the organizer of this wonderful annual event, and you don't catch her sitting down pretty much the whole day! The JDRF crop is especially important to her, because both of her kids have juvenile diabetes. Thanks for another awesome event, Kim! I hope we raised a LOT of money for this great cause!

And here's a photo of the little gal who started it all--Amanda!

What a great way to spend a rainy, COLD Saturday. I didn't get a whole lot done myself, but I did get all caught up with friends I haven't been able to spend much time with lately, and that was priceless. I hope you'll make it a priority to take a little time out for yourself to get together with friends--maybe not even craft necessarily, but just spend some time purposefully connecting. Friendship is precious, a piece of yourself, your time, your life. Give that gift to a friend today!