Embellish

Well, wouldja look at that: Stampin' Up's Global 100 Demonstrators of the Year

I never EVER miss convention, but I did not even try to go to OnStage this year due to health issues, and wouldn't you know... I won a big award and wasn't there to get it!

Yesterday the numbers were released and I discovered to my utter shock that I'd been named #38 for overall demonstrator performance in the United States, and ranked 80th total worldwide. WOW!! You could have knocked my socks off. I had NO idea at all.

I'm just over here playing with stamps, people! It still surprises me they pay me to do this job. I love it so much! And I couldn't possibly work it at this level without all of you. I did not wind up on this exclusive list by myself. I was borne there on the backs of crazy stampin' ladies all over the United States, and carried there on the shoulders of teammates and friends all over the world.

Yeah, that's not me on the jumbotron in the top pic, btw... but look at the adorable luggage I won! Isn't that the cutest thing ever? Almost too cute to actually use!

So what do you say we have

a BIG GIVEAWAY to celebrate the occasion?

I feel so blessed to be a part of this company,

I want to give someone a taste of how spoiled rotten I am!

I'm thinking someone needs the entire Stampin' Blends Collection, what about you??? All 24 colors of Stampin' Up's new alcohol markers, Ivory and Bronze skin tones, a mistake-fixing Color Lifter and the required Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad. Yeah baby! Let's do it!

I'm not going to ask you to do anything but leave a comment on this post in order to enter. No order necessary to win--although I never turn down an order : ) A random number generator will choose the winner on the morning of November 28th and the winner will be posted in my Tuesday e-News (don't forget to subscribe!) You must live in the United States in order to win.

Leave a comment and share what stamp set you'd pull out first if you won the Stampin' Blends Collection!

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 [email protected], 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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OnStage 2017: better together

This past weekend I was able to attend the Stampin' Up conference held in Minneapolis, a busy weekend of training, fellowship and fun! It got off to a rough start for me health-wise, but we switched around some plans, Penni took over the driving, and we managed to get there. It was worth the effort to get all those hugs... and free stamps! : )

The first event was a leadership-level, fancy sit-down dinner, and hearing inside news from headquarters and a fantastic presentation from our great keynote speaker, Lisa Robbin Young. We had yummy raspberry cheesecake, received an adorable new stamp set, and most importantly, we were the first to receive our new catalogs!! It was hard to put it aside and go to sleep that night!

The next day started pretty crazy--mornings and I do not get along anymore. The MN event was the largest in the nation, and my team unfortunately did not get to sit together. But we all made new friends and swapped samples with different people, so that was actually pretty awesome! There were non-stop new product news, business tips and recognition all morning, a great picnic lunch, and then more stamping presentations and hands-on projects all afternoon. No one really wanted it to end at five, but that was ok, too, because I don't think we could have taken in anything else at that point!

Next to seeing old friends and making new ones, and getting the new catalog, of course, the best part of any Stampin' Up event are the samples!! Here's some of my very favorites. These are all new stamp sets, framelits, papers and colors... love it!

There were wonderful display boards with all the new products attached to them so we could see them up close and even touch them. It was awesome to see the new In Color Collection in action, too--Berry Burst, Powder Pink, Tranquil Tide, Lemon Lime Twist and Fresh Fig will definitely be freshening up our color combos this spring and summer!

 
The theme for this conference was "Better Together," and I think that's so true... OnStage would be better together with YOU!

It's time to talk about getting you signed up as a demonstrator on my team. You'll love it. All this fun and more is waiting for you... YOU are the one missing at our table! Sign up today at http://bit.ly/joinSUnow and you'll get to take advantage both of knowing what's retiring AND what's coming up in the next catalog.

Then YOU will be the one in these photos with me, having fun, learning like crazy, and making friends.

It's always better together!

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Five things your demonstrator wishes you'd stop doing

1. Stop hiding it when you mess up your project. We want to know so we can help you figure out a fix! The goal is for everyone to go home with cards they like and will use. If you're regularly going home and tossing them in the trash, we're not doing our job. There's a huge variety of tricks demonstrators learn to fix or cover any kind of mistake you can possibly make. Everyone will learn something new tonight--it's just your turn to be the example this time!
2. Stop ignoring it if something's bothering you. Is our scented candle too smelly? Is it too hot or cold? Is our porch light burnt out? Do we need to get a bigger venue so it's not so crowded? If our customers aren't happy and comfortable, we need to know. Speak up if the music's too loud or there's not enough supplies set out. Sometimes we need help seeing it through someone else's eyes.
3. Stop feeling guilty about shopping multiple places. We know you have options both locally and online. No one company is every going to meet every single need you have (not even Amazon!) And we know some of you visit multiple demonstrators' events. It's OK! The majority of us aren't threatened by having customers in common. It helps us stay at the top of our game and not be lazy. Just be thoughtful and don't gab about your Hobby Lobby shopping spree while we're showing the class the new Spring catalog, ok?
4. Stop putting yourself last. It's OK to need a night out and something to look forward to. It's OK to yearn for some adult conversation and food that doesn't involve chicken nuggets or pizza. You're actually going to be a better wife, mom, co-worker and friend by taking a little time to nurture your soul and reconnect with people you enjoy being with. We feel bad when you don't come, not just for our own sake, but because we can see what you're doing when you deny yourself any "me time" month after month.
5. And the biggest one of all? Stop saying you "just aren't creative." It's not true! You might need a little encouragement and practice, but everyone has a spark of creativity in them placed there by their Creator. Easy project ideas, help with cutting and measurements, and good-quality, color-coordinated tools are going to make a world of difference in what you're able to create. That's what demonstrators are there for. Not to show you what WE can do, but what YOU can do. You're going to love it.

Ready to quit some of these bad habits? I believe in you! You can do it! : )

And, my friend? Let's chat ASAP about transferring you from the "happy shopper" team to the "happy demonstrator" team.

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Time to swap! Demonstrator Sample Exchanges expand your inspiration and grow your stamping skills

 One of my very favorite reasons to be a demonstrator is the amazing sample swapping that goes on whenever we gather together!

Stampin' Up demonstrators are some of the most creative people in the world, and I benefit greatly from seeing their ideas. I love coming up with a cool card and making a bunch of them so I can trade with others. It's fun to think of the little card I stamped in my craftroom in Wisconsin traveling across the U.S. and sometimes even across oceans, to land in another demonstrator's sample basket.

I'm sharing several favorites from my latest chance to swap, at the OnStage 2016 earlier this month. I made forty swaps, so I can't show all the samples I received here, but these are some of my favorites! I also swap every month with my team, at our local gathering. I think swapping is such an integral part of being a demonstrator, that if any of my non-local team members wants to participate by mail, I pay the shipping back to them after the meeting. It's worth it to spread the love!

One really nice thing about swapping is that I get a variety of stamp sets, paper choices and different embellishments and die-cuts to show my local stamping friends. I don't have to personally own all of Stampin' Up's product lines--thank goodness for that, because there's almost 4,000 products in our catalogs! Even if I could swing it, it wouldn't all fit in here, for sure!

My stampin' friends LOVE to look in my sample basket to see what new delights I've traded for since the last time they attended! It's awesome to have artwork from many different designers that they can look through and learn from. It helps both them and me get out of our little crafty comfort zone and try new layouts, color combos and techniques that we never would have seen otherwise.

I keep the samples protected in our Clear Translucent Envelopes so they don't get fingerprints or smudges on them while we browse the basket. And when the products used on the swaps retire, I have all these cool card fronts that I can turn into full cards and use for all kinds of occasions. Sometimes I turn them into gift tags or use the pieces as elements on scrapbook pages, too. Fun!

I hope you've enjoyed this little sneak peek into the secret world of demonstrator sample swaps... one of the best "hidden" reasons to join Stampin' Up! We should chat about the Starter Kit, the support services and incentives I provide as a member of the Song of My Heart team, and how you could get involved in swap exchanges with demonstrators all over the world.

Join the fun--the world is waiting to see what YOU will create next!

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Stampin' Up OnStage 2016: it's all about the team

This picture makes me so grateful Look at all the amazing women in my SU family! And this isn't even all of us--we had team members at several locations all over the country for this event. How blessed we all are to be connected through Stampin' Up, just by the shared experience that someone offered us the opportunity to be part of the sisterhood of demonstrators--and we said YES.

We had such a lovely time last weekend at the 2016 Stampin' Up OnStage conference. I am so thankful my health has improved enough to go--even just two weeks out I was seriously doubting I would have the stamina for this event. Thanks for praying for me! I managed to stay for much more of it than I had hoped. And it was SO GOOD to get all those hugs! So I'm really glad I went.

Friday night was just for leaders at a certain level and up, and we enjoyed a yummy dinner of prime rib and cheesecake and some specialized training on how to hold effective and fun team meetings. We all got the most gorgeous tote--it is right up my alley--charcoal and black with pink stitching! It matched my outfit really well : ) Then we went back to the hotel--many to stamp, me to sleep! In anticipation of a long and fun day to come. I had been stamping for weeks in advance, getting gifts ready for each team member and making my sample to swap with fellow demonstrators.

The next day everyone else arrived and we all got a canvas tote jam-packed with good stuff! The decorations were SO adorable--hot air balloons and a circus theme. And there were prizes like crazy--all for brand new product from the Spring Occasions 2017 Catalog! WOOT WOOT! I can't show any of that to you JUST yet, but you'll be seeing some sneak peeks beginning December first when the demonstrator-preorder begins.

(inserting tiny sales pitch here--you really need to think about joining my team so you can get a discount on what is coming!!!)

It was so good to see so many friends, hear inspiring success stories and lots of great tips, get all the latest updates on our wonderful company, and just plain STAMP together! We got to celebrate with Kristine, who presented on the stage; Tamie, who was a display stamper, Holly, who became an Artisan Award winner; Jessica, who made it into the Global Top 100; Diane's 20th anniversary as a demo; and many other anniversaries and career milestones. I received recognition for leadership, recruiting and personal sales as well, including the Thailand trip. God is good! Then after the conference was over, my team had a dinner catered by Olive Garden, with Make N Takes, a product challenge, and a fantastic swap. Even though everyone was SO tired, no one wanted to the day to be finished. It was truly a blessed day.

So, the next one's in April... at locations all over the country. Who wants to come with? Just $99 to join, and you get to pick your Starter Kit. Then you can take advantage of the discount AND pre-earn Sale A Bration 2017 rewards with your orders, getting your hands on the latest and most innovative papercrafting tools and stamps in the industry, before anyone else. April will be my 12th Stampin' Up anniversary... wanna help me celebrate? Let's do it!

#weloveDS: expressing our appreciation

 

It's been a fun week to be a Stampin' Up demonstrator! A whole bunch of us, worldwide, got together to express our appreciation to our Demonstrator Support Agents in the call center. They work so hard to answer all our questions, train the newbies, fix our ordering mistakes, and so much more. I never hang up without a smile on my face.

I don't know what Stampin' Up looks for in their vetting process for their agents, but it's good stuff, because all of them are awesome! Other companies could really learn from them.

So demonstrators all over the world are sending treats, flowers and of course hand-stamped gifts and goodies to their regional home offices this week. It's been super fun to see what's being sent in--everything from balloons to banners and even catered lunches and food baskets!

The Song of My Heart team and I decided to make coasters this year, and it was truly a group project. Our members in Arizona made all the envelopes, our members in Wisconsin stamped all the cork coasters, and our members from all over the United States sent in money to cover the supplies and postage expenses. It made my heart so glad to package it all up, tape it shut and send it on the way!

We used the hashtags #weloveDS and #stampinup to tag everything on social media, so that's what we stamped on our coasters, too, using Stazon ink pads so they won't run when wet. (And because I know you'll ask--the pre-cut blank cork coasters were from Hobby Lobby : )

We don't get moments like this without people like them. I hope the DS agents smile every time they use their coasters at their desk! Because we sure smile when we think of them. Thanks, guys! #weloveDS

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Bon Voyage! A thank you as we set off

I'm black and blue from PINCHING MYSELF, because today is the day! We hop on the boat here in Barcelona, Spain today and start the trip of a lifetime, first on the cruise ship bopping around the Western Mediterranean and then on our own for a week in Venice, Florence and Rome. And it's all because of you, you amazing customer friends. Thank you SO much for making it possible for me to gift this trip to Mike.

I'll ask one more thing of you, friends, and that is that you pray for safety, good health, and that we don't get lost! Oh, and for Mike's parents and my parents, who are flying in to stay in our house with the kids so that they can finish out their school year without disruption. Wasn't that amazing? I really am so blessed.

To celebrate our embarkation day, I made some more little Swirly Bird boat cards from scraps. I love this little boat!

Suggested Color Combination:

Dapper Denim

Watermelon Wonder

Whisper White

Mint Macaron

Emerald Envy

I'm going to UNPLUG & ENJOY the trip, so if I don't respond to messages, just know I'll catch up as quickly as possible when I'm back on American soil. In the mean time, you can call 1-800 STAMP-UP for help with anything. And I'll be sharing pictures whenever we have free wifi, I'm sure, so be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see where we're traveling to that day--we'll be seven hours ahead of the time back home.

The new catalog will begin while I'm gone, so just be aware of that. May 31st is the last day to order from the 2015-16 Catalog, and on June 1st you can starting ordering from the new book. I will try to get online and post the link to the PDF so you can see it even if you did not have one mailed to you last month or pick one up at my house. It's not too late to get one! Just email me and I'll send you one Priority Mail as soon as I get back. Lyssa @songofmyheartstampers.com

I've scheduled a few fun surprises in advance so don't think I've left you without inspiration for the next two weeks! You'll want to check in regularly to see what I've cooked up with my demonstrator sneak-peek order. I'm having WAY too much fun. Thank you so much for "playing" with me. Our friendship has been a delightful surprise and blessing in my life, and I know your hearts are with me as I go enjoy the trip WE earned together for my well-deserving hubby. Bless you for that.

Happy Crafting!

Thank you, sweet friends! Thailand 2017

Oh my goodness YOU GUYS! Such happy news this morning. GUESS who's going to THAILAND in 2017??? Me and my Michael, that's who!!! THANK YOU to all my fabulously supportive friends and family!! Thank you to everyone who bought Cheat Sheets, ordered Stampin' Up, purchased cards I made, shopped in my Etsy store, joined my team, came and stamped with me--every single one of you played a part in "my" success.

Thank you to my Song of My Heart demonstrator team, who have never ever doubted me, even when I doubted myself! Your enthusiasm is contagious and your stories are inspiring. I love you all dearly.

Thank you to CEO Sara Douglass and our dear founder Shelli Gardner, and their families and dedicated employees, for a fantastic company that makes impossible dreams come true! ‪#‎stampinup‬ ‪#‎ilovemyjob‬

Thank you most of all to my precious Father, from Whom All Blessings Flow! My business and everything else is always in Your Hand--let me only ever use it for You!

Just say no to FOMO! (fear of missing out)

Song of My Heart Stampers' e-newsletter lets you easily stay abreast of all the news! It highlights the best blog posts and my most important upcoming events. You'll find all the specials in one convenient location without scrolling or visiting different places. Cut to the chase and sign up today for this free once-a-week digest!

Want another reason to sign up? You'll get a FREE set of my cardmaking resources, Cheat Sheets Collection #1, totally free--that's a $10 value! This is an easy, no-risk way to try out these papercrafter's helpers that you've heard every one talking about. You'll soon see what all the fuss is about! 

Click here to sign up for the free Song of My Heart weekly e-news! Your free downloadable gift of Cheat Sheets Collection #1 will be emailed immediately. You can stop your subscription at any time, and your information will never be shared with anyone else.

Let the fun begin!

 

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: [email protected]

Song of My Heart does OnStage Milwaukee!

What a fantastic weekend! Stampin' Up's OnStage event was this weekend and I was privileged to attend it in Milwaukee with 27 team members and almost 700 other demonstrators from around the region. We had fantastic training, received all kinds of products, and were the first to see the brand new Spring Catalog (and even more importantly, the Sale A Bration brochure!!)

We started with an amazing, yummy dinner served on real china with waitstaff, fresh flowers, linens and candles... and scrumptious chocolate layer cake.
At our places there were two wonderful gifts: first our planners for the year, and secondly, a fantastic vinyl bag designed to hold embellishments in all the little zippered compartments. It's so adorable! If there's anything crafters like almost as much as craft supplies, it's organizational tools.

Milwaukee was just one of eight OnStage events in the United States, Australia and Canada this weekend, but ours was the biggest and in our humble opinion, the best. We had some special Wisconsin touches, like the gorgeous sunrise over Lake Michigan... We fed Brandi Barnard tasty Racine Kringle fresh from the bakery, and Scott Nielsen, Stampin' Up's CFO, wore his Green Bay Packers jersey the entire day. The hotel we stayed at was also famous as the spot that Theodore Roosevelt was shot while campaigning for president in 1912. He went on to give his hour-long speech with the bullet still in his chest. Tough guy! Had to snap a pic for my history-lovin' hubby.

So anyway, our particular OnStage was extra special and the excitement level was through the roof!

The day was jam-packed with ideas galore... team presents, staff gifts, presenter goodies, sample swaps... so many fantastic swaps! Midwestern stampers rock! We also saw a LOT of top-secret stuff like, oh, EVERYTHING in the Spring Occasions Catalog. We even got to make four different projects.

These are some of the things I brought or was given during the day. That's my swap card down on the bottom right there.

I'm so glad so many of my team made the effort to come. We did NOT regret it! Just the chance to be together was priceless, let alone share meals, discuss the business topics, share ideas, catch up and STAMP together. We got recognized for accomplishments from the transition period between our two Career Plans, so that was fun as well, to walk the stage together with teammates.

And every last one of us won a door prize at some point in the day! New stamps for everyone.

What a fantastic weekend. I LOVE the new event format and I can't wait for the next one!

If you've been thinking about grabbing the Starter Kit and becoming a Stampin' Up demonstrator, I can say with all my heart there is not a better group of ladies to align yourselves with than the inspiring, hilarious and creative Song of My Heart Demonstrators. We would dearly love to have you. Click here to pick out your Starter Kit and feel free to email me with any questions you might have, at [email protected] Then I'll be saving YOU a place at the NEXT OnStage in April!

Come to the Dark Side: we have cookies

Have you been considering coming over

to the dark side--I mean the demo side?

Is money the only thing holding you back?

Well, yeah, Lyssa, you might say, it's the "only" thing--but it's a big thing for me!

For a lot of us, even the low Starter Kit price of $99 bucks and free shipping is hard to spare right now. If we could spread it out a bit, it might happen, but not all in one whack! If that's the case, I have a little math for you to ponder today.

Yes, math... I know, I know!! But this is easy math. FUN math--and yes there is such a thing!

Follow me! Right this way, please:
1. $100 is the Instant Income from just one $500 workshop.
2. Say you were to host a party together with me, and it hit $500.
3. We sign up you up and you put the Starter Kit on your credit card.
4. You are instantly a brand new Stampin' Up Demonstrator.
5. We enter the orders from your party under your name.
6. You pay off the Starter Kit on your credit card with the $100 you just earned.

I know---beyond awesome! But wait--there's more!

1. You get to pick out $125.00 worth of product in the Starter Kit for just $99 plus tax (no shipping).

2. You're still the hostess for that party even though you're now the demonstrator, too--so pick out your hostess freebies.
3. Your quarterly minimum of $300 is met (and your first quarter's free) so you'll be active all the way through March 2016.
4. You get all the perks of pre-ordering, demo-only forums and galleries, magazine, contests and more.
5. You are halfway to promoting to Bronze Elite already, which will get you 25% instead of 20% off everything.
6. You have me as your totally awesome upline and mentor.

But wait, you say--how come I get the sales if YOU did the party?
The answer is simple--you're going to do the work!

Before the show, you and I will meet and decide on the Make N Takes and prep three super cute projects your friends will love. I'll spot you the cardstock and supplies as my welcome gift to you. We'll brainstorm on the best ways to get the maximum number of guests there so your party is likely to hit that magic $500.

At the show, you'll help me set up (I'll let you decide if you want to wear one of my black Stampin' Up aprons!) and you'll walk everyone through the cards with my help (if you even need it!). I'll handle the catalog tour and telling them about the specials and you can observe.

After the show, I'll total the orders while you serve the snacks and chat with your friends. If any of them are interested in helping you out by hosting a party themselves, we'll put them on your calendar. You can pay me back for any catalogs or hostess packet materials out of your own kit when it comes.

Sound like something that really ought to be tried? It is. You have nothing to lose. After all, if your party doesn't hit $500:
1. You can just be the hostess like you normally would, and earn hostess goodies as usual.
2. We still had a super fun night stamping with your girlfriends.
3. I'm not out anything that I wouldn't normally be out from any party.
4. You could still sign up as a demo and use your hostess credit towards the Starter Kit--or ask your family to consider that your birthday or anniversary gift.
5. We don't have to tell anyone we are trying to get your Starter Kit for free unless you want to.

When I type it all out for you like this, it almost takes my breath away, how incredibly wonderful this opportunity is, especially right now with the Starter kit an even better deal than it has EVER been. Nothing to lose... so much to gain!

Signing up this month? Join my team and get your 30-Day Business Booster training for free!

Click here for details on the next round

of my exclusive 30-Day Business Booster Challenge for Stampin' Up demonstrators.

Start out as you intend to begin, organized, systematic, and aware!

This boot camp is open to ALL Stampin' Up demonstrators, and it is free for members of my team.

Hope you can join demonstrators both new and "old"

as we seek to take our businesses to the next level

and make 2015-16 our best and most balanced year ever!

[email protected]

New 2015-17 In Color Collection Announced!

Demonstrators at the South Pacific Stampin' Up Convention got to be there for the unveiling of the 2015-17 In Color Collection, lucky ducks! Word spread like wildfire and I snagged these great pictures from the display boards at the event so we can all get our first glimpses.

Now, remember, these are just pictures--you'll want to see the colors in person before you make up your minds! Stay tuned for my New Catalog Events list, coming shortly! Just have to finalize one more venue.

I can't wait to try this cool mint with navy and a pop of red. I've heard you can use Mint Macaroon as a neutral, it's so light and ethereal. Will have to see how it fits into the Subtles collection. Greens can be tricky sometimes!

Can never have too many neutrals! This taupe is apparently darker in person and is going to coordinate great with Sahara Sand. I'm going to try those paired with Early Espresso and Mint Macaroon. And Watermelon Wonder with Tip Top Taupe is one of the hottest combos around for weddings right now!

This mustardy color is going to be awesome for fall, but I'm also excited at how well it pairs with Tip Top Taupe. Add a little black and some crisp white to Delightful Dijon, and I think we'll see a really striking combo for summer weddings.

I know this picture doesn't do this color justice--watermelon is much pinkier and not nearly so coral. It's going to pair perfectly with Cucumber Crush and I can't wait to see if Daffodil Delight is the right shade of yellow for Watermelon Wonder.

More green--but unlike Mint Macaroon, there's nothing shy and retiring about this one! This is the exact color of the leaves budding right now on my hydrangea bush. I think I'll reach for Bermuda Bay and Pumpkin Pie when I'm ready to start playing with Cucumber Crush.

So there we have it--an introduction to the new colors we always think we don't need, and then wind up falling in LOVE with! Ordering begins June 2nd--just one month to the new catalog!

10 great years of papercrafting with Song Of My Heart Stampers

I can't believe how fast the last ten years have flown by! I've been anticipating this date for a few months now and plotting--I mean, planning--how to celebrate. I love a good party, and this is a VERY good excuse, so I think a week-long celebration is in order, don't you?

Here's the agenda for the week:

1. Thursday April 23rd: SOMHS Facebook giveaways begin today! A free "thanks for your support" stamp set is our first prize. Leave a comment on the anniversary post to enter. Winner will be drawn Friday morning.
2. Friday, April 24th: all orders placed today will receive a free set of April 2015 Cheat Sheets, SOMH's exclusive cardmaking helpers. You know you've been curious! www.Lyssa.stampinup.net
3. Saturday and Sunday, April 25th-26th: Let's get crafty! Make me an anniversary or congrats card and post it online with the hashtag #SongofMyHeart. Every entry will get your name in a Monday morning drawing for a free chalkboard banner kit!
4. ***Monday, April 27th:*** in honor of my actual anniversary date, I'll be giving away TEN free prizes over the course of the day. Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for the most chances to win a prize that day!
5. Tuesday, April 28th: Show the blog some lovin'! Leave a comment on one of Song of My Heart's blog posts and SOMEBODY will go home with  a bundle of products worth more than $50!
6. Wednesday, April 29th: Celebrate SOMH's newest venture, our YouTube channel, by watching a NEW video tutorial released for the anniversary, and leaving a comment there. One lucky winner will get all five 2014-16 In Color Classic Ink Pads!!
7. Thursday, April 30th: it's a big day for us demonstrators as we'll get to see the new 2015-16 Idea Book & Catalog online. It will be a big day for one lucky Paper Pumpkin subscriber, too, because he/she is going to get a code to put in and get their Paper Pumpkins free for the next THREE months--a $60 value! New subscribers welcome. Click here to subscribe!

So there you have it--now, does that sound like FUN, or what??? Hope to see you all over the place with me online, participating in the anniversary celebration. I wish I could give you each a gift that represented the gift you have given me by allowing me to be your demonstrator and your friend. I appreciate you all, SO MUCH!

Thank you for a fabulous ten years--here's to the next ten!

International #weloveDS Week

It's our second-ever International Demonstrator Support Appreciation Week and I am loving this grass-roots movement by Stampin' Up demonstrators to show our love for the best support personnel in the world.

You know how sometimes you hate to call in to a company because you know you're going to get a robot, or someone who doesn't speak your language very well? That never happens with my company. I always walk away from a call with my problem fixed and a smile on my face. Sometimes they even share a hot tip or two, and they always take a second to peek at my reports and congratulate me on whatever I managed to accomplish recently.

It's not in the recruiting materials, but it's definitely a perk of being a demonstrator. So here's my shout-out. I appreciate you, DS, and I hope your day goes fantastically great. GROUP HUG!

Thank you--yes, YOU!--for the Mediterranean cruise

A huge and heartfelt THANK YOU

to all my customer friends for

making another Stampin' Up dream come true.

Because of YOU we have earned a free Mediterranean cruise

with ports of call in Spain, Italy and France, including airfare, for spring 2016.

Visiting Italy has been my history-professor-hubby's lifelong dream,

and the fact that I get to hand him that trip

makes me profoundly humbled yet deeply proud.

I literally could not have done it without my fabulous customer friends

and my incredibly awesome and supportive team.

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.

Signing up this month? Join my team and get your 30-Day Business Booster training for free!

Click here for details on the next round

of my exclusive 30-Day Business Booster Challenge for Stampin' Up demonstrators.

This boot camp is open to ALL Stampin' Up demonstrators, and it is free for members of my team.

Hope you can join us as we seek to take our businesses to the next level

and make 2015 our best and most balanced year ever!

[email protected]