So a very huge thank you to Linda Craven, Nikki Stalker and Mae Collins for this honour

Thanks again to the lovely ladies who awarded me this award – I am very touched

Here’s a card that I created for my mum as its her birthday on Thursday.

Mum loves roses and I love this rose!

My last two Stamp A Stack groups made this card and they just loved it!  Its quite easy to put together and the hardest part is just the embossing!

The Pink Pirouette layer is stamped in versamark then clear embossed.  The rose is stamped in Whisper White onto Whisper White cardstock and then clear embossed. Its then coloured using the Aqua Painter and Pretty in Pink Classic Ink Reinker and highlighted with the Regal Rose Classic Ink Reinker.  You will need your Aqua Painter to be very wet for this technique to spread the ink over the whole flower.

I would just love to show you how to make this card and you and your friends could make it for free just by holding a demonstration! So all you need to do is to email or ring me to book your demonstration in.

Now for my special bonus offer ….

The Stampin Up! ‘year’ goes from April to March and during that year you can achieve Sales and Recruiting goals and receive awards at Convention to achieving set goals. The first level Sales goal is $20,000 and I am just $500 short of this amount and am asking for your help so I can walk the stage, receive a special $20k pin and receive a bonus free stamp set at Convention in May.

Now there are only two days left to achieve this goal so I know I’m asking alot but if you would like to help me I am offering some special bonuses for those who place an outside order and pay on or before Wednesday. These offers are only good through me and only available until 8pm Wednesday 31st March and they are ….

1. The first five orders of  $70 or more will receive either a bonus Designer Brad set or pack of Designer Series Paper of your choice
2. The first four orders of $150 or more will receive a level one hostess set
3. Purchase my ‘must have adhesives set‘ for $60 and receive a bonus adhesive remover! This set consists of Snail Adhesive, Snail Refill, Stampin Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive, 2-way glue pen and Sticky Strip. This set is valued at $65.85 and is just $60 plus you get the Adhesive Remover valued at $3.75!

All orders received from now until 8pm Wednesday will go into the draw for a pack of Fine Supernova Stampin Glitter – this consists of 5 jars of superfine glitter and is valued at $26.95

All orders received for $150 or more from now until 8pm Wednesday will go into the draw for a free ‘Wanted’ stamp set.

Payment can be made by bank transfer, cash or credit card and must be receive by 8pm Wednesday 31st March, 2010.

So ring or email me now to place your order and help me ‘walk the stage’ at convention! Remember these offers close at 8pm Wednesday 31st March, 2010.

Firstly …. for the ESAD Sale A Bration Blog Hop

Thank you to each and everyone of the girls who were in the Blog Hop – we all managed to get our posts and links working with just a couple of minor hitches. So thank you so much and your projects were just awesome (insert applause)

Now another huge thank you to all who visited each blog and left a comment! It was a huge blog hop with 41 blogs involved so I thank you for your patience and making it all the way through! I had 43 ladies email me to confirm they completed the rounds so its my pleasure to announce the following as winners of our blog candy ….

1. Donna Zammitt

2. Keegan Rigby

3. Charmaine Black

So ladies I’ve sent you an email tonite so please send me your mailing address so we can get your candy in the mail!

Also, last week I announced a colour challenge I put to the girls at my ESAD-SU Yahoogroup and shared the card I made.  The cards made were all awesome! and I thank you all for playing and am happy to announce the winner of the card challenge is the lovely Cathy Clarke from Queensland.

So congrats Cathy youre card is now on the home page for the ESAD-SU Yahoogroup and I’ll have a little something in the mail for you this week. This is Cathy’s gorgeous card

I will be back tomorrow with a card and a mini tutorial so make sure you pop back for that!

Today I was visiting Bev Mantle’s blog and found that she had awarded me a “Fabulous Blog” award. To say that I was thrilled is an understatement especially with the other blogs she’s listed me with!

Now the rules for this award are simple and that I share 5 things I am addicted to and then pass the award onto 5 other lovely blogs.

So for my addictions here goes ….

1. Stampin Up! (that surprised you didnt it??)
2. Coffee
3. Bejewelled Blitz on Facebook
4. Latte’s
5. Coffee

Now for the blogs – these are the blogs that inspire me the most. They may not be my closest friends but they do inspire me with their ideas and projects and they are not listed in any particular order.

• Becky Roberts – Inking Idaho
• Patty Bennett - Patty’s Stamping Spot
• Paula Goff - Inking Addict
• Diana Gibbs – Stampin with Di
• Andrea Walford - Andrea Walford

Thanks so much to Bev for this wonderful award and the blessing of calling her friend!

This was the third Stampin’ Up!® Convention held in Australia and I’ve been to each one and I must say they just keep getting better and better! Stampin’ Up! is such a giving company and to have the founder of the Company make the trip here and be so gracious and happy to talk to anyone who wants to still amazes me – there arent many Company owners that would do that.

Shelli Gardner is such an amazing woman and one so full of grace – much like those described in Proverbs and one who is not afraid to show her emotions whether she’s with one or two or four hundred. I have nothing but admiration for her.

Here I am with Shelli after the dinner and awards night.

It was an amazing night with a lot of women being awarded for their hard work and dedication.

I was very surprised to find that when I checked in on Friday morning that I was receiving not one but two awards!  How sweet is that!!

Here are the pins that I received when I checked in. The celebrate pin is just for those attending convention as this was the theme this year.

The 20K  pin is for those who sold between $20,000 and $30,000 – I was very close to getting the 30K pin but just could justify the extra spending to get there – besides there is always next year!

The Leadership pin is for having promotions in my first level of downline. This is the one I didnt realise I was getting and was very blessed to receive it. I do have a lovely team of girls and am blessed to also call them friends.

Another highlight of Convention was catching up with friends.  A couple of demo’s that have become close friends over the past 12 months are the gorgeous Nicki Tidbold and Stephanie Pike – and here we are after the awards night.

Its with these two gorgeous ladies and Makeesha Byl that the ESAD-SU Demonstrator group was started and with all our members at convention I was totally blessed by all who came up to me to say hello. We also organised a brunch on the Sunday morning for the ESAD members and with some 40 crazy women stampers the staff at Tossolini’s in Canberra really do need to be congratulated – the food was lovely and the coffee even better!

If you have been thinking about joining Stampin’ Up! now is the perfect time. To celebrate Scrapbooking month Stampin’ Up! have brought out a Scrapping Starter Kit so you can join for just $150.00! How cool is that? to purchase your own business for just $150.00 and to run it when it suites you is pretty cool. Stampin’ Up! has given me the opportunity to work when it suites me and my family and allows me to be home when the kids get home from school. Something that is very important and also something that doesnt happen much these days.

Being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator means you can do as little or as much as you like and when you like. If you dont want to do demonstrations then that is fine – you can be a hobby demonstrator and buy for you and your friends if thats all you want to do. There are no penalties and no annual fees to pay each year.

The Scrapbooking Starter Kit contains the following:

*Substitutable for any stamp set up to $77.95 value.

Please note: Each of the products listed above may be substituted for like items.  Please see the Scrapbooking Starter Kit Order Form for details.

The Scrapbooking Starter Kit also contains all the business supplies contained in the standard Starter Kit:

• Getting Started DVD
• Getting Started Guide
• Guest Invitation Postcard (100)
• Idea Book & Catalogue (8)
• To My Hostess Envelope (10)
• Project Sample Sheet
• Recruit Brochures (20)
• Hostess Brochure (20)
• Hostess Benefits Form (10)
• Customer Order Form (50)

I have a growing team of just over 80 demonstrators (yes this still amazes me to this day!) and I would love to have you join the Stamp A Latte team! So if you are interested or if you have any questions then please email or ring me right away! Oh and dont forgt to ask what my extra special bonus is for joining my team. Hope to hear from you soon!

I’ve just popped in quickly to share some bags I made before I left for convention.

The first bag is a Bag-a-Lope and is done using the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set and the greeting is from Level 1 Hostess Set Best Yet.The Panel behind the stamped image is done using the Scallop Border Punch and the ‘friend to friend’ sentiment is from the Pocket Silhouettes.  The instructions for the Bag-a-lope can be found at SplitCoast Stampers here

The second bag is done using the gorgeous Raspberry Tart Designer Series Papers and is made using the Box in a Bag tutorial also at Splitcoast Stampers. These are super easy to make and I’m more than happy to show you should you wish to hold a demonstration – remember when you host a demonstration you get to keep everything I make on the day. The flowers are from the Flower Fusion kit and are held together with a rhinestone brad.

As a reminder one of the specials for May is the Buy 3 and get one Free! So when you buy 3 packs of Designer Series Papers you get the fourth pack absolutely free!

There is another awesome special for May as well.

If you have ever considered joining Stampin’ Up!® then May is the best time to join.  In celebration of National Scrapbooking Month, join Stampin’ Up! as a demonstrator for only $150 with our limited-time Scrapbooking Starter Kit. The Scrapbooking Starter Kit contains the following:

*Substitutable for any stamp set up to $77.95 value.

Now the great thing about any of Stampin’ Up!’s starter kits each of the products noted with an * listed above may be substituted for like items.  So you can select any stamp set to the value of $77.95 when you purchase this kit. If you would like to find out more information about this or the regular Starter Kit and all the benefits of becoming a demonstrator and part of my wonderful team then please email or phone me today.

The Scrapbooking Starter Kit also contains all the business supplies contained in the standard Starter Kit

So there you have two awesome promotions to take advantage of during the month of May so choose one … or both!

Dont forget I’ll be announcing my extra special special in line with the Designer Series Paper Promotion on Monday.

It was a very full on day today at Convention but an awesome one at that and I will fill you in more tomorrow if time permits. Tomorrow night sees the Stampin’ Up! Awards dinner where demonstrators are rewarded for achieving particular goals and the top 25 Demonstrators of the Year will be announced. So needless to say I’m looking forward to that – its a great night had by all in attendance – not just those receiving awards.

I’m off to hop into bed and try and get a little more sleep than I did last night – must have been all the excitement for today that kept me awake until 3am last night … now if only the rowdy crowd outside would realise its bedtime too!!

Have a wonderful SAturday!!

Thank you Libby for this gorgeous award and thank you too for supporting me both with my business and your friendship over the years.

Now to pass this award onto five blogs with heart …

1. Makeesha Byl – this lady is so talented and amazes me with all the ideas she comes up with and I am blessed to call her friend
2. Stephanie Pike – this lady is also very talented and knows just about every technique there is to know! I am also blessed to have her as a friend
3. Patty Bennett – I love checking in on Patty to see what she’s been up to – she has awesome projects on her blog and always happy to share her ideas with others
4. Andrea Lowcock – Andrea has fantastic ideas and there is always something new on her blog – except for when she’s holidaying in Queensland – she too loves Casting Crowns so she’s gotta be ok hey??
5. Kerri Hunter – Kerri is a wonderful friend and stamper. We met through being in the same Stampin’ Up! team and it was worth it just to find this friendship! I love Kerri’s work and blessed to have her as one of my best friends.

Now girls you all have to pass it on to another five of your favourite blogs with heart ♥

Be sure to check out the blogs of the ladies I’ve nominated – you wont be sorry!

Dont forget to pop back later to see some collage cards I’ve made.