Thursday, November 11, 2010

WOW!!!!!

WOW, it has been WAY TOO LONG!!!! BAD BLOGGER!!!!! What can I say, life has caught up with me and I just haven't been able to play catch up!!!! Sorry! Everything is going great, we have just been so very busy~

So, rather than bore you all with what has been going on in my life lately, I will just say that I will promise to TRY to be a regular blogger (yet again...)

My Stampin' Up! business has been going FANTASTIC!!!!! I have met such wonderful stampers and made great friends in the past few months and they have kept my stamp camps full and fun!! I have REALLY enjoyed stamping with these ladies and getting to know each of them!! So, if you are one of my new stampers, THANK YOU for coming to stamp with me, and if you are a "veteran" stamper of mine and I haven't seen you in a while, I would LOVE to stamp with you again, come and join us!! We have had a great time!

This Monday will be my third and last Holiday Card Class of the month. It is FULL, but if you missed out on your chance to start and finish ALL your Holiday cards in one class...contact me and we can schedule your class! The stampers have really seemed to enjoy walking away with all of their beautiful cards and the sense of "WOW, I can't believe I'm done with my cards in NOVEMBER!!"

I will post some of the cards we made soon, I haven't taken a picture of them yet!! (Baby steps with getting back to blogging....baby steps!)

Well, I hope you are all doing GREAT and I am glad to be back in blogger land! I have missed you! ;o) I WILL be back SOON!!!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Happy Summer!


Hi stampers! I wanted to share with you a VERY adorable card that we made at my Stamp Camp last week, and we will be making at tomorrow's Stamp camp. Unfortunately, I have NO CLUE who I CASED this card from!!! I am always searching stamping blogs and when I found this card, I fell in love! PLEASE, if this is your card that I CASED, please let me know so I can give ALL the credit to YOU!!! I liked this card so much because it is so sweet and so simple, and I have never (I think!) done a card that is all one color cardstock. I love the look! (as with all of my pictures, click on the picture to see larger!)

My stamp camp last week went great! I had many new stampers and they were so excited to stamp and they did a FABULOUS job!! My stamp camp for tomorrow is full, but if you would like to be on my email list for the next camp, please contact me! We always have a blast!!!

I wanted to also share with you a few pictures of my (not so baby) baby girl! I cannot believe she is almost 5!!! We went to the Nationals Baseball game with my dad a couple of weeks ago and she had so much fun!!

She was super excited to get her hat just like her daddy!



She even got to run the bases with her daddy! I don't know who was more excited, Elle or Jason! :o)


And I absolutely LOVE this picture of Elle and my dad!! How cute are they!!
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It was such a great day!

I hope you are having a great weekend! Thanks for looking!!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Happy Summer




Hi stampers! I have FINALLY found some time to stamp...and not a moment to soon!!! Like many of you, stamping is my THERAPY, and I was in SERIOUS need of some therapy! So it was nice to get into my craft room and get some much needed stamping accomplished!!!! I feel much better now! ;o) I found this cute template for a little, itty bitty box from Dawn's Stamping Thoughts! It is so simple and is so cute to hold a little goodie! I think it would be perfect for a shower favor! And, since I am obsessed with making these little scallop punch flowers...I HAD to add one to this box! I used the Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz on the flower when I was finished and LOVE the way it makes the flower pop!!! Cute huh?!?! This is one of the projects we will be making this at my next Stamp Camp!





SPEAKING OF STAMP CAMP .... I had to reschedule my previous stamp camp, so the NEW date for my Stampin' Cafe' Stamp Camp will be on Monday, July 5 from 7-9, and then I will also being having one the following week, on Monday, July 12 from 7-9! AND, since the NEW CATALOG & IDEA BOOK will be out (YIPPIE!!!!) on July 1st, I will be showing it off at the stamp camps and sharing many new products!!!! CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!! Contact me if you would like more info or to RSVP!!

I hope you are enjoying a nice, relaxing Summer day! It is HOT AS HECK here in VA!!! Thanks for looking!
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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Stamp camp announced!

Hi stampers!

I hope you are having a great day~ I have a couple of things to share today! First is this card. I needed to make a quick sympathy card for a coworker, and I wanted to keep it simple yet pretty and I hope I achieved that! The flowers are embossed in winter white.
I also wanted to announce that I'm having a "Farewell Stamp Camp" in honor of the current SU! catalog going away at the end of June . It is on Mon, June 7th from 7-9 at a new location!!! It's in Woodbridge and I would be thrilled to give you exact details when you contact me to RSVP. It will be a lot of fun! The cost is $15 (prepaid to save your RSVP!) to make 7-9 projects! I hope you can make it!!! I will be sharing some "sneak previews" of the cards and projects we will be making soon!


I hope you have a fabulous evening and I hope to see you at my stamp camp!! Contact to to save your space TODAY! I have room for 15 stampers, filled on a first call, first serve basis! Contact me at jaimiegvozdas@earthlink.net SOON!!!!

Thanks for looking!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Merci!


Hi Stampers!
I have been holding on to this card FOREVER! I made it at my fabulous upline, Christina's, stamp camp SOOO long ago!!!! I can't even remember when it was....it's been that long! But I absolutely LOVED this card the instant I saw it, and I knew that I would be making this exact card over and over again! (Is it still considered CASEing if it is the EXACT replica?!?!) I love the colors, the design, EVERYTHING about it! It's one of those cards that just plain ole' makes me happy! So, I hope you enjoy it and it gives you a warm fuzzy today, on this yucky, rainy day!!! "Merci" for looking and "Merci" Christina for all the inspiration you give me!!!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!


Hi stampers!

I wanted to share with you the cute little boxes I made for all of the teachers at my daughter's school for Teacher Appreciation Week. I came downstairs last night with the intent of stamping little goodie boxes for the hard working, wonderful teachers.....and had NO STAMPING MOJO!!! So, I got on the computer to search through the many talented blogs out there...and wa~la....my stamping friend Robin had an ADORABLE stamped goodie that a friend gave her and I knew it would be what I CASED! Click here to see the wonderful and easy instructions given by Kerin!

Unfortunately, this is not SU! paper, but I had it laying around, and I thought it was perfect for teachers! These were so super easy to make! I filled them with chocolates and then for Elle's 2 teachers, I added a gift card! Just a little something to say thanks for all that they do!!

I hope you are having a great day! Thanks for looking!~

Monday, April 19, 2010

Color Renovations!!!!

Hi Stampers!!! I hope you are enjoying a sunny Monday morning!! Today is the first day IN AGES that I am not subbing or teaching and the FIRST thing I wanted to do was blog (I should be cleaning my house....but I have neglected you long enough!!!) ;o) ((Thanks for the great excuse to procrastinate ya'll!)) ;o)

First I wanted to say "Hello" to all of you that I met yesterday at the Kids Expo! What a fun filled day!!! I had a great time, and I loved meeting so many lovely families and stamping with your kiddos! Thanks for coming by!

Next, I wanted to let you know that Stampin' Up! has announced that they are doing some Color Renovations to our beautiful colors!! And I have to say that even though I am a little sad to see some of my favorite colors retire.....I am SO SUPER EXCITED to get my hands on the colors that will be replacing them! I have actually been waiting for this for a while!! Stampin' Up! does such a fabulous job with staying on top of what is current and exciting out there in the market and although we already have great colors, we have had them for a while now and it's time for a change! The color families have been updated, there will be 5 NEW colors, and some of the most popular IN COLORS will be returning! And, therefore, some of our favorite "oldies" will be retiring!

This is what the color collections will look like when the new Catalog is released on July 1st!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!Click here to see these amazing colors up close!

And here are the colors that we must say good bye to! Don't feel sad, we have made many wonderful projects with them, they have done their job! But it is time to make room for all pf the fun, great, new colors! So stock up on the ink refills, card stock and accessories for the colors that you can't live without!!! You have until June 30th to get your hands on these!!! Click here to see these colors up close!!!


So, to sum it all up:
5 Brand New Colors:
Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler (YUM!), Cajun Craze, Early Espresso (DOUBLE YUM!!!!)

10 In Colors Making their way back into our hearts:
Baja Breeze, Melon Mambo (yippie!) Pink Pirouette, Soft Suede, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point (LOVE!) Rich Razzleberry (yum!) Riding Hood Red, and River Rock!

And the currect "Kraft" color has a new YUMMY name...CRUMB CAKE!!! And it will come in Craft ink, Classic Ink, Marker, Cardstock and Crayon!!

Current colors that will retire are:

Glorious Green, Green Galore, Gable Green, Yoyo Yellow, Only Orange, Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Orchid Opulence, Lovely Lilac, Brilliant Blue, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Really Rust, Ruby Red, Cameo Coral, Summer Sun, Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue, Ballet Blue, Taken with Teal, Handsome Hunter, Pale Plum, Blush Blossom (the marker will still be available), Apricot Appeal, Barely Banana, Mellow Moss, Sage Shadow, Almost Amethyst, Lavender Lace, Basic Brown, Going Gray


So, let me know if you have any questions regarding this change!!! I am so excited about the new colors!!!

Keep checking back...I am planning a stamp camp at a new location for the end of the month!! ;o) Have a great day!!!

Thanks for looking!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Kids Expo!!!

Hi stampers! It is that time of year again!!! It is time for the Prince William County Kids Expo!! It is this Sunday, April 18th, from 10 am - 4pm at the Prince William County Fairgrounds. There will be tons of kids & family activities, vendors, games, prizes, food, & entertainment! And, for all of you who have young children, you will be as excited as my daughter is....Rocknoceros will be performing at 1:30!!! Admission is FREE, parking is $5 and it will surely be great, fabulous, family fun!! I will have a Stampin' Up! booth again this year, and I hope to see you there! (Let me know you saw my blog and I will have a special goodie for you!!)

As the weather is getting nicer each day, my daughter seems to think that a nice day = an ice cream Sundae!!! She has said (for the 3rd day in a row!) "Mom, it's beautiful outside! I think I need to enjoy the weather out on the deck, eating an Ice Cream Sundae!" Well, as I'm looking through my cards, getting ready for the Expo, I found the card below that I made last Summer! And while I know I have already posted this card...I couldn't help but post it again! Elle has made me have ice cream on my mind! ;o) I hope it puts a smile on your face like it does mine!


Hope you are doing well and enjoying the gorgeous Spring weather!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Tea time!

Good Morning Stampers! I don't have a stamping project to share today, but I just HAD to share my weekend with ya'! My daughter is LOVING Tea parties lately! She is always setting them up in her room or on the deck with her baby dolls! She even wants to have a tea party themed birthday party (it's not until Aug....but if you have passed her on the streets or on the playground lately...you have been invited!!!!) ;o) So, I thought it would be cute to take her to a "Real Life Tea Party" and we had a BLAST! It was such a great day! The tea party started off at the children's bookstore behind the Tea Room where we listened to the story "The Ladybug Girl and Bumble Bee Boy" (ADORABLE BOOK!) and then they made ladybug wings and ladybug headband! Then all the little girls walked over (in their wings!) to the tea room and had a Ladybug Tea! Elle & her friend, Katelyn, had so much fun, sipping lemonade from "real" tea cups, stirring sugar cubes, eating scones and peanut butter & jelly finger sandwiches and trying on huge "tea party hats"....... this was a day to remember!!!! When she went to sleep last night she told me thank you for such a great day, and then asked if we could go to another tea party tomorrow! What a great way to start our Spring Break!!! A day I will always cherish!(how cute are these ladybugs!!!)

(I think this hat makes me look like the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz!!) Yikes!

I hope you had a fabulous weekend and I hopefully will find some time today to stamp!!! (fingers crossed!) Chat with you soon!!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Happy Spring!


Hi Stampers! Hope this post is finding you enjoying warm weather! I think Mother Nature finally got my email and is sending us warmer weather these days! ;o) Now....if I could just figure out who I need to email to get some more hours added on to each day....I will be one happy camper! Lately I have been remembering what it feels like being in school and anxiously awaiting Spring Break! Now that I am a preschool teacher, I am REALLY looking forward to the week long break!

This is a small post today, just wanted to say hello to all of you and show you a Spring card I just did. My daughter LOVES pinwheels these days, and so I was thinking "Hmm...what kind of card can I make for Spring" and pinwheels popped into my head! I am not totally sold on this card ....yet! I think it needs a little something added to it...so I will call it a "work in progress" but for now, it's kinda cute & simple! It is using the AWESOME Sweat Pea Designer Series Paper. I love this huge paper pack!! I also put the tempting turquoise cs through the Big Shot to add the big circles texture! I'll let you know if I add something else to the card!

Hope it puts a smile on your face! And I'll be back with more, just as soon as I can!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Totally Loving "Tote-ally Tess"!!!!

Hi stampers! I wanted to get a blog post out before I go scrapbooking ALL weekend!!! YIPPIE! I am so excited! A whole weekend to play!! Just what I need after being cooped up in the house for basically 2 weeks from all the crazy snow we got!

I just got a big order in the mail from Stampin' Up! Since I had taken a "break" from stamping, it has been a while since I've placed an order....I almost forgot how exciting it is to get that brown box delivered!! I have been playing with the new Clear mounted stamps and I cannot say enough good things about them!!! As I mentioned in the past post I LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM!!!!!!! What a difference they make!

I am a part of a fantastic swap group with my up line and many extremely talented SU! Demonstrators and this time we had to use sets from the Occasions Mini Catalog! I chose to use Tote-ally Tess and I have fallen in love with her! I made an Easel Card and was surprised at how easy it was to make! At first I made this card with a cute little paper flower, made from the scallop punch. I really like how it turned out, but I thought it would be really tough to mail this card (and really expensive!) so....this card will be one that gets hand delivered to someone special and I changed the next one around just a tad.

I decided to make it something that we, as demonstrators, could use as part of our business....a business card holder. HOWEVER, you can easily place a gift card in place of a business card and wa-la...it's a bday card!! The DSP paper I used in this picture is a retired pattern, however, in the swap cards I used the chocolate chip & white polka dots DSP that is in the Sweet Pea package! LOVE IT!

I hope you have a great weekend! Please check out the previous post regarding a great Fundraiser I am involved in and contact me if you would like to help out in any way!!! Thanks for looking!

Monday, February 15, 2010

"Share the Love" Fundraiser!!

Hi Stampers,
I wanted to let you know about a fantastic Fundraiser
"Share the Love for Haley!"
My good friend, Renee, is family friends with a 7 year old girl who is battling a nasty kidney disease and her medical bills are huge!! Renee is having an Open House Style Fundraiser on Saturday, Feb 27th at her home in Stafford, VA from 4:00 - 7:00.

The fundraiser will have the following Direct Sales Companies represented:

Silpada Designs Jewelry with Renee (Hostess!) www.mysilpada.com/Renee.Marshall
Pampered Chef with Helen Krupp: www.papmeredchef.biz/kruppkitchen
Golden Girls with Katie Bugge: katiebugge@golddoesgood.com
Longaberger with Dawn Burroughs: 703.850.4403


The vendors will be donating their commission from any orders placed to Haley's family to help with her medical bills. We are also accepting donations toward the cause!
If you would like to help Haley and her family in their fight against this awful disease, but you are not able to make it to the open house, you may place an order with ANY of these vendors prior to the 27th! You will also be eligible for the raffle tickets (see below) and you do not have to be present to win the prizes.


Raffle Tickets will be given for the following:
1 ticket for each of the following:
*attending Fundraiser
*each friend that you RSVP for and they attend
*RSVPing by Tues, Feb 23rd
*placing an order with one of our vendors (outside orders DO count!)
*each $50 you spend with one of our vendors (1 ticket per $50!!) (outside orders DO count!)
*modeling some of the Silpada jewelry! (who wouldn't want to do that?!?!)
*participating in the make & take with me, your SU! lady! (who wouldn't want to do that?!?!)
*sampling a delicious treat made by the Pampered Chef consultant!
(who wouldn't want to do that?!?!)

We will be having
6 raffle prizes, donated from the Silpada, Pampered Chef and Stampin' Up vendors! You do not have to be present to win, you will be contacted the next day, Sun Feb 28th!


I would LOVE to see you there or hear from you regarding this fundraiser! There will be loads of fun, yummy snacks & I will be doing a make & take! Come on out for a fun evening and help support a great cause and a special little girl! Please RSVP to me ( jaimiegvozdas@earthlink.net ) by Tues, Feb 23rd if you plan on attending. I will give you the detailed info then. Contact me by Sat, Feb 27th at 1:00 pm to place an order and to be entered into the Raffle Prizes!!! Hope you are having a GREAT day and staying warm!!! Thanks for looking!!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Sale-A-Bration and more!

Hi stampers! Hope you are having a great day! My hubby, daughter and I are just coming in from the first outing in days, due to the 35+ inches of snow sitting outside of our house, and it felt GREAT to get out of the house! The sun is {finally} out, the snow is {finally} melting (until it freezes again tonight!) and we are enjoying the day!

So, as promised, I am back today to catch up on all of the fabulous things that Stampin' Up! is offering these days! I'm sure all of you know by now that it is Sale-A-Bration time!! From now until March 31st, for every $50 you, as a customer spend, you get to choose a S-A-B item for FREE!!! And as if that wasn't great enough, SU! has added that you may choose a set from the regular catalog that is $15.95 or cheaper for FREE in place of a S-A-B item!!! WOW! If you host a Stampin' Up! party of at least $300, you will earn a FREE S-A-B item IN ADDITION TO the other great hostess benefits! If you decide to join the great Stampin' Up! family, you can choose a FREE STAMP SET from the regular catalog (valued up to $47.95) PLUS you will receive a 15% discount on your starter kit!!! WOW!!!Be sure to check out the fabulous S-A-B catalog on the right side of my blog!

There is also the Occasions Mini Catalog out and I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! I am so excited about what is in this catalog! I have been one who has thought that the clear mounted stamps that are popular these days are a fantastic idea! I love the idea that you can see through the block so that you can line up the image exactly where you want it! However, I haven't been happy with the quality of the clear stamps I have bought. They have had a blurred image and, well, not the quality of stamped image I am used to with SU! Stampin' Up! has out-done themselves with the clear - mount stamps they have produced! They are made of the same high-quality rubber & foam that the wood mounted stamps are made from, but you mount them onto a repositionable clear block and they are FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! You may now choose between Wood-mounted or clear- mounted stamps on all the sets in this mini catalog!!!! LOVE IT! Try them out, you won't be disappointed! This mini catalog is out until April 30th, so check it out on the right side of my blog and contact me with any questions and to place your order!

Also, SU! is helping in the relief efforts in Haiti! From now until Feb 28th, when you purchase the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set, SU! will donate $2 to American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. It is a great stamp set, and even though Valentine's Day is on Sunday, you can use this set all year round....birthday cards for loved ones, wedding & anniversary cards, I love you cards, etc! Click here for more info and then contact me!
I {Heart} Hearts - clear-mount (block D recommended) Item 118571 $18.95
I {Heart} Hearts - wood-mount Item 117010 $26.95

Ok! I think that is everything right now! Shew!!! That will teach me for being "out of the loop" for so long!! PLEASE, let me know if I can answer any questions for you or if you would like to host a party of your own or place an order!
I hope you are having a great day and thanks for looking!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

BAD BLOGGER!!!!!

Hello stampers! I have been such a bad blogger and stamper lately!!! And as I reread my previous posts......I say "I'm back" A LOT!!!!!! Sorry about that! ;o) So, where have I been??? BUSY BUSY BUSY!! I have had a lot going on in my life lately and unfortunately, stamping and blogging has had to take a back seat the past few months!!! (How sad is that!!!) As some of you know, I am a SAHM to my busy 4 year old as well as a Stampin' Up! Demo, but lately I have added to my already busy list of "jobs!" A few months ago I joined Gymboree Play & Music as a teacher on the weekends! What a great job! I am having the best time with it, but it has also taken a lot of my weekend time up, so when I am home on the weekends I have been spending it with my family. I have ALSO become a preschool teacher at my daughter's school! Yes, I am now a teacher to 6 of the cutest 2 1/2 year olds!! And while I am having a blast, it has definitely taken a lot of time to learn how to be a teacher and to plan and prepare for the day to day activities of a 2 1/2 year old!! THEREFORE....MY LIFE HAS GOTTEN EVEN MORE CRAZY AND BUSY THAN IT WAS PRIOR TO THE 2 NEW JOBS!!! Well, I think that things are becoming as "routine" as it's going to get now and I have vowed that I am going to get back into stamping (my favorite hobby and my personal therapy!) and then...blogging about it!


I live in Northern VA and if you have been watching the news at all since last Friday, you have seen that we have gotten hammered with snow!!!! As of this post (and it's still snowing out right now!!) we have gotten 37 inches of snow since Friday!!!!!!! WOW!!!! And while I am beginning to feel the effects of Cabin Fever (I say as my daughter is running circles upstairs in our kitchen and my husband is timing her!!) I have REALLY ENJOYED being snowed in with my hubby and daughter!! As I said above, it has been so crazy around here and we haven't gotten a lot of family time lately and I have loved it!!! We have had so much fun playing in the snow, snuggling on the couch with popcorn watching endless movies and just being together! I know I know, I'm not usually mushy, but I have really enjoyed it! So....on top of all the family bonding...I have also had time to STAMP!!!!!!!! YIPPIE!!!!!!

I have FINALLY finished my "Christmas turned into Valentine's Day" Cards (insert embarrassed face HERE!) and they are in the mail as we speak. {Now, I have nothing to do with how long it takes for the mailman to get to the mailbox through all this snow...but I did my part, they are in there! ;o) } Yup, I have been so busy that I didn't even get my Christmas Cards out! Isn't that AWFUL! I had them all cut and ready to assemble, I had the pictures not only taken but developed.....and just ran out of time to put them together and in the mailbox! Thank gosh they were made with red cardstock...they made perfect Valentines'! ;o) I will post them on Sunday, because my friends and family haven't recieved them yet~

My daughter and I also made her school Valentine's Day cards! We had fun making them and she was sooo proud of them! Now the only issue is that school has been canceled for the rest of the week...I really hope they reschedule her party, she will be crushed! What do you think?? Leave me a comment and let me know what YOU are doing for Valentine's Day!
(Click on picture to enlarge!)
How cute is her little signature?!?
Well, I think that is a big enough post to bore you with today! But I haven't even talked about Stampin' Up! and Sale-a-Bration going on right now!!! I WILL be back tomorrow...cross my heart!...and we will chat about ALL of the great things SU! has going on right now! Until then, check out my new links to the right of the blog and drool over what SU! has to offer! Contact me if you have any questions and to place your orders. I hope you are staying warm and thanks for looking!