New Serendipity on The Way, But First

If you have a copy of Serendipity 2009, click here to see the list of stamp sets available at discount! If you do not have a copy and would like to see the stamp images that are on sale, click here to go to the Serendipity page on my online shopping site. All stamp sets on this page with prices ending in 7 are on sale (price listed reflects sale price).

Available While Supplies Last!

Visit http://jen.ismyangel.net and click on Specials under the Products tab to see the selection of paper available at amazing prices -- some as low as $2.00 for an entire pad of paper!

Stamp Stimulus

Go here to learn more about how you can get 6 awesome new sets, including a great military themed one, at a special price with a $30 order! These sets are available through December 30.

Aren't these stamps really cute for Halloween treats?

They are an add-on to the double hostess benefits promotion running right now.

You can purchase them for $13.95 with a $30 purchase.

OR

You can get Bone Appetit for free with $200-299 in orders.

OR

You can get both free with $300+ in orders!

This special is only through Sept. 30. Order now so you'll have time to make fun treats before the spooky night!

One More Week

One more week to take advantage of the first two week promotional period under the Double the Fun promotion. Place an order or hold a funshop with orders totaling $100-$249 and you will receive the Woodrowe Album kit free. $250-499 gets you the Woodrowe kit and the Sweet Friend set. Over $500 in orders earns you the Woodrowe kit and the Tea Time set.

The Double the Fun promotion runs through the end of September and there will be new incentives every two weeks.

Discontinued Product Sale -- Ends July 27!

Visit my online shopping cart at http://jen.ismyangel.net to view the products and prices.

Double Hostess Benefits!!

www.theangelcompany.net

Scrap Storage

All of us struggle with this -- what to do with those small bits of still usable paper and cardstock? I've tried lots of solutions -- storing the cardstock in hanging files in a drawer and then putting scraps in the folders, putting the scraps in a big box, putting the scraps in separate folders in a box...

I had the same problem with all of the systems -- it was difficult and messy to find the color that I needed when I needed it. But I've finally found a system that works for me!!

I sorted all of my scraps by color family -- are you noticing a theme here? Then I put each color family into a separate drawer in a plastic storage unit. The drawers come out of the unit so when I'm working I can take out a particular drawer and dig through it to find the size and color of scrap that I need. I actually find myself using the scraps now!

Cardstock and Paper Oh My!

Here's how I have my 12x12 cardstock stored. It is in vertical storage boxes that I bought from Oriental Trading Company. They are very sturdy and hold LOTS of cardstock. I was having a problem with trying to find my different patterned cardstocks from TAC. So I made separators from a piece of plain 12x12 cardstock. Then I added a strip of white folded in half to make a tab. On that tab, I put a label listing the paper's name and then all pieces of that paper go behind that tab. It has made it much easier for me to find a particular pattern.

Also, you can't see it very well in this picture, but I sorted my 12x12 plain cardstock in rainbow order. All reds together, all oranges, all yellows, etc.

Here's the 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock. I used a similar idea of vertical storage and sorting by ROYGBIV order with this cardstock. The containers are plastic magazine holders from Walmart. I turned them on their side so that the opening was facing the front of the shelf on which they are sitting. The cardstock is then sorted by color with a separate holder for all my neutral colors. I had a hard time seeing when I was running low of a certain color so I took a piece of 12x12 white cardstock and trimmed it down to use as a divider between each color -- now it's very easy to see which colors are running out.

Finally, here's my 8x8 patterned paper pads. I have ALOT of these. They are all sitting in a plastic tub that I got from Walmart that I decorated. I can easily flip through and find the pattern that I want this way.

My Room

Right before Christmas, we removed all remaining carpet in our house and replaced it with laminate that matched the existing laminate in the living room. One of the main rooms that I wanted to do this in was my stamp room. The carpeting was awful with stains from dropped ink pads, spilled paint, and other messes. Not to mention the messes made by our four cats and two kids. It is so much easier now to retrieve that dropped brad or eyelet. And let's not even consider if I spill a container of embossing powder (which has happened before!).

This is the view of the room now from the door. You go up a flight of stairs from our main entrance to get to this room and you have to turn at the top of the stairs to get into the room. Almost everyone gasps the first time they visit and see the view into the room. I don't know if it is because of the amount of stuff in the room or just out of jealousy that I have this room. It's the fourth bedroom in our home and the only room on the second story. It has it's own bath right off the room, which is super convenient for washing out paint brushes or for customers attending classes. My husband picked this house because he got tired of people having to trail all through our last house to get to the space in the basement that I used for classes. I love this room -- it is my home office, my classroom, my kids' craft space, my get away and more.

In this picture you can see the table where I teach classes -- it's our old dining room table that we bought at a second hand store when we were first married. It easily sits 8 and we can squeeze in 10.

Check back later for more pictures and storage ideas.

I Adore ... My Scor-pal

This is another card that we made at the Love is in the Air class last Friday. The picture isn't the greatest, but you can see that I added score lines 1/4" from the edge all of the way around the front of the card. This is a single layer card, but it looks so chic. The embossed lines and the silver embossed saying just pop. Several ladies said that this was their favorite card despite it being the most simple.

Class Rescheduled

We were not as lucky as I had hoped after all -- the sun didn't come out until very late on Friday meaning that the roads stayed icy. When I still couldn't see even a square inch of pavement on my street by mid-day, I decided that we had better postpone the class. I've rescheduled for next Saturday, February 7 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.

This is a closer view of one of the cards that we will be making.

These are the samples for my Love is in the Air class tomorrow. Right now I plan to still hold the class despite the weather's interference with everyday life this week. We will be making 5 cards and three treat packages. The class is from 6:30 to 9:30 and is $15 for the supplies. Unless I have some cancellations tomorrow, tomorrow's class is full, but I do have a completely open session for Sunday afternoon from 1-4 pm.

This is my favorite card for the class. It was inspired by one that Jen Carter made. I changed up the colors a little and used Linear Sentiments for the background dots on the black piece.

Speaking of weather, we were very blessed at our house. We only got 3/4" of ice and our power stayed on the entire time. Thank goodness because my kids are so spoiled with their electronic entertainment! They have been off school since early dismissal on Monday afternoon and are out again tomorrow. I'm hoping by tomorrow afternoon that the roads might be melted enough to make a trip to the post office and the store. And for those who live up north and are amazed that everything just shuts down around here from a little snow or ice -- we didn't believe it when we moved here either. But the road departments and the drivers here are truly not equipped to handle winter weather! The ice was beautiful on the trees. Here's the view from my back door.

The Magalogue!

It's almost here! Here's a picture of the cover that has been shared by some demonstrators who already have their copies. Mine should be here on Monday and I can't wait to see it. There are 47 new stamp sets, new samples, new accessories, and it just looks like it will be fun to browse!

Remember you can get your copy for free by placing a $30 before January 31 or attending my January 30 Love is in the Air class. Or you can get a copy for $3 with shipping by emailing me.

You will be able to order from this magalogue on February 1.

Behind...

Yes, I know that it is winter and almost Valentine's Day, but I wanted to share with you one of my favorite fall cards. I made 75 of these cards as invitations for a friend for her annual fall party. It was only my second time to be paid to make requested cards. I spent two weeks agonizing that this design was too simple so I came up with about 6 or 8 others to show her. Of course, she chose this one -- the first one that I made! Always go with your gut.

Happy New Year

Wow! I've neglected this blog and most things stamping related for the last four months. I am back and hope to have some things to show you soon. First, I'll start by sharing a special deal from TAC:



http://www.theangelcompany.net/Promos_Flyers.html

This includes almost all of the stamps in the Fall/Winter catalog and the Fall Supplement. If you don't have copies of these items yet, go here to see the stamps. The 1/2 off prices are already reflected online. If you want to get the freebies (gift with purchase stamps for every $30 you spend and hostess sets starting at $100), be sure to contact me directly with your order!