Snow & Scrappin' in St. Paul

{Click on picture to enlarge}

Had a fab time teaching in St. Paul. My second time there...a lovely spot along the Mississippi River, an escarpment reminiscent of Ontario (my old home Province), leaves touched by fall, and a surprisingly beautiful snowfall.

Every time one of us 'southerners', (you should have heard the yelps from the people from Arizona!) ohhh and ahhhh about the snow, the Minnesottans would say, "you're not from around here, are you?". I guess this is the 4th snowfall they had this year so far. I suppose that is a little early. But it sure was pretty!

There's a different vibe in St. Paul than some of the other cities we do shows. A little more reserved, but the nicest people you could meet and boy, they have some serious mad scrappin' skills. I don't think I've ever had so many classes end on time with finished projects. It was great to re-meet some friends from last year and get to know new people as well. Unfortunately, we're not returning to St. Paul next year, but I sure hope you'll make the short drive to Des Moines and maybe I'll see you there.

For St. Paul I taught the Simple Scrapbooking classes. Everytime I do this I'm positively inspired to spend more time scrapbooking. It was such a joy to see all your completed pages with those precious photos and memories. Thanks for sharing!

Until next time.

Kansas City Winners!

I've got three Kansas City winners I randomly picked from my Creating Keepsakes Convention post (sorry for the delay!)

Theresa (metwife), Punkinsyf and Jill...Congratulations! Please email me with your mailing address so I can get your goodies off to you!

Thanks to all of you for the kindest, sweetest comments I've ever gotten. I feel like printing them out and framing them!

1 crop, 10 classes, 2 days and 3 give-aways!

Teaching at Creating Keepsakes conventions is an experience that is hard to describe. People always ask me "how was it". I always answer "fun!".

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This, unfortunately, doesn't negate my barking feet and utter exhaustion, but truly, it is not what I remember when I get home from a show.

I remember people. I'm bad with names, (but writing it down really helps! see pic.) but what I never forget is the warm, kind and happy faces of the people I get to teach. That transcends all else.

Sometimes, I get a few extras that take the trip over the top for me and one of those things in Kansas City was getting to have dinner with a friend I made 2 years ago, Eva. It was great to catch up with her and share a little Panda (thanks Eva...you saved me. It would have been an energy bar if you hadn't offered!).

I love spontaneous expressions of generousity and want to thank Robbi for giving me a bottle of Zip n' dry. If you aren't a papercrafter, you so will NOT get how special that is! LOL I've been meaning to try this stuff for a year now!

Sometimes I'm just inspired by a student(s) and just have to mention Evelyn. I hope and wish and plan on being as creative as you are when my hair is white! You go girl!

Thanks for all my teacher assistants, and especially Arielle who was with me through most of my classes and was such a big, cheerful help!

So, as promised ladies, I'm giving away some scrapbooking/cardmaking goodies to 3 lucky students, so please share with me your favorite part of the show (moment, class, project etc...) and I'll pick a winner this weekend. I'll ship off next week because I'm heading to Arizona for the fall break here soon. Good luck!

Kansas City & Facebook

On my way back to Kansas City CKC (was there a year or two ago...I start to lose tract after a while!) Met a lovely woman their named Eva who was kind enough to take me to Liberty Jail. Hope to see her again!

I've also added a Q's Creative Card Class fan page to Facebook. I've had a few requests so I complied!

I actually started to think it might be a fun place to network with you all, so please sign up! My plans so far is to use the fanpage to keep you all updated on classes, but also create some photo albums with your versions of my designs. You've all been so kind to send me photos and I really want someone to put them, where everyone can see. Don't forget this is a place for you to post your own thought and comments!

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you'll see my little Fanpage Update, where the latest comments will be posted.

Other than that, I haven't had much time to explore all the possibilities, but wanted to get it started.

Have a lovely fall weekend and I'll be back on Sunday!

P.S. For all my Kansas City fellow cardmakers...stay tuned, as I'll be posting a review of the trip when I get home and have a give-away for you all as well!

Deep in the heart of...

Texas! For the first time in 3 years of teaching at CKCs, I tacked on a few days to the convention for a little vacation. What a great idea! Especially in San Antonio. I'm such a big fan now.



I've always wanted to go there, and don't laugh, but it all started with Pee Wee's Big Adventure (the movie). He spends most of the movie trying to reach the Alamo to find his missing bike. It's a classic! :)

Since then, I've seen and heard of the River Walk in San Antonio and something about that winding, cafe-lined waterway is so irresistable. And it was! The whole area is steeped in history. It's a great city to wander about, admire the architecture, enjoy some great restaurants and soak in the ambiance. I highly recommend this whole area for a romantic long weekend.


{cards from our card swap class...thanks ladies!}

As always, it was great to meet new students at convention (and some of you from Houston, or even Albuquerque, NM...Susan!). This was our first show in San Marcos (pronounced 'San Marcus' I learned quickly!) and I'm hoping to come back next year...

...for a little smoke (because there is a LOT of smoke in Texas!), Kolaches, hospitality, fun, and maybe a trip to Schlitterbahn (supposedly best waterpark in the US).

As promised, I'm doing a little give-away for my new paper crafting friends in Texas, please leave a comment and tell me about a fun time at convention and I'll choose a winner this weekend. Thanks!

Quickest card ever & Printing on Acetate

Will be posting a review of the San Marcos CKC when I get home in a few days, but in the meantime, I've had a few requests for the link to my "Printing on acetate" blog that includes free circle texts downloads. This blog was inspired by the last card we make in 5 step cards class. You can find it here! Enjoy!

Just finished my last "Envelopement" class tonight in Jordan Landing, what fun! So great to see you all!

Tomorrow, I'm heading to the Lone Star State! Specifically the San Marcos CKC (Creative Keepsakes Convention).

I'm excited because 1. I've never been to this part of Texas, 2. People are SO nice in Texas and 3. I'm bringing the hubster with me and we're spending a couple of extra days in San Antonio!

Alamo, here I come! Yes, ever since (don't laugh!) Pee Wee Herman's big adventure, I've dreamed about visiting the basement of the Alamo.

So, have a great week everyone, enjoy this glorious weather and the turning colors. See you next Wednesday with another Studio sneak-peek contest!

Sue

CKC Tulsa: coming for a 2nd helping!

Had such a memorable visit last time I was teaching in Tulsa, in large part because of Lisa Bearnson and Sheryl Kloehr, so I'm super excited to be going back. See y'all soon!

New friends, inspiration & fun!

After 3 years of teaching at Creating Keepsakes Conventions, this was the first time I've taught scrapbooking classes.

Know what? I LOVED it. Now, no worries, I will always, always, always be a card maker and paper crafter, but there was something really touching and significant about the classes I was teaching.

Scrapbooking truly reflects the beautiful uniqueness of each and everyone of us. We own our stories. Scrapbooking helps us to reflect, remember and awaken in us an appreciation for all that we have. That process is growth. I'm inspired ladies. You inspired me. Thanks.



Having said all that, the very best part of CKC is the people. Between the team of gorgeous ladies who run this show, the TAs' (thanks Melanie, Michelle, Carrie, Audrey etc...) my roomie, when we're at the same show, Marnie Flores, and the participants (Vanessa, Inetta, Keesha, Lauren are just a few who I actually remembered their names...small miracle there!) it's just a love fest.

Take care ya'll and until next time, smile.

Valley Forge for a few days

I'm off for a few days to teach Creating Keepsakes (yes, scrapbooking!) classes in Valley Forge, PA. I have to tell you the last time I was here there were HUGE storms that kept me on the tarmac in Dallas for hours and when I finally landing in PA late, late at night it was pouring rain and the humidity was thick as soup.

Got to the hotel, got into bed and the lights go out. EVERYWHERE! The next day was screaming hot and humid with no air-conditioning in the hotel. We had to cancel classes and hold some in the halls. It finally came back on, but wow, what a weekend!

Hopefully this one will be less dramatic! Be back next week!

Hot. Crash. Give-away.

I wish I could share some pictures of my trip to Houston, but someone forgot her camera! Arg!

Not only that, but while I was gone my hard drive crashed. Permanently. Yup. And just last week I was thinking "I really should move the rest of my files over to my external drive". Please, please, please learn from my lesson. Move it! Now!

I'll be bringing the drive to someone tomorrow who hopefully can retrieve my precious files. But in the meantime, I'm kind of stuck. Trying to reload programs and everything else is just not very fun.

On top of that I came home sick and hurt my back (I think moving too many boxes!). Feeling better thank goodness, as I'm going Studio 5 tomorrow and my back is on the road to healing because some lucky woman has a daughter-in-law who is a massage therapist (thanks Tiff!).

I did, however, have a great time in Houston; despite the rain, heat and humidity. I know all you Texas gals probably think I'm a real BABY, as I really struggled with the humidity. For heaven's sake, I grew up on an island, you think I would be used to it! But no, I'm a dry-gal now and I have the wrinkles to prove it! LOL

So, thanks for the hair clip and bobby pin (you know who you all are!). Thanks for keeping me company at lunch (Pam & friends). Thanks to all of you for making my time in Houston so much fun. You were all just a joy to teach and to share my passion for cardmaking with.

As promised, I'm posting my give-away here and wish I could share a picture with you, but am not just set up for that quite yet. So, it'll just have to be a fun surprise! One flat-rate box filled with papercrafting goodies! Of course, whether you saw me in Houston or not, please feel free to leave a comment here with the chance to win this box of goodies.

Lastly, a big shout-out to my new hotel room buddy, Marnie Flores. Thanks for the late-night chats and laughs and I'll see you in Tulsa!

I'm done rambling now. Nighty nite!

Houston CKC

Gorgeous skyscape, isn't it? I always post these beautiful pictures of the cities I teach at, but what's really funny and kind of sad, is I never see any of it!! I see the inside of a cab, my hotel room and the convention center.



Don't get me wrong, I love CKC! But one day I'll go back to really get a feel for these great destinations.

There have been a few exceptions where I get to do some fun 'extra' things, like Tulsa last year (thanks Sheryl!) and Kansas City (Thanks Eva!) and of course I occasionally get to meet with old friends (love ya Kitty!) and meet new ones as well (too long a list to mention!).

I do have a fun plan for when I teach in St. Marcos, TX, but I'll tell you about that when it comes in September. Sorry, that's mean!

So, here's my GOODBYE until Monday and my HELLO to Houston...we're going to have some serious CARD fun!!

Goodbye & Hello Portland!

Wow! I had such a great time in Portland! Getting to teach our 2009 classes for the first time this year and meeting old and new friends was so much fun for me. Your energy was just contagious! You are seriously FUN card makers!

I would have posted earlier, but I had to recuperate from my travel adventures. My flight home was cancelled due to mechanical problems, so I was put up at a airport hotel. I had to wake up at 3am to catch my flight home, but with daylight savings that night I just couldn't sleep. I was nervous that either my cell phone alarm and/or the hotel wake-up call wouldn't take DS into account. I would fall asleep and then wake up in a panic, only to discover I had been sleeping for 10 minutes! Needless to say, it wasn't fun and I'm a wee bit tired.



I did however, want to get my promised text circle up for all of you who took the 5 quick & easy card class (designed by Quick-Queen Kim Kesti!) Remember the last card we did? We had a lot of fun with that card, didn't we? It was so quick to create, but cool how the printed acetate allowed a bit of a peek-through to the inside of the card. So please enjoy this free download!

When I have some time later this week, I'll post a tutorial on printing on acetate and a few other ways to use this text circle. Until then, have a great paper-crafting week!

Portland CKC

My first convention of the year...in beautiful Portland, OR. We have some really cool classes that I simply cannot wait to teach. I know you'll love them! See you soon, Sue



P.S. winner of Birthday cards 3 ways...is KW Girl! Thanks!

Gadget Girl & Give-away

Yup, that's what I am. I am a sucka for all those uni-taskers that clutter up my kitchen and my office...especially when they are pink! (yes, I realize the picture is black, but mine and YOURS is PINK!)

I was teaching at CKC in St. Paul earlier this fall and broke my golden rule "I shall not SHOP at CKC!). I ran across a darling couple selling these. I bought 2 (one for me and one for fellow gadget girl) and they gave me one for free and I knew right away it was BLOG material, YES, because I like to BORE you to death.

Okay, I know. Seriously, how often do you rip the hole in your paper? And if you do, don't you have those handly little hole reinforcement stickers? Or, if you're like me you layer the part with tape and punch again (so ugly!). Well, NEVER again! Now I have the ... drumroll ... autO-ring (repair & reinforce) tool!

And you can too! Just leave a comment and I'll pick a winner on Monday.

Canadian Chocolate Bars WINNER!

It's been fun reading all your comments about chocolate and I only WISH I could send you all some chocolate goodies, but using a random number generator our lucky winner is CLAUDIA! I actually just met claudia while volunteering in the CK Media booth in St. Paul this last weekend. We had a lovely chat and guess what? She has an even lovelier blog...check it out! Very talented photographer.

I'm still sending Lemon Bars Recipe Cards away...so keep your requests coming. I'll let you know when I run out.

Lastly, stay tuned...I have an awesome new GIVE-AWAY coming tomorrow! I'm SO excited about it!
~Sue

Recipes anyone?

{...and give-away!} I had a great time in St. Paul and can't wait to go back next year. Class sizes were low because it's a new show, but the upside to that is I got to really spend some quality time chatting time with our Minnesota papercrafters, I even shared a sushi dinner with one of them.

So, with a little bit of sadness I say goodbye to my last CKC of the year, which also means it was my last Recipe Card Swap class of the year. I was looking through all the recipe cards I swapped out (I have SO many now...thanks!) and decided to share a few of them with you.

First of all though, I'd like to share my card. I made close to 100 of these. This is my favorite lemon bar recipe. I've tried many, as I love lemon bars, but this is my favorite...perfect ratio of lemon to crust. Oh, makes my lips purse just thinking about biting into one of these!


You can keep your recipe cards super simple, like mine here (just stamped and matted) or go all out like some of the cards below. I'm still in awe of the embossed mixer...can you imagine doing 20 of those? Amazing!

Here are some highlights from the year. I've included a scan of the Spicy Pumpkin cake below, as it's tucked into a pocket. I'd like to thank the following people for sharing these fun cards with me.

1. Monkey Bread: Linda Comfort


2. Spicy Pumpkin Bread: Brittany Wade


3. Stuffed Shells: Emily Aubin


4. Mashed Potato Salad: Darn! I don't know who made this


5. Cowboy Caviar: Becky Woods from Mount Pleasant, SC


6. Chicken Stuff Crescents: One of our events team members, not sure who.


7. Cream Puffs: Heidi Dawson


8. Sugar Cookies: Again, don't have a name for this one.
   

{You can click on these recipes to pull up a full size and printable form.}






















{Here is the insert for the Spicy Pumpkin cake...perfect for Autumn!}





















Lastly, I happen to have quite a few of my lemon bar recipe cards left over and would love to share them with you. Please leave a comment here and then email me with your mailing address (you can email me through my profile). I'll shoot one off in the mail to you on a first come, first serve basis.

St. Paul Creating Keepsakes Convention

Here I am in beautiful St. Paul, MN. One of our newest Creating Keepsakes Conventions and I'm SO excited to get started...which is in exactly 1 hour! I've got a great view of the Mississippi River from my hotel room. The trees are changing colors and their is a crispness to the air. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't rain because I have a 4 block walk to the convention center. Have a great weekend everyone and hope you make some time to play...with paper! Sue