We're GREEN! So you can feel good about investing in your hobby along with Stampin' Up! Here are some facts that SU! has put into action in becoming environmentally responsible.

The Production of Products.
Materials such as the rubber, the wood, cardstock and paper are already a renewable resource such as the wood blocks {from a tree farm} and the recycled paper {the darker the colour, the more recycled the paper}. Or the excess from production such as the rubber, is sent to a non-profit organization, in this case Courage Reins - a horseback riding therapy provided to special needs children -who take the ground rubber and re-sell it and invest the funds into their programs.

A certified { i.e. Sustainable Forestry Initiative} paper broker provides supervision over the practices of the paper mills directly involved in the production of SU! Designer Series Paper to ensure they engage environmentally friendly practices. One of the mills even generates its own power.

Other Measures
SU! is fortunate to have facilities that reduce their environmental impact. They filter pollutants from stamp production, and use engineering-sound practices such as geothermal wells for temperature control and light sensors to limit excess electricity. Landscaping uses native plants and wildflowers outdoors to reduce the need for sprinklers using excessive watering while indoors artifical plants are mingled in with the real deal to minimize watering as well yet still provide a cool, lush appearance.

Another important step is finding shipping solutions! In an effort to reduce greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide pick-ups are scheduled with UPS during non-peak traffic hours and Stampin' Up "car-pools" with other companies on collecting shipments.

With all of that going on, we can feel good about purchasing with Stampin' Up! and feel reassured that they will continue to provide good stewardship of their company and will engage in future efforts best they can!

Here I am again! I went to my meeting last night and we delved right in to some goodies that we all brought to share. I made cupcakes and I over-baked the first set so all I brought was half dozen but there was plenty to go around:chocolate goodies, nice bread-cake, cookies, and even fresh strawberries and chocolate dip! Mmm mmm!

I {heart} U Card

After we seemed to whirl around the tables weaving in and out of one another making cards ... the first up for me was the "I {heart} U" card featuring a stamp that can be earned 'free' when you take part in Stampin' Up!'s Sale-A-Bration promotion going on right now and til the end of March.

Since I am a sucker for embellishing, I got it home and was curious to see how it would look with real hand-stitching around the blue label {Top Note die}. The Top Note die comes with a cut stitched line and I used that as a guide. And... using my 'han-dy-dan-dy' piercing tool I sewed in some crochet thread. The thread colour changes from light to dark, so I took advantage of that. I learned a few things along the way doing it - its time consuming but I like the end result!

Next up...my Have an Ice Day Card

Our next card had as it focus one of the cutest and new stamps from the new Stampin' Up! 2009 Spring Idea catalog - called "Animal Crackers' . I don't know about you but I love-love-love big-headed baby animals - they're just cute as can be!!! I am definitely buying this stamp set, just in time for when our 'spring babies' start poppin' up!

It also features one of the new 'texture' plates for the Big Shot exclusive of Stampin' Up! as well - you can see the texture on the blue half-circles...a harlequin design, real stylish with a lot of possibilities! You could use this texture on lots of shapes too as well as a background - harlequin by the way goes waaaay back in time and associated with those clownish theater creatures in their parti-coloured diamond costumes. So its a classic!

Next Card....

There is one other card but I still have to make an adjustment, but its really cute and just perfect for those gardeners - that's all I'm sayin! :)

OK - I gave myself a personal challenge recently - and that was to 'up' my game and create 'the' card - and to create a set which includes a scrapbook page. So I put my energies into creative mode and thought and thought 'real' hard .......because I also wanted to move away a little from my norm.
Out in the shopping malls, I have noticed a trend that to me says 'home-spun' where objects are decorated using earthy fabrics, natural colours and then bursts of colours, fun buttons, stitched edges.....like a sock-monkey gone wild, lol!

And using that as my inspiration, I turned to one of my fav themes - birds! Which led me directly to my latest toy from my Stampin' Up! catalog, the Bigz Dies from the Big Shot and this one is called: Birds w/ Leaves with Flower [***see details below if your interested in owning one] Also is another fav Bigz Die, Top Note.

Tonight I am off to my upline's studio, called Craftin Caro and the lovely hostess Caroline has asked us to bring along a card sample for her studio's display boards - she has a huge, huge wall of great samples......and so I am bringing along this one.

One of the 'extra' touches I dreamed up for this card, is how I bordered the ribbon with piercing and then hand-stitiched in some crochet thread over top.

I am pleased as punch with myself over this one - thanks for looking.

Beverly

Beverly's Stamping Beehive

*Instructions will be posted shortly if you want to re-create this card.

To Purchase Supplies for this Card:

Stampin' Up! Big Shot, Bigz Dies =

• Top Note #113463 page 196 and


• Bird w/ Leaves and Flower #113465 page 197.

If you want to order these see my link on the side or you may email me. Feel free to ask about any details or other products you are interested in knowing about.

Here is my tribute to my friend Yun's cultural holiday celebrations - Chinese New Year . Since its the Year of the Ox, I had no stamp that came close to that subject, so what to do- make your own!

I practiced a few sketches and with about 4 tries I came up with my final choice.

Here's my little fella, a baby ox. I also love SU's Big Shot die for these little envelopes, so I made the card miniature - I think it came off real cute.

Beverly

Beverly's Stamping Beehive

Thank you Queenie for passing me a hug - that is very lovely of you!

In keeping with the spirit of the day, I must pass the hug onto 10 love-ly people! Let's see....I will pass it on to some of my 'local' friends who may not have blogs of their own but I see them often, and to some of my crafty friends, who unfortunately I do not see but we chat, the next best thing.....

Alexandria - Margaret M - Emily M - Bridget M - Mary M - Tammy B - Wendy - Christine - Karen - Carole

Unfortunately, I can only send 10 but many of my 'crafty friends 'receive awards from many people because they are just so darn good at being friendly and crafty - you all know who you are! Mmmwahhh!

Pass it on!