This Gives New Meaning to Anything But a Card

Should I put this in the "Anything But a Card" category, lol?
JK.
Well...this doesn't really fit with the other stuff on my blog...but wanted to share what I worked on all night!
My son is Star Student, and his poster is due at school tomorrow. Enjoy!

Halloween Popcorn Sleeve

Here is a nice gift you can make for Halloween or anytime of the year.
I am chuckling to myself how shocked I am that I made something without bling!
The first layer (6 x 9 1/2) just wraps around the microwave popcorn bag and you want to adhere it with red sticky tape, so it doesn't come undone. The top is the same as making a card front - but at 6x4 (I think) - instead of 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 - so you really don't have to do much adjusting to your layout. You can use any image or sentiment! I just typed "Just Popping By to wish you a Happy Halloween!" into a Word document and used a cute font (a free font download from Creating Keepsakes). Then I stuck white linen in my printer and printed it out.
Enjoy!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, White Linen, Black Linen, and Black and White paper by "me and my big ideas" in Mambi from Michael's
Stamps: Hero Arts "Happy Owl-oween" (but, NOT the sentiment...that was printed out on my printer)
Ink: Black Stazon
Punches: Wide Oval and Scallop Oval (Stampin Up)
Ribbon: American Crafts - I bought this at Archiver's and now it is all gone and I could kick myself for not getting two!
Other: POPCORN! (stuffed inside the sleeve)

Where Do You Shop?

Besides Stampin Up, that is...
Since I'm not sure if I'm going to sign the new IDA with Stampin Up - I'm just wondering where you guys shop. I'm sure I'll continue to buy some Stampin Up stuff, even if I'm not a demo anymore. But, I'm just not a "shop all in one place" type person anymore (like I used to be).
I don't think I'm going to buy paper from Archiver's anymore. I went there today, and I wasn't paying attention to the price of my Halloween designer paper. They have a list of prices up on a plate above the big, tall racks...but you have to look up whether it is glossy, shimmery, flocked, plain, etc... and I thought, "oh, I'll just get it...surely it isn't more than a buck a piece." WRONG! *gasp* Goodness. I checked out, and each sheet was $2.00 or $2.29 - I about died. But, I didn't return it either b/c by that point I already had a project in mind for that particular paper. Ugh.
I am sure I'll return to Archiver's for a little this and that....but for the most part....I'm kinda getting over that store. They also don't have very much Sizzix and a lot of their stamp sets seem kind of boring to me (although they do have some cute ones...but just not tons of cute ones).
I have been noticing some online stores that are really cute - and seem to have better deals. My friend April told me about Taylored Expressions yesterday - and their stuff is really cute.
So...where do you shop?

Top Note Purse with Bling in Pink and Black

Inside of purse

This was my project for today. I wanted to make a little purse / box with the top note die. What a perfect Box to gift a pretty new bracelet. The original template from Inking Idaho used a large scallop die for the top flap which was sooooo cute, but I don't have that die. I need to get it! It is on my list! So, I had to improvise. So, as you can see, the top flap is just another top note die.
This is a CASE from the Inking Idaho blog. Here is the link:
http://inkingidaho.blogspot.com/2009/03/top-note-purse-instructions.htmll

Supplies:
Top Note Bigz Die Cut and Big Shot Machine
Card Stock: Black Linen, SU Pink Passion, Black and White patterned paper by "me & my big ideas" in Mambi from Michael's
Ribbon: Michael's "Dashes, Dots, and Checks"
Bling: Rhinestone Brad by "Spare Parts" from Hobby Lobby
Other: Red sticky strip, magnets, snail adhesive, 1/4" circle punch

Winner

April is the winner of Free Card Friday! Congrats! Sorry, Peggy...I'm sure you will win one of these days! I'll mail the card soon.

Free Card - Please Enter to Win

Here is my next Free Card Friday contest!

Leave a comment about my Recollections Halloween Card (the one with the purple shoes) between now and Friday, the 11th - and one lucky person will win the card! You can leave the comment on this post, or on the post that has the photo of the card. Either one is fine.

Please leave me your email address, though - so I can email you to get your address if you win.

Thanks and good luck!

CC235, Recollections Halloween Stamp Set

This is my very first time participating in a challenge (CC 235 on Splitcoast). But - I'm 1 or 2 days late! Well, I had the idea for this card after looking at the color challenge cards and then buying this stamp set at Michael's on Tuesday, so thought I'd follow through.

Supplies Used:
Stamp Set: "Recollections" Halloween from Michael's ($6.99 and there are other cute stamps in this set!)
Cardstock: Black Linen, Old Olive, Elegant Eggplant, Last Year's SU Halloween DSP
Ribbon: SU Ribbon Originals Valet
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive, Purple Stickles on the shoes
Die Cut: Quickutz Scallop Circle in my cuttlebug machine
Punch: Martha Stewart Bats on the EE paper, and then covered in purple Stickles
Other: Black Brads, Dimensionals, tape, and glue dots to hold the bats down
Enjoy!

Very First Splitcoast Stampers Download

I downloaded my VERY FIRST photo on Splitcoast today. Wow! Can you believe it???!!!
I've always wanted a gallery there - just never got around to it.
Well - this is the highlight of my day. Unfortunately, I'm not kidding. ;-)
I'm working on another card right now for the color challenge posted yesterday on Splitcoast. How very like me to be a day late. That's how I roll.
I will post a photo soon to my blog, so please stay tuned.

Congrats, Holly!

You are winner of Free Card Friday! I will mail you your free card sometime next week. Enjoy!

To everyone who didn't win,
Thank you for entering my contest! You guys are great! Try again next week. I hope to have a new giveaway - so stay tuned!

Free Card Friday

I will announce the winner tomorrow of the Halloween Spider and Flower Card! It will be mailed to you if you win.

Stampin Up's New Demo Agreement - I'd Like to Hear Your Opinion

What does everyone think about SU's New Rules / New Demo Agreement?
I have only heard a couple comments about this, b/c my Yahoo Group is very heavily moderated. I just don't know how I feel about it yet.
For those of you who don't know...since I am a demonstrator, I won't be able to list on my blog where I purchased my non-Stampin Up items, since I am sort-of like a Stampin Up Employee. I sell their stuff...even though I don't have any customers yet, lol, because I do this just as a hobby. Although I would like to have a customer or two (or three)...it just hasn't happened yet. So, they are saying when I list out something such as "I bought this embossing powder at Archiver's" - that is pointing people to a different store, and that is now a "no no".
So, in the future, when I make a card, and if one of my card ingredients is from Michael's or Archiver's, I will just say "embossing powder - other retailer."
And, I am confused about Split Coast Stampers. Someone said we can't put stuff on there now. Does anyone know if that is true?
I am also hoping I don't have to go back to all my old posts and take out all the retailers I have listed, since the posts were made prior to this rule. If I have to do that - I will be pretty upset.
Please feel free to leave me your comments. I won't judge you for your opinions. I am not sure how I feel about all this yet.
Thank you.

There is Blog Candy on Janice Webb's Blog

Here is someone else's blog - she is offering a chance to win blog candy.
http://www.sunnysideofcrafting.com
I am posting this in hopes of winning!
Good luck!