Control Freaks 2011 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog Sneak Peak: Best of Everything

Welcome to the Control Freaks June 2011 Tour. We are thrilled to have you join us today. I'm your 6th stop this month. Our tour is nice and short, and features some of your favorite Control Freaks Stampers, sharing projects made with Stampin' Up! products. In fact, if you started in the middle of the tour, you may have just come fellow freaker, the always amazing Connie Babbert's blog.

Our theme for this month is:  Stampin' Up! 2011 Summer Mini Catalog or Sneak Peaks

I chose to share with you a Sneak Peak from upcoming Stampin' Up! 2011/2012 Idea Book and Catalog.  It's a stamp set called "Best of Everything".  It was one of my pillow gifts from the Stampin' Up! Alaskan Cruise.

Here's a little ensemble of two cards and a notepad cover:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Here are some of the new items you'll find in my projects above:

1.  Best of Everything stamp set
2.  1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon (chocolate chip - yeah!)
3.  Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper (on the notepad)

Additional Supplies used:

Ink and Cardstock:  Baja Breeze, Peach Parfait, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White
Punches:  1-1/4", 1 3/8" & 2-1/2" Circle Punches, Scallop Circle Punch, Curly Label Punch, Small Oval Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (small flower)
Big Shot:  Perfect Polka Dots and Square Lattice Embossing Folders, Naturally Serif Sizzlet Decorative Strip Die
Other:  Gold Brads, Pearl Jewels, Stampin' Dimensionals, Glue Dots

Well, that wraps up this stop of the tour. I hope you enjoyed my sneak peak.  Now on to more Stampin' Up! inspiration from my fellow freaky friend, Barb Mullikin.  You're gonna love her projects too!

 
  

Sweets for the Sweet & Stampin' Up! 2011 In Colors

OK -  now that you've seen the new Stampin' Up! 2011 In Colors, let's see some projects made with them!! 

Say...do you want another Stampin' up! sneak peak?  What am I saying, of course you do!  How about an awesome new stamp set called "Sweets for the Sweet".  This was the stamp set we got on the 2011 Stampin' Up! Alaskan Cruise.

But first...let me introduce you to my stamping cruise buddies.

 
(Sandy, Kelly, Me, Lori, Barb and Jane)

This picture is featured on CEO & Co-Founder of Stampin' Up! Shelli Gardner's blog, So Shelli.  Be sure to stop by and check out her photos from the Stampin' Up! 2011 Alaskan Cruise.  (Note:  picture published with permission)

Here are the make and take projects we did on the 2011 Alaskan Cruise.  It gives you a good sneak peak look at the adorably fun Sweets for the Sweet stamp set (set of 12) as well as the new 2011 In Colors.

AMAZING FOLD CARD

  

 

Ooh - this one also has a ribbon sneak peak. 

The new 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon.  So stinkin' cute. 

It will be available in all of the new 2011 In colors starting July 1st.

 

JUST FOR FUN MINI ALBUM

  

 

 

PINWHEEL CARD 

 
 

Aren't the new colors yummy?  So vibrant and fun!  These will be available for purchase starting July 1st.

Enjoy~Dawn O

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Stampin' Up! Alaska Cruise Photos

We're home from our week long Stampin' Up! Alaskan Cruise!  Last year I earned a free trip for me and my husband from Stampin' Up!  And last week it finally arrived.  There is nothing better than traveling Stampin' Up! style.  They pamper us with fun little treats, sneak peaks, awesome pillow gifts and more!

Today, I thought I would share some pictures from our stops in Alaska - enjoy!

Ketchikan, Alaska (Totem Heritage Center)

 

 

 

 

 

Tracy Arm Fjords

 

Juneau, Alaska (Mendenhall Glacier)

 

 

Skagway, Alaska (White Rail Pass)

 

 

I'll share more pics of our week on the cruise ship and Stampin' Up! samples.  Though, some things we can't share until June 1st - sneak peak stuff, what fun!!

I want to take this time to thank my customers, hostesses, club members and my DOstamperSTARS demonstrators.  Without you - I couldn't take trips like this.  I so appreciate each and everyone of you!

THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!
Dawn Olchefske

Stampin' Up! Two Tags Die Box

While on my Stampin' Up! Southern Caribbean Cruise, I saw this darling little box made with Stampin' Up! Two Tags Die and the Big Shot.  It was shared by Lisa Curcio.  I made some slight changes to the measurements and did it for my Big Shot class last month.  They loved it!!

Here's a video on how-to make the TWO TAGS DIE BOX. 

 

Dawns Stamping Supplies

Stamps:  Builder Wheels:  Posy Party & Thoughtful Friend
Ink:  Dusty Durango Classic Ink
Paper:  Dusty Durango, Soft Suede, So Saffron
Accessories:  Stampin' Around Builder Wheel Spindle & Spacers, Big Shot, Big Bold Cupcakes Sizzlits Dies, Two Tags Die, Soft Suede Polka Dot Ribbon, 1/4" Circle Punch (retired), Gold Brads, Sticky Strip, Paper Trimmer w/Scoring Blade

Enjoy~Dawn O

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Amazing Race to San Juan!

It's Sunday morning at 8:00am and we're here in San Juan, BUT...  we weren't supposed to be here until 3:00pm this afternoon. So what happen...Let me start with Friday night.

11:00pm Friday Night
Arrive at home after an awesome DOstamperSTARS meeting.  Decide not to unload my car and just go to bed.  Will take care of it in the morning.  Regroup, tackle my long To Do list, pack for cruise. No problem - I've got all day on Saturday.

7:30am Saturday Morning
Get up, but am still waking up (you know the feeling). 

8:00am Saturday Morning
Think to myself, "Hmmm...let's try printing online boarding passes for our flight tomorrow."  My hhusband, Gene, "Good idea".  He goes online and we receive an error.  This itinerary is not available for purchase.  Hmmm, that's a wierd error.  So I give it a try and get the same message.  Usually I would just say...OK, we'll just figure it out at the airport tomorrow.  But something told me - I better call the airlines.

8:15am Saturday Morning
Call the airlines. 
She asks, "What is the problem?". 
I explain the situation  
She says, "I don't understand.  Are you at the airport?  Did you miss your flight?"
I say, "No, our flight isn't until tomorrow"
She says, "No, your flight was at 6:00am this morning"
I say, "No, that can't be correct.  I didn't plan to leave a day early" (like she knows what I'm talking about.)
She says, "Get to the airport right away and get on another flight".

8:30am  Saturday Morning
Panic sets in and I'm at a loss for just a minute.  Then the problem solver in me shifts into action.  Find our tickets, find our itinerary, etc, etc.  OK - we find everything, including my original itinerary from Stampin' Up! travel agency.  Sure enough - the original paperwork is for Sunday.  However, my tickets do say for Saturday.  WHAT!!  How did that happen?  I never requested to leave early.  

8:30am  Saturday Morning
Call the Travel Agent - no answer, leave a message

8:40am  Saturday Morning
Wow - we've gotta get going and we're like the Tazmanian Devil.  My husband feeds the cat, takes out garbage, calls the house sitter and travel arrangements to the airport, etc, etc.  I look a my TO DO and determine what HAS to be done.  Finalize two workshop orders and take care of a small detail for one of my accounting clients.

Like crazy people we throw some clothes in our suitcases and we are out the door

9:10am  Saturday Morning
In the car to my daughter's house.  Finished up calls to my family and my assistant to let her know...yes, I need her to SAVE me while I'm gone.

10:00am  Saturday Morning
Arrive at Angie's house.  Grab her and Max (my grandson). 

10:15am  Saturday Morning
On our way to the airport

10:30am  Saturday Morning
Arrive at airport.  Hmmm, not sure how we're going to take care of this.  Luckily, the American Airlines area was empty, yet there were a couple ticket agents there to help.  Specifically, ROB - to save the day.  We started to explain what happened.  And before we were able to finish our story, he grabbed our tickets and was booking another flight.  Before he could tell us what he was doing, he handed us our lugguage tags and tells us to quickly get our bags over the the bag area and get them on the plane NOW.  I'm like, wait - tell us what's happening.  He says trust me, get them over asap.  We're getting you on a flight that boarding NOW!  Yikes.

In a matter of minutes - 3 agents were taking care of everything.  We got through security and rushed to the gate.  Rob ended up meeting us there.  He had to reinstate our flight back (since it got cancelled since we had missed it).  Plus he pointed out that the original flight information was incorrect for the flight back. 

At the last minute, we got upgraded to 1st class for our first leg to Chicago.

11:00am Saturday Morning
We're on the plane - yeah!!!!  Now that we had a minute to let everything soak in, we realized that we didn't have a place to stay or transportation arrangements.  Hmmm...well I trust Stampin' Up! and I'm sure everything will get worked out.  I tell myself not to worry about it.

12:45pm Saturday Afternoon
Arrive in Chicago and get something to eat (we hadn't eaten anything yet).  Then arrive at gate area.  Yeah - there are a couple of Stampin' Up! demonstrators there!  Woohoo - I'm couldn't be more happy.  (Hi Joan, Kristen and Lyndsay!!).  Joan and Kristen's arrangements were made by Stampin' Up!.  So we just followed them.

8:00pm Saturday Evening
Arrive at airport.  Arrange to take the shuttle with Joan and Kristen to the Hotel.  Stampin' Up!'s travel agent books a room for us.

WE'RE HERE! A day before we're supposed to, a little stressed out, but starting to breathe and take it all in.

Despite the everything that went wrong - there was SO much that went right.  Actually - I had the foresight to try to print our own boarding passes, which set everything in motion.  Someone was watching out for us - thank you!!!!

I had planned to have some blog posts pre-ready for you while I'm gone - but only got to a couple of them.  OH well - life goes one. 

See ya when I get back

Dawn

 

Woohoo - Look At What Just Arrived!

You always travel in style when you travel with Stampin' Up!  Look at this fun and colorful travel wallet for our Stampin' Up! Incentive Cruise to the Southern Caribbean!  And the lugguage tags are SO cool!

I have to admit.  Before traveling with Stampin' Up!, my husband and I didn't even know what a travel wallet was!  Pretty lame, huh!  Not only that...I used to work on the "other end" of incentive trips like this, for a destination management company.  We made the arrangements for meet & greets, transfers, events & staff, tours, meetings, etc.  Never thought I would be on the receiving end of those kinds of trips.  We've come a long way baby!

Stampin' Up! has provided for many awesome travel opportunities for my family.  Trips we would have never taken had I not earned them.  I've never worked for a company where I was even offered the opportunity to work towards earning trips like these. 

So if you're looking for a change and want your hard work to pay off in trips like these, consider joining Stampin' Up! now. 

PLUS...If you join now, you will also receive TWO FREE Technique DVDs from Stampin’ Up!, each packed with technique demonstrations that you can use to help start your Stampin' Up! Business!  Check out JOIN MY TEAM & DOstamperSTARS to learn more about the wonderful benefits of being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator and a my awesome DOstamperSTARS benefits too!  Aske me about my special gift to new demonstators!

Or if you’re ready to join my DOstamperSTARS, Join NOW with my password: dostamping

Enjoy~Dawn O

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Stampin' Up! Shopping Online 24/7
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Join DAWNS Team