I am so relieved that February is finally over!  It was one of those month’s that felt like it would never end. Despite the chaos that’s been my life for the last 8 months, I’ve typically been able to map out my projects and deadlines so that everything gets done in a timely manner with as little stress as possible. Well this month, that flew completely out the window – there were just too many major projects that needed to be addressed all at the same time, too many setbacks and not enough hours in which to do them all. 

This week was a really rough week for my grandmother (she’s 88 and she and my grandfather live with us).  She’s barely left the house since January because she hasn’t been feeling well, but last Tuesday she needed an X-ray.  As she was trying to come in through the garage, she collapsed on the garage stairs because her legs just gave out on her.  It was all my grandfather and I could do to get her into the house. Once she was in, settled and over her distress, I immediately called the contractor that did all of our renovations, to get a quote on building a wheelchair ramp in from the garage. On Wednesday, my grandmother was doing really poorly and I had to call an ambulance to take her to the Emergency Room.  They released her late that night and said she’d have to return for tests.  Well Thursday, I ended up having to call the ambulance again and this time she was admitted. They’re not sure what it is this time - it seems to be more related to her abdominal area than her heart and lungs (which is what it typically is). On Friday, the contractors came and built the wheelchair ramp. I have to say – it looks phenomenal and will make life SO much easier for both my grandfather and grandmother.

As to the inspiration books and printed pages.  I’ve been receiving some emails inquiring about their status.  I’ve had 5 assistants and myself as I’m able working around the clock to get those assembled and out.  We’ve gotten a good portion of them out and the rest will go out this week – so if you’re anxiously awaiting yours, I sincerely appreciate your patience.  We are sending them by expedited parcel, so hopefully once they ship, they’ll travel fast *lol*.  Okay, on to the other major projects of the month…make sure that you read all the way to the end because we have a FANTASTIC give-away this month.

Easter Sweets & Treats Stamp Class by Email & Class Planner

Easter just wouldn’t be the same without treats.  In this month’s Easter Sweets and Treats class you’ll learn how to make these two cards and three adorable boxes – two of which can be used either as card boxes OR as treat boxes.

You can purchase this month’s Stamp Class by Email HERE.   I’ll also be offering this as a class in my stamping studio on Thursday, March 26th. 

Are you a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator interested in offering this as a class to your customers? This month’s class planner projects can easily be tailored to many different types of events.  Use them all or use a few – simply mix and match the projects based on the occasion/event.  For example, any of the boxes individually would make a great project for a March stamp club.  Looking for a cute hostess gift for your March workshops?  An incentive stamp and black Stampin’ Spot packaged in the Almost Amethyst mini gable box would be perfect.  Do your customers prefer cards to boxes? Select either the Almost Amethyst box or So Saffron box and then make multiples of the coordinating cards.    For more information about my class planning service click HERE.  To order this class or see a full listing of all the class planners I offer click HERE.  Use the coupon Code MARCPS for $5 off of this month’s class planner – good until Sun. March 8th!

March Workshop Planner

Well you’ve heard us say it before, You can’t grow your business successfully without time, effort and dedication.  And the biggest contributer to grow your business is of course the Workshop.  New customers bring more business and more chance for expanding your network.  When we first launched the Workshop Planner, it was with the idea to help demonstrators ease into the Workshop experience with fewer tears, frustrations and lost hours.  Ange can tell you that when she started out as a demonstrator, she had little support to tell her what to do.  Now years later she has grown in knowledge and experience and has helped us her downline with our own introduction into the Stampin’Up world.  My first workshop was punctuated with calls to her asking what to do, what to say, what kind of projects I should present and so on.  It was not that I did not know how to stamp, it was that I had no idea how to sell.  Now, years since these first harrowing moments, we decided that what demonstrators might need most, was someone to lend the helping hand that Ange lacked and I benefited in. 

With that being said, we are now launching our third Workshop Planner.  The Cheep Talk Workshop planner is the continuation of what we started.  It has evoloved from where it first started.  Using the feedback that we have recieved from you, we have con’t to make small changes that we, and you, feel will be beneficial.  In it you will find:

• three custom designed projects: two cards and one 6″ x 6″ scrapbook page – which you can mix and match based on the needs of your hostess
• We show you how to step your 6″ x 6″ scrapbook page up to an 8 1/2″ x 11″ page and then a 12″ x 12″ page – which you could either demonstrate during the workshop – or actually use as a scrapbooking class for your customers.
• Tips on running a Scrapbook Class with the 8 1/2″ x 11″ or the 12″ x 12″ layout
• Alternate designs using a different stamp set, DP and color scheme
• Tips on preparing for, setting up and running your workshop
• Customer handouts which include all three projects as well as photo’s of the alternate projects
• Workshop packing checklist
• Customer Shopping checklist
• …..and of course the experience of having offered hundreds of workshops built into it.

We hope you are as excited as we are when you take a look at all it has to offer. For more information about the Workshp Planning Service for Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators click HERE.  To purchase your workshop planner click HERE.  Use the coupon code MARWPS for $5 off of this month’s workshop planner – good until Sun. March 8th.

Easter Project Tutorial (Mini Stamp Class by Email)

Last year I designed this egg-shaped Easter Treat Box using my Coluzzle Oval template.  It’s larger than most egg-shaped boxes currently available on the internet.  At the time I offered it as a mini stamp class by email.  Since Easter is just around the corner, I thought it would be the perfect time to bring it back into my Sunny Stampin’ Store. If you’re interested you can take a look at it HERE.

Okay, and now onto our BIG Blog give-away!

This month we are giving away the following:

1. FIVE of the Easter Sweets & Treats classes (the Stamp Class by Email OR Class Planner – your choice!)
2. FIVE of the Cheep Talk Workshop planners
3. FIVE of the Easter Treat Box Tutorials

Here’s what you need to do to enter:  Leave a comment in the comments section of this post.  Make sure you indicate whether or not you are a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator because ONLY Stampin’ Up! demonstrators are eligible for the workshop planner draw.  ANYONE can enter the other two draws.  We will be announcing the winners on Friday.  If you purchased one of these products and your name is drawn – you have the choice of a refund or an alternate equivalent product.   Don’t forget – both class and workshop planners have a coupon this month, so check out the sections above.