Lima Lads and Lassies 4-H fundraiser

December 5, 2016December 5, 2016Leave a comment

We had an intense last week of preparing for the Lima Lads and Lassies 4-H fundraiser. My sister Wendy is the leader and her daughter (my niece) Stephanie is a member of this group.

Cookie baking and packaging were the top priority! A baker’s dozen of families contributed cookies so we had about 150 dozen cookies to package. All trays were assorted except for the rosettes which were packaged in tins due to their delicate nature. Special orders were filled too for those that wanted to pick their varieties. Cookie sales benefit the entire group.

Two members of the group are going on 4-H trips so Stephanie and Lauren had crafts for sale as well to raise funds for their trips. I filmed a few Facebook live videos which are posted to my business facebook page so watch those to get the scoop. Search for Super Awesome Stamper Shirley Merker to find my business facebook page.

Sales were steady for cookies and many crafts found new homes too at the Ho Ho Ho Durand Expo was yesterday. We were thwarted by snowy and slick conditions so not as many shoppers ventured out. Both girls still have crafts for sale so contact me if you are interested in anything you see on the videos. Cookies in mugs are still available too or by the ice cream pail full.

Stephanie and Lauren

Our booth – The candy cane, purple and gold ball and blue ball and garland trees are for sale too. $25 each tree or decorated window frame. Mix and match pricing, 2 for $45.

Close up of some of the windows that are still for sale

Stampin’ Up! made the price tags possible. I share in the cookie packaging video the stamping station. Glorious green which is retired color is the perfect match to stamp the 4-H shamrock on the price tags. Stephanie had an impressive stack of tags stamped and ready!

Thanks to all that baked, packaged, transported, set up and tore down the booth and made purchases during the sale! We appreciate all the efforts to make the fundraiser a success which helps the 4-H members uphold their 4-H pledge.

Hope to see you next year at the Ho Ho Ho Durand Expo!

Super Awesome Stamper Shirley

#Onstage 2016 Celebrating You!

November 8, 2016November 8, 2016Leave a comment

What a whirl of a weekend while Stampin’ Up! was in town for Onstage 2016 convention! I’ll share highlights in this post and then add more details thoughout this week.

Our convention bag is always a fun way to start the event. Inside are brand new products for the spring catalog and our name tag. Shhh…don’t tell SU, but I think I was most looking forward to the name tag because the one I was using was looking a little worn! The name tag is even laminated!

Let’s back up a few hours prior to getting the convention bag. I was selected as a display stamper. Here I am with my samples on the top part of the board using real red, old olive and delightful dijon. It was fun to receive a box of brand new supplies to play with. I had to keep the products and projects top secret until they were revealed at Onstage. My Mom did not even get a sneak peek!

Friday night was pampering and learning for leadership called Centre Stage. I have a team of Super Awesome Stampers so I qualified for this free event! Yahoo!

The tables for Saturday’s all demonstrator event looked a little different with gifts for my downline and supplies for the make-n-takes!

My team that attended Onstage! Kay is top left, my sister Tricia is top right, then me and Andrea seated next to me.

Although the value of the training, make-n-takes and product give-aways are worth the registration fee, all of my team earned this day for free! Super Awesome! Let me know if you want to attend Onstage 2017 in April in the Twin Cities. I’ll help you earn it for free!

Check back this week for more Onstage photos and sneak peeks at the spring Occasions catalog and Sale-a-bration brochure!

But you don’t have to wait to see more…Andrea has shared on her blog too! Click below to “hop” to her blog!

Happy Stampin!

Shirley

Mom and I are Hookers!

September 26, 20164 Comments

Rug Hookers that is! This allows us to have access to wools which can be used on other projects. A real maple leaf was used as a template to cut these wool pumpkin leaves. Mom traced around the leaf on paper, I cut it out and then used it to cut the wool leaves. Mom said this wool was from a coat collar.

Our first project we completed was a pair of wool pumpkins. This one is Mom’s.

This flower was the first kit Mom hooked. We decided the primitive style was not our favorite.

The project we are working on now which we started 3 years ago is this one. We are determined to finish it by Halloween 2016! I told Mom it is a race to see which one of us gets done first! The winner gets to pick our next project! Haha! Mom has already chosen another design from Wild Fiber Wools. Hopefully it won’t take us 3 years to complete!

I’ll post our finished rugs soon. I have the above the fence done and most of the details under the fence. Want to add Spencer peaking out from the pumpkins as he would do every year in our backyard. That’s going to be tough to hook but I want to include it. He also enjoyed a dollop of pumpkin in his breakfast bowl. Our supply of cooked pumpkin would last until the spring. I would enjoy the pumpkin seeds. Guess I’ll have to find some pumpkin soup recipes for the backyard pumpkins we have this year.

Check back for my Paper Pumpkin Post. Yes, Paper Pumpkin and not wool pumpkins. The test tube treat holders from the September kit are fun. I have some alternate projects to share.

Happy Stampin!

Shirley

Where in the World is the SU catalog?

August 15, 2016August 16, 2016Leave a comment

Our fun started last summer with annual catalogs delivered to my sister and friends so they could browse while on their biker trip. The catalog delivery took place at Pinkie in Deforest, Wisconsin, USA. This photo was also chosen to be included in a video which was shown globally during our demonstrator #Onstage November 2015 convention! How fun is that!

Last Saturday, a newly delivered Holiday catalog was carried to the Great Taste of the Midwest by brother-in-laws Gary and Mike who is holding the catalog. Mike knows the drill since catalogs have made several trips with him since the Pinkie trip. Jim is in the lederhosen.

The idea is that the catalog is photographed in recognizable places. Since this is a beer tasting event, I think the recognizable places thing was forgotten. But these 2 people look pretty happy to be holding the Holiday catalog! Brother-in-law Mike can be seen in the sunglasses reflection. Neat effect!

The Great Taste is an annual event in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Check it out here

Where in the World will the Stampin’ Up! catalog be next? Stay tuned!

Happy Stampin!

Shirley

Card Kits to Go for Ronald McDonald House of Madison

July 14, 2016July 14, 20161 Comment

Lori, a fellow Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator, and I met at the RMHC to assemble card making kits that the families can take with them to the hospital or back home with them.

This was our assembly line:

Partially filled boxes which are recycled Paper Pumpkin boxes!

Ready for stamping!

That’s Us! Me on the left and Lori on the right. Thanks for helping Lori!

If you would like to help with donations, our greatest need are envelopes, glue sticks and wood mounted stamps. Smaller, kid friendly images are best. If you have older stamps that you will not be using and would like to donate them, we will take them. If you would like to help with the next box assembly event, contact me for details.

Thanks for helping with your favorite charity whether it is RMHC or a different one!

Shirley