Off to Convention ...

My bags are packed and I'm ready to go ... to Convention ... Wahooooo!  I've been practicing my "wahoo's" ... just a fabulously fun time.   One of my downlines, Sheri, will be sharing the fun with me this year along with a lot of my other great friends I've made through this great Stampin' Up! family.  Check out what's in my suitcase for my 3-D swaps.


Okay you ask, "What are 3-D swaps?"  They are items made with paper that are not cards or scrapbook pages.  Here's what's in my suitcase to swap:

Last month at Diva Club I showed my wonderful Divas how to make paper beads.  For those of you who know me, in addition to my addiction to card making, I'm also addicted to making jewerly.  I love to work with wire vs. just stringing beads.  Well, now I'm making my paper beads, too.  It's a GREAT way to use up scrap DSP.   Here's a closer look at the earrings.

The above will be my actual 3-D swap.  To make these beads you take about a 12" strip of DSP.  The width can be whatever size bead you want.  Start at the larger end and roll the strip around a toothpick.  You will run a thin strip of Tombo Multi purpose glue (pg 177) down the center as you are rolling so it stays together.  When finished apply a coat or two of Crystal Effects (pg 177) and let dry thoroughly.  There you have paper beads!

Here's a set I made for our fearless leader, Shelli Gardner.  This is my signature bracelet that I love to make and love to wear!

Above is a card I made with some special pieces out of a package of Floral District DSP (pg 163).  You can only get three pieces cut out of each piece, so you will get 6 of these simple cards from a package of DSP.  Below is a close-up photo of the long paper bead.  For this one I cut a piece of DSP approximately 2" x 8" (I actually used up a piece of scrap paper and then designed the card around it!  This was the first paper bead I made.

Many people ask me, "Where do you get all your ideas?"  This idea (paper beads) was right out of June's Stampin' Success -- an exclusive monthly magazine we get for FREE from Stampin' Up! each month.  This is just one of the many benefits ... contact me if you'd like to hear more ... and you don't have to have one class or show to be a demonstrator ... just get 20% off all your orders.  Would love to have you join our team and maybe get away next year for Stampin' Up!'s

 25th Anniversary Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah!  

Wahooooooooooo!