Retreat Day #4

Today is the sad day ... we have to leave Stamp Camp ... but after 3+ days of almost non-stop stamping, it's probably time ... but still sad.  Today we don't have a make and take, but the girls did wake up to a surprise at their tables ...

Each girl will come down to their own table and find one of these ...

Their own Ornament ... I know they will love them because they all love their stamps!

I'm going to briefly show you how to make these.  Now, unfortunately you won't be able to get this particular Cookie Stamp because it was something we could only purchase at Convention this year ... But, you could join me in Salt Lake City in mid July for Stampin' Up!s 25th Convention.  Their conventions are always AWESOME and TONS OF FUN ... I can't even imagine what they have in store for us this year for their 25th anniversary.   And, if you join my team this month, in addition to receiving $125 worth of product for $99, you will also receive a complete set of 10 new ink pads (your choice of color collection) for FREE!

I'll be getting home late tonight ... call me on Monday for all the details - 717-443-4224 or email me at bzstampin@live.com.   Don't call too early ... I will be catching up on some sleep from the weekend :-)

Okay, now with all that said, I will attempt to show you how to make your own ornaments.  Please go to page 161 of our catalog.  You will see our Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps.  With what you can buy, you can make a gift box or snowflake ornament for Christmas gifts.  The sets come with a recipe to make actual cookies so you can make boxes or bags of cookies for all occasions.  

To package them like I did (see first photo), you may as well stock up on these quick and easy cookie holders (page 15 of the Holiday Mini Catalog).  These are only available to order through January 2, 2013.  While they appear to be Christmas colors, I was realizing as I was putting them together that except for the striped piece, these could be used for various occasions.  So stock up before they are gone!

Your basic ornament recipe is as follows:

1/2 C. Salt

1 C. Flour

1/2 C. warm water

(this makes about 10 ornaments)

Mix all of this up.  Put some flower on your work surface and roll out.  I used a drinking glass to cut out the circles and put them on the cookie sheet.  I then took a pastry brush and brushed off any excess flour on the tops.  Now comes the fun ...

Choose any ink color.  If you have the new foam ink pads that are real juicy, it's so easy.  (Oh, did I mention you could get a set of our new ink pads free this month ... ha ha ha ... see above if you missed that!)  Simply ink up your cookie press.  Here I used Rich Razzleberry.  After it is well inked, simply press it onto the dough ornaments.

Once you have stamped all the ornaments, make sure you poke a hole in the top of each to add a piece of twine later.  Here I used a wooden skewer. 

Then just bake in a preheated 250 degree over for 2 hours.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Once cool I used a combination of rubbing alcohol and frost white shimmer paint and lightly sprayed all the ornaments to give them some glimmer! ... Added some white bakers twine (pg 172), a bow (here I used some retired certainly celery ribbon I had on hand) and attached the bow with some glue dots (pg 177).   Wahlaaaaah!!!   

I hope they enjoy their Sunday a.m. surprise as much as I enjoyed preparing the weekend for them.  I can't say enough how I love retreat and the fabulous gals who come year after year.   I got to meet some brand new gals this year, too.  Always a pleasure!!!  These gals are so special to me.  It is so much fun watching all the sharing of ideas and laughs all weekend long.  I thank each and everyone of them for coming and sharing.  I thank my awesome upline, Kim, too for trusting me to take over this great retreat that she started over 10 years ago.   It is a lot of work; and I'm sure after several years I will  probably hand it off to someone else to keep it going.   But for the attendees, it is a "vacation like no other vacation" if you enjoy stamping!   

A Big THANK YOU to everyone ... even you blog followers for sharing in our fun the last few days!

SEE YOU IN ASHEVILLE MARCH 14-18, 2013!!!