Founder's Circle Day 1

This year I was surprised to learn that I had earned a spot in Stampin' Up Founder's Circle. Each year SU rewards the top 100 demonstrators. I ranked #11 this year out of 42,000 demonstrators! WOW!!!! I am so blessed and so grateful to my customers and downline! Founder's Circle Acheivers are given a relaxing trip and I just returned from it!

Here I am outside of our hotel in St. George Utah. SU rents out an entire hotel and we take over. Each demonstrator gets her own room and SU transforms the place to fit the theme.


They spoil us with pillow gifts each night. I cannot show you the goodies in here, but you will see them when the Occasions Mini comes out. Let's just say they are AMAZING! You are going to LOVE them!!! :-)


On the first night we had a special dinner and SU decorated the place so cute! We all had a record in our spot and fun 50s glasses. Dinner was great and so was the company!


When we arrived, SU placed us each into groups. We sat with these ladies and were told to get to know one another because we would be playing games during the week and we would need to know about each other. My team members were Kari, Connie, Jan, me, Connie, Carol, Ruth & Vicki. They are a great group of women! Our group name was the Baubles and we each received a Bauble for our Simply Adorned necklaces. LOVE IT!!!


Each day we were given Stampin goodies as well as edible goodies. Check out this yummy dipped apple. I ate the entire thing! Yummy :-)

April WOW Projects

These are the projects for tonight's class. The card and lined envelope was inspired by Mary at Stampinpretty.com. The stamp set on the scrapbook page is a new one - Awash with Flowers. Isn't it pretty! I am having so much fun with it It is on special right now!!! See my website for more details www.aprilroycroft.stampinup.net

Love Bots Valentines

I have been sick all weekend and it has been NO FUN! My kids have been bored with mom at home for 3 days. Scott has not done much but take care of me. He actually cooked all 3 meals for me on Sunday. He is the best! We never cook, so it was really sweet of him to do. I just wish my sinus infection would allow me to smell & taste a little better.

On Saturday, Caleb & Gavin begged me to let them do their Valentines and I knew we had to get it done by Thursday. I got out everything and just tried my best to sit with them while they put everything together. We used the Love Bots (Boy & Girl) valentine boxes (118080 & 118081). Although it is too late to order them for Valentine's Day this year, they would make great party favors, gifts for friends, or to be saved for next year! They were super easy and fast to put together and my 8 year olds did everything by themselves. I was very impressed! Now to make a Valentine box...

January Scrapbook Layouts

WOW! I cannot believe it is already February! No one at our house was ready for the weekend to be over. It went way too fast. We had a great time celebrating Caleb & Gavin's 8th birthday on Saturday. We took 9 little boys to the movies. Fun times! If you want to see more check out my family blog.

Now for the stamping... Last month we did these 3 cute layouts in my scrapbook class. We used 3 brand new stamp sets from the new Occassions mini. I am so in love with all of these hearts! I had only planned on doing 1 heart or Valentine layout, but as you can see, I used another heart set on a birthday layout. My next scrapbook class is Friday, Feb. 19th. Don't forget to leave a comment if you stop by! I would love to know what you think!

Love Beyond Measure & Like a Friend

Here is another layout from my scrapbook class. I love this one because with two boys I am always needing masculine layouts.

Stamps: Totally Tool, Taffy Alphabet
Colors: More Mustard, Brocade Blue, Bordering Blue, Sage Shadow, Whisper White
Accessories: white gel pen, Circle Scissors, 1 3/4 circle punch


Here is a fun little card I used as my swap at our Heartland Stampers Demonstrator Gathering. This Like-o-Meter stamp set is so much fun AND it is only $8.95. Love the new a la carte stamp sets Stampin Up is offering!

Stamps: Like-O-Meter
Colors: Chocolate chip, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White
Accessories: Melon Mambo polkadot ribbon & marker

School Bus layout

This was a fun layout a couple of us made at my retreat back in November. This was the 2nd year we have done a retreat in November. It is sooooo much fun! I may have a couple of spaces open for next year if you would like to join us. Now, back to the layout. We were inspired by Heather Summers' school bus made out of punches. Someone made the bus and then I decided it needed a layout to go on. Someone else thought it needed clouds. Another thought of the sign, etc. It was a community effort in the wee hours :)

More scrapbook layouts

A couple more layouts from scrapbook class. My next class is February 19th at 6 PM at Heartland Ham Company. Cost is $20 or free with a $25 purchase. We make 3 new double layouts each month. Please email me at april@heartlandham.com if you would like to attend.

January Card Class

Check out the cute cards we made at this month's card class.

My next card class is Tuesday, Feb. 2nd at 6 PM at my home OR Wednesday, Feb. 3rd at 6 PM at Heartland Ham. No stamping experience required. I have all supplies cut and ready for you to make 12 cards & envelopes (6 different designs). Cost is $20 or FREE cards with a $25 purchase. Please RSVP to april@heartlandham.com

I love this card because it is a great Valentine card without being all lovey dovey. A good one to send to a friend.


On this card we used my favorite Sale-a-Bration stamp set, Good Neighbors and the new scallop punch - BOTH FREE! I love them both. Remember, right now anytime you spend $50 you get to choose a free item from our Sale-a-Bration catalog.


A simple birthday card using shimmer paint mixed with alcohol to make a shimmer spray. It makes such an impact. Everyone loves shimmer :)


Check out the bandit from the Love Bandit set. So cute!


Last but certainly not least, another card with my favorite set, My Matryoshka. You remember this is what Lyla's room is decorated in and I just keep seeing these dolls everywhere

Stampin' Up Lover's Expo

On Saturday I went to Allen, TX along with a group of 28 Heartland Stampers. We had so much fun at our friend and fellow demonstrator, Sharon Armstrong's meeting. She really knows how to throw a great party :)

There were great demonstrations, make and takes, raffles, and business ideas. I had fun sharing a little about My Digital Studio and Facebook! Afterwards we went to a cool shopping center and ate at a great pizza place. We had to rush back to Tyler so that we could see Bill Engvall. It was a busy, but oh so fun day!

Tori with her sisters and mother Kelly... getting their make-n-take supplies....


Rachel with her friend Amber showing off a cute card they just made...


Jen & Liz making one of the cards....


Darla showing me a technique she wants me to teach her :)


Beth & Dede stamping....


Here are some of the samples from demonstrations we saw....

My Digital Studio Book

For Christmas my family made handmade gifts for each other. It was a little more difficult because we could not wait until the last minute, but it was also so much more meaningful. We all cried and had a great time opening up each gift.

For my dad I designed this 12x12 book using My Digital Studio. The inside is fairly simple with old photos of my dad, his brother and their parents. His family have all passed away and he is the only one left. I'm sure it is hard to be without them during the holidays and he did have trouble looking through it without getting teary eyed.

I love how this turned out. Stampin' Up uses the very best quality products to put this very professional book together. I am having a FREE My Digital class on Tuesday at 6 PM. I would love to have you come and check it out. For those of you who already own it, I'll be able to show you several tips to make it all super simple.

January WOW Layout

I love this layout! I think its because I love these pictures! Halloween was so much fun, but wouldn't this layout be awesome for Valentine pictures as well? This month in WOW class we made this fun layout using clear envelopes (102619) as photo protectors on the layout. This way we could add more photos to one page. some of the other fun items we used:
Sticky pages (114300)
Big Shot (113439)
Hearts & Brackets die (115955)
Red Chunky Sprinkles (111343)
Alphabet Simple Numbers die (115968)

If you would like to join us for a WOW class, we meet the first Friday of each month. Email me for more details!

Garden from the Heart

Garden from the Heart (117004 wood or 118568 clear) is one of the fun sets we received at Founder's Circle. This is one of those sets that I would not have picked out on my own, but once I have seen things done with it, I love it! You know what I mean? There are so many sets I never notice until someone does something cute with it! I love these cards these 2 ladies made!

Created by Deb Valder


Created by Tami White

Messages for Mom

Another swap from Founder Circle friends... Messages for Mom (117016 wood or 118580 clear). This set has some beautiful sayings. I love the way Colleen Magness folded the card. So pretty!

Vintage Vogue

I think this set is so pretty. I got the most swaps from this set, Vintage Vogue (117690 wood or 118598 clear). I love how different and beautiful each card is.



by Lisa Freeman

by Jackie Bolhuis

by Cindy Peterson

by Georgia Giguere

by BJ Peters

by Kimberly Van Diepen

My Matryoshka

My Matryoshka (115213 or 118583) is my FAVORITE stamp set in the new Occassions mini. I love it because Lyla's room is decorated in nesting dolls. Check out her room HERE on my family blog.

I made this layout with the set and plan to put pictures of Lyla on it. I did a swap with some Founder's Circle Achievers and used my layout as inspiration for the card I swapped. I love the lattice die and of course the big shot!

Christmas Layouts

These were 2 of my layouts for my monthly scrapbook class.

Have I ever told you how much I love the Circle Circus stamp set (115778)? I use this stamp set for EVERYTHING and doesn't it make a cute Christmas layout?



On this layout I used the Merry Moments DSP (115672). Cute & simple... my favorite!