I have always found it great fun to read about the first stamping projects that demonstrators made when they were first introduced to stamping. Whether it was at a workshop they were invited to or at the home of a friend, to read their thoughts about their first creations can bring back to me that excitement of first time stampers!

Last month Joanne Tofte posted a story about her first stamping experience on her blog here.

I remember at the first workshop I attended in 1997 that the demonstrator made a card with an embossed Christmas tree and sewed a jingle bell to the top. The project was gift bags using the Pine Bough Stampin’ Around Wheel and a holiday set. Then in about 1998 I hosted my own Stampin’ Up! workshop (different demo - I booked off of a party my cousin-in-law hosted) and we made Easter cards using the pastels and blender pen. She also showed us dry embossing with a Brushstroke Hummingbird Classy Brass that I thought was "just soooo cool!)

I regret that I don’t have the card I made at my first workshop. I don’t have the cards from the workshop I hosted either. But I wish I would have saved them like Joanne did hers.

If you are looking for a fun topic to share on your blogs, you may want to consider writing about your first stamping experience. I’m sure there are many more people out there other than me who would love reading about it!

If you write a post about your first stamping experience (or if you already have), please let me know! I’d love to read about it!

My friend Gwen Mangelson just told me about a new Ap on LinkedIn. It is a feature that collects the newest blog posts from everyone in your LinkedIn network. It is affiliated with Typepad, but you don’t have to be a Typepad blogger to use the Ap on LinkedIn. This Ap works with all blogs that have feeds! They Ap is easy to understand and it works just like a Reader.

Check it out here.

The store and blog at Our Daily Bread Designs has had a makeover!

Over at the store, I freshened up the banner and created matching product buttons for the sidebar. Doesn’t it look nice?!

Here is the screenshot:

I also put decorative frames around the photographs of the Design Team members:

And the spa treatment didn’t stop there!

Here is the new Our Daily Bread Designs blog:

And her new layout including matching background:

 Make sure you go to her store and check out the beautiful creations and selection! 

Julie’s banner features the Curly label design! The curly label is in her watermark too! Here is Julie Edmond’s Christmas banner:

And her watermark:

My goodness, Ski Slope Designer Series Paper colors by Stampin’ Up! are popular this year with bloggers! Julie’s is the third? banner with this color combination I’ve done!

 Here are a few I’ve done recently…

For Innovative Stamp Creations

Web ad:

Print Ad:

For Our Daily Bread Designs

Print ads:

Here are some watermarks I made recently. There is a watermark special going on right now.

 Jacque Craig ordered a business card and matching address labels. Both of these items match her blog banner!

Here is her blog banner

Here is her Business Card:

Here are her Labels:

Here is a color swatch for today. What is a Color Cue Swatch?

Download this swatch and upload to your blog post!