Bordering on Romance Class

Well another week that just disappeared, is it my age or is it just life in general??

Today I had my "Bordering on Romance" Class at Whitminster, I had repeated this class last Saturday but didn't want to share the pictures until after today's class.

Here is what we created:

We used the Watercolour Paper and Aqua Painters with the Ink Pads to colour in our flower blooms and everyone loved this, the results are beautiful.

We also used the Simply Scored Tool to create backgrounds on our Vanilla layers and to create the card pouch that held the cards.

We had lots of use of the Framelits Labels dies and a big "Thank You" goes to Hazel for loaning us her set to help things run a little more smoothly!

Here are some of the ladies creating their projects!



My husband Jason is away Car Racing at Snetterton and my Son Jack insisted on racing today at a local track even though I coudn't be there so I was on the phone several times checking that all was ok.  Last night I drove the Motorhome to the track and he stayed there overnight ready to race today.  When I got home from the class I got in the car and drove to the track, managing to see the last race of the day. 

Here's a couple of pictures I took of him, he won all 3 races today and I am very proud of him.  After having to take a year off due to an injury he is just starting to get his fitness back, he never forgot how to ride the bike during that year, has just found it hard to hold on till the end of the race!  In a few month's time he will have to have an operation to remove the pin from his leg which will make me happier, but my heart will always be in my feet every minute I am watching him race around a track!

Promotions for June and July, FREE goodies for all!

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Don't you just love the Designer Series Paper packs, well now you can get a pack for FREE when you buy any three packs, please note this excludes those in the Speciality range.

For more details click here, there are 12 packs of paper to choose from and they are great for all your papercraft projects from card making to scrapbooking to home decor.

This promotion runs from 1st to 30th June.

And if that wasn't enough for you Stampin' Up! has announced an amazing offer for Hostess' during June and July.  Get an extra £30 of free products when your party reaches £325, details to follow:

With the new Hostess rewards that changed in October 2011, a hostess who has party sales of £300 can earn herself £50 of free products along with any item from the catalogue for 50% off which is amazing, but it just gets better for June and July.  If you can get an extra £25 of sales boosting your total to £325 Stampin' Up! are giving you an extra £30 of free goodies which means you get a total of £80 of gorgeous Stampin' Up! products along with any item at 50% off.

I have a couple of dates left for June and July so if you fancy earning yourself heaps of free products, just for having an evening of fun with your friends, then give me a call today to book your party.  It couldn't be easier, all you need to do is invite your friends around and I will do the rest.

Back to normality...

I really can't believe that I have been back from Vienna for a whole week, where did it go.  It was such an amazing trip, memories that will stay with me forever.  I do know that next time I am away I will leave myself a couple of days free time either side of the break to make things a little less stressful before going away and coming home, but as usual, everything fell into place somehow!

oo0oo

So I need to tell you about a FREE Card Making Session that I am holding this Thursday, 28th June at The Courtyard, Quedgeley.  It is sponsored by the "Hardwicke and Quedgeley Healthy Living Festival" and takes place between 10am and 12pm.  Come along and make a card, have a coffee and chat and see what the Card Making Classes have to offer.  Remember that profits from the class are donated to "Devotion Africa" which supports vulnerable children in Africa, hence the class name "Make a Card, Make a Difference".

If you would like to reserve a spot just call me on 07717 068909 or email at stampinkerry@aol.com for more information.

Saturday in Vienna....

On Saturday morning, after breakfast we had our swapping session which I found really exciting!  We all congregated in the Hospitality Suite and chatted until everyone had arrived, then we all stood around the edge of the room and took it in turn to go around handing out our swaps to each person.  I received the most beautiful swaps and will be sharing them with you soon.

Here are my swaps, little mini books created using the Elegant Bird Die, containing 5 pages, one for each day of the trip, with just enough room for a couple of words to sum up each day, along with a little pen.  I totally underestimated how long these little beauties were going to take me to create and ran out of time to add the little finishing touches of tags and ribbons but still think they looked sweet without.

After swapping we went for Ice Cream, Shelli and Sterling showed us how to find this lovely place that served the most delicious ice cream by the scoop, I had Mango and Vanilla which was very cooling in the heat of Vienna.

After Ice Cream Jay and I went to do a bit of shopping before heading off to the Ferris Wheel, we stumbled across a Tiffany's and couldn't resist a purchase, after all, I needed the bracelet to match my earrings!!  Whenever I wear it I will think of the happy times we spent in Vienna.  I don't look so happy in the photo but I always take dreadful pictures which is why most of the time I am the one behind the camera!!

I also bought a Murano bead for my Pandora Bracelet, this is my memory bracelet containing only items that have been bought for me for special occasions or whilst travelling across the seas, each bead tells a story and it is very special to me.  I am sure it will take a long time to fill but I am happy to wait!

After shopping we walked a fair distance to the Ferris Wheel and pretty sure we took the scenic route as it took forever to get there, we recognised lots of places we had visited on the Segway tour and managed to find our way there with only asking one person when we were totally lost!

We stopped for nibbles late in the afternoon then hired bicycles to get ourselves back to the hotel where we got freshened up for the final night of "Goodbyes and Goodies"

Here's the lovely Paula and Victoria catching up with the days events

After going out for something to eat most of us met at the Hotel Lobby for drinks and more chat.  We were feeling pretty pooped from all that walking so headed off to bed shortly after midnight to find yet more pillow gifts awaiting me!

Vienna by Segway....

This was soooo much fun and definitely the best way to get around Vienna!

I think everyone who went on this tour had an amazing time, we had a guide called Charles who showed us the sights of Vienna during this 3 hour journey of fun, adventure, laughter and sadly nearly tears after a couple of crashes!  I have to say I found it really hard to stop smiling for the rest of the day.  

  The temperature was above 30 degrees and we whizzed around the streets of Vienna, on cycle lanes and across main roads and tram lines which was a bit daunting as there was a convoy of 13 of us and we were all trying to keep up!

One of the places we stopped was at the Ferris Wheel, the oldest in Europe!

 We arrived back at the hotel around 5.15pm, some of us a little battered and bruised, with just enough time to get ready for the evening that lay ahead of us.  Here I am with Hayley and Amanda, just before heading outside to find a Horse and Carriage waiting to take us to the venue.

When we entered the musem we were offered canapes and cocktails whilst we took in the breathtaking surroundings, listening to a trio of musicians while we chatted.

Here are the UK girls with Paula, our Country Manager

and this was what greeted us at the top of these stairs!

The most beautiful setting ever to sit and have dinner, whilst listening to The Vienna Boys Choir which I found very emotional.  Shelli and Sterling sat at our table and we had a very enjoyable meal sharing stories and enjoying the good food.

On our place settings were hand finished Menu's and a signed copy of the Vienna Boys Choir album, how special the evening was.

I love this picture of Jules, doesn't she look stunning..

After dinner we had a private tour of the Fine Arts Gallery then headed back to the hotel where we sat and chatted in the lobby.

Once again, pillow gifts were waiting in the room but I will share these later.

What an amazing day!

Vienna Incentive Trip continued......

So this was Thursday night's pillow gift, the packaging is gorgeous in itself but the contents were just beautiful, picture will follow later, waiting for this grim day to get a little brighter so that I can take a picture of them!



After breakfast, myself, Amanda, Michelle and Paula walked down to the nearby Market, hubbies came with us too!  It was a lovely warm day, and the stalls were outstanding, gorgeous fresh produce everywhere you looked!

Here are the boys, from left, Brian, Paul, Jay and Simon

Frank was getting really thirsty by this point so we stopped here for a drink but had to move on as the restaurant wanted us to eat but with all the offerings at breakfast we just weren't ready.....

So we found another Cafe very closeby where we sat outside and enjoyed the company.  As you can see, Frank was extremely thirsty by this point, look at that smile on his face, he is in heaven!!

On our walk back from the market there were many beautiful sights but this one really caught our eye, a building painted Art Deco style which is apparently very famous.

Michelle, Simon, Jay and myself made our way back to the hotel for 1.30pm ready for our Segway Tour, more on this to follow.....

Vienna Incentive Trip...Frank Manou

So in case you didn't know, Frank Manou is the Stampin' Up! Mascot and travels with the girls to the Incentive Trips.  Victoria was first to show him the wonders of Vienna, starting with the Palace which was so beautiful and he was so excited that he wanted to drive us there!



Frank and I having a little chat outside the Palace...

next stop was Strudel making, we had soooo much fun doing this, and although Jay's and mine weren't quite as large as they were supposed to be, they were nice and compact and fitted perfectly into the little boxes once they had been baked! 

It tasted better than it looks!!!

After this there were nibbles for us before we headed off to the museum.

In the evening a group of us went out for a meal which was really nice as there was time to chat and get to know each other, we finished off the evening with drinks and Cocktails at the hotel.

Incentive Trip to Vienna Part 2....

These pictures were taken inside the Hospitality Room, it was a great place to meet up and have a drink and a chat in between trips out and meal times.  We would come in here, fill our little boxes FULL of sweets, spin the wheel, grab a drink and catch up with each other.  Perfect!

On our first night we had Dinner in Le Ciel Restaurant at the Hotel which was up on the 7th floor, there was a lovely open air balcony and we were greeted with drinks on our arrived.  On our place settings at the table were beuatiful Menu's with a note from Shelli. 

Here's myself and Hayley after our meal, heading downstairs to sit and chat, we left before the UK girls and apparently missed out on a group photo but I have stolen one from Julie's blog!

 

After lots of chatting we headed off to our rooms for a good night's sleep, and this is what was waiting for me!

The bag matches the gorgeous Clutch we received with our flight information and just as exciting as the bag was the little tag that was hanging on it, beautiful.



I'm back ............

........from Vienna, and what a trip it was, totally amazing and I have so much to share with you, some of which will have to wait though as I am not allowed to share it just yet!!

So just a really quick post today as I have a few things going on this week that I need to get planned and prepared for.

On arrival at the airport we were greeted and our luggage was collected ready for our transfer to the hotel.  The Grand Hotel Wien was very elegant and luxurious, here is a picture of our room....

We unpacked our bags then headed to the Hospitatlity Desk to meet everyone on their arrival and also for light refreshments.  The room was buzzing with excitement and it was lovely to meet everyone and chat.  I have pictures of the Hospitality Desk which I will share another time, but in here we have the Wheel where we get to spin each day to receive goodies and we were given a little kraft box on arrival which we could fill up with sweets on every visit, way too tempting!!!  It was a great place to meet and catch up with everyone.

Back soon with more...