Tag Archives: Coeur d’Alene

Download your January 2020 Wallpaper/Calendar

Jan 1, 2020
Download your January 2020 Wallpaper/Calendar
Download your January 2020 Wallpaper/Calendar
Your January 2020 Wallpaper/Calendar is ready!

So here we are on the very first day of January in North Idaho. I picked out this picture a month ago and have saved it ‘specially for today’s wallpaper. And wouldn’t you know… today my thermometer topped out at 47-degrees, and that, combined with a reappearance of some sunshine, worked to erase nearly all traces of the winter wonderland we had just a day and a half ago! Oh well, I’m sure the snow will return in due time. And in the meantime why not download and set up your January 2020 Wallpaper/Calendar! We can always pretend!

Happy New Year!

My monthly desktop wallpaper & calendar offers you a pretty seasonal picture to brighten your computer monitor. But that’s not all. It also includes a handy monthly calendar and serves as a cheat-sheet reference to PDF’s and websites you may want to know about and access.  And it’s even FREE to download, so please don’t hesitate to share this page with your friends and family.

How to download & install your January 2020 wallpaper/calendar

Note: You’ll probably want to consult your own computer operating system’s installation instructions, but installing the background image on my Windows 10 system takes just 3 quick steps – and less than a minute. It’s super-duper easy-peasy! 

Here’s how you can (probably) do it, too.

    1. Start by left-clicking right here and the full-resolution image should open in a new tab. Then right click on the image and save it to your hard drive.
    2. Once the file has been downloaded, named and saved, click on your saved image to open it. 
    3. Once open, right-click on the image and select “Set as” > “Set as Background”….. then right-click again and select “Set as” > “Set as Lock screen”. And poof! That’s all there is to it! (For convenience, I recommend you install this on both your desktop system and your laptop. Assuming you still have both these days, of course!)

Tips for other operating systems:

And in case you may have an operating system OTHER than Windows 10, you may find these installation tips helpful:

  1. Windows 10, 8.1 or 7: http://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-customize-desktop-background-windows 
  2. Apple Mac: http://www.wikihow.com/Change-the-Desktop-Background-on-an-Apple-Macintosh-Computer 

Finally, please keep in mind that the format of my monthly picture is designed for most modern-day 16:9 monitors (a common format for monitors and HD TV’s since about 2009), oriented in landscape format. (Typically 1920 x 1080 pixels.) If you’re working with an older monitor (and/or one that is more square-ish in format), or your monitor is set up in portrait format or some other variation, the picture may not work for you.

Shucks! And I’m real sorry about that!

Download your December 2019 Wallpaper/Calendar

Dec 2, 2019
Download your December 2019 Wallpaper/Calendar
Download your December 2019 Wallpaper/Calendar
December 2019 Wallpaper/Calendar is ready!

Sitting here shivering as I’m writing this, I was particularly attracted to the warm and glowing tones of these festive packages. While I’m nowhere near ready to admit just how close Christmas is already, in my mind’s eye I picture buzzing households full of decorations, beautifully-wrapped packages, crackling fireplaces, excited children and my favorite aroma, ginger cookies baking. It’s time to download your December 2019 Wallpaper/Calendar. Merry Christmas!

My monthly desktop wallpaper & calendar offers you a pretty seasonal picture to brighten your computer monitor. But that’s not all. It also includes a handy monthly calendar and serves as a cheat-sheet reference to PDF’s and websites you may want to know about and access.  And it’s even FREE to download, so please don’t hesitate to share this page with your friends and family.

How to download & install your December 2019 wallpaper/calendar

Note: You’ll probably want to consult your own computer operating system’s installation instructions, but installing the background image on my Windows 10 system takes just 3 quick steps – and less than a minute. It’s super-duper easy-peasy! 

Here’s how you can (probably) do it, too.

    1. Start by left-clicking right here and the full-resolution image should open in a new tab. Then right click on the image and save it to your hard drive.
    2. Once the file has been downloaded, named and saved, click on your saved image to open it. 
    3. Once open, right-click on the image and select “Set as” > “Set as Background”….. then right-click again and select “Set as” > “Set as Lock screen”. And poof! That’s all there is to it! (For convenience, I recommend you install this on both your desktop system and your laptop. Assuming you still have both these days, of course!)

Tips for other operating systems:

And in case you may have an operating system OTHER than Windows 10, you may find these installation tips helpful:

  1. Windows 10, 8.1 or 7: http://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-customize-desktop-background-windows 
  2. Apple Mac: http://www.wikihow.com/Change-the-Desktop-Background-on-an-Apple-Macintosh-Computer 

Finally, please keep in mind that the format of my monthly picture is designed for most modern-day 16:9 monitors (a common format for monitors and HD TV’s since about 2009), oriented in landscape format. (Typically 1920 x 1080 pixels.) If you’re working with an older monitor (and/or one that is more square-ish in format), or your monitor is set up in portrait format or some other variation, the picture may not work for you.

Shucks! And I’m real sorry about that!

Report your counts for World Card-Sending Week

Oct 11, 2019
Report your totals for World Card-Sending Week
Click image to report your number of total cards sent this week.

So last weekend my online friends and I marked World Card-Making Day with our 6th Annual WCMD Virtual Retreat. 48 hours of online card-making fun, including theme challenges, learning new layout ideas, and getting to know each other a little more. And then THIS week has been the brand-new concept (that I sure hope will become an annual event), “World Card-Sending Week”! Sponsored by Stampin’ Up!®, WCSW has been all about encouragement to SEND all those newly-made cards and let someone know you’re thinking of them!

World Card-Sending Week cards

And participation in World Card-Sending Week is not only open to demonstrators, but to all of our card-sending friends, as well. (Of course!) So here’s how YOU can play along and add YOUR cards-sent tally to the global count, which has a goal of hitting 50,000 cards sent between Oct. 6 and Oct. 12!

Here's how to play with us!

If you’re already a card-maker you probably already have a pile of cards somewhere that you haven’t gotten around to sending to anyone yet. So grab that pile of cards and address them to friends, family, or anyone else who’s been on your mind. Enclose a little personal note if you’re inspired to do so, and send them on their way. 

But don’t forget to record a tally of each card you’ve sent this week, and then report your total number of cards on this form right here! 

I  will accept your totals up thru Tuesday, Oct. 15 (this upcoming week), and then I’ll combine your totals with my own, and report the entire amount to Stampin’ Up!, where the *worldwide* count will be tallied and maintained. Wouldn’t it be fun if our Paper Dreaming peeps could report 100 or more cards as a group? And in the meantime, I’ll update how we’re doing towards that 100-cards goal. Keep your eye on my Facebook page for those updates over the next several days.

But let’s be careful to help keep the worldwide totals accurate, and not accidentally double-report the same cards. That means that each card sent must ultimately only be reported to Stampin’ Up! ONE time. 

So if you’re a current demonstrator, you should report your card count directly through Stampin’ Up!’s reporting system. (Link found in the Oct. 8 updates.)

If you’re NOT a demonstrator, but are a friend, family member, customer or follower of mine, you can report your cards on my custom tally form… as long as you don’t report those same cards elsewhere, too. I will ensure that your total will be included in the Paper Dreamers group total that I will report directly to Stampin’ Up! on Oct. 16 (next week).

"World Card-Sending Week" - in review

  • Oct. 6 – Oct. 12 – Send as many cards as you can during World Card-Sending Week. 
  • Oct. 12 – Oct. 15 – Report the number of cards you sent
    • Demonstrators – report your counts directly via Stampin’ Up!’s system (by Oct. 16)
    • All others (friends, customers, followers, family, etc.) – report either through me or another demonstrator who is actively participating in this campaign, and who will ensure that your count will be included in the total he or she reports to Stampin’ Up! by Oct. 16.

A real big thank-you to everyone who participated in our WCMD Virtual Retreat last weekend and/or will be sending cards during World Card-Sending Week, too! Do you think the total numbers of cards will have enough impact to make the USPS wonder what just happened?!?

SEND your cards, then REPORT your numbers for World Card-Sending Week!

August’s Wallpaper/Calendar is ready to download

Aug 1, 2019
August’s Wallpaper/Calendar is ready to download
August's wallpaper/calendar is ready to download

While on my usual monthly search for the perfect image to anchor August’s wallpaper/calendar and I ran across this one, I knew instantly that it would be my choice for this month! Look at that stunning sunflower! Can anything even get more cheerful, happy and proud?!? And what about the glorious blue of the sky?!? Yep, there would be no debating THIS month; this one leaped into my heart in a fraction of a second!

My monthly desktop wallpaper & calendar offers you a pretty seasonal picture to brighten your computer monitor. But that’s not all. It also includes a handy monthly calendar and serves as a cheat sheet reference to PDF’s and websites you may want to know about and access.  And it’s even FREE to download, so please don’t hesitate to share this page with your friends and family.

Download August’s wallpaper/calendar to your own computer

Note: You’ll probably want to consult your own computer operating system’s installation instructions, but installing the background image on my Windows 10 system takes just 3 quick steps – and less than a minute. It’s super-duper easy-peasy! Here’s how you can (probably) do it, too.

  1. Start by left-clicking right here and the full-resolution image should open in a new tab. Then right-click on the image and save it to your hard drive.
  2. Once the file has been downloaded, named and saved, click on your saved image to open it. 
  3. Once open, right-click on the image and select “Set as” > “Set as Background”….. then right-click again and select “Set as” > “Set as Lock screen”. And poof! That’s all there is to it! (For convenience, I recommend you install this on both your desktop system and your laptop. Assuming you still have both these days, lol!)

Tips for other operating systems:

And in case you may have an operating system OTHER than Windows 10, you may find these installation tips helpful:

  1. Windows 10, 8.1 or 7: http://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-customize-desktop-background-windows 
  2. Apple Mac: http://www.wikihow.com/Change-the-Desktop-Background-on-an-Apple-Macintosh-Computer 

Finally, please keep in mind that the format of my monthly picture is designed for most modern-day 16:9 monitors (a common format for monitors and HD TV’s since about 2009), oriented in landscape format. (1920 x 1080 pixels.) If you’re working with an older monitor (one that is more square-ish in format), or your monitor is set up in portrait format or some other variation, the picture will likely not work for you. Shucks! I’m sorry ‘about that!

Throw-Back Thursday: “Stamp on, Dear Steffi”

Feb 28, 2019

Eight years ago today I wrote and published a post honoring a dear stamping friend, Steffi Sidney-Splaver, who had passed away shortly before. As I’ve been perusing ancient articles during this website transition process, I came across that post again, and thought it worthy of sharing again. Read it here.

Steffi Splaver
Steffi Splaver

And our stamping group had also created the brochures distributed at Steffi’s Whidbey Island memorial service. I’d shared some of that design and assembly process here, as well.

For additional articles in which our stamping friend Steffi was mentioned, just type her first name into the search bar on this page.

Sale-a-Bration (SAB) – Perk #2 – Hosts & “I Deserve It” orders get extra Stampin’ Rewards!

Jan 17, 2019
Sale-a-Bration (SAB) – Perk #2 – Hosts & “I Deserve It” orders get extra Stampin’ Rewards!
2019-SAB-Botanical-Butterfly-DSP-800b

Welcome to the 2nd in my series of 3 posts detailing the perks of Stampin’ Up!’s “Sale-a-Bration 2019”! (Yes, that’s another example showcasing the Botanical Butterfly Designer Series Papers, which are available as a freebie choice with an order of $50, along with the super-popular Butterfly Duet Punch).

In my last post I discussed the Sale-a-Bration perk that everyone seems to be most familiar with: getting to choose a free product with each $50 you order. But the perk we’ll refer to in THIS post is pretty doggone sweet, too!

So, you probably know (or at least I HOPE you know) that Stampin’ Up! offers a rewards program for those who gather a few friends together and host a group stampin’ event. (Call it a party, call it a class or call it something else, Stampin’ Rewards will be part of it if there are sufficient qualifying sales.) Typically, when combined orders from such an event reach $150 in product sales, those rewards (called “Stampin’ Rewards”) kick in for the host.

At $150 in total product sales, the host can select most any product of her choice equal to 10% of the sales (which would be exactly $15, if the total product sales were $150, for instance). And as the total product sales increase, the percentage levels of Stampin’ Rewards increase too, until they ultimately reach 16% of the total product sales. In addition, when sales cross the $450 line, the host can also get any one item of her choice for half-price! (Big Shot, Color Family of ink pads, or Stamparatus, anyone?)

But Stampin’ Rewards are enhanced during Sale-a-Bration…

…making it a perfect time to host an event – or else submit what some like to call an “I Deserve It” order (of $150 or more for one’s own self). “I Deserve It” orders are a great way to maximize your purchasing dollars, and the bigger your order, the more freebie goodies you can choose!

So not only is it a smart plan to group your personal orders into batches that qualify for Stampin’ Rewards (starting at $150 in product sales), but it’s particularly clever to do so during Sale-a-Bration! That’s because in addition to your usual Stampin’ Rewards (see the Party Sales chart in any of our catalogs – sometimes near the back; sometimes near the front), you may also qualify for ADDITIONAL Stampin’ Rewards!

Which brings us to… SALE-A-BRATION PERK #2:

Sale-a-Bration Perk #2 offers an enhancement to the usual Stampin’ Rewards plan! During Sale-a-Bration, whenever your total product order reaches $250, Stampin’ Up! throws in an additional $25-worth of credit you can apply towards your freebie product as a “host” – over and above what a $250 sales volume would ordinarily qualify for! So here’s an example of how that would work in real life:

Let’s say your “party” total (regardless of source) reaches $250 in product sales. Under the usual, year-round plan, your Stampin’ Rewards would be figured at 10% of $250, which would equal $25 credit towards additional product of your choice. But during Sale-a-Bration, Stampin’ Up! will kick in that additional $25 in Stampin’ Rewards credit for any “party” of $250 or more! So that means if you reach the $250 level exactly, you’d get the usual $25 in Stampin’ Rewards credit, PLUS the additional $25, for a total credit of $50 you can apply towards any current additional product!

Oh, but wait!!! If your $250 order was actually all YOUR order, then each $50 segment would *also* qualify for one of the free SAB items in the SAB 2019 brochure!

Yes indeedy, we DO love to let you double-dip in the Stampin’ Up! perks whenever possible! 🙂

So should you find yourself staring at a particularly long wish-list at this time of year, give that clever concept a bit of thought. Qualifying for Stampin’ Rewards with your order is nothing to sneeze at!

And stay tuned for the final installment of this 3-part series – explaining how to get what might be the absolute BEST deal of ALL with Stampin’ Up! during Sale-a-Bration! We’ll call that PERK #3……. and I’ll show you some extra, totally-legit, double-dipping ideas tossed in for added fun!

December 2018 Wallpaper/Calendar is ready to download!

Dec 1, 2018
 
2018 - 12 - December - tinified
 
Yep! It's really here. December. And personally, I'm feeling pretty excited! Truth is, if you've been following me for a while you'll probably understand why it's been four years since I've had space in my life to participate in the festivities of the season. But although I'm still approaching this year's decorating season with a generous buffer of caution, I am at least thinking about putting up a tree this year, and even stringing some outside lights! It's been a long time since I've been able to even *contemplate* that kind of stuff, but I admit to feeling a bit hopeful that this – Just. Might. Be. The Year!
 
Oh! And would you be surprised to learn that the colors in this month's image are the colors I decorate with? I adore my fantasy sugarplum theme – on a white tree. Pure happiness! 🙂
My monthly desktop wallpaper background not only offers you a pretty seasonal picture to brighten your computer monitor, but also includes a handy monthly calendar and serves as a cheat sheet reference to websites you may want to know about and visit.  And it's even FREE to download and install, so please don't hesitate to share this page with your friends and family.
 
 
You'll probably want to consult your own computer operating system's installation instructions, but installing the background image on my Windows 10 system takes just 3 quick steps – and less than a minute. It's super-duper easy-peasy!
  1. I download and save the image to my computer - from the link just above that starts with "Click HERE". (NOT from the picture that appears at the top of this post!)  TIP:  To "download" the full-resolution image once it's open (from Google Drive where it's stored), I click on the downward-pointing arrow. THAT is what actually begins the download process to my computer.
  2. Once the file has been downloaded, named and saved to my computer's hard drive, I open it. 
  3. Then I right-click on the image and select "Set as" > "Set as Background"….. then right-click again and select "Set as" > "Set as Lock screen". And poof! That's all there is to it! (For convenience, I install this on both my desktop system as well as my laptop.)
And in case you may have an operating system OTHER than Windows 10, these tips may help with installation:
 
Finally, please keep in mind that the format of my monthly picture is designed for most modern-day 16:9 monitors (a common format for monitors and HD TV's since about 2009), oriented in landscape format. (1920 x 1080 pixels.) If you're working with an older monitor (one that is more square-ish in format), or your monitor is set up in portrait format, the picture will probably not work for you. Sorry 'bout that.

Snowflake Showcase – Last call

Nov 30, 2018

November's exclusive "Snowflake Showcase" has certainly been an amazing collection, hasn't it? So many beautiful snowflakes and versatile images – in both stamp sets and dies; I'm super-sad to see it coming to an end. But yep, today's its last day of availability; the curtain falls in just a few more hours.

In the meantime however, I thought I'd share some of the thank you cards I've been sending out recently. Featuring… well, what else, lol?!? Not only some of my favorite winter-time images, but some of my very favorite winter colors, too!

20181125_113855

Besides the "Snow is Glistening"  and "Kindness & Compassion" stamp sets, these cards feature "Layering Ovals" dies; Highland Heather, Gorgeous Grape and Coastal Cabana inks; Frost White Shimmer Paint; Clear Rhinestone Jewels; and Highland Heather, Gorgeous Grape, and Whisper White cardstocks (WW in both regular and thick). And of course, the Stamparatus helped place that "Thank you" image exactly where I wanted it… nice and bright!

20181125_113125

There are still a few remaining hours to claim all or part of this collection for yourself. If you're still debating, let me help. The answer is "Yes!" – because snowflakes of this classic art style will never look dated, they can be used solo or in conjunction with other images on almost any winter project, and look fabulous in pretty much any color. (Well, maybe not so much Real Red or Cajun Craze, come to think of it….. but YOU know what I mean, lol!) 

See what's still available from the Snowflake Showcase here!

Blended Seasons – Limited Time Availability

Aug 3, 2018

1
Don't you just love stamp sets with seasonal longevity? And what if such a set also had a matching die set that included a beautiful, unique element that Stampin' Up! has never offered before? And what if you could add 10 new, fresh colors to your watercolor pencils collection? 

Well, that's exactly what August's special limited-edition offer includes!

Introducing the "Color Your Season" collection…… available only during August 2018, and only while supplies last!

 

2

 There are 3 elements to this offering (an exclusive 2-volume stamp set, an exclusive die set, and a set of watercolor pencils in 10 fresh colors). You may choose to get 1, 2 or all 3. The best way to see everything that you can get, and all the details you'll need, is by downloading this 2-page flyer.

Now, you won't want to wait very long to order these because the stamps and dies will only be available during this month of August, and ONLY while supplies last! (And if you've been around Stampin' Up! for very long you KNOW what those 3 little words "while supplies last" can mean, don't you?!?)

While the watercolor pencils make a lovely addition to your 12 stamps and 10 dies, they will eventually appear in a future catalog and you can get them at that time if you MUST wait. (But why not get them now, while you can take advantage of August "Bonus Days", and use them with these stamps and others you may already own?!?)

Oh! And might you be wondering if you can get a discount if you order BOTH the stamps and the dies as a bundle? But, of course you can!  🙂

20180803_180001

In the meantime, I'll leave you with my very first Christmas card of 2018……  one of the cards from my July card class. It features a couple of each of the 3 products from this collection: stamps, dies, and watercolor pencils.  And did you notice that all 3 of the frame dies have stitching on both inner and outer edges?!? Be still my heart! Even if you used only just *those* frame dies, you'd still get lots and lots of use out of them when combined with other dies and stamps you may already own!

Remember that the earlier in the month you grab your "Color Your Season" products, the more likely you'll be to GET them before they're sold out. Be careful to not wait too long and risk disappointment.

  "BONUS DAYS" reminder!

With every $50 product order you place in August,
you'll get a coupon for $5 off your September order. No limit!
So if your product total is getting close to $50, $100, or $150, etc., then you might want to bump it up.
Also, don't forget that orders of $150 or more (that aren't part of a hosted event) always qualify for Stampin' Rewards, too…
meaning at least $15 in additional free products in your box!

August Wallpaper/Calendar is ready to download

Aug 1, 2018
2018 - 8 - August - tinified
As I'm preparing this month's calendar, the thermometer on my balcony is reporting 100-degrees, and a dry, smokey wind is blowing in from the southwest. At 14% humidity, these refreshing beverages look like just the thing to soothe a scratchy throat.
 
My monthly desktop wallpaper background not only offers you a pretty seasonal picture to brighten your computer monitor, but also includes a handy monthly calendar and serves as a cheat sheet reference to websites you may want to know about and visit.  And it's even FREE to download and install, so please don't hesitate to share this page with your friends and family.
 
 
You'll probably want to consult your own computer operating system's installation instructions, but installing the background image on my Windows 10 system takes just 3 quick steps – and less than a minute. It's super-duper easy-peasy!
  1. I download and save the image to my computer - from the link just above that starts with "Click HERE". (NOT from the picture that appears at the top of this post!)  TIP:  To "download" the full-resolution image once it's open (from Google Drive where it's stored), I click on the downward-pointing arrow. THAT is what actually begins the download process to my computer.
  2. Once the file has been downloaded, named and saved to my computer's hard drive, I open it. 
  3. Then I right-click on the image and select "Set as" > "Set as Background"….. then right-click again and select "Set as" > "Set as Lock screen". And poof! That's all there is to it! (For convenience, I install this on both my desktop system as well as my laptop.)
And in case you may have an operating system OTHER than Windows 10, these tips may help with installation:
 
Finally, please keep in mind that the format of my monthly picture is designed for most modern-day 16:9 monitors (a common format for monitors and HD TV's since about 2009), oriented in landscape format. (1920 x 1080 pixels.) If you're working with an older monitor (one that is more square-ish in format), or your monitor is set up in portrait format, the picture will probably not work for you. Sorry 'bout that.