A Surprise from the Land Down Under

I had a delightful experience today. I walked out of a meeting today and was greeted by a bright, smiling face—Felicity Gray, one of our demonstrators from Australia. Meeting her was a pleasure; I always enjoy it when demonstrators come visit us in the home office.    

 

 However, as I chatted with Felicity, I was particularly touched as I discovered that she and her mother had flown to Arizona last Friday to visit her brother and sister-in-law, who recently had a baby. Felicity got up this morning, caught a flight to Salt Lake City, took a cab out to our home office for a two-hour visit, and then took a cab back to the airport to catch a flight back to Arizona. She and her

mother are returning to Australia next Monday.

When I expressed how amazed I was that she would spend an entire day of her short time with her family here to visit Stampin’ Up!, she replied, “I was so close! There was no way I couldn’t come!” I don’t know that a trip from Arizona to Utah is “close,” but I guess it’s all relative. And meeting Felicity made my day!

Felicity topped off her wonderful visit with a handmade gift.

When she pulled it out of her bag, I thought it was a cute little tag, and then she wowed me as she began to unfold it into a darling ornament. (She calls it a star card.) Felicity said she got the pattern and idea from a friend, and she said I could share it with you. I thought you’d find it as amazing as I did!

You can see it’s quite simple—five square pieces of coordinating Designer Series paper (4”x 4”), each piece scored into quarters, laid out diagonally, and then adhered at the two side corners, and folded into an accordion-type ornament.

It was finished with a front and back tag, and a ribbon. And notice that the button is more than just a cute add-on—it’s quite functional; it keeps the star card closed into the “tag” or open into the “ornament.”

 

I love this gift from my new friend from the Land Down Under!

Comments

[Zarna]

Wow! That's a gorgeous ornament!
Looking forward to being "close" enough to come and visit you myself one day!

[Lori-Anne]

Wow! That star ornament is awesome! Please do a tutorial for us; I would love to see how it's put together!

[Lisa]

Oh wow that is a cute gift - that is awesome that you made time for her Shelli - I am sure it really made the trip that more special!

Lisa - Queensland - Down Under :)

[Sara]

Awesome ornament. And look how perfectly it matches your tree!

[Staci Miserlian]

Wow, that's beautiful! How fun! Will have to look at it again to try to figure out the construction.

[Sue Kempter-Miller]

A beautiful ornament! Would love to have that tutorial too. Shelli, Felicity and us all consider you family, so of course she had to visit her entire family! Wish we all could be there to share some part of the Holiday with you. Thank you for all you do for us.

Sue Kempter-Miller

[Jamie]

What a cute ornament...how creative! Thanks for sharing Shelli & how sweet of Felicity to come visit you all at the home office :-) Have a happy day!

[Kate Cecil]

I loved the ornament so much that I sat down to figure out how I could recreate this adorable ornament. It took a few minutes, but I put one together and it was so easy. I am also making them in a few different size and will use them as a "tag" on the gifts I'm making. And with the flexible sizes, I am able to use the small scraps of DSP that I've accumulated. Thanks Shelli for sharing!

[Suzanne B]

Oh I hope I can figure out how this goes together. It's marvelous. Just looking at the pictures I'm still confused how it works but maybe if I sit down with some paper...if not a step by step tutorial would be great!

[Bonnie Resch]

I absolutely love the ornament! Hope to see the tutorial soon!! When we all share the same dedication to Stampin'Up! it explains Utah being so close to Arizona.

[Tandra Boyer]

Fabulous!
OK Shelli- I think Felicity ought to do a TUTORIAL for this, either here or in a SSuccess mag!!!

[Kimberley]

Here is a step-by-step tutorial I found online...hopefully it will help round out the instructions given here :-)

http://acatinmylap.blogspot.com/2008/11/mini-star-bookornament.html

[Dana Jones]

I'm glad you all like the ornament/star booklet. Thanks Kimberly for crediting my blog with the instructions/source.

The idea is based on a traditional design that is chinese called a petal book.

I'm a graphic designer and artist and would be interested in writing articles for magazines. You can contact me at danaj74037@mac.com

Thanks again for linking my blog!
Dana

[Peggy/Maryland demo]

thanks for the pics!! - really great project!! - but yikes! - we want to see what is on the t5ree next to the star - can you share more pics please?

peggy

[Denise]

What a lucky girl! I was there this past August and was given a lovely tour but missed seeing Shelli. I have had a couple customer contacts through the demonstrator website this year, but was more excited when I received my first online order today! I am watching the business grow and cant' wait till the DBWS pays for itself. Thanks for all the inspiration!

[Dina Anker]

What a wonderful surprize for you to have a visitor from .AU, that ornament is just gorgeous as well. I probably have to make a few for our daughters school-mates!

You deserve the praise and recognition that we give you Shelli - your truly a beautiful wonderful woman!

Dina in Toronto
(see you at LEADERSHIP - I qualified and I'm SOOOOO looking forward to it)

[Stella]

Felicity's journey to see the home office is just one more testament to the principles that Stampin' Up! espouses. A demonstrator doesn't care that much unless the company deserves it and earns that loyalty and passion!

[Kathy Knetter]

Shelli, I think that it is so nice of you to take time out of your very busy schedule to connect with Felicity. I think that you already know that Stampin' Up! is so highly valued by demonstrators, and that is due to the "down to earth" values of the company. I know that, for me, the opportunity to come to Salt Lake City every year for Convention is so inspirational and renews my faith in the company that I am associated with. Some of the international demonstrators may not have the opportunity to come to Convention and see the "motherland" of Stampin' Up!, so I am sure that Felicity's visit renewed her faith in the company and made her even more proud to be a demonstrator.

Also, that is such a beuatiful ornament, I am going to have to sit down and figure out the folds that make it into a star! Thank you so much for sharing this with us and have a happy and blessed holiday.

[KristineB]

Hi Shelli--I didn't know til today that you even kept a blog! How wonderful--it's so beautiful too. What cheerful gifts you recieved!! =) Happy Holidays to you and yours.

[Carol Matthews]

Hello Shelli:
I'm a new demo (haven't had my first 'birthday' yet) and I just want to wish you and your family a very happy, peaceful, and special Christmas. I truly enjoy working with Stampin' Up! and creating beautiful things. Thanks so much.
Sincerely
Carol
Nova Scotia, Canada

[Michelle]

Charming ornament!

[tina]

Hi,

Will there more of an increased Childrens section, more boyish stamps? I love all the girly ones but I have 2 boys and would like to have more stamps for little boys.

Thx,
Tina

[Laura T]

My request would be when makeing up new ideas for stamps set. It would be really nice to get some cars, truck, quads, motorbikes, snowmobiles for the men in our families.
We don't need more flowers.

[Lorraine]

Absolutely love the star ornament! It is so easy to create and is such a unique craft (a gift tag and an ornament all in one). Thank you for sharing. I love it.