The new Stampin Up 2012/2012 Catalogue went live today!

Good morning everyone.

Wowsy, I can't believe that it has been soHOOO long since I posted last on my blog. I hope this post is reaching you in good health and happiness. About a week ago I came back from a sweet trip to the Netherlands with our 2 daugthers. We went for 3 weeks and had such a good time. Holland is really beautiful. And my family and friends have been so good to us. We were spoiled like there was no tomorrow.

  Here is Rachel between the tulips. She loved gathering the 'left over' tulips.

 Did you know that it takes about 5 years for a tiny tulip bulb to become a grown up tulip bulb? In November the farmers plant all their tulip bulbs in Holland. Then around April they come up. They grow and they are just being beautiful on the fields. Nobody picks them on these fields. The workers do walk through the little paths that you see here to get the 'bad ones' out. When they want pure red tulips, they pick out the ones that have for instance a little bit of yellow in them. Those tulips, they just throw out (or lovely people like us can pick them up from the piles of tulips :) and display them in our homes.

Then at around half May the just clip off the heads of the tulips, they leave the green stems and leaves. The tulip then thinks.. Oh no.. I forgot to make a flower.. I need to get some energy to make a new one. He then gathers a whole load of energy to make a new one out of the soil! But before he can really do that.. he will be attacked again (smile) About 2 weeks later, when it's bulb is full of energy and grew just a bit bigger in the soil.. the workers come again and cut of the green stem, so all that is left are the bulbs in the soil.

Then a little later, the farmers harvest those energised bulbs and put them in a cooler until the next November. Then the whole thing happens again. They do this for 5 years. At that time the bulbs will be big enough to go to the stores and they might end up in your yard.

 Naomi loving the tulips!

Good morning dear Stampers.

You have been waiting patiently for launch of the new Stampin' Up! 2012-2013 Annual Catalog and the time has finally arrived! I LOVE the new clean, look of the catalog along with sophisticated samples and photography throughout. There are many new stamp sets to choose from and the new Firm Foam Ink Pads are getting rave reviews. I yet have to try them, but I can't wait.

I hope to connect with you soon!
Inky hugs, Pauline