Final Paper Smooches Sneak Peek–Party Pals!

 

Hello, Friends!

 

Today is the FINAL day of Paper Smooches Sneak Peeks – tomorrow is the big day that all of the CHA Release products will be available for sale!  OH EM GEE!!  I am so excited – are you?!

Today’s sample features Party Pals – another 3” x 4” single image that pairs the cat from Party Posse and the Bunny from A Little Lovin’.  As you can see, they’re both ready for a PAR-TAY!!  Right?!  I stamped the image on white CS and cut out and colored them with Copic Markers.  I stamped the image a second time on polka dot paper and cut out the balloon.  I die cut the clouds and stamped the sentiment (from Sentiment Sampler) – everything is adhered using dimensionals squares.

 

Kim is giving away Party Pals on the Paper Smooches blog, so be sure and hop on over there to leave a comment to win.  Be sure and tell that I sent you!

 

Thanks once again for stopping by today!  I’ll be back soon with more stuff.  In the meantime, please know how much I appreciate the time you take to drop in and leave me some love.  You all are the best!

Another Paper Smooches Sneaky Peek–Love Monkey!

 

Happy Tuesday, friends!!

Popping in really quick before I head out for a fun day of cropping with my girl!!  I wanted to share another sample for the Paper Smooches CHA Release Sneak Peeks.  Today’s sample features Love Monkey, another of the super adorable 3” x 4” single stamps that Kim has created.  I stamped the image on Kraft cardstock and cut him out.  I stamped the image a second time on red polka dot paper (Echo Park) and cut out the three balloons.  The cloud image was created with my Silhouette (I seriously can’t create without it these days!)  Is he not the most delicious little guy you’ve ever seen?!!

 

Kim is giving away Love Monkey on the Paper Smooches blog today, so be sure and drop in to leave a comment to win.  You won’t be disappointed!!  There’s only one more day of sneak peeks before ALL of the CHA release images will be available for sale.  Can you stand it?!  I am beside myself with excitement!  Is it March 1st yet?!  LOL

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  I’ll be cropping my little fingers to the bone today.  Hope you enjoy an equally craft day yourselves!

Another Paper Smooches Sneak Peek–Babe and Dude Blocks!

 

Hi Kids!

 

I’m back today with more Paper Smooches fun!  There’s just a few more days of sneak peeks before all of the CHA releases will be available for sale – I, for one, can hardly wait!!  How about you?!

So today’s sneak peek features two brilliant 3” x 4” images called Dude Block and Babe Block!  Both images (sold separately) are solid clear polymer rectangles and can be used in a million different ways (mirroring and shadowing, just to name a few).  Babe Block has scalloped edges, and Dude Block is just a plain rectangle.

 

My sample uses Babe Block.  I covered the block with VersaMark (I’ve discovered that this gives dye inks the ability to “cling” to the stamp without pooling, giving a clean, vibrant image), and then pressed three different dye ink stamp pads onto the surface of the Babe Block.  I stamped it onto glossy cardstock  – when I pulled the block off the glossy cardstock, the impression “scattered” in such a cool way!  I really like the effect that it gave, don’t you?!  I heat set the color block impression.  Next, I inked up a couple of the images from Reflections (also due to be released on 3/1) and stamped over the top of the color blocks.  The sentiment is from Sentiment Sampler.

 

Kim is giving away Babe Block and Dude Block on the Paper Smooches blog today, so be sure and head on over there for a chance to win these genius and innovative stamps!

 

I’m spending the day in my craft room.  What do you have planned for this lovely Monday?!  Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Hope you’ll drop in again soon!

Moxie Fab Cure for the Winter Blues Challenge!

 

Hello Again!

 

Popping in once again to share a couple of cards that I’ve created for the latest Moxie Fab challenge – Cure for the Winter Blues -  which is to create a project that incorporates and focuses on navy blue, a super hot trend in paper crafting these days!

I created two projects for the challenge.  Both are very clean and graphic, and feature two other hot trends in paper crafting.  The first one features chevrons – I don’t know what it is about them, but seriously, chevrons make my heart skip a beat!  I created the panel with my Silhouette.  I designed the zig zag pattern in Silhouette Studio and cut it out of white CS.  Then I cut a single chevron out of five different shades of blue, popping them through the zig zag pattern so that they have depth (reverse die cut technique).  I then popped that panel off of a white card base using dimensional squares.  The sentiment was stamped with VersaMark and heat embossed with Denim (Zing/American Crafts) embossing powder.  Here’s a side view of the card front so you can see the reverse die cut better.

My next project features hexagons – another hot trend in paper crafting.  I saw hexagons and honeycombs everywhere at CHA when I was there in January.  Oh my!  Lucky for me, I just happened to have a brand spankin’ new set of Paper Smooches’ Geo-Graphic (available March 1st), which includes a hexagon pattern builder.  I stamped the honeycomb pattern using Cobalt blue pigment ink.  I then used my handy dandy Silhouette again to cut out some honeycombs in four different colors of blue card stock, and then adhered them randomly using dimensional squares.  The sentiment was stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with some new embossing powder (I am an embossing powder junkie – no seriously!!).  It’s called WOW! embossing powder (I saw this at CHA and knew when I laid eyes on it that it would be mine!), and it’s pretty great stuff!!  The white is a true bright white, which is hard to accomplish, especially when you’re embossing on dark card stock.  If you’re an embossing powder junkie like me, you can find a huge variety of colors of the WOW! embossing powder HERE.

 

There ya have it!  Thanks, Cath, for another Moxie
Fabulous challenge!!  It’s sunny and 80 degrees here in Phoenix today, so I don’t really have the winter blues.  If any of you who are still experiencing a cold winter would like to get warmed up, come on down for a visit!  I actually have a couple of other ideas for this one, so I may be back!  In the meantime, thanks for stopping by!

Chubby Chums Winner!!

 

Hi Peeps!

 

Popping in really quickly to announce the winner of the Paper Smooches Chubby Chums set.  I apologize for being late, by the way . . . it totally slipped my mind.  So let’s get to it, shall we?  The winner is:

 

Yay, Jenny!!  Congratulations!!  If you’ll email me with your snail mail address, I’ll get that stamp set right out to you!

 

Thank you all for commenting – it’s so much fun to read them!!  Hope you’re having a great weekend.  I’m just about to sit down at my craft table, while watching the Academy Awards!!

Another Paper Smooches Sneaky Peek–He Said, She Said!!

 

Hi Friends!

I’m still in Mexico with my mother-in-law, but I had a few minutes to share a sample for another Paper Smooches New Release Sneak Peek!  Today’s featured set is called He Said, She Said – and it’s GENIUS!!  Lots of speech bubbles and punctuation to do all kinds of super fun and clever things with.  My sample features each of the speech bubbles, stamped in VersaMark on white CS, and heat embossed with black embossing powder.  I then stamped  words inside each speech bubble using Alphadots to create my own sentiments.  The question mark is from He Said, She Said – it’s stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with red embossing powder.  My head is swimming with ideas for this set – if only there were 30 hours in each day!  LOL

 

He Said, She Said will be available for purchase from Paper Smooches on March 1st – along with all the other special CHA release sets (including the six sets that I created – EEEKKK!!)  However, Kim is giving away a free set of He Said, She Said on the Paper Smooches blog today.  Be sure and click on over there for a chance to win it – and tell her I said hey!  LOL

 

That’s it for me today, kids!  Hopefully I’m not being held hostage by the Mexican Federales for popping off to the wrong person.  Yikes!  LOL  I hope you all have a great weekend – I know I will!!

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #41–Just for the Pun of It!

 

Happy Friday, crafty friends!!

 

I’m back today to share the next CAS-ual Fridays Challenge with you – this week’s challenge is to create a CLEAN & SIMPLE project using a punny sentiment in your design.

We have another fabulous sponsor this week – Skipping Stones Designs.  Skipping Stones Designs is an online retailer of clear polymer stamps – their designs are super cute and clever!!  They were kind enough to share some of their stamps with the Girl Fridays so that we could create some clever samples for your inspiration.  Wasn’t that nice of them?!  Skipping Stones Designs has also provided a fabulous prize for this week’s TGIF Club Winner, but you’ll have to click on over to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog to see what it is.  Thank you, Skipping Stones Designs!!

I loves me some punny sentiments, so you can imagine the fun I had with this one!  I got to work with a super punny and cute set called Sassy Shoes – the name alone was meant for me (being the shoe ho that I am!  LOL)  I love the effect of a focal image being stamped in a lighter color, sort of like a shadow, and then the sentiment popped off in front of the image.  It’s a subtle effect, yet packs a punch – don’t you think?

STAMPS:  Sassy Shoes (Skipping Stones Designs), Dippy Dots Background (Paper Smooches – release 3/1)
INK:  Shell (A Muse Studio), Onyx Black VersaFine and VersaMark (Tsukineko)
PAPER:  Berry Sorbet and Sweet Blush (PTI), Solar White (Neenah)
ACCESSORIES:  Sweet Blush Satin Ribbon (PTI), Self-Adhesive Pearls (Stampin’ Up!), Double Embossed Scallop Punch (EK Success), Corner Chomper (W R Memory Keepers)

 

That’s it for me today, kids!  I’ll be spending the next couple of days in Mexico with my mother-in-law while she has some dental work done – yeah, don’t ask!  LOL  I hope to get some stamping time in this weekend though.  How about you – do you have any fun plans for the weekend?  If so, I’d love to hear all about them!  Thanks so much for stopping by today – I really appreciate your time!

Another Paper Smooches New Release Sneaky Peek–Whirligigs!!

 

Hi friends!

I’m totally pressed for time today (I’m on my way to Mexico to take my mother-in-law to her dentist – yikes!  LOL), but I wanted to pop in really quick to share a sample for another of the Paper Smooches New Release Sneak Peeks!  Today’s featured set is called Whirlygigs, and oh my goodness – it’s brilliant!  Kim Hughes designed this baby, and she did a fabulous job, but I’m sure you’re not surprised by that, are you?!  Lots of great images to play with, and that coordinate fabulously with the fun and cute images that IS Paper Smooches!

 

I used the leaf silhouette circle image – stamped three times in VersaMark and heat embossed with three different colors of embossing powder.  Three circles were punched with a 1-1/4” circle punch, and the stamped images were layered behind the punched holes.  The sentiment is from Good Gab, and it’s stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with black embossing powder.

Kim is giving away Whirligigs on the Paper Smooches blog today.  So you totally need to pop on over there and leave a comment for a chance to win it.  I don’t have Whirligigs to give away, but I DO have an extra set of Chubby Chums that I’d love to give to one of you, my sweet blog friends.  All you have to do is leave me a comment here before Saturday morning.  I’ll draw and random winner using Random.org, and will post the winner on Saturday.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today – you all make my day when you do!

Winner, Winner!!

Hi Peeps!

 

Popping in really quickly to announce the winner of Potpourri – so let’s get to it, shall we?

 

The winner is:

 

Congratulations, Laura!!  I am so excited to see what you create with the Potpourri set!!

 

As for the rest of you, I’m sorry that you didn’t win today, but can I tell you how much your kind words and sweet comments mean to me?!  No seriously, my heart is full.  Thank you all so much!

I thought I’d share another sample that I made for the Paper Smooches CHA booth.  I used the Dippy Dots background, as well as Cut Loose (both of which have already been previewed on the Paper Smooches blog – available March 1st).  The sentiment is from Sentiment Sampler.  Fun, right?!

 

Kim is sneak peeking another new Paper Smooches set today on the Paper Smooches blog – Reflections.  You so need to pop in to check it out – and comment to win it!  You all are going to L-O-V-E this one.

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  I’ll be back tomorrow with another sample for the continuing Paper Smooches sneak peeks – it’s almost March 1st, people!!

Paper Smooches Giveaway–Potpourri!!

Hola Peeps!
First things first:  Yesterday’s winner of Chit Chat:

Congrats, Amy!!  Please email me your snail mail address, and I’ll get the Chit Chat stamp set out to you right away!!

It’s time for another Paper Smooches CHA Release Sneaky Peek – and a giveaway!!  Woohoo!!

Today’s set is called Potpourri, and I designed it.  Eeekkkkk!!  The set consists of six different 2” x 2” graphic images that are super fun to “build” with, or just use them on their own, in conjunction with the other Paper Smooches images.  I have several samples to share with you today.  The first one uses the four circle image.  I stamped it three times in two different ink colors.  I then punched one of the circles out for my bat to hang onto (the bat and sentiment are from Falling For You).  I also stamped the Houndstooth background (another CHA background that I designed for Paper Smooches) on the bat, to give him a little pizzazz.   Fun, right?!

My second sample features the quatrefoil image from Potpourri that is AH-mazing to work with!  I stamped it over and over in VersaMark and then heat embossed it in white to create the background.  The sentiment is from Pretty Phrases.  I ADORE this image and am so thrilled with how easy it is to work with!

Here’s another sample using the polka dot circle from Potpourri, stamped in three different colors.  The sentiment is from Word Salad.  (The layout of this card was inspired by a card I saw on Maile Belles’ blog – found HERE.)

My last sample is a mish-mash of a couple of the images designed by me for the CHA release.  The petals image is another of those that can be stamped repeatedly to create a background or border – it’s from the Potpourri set.  The middle section is the Chevron image from Geo-Graphic, and the third section is the houndstooth border from Debonair.  The sentiment is from Word Salad.

See how easily these fun, graphic images pair with the existing Paper Smooches images to create a great pop of interest?!!  Potpourri, as well as the other CHA release sets, will be available for sale on March 1st – just a few short days away!!

Kim has given me an extra set of Potpourri to give to one of you, my darling readers, and all you have to do is leave a comment here on my blog some time before tomorrow morning.  I’ll draw a winner using Random.org, and post it here tomorrow.  Kim is ALSO giving Potpourri away on the Paper Smooches blog, so if you want a second chance to win, be sure and click on over to leave her some love, too.  And be sure you tell her I sent you!

That’s it for me today, kids!  Thanks so much for stopping by . . . hope to see you again tomorrow!

I’m Late–Story of My Life!!

 

Oh My Gosh!!

 

I completely forgot that I was supposed to post some Paper Smooches samples to help promote the CHA release today – DUH!!  Better late than never, right?! So here ya go!!

Today Kim at Paper Smooches is featuring (and giving away) Jerome the Gnome (how cute, right?!) and Whimsical – an amazing set of adorable borders.  My first sample features the mushroom border from Whimsical – and the sentiment is from Vegtastic.  How freakin’ cute is that image?  There’s something about it that just makes my heart go pitter patter!!

My second sample features Jerome the Gnome.  He’s the same gnome from Forest Whimsy, although he’s about 15% bigger.  I really love that Kim is now creating some of her most popular characters as single images in 3” x 4” packaging!!  Back to my sample,  I stamped the flower border and mushroom images from Whimsical, and paper-pieced the bajeebers out of Jerome.  The sentiment is from Sentiment Sampler.

 

Kim is giving both Jerome the Gnome and Whimsical away on her Paper Smooches blog – you totally should click on over there for a chance to win them!!  Otherwise, both Jerome the Gnome and Whimsical (as well as the other CHA releases will be available for sale on March 1st – so exciting, right?!)

So, I couldn’t let today go by without offering up a free set of Paper Smooches stamps, now could I?  Kim has very generously given me an extra set of Chit Chat to give away to my bloggie friends.  All you have to do is leave a comment here before tomorrow morning – I’ll pick a winner and post it tomorrow!

Thanks so much for stopping by today – I so appreciate it!!  Have a great day!

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge No. 40–Tie One On!!

Well hello again!!

Let’s hear it for another outstanding CAS-ual Fridays Challenge!!  Seriously, friends, you’re really gonna like this one.  Your challenge:  Create a CLEAN & SIMPLE project, include ribbon in your design, and since February 21st is Mardi Gras – our theme this week is PAR-TAY!!  How fun is that?!

Of course, we have the most excellent sponsor this week – May Arts.  And oh my goodness have they been generous with their delicious ribbon for the Girl Fridays – oodles and oodles of ribbons, I tell ya!!  PLUS May Arts has provided a prize for this week’s TGIF Club Winner that is going to blow your mind!!  But you’ll have to click on over to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog to find out what it is.  Thank you so much, May Arts!!  We HEART you!!

Well, let me tell you that this challenge inspired me beyond measure!!  I immediately had a vision of candles – you need candles for a party, right?!  And right now I’m loving the negative die cut concept.  So I drew out my design, and cut it out with my scissors.  Didn’t like the unfinished look of that much . . . so I tried again –using my beloved Silhouette!!  I designed the candles and card front, including two small holes above each candle, in the Studio Silhouette program – NOW we’re talking people!!  I adhered the two different 1/2” Grosgrain Circle ribbons behind the cutout with sticky strip.  I used the 1/2” Yellow Wrinkle Ribbon for the flames – stitching them through the two holes using a leaf embroidery stitch.  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches’ Chit Chat set (I stamped it in VersaMark and heat embossed it).  Add a little bling (‘cause every party needs some bling, right?!) and you’ve got yourself a PAR-TAY card!!

STAMPS:  Chit Chat (Paper Smooches)
INK:  VersaMark (Tsukineko)
PAPER:  Snow CS (Bazzill Basic Papers)
ACCESSORIES:  Silhouette Studio and Silhouette SD Electronic Die Cutting Machine (Silhouette America), 1/2” Grosgrain Circle (May Arts), 1/2” Yellow Wrinkle Ribbon (May Arts), Sticky Strip, Self-Adhesive Rhinestone (Doodlebug), Cricket Embossing Powder (Zing/American Crafts), Stampin’ Dimensionals (Stampin’ Up!)

 

We’d love to see what you all come up with for this super fun challenge!!  That’s it for me today.  I have some plans to do some stamping this weekend – how about you?  Any fun plans?  Thanks so much for stopping by today!!  I so appreciate it when you do.

Debonair Winner!!

Hello Stamping Friends!

 

I don’t have any samples to share with you today, but I do have a winner from yesterday’s comments.  The winner of the Debonair set is:

Woohoo, Jean!!  Please email me your snail mail address, and we’ll get that stamp set out to you very soon!!

 

Kim is sharing another new CHA release over on the Paper Smooches blog – it’s a super fun and versatile set called Primary.  And she’s giving a set away, so please hop on over there and leave her some love, will you?!!  Tell her I sent you!

 

I’ll be back on Friday with my CAS-ual Fridays Challenge card, and then again on Monday with some additional Paper Smooches samples (and another giveaway!!).  Again, thank you so much for the very kind words about my stamp sets – when I tell you that your words make me blush, I am not even exaggerating.  You all are amazing!

Paper Smooches CHA Release Giveaway Day 2–Debonair!

 

Hello Peeps!!

 

Let’s get down to business – the winner of yesterday’s giveaway is:

Karen, please email me with your mailing address, and we’ll get the Geo-Graphic stamp set out to you just as soon as it’s available!!  Congratulations!!

So today’s Paper Smooches featured CHA Release stamp set is called Debonair.  Again, there are three different pattern strips to build borders.  There’s a houndstooth pattern, an argyle pattern, and a gingham pattern.  In this sample, I paired the houndstooth pattern with the acorn and sentiment from Falling For You.

We called it Debonair because we felt like these three patterns are more masculine in nature, although I think they can totally be used for feminine projects, too!!  For this project I used the argyle pattern, and paired it with a sentiment from My Guy.  Perfect, right?!  [Actually, not quite so perfect . . . please forgive the ink smudges on the left side.  That’s what happens when I stamp late at night!  LOL]

 

I have an extra set of Debonair to give away to one lucky commenter – just leave a comment here some time before tomorrow morning!  I’ll choose a winner using Random.org.  For a second chance at winning, be sure and click on over to the Paper Smooches blog because Kim has another set that she’s giving away.

 

I am so grateful for all the wonderful comments that you all have been leaving.  I’ll be honest – I seriously worried that no one would like my designs.  But my heart is smiling with every one of your kind words and all of the amazing encouragement that you all have showered on me.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart!!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

A Dream Come True . . . .

Hola Peeps!

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  I know I did – I hosted my Women Who Wine group on Sunday for some sparkling wine tastings and some delicious food pairings . . . I think a good time was had by all.

 

I have news and a giveaway – but you’ll have to read all the way to the bottom of this post for details of the giveaway. *grin*

 

So, I know I’ve been hinting the past few weeks about some exciting things that have happened in my crafty life lately.  Well, today is the day that I get to spill the beans with you all about what’s been going on!  I know I’ve mentioned more than a time or two my love for Paper Smooches Stamps.  I met the genius behind Paper Smooches, Kim Hughes, when she moved to the Phoenix area about three years ago.  She came over to my house to crop one day, and the rest is history – we laughed, we stamped, we ate, and we laughed some more.  I adore her, and am so blessed to call her my friend.  We crop together at least once a week when I’m in the desert, and she has been an amazing influence on my growth and progression as a stamper.  But the friendship that we’ve shared means more to me than anything . . . I can’t imagine my life without her at this point. 

 

Anywho, this past fall Kim asked me if I would consider designing some background stamps to add to her already amazing collection of images.  Backgrounds are an integral part of my stamping life, so Kim’s vision was that we would collaborate to create a series of background stamps that would enhance and coordinate with her Paper Smooches images.  Sounds like fun, right?!  Well, it was.  I learned Adobe Illustrator, and went to work on creating the stamps!!  By the time it was all said and done, I had created six stamp sets that included some of my favorite background patterns, as well as some fun graphic images.  Crazy, right?!

 

At the end of January, I had the great honor and pleasure of attending the Craft and Hobby Association trade show with Kim, where I worked the Paper Smooches booth, and stood in awe as Kim introduced 20 brand spankin’ new Paper Smooches stamp sets, including the six sets that I designed.  OH EM GEE!!!  I floated on a CHA cloud for five days - at times I still feel as though I haven’t come down from the utter thrill of it all.

 

Kim has been debuting the Paper Smooches CHA release since last week, including some of the images that I designed.  She and I chatted yesterday at our weekly crop, and we decided that it would be fun for me to “join in” on all the debut fun, and give away some of the latest goodies to you all!!  Sounds like fun, right?!  So let’s get started!

Today’s featured stamp set is called “Geo-Graphic” and it includes what I believe to be some of today’s hottest trends in stamping and design – Chevrons, Hexagons and Polka Dots.  These patterns make my heart skip a beat!!  There are three stamp images that can be stamped horizontally or vertically, in a single strip or in multiple strips.  The above sample uses the hexagon image, stamped multiple times to create the panel, and then I cut hexagons out of different colors of CS (using my Silhouette SD) to add fun pops of color.  See how great that graphic pattern works with the sentiment from Sentiment Sampler.

 

Here’s the chevron image, again stamped multiple times using different colors of dye ink, to create a cool graphic feel.  Add a sentiment from Word Up and tie a ribbon, and voila’ – you’ve got yourself a trendy “just because” card.

 

This final card was inspired by a card that I saw on Maile Belle’s blog HERE.  Maile is one of my most favorite clean and simple stampers (and I got to meet her at CHA – *SQUEAL*!!) – I admire her work so much!!  My card features the polka dot image from Geo-Graphic, and the umbrella and sentiment from Sunny Side Up.  Oh, and see that fun polka dot circle image behind the umbrella?!  That little lovely will be featured later this week. *wink*

 

All of the new CHA stamp sets will be available on March 1st – just a few short weeks away.  Would you like to win the Geo-Graphic set?!  Well, Kim is giving away a set on the Paper Smooches blog  HERE, and has given me a set to give away, too!!  That’s TWO chances to win Geo-Graphic.  All you have to do is leave me a comment, before tomorrow morning, telling me which of the three Geo-Graphic images is your favorite.  I’ll choose a winner using the random number picker.  Of course, you can do the same on the Paper Smooches blog, for a second chance at winning.

 

Thanks so much for indulging me and allowing me to blather on the way I have.  To say that I am thrilled beyond belief is a complete understatement.  I’m so excited to be a part of this paper crafting world, and now as a stamp designer for Paper Smooches has made another of my creative dreams come true.  Somebody pinch me, please!!  I hope you’ll come back tomorrow for another stamp debut (and another stamp set giveaway)!