PaperFections

24-Hr Stamp Giveaway!

I told you to be on the look out for random giveaways this month while I'm celebrating my 2nd year of blogging. The mood struck me, so how about a chance at winning this beautiful Victorian Floral unmounted backgrounder stamp by Cornish Heritage Farms, courtesy of Ellen Hutson LLC! Remember my last Copic survey/giveaway, when I asked you who your favorite stamp manufacturer was? Cornish Heritage Farms was in your top 8 favorites! I tallied your answers and have the results for you. I have to say, most of you had a LOT of trouble narrowing your answer down to just one, but I went with the very first company you listed! Out of 328 entries, the results were overwhelmingly in favor of Stampin' Up! (92 votes), followed closely by Papertrey Ink (61). Here are the rest of your favorites, by number of votes received: Hero Arts 16 Gina K 15 Lockhart 13 Penny Black 10 Stamping Bella 9 A Muse 7 CHF (Cornish Heritage Farms) 7 Magnolia 7 Inkadinkado 6 JustRite 5 Whiff of Joy 5 Whipper Snapper 5 Impression Obsession 4 Flourishes 3 Stamper's Anonymous 3 Unity 3 CTMH 2 Elzybells 2 High Hopes 2 House Mouse 2... Read more →

Beloved Valentine

Since we're on a Spellbinders roll this week with their new die previews, I thought I'd show you another Spellbinder project today. This 5" x 7" card uses Heart Nestabilities to make a frame for this beautiful rose cut of Webster's Hello Beautiful paper. The frame was cut from WorldWin's Deep Racy Raspberry cardstock. The card is machine zig-zag stitched on the left. The Fancy Pants felt swirl started out bright red but I Copic Airbrushed it with R39 to make it match the cardstock. The flower was cut with Spellbinders Flower Creations die from Craft-a-Board, using that same trick I told you about before and that I'd be doing a tutorial on soon -- hopefully within the next two weeks. Zva crystals finish off this card. I hope you enjoy the weekend of new Spellbinder die previews. Here's the remaining schedule of bloggers that have sneak peeks to show you: January 10: Amazing Paper Grace by Becca Feeken January 11: Created From Paper by Jennifer Ellefson January 12: PaperFections by Sharon Harnist January 13: Mixed Media Madness by Jeni Calkins January 14: Wickedly Wonderful Creations by Wendy Weixler January 15: Cookies for Breakfast by Beth Pingry January 16: Pink... Read more →

JustRite Love Notes

I bought these large paper mache heart boxes last year for my girls to decorate for their school Valentine boxes. I purchased one for myself, too, but never got around to altering it. So I'm a little early for Valentine's Day this year! My girls are always giving me little love notes they've written or drawn, so I thought this would be a good way to store and treasure them for years to come. The box (from Hobby Lobby) is about 8" x 8" and 3" tall. I covered it in more of my favorite Webster's Hello Beautiful collection of papers (the collage is all pre-printed on the paper), using ModPodge. I also coated the top of the paper with ModPodge, to help give it a layer of protection. The rim of the box lid was painted with Making Memories Bordeaux acrylic paint and the pompom trim is Maya Road. "Love Notes" was stamped using my latest JustRite Stampers' favorite mix of Trompe and Times New Roman fonts on the Harmony Rectangle Stamper, inked with ColorBox Warm Red & Dark Brown fluid chalk inks. It was stamped onto some Webster's lined paper and then cut out with Spellbinders Heart Nestabilities.... Read more →

Coffee Anyone?

Okay, so this post isn't DIRECTLY related to papercrafting, but it certainly helps me DO my papercrafting!! I've owned this type of Keurig coffee maker for 2 years now: Dear, sweet hubby got it for me for Christmas and it's honestly the best gift he's ever given me (other than our sweet girls, LOL!). I use it multiple times every day -- not just for hot coffee, but also for iced tea, cocoa and just as a hot water tap. Keurig's customer service is FABULOUS -- I had an issue with my machine after about a year (warranty technically expired) but they sent me out a free, new machine! And no, I haven't been paid to endorse this product, I just love it!! So I wanted to pass this along to you -- If you'd like the chance to win one of these machines, SplitcoastStampers.com is GIVING one away in a drawing. You can read all the details and enter for a chance to win HERE. Good luck and you're welcome! :D Read more →

Lockhart Peas Be Mine . . .

Could Valentines get any cuter than these brand new Lockhart Peapod of Hearts?!! This is the whimsical side of Karen Lockhart's stamp images that I adore -- who else would think to draw a Valentine image with a peapod?!! This stamp also happens to be in Ellen Hutson's Stamp of the Month packet! I started this card by loosely using this week's CPS card sketch #98 and Basic Grey's new Bittersweet paper collection. It's 4.50" square. The peapod image was colored with these Copic markers: The background was airbrushed with Copic's Airbrush System & Copic Sketch R81 marker while it was still in the Spellbinders Classic Oval Nestabilities die template. To achieve the shading on the heart peas, after coloring the hearts with R35 and shadowing with R37, I took R81 and lightly held the tip in the center of each heart: Hopefully you can see the lighter pink highlights (by clicking on the photo for a larger view) this method leaves in the centers of the top three larger hearts (the lower hearts were not highlighted yet in this photo). This will gently "move" (or take away) some of the darker color beneath the marker tip. You can also... Read more →

Beautiful Girls Layout

With the Spellbinders Blog Frenzy starting this week and sneek previews of all the new Winter CHA dies being revealed, I thought I would show you some recent Spellbinders projects I've been busy with. This 12-inch scrapbook page of my daughters came together quickly by using this fabulous new Hello Beautiful paper collection by Webster's Pages. I seriously think Terri Conrad designed this paper just for me, LOL! I adore this color of red and combined with my favorite neutral colors of brown and cream . . . it's just to die for! Luckily, these nightgowns of my girls at Christmas two years ago matched perfectly . . . are they camera hams or what?!! I worked around the pattern in this paper by placing the photo underneath slots I cut out, letting the rosebud and leaves frame it. It's matted with Prism Blush Red Dark and using parts of Spellbinders 12-inch Grand Illumination Border -- aren't those swirls pretty and frame the photo perfectly? I decided to use the word "Beautiful", already printed on the paper, as my page title and directed attention to it by placing a scalloped piece of Rectangle die underneath it. It is also accented... Read more →

New Year Copic Giveaway Announcement

Thank you all for stopping by to enter my Copic marker giveaway over the weekend. I'll be reading through all of your comments and will let you know the tally of all your favorite stamps. Here's the winner of those six pretty Spring-colored Copics, chosen by Random.org: Random Integer Generator Here are your random numbers: 104 Timestamp: 2009-01-05 14:20:09 UTC That entry belongs to Lacey Stephens, who says: 104. High Hopes Rubber Stamps are, by far, my favorite stamps! I also love Whiff of Joy. High Hopes Rubber Stamps: http://highhopesstamps.com/ Whiff of Joy: http://www.whiffofjoy.com/ Thanks for a chance to win! ~Lacey Stephens Posted by: Lacey Stephens | January 03, 2009 at 12:47 PM Congratulations, Lacey! I've sent you an email -- if you don't receive it or can't find it, please email me your address using the link below my photo. If you missed the announcement of the latest release of Lockhart stamps, check out the post below this one . . . you'll also find the info on how you can have the chance to win ELEVEN of those new stamps from Ellen Hutson LLC! Since you all seemed to like this giveaway so much, be on the lookout... Read more →

New Lockhart Lilacs!

Today's the next release of stamps from Lockhart Stamp Company. There are some really fresh & springy images -- you'll think Spring has already sprung! This pretty new floral is Lilacs in Pitcher (#2101). To get the full details on how I created this card, please join me over on Ellen Hutson's CLASSroom today. Then be sure to check out the post below mine -- you can have the chance to win 11 -- yes, ELEVEN -- of Karen Lockhart's newly released stamps from Ellen Hutson LLC!! I'll be back a little bit later today with the winner for my New Year's Copic Giveaway and with more new Lockhart images to show you this week! Read more →

New Year Copic Giveaway!

Here's that New Year's giveaway I promised you . . . how about some Copic markers in pretty colors for Spring papercrafting?!! The six Copic markers you see pictured above can be yours, just by leaving me a comment on this blog post. Just answer this question for me -- who is your favorite rubber stamp manufacturer? According to your answers, I'll try to use some of those companies over my next year of blogging! You can enter up until 6pm CST tomorrow (Sunday, January 4) and then I'll let Random.org choose the lucky winner. Good luck! ETA: Comments are now closed for this drawing . . . I'll be back soon to announce the winner! Read more →

Spellbinders 5th Anniversary Blog Party!

It's a party and you are invited! Spellbinders is celebrating 5 amazing years of creating, inspiring and innovating in the die cutting industry. We're having a huge party and I think you'll want to come along! Beginning Monday, January 5th and continuing through January 20th, a different Spellbinders' Designer (schedule below) will preview at least one of more than two dozen new die template sets to debut at Winter Craft and Hobby Association. These exclusive sneak peeks will be available ONLY through Spellbinders' Designers' Blogs! In addition to getting the first look at these new die templates, you'll find innovative project ideas and can sign up during specified times for a chance to win daily prizes, as well as become eligible to win the Grand Prize ... a complete set of all new release die templates valued at more than $600! For more information ... and to be sure you don't miss a minute of Spellbinders' 5th Anniversary Celebration ... visit the blogs listed below any time but most definitely on the dates listed as that will be their release date! Blog Party Itinerary: January 5:Thinking Inking by Debbie Olson January 6: Mish Mash by Michelle Wooderson January 7: Today's... Read more →

Taylored Expressions Stamp a Sweet Impression Release

Today's the day -- you can finally purchase these darlingTaylored Expressions Stamp a Sweet Impression stamp sets the Baker's Dozen Design Team has been showing you for the last two days for all of your calendar needs AND they make terrific cards throughout the year, too! Also available is the Valentine set, Love is Sweet, and a great sentiment set I haven't shown you yet, A Year of Sentiments. I know I will reach for this set quite often throughout the year -- it covers just about any holiday, celebration or gift-giving occasion. Taylor will have previews of all the products, along with some special bundle pricing on her blog, so please check there or at the Taylored Expressions Store for complete images of all the products. Since it's the first day of January, I decided to make my January calendar and since these calendars go together so quickly and easily, I also did my February calendar! Here's January 2009, using A Year of Sweets 1 set: I selectively inked the stamp with Memento Dew Dropsin Tuxedo Black (Cuppie) and Summer Sky (snow & snowflakes) and stamped directly on the 6x6 dated calendar page. This cardstock works very well with... Read more →

TE Sneak Peek-Love is Sweet

Happy New Year! I have another sneak peek of another new Taylored Expressions stamp set that will be released for sale tonight at midnight -- Love is Sweet. This is the most adorable Valentine stamp set I've seen in a good while . . . kissing Cuppies, a Cupid Cuppie, a Smakaroo'd Cuppie (with cute lip marks on his face!), a sweet child Cuppie drawing his own Valentine with a huge pencil, and this Eat 'Em Up Cuppie (that's what I call him!) -- doesn't he look like he's going to eat all of those yummy chocolates?!! With 16 stamps in this set, including a non-Cuppie heart-shaped box of chocolates (shown on my recipe card below), I'm sure you'll find a few for your crafting needs over the next few months and even all year, for anniversaries or any "I Love You" moment! I stamped this sweet chocolate Cuppie with Memento Rich Cocoa ink onto Taylored Expressions' fantastic new Choice Cardstock -- it's a sturdy 100 lb. and comes in either white or natural white and works wonderfully with your Copic markers! After stamping, I cut out the image with Spellbinders Labels One die, I left the image in the... Read more →