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It's hard to believe but Papertrey will officially be two-years old on February 15th! And if any of you have a good memory, this time last year was VERY exciting around these parts! And we promise that this year will be even better! So won't you join us in the festivities this month?
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-BIG announcements about exciting changes & NEW products EVERYDAY for 14 days (February 1st-14th)!
-SIX (rather than the traditional five) big countdown project presentations (9th-14th)
-challenges to keep you stamping your heart out!
-super fun blog games like you've never seen before!
-nearly $3,500 in prizes & giveaways!
And it all begins February 1st! That's only about 10 days away! Between now and then I'll be giving you little bitty hints each day about what kinds of things we have cooked up for you! So until then, get plenty of rest, because you will want to party hard with Papertrey as we celebrate the conclusion of our second year!
January 20, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (65)
Wow. I sit here in complete AWE of the entries we received for this months Guest Star Stamper contest. Especially for Valentine Treats. SO many amazing entries, I probably could have easily listed another ten projects here. It has been so interesting to see the bar raised each month.
I have listed the winners below along with several honorable mentions which I think deserve some recognition! All of artist's names are linked to their full contest entry which usually includes supply lists and other photos of the project. The winners will be officially displayed in our gallery a bit later on today!
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Kimberly Crawford made these adorable miniature sundaes that
snuggle perfectly in handmade packaging. I could totally visualize
these greeting someone on the kitchen counter when they returned home
from work! The cupcake ice cream cones she created were a perfect pairing for the little cone image in Love Songs. I love the little red rhinestone cherry on top. Just an overall perfect project.
.................................................................................................. I love this project created by Kate W. The background pattern that she created with Heart Prints and Borders & Corners is just AMAZING. It made me want to go grab those sets off the shelf and recreate it myself! Her little coordinating Purse-onality Clutch made to match is SO adorable! Phenomenal job, Kate!
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Jennifer Kirk made these sweet little treat holders to contain wrapped strawberry candies. I loved the way she accented the heart strawberries (from My Punny Valentine) with the small flower and brad. The color scheme is gorgeous too!
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Marjorie Eno used the popular "Wise Owl" set to create these two love birds. The sentiment "Owl be yours" fit perfectly. Her color combo is bright and cheery as well!
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Fiona Yeoh used an nontraditional color scheme that caught my eye immediately. I loved the overall layout of her card and just thought the whole project all together was executed perfectly. The hand-drawn stitching is such a nice touch!
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lolokay created these AMAZING edible ladybugs on a stick using strawberries & grapes! They fit perfectly in the Lolli-pop Along printable template! You just have to check out all the details! So clever!
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Meredith Brown designed this unique valentine for a friend. I thought the die-cut opening exposing the sentiment was such a classy detail to add. Her color scheme is yummy too!
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Ashley Newell altered one of our small heart tins to hold a shiny new diamond ring. I thought the simplicity of the project was just perfectly executed.
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Barb Schram used a no-bake cookie recipe to make these delectable strawberry concoctions that are rolled in sparkly pink sugar. I loved the presentation and just though the whole project was so well thought out!
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Justine Fredrick
made a special teacher's gift using Love Songs. The small paper basket
is so dainty and a good use of Nestabilities dies. The color scheme is cheerful and certain to make anyone's day a bit brighter!
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Kate W created these
ADORABLE onesies using Forest Friends. Her use of dark t-shirt
transfers provided vivid results that make the final product look
almost store bought. One look at how well they turned out and you will be wanting to make your own! Some of the sentiments could be used to make great tees with a bit of attitude for a tween! As Kate mentions in her write up, a few strategically placed rhinestones would be a great addition to a project like this as well!
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Beth Wilson put together this adorably sweet baby card using Bitty Baby Blessings. I loved the background that she build with Guide Lines as well; the colors just jump right off the page at you. The sweet little buttons on either side of the sentiment were the perfect finishing detail. Such a happy card that any new mom would proudly treasure as a keepsake!!!
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Gabs used a mixture of two of our popular background sets, Faux
Ribbon & Background Basics: Stars, to build a beautifully balanced
card. The chocolate and ocean tides color scheme is one of my new
favorites. The focal point she created with the small flowers &
sentiment are just the perfect finishing touch.
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Barbara DeBose used the Papertrey classic Out on a Limb to create this entry. I loved how vibrant the colors were and the divided paneling she used on the branch image. This card would definitely brighten anyone's day!
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Kimberly Crawford created a small keepsake box that is decorated using Beautiful Blooms & Raspberry
Fizz Mix papers. The overall project just really struck a chord with
me and I kept coming back to it again and again. The sentiment used
from Heart Prints Sentiments is a perfect compliment to the style of the box,
especially the way she highlighted the word "heart" using raspberry
ink. Loved this project!
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Kate W had SEVERAL great previous set entries, but this one stood out as one of my favorites. Her use of Remember was beautifully executed. The way she integrated one of the rectangular frames from Borders & Corners really helped to emphasize this focal point. This girls got talent!
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Maile Belles used Warm Happiness on this simple one layer card. I thought the way she layered the mug outline images was just so sophisticated, easy to replicate and stylish all at the same time. Great project.
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So there they all are! I hope you enjoyed all of these selections. I would love to see YOU featured here next month! You can read all about this month's categories and guidlelines on how to enter HERE. Happy stamping!
January 20, 2009 in honorable mention hall of fame | Permalink | Comments (12)
I just wanted to pop on here and thank you all for yet another successful release. We appreciate your patronage SO incredibly much. Your encouragement and support continues to give me the push I need to keep going and make the time commitment involved in bringing you fun and innovation each and every month.
David has planned a little weekend getaway for just the two of us and we will be heading out in just a bit. I'll return on Monday with a few exciting announcements to make regarding events surrounding Papertrey's upcoming anniversary in February!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
January 17, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (21)
Now's your chance to have a shot at winning the entire "I Want It All" January package, a $134 value! Just answer the following question...
"What is your favorite Papertrey color?"
The contest will close at 11:30pm EST and the winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator. I will announce the lucky winner here before midnight! Please play nice, only one entry per person.
Good luck!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
84
Timestamp: 2009-01-15 04:25:34 UTC
Comment #84 belongs to:
Posted by: Pam from Chicagoland | January 14, 2009 at 09:35 PM
Congratulations, Pam!!! Please contact customer service with your shipping information so we can get your package out to you! And thank you to everyone else for stopping by to particpate in our first release of 2009! There are big things ahead and we are so glad to have you along for the ride! Have a great night!
January 14, 2009 in previous release party contests | Permalink | Comments (784)
I have one final project that I thought I would leave you with today as we wrap up the January countdown. It is another Thrifty Gifting idea that was inspired by Lauren's newest template to be released this month, the Take Along Tote.
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If you are anything like me, I always enjoy giving thoughtful gifts to people rather than just picking up something from a big box store. Especially when it comes to gifts for children. Really, how many Barbies can a girl have? So I thought I would show you a fun alternative that I designed for a birthday party we are going to next weekend. I call it the Cupcake Take Along. I gathered a few inexpensive items from the store to create my kit.
............................................................................................................. To begin, I wrapped my cake mix box with red cardstock. This required two sheets cut to measure 5-5/8" wide and 11 inches long. I scored the top and bottom of these two pieces at 1.5", creating top and bottom flaps. I then just adhered the two pieces together lengthwise to create a large wrap.
............................................................................................................. Next, I cut out the two main pieces for the body of the tote template using red cardstock. I wanted to create a special area for all of the different sprinkles to be kept. So I cut a 1 x 11" strip of white cardstock and scored it @ 1.25" from either end, followed by 3/4" increments in the remaining center portion. Use my photo here as a visual to create your mountain and valley folds. A little piece of scor-tape at the base of each section will help to make the piece secure.
............................................................................................................. When you peel away the tape backing and adhere the strip to the interior of your tote, you are left with something that looks like this.
............................................................................................................. Now that the tube strip is adhered to the inside, the tote can be adhered to the front of the cake mix wrap with scor-tape.
............................................................................................................. I wanted ribbon handles to go all the way around both the cake mix box and cardstock tote that I adhered together, so I laid the entire piece on its side and ran two pieces of scor-tape down, around the bottom and back up the other side.
............................................................................................................. I then started applying my ribbon at the bottom and went up a side over the top creating the handle, and back down the other side. I repeated these steps on the opposite end.
............................................................................................................. Now that the handles are done, all that's left for the inside of this cute little cupcake tote is a few of our Trendy Tubes filled with the various sprinkles that I picked up at the store. The easy tube strip I created from white cardstock holds the tubes in place securely.
............................................................................................................. For the outside, I printed the Take Along Tote Pocket template onto Raspberry Fizz cardstock and assembled it. I adhered it to the front of my tote.
............................................................................................................. I created the catchy "Hey, cupcake" sentiment with Fresh Alphabet & Simple Alphabet. The felt flower is from American Crafts and the epoxy brad is from Making Memories.
............................................................................................................. Notice the little birthday tag made with Heather's new Around & about Sentiments. It is clipped in place with a bright pink mini clothespin that I have been hoarding for quite some time now. I love it when things like that work out!
............................................................................................................. This tote pocket holds a glassine bag which I filled with the decorative heart candies. The top of the bag is folded over and tied shut with raspberry fizz satin ribbon.
.............................................................................................................Here is a side view of the tote. Notice how the tubes are a perfect fit for the width of the Take Along Tote template.
............................................................................................................. And as one last final detail, I used a Basic Grey magnetic closure along with a patterned paper flap to help keep the tote closed.
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THRIFTY GIFTING COST BREAKDOWN:
3 large trendy tubes: $3
3 sheets pure poppy cardstock: 60-cents
1 sheet white cardstock: 15-cents
1 sheet raspberry fizz cardstock: 20-cents
1 8x8 sheet patterned paper: 17-cents
cupcake making supplies: $6
2 yrds. ribbon: $1.20
TOTAL COST: $11.32
I hope my project today gave you some additional inspiration on ways to use all of Lauren's templates AND how to have fun with the latest stamp sets too. We look forward to seeing all of you at the release tonight!
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Stop by Heather's blog today for one last peek at her latest set.
Debbie created some AMAZING thank you notes using elements from several of the new releases.
Lauren has also recently used the Take Along Tote template that I used in my project today.
Check out her projects here AND here AND here.
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Stamps: Fresh Alphabet and Around & About Sentiments (both avilable January 15th), Simple Alphabet (hey), Limitless Labels (cupcake)
Ink: True Black, Pure Poppy, Raspberry Fizz
Paper: Pure Poppy, Raspberry Fizz, stamper's select white, Raspberry Fizz patterned paper collection
Other:large glassine bag, raspberry fizz grosgrain & satin ribbons, scalloped scissors from SU!, felt flower from american Crafts,epoxy brad from Making Memories, clothespin from Dollar Tree, button from unknown source, magnetic closure from Basic Grey, Trendy Tubes
Finished Size: 5-5/8" wide and 7-3/4" tall.
jhhhujh
January 14, 2009 in all countdown posts, all non-card projects | Permalink | Comments (142)
Anyone who knows my design work well, knows that I love anything that involves type. I am obsessive about collecting fonts. I've always adored alphabet stamp sets. Collected patterned papers that were created with letters in unique formations. I'm just a typeface junkie, if you will. I am very excited to *officially* introduce Fresh Alphabet. It is a perfect medium size alphabet set that is suitable for creating custom sentiments, but large enough to be used for monograms too (as showcased HERE). Fresh Alphabet includes one of each letter, numbers & punctuation, all for $15. Such a bargain!
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Just so you have a better idea about how the new Fresh Alphabet compares to our existing alphabets in size, I created a visual for you. As you can see it is quite a bit larger than Simple, but smaller than Trajan & Ambassador.
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I put together a few fun samples that show you how you can use the new Fresh Alphabet in interesting ways. This first card is my personal favorite of the batch. It is VERY simple and clean, while also incorporating my favorite color scheme of the moment, *rainbow*.
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The focal point I created demonstrates how you can have fun building words with the letters, inking each of them individually with a different color. It's a great way to incorporate or establish your color scheme. You could throw a piece of your favorite patterned paper in as the background and then pull four or five colors from it to integrate into your word. Super quick & easy! I added a bit of my own handwriting as a contrast to the clean font of Fresh Alphabet, with the word "today". You could also add different words or phrases from other stamp sets to compliment your word of choice.
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The birthday card above utilizes the numbers that are included with Fresh Alphabet to create a fun birthday background paper.I lined all of the numbers up on a single block and then created staggered columns while stamping, sometimes flipping the whole block around to get a few columns upside down. It was a pretty easy and enjoyable process.
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The round sentiment & star images are from the Around & About Sentiments set that will also be debuting on January 15th. I love the little ribbon detail like this. It is something I have found myself doing often lately. Much easier than doing bows or knots all the time, and it uses less ribbon too!
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This final quick card could be used for the upcoming Valentine's Day or even an anniversary. I stamped all the letters on stamper's select white cardstock with true black ink. I then punched them out with a 3/4-inch circle punch. All the letters were adhered directly onto the kraft card front, except for the "i". I outlined the group of letters using a black journaling pen and a ruler.
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I stamped on top of the "i" with with the solid dot image from Simply Stationery (also being released January 15th) using pure poppy ink. It added emphasis to the idea that this single letter was part of the sentiment rather than a background like the rest of the letters. The little red cardstock flag was stamped with the small heart image from Love Songs and "You" was spelled out with Simple Alphabet.
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So let's hear a shout out from those of you who like to play with TYPE like me! I'm giving away a Papertrey Alphabet Extravaganza Package today (a $60 value!)!
-NEW! Fresh Alphabet
-Simple Alphabet
-Trajan Alphabet
-Ambassador Alphabet
Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win. What do you like to use alphabet stamps for? Are you a typeface junkie like me? I want to hear about it! One winner will be randomly chosen to receive the package described above. Have fun and good luck!
Fine Print: This contest will close today, January 13th, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Please play nice, only one entry per person please. Winner is responsible for contacting customer service with their shipping information in order to claim the prize.
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
720
Timestamp: 2009-01-14 14:55:09 UTC
Comment #720 belongs to:
I love alphabet sets and can always use more. I am so excited about this size and think it will be very useful. Wow! This is going to be a great month for PTI! Congrats!
Posted by: Melanie | January 13, 2009 at 06:47 PM
Congratulations, Melanie! You've won the Papertrey Extravaganza Alphabet Package! Please email customer service with your shipping information in order to claim your prize! Thanks to everyone else for playing!
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Michelle has a must see project ensemble on her blog today, showcasing additional uses fro Fresh Alphabet.
Stop by Heather's blog today for another amazing project utilizing her new set, Around & About Sentiments.
Lauren is featuring some additional peeks at the templates she is releasing this month.
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Enjoy Today Card
Stamps: Fresh Alphabet (available January 15th)
Ink: pure poppy, summer sunrise, ripe avocado, ocean tides, dark chocolate
Paper: stamper's select white
Other: pure poppy grosgrain ribbon, spellbinders long rectangles, black mini brads, american crafts black journaling pen, foam tape, cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder
Finished Size: 4.25" x 5.5"
Who's Counting Birthday Card Card
Stamps: Fresh Alphabet and Around & About Sentiments (both available January 15th), Polka Dot Basics
Ink: vintage cream, ripe avocado, dark chocolate, versamark
Paper: ocean tides, dark chocolate, vintage cream,
Other: ripe avocado satin ribbon, foam tape, 1-3/8" circle punch, craft knife, sewing machine & thread
Finished Size: 4.25" x 5.5"
ABC I Love You Card
Stamps: Fresh Alphabet & Simply Stationery (both available January 15th), Love Notes, Simple Alphabet, Polka Dot Basics
Ink: fresh snow, true black, pure poppy
Paper: stamper's select white, classic kraft, pure poppy
Other: american crafts black journaling pen & ruler, foam tape, EK Success 3/4" circle punch, Fiskars corner rounder punch
Finished Size: 5.5" x 4.25"
January 12, 2009 in all countdown posts, just cards | Permalink | Comments (788)
Cards conveying thoughts of sympathy can sometimes be the most difficult to create. Sometimes just saying "with sympathy" doesn't seem like enough, so we've made the task easier with the thoughtful & eloquent sentiments included in one of our January stamp releases, entitled With Sympathy.
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I created the card above with a soothing monochromatic color scheme of ocean tides & white (you can click on it for a larger view). It is a very simplistic card, with my emphasis being on the sentiment. This phrase really spoke to my heart and really inspired the motivation to tackle a stamp set of this delicate nature. The font combination is created in a classic style that should carry you through many years & changing trends. One of my favorite details of this card is the silver star charm tied with ocean tides satin ribbon. It is just a little something, but for this card, a little is just enough.
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In addition to the With Sympathy stamp set, there are also two mini sets being released in conjunction with it. The first I am showcasing here is called "With Sympathy: Loss of Child". At a price of $5 for three meaningful sentiments and the bitty footprints, it is worth it to order the set and have it on hand if the need arises. This particular sentiment just pulls at my heartstrings. And I know that any parent that has suffered a loss, whether it be a miscarriage, stillbirth or other tragedy, would appreciate the thoughtfulness of the words. The background of this card was created with a large ivy stamp that is found in the main With Sympathy set. I love how the large image can be used as a accent for a corner or repeated to create an overall pattern.
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The second mini set is entitled "With Sympathy: Loss of Pet". This set came to be as a result of the numerous customer requests we had for something that filled a void in this area. The $5 set includes three heartfelt sentiments and a small paw print. I figure that price is about what you would pay for a card from Hallmark for such an occasion, without there being much of a selection. But with these stamps in hand, you are better able to customize a card to the recipients style and needs, and make as many as you like for just a few pennies each. On this particular card, I paired a image from Heart Prints with the set. I think that choosing that type of accent really helps to communicate the *love" portion of the sentiment.
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Besides the amazing sentiments included in the three sets, there are also several beautiful images. The images are so versatile that they will pair well with not only the sympathy sentiments included, but also any other favorites that you may have in your stamp collection. I asked the design team to show you both ideas & inspiration for creating sympathy cards and how to use the same card design with an everyday sentiment, thus showing the versatility of the set. I have created a pdf download with all of their projects for you to save or print as a future reference.
Download pti_versatility_with_sympathy.pdf
You can also visit each individuals blog for a close-up presentation of their work. I have showcased the actual sympathy cards below, but they will have the alternative sentiment options on their respective blogs. Just click on each artist's name below...
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Geny Cassady used the same sentiment I chose for my Loss of Child card. I love the way she incorporated the tiny footprints as a focal point and an accent by layering them underneath the vellum that the sentiment is stamped on.
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Niki Estes created a very simple card that would be easy to replicate and switch out colors, depending on the time of year or the recipient's tastes.
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Lisa Johnson created a scrolling cut out with the large ivy image. The detail she created with the coloring of the Copics is just amazing.
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Dawn McVey scattered butterflies around her sentiment and ivy, helping to create the scene for a very soothing feeling in one's heart. I really like the way she accented the sentiment with the row of rhinestones.
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Lauren Meader used a bright & cheerful color scheme to help brighten someones day with her card. A single butterfly is accented wit matted layers, helping to balance out the sentiment justified towards the left.
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Heather Nichols created this stunning card using my favorite sentiment from the main With Sympathy set. Her resist technique is so unique and has such a soft effect.
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Becky Oehlers did some intricate cutting around a few key leaves of the ivy image. The bright white & aqua mist look stunning together when paired with the black. The cut-out butterflies help to add additional dimension.
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Debbie Olson created this striking black & cream color combination that I just love. Her use of heat embossing the large vine image on the black cardstock creates a beautiful background for the heartwarming sentiment.
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Melissa Phillips used the stem & lavender stamp duo from the main With Sympathy set to create her focal point image. I think that her color choices are so pretty and appropriate.
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Betsy Veldman created another Loss of Child card using one of the other sentiments included in the set. The vintage look paired with the color scheme make it a very memorable & special project.
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Michelle Wooderson used a clean & classic layout to frame out her chosen sentiment & ivy image. She interspersed small rhinestone stars throughout the ivy, which lend themselves nicely to the meaning behind the sentiment.
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With the printable pdf I attached above in hand along with this new With Sympathy stamp collection, you will be prepared to send a card of comfort when friends & family need it most. We are giving away one complete collection here today as well to one randomly chosen comment. Just leave a note of thanks for the Design Team and all the work they dedicated to today's post to be entered to win...
-With Sympathy stamp set
-With Sympathy: Loss of Child mini set
-With Sympathy: Loss of Pet mini set
Good luck to all of you on the contest!
Fine Print: This contest will close today, January 12th, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Please play nice, only one entry per person please. Winner is responsible for contacting customer service with their shipping information in order to claim the prize.
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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Here are your random numbers:
15
Timestamp: 2009-01-13 15:40:21 UTC
Comment #15 belongs to:
I love this stamp set, it has so many possibilities! I love the clean and simple style and I can only imagine what I might get to make . . . . Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Posted by: Chris L. | January 10, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Congratulations, Chris! You've won all of the new With Sympathy stamp sets! Please email customer service with your shipping information in order to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone for playing!
So many stampers struggle with sympathy cards and I am sure that the help the team has provided today will be something you will be able to reference in the future. Thanks for stopping by today!
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Nichole's Supplies (see the pdf download or the designers individual blogs for their recipes)
Ocean Stars Sympathy card
Stamps: With Sympathy (available January 15th)
Ink: Fresh Snow & Ocean Tides
Paper: Stamper's Select White & Ocean Tides
Other: Ocean Tides Satin Ribbon, paper piercer, silver star charm (Nunn Designs)
Finished size: 3.75" x 8"
Loss of Child card
Stamps: With Sympathy & With Sympathy: Loss of Child (available January 15th)
Ink: Fresh Snow, Dark Chocolate & Sweet Blush
Paper: Classic Kraft, Vintage Cream & Sweet Blush
Other: Sweet Blush grosgrain, corner rounder from Fiskars, adhesive pearls from Paper Studio
Finished size: 4.25" x 4.25"
Loss of Pet card
Stamps: With Sympathy (available January 15th), Polka Dot Basics, Heart Prints
Ink: Dark Chocolate, vintage cream
Paper: classic kraft, pure poppy, dark chocolate vintage cream
Other: clear button, hemp twine, scalloped scissors from PAper Studio, foam dimensionals, EK Success heart punch
Finished size:4.25" x 5.5"
January 12, 2009 in all countdown posts, group challenges, just cards | Permalink | Comments (785)
Heather Nichols has this amazing ability to design sets that are simple, versatile and SO user friendly. I've been amazed by the creativity that every single one of her sets has inspired as soon I ink them up and start to play. The set that Heather is introducing this month is no exception. It is a basic that simply every stamper MUST own.
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Around & About Sentiments is a collection of sentiments formed into circles and borders, allowing the words to be decorative and functional all at the same time. The number of uses for these stamps is absolutely limitless and you will surely find yourself turning towards them again and again. The round sentiments specifically have an opening in the center that allows them to be combined with a few small images included in the set, or mix & match with other stamp sets in your collection. The illustration below showcases some of the classic Papertrey images that work well with this set (don't forget, you can click the image for a larger view if you like)...
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I have a couple projects that I created using some of the above combinations. This first one is a card perfect for the upcoming celebration of St. Patrick's Day. It uses the small clover image that can be found in our Limitless Labels stamp set that was released last year. The clover along with all of the other mini images in this set work well with the round borders in Around & About Sentiments.
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Here is a closeup of how well the clover fits within the sentiment border from the new stamp set. Punching out the different layers and using foam dimensionals really adds a lot of needed emphasis to this small-scaled focal point.
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I tied a button with embroidery floss around the ends of the Spring Moss Twill that extended over the edge of the card. I love doing this type of detail work. Just a little something that adds a lot. In this closeup you can also see the scored lined I created with my Scor-Pal to add some texture to my Spring Moss cardstock.
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This next project is bold and bright, perfect for a friend that has a personality with the same characteristics. Raspberry Fizz Mix patterned paper along with the new Black & White Basics papers are punched out in squares to create a nice color-blocking effect. Raspberry Fizz satin ribbon was wrapped around the edge of the card to create a partial border accent.
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The bitty bee image is from our popular Honey Bees stamps set. I adhered rhinestones around the bee, forming a nice *ring of bling*. The rhinestones paired with the bee image created the perfect look I needed for the interior sentiment which reads "Happy Birthday to the Queen Bee"! The small flower that is attached with a brad can be found in the Velvet Flowers Fire collection we carry. I discovered that the bright pink blooms contained in it are are practically a perfect match for Raspberry Fizz. Pink & velvet, how can you resist?
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As I mentioned before, Heather also integrated long border sentiments into Around & About Sentiments as well. They are super fun to use since they can be tucked in almost anywhere that you need just a little *something*. For this quick & easy project, I stamped the "happy everything" sentiment border four times, each repetition in a different color, creating a rainbow. I just ADORE rainbow color schemes lately. They are so happy and cheerful! The star border stamped below the rainbow strip is also included in this set! I stamped it in Fresh Snow ink and added small dabs of Stardust Stickles to the center of each star to add a bit of sparkle & shine.
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The large star images are also included in Around & About Sentiments. I stamped them in three different colors that were utilized in my rainbow sentiment strip and cut them out with a craft knife. I used a xyron sticker maker to apply adhesive to the front side and dipped them in glitter to create sugar-coated accents. Raising them on small foam dimensionals really helps to draw attention to them.
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This next and last project has a more earthy color scheme. I am love with the layout of this card and look forward to playing some more with it and alternating color schemes as well as images. The large "Thanks" sentiment was created with the NEW! Fresh Alphabet. I am loving the size of this alphabet. It is a nice medium size so it can be used for sentiments AND monograms. On this project, Heather's thank you border is used as a focal point and background. Love that I can use it both ways to achieve a variety of looks just with one stamp!
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For the button detail, I used a circle punch that was just a bit larger than my button to create a notch in my cream cardstock. I then stitched the button in place, tying the ends securely with a neat & tidy bow in the front.
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If you look back at the four projects I shared with you today, you can see the way Around & About Sentiments can suit just about anyone's stamping style. A neutral basic like this set should be at the top of everyone's wish list! How would you describe your stamping style and how this new set might fit in with your designs? Which one of my projects today speaks to your sense of style best? One lucky person will get to walk away with this new stamp set for free, just be leaving a comment on today's post! That's right! I'm giving away one...
FREE Around & About Sentiments stamp set
Good luck to everyone and thanks for stopping by today!
Fine Print: This contest will close today, January 11th, 2008 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Please play nice, only one entry per person please. Winner is responsible for contacting customer service with their shipping information in order to claim the prize.
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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Here are your random numbers:
141
Timestamp: 2009-01-12 15:40:21 UTC
Comment #141 belongs to:
Wow...what a hard choice! I love them all...for different reasons. But the St. Patrick's card is my favorite for color and layout...for me...but I could change my mind...LOL! Love this versatile set...Thanks!
Posted by: CherylQuilts at SCS | January 11, 2009 at 06:31 AM
Congratulations, Cheryl! You've won your very own copy of Heather's new Around & About Sentiments stamp set! Please email customer service with your shipping information in order to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone for playing!
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You can stop by Heather's blog today for an additional peek at her new stamp set!
Lauren has a special peek at one of her latest templates for you today as well!
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Clover Card
Stamps: Around & About Sentiments (available January 15th), Polka Dot Basics, Limitless Labels
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Fresh Snow
Paper: Stamper's Select White, Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss
Other: Spring Moss Twill, Scor-Pal, Scor-tape, EK Success orner Rounder Punch (large scallops), Fiskars foam dimensionals, 7/8" & 1-1/4" circle punches from EK Success, button & embroidery floss
Finished Size: 4.25" x 5"
Happy Bee-day Card
Stamps: Around & About Sentiments (available January 15th), Honey Bees
Ink: True Black
Paper: True Black, Stamper's Select White, Raspberry Fizz Mix, Black & White Basics
Other: Raspberry Fizz Satin ribbon, Paper Studio self-adhesive rhinestones, black mini brad, Maya Road velvet flower, EK Success 1-1/4" circle punch & 1-3/8" square punch, Fiskars foam dimensionals
Finished Size: 3.5" x 5"
Star Card
Stamps: Around & About Sentiments (available January 15th)
Ink: Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Ripe Avocado, Ocean Tides, Fresh Snow
Paper: Pure Poppy, Stamper's Select White
Other: Stardust Stickles from Ranger, Palette Prisma Glitter, Xyron Sticker Maker, craft knife, Fiskars corner rounder punch.
Finished Size: 4.25" x 5.5"
Thank you Card
Stamps: Around & About Sentiments & Fresh Alphabet (both available January 15th)
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Ocean Tides
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Ocean Tides, Vintage Cream
Other: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, EK Sucess 3/4" & 1/2" square punches (to create photo corners), 3/4" circle punch (for button notch detail), Paper Studio scalloped scissors, button & hemp twine, Fiskars corner rounder punch.
Finished Size: 5.5" x 4.25"
January 10, 2009 in all countdown posts, just cards | Permalink | Comments (649)
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After many months of tweaking and perfecting, we are proud to introduce the exclusive Papertrey True Black collection. It's FABULOUS!!! There are six ribbons available in this deep, rich black: twill, polka dot, satin, gingham, grosgrain & stitched. Of course cardstock & ink will be available as well.
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The True Black ink has a few exciting features that we are thrilled about. We worked closely with our manufacturer to provide you with a black ink that would tackle some of the things that you did not like about the original Black Noir palette ink.
Our new True Black ink has some of the following characteristics that make it unique...
-Easier clean up. Many people did not like the staining that the original Black Noir pad left behind. This new and improved pad cleans thoroughly, with no residue or staining left behind!
-Improved coverage. A few taps will leave your stamp with a thick even coverage of juicy black ink. It works especially well for bold stamps that have large areas that need inking.
-Crisper detail. The formula used for this improved ink allows it to cling to every detail of a stamp, making the final stamped image crisp, clear and concise EVERY time.
A few additional details that you may want to know...
-this ink pad is not designed to be used successfully with Copic markers.
-it is waterproof, so it works well with watercoloring & spritzing techniques.
-it does not work on non-porous surfaces (glass, shrink plastic, transparencies) like the original Black Noir palette ink. It works best on porous surfaces such as paper & fabric.
-you cannot heat emboss with this ink.
I am in LOVE with this ink. It is what I used on my monogram stationery project yesterday. The coverage is SO good and it makes it so easy to use. You'll definitely want to give it a try!
January 10, 2009 in color comparisons, the inside scoop | Permalink | Comments (29)





































I love Ocean Tides - it's calming, soothing and uber beautiful! Of course then there's Aqua Mist, Raspberry Fizz etc etc. BUT Ocean Tides for me for now :-)