Today we are revealing what exactly Hint #4 meant last week. Many of you guessed that we were going to be coming out with our own line of chocolate candies, which gave us quite a chuckle behind the scenes!
What we were REALLY referring to was kits! Yes, Quick Kits to be exact! The idea behind these all-new kits is to offer up a selection of our exclusive colored products at a discount. Each kit will be designed to coordinate with a specific stamp set (available for purchase separately). Our first kit will be released February 15th and includes nearly $22 worth of product! ALL of this offered to you at the special low price of $16! Look at how LONG the list of contents is!!! You can make SO many cards with what it contains!!!
The kit comes packed in a sturdy kraft box bottom with a clear acetate cover that slides off and on like a matchbox, complete with one of our signature box bands. The packaging makes it a perfect presentation as a gift and it also serves as durable storage. The thing I love most about these kits is that if you have ever been overwhelmed with the selection of products at our store, you are now able to get a little bit of everything with just one click. You KNOW it will all coordinate and that you'll have all the supplies on hand to make lots and lots of projects!
This kit was designed to coordinate with our new Friends 'Til the End stamp set which will also be available on February 15th. The set will retail for $24 and contains oodles of fun images to play with. Can I just tell you how much I LOVE this set?!?! Seriously; the moment I completed the illustration work on the flowers included in this set, I knew that it would quickly become one of my favorites. I can't even begin to describe how incredible it was to ink it up for the first time!!! I just *know* that once you see the set in its entirety, you'll fall in love too!!!
I created a special card today that uses both the Friends 'Til the End stamp set and the new Quick Kit to help demonstrate what a great package deal it is!
I started by stamping the large and small (yup, there are two sizes folks!) flowers onto ripe avocado cardstock using vintage cream ink. Aren't you just in LOVE?!?!? Honestly, who wouldn't want to stamp that pattern on very shade of cardstock they own! *sigh* I punched a notch from the side of the cardstock using a 1" circle punch (EK Success).
The stamped avocado cardstock was then adhered to a 4 1/4" square vintage cream card base. I stitched around the edge with my sewing machine to help draw attention to the notch. As a little quick tip, when stitching around small curves, like the notch, I like to turn the wheel manually on my sewing machine rather than press the pedal. It is easier to turn your project just a bit after each stitch without going too fast and keep everything looking neat and precise.
I then pulled out one of my *favorite* tools, the anywhere slot punch from Making Memories. I created a slot just inside the notch that I punched out earlier.
Ripe Avocado stitched ribbon was threaded through the slot. Just a short piece is needed, about 4" or so.
I pulled out my new stash of *vintage buttons* (I just get giddy every time I use one!) and selected one that was vintage cream. I threaded it with twine and looped the twine around the two ribbon ends at the edge of the card cover.
The ends of the twine are pulled to tighten the twine, therefore cinching the ribbon.
A little knot is added to hold the button securely in place, and viola! A pretty little accent that you can add to the edge of nearly any card! I've really enjoyed adding little details like this lately to my projects. I have found that it is best to do them on a 4 1/4" square card so that even with the overhang, they can fit nicely into an A2 envelope.
I added a fun little sentiment combination to a strip of cream cardstock along with a few brads from my stash as a finishing touch. I love the simplicity of this card design and I look forward to replicating it many times in the future.
What's fun about this type of project, is that you can make it in three different colors just with the contents of the new Quick Kit! Nearly everything you need is right inside! Ink, ribbon & cardstock in three colors, plus a neutral. Talk about easy peasy!
Now, there may be a small chance that you aren't completely convinced that a Quick Kit could be in your future. I've got one more detail to reveal that just might persuade you! Part of the benefits of a Quick Kit is a FREE Design Download! The downloads contain full color photos, detailed supply lists, cutting measurements and complete instructions. This month's download contains TWELVE project ideas put together by our design team using our very first kit! And have they EVER knocked it out of the park this time! In fact, they did such an amazing job, we have decided that rather than waiting until the 15th to make the download available, we would do so TONIGHT! So hold onto your hats, ladies! Yeehaw!
Download Friends 'Til the End Design Ideas
After you've downloaded the file and had a chance to take a peek, you'll have to let me what you think! With all that inspiration in one neat little package that you can access anytime you like, how can you go wrong? If you ever lose your mojo or need a card on the double, you can use the download as an easy reference. If you were to give the kit as a gift, you could even print the document out and include it in the box for the recipient to use as inspiration!
So, as an extra special treat, each of the ladies has shared their contributions to the download on their blogs as well. Providing you with a few more details and tips regarding their amazing projects. Click each of linked names under their projects to go directly to their individual blog posts!
CLICK HERE for Becky Oehler's blog post
CLICK HERE for Betsy Veldman's blog post
CLICK HERE for Dawn McVey's blog post
CLICK HERE for Debbie Olson's blog post
CLICK HERE for Geny Cassady's blog post
CLICK HERE for Heather Nichols' blog post
CLICK HERE for Lauren Meader's blog post
CLICK HERE for Lisa Johnson's blog post
CLICK HERE for Melissa Phillips' blog post
CLICK HERE for Michelle Wooderson's blog post
CLICK HERE for Niki Estes' blog post
Aren't they all amazing?!?!? I still can't believe what an incredible variety of projects they designed, all with the same contents of the Quick Kit! If that doesn't inspire you, I don't know what would!!!
Now to give you a little back story, when I was concepting the idea Friends 'Til the End, I was thinking about the fact that most of my card creations are made for girlfriends. You know, REAL honest-to-goodness-down-to-earth-they've-seen-you-in-your-bathrobe kind of girlfriends. The ones you've been through EVERYTHING with. The ones that are there for you on bad days just as often as the good ones. I'm sure at least one or two special people fill this role in your lives as well! I wanted to create a set that allowed me to celebrate friendships EVERYDAY, not just on birthdays and special occasions. I think the sentiments in this set are perfect for just that and I am excited to have all of you use it for the purpose it was intended! Let's here a woohoooo for girlfriends!
So that brings me to today's contest & challenge!
All you have to do is create a card for your dearest friend. Post the project somewhere online, whether it be your blog or your favorite online gallery. Then, be sure to come back here and link it up to Mr. Linky below!
Wanna know what's up for grabs?
If you win, you will receive not one but TWO prize packages! One for you and one for your very best friend! (Hey, you need something to send WITH the card you created, right?!?!?) Each prize package includes a Friends 'Til the End stamp set AND the coordinating Quick Kit! The two prize packages together are worth $80!
There's actually TWO ways to win!
Perhaps you don't dig participating in the challenges but still wanna play for the prize? Post a comment on today's post and tell me all about your best friend. Why are you friends? How did you meet? What is you favorite memory with her? Posting a comment will automaticlaly give you a chance to win!
Now don't worry, participants that post a comment AND a challenge card with Mr. Linky will be entered to win TWICE! That's right! Double your chances just by playing along!
You have until 3am EST (midnight PST) February 10th to share your challenge project and/or post a comment. The winner will be listed on our special Anniversary Prize Page after 12 noon EST, February 10th. You can always access this list through the NEW! Anniversary Quick Link list to the upper left sidebar here. A copy of the list will also be updated daily in our customer forum.
I hope you are all enjoying all of the festivities and I look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow for even more exciting reveals!!!
Get the VERY first peeks at Dawn McVey's stamp designs being released this month!
Did you catch Heather Nichols' post that mentions a bit about her new February sets?
I'm testing you to see if you're reading all the way down here! Be sure and stop by the CPS Blog again today after 7am EST. I mentioned earlier in this post that when you see Friends to the End in its entirety, you'd fall head over heels like I did.....well be sure to stop by CPS and be prepared to fall in love!
Stamps: Friends 'Til the End (available February 15th)
Paper, Ink & Ribbon: Friends 'Til the End Quick Kit (available February 15th)
Other: 1" circle punch (EK Success), slot punch (Making Memories), brads, sewing machine & thread
Fished size: 4.25" x 4.25"
