P. Kelly Smith
Welcome to Magazine Monday and day one of our Stamp It! Cards Week!
We’re so glad you could join us as we celebrate our latest special issue, Stamp It! Cards, Vol. 8! On sale tomorrow, you’ll find over 300 card ideas for all stamping skill levels. The best part? We’ll be spending the next five days in stamp heaven! Who’s in?
As always, we’re thrilled to be partnering with the Moxie Fab World
blog for a whole week of promotion. Between the two sites, we’ll be spotlighting some great cards from the issue, hosting fun challenges and giving away some spectacular stamp prizes.
Click on the cover image to order your copy today!
Today we’re spotlighting the talented Cristina Kowalczyk, who has 10 cards in Stamp It! Cards! As one of our reigning 2011 Stamping Royalty winners, she definitely knows her way around a stamp block. Let’s get to know Cristina!
Cristina Kowalczyk
1. What is your favorite occasion to paper craft and why?
Christmas! There’s so much product for it, so I always get inspired.
Holiday Wishes Card, p. 115
2. What is your most difficult paper crafting challenge?
Honestly, just trying to keep up! There are so many challenges I want to enter, so many blog posts I want to write, so many cards I want to submit, but there are only so many hours in the day!
3. What is your favorite paper crafting supply?
I love my guillotine paper trimmer. It used to be my grandfather’s before he died. It still cuts more crisply than any other trimmer I’ve tried.
4. How would you describe your style?
Clean and simple for sure. Graphic, too.
For Baby Card, p. 32
5. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I asked my mom for help with this one and she said, “Maybe people would be surprised to know that you don’t like to drive.” Ha! That’s true.
6. How do you keep yourself organized when it comes to submission deadlines?
I print out the calls and do my sketches on the backside of the paper. That paper goes with me to my studio where I can easily consult it. I enter the deadline into my computer’s calendar and set reminders to pop up a day or two before so that I don’t miss anything.
7. Name three Paper Crafts designers whose styles you like and tell me why they appeal to you.
Lately I’ve been loving Kalyn Kepner’s work. I keep opening the magazine, seeing cards I like, and it turns out they’re hers. Her style is so clean but she exhibits such range. I’m also crazy about Agnieszka Malyszek, whose work is so utterly fresh, both in conception and execution. And, of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Maile Belles, who’s been a huge influence on me. Her cards are so thoughtful and I appreciate so much the way she’s always pushing the envelope.
8. Do you have any advice for someone who’s never been published or who wants to try submitting for the first time?
I submitted cards for a few months without success, but they never got picked up until I actually started reading Paper Crafts for myself. Once I saw the kinds of things that were in the magazine, I had a better idea of what the editors were looking for and a much better submission success rate.
9. Out of your 10 cards in Stamp It! Cards, Vol. 8, which is your favorite and why?
I have a soft spot for my Striped Thank You Card, mostly because I am a fanatic about stripes so it was fun to use them on a card.
Striped Thank You Card, p. 138
10. Do you have a blog or online gallery? If so, please provide the URL.
You can find me at My Paper Secret. Please stop by for a visit!
Thanks, Cristina! Since Cristina is on the design team for Wplus9 Design Studio, she scored a fun stamp set for today’s giveaway. Leave a comment for Cristina and I’ll pick two random winners to take home Wplus9′s Poinsettia Patterns stamp set (seen in her For Baby Card above), a copy of Stamp It! Cards and some of her published cards from the issue. All comments must be received by midnight (MDT) on Tuesday, June 28.
Two lucky winners will take home this stamp set from Wplus9 Design Studio!
Happy Monday!
Kelly
P.S. It’s time to announce the winners from our Embracing National Pink Day, Countdown to Stamp It! Cards Week and Kraft Card Giveaway posts!
Embracing National Pink Day winners:
1. Chriss Blagrave (June 23, 6:21 a.m.)
2. Kim Heggins (June 23, 12:22 p.m.)
Countdown to Stamp It! Cards Week winners:
1. Claire (June 24, 3:33 p.m.)
2. Brandy (June 24, 11:33 a.m.)
Kraft Card Giveaway winner:
Jennifer (June 25, 9:04 a.m.)
Congrats, winners! I’ll be e-mailing you shortly to discuss your prizes and get your mailing addresses. Thanks to all who left comments!
congrats, Christina!! I love your CAS style!
I don’t really have an established style – I’m still finding myself ! I too like clean and simple like your cards. Thanks for the chance to win.
Congratulations Christina. I love your CAS style. I used to be a lost in the details person but have found great pleasure in embracing the CAS!
WooHoo, Christina! 10 cards is awesome! I love your clean and simple style. Thanks for the inspiration and thanks to Paper Crafts Connection for a chance to win a great prize!
I love the card using the giveaway stamp set. So simple and pretty.
How Amazing, Christina! Ten cards is so fantastic! I love the clean simplicity of your cards!! Thanks for the chance to win!!
Congrats Christina in your publishing of 10 cards–amazing! Love your style and adore that lovely stamp set!
Although I’m not a stripe person myself, your card with stripes caught my eye – it was simple, and to the point which is what I like the most. Thanks!
Wow Christina…Ten cards? That’s awesome! Your cards are SO pretty.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Wow 10 cards, you go girl! I’ve been trying to incorperate more stamping into my cards. Love this set it would be a welcome addition to my sparse stamps, lol! Thanks for the chance!
Your cards are so cute Christina! I can’t wait to see your other 10 cards in the magazine! Thanks for the chance to win!
The front cover is fabulous!! Can’t wait to see the inside now. Congrats Christina for all of the cards you have published in this issue. Note to self: Now to find that peacock feather stamp!
I love your cards! So beautiful. Christmas is also my favorite season to create and craft for.
Great Cards Christina – thanks for sharing! I also just checked out your blog, and plan on stopping by often
Cristina’s CAS cards are terrific! I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Stamp It!
Cristina –
What beautiful cards!! I love your clean and simple style.
Thanks for sharing.
Donna
DonnaCMC at optonline dot net
Love your cards. Wish I could be as organized as you are!
Congrats to you! It’s well deserved. I love your style…simple and so elegant!
Cristina: your style is breathtaking! I love the striped thank you card too. can’t wait to see the rest of yours when I pick up the magazine!
Beautiful cards!! Thanks for sharing.
Your favorite card is my favorite as well! You are very talented!
Cristina, congratulations on your great achievment. I will watch for this issue at my local craft store – can’t wait to see all 10.
Ten cards are amazing – I can’t wait for the magazine. And I would love to win!
Wow Cristina! Love your cards and your blog! Congrats…well deserved!
Looking forward to seeing all of the great cards! Keep up the awesome work!
Wow… 10 cards in one issue! That has to be a record! I like the simplicity of your striped card – and what a quick and easy idea.
Congrats Cristina!!!
So many interesting posts and contests this summer! Thanks for all the fun reading
I love your style Cristina! 10 cards in one issue–congrats!
I’ve been a huge fan for a long time!! Thanks, Paper Crafts, for the chance to win!
I, too, love stripes, and your striped card is so wonderful! I just love how you made the sentiment stand out by using the one yellow stripe in the midst of all the pink ones!
Cristina, I’ve been a fan of your blog for quite awhile now. I love your style and find myself bookmarking, favoriting, and pinning your things often! Congrats on being featured here!
Loved reading about you Cristina! I loved your Impress snowflake card….it such a great stamp. Congratulations on 10 cards in this issue of Stamp It!
I’ve been following Cristina for some time now and LOVE her creations!! She’s top notch all the way and I’m so happy to see that she has 10 cards in this issue!! I’d be thrilled to own these stamps and play like Cristina!
Love your CAS style Cristina! I’ve followed you for awhile now and couldn’t be happier when I see your update in my GR!
I checked each one of Christina’s inspiration blogs…well, I have to say, clean & simple was never my style before, but I am really beginning to like it ALOT. I don’t know why I have so much trouble creating cards this simple and making them look this good. The cards you shared are great! And, I really LOVE that stamp set!
thanks for the inspiration. I love the simple style. I can’t wait to get my craft things together and start creating!!!
What a nice treat to read about Christina. She is one of my all time faves! Can’t wait to see the magazine.
I love popping in to Christina’s blog every day, she is so talented and her clean and often graphic style is the perfect inspiration!
Congratulations Christina! I love your Holiday card and love the set of stamps you are giving away!
Wow-awesome work-I’ll have to keep my eyes open for this issue!
Congrats Cristina! What’s your secret for getting everything stamped so perfectly….like on the baby card?
Love the clean crisp look of Christinas art!
Cristina’s work have always been the eye candy and real inspiration to me. Love her style so much!
You rock Cristina – you are my new favorite go-to for clean and simple designs. Keep up the good work and congrats on your success!
Congratulations Cristina!! 10 cards, wow!! That is fantastic!! I love your clean and simple style- that baby card is to die for.
Keep it up, I wish you all the best!!
Congrats, Christina! Your cards are gorgeous
Your designs are clean and elegant. I think they’re fabulous. Looking forward to seeing more of your work and thanks for the advice and information.
Great cards and great interview. Looking forward to visiting your blog and Thanks PC for a chance to win!
Great cards Cristina and thanks for the stamp giveaway.