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The SuperShow was SuperFun!

August 10, 2010 in Uncategorized

Tags: CHA Craft SuperShow, Cosmo Cricket, Creating Keepsakes Conventions, Jennifer Schaerer, Maren Benedict, Paper Crafts Connection, Paper Crafts Go-to Gal, Paper Crafts magazine, Quiltmaker, Small Quilts

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Jennifer Schaerer

Working for Paper Crafts magazine really doesn’t get any better than when we get the opportunity to interact with readers, designers, manufacturers and new friends at a consumer show. Although it sure is a lot of work to get the details developed, shipments sent off and booth built (our CK Events team does it 18 times each year…I bow in their presence!), to me it’s worth every broken nail and bruised shin to be able to meet and greet the wonderful people who visit our booth.

For this summer’s CHA Craft SuperShow at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont IL, we went BIG with a roomy booth and lots of fun (and FREE!) activities. We had a wild and crazy dart-throwing contest (thank heavens for plastic tip darts…just sayin’) and found out that people bring out their best aim when there’s a chance to win a free special issue. The line was long, but energetic Maren Benedict did a great job of chasing stray darts and cheering on the participants to keep things moving along.

Maren’s energy was infectious and her laugh lit up the whole convention center!

Taking aim under Maren’s watchful eye

In addition to offering special show pricing on our own special issues, we also had some fun with a project kit from Quiltmaker, our sister publication. The adorable baby quilt below was made with a kit you can buy HERE, featuring fabrics made with the Girl Friday collection by Cosmo Cricket. It’s a remarkably simple pattern that can be adapted to a wide range of color and fabric combinations – get the pattern and instructions in their special issue called Small Quilts.

Isn’t this baby quilt to die for?

Then there were the make-n-take cards we offered, which brought out young and old, women and men. At one point, we had a 12-year-old boy, a great-grandmother, a husband and three generations of women all sitting around our table making cards. Magic!

Visitors who came to our booth got to make these three cards.

A variety of people took part in our make-n-take card projects!

Guess what? I’ve got some of that card-making magic to share with you, because I somehow managed to bring a few of these make-n-take kits back with me. Leave me a comment by midnight (MDT) on Wednesday, August 11 telling me your favorite card-making occasion, and I’ll pick three random winners to take home a card kit and special issue of your choice.

Hoping to see you at the SuperShow next January in Los Angeles!
Jennifer

P. Kelly Smith

Welcome to Freebie Friday! I know our Top 5 finalists are anxiously awaiting the voting results, so let’s get to it! Belinda, Regina, Kryssi, Sarah and Vera: what a thrill to have been on this fun, crazy ride with you. Thanks so much for embracing each challenge and more importantly, each other. With that said…

After eight weeks and five rounds of nail-biting competition, you the Paper Crafts online community have chosen the grand prize winner in this fourth season of Gallery Idol. And she is…(drumroll, please!)

**BELINDA CHANG LANGNER**

Congratulations, Belinda! Your Jam Basket Pocket Card received the most votes in the last and final round, therefore Paper Crafts magazine is proud to name you our 2010 Gallery Idol!

Let’s take a look back at the five cards that propelled Belinda to “Idol” status:

Open Auditions Round: Thank You

Round 1: Creativity Heals

Round 2: Masculine Garage

Round 3: Creative Uses of Ribbon

Round 4: Inspired By

In addition to the Little Yellow Bicycle, Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon and Papertrey Ink prize packages, Belinda will also receive this grand prize from Lifestyle Crafts:

Grand Prize: Letterpress Combo Kit

As the grand prize winner, Belinda will also receive these special perks:

Winning cards published in the January/February 2011 issue of Paper Crafts
Name added to the exclusive Paper Crafts designer list
Free selection of special issues
Official grand prize winner certificate (our version of the golden ticket)

Prizes aside, a big round of applause goes out to all of the finalists who have stuck with this competition week after week, round after round. Your creativity, passion and dedication to excellence have really made this little contest bigger and better than we could have ever imagined! We hope to see you back next summer for Season 5! And, of course, a big Gallery Idol thanks to all of you who voted. We appreciate the support!

Happy, happy Friday!
Kelly

P.S. Ready for today’s Freebie Friday giveaway? I know Belinda is on cloud 9, so in celebration of her big win, I’ve got an assortment of cloud-themed product. To be entered to win, leave a comment telling me your favorite “cloud 9″ moment. (Feel free to congratulate Belinda, too!) Two winners will receive an assortment of papers from Crate Paper’s Season collection, Hero Arts’ Sky’s the Limit stamp set and some sparkly brads from American Crafts. All comments must be received by midnight (MDT) on Sunday, July 4.

Two lucky winners will take home this fun prize package!

P.P.S. We’ll be spotlighting Belinda on Monday, so check back with us to learn more about our newest Idol. We’re also launching a brand new gallery challenge that features three of your favorite “guys”. Stay tuned!

Groovin’ with the Go-to Gals – Masculine Cards

June 16, 2010 in Uncategorized

Tags: Betsy Veldman, Cosmo Cricket, Fancy Pants Designs, Gallery Idol 2010, Graphic 45, Groovin with the Go-to Gals, masculine cards, May/June 2010 issue, Paper Crafts Connection, Paper Crafts Go-to Gal, Paper Crafts magazine

7 comments

Betsy Veldman

Men. Can’t live with ‘em and you can’t live without ‘em.

And you’ve probably realized that it’s really hard not to paper craft for them from time to time. Because let’s face it. Men have birthdays, too. And then there’s Father’s Day (just a few days away…don’t forget!). And you can probably throw in an anniversary, along with another special occasion or two.

But if you’re like me, the thought of creating cards for the men in my life has me wanting to run to my nearest Hallmark store. Gone are the frills, the lace and all the paper lovelies that tend to cover my creations from head to toe. I’m left with…well, what am I left with? Let’s see. Since Father’s Day is just around the corner, let’s delve into this mysterious world of card making for men.

First, start with a collection that’s decidedly male. Like A Proper Gentleman collection from Graphic 45, or The Boyfriend collection from Cosmo Cricket or the Like Father, Like Son collection from Fancy Pants Designs that I used on my card here. The patterns and colors in these collections are sure to inspire you to create beautiful, yet masculine projects!

Use masculine motifs. Instead of flowers and butterflies, think trees, stars, fish, etc. Playing around with typography is also a great way to create unique, manly cards.
Challenge yourself! Use an element that is typically considered more on the feminine side, but change it up to feel more masculine. On this card I used a punched heart as an accent, but made it feel manly by embossing it with a woodgrain impression plate and embellishing it with a star brad and twine!

Throw out the bows! If you typically use bows on your projects, consider using twine instead. It gives a much more masculine feel. If you still prefer ribbon, use a stripe or solid and finish it off with a knot rather than a bow.
Keep it simple! Men don’t typically like things that are frilly and overdone, so keep it classy and simple. My masculine cards are almost always much simpler than my typical feminine style…and that’s okay!
Make the message the focus. My card here is definitely all about the sentiment! I love this journaling card from the Like Father, Like Son collection, and it pretty much says it all! I finished off the sentiment on the inside to make Dad feel extra special.

Need more masculine ideas? Join me on my personal blog this week as I’ll be doing a few more posts about creating masculine projects! Also, don’t forget to check out the Thanks Mom & Dad feature from the May/June issue for more fabulous Father’s Day ideas!

Paper Crafts Go-to Gal,
Betsy Veldman

P.S. Have a paper crafting question that has you stumped? Send it to our panel of Go-to Gals at gotogals@papercraftsmag.com and it could be answered and published in a future issue. If your question is selected, we’ll send you a complimentary magazine!

P.P.S. You still have two more days to vote in round 2 of Gallery Idol! Click HERE to view the Top 15’s cards and to cast your vote. Voting will end at noon (MDT) tomorrow!

P. Kelly Smith

Welcome to Freebie Friday! I know there’s 20 anxious women waiting to hear the outcome of this week’s voting, so I’m not going to tease them any longer. I had a little fun with them yesterday when Sarah Martina Parker asked if I could quietly whisper the results ahead of schedule. Let’s just say I took great delight in firing off this e-mail:

“The Top 15 finalists are…a really cool bunch of talented ladies!”

So that was a little mean, but I just couldn’t ruin the surprise! Plus, when I mentioned that this post would go live at 6 a.m. (EST), it was so cute to hear how many were setting their alarms for 3, 4, 5 and 6 a.m. Those of you on the West Coast, please skim the results and go back to bed!

It was a competitive race, but these 15 gals received the most votes in our Creativity Heals-themed card challenge. Here they are in alphabetical order:

Finalist #1 – Karen Baker:

Finalist #2 – Lynn Ghahary:

Finalist #3 – Courtney Kelley:

Finalist #4 – Belinda Chang Langer:

Finalist #5 – Valerie Mangan:

Finalist #6 – Regina Mangum:

Finalist #7 – Kryssi Ng:

Finalist #8 – Sarah Martina Parker:

Finalist #9 – Winter Sims:

Finalist #10 – Giovana Smith:

Finalist #11 – Shemaine Smith:

Finalist #12 – Angie Tieman:

Finalist #13 – Shanna Vineyard:

Finalist #14 – Danielle Wycough:

Finalist #15 – Vera Yates:

Which means we must bid a fond farewell to Kelley Eubanks, Tiffany Johnson, Heather Pulvirenti, Alicia Thelin and Latisha Yoast. Ladies, thanks so much for your amazing contribution to Gallery Idol 2010. I really wish all of you could continue on, but then this competition would never end! Besides a nice prize package, you’re also taking away 19 new friends who all bear the name Gallery Idol Top 20 finalist! Best of luck in all your crafty pursuits!

Congratulations, Top 15! By making it this far, you’ve each won a free special issue and this fantastic prize package, courtesy of Cosmo Cricket:

Top 15, ready for the next theme? Round 2’s theme is…masculine cards that incorporate items found in the garage! With Father’s Day right around the corner, we thought this theme was perfect…and perhaps a little challenging! Need some inspiration? Turn to the Get Your Groove on in the Garage feature in our May/June 2010 issue. The deadline for submissions is next Monday, June 14 at 9 a.m. (MDT). All “Garage” cards must be posted to our gallery by this time. Voting for Round 2 will begin at noon!

Since it’s Freebie Friday, you know I’ve got some fun goodies to give away! To go along with Gallery Idol’s next masculine/garage theme, I’m giving away two sets of Bella Blvd’s Man of the House collection. To be entered to win, leave a comment telling me your favorite TV dad – past or present. All comments must be received by midnight (MDT) on Sunday, June 13.

Two winners will take home this prize package from Bella Blvd.

Best of luck, Top 15!
Kelly

P.S. Want to learn more about the Top 15 finalists? Cath is showing some trendy projects from their blogs on Moxie Fab World today! Hop on over!

P.P.S. It’s time to announce the winner from Kim Hughes’ Need a Hug and a Kiss post!

NWFlamingo (June 9, 3:31 p.m.)

Congrats, NWFlamingo! I’ll be contacting you shortly to discuss your prize and get your mailing address. Thanks to all who left comments!

Introducing Your CC8 Cover Girls!

May 25, 2010 in Uncategorized

Tags: Alicia Thelin, Betsy Veldman, Card Creations 8 Week, Card Creations: Volume 8, Cosmo Cricket, flower tutorial, Jillibean Soup, Julie Campbell, Paper Crafts Connection, Paper Crafts Go-to Gal, Paper Crafts magazine, Papertrey Ink, Susan R. Opel

281 comments

Susan R. Opel

Card Creations, Volume 8 is chock-full of inspiration. But the cool thing is that you don’t even have to OPEN the issue to be inspired. There are three great projects right on the cover to get you started!

Today, we’re going to get a little behind-the-scenes look at the cards on the cover from the designers themselves!

Cover Girls Julie Campbell, Alicia Thelin and Betsy Veldman will reveal their reactions to making the cover, the inspiration for their amazing cards, as well as a few paper crafting tips and tricks!

Take it away, ladies!

: Julie Campbell

Julie says, “One of the themes for Card Creations 8 was friendship. My best friend and I are country girls through and through, and I tried capturing that personality in my design. I wanted this card to feel as comfy as a pair of worn-in jeans or cowboy boots but still very feminine. I love creating homemade embellishments, and I made the flower on my card out of a strip of denim fabric. Here’s a video tutorial in case you would like to make one of your own flower embellishments!

Julie's Hey Girl Friend Card can be found on p. 63.

If you would have told me a few years ago that I would be published, I probably would have laughed in your face! I just want to encourage anyone out there who has ever had the desire to submit their work to go for it! It’s like any other goal that you might set for yourself. You’ve just got to give it your best, dust yourself off and if you don’t succeed at first, then try it again. I love the fact that Paper Crafts only accepts blind submissions. Everyone has an equal opportunity to be published, and that someone just might be you!”

What was your reaction when you found out your card would be on the cover?

Oh wow! I was so ecstatic! One of my goals for this year was to be on the cover of a magazine, and I’m not sure I actually believed it could happen. Just knowing that I can share my art with so many people is completely exciting, yet humbling at the same time.

Alicia Thelin

Alicia says, “As I was creating my card, the image of the stylized girl holding the gift in such a teasing manner made me feel like a kid waiting for a birthday present. Knowing that this image is part of a ‘holiday’ collection didn’t deter me in the least. I’m all about finding the untapped potential in all paper crafting product. Want to know something funny? This card was a last minute creation. I’d been working on submissions for the entire day, and this was an afterthought. Literally. It just goes to show you that you NEVER know what the editors will want. This card took me minutes to make, and ta-da…COVER!”

Alicia's For You Stripes Card can be found on p. 15.

What was your reaction when you found out your card would be on the cover?

Shall I quote my e-conversation with Susan? Here it is in a nutshell:

Susan: “Alicia, congratulations! Your card has been chosen to be on the cover of Card Creations, Volume 8!”

Alicia: “Shut the front door!!! Seriously?!”

Susan: “Is this your first cover?”

Alicia: “No, I just get so excited each time!”

Followed by: A perma-grin and a call to my sister. Best kind of day e-vah.

Betsy Veldman

Betsy says, “I love vintage paper goods…old magazines, books, sheet music and of course, postcards. The patterned paper I used on this card reminded me of the writing on the back of an old postcard. So, I pulled out a stamp that resembled a postage cancellation stamp, a postage stamp die and a fun (and fitting!) sentiment stamp.”

Betsy's It's Been Too Long Card can be found on p. 84.

What was your reaction when you found out your card would be on the cover?

Wooohoooo! My usual card making style is kind of shabby, layered and detailed…a style that doesn’t typically fit in with the clean and graphic types of projects that are chosen for the cover, so I was pretty excited.

Betsy continues, “Card Creations is my absolute very favorite issue to work on! I love the freedom of just creating all sorts of cards for whatever occasions my heart desires, and this one is a goodie! I’ve been pouring over it since I got my copy, and I’m so inspired by all of the projects!”

Since Card Creations, Volume 8 is so inspiring, we thought we’d get three of you on the road to creativity. Three winners will each win – Jillibean Soup’s Lentil Soup collection (used on Julie’s card) Cosmo Cricket’s Jolly by Golly collection(used on Alicia’s card) and Papertrey Ink’s Big & Bold Wishes stamp set (used on Betsy’s card) and a copy of Card Creations, Volume 8!

Tell us which types of cards you struggle the most to make. Once you get your hands on this issue, we’re pretty sure you’ll be able to overcome that card making challenge of yours! Leave your comment by midnight (MDT) on Wednesday, May 26, and you might just win!

Three lucky winners will take home this cover girl prize package!

Susan

P.S. Paper Crafts Go-to Gal Kim Hughes was so inspired by the CC8 cover, she created three new cards! Click HERE to see her interpretation of Julie, Alicia and Betsy’s designs!

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