Holly Anderson

Welcome to Paper Crafts Connection! I know you have a lot of blogs to hit today, so I’ll be brief.

We’re here today to support Operation Write Home! What is Operation Write Home, you ask? Only a super cool organization that allows crafters and card makers to support troops in a way that’s unique to them. Don’t you think some handmade cards will brighten up any soldier’s day? Plus they allow them to keep in touch with home, and it allows us to justify our creative hobby! Win-win!

For this blog hop, we were to make thank you cards from one of OWH’s many sketches. Here’s the one I chose. (Warning, lots of patriotic colors ahead!)

And here’s the card I made.

I hope you like it!

How would you like to win an awesome mystery prize box from Paper Crafts? I’ll give one fully filled box of paper-crafting delight to one lucky commenter! Just make sure to leave your comment by Tuesday, May 28th at 5 pm MDT. And make sure to check back with us on Wednesday to see if you won!

Best of luck, and enjoy the rest of the hop!

P.S. Want to get involved? Check out the Operation Write Home web site to see how you can donate and what kinds of cards are needed!

Holly Anderson

The Scrap & Paper Shop is your source for current Paper Crafts and Creating Keepsakes issues and tried-and-true magazines!

For instance, check out these great deals, going on now, like Card Creations: Get Inspired ($2.99), Card Creations, Vol. 10 ($7.49), Stamp It! Techniques ($3.99), and Color Inspiration for Card Makers ($8.99)!

Plus, shop this weekend and get 15% off ANY order when you use this coupon code at checkout: SPMD15. And all orders over $50 receive FREE shipping.

Thanks for checking in!

Holly Anderson

Dearest readers, it’s Friday again! And so another week has passed and we have another prize to give away to one lucky winner!

I’ll choose one of you to win both Today’s Story and Happy Little Moments Photo Freedom Kits from Echo Park Paper Co.! (Kim Kesti used Photo Freedom kits to make cards in this post.)

To enter to win, just leave me a comment by Tuesday, May 28th at 5 pm MDT! I’ll pick one random winner.

Best of luck and have a splendid weekend!

P.S. Make sure to make some cards if you haven’t already to enter into our 2013 Gallery Idol Contest! Full rules and timeline are found here!

Holly Anderson

Isn’t it fun to learn new techniques?

I know most of you probably have some adhesives lying around. Foam tape and double-sided adhesives are pretty standard for a paper crafter’s craft room.

How can you use these common crafting items uniquely in your crafts? Check out these technique tags from our May/June 2013 issue by Latisha Yoast for ideas.

Do you know how she made these tags? All three tags were made with Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L! For the first one, she created die-cut stickers by placing cardstock over a sheet of adhesive and die cutting word bubbles. All you have to do is peel the backing off and voila! Homemade stickers!

For the second one she used a heart-shaped adhesive. Cover it in glitter and stick it on your project! Instant wow-factor.

The third one uses ultra strong tape. Lay it down on the surface of your project to create a ribbon ruffle. The adhesive is so tacky, that ribbon won’t go anywhere!

You can even make your own textured paper by heat embossing on a double-sided adhesive like Teri Anderson did in Paper Crafting Tips & Tricks!

What are some other ways you’ve thought of using your adhesives? Tell me for a chance to win all of these adhesives from 3L! Tape runners, tacky adhesive, foam dots and squares! You’ll be totally set if you win these.

Make sure to leave your comment by Tuesday, May 28th at 5 pm MDT.

Thanks for checking in!

P.S. Looking for more ideas? Watch more videos on how to creatively use adhesives on our web site or our YouTube channel!

P.P.S. Make sure to check back with us tomorrow for the Operation Write Home Memorial Day Blog Hop!

Holly Anderson

A new call is out, and it’s for a new special issue called Card Creations for Him!

For this call it’s all about the dudes! We’re looking for non-holiday projects in all styles that would perfect for men and boys in your life for a variety of occasions. So submit! Just make sure you make your submissions by Monday, June 10th.

Check out the complete call here!

Thanks for checking in!

Jennifer Schaerer

As Father’s Day approaches, I find myself waxing nostalgic about the men in my life. My grandfathers were pretty handy guys, and my dad can build just about anything. I know I got at least half of my crafty DNA from them.

There’s just something about the way a dad is wired that allows him to make rocket ships out of paper towel rolls and super spy scopes from cereal boxes. So with t-minus 4 and counting (Sundays until Father’s Day, that is), I’ve been thinking of creative ways to celebrate not only my own dad, but also the awesome dad that my husband is to our daughter and son. His idea of a great gift is an undivided day of quality time with the kids, so you can probably imagine my delight when this made its way across my desk:

Not only could his car-loving self make an extreme car ramp out of a cardboard box and paper, but it can have flames. FLAMES, people. Because really – isn’t everything better with flames?

Add flames using a downloadable template for instant coolness

The project I know my husband would tackle first is a certain customizable keep out sign for the kids’ bedroom doors. They usually raid my crafty stash for door signage, so I know they’d have a blast with this one:

And did you catch the pull-my-finger silliness of the warning on it?

But the project that stopped me in my tracks…the one that really defines the difference between how moms craft and how dads create…is this one:

Where a mom would heave a big sigh and throw away the markers that dried out because the caps were left off, the dad of the house would salvage those markers and apply some heat (flames! More flames!) for this very clever project.  

If there’s a guy in your life who’d find inspiration in this oh-so-clever book, I’ve got a giveaway copy right here. Leave me a comment by this Saturday, May 25 at 5pm MDT and let me know about the coolest thing your dad, grandfather, uncle, brother or son has ever made. I’ll choose one random winner who can make a dad’s day extra special with the gift of Made By Dad.

Appreciating crafty dads,

Holly Anderson

Hello! It’s Winner Wednesday, so it’s time to see if you won on our blog last week! Scroll on down!

Love me, love my dogs post:

Lindsey (May 13 @ 12:58 pm)

Groovin’ with the Go-to Gals: Markers for the Non-Marker Using Girl post:

Kim Lan (May 15 @ 6:11 am)

For the Geek in All of Us post:

Amy Williams (May 20 @ 10:05 am)

Janis (May 19 @ 9:41 am)

April Showers Bring May Paper Flowers! post:

barbara lassiter (May 17 @ 10:23 am)

Freebie Friday! post:

Barbara R (May 18 @ 6:00 am)

Are you a lucky winner this week? Congratulations if you are! Email me at handerson@papercraftsmag.com by June 5th at 5 pm MDT and I will get your prizes mailed out to you.

Thanks for checking in, and happy winning!

Windy Robinson

Well friends, this is my last post here on Paper Crafts Connection as one of your Go-to Gals.

While I’ve written this post several times, in several different ways, I decided it was best to express myself with a few cards. As soon as I saw Close to My Heart’s Puns of Praise Occasions stamp set, I knew exactly the direction to go.

As for my journey as a Go-to Gal, all I can really say is…

I cannot believe that it has been two years since I’ve written my first post. Thanks to all of you, it has been an amazing time here!

Your enthusiasm and love for paper crafting is admirable. Keep up the good work!

Keep making beautiful cards and gifts. And most importantly keep sharing them with your loved ones and friends! You never know when something as simple as a card, made only from cardstock and a few embellishments, can touch someone’s life in a positive way.

I think…

Thank you all for all of the sweet comments that you have left along the way, and an extra thank you to those of you who have shared what you have created with me. There is nothing better then seeing how my work has inspired you.

Please know that…

And because of that I will be here and there visiting blogs and admiring your work. I’d also love to see your work in the pages of Paper Crafts Magazine! Please submit what you create! Or try creating a few things for the next call.

What makes Paper Crafts Magazine so wonderful is that it is always a great collection of ideas and projects created by its readers. Yes, its chock full of inspiration made by people who are just like you and me. I love that!

Being a Go-to Gal has been a fabulous experience, and I will always cherish it!  From the submissions process to the constant gathering of inspiration to share to the collaboration and ideas that brings about the best paper-crafting magazine possible, you can’t beat it.

So I am signing off. But not without leaving you one more prize. If you’d like to receive a collection of goodies from Close to My Heart, please leave a comment here by Friday, May 24th at 5pm MDT. I’ll select one lucky winner.

Take care. I will miss you all!

Windy Robinson, Paper Crafts Go-to Gal

Stacy Croninger

Hi,

Ruby Rock-it has generously donated product for use at CK Events and they want you to have the opportunity to see and play with their latest product: Carnival King.

This bright, fun line of papers also includes cards perfect for Project Life scrapbooking that work equally as well on cards and other paper crafted projects.

A fun Project Life layout using Carnival King.

Would you like to win this package of paper? Then leave a comment by 5 pm MDT on Thursday, May 23 and we’ll choose a winner.

Important contest note: We apologize, but due to increased shipping costs Creating Keepsakes is no longer shipping prizes outside the US. But we definitely don’t want our international winners to walk away empty handed. If your shipping address is outside the US and your comment is selected, you’ll receive a one-year subscription to Creating Keepsakes magazine. If you’re an existing subscriber, your subscription will extend. Thank you for your understanding.

Thanks for stopping by! You probably want to go to Ruby Rock-it’s web site so you can see their other products too.

Holly Anderson

You’re still able to enter this year’s Gallery Idol contest!

The open auditions round is open until Memorial Day, which is Monday, May 27th, so make some awesome cards and add them to our Flickr group here! Can’t wait to see them all! Make sure to check out the full rules and official timeline here.

What do you have to lose?