Holly Anderson
Happy Friday, crafters! We’re ready to give something away again today. How would you like to have a chance at winning a mystery box?!
I won’t tell you exactly what’s inside, but you know it’s going to be all sorts of paper crafty! Make sure to comment for your chance to win!
To enter to win, just leave me a comment by Tuesday, May 14th at 5 pm MDT! I’ll pick one random winner.
Best of luck and have a splendid weekend!
P.S. Don’t forget Mother’s Day is Sunday!
Holly Anderson
Since our January/February 2013 issue of Paper Crafts magazine, we have been asking for your votes for cards to show in our regular issues. This is the sixth issue we’ve done this reader contest for, and that makes a full year of issues! Woo hoo!
For the November/December 2013 issue we chose six cards that were submitted for one of our features, and you voted for your favorite. Now, the votes are in, and two winners are chosen, so it’s time to announce who they are!
Congratulations, ladies! We’ll see these cards in print in a few months in the November/December 2013 issue of Paper Crafts magazine!
Thanks for checking in!
Holly Anderson
Happy Friday, paper-crafting friends! I hope you’ve enjoyed all the posts this week regarding 350 Cards & Gifts, Vol. 2! It is quite the perfect magazine for the paper crafter and gift giver at heart.
With all the card sets, bags, tags, food wraps, and gift card holders there are in this issue, you’re bound to find some new and unique ways to add a personal touch to your gifts.
So far this week, we have shown you gifts to give to guys, gifts for teachers, gifts for kids, gifts for moms, and now, the most common occasion for gift giving—birthdays! And we’re going to do it blog-hop style!
These fourteen fab ladies were all contributors to this issue, and we asked them to paper-craft a birthday gift to show you today! Plus, they’ll be offering up a copy of the issue on each of their blogs. Are you ready to start hopping?
Before you go, remember to come back here after! We have a cool prize to give away to one lucky winner! Now hop to it!
So how was it? Did you get some super ideas?
And now for a giveaway! How about this sweet prize package from EK Success? This prize includes a self-healing mat, foam dots, decorative edge scissors, a bone folder, glitter, a punch, a retractable knife, precision scissors, a border punch, metallic markers, glue sticks, and craft tweezers! Think of all the gifts you could make with this set of tools! Plus, I’ll throw in a copy of 350 Cards & Gifts, Vol. 2 for the lucky winner.
Just make sure to leave me a comment on this post by Tuesday, May 14th at 5 pm MDT.
Thanks for checking in!
P.S. Head over to the Moxie Fab World for more on 350 Cards & Gifts, Vol. 2!
Holly Anderson
Hello, friends! I hope you’re enjoying 350 Cards & Gifts week! Did you know that we have bonus content on our web site for this issue? Check out these cute designer gift tags found below!
Just click here to download and print them to use on your future gifts!
Plus, you’ll find lots of patterns from the issue here!
Thanks for checking in!
Kerri Miller
Mother’s day is right around the corner, this Sunday in fact. Do you have your gift ready for Mom? Luckily we’ve got a ton of cute and clever card and gift ideas for you to choose from—350 to be exact!
When it comes right down to it, Moms can be pretty hard to shop for. I often feel like my Mom has everything, so I’ve got to get a little more creative with my gift giving. Here are three ideas that jumped out at me.
Making a set of cards is a great gift for Mom and one I’m sure she will appreciate. The Card Set section has several fun ideas to choose from. But the one that made me laugh out loud was the Big Deal Card Set on p. 20 by Jocelyn Olson. I can totally see my mother giving these hip cards to her friends.
As a Mom, I love my personal down time. So I was immediately drawn to the Bath Salts with Tag by Lorena Cantó Lavería found on p. 73 of the Gifts section. I’ve been searching for a good “how to” on homemade bath salts for this reason.
Last but not least, I dare say it’s a mother who appreciates the wrapping of her gift as much as the gift itself. So take some time to make that bag extra special like Vanessa Menhorn did with her Vintage Gift Bag on p. 121. From the striped ribbon and lace to the sequins and zigzag stitch, Vanessa knows how to dress up a bag!
It’s not too late to find the perfect gift for your Mom. Pick up an issue and find just the right gift she will love.
Happy Crafting!
P.S. Head over to the Moxie Fab World to view some more gifts and participate in today’s challenge!
Holly Anderson
Hello! And welcome to another Wednesday full of winners! Scroll down to see if you’re a winner this week.
Insider’s Look: Creating Keepsakes May/June 2013 Issue post:
Alisa Davis (April 30 @t 6:43 pm)
Groovin’ with the Go-to Gals: I’ve Got My Head In the Clouds post:
Mary Lou H ( May 1 @ 12:40 pm)
Freebie Friday! post:
Elise C. (May 5 @ 2:10 pm)
Are you a lucky winner this week? Congratulations if you are! Email me at handerson@papercraftsmag.com by May 22nd at 5 pm MDT and I will get your prizes mailed out to you.
Thanks for checking in, and happy winning!
Don’t forget to vote for Readers’ Choice!
Jennifer McGuire
Hello! It’s Jennifer here. I am so very excited about the new 350 Cards & Gifts issue. It has so many inspiring projects!
There were two projects that really grabbed my attention—and both are gifts for children. (I love making gifts for my kids!) The first is the Color Me Card Set on page 55 by Terri Davenport.
My son would love this! I also loved the Monster Cookie Holder on page 102 by Jocelyn Olson.
This one inspired me to create a little treat to put in my son’s lunch box. Tomorrow is a big testing day for him—I think he will love the surprise!
I created a folding piece that also holds a cookie. It looks complicated but it isn’t one bit! You could make a bunch of these quickly.
To create the holder, I cut a piece of Bazzill cardstock to 10 ¼” x 4” and added score lines at 2”, 2 ¼”, 6 ¼”, and 6 ½”. That is it! Just fold it up and you have a cookie holder! I also added a die cut window with the new Lawn Fawn Puffy Star die to the front panel so you could see the cookie inside. Here is what it looks like unfolded.
I finished it off by stamping a sketchy circle from the new Hero Arts Not Perfect stamp set repeatedly around the star opening. I used my computer to generate the greeting and cut it with the Simon Says Stamp Small Banner die. Finally, I added a stamped pencil from the Paper Smooches Smarty Pants set.
I put a cookie in a little baggie and used a couple glue dots to hold it in the folder. When it was all folded up, I added a “C” sticker to hold it closed on the back.
This design can be changed up in many ways. So much fun!
Want to make one for your kids? Here is your chance! Leave a comment here by Friday, May 10th at 5 pm MDT for your chance to win the Lawn Fawn Puffy Star Die set! (Which isn’t released until tomorrow!)
Enjoy!
Jennifer McGuire, Paper Crafts Go-to Gal
P.S. Make sure to visit the Moxie Fab World to see some cute gift packaging from 350 Cards & Gifts, Vol. 2!
Holly Anderson
Last week, the editors and Go-to Gals of Paper Crafts magazine evaluated submissions for the November/December 2013 issue during our annual editorial board meeting, and we’re really excited about what we’ve chosen. But now we want your help in choosing two of the cards that will appear in one of our great features–this one is for the Shaped Cards for the Holidays feature!
Check out the six finalists, cast your vote (one vote per computer/IP address) and we’ll publish the top two vote-getters. Voting is open until Thursday, May 9th at noon MDT and we’ll announce the two winners on Friday, May 10th at 10am MDT.
Thanks for checking in!
Susan R. Opel
As the school year begins to come to a close, May 7th has been designated as National Teacher Appreciation Day.
I’m kind of partial to teachers. My dad was my 7th and 8th grade teacher. He taught all four of the Opel children, and countless other kids in his storied 45+ year career. My big brother Paul was my teacher when I was a freshman in high school (he’s nine years my senior), and my sister taught for over 25 years.
As a matter of fact, teaching was my first career. For 16.5 years, I taught English, art, and religion to junior high and high school students in Illinois, Nevada, and Indiana.
Former teacher turned Creative Editor Susan R. Opel, gradebook in hand, teachin’ ‘em and reachin’ ‘em.
Last summer, while visiting my parents in Michigan, I had the chance to pop into Valley Lutheran High School (my alma mater). What a treat it was to run into Dr. John Brandt, my high school American history teacher! He took an interest in my family connections to the Hatfields and McCoys that came out in a project I did for the class. A few years back, he even sent me a handwritten note. It meant so much to be able to say thank you in person 25 (gasp) years later.
One of my favorite high school teachers and me in 2012.
Our newest special issue, 350 Cards & Gifts, has plenty of ideas to thank a teacher for his or her dedication. Take a look at this TOTALLY adorable pencil box by Heather Campbell. What a sweet way to say thank you to an elementary school teacher. Fill it with pencils or pop in a gift card. She’ll be blown away that you took the time to make something that cute just for her!
Thanks Teacher Gift Box by Heather Campbell
Now there are a lot of pretty cool male teachers in the world who deserve just as much appreciation as the ladies do. This hilarious gift card holder by Karolyn Loncon would be awesome to give to a science or math teacher who made a big difference in your child’s life this year.
Geek is Chic Gift Card Holder by Karolyn Loncon
Many teachers, especially high school teachers, double as inspiring coaches. Another great gift for a male is this sporty box filled with candy that any coach would appreciate!
You’re a Winner Treat Box by Heather Campbell
To help you share your appreciation for all of the teachers in your life (yours or those of your children), you will definitely want to get your hands on this simply amazing issue. Leave a comment telling us what teacher you’d like to thank specifically (and why) and we’ll give away three copies of this issue! Just make sure to leave a comment by Thursday, May 9th at 5 pm MDT.
Teachers ROCK!
P.S. Head over to the Moxie Fab World to experience more of this issue!
Holly Anderson
Starting today, Open Auditions begins for Gallery Idol, season seven! The theme for the Open Auditions round is birthday cards for teens and kids. You may upload up to three cards. Just remember that only one card will get you into the competition.
Once we pick our Top 20, these finalists will participate in weekly challenges where the online viewers will vote for their favorite entry. From the Top 20, we’ll narrow the competition to 15 finalists to 10 to five and finally to our grand prize winner. Shall I spill the beans on our amazing grand prize?
This year, as last year, we’re excited to provide our grand prize winner with a trip to a 2013 Creating Keepsakes scrapbook convention! From Seattle to Jacksonville and Chicago to San Marcos (with many more in between!), the lucky winner will get to choose from a dozen fun locations with class fees, airfare, hotel, and even spending money as part of the $1,000 prize package.
But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves! First, you’ll have to make it through the first round! We will choose twenty winners who will continue on to compete for the grand prize. The twenty winners for the first round of Gallery Idol will win paper and embellishments from the Party Day collection from Crate Paper, their
name added to the exclusive Paper Crafts designer list, and a Gallery Idol Top 20 blog badge!
All other rounds’ prizes will be announced as each round begins, but trust me, they’re worth it! You’ll want to play in this contest!
Will you be our next Gallery Idol?
To participate, post your original designs here between now and May 27th. On Friday May 31st, we’ll announce the top 20 finalists and the next round’s theme. Before you decide to participate, please review our timeline and full rules to make sure you can meet the scheduled requirements.
Season seven is open to all players; however, our international friends will not be eligible to win the prizes unless they have a U.S. shipping address. This is a result of a steep rise in shipping costs. For more details on who can enter and who is eligible to win prizes, check out the official rules. We hope you’ll participate in season 7 of Gallery Idol!
Let the competition begin!
