TCP Tuesday 116

It's Tuesday, so it must be TCP Tuesday.

This week I'm the Hostess with the Mostess and I'm doing a technique challenge. I'm an old gal, so I like the old techniques. And you know what they say? Every thing old is new again.

So I'm challenging you to use Colored Pencils with Mineral Spirits. Yup. What? Colored Pencils and what? Odorless mineral spirits, or Gamsol. This is how we used to color our stuff before Copics came around. Want to know how to do it? Anna Wight, artist and chicken raiser extraordinaire has a little tutorial.

Here's my take on the technique and I used the sketch from Jen's SFYTT.
I just love the Garden Variety Paper Pack from Cosmo Cricket and I thought it would be perfect here. I was too lazy to open the sewing machine so I doodled the "sewing" around the edge with my Inkssentials white pen.

Want to play? You could win $25 in Cat's Cash!

Play along with us and add your own design to your Splitcoast Gallery using keywords TCPTues116 or to your blog and then use the Inlinkz button at the bottom of the post to add your design to this page. You could be eligible to be the next Swanky Stamper of the Month and win 25 smackeroos, that's $25 in Cat's Cash.


Here are the Deets
1. Each a week one of The Cat Pack will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, technique, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
4. Post your design using the Inlink Button at the bottom of this post. Your design must be linked and visible to this blog post to be considered.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. Only designs posted to this blog post will be considered for the Swanky Stamper.
8. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

Welcome Back, Carole!

This has been a really terrific month for The Cat's Pajamas. There are so many exciting things in the works, I've been just bursting with news. Most of which I can't say anything about. Just. Yet. ;)

One of the MOST exciting things that I CAN tell you about is the return of one of The Cat's Pajamas beloved Cat Packers.
Carole Burrage.

Carole has been a talented Designer, a Creative Director, a Copyrighter, a Muse and a great friend to The Cat's Pajamas off and on for several years now. Right now, I am happy to say she is back on.

The gal's a spark plug. A firecracker. And live wire. You never know what is going to come out of her mouth. Or her head.

I, personally, can't wait. Carole Burrage. Welcome back to the pack.

Thank You!

UPDATE: I made an evening run to the P.O to get the last of the sale orders out. So you should be getting your orders pretty soon, if you haven't gotten them yet. Oh wait, is that the sound of your mailman coming?

Just wanted to give you a quick update on the orders placed during the sale.

I am happy to say that except for a handful of orders placed on the last day of the sale, the majority have been mailed, or are waiting patiently for my mailperson to pick them up.

Thank you so much for ordering during the sale. I am happy to write a nice sized check to The Liles family.

TCP Tuesday 115

It's Tuesday, so it must be TCP Tuesday.

But before I jump in and start TCP Tuesday, I want to thank everyone who participated in the SALE this last weekend to benefit the Liles family. And though the SALE may be over the Liles still need your help. You can donate through Susan's blog

So many people commented in their orders, or spoke their support by purchasing, that I found myself blubbering while entering the orders. And, since I'm a natural blubberer, it was a never ending cycle. Thank you! I am overwhelmed by Stampers and the Stamping community and I know that MFT and Verve Stamps are too. So while I fill orders and blubber in the corner......

TCP Tuesday.

Toni is our Hostess with the Mostess for this challenge, and she has an inspirational challenge for all of us. She wants you to use this photo and design something inspired by it. So pretty. Love the greens in this. It just right for summer.

Want to play? Just use Toni's picture as a jumping off point and go for it. You could win $25 in Cat's Cash!

Play along with us and add your own design to your Splitcoast Gallery using keywords TCPTues115 or to your blog and then use the Inlinkz button at the bottom of the post to add your design to this page. You could be eligible to be the next Swanky Stamper of the Month and win 25 smackeroos, that's $25 in Cat's Cash.


Here are the Deets
1. Each a week one of The Cat Pack will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, technique, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
4. Post your design using the Inlink Button at the bottom of this post. Your design must be linked and visible to this blog post to be considered.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. Only designs posted to this blog post will be considered for the Swanky Stamper.
8. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

The Cat's Pajamas, Verve Stamps, and My Favorite Things have banded together in a fund-raising effort that also benefits YOU!

By shopping at The Cat's Pajamas, Verve Stamps , and/or My Favorite Things you can save 10% now through Sunday, June 20th.

In addition, our three Companies are donating a portion of the proceeds for the next three days directly to Susan and Eric so they can devote their energy and time toward healing and caring for their children and not worrying about how to pay for rising medical bills.

The The Cat's Pajamas Deets:
No code is needed! Everything in the store is 10% off!

The MFT Deets:
The code for MFT to save 10% is SusieQ. You'll enter it at checkout in the promo/discount code field and click redeem. It will discount everything on the site, no exclusions!

The Verve Stamps Deets:
Save 10% on all everything Verve, no code needed!

Eric's Fund

Once in a while, someone you don't know in person, someone whose life you get to share through her blog or her art, makes you feel special, by just allowing you a peek into her life. By sharing the brightness of her personality with you.

That person shares so much of herself, giving you crafting tips and bursts of wit that have you spewing over your morning coffee when you eagerly go to her blog each morning, that you feel like you know her, and she you. And that if you saw her on the street, she would give you a warm hug, tuck your arm under hers and take you to lunch at Chili's. She is part of what makes your day special.

This is how I feel about my friend and Design Team Member, Susan Liles. Except I know her. For real. And she is as real as the person you imagine. Smart. Funny. Creative as all get out. Warm. And so willing to give of herself.

Except this time, she needs my help. Your help. Her husband, Eric, has been battling a very aggressive form of cancer for the past few months. He is the bread winner of the family and he is out of sick time at work while he goes through round after round of chemo. And, of course, the medical bills are piling up and figuring out how to pay those bills is something you just shouldn't have to deal with when you are trying to get someone better.

If you are interested and able, donations can be made to them via PayPal using the "Donate" button on her blog. If you would prefer to donate anonymously or have any questions, you may contact Sheila. Every bit helps. Especially your prayers and encouragement!

TCP Tuesday 114

Welcome to the TCP Tuesday! Leigh is the Hostess with the Mostess on this glorious Tuesday.

She's doing a sketch challenge this week and it's just like Leigh, cute and unique! When you get a chance check out her card and check out the other members of The Cat Pack for their take on this cute sketch all this week.

Play along with us and add your own design to your Splitcoast Gallery using keywords TCPTues114 or to your blog and then use the Inlink button at the bottom of the post to add your design to this page. You could be eligible to be the next Swanky Stamper of the Month and win 25 smackeroos, that's $25 in Cat's Cash.

1. Each a week one of The Cat Pack will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, technique, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
4. Post your design using the Inlink Button at the bottom of this post. Your design must be linked and visible to this blog post to be considered.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. Only designs posted to this blog post will be considered for the Swanky Stamper.
8. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

It's Divine!

And it's Twine!

I first saw these spools of Twine months ago and fell in love with the colors. Black Licorice, Aqua, Green Apple, Cherry, Cotton Candy, Orange, Lemon and Oyster.

I knew I had to have every color.
















4 ply, 100% cotton, bio degradable and made in the US. This twine is as yummy as the colors.

So yummy that Martha Stewart featured it in her June 2010 Living Magazine.

We know you'll find a dozen uses for it, and at $15 for a spool of 240 yds, you'll have lots. Check them out here.

Love it or love it?

TCP Tuesday 113

It's Tuesday! And Susan is the Hostess with the Mostess this Tuesday. And her challenge this week is a Stamp Challenge. And this week Susan is challenging you a 'bet. Okay, that's a pun. Susan is challenging you to use one of our alphabet stamps in your project this week.

I have to say that I love our alphabets a lot. They are not too big and not too small, they are jussst right for cardmaking and scrapbooking. And they really have The Cat's Pajamas attitude, too. If you can't find a sentiment you want, these alphabets will help you spell it right out. And with feeling.

So check out Susan's project here. Pretty nifty, right?

Check out the other members of The Cat Pack this week for their take on this stamp challenge.

Just add your own design to your Splitcoast Gallery using keywords TCPTues113 or to your blog and then use the Inlink button at the bottom of the post to add your design to this page. You could be eligible to be the next Swanky Stamper of the Month and win 25 smackeroos, that's $25 in Cat's Cash.

Here are the deets for the challenge.

1. Each a week one of The Cat Pack will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, technique, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
4. Post your design using the Inlink Button at the bottom of this post. Your design must be linked and visible to this blog post to be considered.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. Only designs posted to this blog post will be considered for the Swanky Stamper.
8. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

Project of the Month

I don't know about you, but with graduation season here, I'm are always looking for new ways to wrap a gift card or small gift.

Designed by Jen del Muro and done up in the grad's school colors this Project of the Month is a great bag that will make our gift stand out on that crowded graduation gift table. And it's a purse for goodness sakes. What's not to love? Click here to get the downloadable instructions.

Swanky Stamper of the Month

Julie Masse— Swanky Stamper for June

There is so much about this card that is so very right.

The use of wood in the button and in the paper. The colors of the bear, and the papers. The unexpected use of newsprint (see that "Hello" in the lower right corner?). The bold scallops that echo the wood button. The furriness of the twine. The grass. So many things about this card are so right. So much to love. I guess that's why Julie had to be Swanky Stamper of the Month.

Julie Masse— Swanky Stamper for June