Holey Moley Monday!

Why is it?

Why does is always seem that when you have to something, you want to do something else.

This week I've been getting and entering all my receipts and financials together so that I could do my taxes. Yessireee Bob. You heard me — Taxes. Last year's, in fact. But inbetween entering in the cost of cushion and internet costs I found myself doodling. Doodling some pretty good stuff.

This month I'm throwing my big sis a birthday tea. Since I missed the whole pre-wedding shower thing, I'm throwing her a little shindig so that she can pass around the photos and watch the video and the like. It'll be outside in the garden of a former bed and breakfast. And since we are California the weather will still be nice. I'm hoping for a breeze to ruffle the ribbons on the pinwheels that I plan for favors.

So while the numbers in my head are swirling around on paper I'm planning out the invitations. And I realized I have nothing suitable to stamp for the tea. So hence, the doodling. Some lovely things can come from not wanted to do things, I must say. What will I do next year? I've hired an accountant.

Jenn Muraoka

Meet Jenn Muraoka.

She brings a breath of fresh air to the Stamping world—straight from Hawaii. Her blog, Kiyomi Krafts is a whimsical mix of fun, instructional tutorials and wonderful card designs. Want to know how to do something? Check Jenn's blog. She's probably already explained how to do it.

So what makes Jenn tick? Enquiring minds want to know... (And check out some of her wonderful designs as you find out more about her.)

What's your favorite product?
My favorite product is, by far, ribbon. I love the texture ribbon adds to a card. I love the way ribbon can elevate an ordinary card into something spectacular. And I love the beautiful elegance of a satin ribbon. Absolutely Yummy!!!

What's your favorite stamping technique or tip?
I love to emboss, however, I never considered myself an embossing kind of gal. I was in embossing denial, so to speak, until just recently. So now I can admit freely that I LOVE to emboss. Did I mention I love to emboss!?

What got you into stamping?
I was always a crafty girl and loved to do anything that dealt with art. I had rubber stamps around me since I was in high school, but I did not get serious about stamping until February of this year. I remember surfing the internet when I came across a bubbly, amazingly talented stamper by the name of Kristina Werner. I can honestly say that my crafting life has never been the same since that day! =)
How long have you been stamping?
I have dabbled in stamping since I was in high school which was about 18 years ago. Serious stamping ~ just a little over 6 months.

6 MONTHS? Sheesh! She's scary good, no?

Want to see more of Jenn's designs? Check back next Wednesday.

TCP Tuesday!

TCP Tuesday! It's that time again!

Head on over to Leigh's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week and she's hosting a fantabulous sketch challenge. Check out her wonderful card and go and make something.

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the day to see their great cards.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.
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. When uploading to SCS, please use the keyword TCPTUES23 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. 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.

Swanky Stamper

Jen Jordan — Swanky Stamper for September
When going through all the great entries this month, Jen Jordan's card for Toni's Color Challenge seemed to jump up and do a little dance to get my attention. This card is innovative and rolls a ton of different techinques into one POWerful project.

Jen wins $25 in Cat's Cash and the coveted title of Swanky Stamper of the Month for September.

Want to be Swanky Stamper? Can't win if you don't play.

Holey Moley Monday!

TCP Tuesday!

TCP Tuesday! It's that time again!

Head on over to Katie's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week doing a most wonderful Stamp Challenge using one of our cutest stamps. (Well okay, they are all cute) Check out her wonderful card and go and make something.

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the day to see their great cards.

Want a FREE set of stamps? Some of our DT member are giving some away.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.

4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.

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. When uploading to SCS, please use the keyword TCPTUES22 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. 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.

Holey Moley Monday!

Blog Candy

Who wants free stamps? Come on, I know you want some.

Just head over to Katie's blog and enter for tomorrow's giveaway.

That not fitting in your schedule? Check out Leigh's, Toni's. Karrie's, Tracy's and Ana's blogs throughout the week. They just might be giving away a little sugar too.

Sale at My Favorite Things

Thank you all for your kind thoughts regarding my mom and I.

I finally made it to my doctor's appointment yesterday after much fear and anxiety. Since this injury was one I had never had I feared for the worst. What was really scary was the fact that I was in so much pain and was having spasms of pain in my arm when it wasn't even doing anything. Add that to the fact that I wasn't able to lift my arm above my shoulder or even reach behind me to grab my seatbelt worried me. Dislocated shoulder, pulled or torn ligaments, nerve damage all went through my head. So when the doctor pronounced "Bursitis" all brought on by my fevered attempts to have nice arms and shoulders, it was a bit of a relief. And after a quick weigh in the knowlegde of having dropped 10 lbs.

My mom is out of the hospital enjoying watching her TV and bossing my dad around.

And now enough of the health bulletins. And now for happier news. I know you've all been making your rounds to our talents Design Teams members and have been catching sneaky peeks of all the most wonderful stamps coming out this Friday. But I just wanted to let you know about a wonderful SALE that my BSF (Best Stamping Friend) Kim is having at My Favorite Things.

She's actually retiring some of her stamp sets and products at a big giant discount. So if you are looking for a great deal she's got the following items on sale:
Baby First
Build a Bouquet
Bundles of Bouquets
Farm Friends
Hare for the Holidays
Hearts Galore
She's Having a Baby
My Favorite 48 pencil collection

So get on over to My Favorite Things, but remember to save some for Friday's release!

Almost

I've been a bad blogger. What with my mom being in the hospital, my sister's wedding and prepping for the new release on August 29th, the Olympics, I've been have shoulder problems. Since I'm going on the Stamping Cruise, I decided to add some arm exercises to my regular walking and diet plan. These included push ups.

Bad idea. My scrawny (well, fat) arms decided that they didn't want to carry the weight and since then there has been pain. I go to the doctor tomorrow to find out what really has been going on.


So I thought I'd give you a sneaky peek at a wonderful stationery set that Gayle did. I love the colors and her paper selection. It jut screams birthday. And inside? Lots of wonderful stationery to write your thank you notes on. RIIIIIGGGHT! Or to keep and fondle.

Not enough eye candy? Check out this wonderful blog that I discovered and her great video. Okay. I may be a bit partial.

TCP Tuesday!

TCP Tuesday! It's that time again!

Head on over to Toni's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week doing a most wonderful Color Challenge. Orange and Blue. Check out her wonderful card and go and make something.

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the day to see their great cards. And if you look carefully you might even see a sneak peek of our new release coming out at the end of the month.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.

4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.

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. When uploading to SCS, please use the keyword TCPTUES21 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. 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.

TCP Tuesday!

TCP Tuesday!

TCP Tuesday!

TCP Tuesday! It's that time again!

Head on over to Jen's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week having taken over Carole's Inspiration Challenge. It's her birthday tomorrow and that's her inspiration. Check out her wonderful card and go and make something.

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the day to see their great cards. And if you look carefully you might even see a sneak peek of our new release coming out at the end of the month.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.

4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.

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. When uploading to SCS, please use the keyword TCPTUES20 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. 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.

Holey Moley Monday!

How many is too many?

A very smart lady once asked me how I felt when a member of my DT posted cards of other companies who they were DT members of. So, of course, I had to ask another smart lady the same question. She said it was all a matter of balance. A balanced amount of enthusiasm. Ahhhh! That was the answer I was looking for. I like to think of it as balanced love.

But how do the members get that balance? I suppose it's all up to the Designer. Only they know if they can handle being on multiple teams.

I've been asked many a time if, when I am choosing a Design Team member if I consider how many teams they are already on.

And I suppose the answer is yes. When a position does come up on our design team, which is rare, I do look at how many teams a person is on. I also look at if they work full-time. How do they handle that balancing act? Many people can handle being on many teams and giving equal amounts of enthusiam to each company they design for. And I applaud them. I don't know how they do it. I have a hard enough time juggling my own life.

Many companies ask for different things from their members, depending on their needs. One company tends not to know what the other is asking for. Sometimes the companies don't disclose what they expect until the members have accepted and then they are committed. And maybe that one last team was the one that broke the camel's back—upset the balance. Made what was once a wonderful hobby a stressful, whining demand.

I would hate for TCP to be that one that did that.

How many teams do you think is too much?

Paris

Paris Hilton... You gotta love her.
See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

TCP Tuesday!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

TCP Tuesday!

TCP Tuesday! It's that time again!

Head on over to Leigh's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week's Sketch Challenge. Check out her wonderful cards and go and make something.

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the day to see their great cards.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.

4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.

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. When uploading to SCS, please use the keyword TCPTUES19 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. 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.

Holey Moley Monday!

There were lots of players giving us their swanky love with their Christmas in July cards. Don't forget to check in tomorrow for TCP's next challenge.

Swanky Stamper

Tracy Clemente — Swanky Stamper for August

Tracy entered many wonderful projects this month that caught my attention. This one put her over the top. I just love her fun card layout and how she used her punches. And the frosting on the cake? Her masterful paper piecing technique and her placement of all those teeny tiny stars. Yee Haw!

As the reigning Swanky Stamper of the Month Tracy wins $25 in Cat's Cash!

Don't you want to be the next Swanky Stamper? You can only win if you play.

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You don't have to wait until February to make this sweet gift box.
Try swapping out the images for Christmas or Birthday cards. Caaahhhhuuute.

Jen del Muro's Mini Pizza Box can hold everything from cards to chocolate and it's our August Project of the Month. Want to know how to make one?