Paper Wishes Blog

Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. 2012 is all about NEW, EXCITING and learning a about a new tool or technique! Hope you are all ready! As we are coming into the New Year, a lot is going on around here at HOTP. Our new catalog is about to hit the mail, as some of you might have already gotten one. Also, our new virtual catalog is online…couple weeks before the printed catalogs hit homes.

This catalog is packed with 220 NEW IDEA and 364 NEW ITEMS! I know I can’t believe it myself. I gave some of my co-workers a little homework task, asking them to pick out some of their favorites from the new catalog, along with myself! Let’s take a quick peak at what they choose:

Debbie Samples, Personal Shopper Assistant, favorite picks:

Metal Patera Charms, pg 59

I like the vintage/feminine feel of the charms. I love that they are embossed, but you can still personalize them with words, charms or even a photo. Definitely ordering a set of these.

Wooden Tray – pg 9

I am all about showing off pictures in new, interesting ways. Gives a whole new twist on “Can I show you the latest pictures of the Grandkids”

Epic Tool – pg 28

I am not even sure I understand what all this machine does-(Die cutting, embossing, letter press, printing) but I am willing to learn and fall in love with it!!

Talia Sanderson, Project Specialist & Designer favorite picks:

Two of my favorite things from the new catalog are Teresa’s Folded & Fabulous Cards CD (back cover pg) and the Kaleidoscope Papers (pg 73). Plus, they really make a great pair! Being an avid card maker, it is easy to run out of ideas or reuse the same design over and over. This new CD adds an additional 52 fold ideas to your repertoire, shows you 104 samples, and includes a video of each fold! Such a great selection and a great way to use the new Kaleidoscope Papers! These papers are so fun and well coordinated! One side is more subtle and the other a louder pattern. There is really a scheme to fit any card-making occasion!

Stan Rickert, Buyer favorite pick,

I have so many favorites, but if I had to pick one it would be the Cinch v2 (pg 19) from WeR Memories.

I like it for many reasons, but mainly because it’s a tool…I like tools! They make me feel manly when I’m crafting. Not only is it heavy duty and versatile it’s also super easy to use and will punch through just about any material you want to make a book out of with little effort…Heavy Chipboard, Lighter metals and even thin leather (manly material) You know, because I’m so macho!

* This was also featured on a Weekly Webisode on December 27th, you can check it out today!

Thanks Debbie, Talia and Stan! I love getting all the feedback, from everyone! I’ll be asking more and more questions to all of my co-workers in the future.

Cristina’s Favorite Picks!

Boutique Paper Pack and all the goodies that goes with it. From the ribbons, to the Papier Tole (2 different types), to the Scrapbook Dazzles™…LOVE IT!  Just love all the colors of the set; they are all on pg 9

Boutique Ribbon Set, Floral Boutique Foil Papier Tole, Artful  Boutique Scrapbook Dazzles™ and Postcard Pyramid Papier Tole

9 Draw storage units – Pg 28

Can’t wait to get one of these and decorate it myself. My desk at home can sure use a little added organization, but I just didn’t want to get just a regular “plastic” bin for my desk. And I’ll probably use the Boutique papers to cover it, just it shown in the picture!

I could go on and on, there’s aleast 40 more of my favorites in the catalog! But I’ll cap it to those two items!  I also wanted to mention that Week of Webisodes is coming Jan 9th, first day we will featuring Teresa’s DVD!!!

We want to here from you! Don’t be shy….we want to know your favorite picks are and why they are your favorite!

Thank-you and Enjoy

~ Cristina

I’m sure you are wondering how I would associate eating and crafting. Well there’s a number of reasons, but mostly because #1 I’m a woman and #2 because doesn’t everything revolve around food? LOL I know with all the holiday parties, company parties, programs, lots of “extra” eating will be going on in my household. So thou I’m writing to you about this, this is really (note to self)

9 Helpful Holiday Diet Tips:

1. If no one sees you eat it, it has no calories

2. If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, they cancel each other out

3. If you eat standing up, it doesn’t count!

4. STRESSED is just DESSERTS spelled backwards

5. If you eat the food off someone else’s plate, it doesn’t count

6, Cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breakage cause calorie leakage

7. Food used for medicinal purposes have no calories. This includes: any chocolate used for energy, brandy, cheesecake, and Haagen-Daz Ice Cream

8. When eating with someone else, calories don’t count if you both eat the same amount

9. Movie-related foods are much lower in calories simply because they are a part of the entertainment experience and not part of one’s personal fuel. This includes: Milk Duds, popcorn with butter, Junior Mints, Snickers, and Gummi Bears.

I remember receiving a “thank-you” note from one of our customers. She wrote in to say thank you, for helping her with her diet. When she crafts it keeps her from eating. So it was a win-win situation for her!  Love all of our customers – Here some “food” inspired projects from our fabulous designers:

Happy Birthday to my mom, Lucia! My family is blessed to have such a wonderful mother! Hope you have a wonderful day mom! Love you!!!

Greetings! We are 17 days away from Christmas! Are you ready? LOL I know – I haven’t started either! Well don’t be stressed, sometimes we work better under presser. At least thats what I keep repeating to myself so I don’t go totally crazy! Here’s a funny little recipe, in the “Spirits of the Holidays”!

1 cup water
1 cup of sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups dried fruit
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
lemon juice
nuts
1 gallon whiskey

1. Sample the whiskey to check for quality.
2. Take a large bowl.  Check the whiskey again to be sure it is of the highest quality.
3. Pour one level cup and drink.
4. Repeat.
5. Turn on the electric mixer; beat 1 cup butter in a large, fluffy bowl.
6. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and beat again.
7. Make sure the whiskey is still OK. Cry another tup. Turn off mixer.
8. Break 2 legs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
9. Mix on the turner.
10. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a drewscriver.
11. Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity.
12. Next, sift 2 cups of salt. Or something, Who cares.
13. Check the whiskey.
14. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something.
15. Whatever you can find.
16. Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees.
17. Don’t forget to heat off the turner.
18. Throw the bowl out of the window.
19. Check the whiskey again.
20. Go to bed.

Who the heck likes fruitcake anyway?

In the spirit of the kitchen….some fun things from our catalog all about the kitchen and some projects for more ideas!

Dazzles™, Brads and Kitchen Stamp set! All inspired by our kitchens! This has a great bundled price as well. Makes a nice little gift for someone, or better yet for yourself!

Make fabulous cooking-themed pages, stress-free—and for about a buck a page! This value-packed kit contains all you need to make sweet recipe pages, barbecue or cooking layouts. Because all the high-quality papers and embellishments are designed to coordinate perfectly, you save tons of time.

Vintage postcards! This cool kit from Crafty Secrets contains gorgeous supplies for making antique-style postcards and other papercrafts.   You’ll have 6 large postcard-sized images, 12 smaller images and 18 ivory chipboard pieces to glue them to. You’ll also get a 3”x2.75” set of 10 matching stamps! Create vintage-inspired postcards, artist trading cards, wall hangings, a garland, ornaments, keepsakes, or use them on scrapbook pages and cards.

Cute Little Portfolio designed by LeNae Gerig Click on the image to see how it was created!

Whether you’re making it as a gift or preserving your family recipes, this whimsical book is perfect for holding treasured recipes. The square sarabinder™ is sturdy enough to last through years of handling and use. And all the bright Twitterpated supplies make it cheerful, while the cardstock cut-outs add a nostalgic feeling to the book. Be sure to decorate the dividers and envelopes, too. You’ll enjoy using this book for years to come—and you’ll get all these supplies for less when you purchas the entire set!

Kitchen embellishments! Perfect for recipe books, scrapbooking pages or cards! Click on the pic to find out all the information or to find projects!

Hope you all enjoy your Fruit Cake Happy Holidays!

~ Cristina

Greetings Everyone!

With Christmas right around the corner our lives tend to get a little more hectic…with Christmas shopping, gifts to be made, cupcakes for school, gifts for teachers, Holiday concerts and programs…the list just goes on! I’m here to help, well at least give you a bit of humor relief at the end or beginning or each day! A little letter to Santa…

Dear Santa,

I’ve been a good mom all year. I’ve fed, cleaned, and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor’s office more than my doctor, sold 62 cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground, and figured out how to attach nine patches onto my daughter’s Girl Scout sash with staples and a glue gun.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son’s red crayon on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I’ll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

• I’d like a pair of legs that don’t ache after a day of chasing kids (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don’t flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.  I’d also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.
• If you’re hauling big ticket items this year, I’d like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn’t broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.
• On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, “Yes, Mommy” to boost my parental confidence, along with one potty-trained toddler, two kids who don’t fight, and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.
• I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, “Don’t eat in the living room” and “Take your hands off your brother,” because my voice seems to be just out of my children’s hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.
• And please don’t forget the Playdoh Travel Pack, the stocking stuffer this year for mothers of preschoolers. It comes in three fluorescent colors and is guaranteed to crumble on any carpet making the In-laws’ house seem just like mine.
• If it’s too late to find any of these products, I’d settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.
• Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn’t look so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in his pajamas at midnight.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don’t catch cold.

Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don’t eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always, Mom

So if you’re a mom, well you can relate. If you’re a not…well be nice to YOUR MOM today and everyone other day! Here’s a list of things that I think MOM, would like to have….

Personal Shopper Monthly Club -   Your mom will  have top-quality supplies, easy-to-follow instructions, prompt delivery service and superior customer service. She’ll even have a Personal Shopper Assistant, Debbie, standing by to answer your questions and help you with your membership. Got a question? Just email Debbie (dsamples@hotp.com) and she’ll take care of you right away.

Today as most of you know it is Cyber Monday. Most of us love the convenience of shopping at home without having to deal with all the inconvenience of “shopping” outside. There are plenty of reasons to shop online, most mine revolve around not wanting to take my kids with me, but for some its husbands, boyfriends, significant others…after reading the following I can totally understand why!

I received an email, from my dear friend Sam as her husband has just retired.  She sent it to me in hopes that her husband won’t try any of these himself. It made me actually laugh out Loud (LOL) I had share it, in celebration of CYBER MONDAY!

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against your husband, Mr. Samuel, are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1) June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in other people’s carts when they weren’t looking.

2) July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in House wares to go off at 5-minute intervals. .

3) July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, ‘Code 3 in House wares. Get on it right away’. This caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing management to lose time and costing the company money.

4) August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway.

5) August 14: Moved a ‘CAUTION – WET FLOOR’ sign to a carpeted area.

6) August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told the children shoppers he’d invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children obliged.

7) August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, ‘Why can’t you people just leave me alone?’ EMTs were called.

September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

9) September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

10) October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme.

11) October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his ‘Madonna look’ by using different sizes of funnels.

12) October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled ‘PICK ME PICK ME!’

13) October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed ‘OH NO! IT’S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!’

And last, but not least:

14) October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, ‘Hey! There’s no toilet paper in here.’ One of the clerks passed out.

Thanks again Sam for the email!

Happy Cyber Monday! Don’t forget to use your coupon today, as its the last day to get 20% off your highest priced item. Also, we just added Gift Giving Suggestions! Suggestions from our designers along with Paulette Jarvey! WOW, how great is that? Be sure to check out!

Enjoy Cristina

Cristina’s Favorite Picks!

With the holidays right around the corner – there are some items & some projects that have certainly caught my eye! Believe me it’s a hard thing to choose because there are sooo many wonderful things, but I do have my favorites…let’s get started.

Top Five Projects –

#5 Merci Card – Artful webisode

Stamping is one of my favorite activities because you can stamp on just about anything. I love the versatility of these Artful Collection stamps! Definitely one of my favorite stamps! On this card, I love the color combination along with how Susan has put it all together!

#4 Elegant Christmas Notes book webisode

What a fun project! The Elegant notes are a fun little product. Has given me ideas for using it as shown as the little book, on scrapbook pages or making cards from the notes! Whatever you decide to do – makes for great little starter pages!

#3 Snowflake greeting – Papier Tole II webisode

Love the colors and shiniest of the blue and silver Papier tole. Teresa did a marvelous job creating this beautiful, elegant card!

#2 Bangles webisode

WOW! This bangle is wonderful! I’m so attracted to the crystals. They usually stop me dead in my tracks. I know when I’m walking in the mall, and I walk by something shiny, I definitely have to stop and look! Well no different here. I was on maternity leave and all the projects from the webisodes were put in my office. Guess which one I picked up to oooooo and awwwww? LOL Yep you guess it! My number 2 pick!

#1 Paperblossoms webisode

I’m a flower at heart kinda of girl. When I first arrived here at HOTP/Paper Wishes, this was one of the first webisode that I worked on. Just fell in love with the technique and beauty of these flowers! My number # 1 pick is Paperblossoms.

Top 5 Products!

#5 Large Clear Pail

Endless possibilities! Used for many occasions–Easter, Halloween, Christmas, Mother’s Day…the list goes on and on. If you enter in the item number 750770 at PaperWishes.com, you’ll have many project samples!

#4 Smooch Ink!

A kiss of color! These inks are pearlized and come in a cute nail polish like bottle. Love that you can use these inks on paper, glass, cardstock, fabric, wood, clay and sooo much more! We have at least 10 different colors to chose from, I’m sure you’ll find something to inspire your creativity!

#3 The Enveloper

A must have for all card makers! Crafter’s Companion created this great tool, allowing you to create 9 different sizes of envelopes! Gives you the option to create standard size, mini and dimensional envelopes! Just a great tool to have in your collection!

#2 Black Letter Box Tray

Just love these little boxes! With over 20 compartments you’ll have soo much fun filling them up! Instead of pictures on the walls you can simply decorate these with words, pics, tags! Oh the options are endless!

#1 QuickStik

Definitely a must have for ALL crafters! You can use it to poke out, pick up, and place small items such as glitter, tape, crystals, flowers, beads, buttons, ribbons and more! There’s a detachable double-tipped poker for use on even the smallest objects. Twist the cap to expose the sticky tack to pick up small embellishments and place them on your scrapbook pages and cards with the poker for perfect placement every time!  

Don’t forget to use your 20% off coupon, ends Monday, November 28th! Also, Saturday November 26th is Small Business Saturday! Don’t forget to support your favorite Small business, including Paper Wishes!

Enjoy!
~ Cristina

First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. Now, here’s the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday, the day we support small businesses. On November 26, shop small at your favorite local stores and help fuel the economy. When we all shop small, it will be huge!

SBS helps small business owners create awareness and demand for their products and services during the important holiday shopping opener. It’s also a welcome show of support for small businesses eager to help lead the country out of its protracted recession. In fact, almost 3/4 of small business owners believe they will be the driving force behind a U.S. economic recovery, according to the FEDEX office Sign of the Times national small business survey.

Some things about Paper Wishes and small business. I learned today that we work to purchase from smaller manufactures. This way we can bring you products that you won’t see anywhere else.  Also because we believe that if you help the little companies, you help the economy in so many ways. You might think that Paper Wishes is a huge company just by all the things we do. In fact ,we are a small company; we just like to make sure our customers are well served. When I think of Paper Wishes, I get that whole fuzzy warm feeling! Not just because I work here but because Paulette really cares about all our customers and her employees. So the atmosphere around here is more like having a second family rather then just having a job!

So tell me your experience with small shops. Why do you love to shop smaller stores? What is it that brings you back to small business to purchase?

I know for me it’s about the overall experience as well as the product. If I know I can purchase the same item and get treated like a person rather than a “sale” why wouldn’t I go back to the smaller store to purchase? There are times I feel rushed or like nobody cares enough to come help at a larger store, especially around the holiday season.

We encourage you to shop local! Not only at our website but maybe a copy shop, coffee shop, craft shop, cameras shop and hobby shop! Just remember to shop Saturday, November 26th!

Have a greet weekend!

~ Cristina

Greetings! Hope everyone is having a wonderful week.

November, really? Are you already here? Where did the year go? I’m sure you have all asked yourself those questions, plenty of times! Well as the holidays approach, here at Paper Wishes/HOTP, we’d like to make things easier for you! There are plenty of tips, ideas, new products, inspirations, free classes for you to inspire you! But I’m all about making sure you have all the information that our PaperWishes.com site offers! The site has soooo many wonderful things that you may just have missed something.

If you scroll down to the bottom – you’ll find links to several sites. Some of you might already know about these; however I’d like to show you our 101 sites and why they are important to you!  So let’s get started…

Some of you might enjoy doing Scrapbooking but haven’t entered into the world of card making or stamping. Or vice versa, maybe you’re a card maker but not a scrapbooker! That describes me perfectly. Though I know how to stamp and make cards, I’ve never done a complete page. When I get to the Scrapbook 101 site, it gives me all the tips, tricks and basic instructions that I need. Starting with What is Scrapbooking, projects of the month, articles and free video instructions! I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s easier to see how things are done rather than reading about them.

Of course there is more! Basic Techniques using Chalks, inks, cutting, patterned papers and specialty papers.  Also gives you general information about photos, scrapbook supplies, how to build a page. Don’t forget there are two other 101 sites that have all the information for those crafts as well.

These sites are hidden treasures. I do encourage you to visit each site and poke around and see if there is something for you.  Also, leave us your thoughts and comments, or what you’d like to see on those sites! We are always striving to bring you the greatest in all that we do!

Have a wonderful week!

~ Cristina

Are you ready for Halloween? I don’t like that it’s on a Monday, this year. Makes for a late night for our little people, plus us “big” people as well.  Here in Oregon, I’m sure we have rain in the forecast for tomorrow night. But, oh well it’s a fun night for the kids…and the parents. For those of us taking our kids Trick-or-Treating or to carnivals, and for those parents who have to get up 1000 times to see all the great costumes!

Halloween for my household is a fun time. We didn’t make it to the Pumpkin patch this year, but we will still have some cute photos for some upcoming Scrapbook pages!  I’ve also included some of our designer’s scrapbook pages from our Project Gallery. Please make sure that if ever you are in need of some ideas…you will go there for TONS of inspiration.

Paperwishes has tons of inspiration for Halloween. I know that you may have already purchased your supplies for Halloween, but there might be something you missed! Here are a few items that are some of my favorites from our catalog.

There are so many more projects, ideas and other inspirations to help you finish all those Halloween projects!

Thanks for reading our little blog! Have a wonderful Sunday.

~ Cristina

It’s hard to believe in 62 days, Christmas will be here! Are you feeling a bit panic? Or are you more like me and think I have plenty of time. Then here comes Dec 20^th, and I have still a ton to do! LOL Well it’s a good thing I have Paperwishes.com to help me out this year!

I come from a huge family and we always come together for the holidays…mostly to share our time with each other. We’ve made a decision years ago that Christmas would be more about kids, rather than try to do each over with gifts. However, with a family of crafters we still always find a way to sneak a few gifts here and there. Once we get closer to the holidays, I want to see all of those Holiday Cards that everyone is creating, along with other projects you have created for the Holidays!

The couple of months or so we have been featuring all types of Holiday Fun! From our catalog, to the wrap, to our Week of Webisodes, giving you tons of inspirations for you to gather from and be able to create fabulous projects. Not just Christmas card or scrapbook pages! We have other items, that will help decorate your house, add new décor to your house, help you finish those baking projects, jewelry items…. the list goes on and on! Let’s get started!

Christmas Pail – Looking for cute way to wrap a present? Or just a cute pail to add to your Christmas Décor.

Christmas Tags – so many possibilities with these cute little tags! If you saw Teresa’s Christmas Card Week of Webisodes, you might have noticed these great little guys.  These aren’t just for cards, you can use them to embellish just about anything.

Christmas Ornaments – Did you happen to catch the webisode on Flower Soft? Inside this little Snow globe is the White Flower Soft. Click here to see the webisode featuring Flower Soft. May sure you check out the project gallery to gather more inspiration from all those wonderful projects.

More Ornament Ideas - Susan created this gorgeous etched ornament. You’ll have fun using all these wonderful supplies to make your own glass ornaments for your Christmas tree or to give as gifts. When you’re finished, you’ll have enough materials for additional ornaments, or to use in other projects. And you’ll save money, too!

Papier Tole – Cute & easy Christmas Papier Tole! Create fabulous embellishments for your scrapbook pages and cards with these easy to use papier tole die-cuts. All you do is punch out the images and layer them on your card or other paper crafts using small foam tabs (link) between the layers. This sheet contains 4 different designs with additional accents for inside your cards. No cutting or shaping—just punch and attach! How easy—and delightful. Also, we also featured a webisode on paper tole? Did you catch this one? Click here to watch it now!

Just a few projects to get you started! I also want to remind you that we just finished up with our Holiday Goodies Week of Webisodes! If you missed it, you’ll want to make sure you take the time to watch them, five days of Holiday Goodies! Paulette and Ann each day featured a different project, great for giving them away or (hee-hee) keeping them for yourself! I know I find myself creating things like that all the time, and by the time I’m done I don’t want to give them away! LOL

One last thing I want to mention, if ever you need some inspiration, you’ll always find tons at Paperwishes.com. Some of places you might want to become familiar with (if you haven’t already) is our project gallery, webisode gallery and the project gallery in there, our virtual catalog featuring new projects with every season and last but not least out newsletters – The Scoop and Creative Sparks! Having all of these resources at your fingertips should provide you with fabulous new ideas!

Well, wishing you a great week! Thanks for reading!

~Cristina