Paper Wishes Blog

How many of you start your holiday craft making early? Making cards, handmade one-of-a-kind items, wrapping paper and gift tags…all those wonderful things that make the holidays special and take time and care to create? I wish I could say I was way ahead of my craft projects, but the reality is, come November I will be looking for inspiration…and time…to make my handmade gifts, which I love to do.

Well, we here at Paper Wishes are trying to help both with the inspiration and savings for your Christmas crafting projects! We have to thank our Inventory Gal, Phyllis, as she has come up with tons of festive items for our Mom’s Warehouse Sale this week. There are amazing deals on everything from Holiday templates and paper to Dazzles™ and punches. I think it’s a great idea to start shopping now, while there are savings to be had, instead of later in the year when everything is full price!

Christmas Images Punch

Wreath Small Stamp

Poinsettia Silk Flowers

As for inspiration, have you ever checked out the Project Gallery section of the Paper Wishes site? If you go to the main page and click Project Gallery on the top red bar, it will take you to something very special…hundreds of project ideas that are totally searchable! If you search “Christmas” or “holiday”, a kazillion scrapbooking, card making, stamping and album ideas will pop up to inspire your creative spirit…as well as introduce you to new techniques. You can also search for non-holiday related items through the categories listed, so whatever the project, check here and you’re sure to be motivated! Not only do you get a great visual, you get full project instructions to know how to make it!

Christmas Card

Inside Christmas Card

Your gift recipients will be very impressed with you this year! Not only did you save big by shopping early, you made some pretty incredible projects after you got some Paper Wishes inspiration!

The office is fairly quiet with many people out of town at the summer Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show (CHA) in Chicago this week or on vacation. It’s kind of exciting that we’re unveiling 84 new Paper Wishes products at the show…everything from holiday offering of new papers, Dazzles™, Papier Tole and stamps to new templates, paper packs and the Color Me™ Silver papers we showcased during the Stamp Camp Week of Webisodes last week.

Since they’re so great, I just can’t wait…I wanted to share sneak peak at some of what’s to come with one of our new product lines “Steampunk” and one of our new paper packs for holiday scrapbooking and card making, “Vintage Christmas”. Both have coordinating Scrapbooking Dazzles™ and Papier Tole, so creating something special will be oh, so easy! These product will be available at the end of August!

Steampunk Paper Pack

Vintage Christmas Paper Pack

Vintage Christmas Card

Putting up a trade show booth can be cumbersome, so I thought it might be interesting to see a before and after of how it happens…

HOTP Booth Before

HOTP Booth After

It’s lots of work, but fun to see the industry react and get excited about new things!

I also wanted to share that we have a winner for the blog sign-up giveaway!  Sharon, from Colorado, will soon be receiving her very own CraftGeek Roll It! It’s a fun tool to use to create unique borders or even draw…and last week, it was in the Paper Wishes top ten! Customer’s are really liking this one…maybe because it’s fun for all ages! Enjoy, Sharon..when you get it, let us know what you think about it by posting a comment on the blog.

First, I wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS to Diana from Canada…She is the winner of 1st blog contest! Hopefully she lets us know how she’s going to use all those amazing stamping supplies! (They’re on their way, Diana…so enjoy!) I also want to thank all those who submitted a project. I am so impressed with your creativity and efforts! Thanks! Some people asked how do they find out about these kinds of things…well, it’s easy, if you haven’t already…subscribe to my blog! Then you’ll be in the know about all of our fun giveaways and get the latest info on what’s going on here at Paper Wishes….and it’s lots!

I am busy editing project instructions for tomorrow’s Stamp Camp Webiside – Glossy Day . I really want to try one of our new products we’re featuring – the clear embossing powder. I feel like the possibilities are endless…to be able to use any slow drying ink and give it shine and dimension…super cool! Wow, my cards will sparkle! I also like what our designer, Susan, has done with our tiered gift box template and Glossy Color Me™ paper…the blueish color she created using Alcohol Ink and Metallic Silver StazOn® is really fabulous and so original!

Gift Box with Glossy Color Me™ Paper

As for today’s Clear Techniques Webisode, who knew one of the hot products everyone wants to know about is CraftGeek’s decorative roll it. It’s available now and it’s pretty fun to use…you can create borders, a distressed look and even write with it. It can be used with inks or chalk inks, so you can match any scrapbook page or card project you’re working on! Check it out! Bonus! If you subscribe to the blog today and post a comment, you’ll receive a CraftGeek Roll It for yourself!

Page using Roll It

Hope you’re enjoying the Stamp Camp Week of Webisodes and the amazing Super Saver bargains! Those of you battling the heat this week…stay inside and craft away! Don’t forget you’re getting 6 days of Webisodes this week instead of 5.

The sun is shining and it’s all a buzz around here as we begin to film the *Stamp Camp* Week of Webisodes that air next week. Production notes, Paper Wishes supplies all gathered, project samples…and of course wardrobe, hair and makeup. Ha!

Each day has a theme that ties it all together…day one for *Stamp Camp* is a “silver Day”.  Silver you say…yep, silver.  You’ll be happy to know that this webisode launches the new Color Me™ Silver papers.  Yeah!

There are 6 silver designs that work for any paper crafting project…and look fabulous with chalk inks, Smooch inks, Glimmer Mist or whatever ink matches your project! I’ve seen a scrapbook page that really pops when blue and green chalk inks were added to the silver swirls and a few cards that really stand out when pink and aqua were used.  I just love the way you can match whatever photo or embellishment you’re trying to incorporate when you use the Color Me™ papers. Brilliant invention! I can wait to take them home and try all 6 designs!

Card using Color Me™ Papers

Here are some designer tips when using Color Me™:

Rubbing Color Me™ papers with a paper towel after inking helps colors blend together softly.  Using a combination of inkpads and Smooch Spritz is also a great technique to try.

• To prevent the Color Me™ paper from buckling if you spray it with Glimmer Mist, place a few paper towels over it and a heavy book on top until it dries. On small areas such as the tags, you can apply the Glimmer Mist with a paper towel to get a more saturated color without having to waste a lot of ink.

Color Me™ Paper and Glimmer Mist

Time is running out…if you want to win the $85 worth of amazing stamp supplies, attach an image of your project in the comment section of my blog. See the 6/24 post for details…your submission is due by 7/7!!!

Did I mention….First time ever – 6 days of of webisodes for Stamp Camp!  We added Saturday, too!

I mentioned the upcoming *Stamp Camp* Week of Webisodes last week, and we’ve been so focused on getting everything ready, I still have “stamping” on the brain. That said, I wanted to share a cool technique that the design girls showed me this morning for a *Stamp Camp* project that looked super neat…I almost thought it was our Color Me™ papers at first glance.

Embossing…I have all the supplies tucked away at home, but don’t often get them out when stamping something, but I should because I really love the finished look of an embossed stamp -the texture and focus it gives the image. Ann, one of our talented designers, showed me a large stamped image she’d stamped with VersaMark™ ink and then embossed with clear embossing powder…a product we’ll debut during *Stamp Camp*. The swirls she created totally looked like something you’d see on Color Me™ papers, but she placed them exactly where she wanted them on her card. Perfect for an original design especially when she finished it with some Glimmer Mist! I wish I could show you the finished project, it’s gorgeous, but it’s for the webisode. Well okay, just for those that read the blog…I’ll give you a sneak peek…

Sneak Peek - Stamp Camp Card Project

Here are some designer tips when it comes to embossing:

• The combination of glue stick and heat gun can warp the paper, so do the majority of the embossing before the paper is glued to the project.
• For pretty and easy embossed paper or card edges, use the VersaMark™ ink pad directly to the edge of the surface and even the inside, then emboss for an eye-catching finished look.

Embossed Card Edge

On another note, you want to win the $85 worth of amazing stamp supplies, right?? Then don’t wait…we have a giveaway going right now! See the 6/24 post for details…your submission is due by 7/7!!!

Stamp happy!

Being the new girl, it’s pretty impressive to discover the amount of amazing and FREE content you can find on Paper Wishes.com. There is both inspiration and technique for your scrapbooking, card making and paper crafting projects. Wow!

Speaking of WOW, I now know around here that stands for Week of Webisodes. Webisodes are a great way to see Paulette, owner extraordinaire, and Ann, one of our fabulous designers as they demonstrate new products, techniques and project ideas with just a click of a button. Taking that one step further, the Week of Webisodes is a full week of these videos based on a theme.

I’ve been working hard getting the upcoming Week of Webisodes, *Stamp Camp* ready. Looking at new product, talking to the design team about new techniques and putting it all together so it’s ready for your viewing pleasure the week of July 11, 2011. Bonus! I just heard this year *Stamp Camp* airs 6 days instead of 5 – WOWEE!

Lucky you! In anticipation of *Stamp Camp* 2011, I put together an awesome giveaway of some of our favorite stamping supplies, PLUS some fab new products that we will be showcasing during the Week of Webisodes. Over $85 worth of cool stuff!!! All you need to do to enter the give-away is post an image of a project you’ve created using stamping supplies from Paper Wishes. We need your submission by Thursday July 7th. Winner will be drawn at random, Friday July 8, 2011.

Here’s a sneak peak at what you’ll win….notice the new Color Me™ Silver designs?????

Prize Package

Here’s a peek at a few projects that the design team created that inspired me to go home and play with my stamps and inks.

Color Me™ Happy Birthday Card

Cupcake Card

Stamp & Punch Birthday Card

Can’t wait to see your submissions…don’t forget to tell us why you like your design…. You successfully tried a new technique….Favorite new ink pads or stamps….Or you just like it!

Happy stamping!

I am so excited to be the new Marketing girl here at HOTP! December has been so helpful in showing me the ropes and we wish her good luck on her new adventures and upcoming nuptials! She will be missed.

Wow, do I have a lot to learn about all the useful and cool products on the Paper Wishes site. Like the other day, we had a visit from Jenny with Clearsnap, the creators of ColorBox®. Do you know the difference between a pigment and dye ink…and what is best used where?

She explained it like this – mayonnaise. Yes, think mayonnaise. Mayonnaise and pigment ink are about the same consistency. Thick and rich, pigment ink sits on the top of the paper, so that’s why dry times are so slow. How many times have you smudged something because the ink wasn’t dry??? But it’s great for embossing!

Pigment Inks

Card Using Pigment Inks

Dye ink on the other hand, looks, feels and behaves more like water. They’re great for those last minute cards that you forgot to send and need to get in the mail today! The colors are clear and vibrant; they soak right into the project surface and dry in a snap.

Dye Ink

Card Using Dye Ink

And then you have what is called blended ink…one of my all-time favorites – ColorBox® Chalk. Tons of fun colors and they give you the best of both worlds: lush solid colors of pigment and the fast drying of dye inks. They definitely give my projects a more professional, artistic look and really make me look good!

Chalk Inks

Page Using Chalk Inks

One of their products I can’t wait to play around with on my scrapbooking and card projects are the Smooch® inks. What couldn’t you create with these pearlized pigmented gems, packaged in a cute nail polish bottle??? They work great on everything from paper, glass, cardstock, fabric, wood, clay and more! Or better yet inside of our Dazzles™.

Well, it time to get back to work, but I’d love to hear what you think about our products and project ideas and what you’re favorites are..so please let me know…Leave your comments or just say hi!

I love to make jewelry, and have been making holiday gifts and birthday presents for my mom and sisters for years now. The jewelry I was making then was based on beads and chains. I was first introduced to jewelry making with papercrafting supplies with the launch of our Easy Peasy jewelry making books ¬and boy was I hooked!

Vintage Easy Peasy

Pretty & Playful Easy Peasy

The original books came with art and coordinating overlays, so you can collage your jewelry pieces. This is a great look when used with the microscope slides (and the art pieces are designed to fit these versatile sizes!) Simply, sandwich the paper and overlay between two glass pieces, slip into the frame and WOW!

Vintage 1"x3" Slide

Pretty & Playful 1"x1" Slide

The Vintage has been so popular that we reprinted it but, it now has the art and overlay art layered in one paper image. The new style is much easier to work with the glass tiles. Simply, apply a thin layer of crystal lacquer to the back of the tile, place the tile over the cut-out paper art. Let dry, then seal the paper with more lacquer and attach the bail.

The glass tiles are so versatile! So, we wanted to do more and we brought in these beautiful crystals from our friends at Mark Richards, which really sparkle on the tiles! Ann used alcohol inks in most of these projects to color the background and give the crystals an added boost of color. You can also use StazOn® to get a metallic effect.

Large Circle Tile with Crystals

Rectangle Tile with Crystals

What have you done with your papercrafting supplies to make jewelry? Leave me a comment and let me know your ideas!

I love to scrapbook and make cards, but when it comes to birthdays and the holidays I am always looking for fun project ideas that I can make for gifts. Two of my best friends’ birthdays are this month so I have been looking for ideas then low and behold I found some great ideas right under my nose, in the Class in A Box Personal Shopper Kits!

The first project I did was a Felt Dahlia Broach that was shown in the March 2011 kit. This broach is so easy to make and look at the gorgeous results! It’s pretty simple really, it just takes some cutting and a little time. The kit comes with all the patterns you will need for the 3 petal sizes. You will need a hot glue gun to create each petal and then all you have to do is arrange them on the circle base (also a pattern in the kit).

Felt Broach

The next project I did was the Book Journal from the April 2011 kit. This is for my friend who is an avid reader and loves to collect books. I love going to her house because it’s like visiting a library, and I get a book review with each book I borrow! This book journal is round but the idea can be easily adapted to create a square or rectangular journal too. In the kit you’ll get all the art and papers you see here, which makes this so easy to put together!

Cover of Book Journal

Inside Pages of Book Journal

Inside Pages of Book Journal

Inside Pages of Book Journal

And guess what? You can order these past kits to make your own projects! Check out the Class In A Box site to see what else our wonderful designers have created.

We’ve been super busy putting together the Summer Paper Wishes Wrap, and I’m so excited because it’s packed full of 77 brand new tools and products for cardmakers and scrapbookers! And, although this won’t be in the mail until the first week in June, I just have to show you some of my favorite new goodies!

New Punch It Punches from Purple Cows
These versatile punches let you create intricate designs on paper, photos, plastic and even craft foam, perfect for cardmaking and scrapbooking! Punch and emboss borders and patterns easily with the clearly marked guides on every punch.

Spring Punch It

Summer Punch It

Autumn Punch It

Solstice Punch It

Winter Punch It

Check out Susan’s beautiful design, using the Summer Punch It! Doesn’t it look like a lot of detailed work? I talked with Susan and it’s super easy with the Punch It. All you do is cut a square of the adhesive sheet, punch the four corners (aligning the sheet each time) and then punch the four sides¬. She then peeled off the backing from one side of the adhesive, covered in glitter and then pulled the other side of the adhesive off and attached to the card front–how easy and beautiful!

click for instructions

Susan used the double-sided adhesive sheets to add glitter but you could punch the edges of your background paper or the edge of your card front to create a border on your card and scrapbook pages. Or, back with a contrasting paper and create a custom card focal or scrapbook page embellishment.

I am so excited about these punches! They are available at www.PaperWishes.com today, so come check them out!