Allow me to Espresso...

mornin', CHICKENS!  it's Monday, and while Mondays have a bad reputation, they hold a totally different meaning when it comes to Paper Issues!  we have a super fun issue going on right now, and today, it's part TWO of our Creative Team's inspiration! 

today's theme is "Let Me Espresso my Gratitude"... which means you're welcome to submit any NEW or OLD creation that fits the theme, and that can be PRETTY broad...  stuff like COFFEE (!!!), anything for which you're thankful, Thanksgiving (natch!), embellish with coffee-related stuff (have you seen the PaperPOPs in the Paper Issues shop?!), use our free printables and/or cut files (there's a new "Thankful Watercolor" printable available now!)...  make scrapbook pages or cards or anything that fits the theme!

i decided to give a little shout-out to my biffy for the last 15+ years for my page.  he's been a HUGE support through all the crazy stuff going on in my life, he's seen me through a move to New Jersey, a few great losses and job changes, and some very happy moments (there are some going on RIGHT NOW!).  i am totally grateful for my best friend, my Smudge-Paw...

this page uses some awesome papers from Basic Grey's "B-sides" line, Elle's Studio "Joyful", Seven Paper's "Clara" line, plus some goodies from Maggie Holmes' Shine and Pink Paislee's Cedar Lane and Memorandum.  OH!  and mustn't forget the Swag Bag bits!  don't know what a Swag Bag is?  have you been living under a rock?  ;)  CLICK HERE and grab yourself a subscription!

entering this challenge (do it by CLICKING HERE) means you're eligible to win a $20 gift certificate to the Paper Issues shop (and lemme tell ya, it can go a LONG, LONG way, especially when you combine it with a discount!).  you have until December 6th to play along!  just remember that when you link, your entry (blog post, Facebook post, whatever) needs to also link back to us.

so there you have it!  CLICK HERE to check out today's post and see what my teamies did to rock this challenge.  Jennie and Sherri kicked it hard, and have some gorgeous inspiration for you!

and when you win that gift certificate, or decide to shop for some of the new fabulosity in the shop, remember the code!

  

It's a Some Odd Girl costume party hop!

HELLOOOOOOO ODDIES!

It's time for Some Odd Girl's 3rd Annual Trick or Treat Halloween Hop!  WELCOME!

Thank you so much for joining us!  This year we're throwing a costume party and all of the Odd Girls are sharing Halloween costume-themed creations! If you came here from Kristy's blog, you're off to a good start!  If not, just click here to go back to the beginning and make sure you hit all the houses - I mean blogs!

How will the trick or treating work? At every stop along the hop, each Odd Girl will either have a treat for you, or a trick (don't worry! it's a crafty tip, and has nothing to do with house egging!). 

We're not telling who's got tricks and who's got treats! But to be in the running for a treat, you must leave a comment on every blog along the hop. Each person who wins a treat gets a code for $10 of digis in the Some Odd Girl shop!

Here's what I whipped up featuring the gorgeous Super Mae digi - she's an inspiration for ANY girl and I KNOW we all have a heroine like her inside us!  This Halloween, let your superhero woman SHINE!

Some Kelly Purkey paper, some BOLD colour, a handful of mixed sequins, and a strip of washi.  Mae is coloured up with my Prismacolor Pencils, because that's how I roll.  ;)

My little trick for you is this...
Let your papers work for you!  There are SO many awesome designs that may seem really specific but can make your job very easy!  The paper I used for my card was a scene in itself, so all I had to do was add my sentiment and bling it up, and VOILA!  Super Mae is leaping tall buildings in a single bound!

OOOOHHHHH!  But in the spirit of FUN, we do have a little treat for ALL OF YOU!  Use code TRICKORTREAT to get 20% off your entire purchase through the weekend!

Are we ready? Get hopping, leave your comments everywhere, and be inspired! Here is your hop order:

Some Odd Girl blog

The Odd Girl (KRISTY!)

Me

Alexis

Melissa

Katie

Anna

Ellen

Kimberly

Kim

And there you have it! We hop through October 31st at midnight Eastern, and our winners will be announced next week in the newsletter, so if you haven't signed up for it yet, CLICK HERE!  Happy Haunting – I mean HOPPING!

Now go ahead and visit that crazy awesome Alexis chick to see what's up her sleeve.  ;)

Have fun and from all of the Odd Girls, Happy Halloween!

How about THEM apples?! Join us at Paper Issues!

hey there, chickens!  how's things?!  busy in the life of an orange girl, but good busy!  SO busy, in fact, that sometimes i need visual and OBVIOUS reminders of what's on my schedule or it will pass right by...

today, we're sharing Part Two of our current issue at Paper Issues, and our theme this month is "How 'Bout Them Apples?!"...  it's no secret i have a HUGE crush on apples, period.  honeycrisp apples, quite frankly, are the world's most perfect food.

but i digress!  it's ISSUE time!  we kicked off on September 14th and now we're bringing you part two of the Creative Team's projects to inspire you.  play along!  there's a $20 gift certificate to the Paper Issues store up for grabs, and you still have PLENTY of time to join in the fun...  October 11th is your deadline. 

SO.  APPLES!

there's a bunch of super cute new Bella Blvd stuff in the Paper Issues store, and when i got my happy mail, i knew it was perfect for my little health-inspired reminder board!

this little clipboard will serve as my visual slap in the face, telling me that i have an appointment coming up, or that i have to buy more vitamins, or whatever.  and trust me, i NEED those reminders.  :)  the mammogram card is stuck on loosely with an unstickified pop dot, so when it's time to switch out with something else, it will come off easily.  and it hangs on the front of my studio door (so i see it every day!), but since we just showed the house, i didn't think prospective buyers needed to know i'm getting squeezed tomorrow.  ha!

SO!  yes.  current issue.  TONS of inspiration right HERE.  a fabulous prize, with which you can grab a ton of the awesome new stuff recently loaded into the shop.  there is a TON of it.  

and you might want to use this, too...

we're (P)inspiring you again at Paper Issues!

morning, chickens!  hope you're enjoying your weekend, and NOT labouring, because even though that's what it's called, that's not what ANYONE ever has on their agenda for the holiday, right?

well it's (P)inspire Me Monday at Paper Issues, and i'm so excited about the new mood board!  i whipped up this little pretty...

because Pinterest!  how much fun are these images?  what kinds of awesome crafty things can you conjure from the collage?  my choice is probably pretty obvious, and i knew it had to be that way...

omg.  that boy.  he melts my heart!  this picture is from nearly 2 years ago, when he discovered the wonderful view of birds and snow from my bedroom window.  just look at that intent stance!

love him.  seriously.

love his curiosity (he is the stereotypical cat in that regard) and his playful spirit.  

and he's a good boy.  :)

but now you're going to want to CLICK HERE to visit the Paper Issues blog to see what the rest of the Creative Team did with this mood board.  so many interpretations and styles - i love seeing what they all bring to the screen!  and CLICK HERE to visit the Friends & Fans Facebook group so you can add your take on the inspiration to the album, and be up for one of the monthly gift certificates!  

and then when you spend your winnings, use this to save on your whole order.  because i think you're fab. :)

there's a new sketch in town at Paper Issues!

hey chickens!

who doesn't love a sketch?

it's time for a new one at Paper Issues, and this one is based on a sweet and simple page by Lisa Dickinson... 

i used a bunch of the These Are The Days collection from Webster's Pages because holy heck, the color of my Gram's shirt!  not an easy one to match up!  there's some prettiness from the We R Memory Keepers Clearly Posh collection in there, Kaisercraft's Shine Bright, plus alphas from Simple Stories, and some subtle sticker action from Echo Park...  here's my page:

ZOOMs for some details:

THOSE ACETATE PIECES.  and those VELLUMS.  so gorje!

here's our sketch!  

and here's the inspiration from Lisa, created for Elle's Studio.  

CLICK HERE to see all of the inspiration from the Paper Issues Creative Team, and link up under the photo in the Paper Issues {Friends & Fans} group, and you'll be in the running to win one of two gift cards to the Paper Issues shop! 

and, um, there's some seriously HOT new product in the shop.  just sayin'.  remember the code...