Happy New Year - a look back at 2018

Sending You Comfort

Its almost time to ring in a new year! Hard to believe that 2019 is here already! 

I thought it would be fun to look back on a few of my favorite projects for the year. Underneath each photo, I will share a link to the original post. So if you want to learn more, or are interested in the products used, you can find it quickly and easily.

This first card may possibly be my favorite of the year. Reason being is, I envisioned this card quite a long time ago. Then, I was able to bring it to life, not only by creating it, but also using products that I designed! Once again releasing products with Papertrey Ink has been quite surreal! Its a huge learning curve each and every time. I am grateful for the challenge. But most of all, I am beyond thrilled when I see someone else using my products. Its indescribable really. Thank you for wanting to use the products that start as a crazy idea in my head. It truly is sharing a piece of yourself with the world when you design products. Thank you for encouraging me with your purchases!

Thank you - Color Block Stencils

More craziness from inside my head. When I designed Color Block Stencils, I wanted the creation of a trendy, yet timeless, color blocked background to be simple. These stencils allow you to ink unique backgrounds easily, as they line up with the outside of a standard A2 card.

You Are The Best - Bold Basics

Bold Basics was a stamp set that I also designed to work with Color Block Stencils. How elegant is this card when paired with florals?! The color combinations are endless. From girly to a card for the guys, I am very proud of the stencils!

Love Word Die

This Love Word die is another one of my designs, but this carries an even larger piece of me as that is my very own handlettering! I was writing the word for a lettering challenge and Jennifer McGuire saw it and said she NEEDED it as a die! After I picked myself up off the floor, of COURSE I made it into a die! :D 

While this word die was released for the wedding season, with Valentine's Day approaching, I will be taking it out again!! For a video tutorial on this die and all the creative ways you can use it click here: 10 Ways to Be Creative with Die Cut Words

7 Unique Ways to Use a Stencil for Card Making

This card is on the top of my favorites list for sure! Colored pencils combined with a beautiful stencil from Gina K Designs! Stencils are a personal favorite tool for me. So much so, that I created a video tutorial showing you: 

7 Unique Ways to Use a Stencil for Card Making

Hello Friend

This card started my obsession with a fall color palette. It was inspired by a floral arrangement I saw at Michael's. Fresh and trendy, I continued to be head-over-heels for it for months! The gorgeous image from Gina K Designs didn't hurt things either. Also, pop over to the blog post and check out how an accident made a lovely accent on this card! 

Hello Friend

My favorite fall color palette paired up with a Die Kit of the Month from Spellbinders on this card. Along with sneaking in my own Color Block Stencils. I still love gold...

You're All Write

More Spellbinders fun, along with Pebbles. Pebbles has this sweet aesthetic that always calls to me. I guess you could say it is my happy place for supplies! 

Palm Beach Layout

I had to share a layout for this year. I still love taking photos. So much. But, I often forget to share them. This layout was of a trip my husband and I took in February. My husband was a finalist for Engineer of the Year at his company. It was an impressive feat as there are over 6,000 engineers in his company! We were taken on an all-expenses paid trip to Palm Beach, Florida. However, our first trip alone in over 8 years was quickly ruined as we both came down with Influenza A. We spent the time in bed with Tylenol, in a stunning hotel, on the ocean. Glad I was able to capture a few lovely shots of the scenery before it all hit!

At least we were together...

Mail It Monday 

Mail It Monday moved itself over to Instagram and the community has grown immensely! There are over 1400 card-mailers joining in each week! Encouraging one another to mail cards. We share card drives for those needing extra love. Friendships have been formed. Small groups of card exchanges have begun. Its been so wonderful to watch how it grows. We would love for you to join in as well! Find Mail It Monday on Instagram. And if you want to become involved, simply post with the hashtag #mailitmonday. Your post will remind people to send love, send cards.

Pockets Full of Thanks

Once again, I want to end this year full of thanks and gratitude. Thank you for continuing to visit me here and on Instagram and on YouTube. Thank you for the comments, emails, and messages. I love them all---from kind comments to questions! Thank you for purchasing items through my affiliate links.When you click, you sent a small amount of money back my way. Those purchases help pay for swim lessons, tuba lessons, bass guitar lessons, and more. Being able to help my family in this way means so very much to me! I would hug you, if I could! Thank you for continuing to love the paper crafting industry. For supporting all the small businesses run by moms like me. Thank you for buying my stamps and dies as well! Thank you friends, thank you from the very bottom of my heart. Hey, from the very tips of my toes!

Happiest of New Years to you and yours! May 2019 be full of more happiness than sadness, more love than loss, and more wonderful moments of life!

Sincerely Yours,

All supplies are linked in the original posts. Thank you!

Rubeena's Crafting Anniversary Blog Hop DAY TWO + Giveaways

"Welcome to Rubeena’s Crafting Anniversary 2-Day Blog Hop! This hop is epic with more than 70 guests and over $1,000 in sponsored prizes! Not only are we celebrating four years since Rubeena first discovered card-making but also crafting in general. This industry is made up of wonderful individuals who are creative, inspirational, kind, and incredibly supportive! Hop along so you can learn about why we create and how much joy it brings us!"

It is always wonderful to support one another in this wonderful hobby! This hop is full of fabulous crafters and fabulous prizes and I am tickled to be a part of it! You should have arrived here from Taheerah Atchia's blog! If you are just joining in, head back to Rubeena's blog for a complete list of people for both days! 

This color palette has become my fall obsession. You know what? It honestly makes card-making that much easier, because there is no need to think about colors, just use them in different ways. Plus, I love how this gorgeous floral image from Gina K Designs can look like fall with a use of color!

After heat embossing the image with copper embossing powder, I began to ink the background with Distress Oxide Inks. You need these inks. Truly. I never get too excited about products, but these are fantastic! Smooth, with a soft finish, plus all the good properties about dry inks also!

Once the background was inked, I used a water brush and lifted the color off the inside of the image. It helped make it pop off the background, but kept it all monochromatic and subtle.

When I put my cardstock panel down to ink it, I used some Therm O Web purple tape. Of course the ink didn't go under there, so I had some white spots left. I originally had planned on cutting the edges away, but when I saw the look, I decided to embrace it. The background looked like it had come off some artist's palette. Something about it spoke to me. To tie the image with those edges, I found some washi tape with a similiar floral motif and the same metallic color. I love it. Would you ever try that?

Thanks for popping in friends! If you would like a closer look at this card, and its coordinating envelope, visit me on Instagram. You can find me @kimberlystamps or by using the link on the right side of my blog. 

Now the REALLY good stuff:

In celebration of this anniversary, we have several amazing sponsors. Let’s thank them for their generosity! Winners will be randomly selected from comments left on all the blogs. The winners will be announced by Wednesday, September 5 on this page. Winners will have up to 2 weeks to contact Rubeena at ararerubycrafts@gmail.com to claim their prize before another winner is selected.

Studio Katia - $50 gift card

Hello Bluebird - $50 gift card

Altenew - $50 Gift card

Pinkfresh Studio - $30 gift card

Gina K. Designs - $50 gift card

Clearly Besotted - £25 gift card

Simon Says Stamp - $25 gift card

Spellbinders Card Kit ($55 value).

Jennifer McGuire - $50 Simon Says Stamp gift card

Winnie & Walter, LLC - $40 gift card

Mama Elephant - $25 gift card

Hero Arts - $25 gift card

Nichol Spohr LLC - Custom-sewn rainbow pencil case filled with brand new Spellbinders dies

Danielle Flynn - $25 Simon Says Stamp gift card

Picket Fence Studios - four $25 gift cards

Ellen Hutson - two $25 gift cards  

Pretty Pink Posh - two $30 gift cards

The Stamp Market - July 2018 Release (estimated $100 value)

Indigojade Art Shop - $50 gift card to Art Prints & Gifts Shop

Flora & Fauna - a 4x6 stamp set

Waffle Flower - $25 gift card

Power Poppy - $50 gift card

After you leave a comment here, hop off to Lisa Hetrick's blog next and continue the eye candy!

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies with affiliate links:

quick teacher gift - emoji sticky notes

We all appreciate teachers and everything they do for our students. We also want to make sure we thank them, but so often its really busy, not allowing us to make a thoughtful gift. Well, this project has you covered. Its quick, easy, you can make the kids help with no worry, its personalized, useful, and thoughtful! WOW! That's a lot of goodness in one tag! :D

For my We R Memory Keepers design team project this week, I needed to make a teacher gift. Being a former teacher, I am all about sharing gifts that can be used and appreciated. These adorable emoji sticky notes are just the ticket! 

Using the new Emoji Punch Board from We R Memory Keepers, I punched out stacks of fun faces and made little sticky note pads. How cute are these?!?! 

A few other tools made quick work of these tags. Because I know teacher's need a little treat, I hung the tags from jars filled with candy. Trust me, it will be appreciated! :D For all the details, how-tos, some FANTASTIC tips, and how to make this gift totally personalized, see the full post on the We R Memory Keepers Blog.

All the best to your kiddos as they head back to school. Thinking of all you moms who dropped your kiddos off at college for the first time. This is always an emotional time of year-for me too. Here is to a wonderful school year everyone!

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies listed with affiliate links: