DT Challenge: Studio Calico album

Hello!!  Today’s challenge is sponsored by Studio Calico.  They gave us these awesome honeycomb journaling albums to work with.  It’s so exciting to see all the different ideas the team came up with to use these albums.   They come unbound so you can do tons of different things with them.

I am not a big journaler but I have been pinning tons of great things.  As a few of you know, we’ve been trying to sell our house and move to NH to build a new home.  But, a few weeks ago we got some disappointing news about our current home value which will delay our plans to move  for a while.  So, I needed some positive motivation so I decided to print out a bunch of good sayings that I’ve pinned and make a little book of happy things for when I need a lift.

I used the Happier and Hello Spring pads to create the binding held together with our exclusive i {stick} papers redline tape.  I used the Nesting Hexagons to create a focal point (popped up on dimensional dots) on the cover, stamped with Paper Smooches Simply Said and Geo-Graphic, stamped in Memento inks and colored with Copics.  I added some KaiserCraft Sparklets for some bling and then some white twill to keep it shut.

Be sure to look at all the other DT projects, including our special guest designer!  It’s a great hop!

• Michele Gross, June's Guest Designer
• Carolyn
• Deb
• Gretchen
• Loretta
• Lori
• Lynn
• Tracy

Now before you rush off…here’s some other news…

The economy may be bad, but IHP is hiring!  We are looking to add a Social Media Coordinator to our payroll.  If you have a passion for social media (and are very knowledgeable about it) and love paper crafting, then please read more about the position here.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

Five Minute Friday: Happy Anniversary

Hello!!!  It’s been a while since I’ve actually done a Five Minute Friday card but here I am!

I needed a quick card for John’s parents’ 40th anniversary and I love the sentiment from Good Gab and wanted to pair it with some hearty things without making it too over the top mushy.  So the What’s Up felt stickers paired with some Konnichiwa paper was perfect!  I stamped the sentiment in Memento ink (have you SEEN the new colors?  LOVE!) and scalloped the edge using my Classic Edges One Edgeabilities (it’s a great assortment of basic edges).  I twisted some ivory silk ribbon and added some bling and that was it!

Thanks for stopping in today, especially if you’re here from Moxie Fab!  I’ll be back Tuesday with our monthly DT Challenge!  Have a great Father’s Day weekend!

June Guest DT: Welcome Michele!

I am so incredibly thrilled to welcome Michele Gross as our June guest designer. 

I adore her CAS style and knew she’d be a perfect fit to help out for a month and I was over the moon when she accepted.  If you somehow haven’t bumped into her in blogland, please be sure to stop over at Studio MSG  and be inspired by her designs.  She also runs the challenge blog CAS-ual Fridays.  I can’t wait to see all the wonderful projects she comes up with this month.  Today is her first one, so please go show her some IHP love! 

Here’s what she said when I asked her a little bit about herself:

“I am a stamper! Nothing makes me happier than pressing a well inked stamp onto card stock, except dressing it up afterwards with ribbon and bling!

I started my blog Studio MSG about 2 1/2 years ago so I could participate in challenges.  I was instantly hooked and soon worked up my nerve to try my hand in the publication arena.  I've been lucky to have several of my cards featured in various publications including Paper Crafts Magazine, and their book The Big Book of Holiday Paper Crafts. 

Creatively speaking, my biggest source of pride to date is my challenge blog CAS-ual Fridays!  I love seeing the amazing clean and simple inspiration that my design team dreams up each week, and the fantastic interpretations the players add to the gallery, all from a simple challenge theme.

When I am not getting inky, I am fully immersed in the world of electric guitars, skateboard parks and wrestling mats thanks to my 2 handsome sons. I married my best friend 15 years ago, I am owned by two very loved Boston Terriers, I think chocolate should be a food group, and I believe there are two seasons- winter and baseball.

I'm so excited to be guest designing at i {heart} papers this month! The store is filled with delightful goodies so I know this is going to be super fun! “

So, welcome Michele!  I’m so happy to have you join us this month!

Thanks for stopping in today! 

Happy Memorial Day weekend + coupon

In honor of West Point graduation (a place very special to my heart and family) and Memorial Day weekend, use the coupon code "goarmy" for 15% off your entire order of $40 or more. And, please put a note if you're a military spouse, active duty or vet so I can throw a little extra gift in your package a an extra thank you. I know firsthand that it's not an easy life. So, thank you. Have a great weekend! (expires Monday 5/28/12)

DT Challenge: Happy Camping (Paper Smooches)

Today’s challenge is brought to you by Paper Smooches!  We’re spotlighting the new Kismet set, Happy Camper.  I decided to use the cute little deer and make my first Christmas card of the year!  I used some PB&J chevron paper for the background and then used a Divine Twine bitty bag, wrapped in red twine as the front gift card holder.  I stamped the deer in Memento brown and colored with Copics and then stamped a holiday greeting from Very Merry Sentiments.  Last touch was the paper piece the little red Rudolph nose and add some red Stickles.
I hope you’ll hop along and see all of the other DT projects.  Here are the links:

• Carolyn
• Deb
• Gretchen
• Loretta
• Lori
• Lynn
• Tracy

But wait…don’t stop there.  READ ON!
Join us for our Spring Cleaning Sale! Beginning today, May 15th through May 19th. Save up to 50% on selected items and as always, free US shipping with your $60 order!

All stamps 15% off! Spellbinders 20% off! Alterables 25% off! Inks (Sorry, Copics are excluded due to the manufacturer's strict pricing rules) 10% off! 12x12 Collection Packs 15% off! 6x6 and 8x8 pads 10% off! Embossing folders 30% off! And much more!  Be sure to check the sale section for all the great deals!

PLUS! Have you heard about IHP's new rewards from the {heart} referral rewards program? If you love IHP and are looking for another reason to spread the word to your friends, you’ll now be rewarded for doing just that! With our new rewards from the {heart}, simply refer a new customer and earn 10% of their first order placed in the form of a gift certificate. Just have them list you in the section at checkout and 10% of their order will be given back to you as a thank you.

Here are the nitty-gritty details: they must list you at time of checkout; rewards are not valid for any past sales and are only valid for their first order -- but you can refer as many people as you like! There is no limit to the rewards you can earn. We appreciate that you love IHP and want to give back when you share the love. Enjoy, and thanks!

Phew…I know that was a lot of info.  Thanks for sticking with it and popping in today.  Have a great day and enjoy the sale!

Shipping alert and Happy (early) Mother’s Day!

Just a quick note to let you know that no orders will be shipping after noon on Friday or on Saturday.  All orders placed after noon EST on Friday will be shipped out on Monday! 

Here’s the card I made for my mother using some of the new Basic Grey PB&J paper, the Cameo stamp from Gourmet Rubber Stamps (stamped in Memento ink, cut out and popped up using dimensional dots on some oval Nesties), a greeting from Simply Sentiments and then some faux suede ruffle ivory ribbon and some Kaiser pearl basics as finishing touches. 

I hope you all have a lovely Mother’s Day!  Thanks for stopping in!  Get those orders in soon if you need them to ship before Friday!

Rewards from the {heart}

In our last newsletter, we put out a call to help you name our new referral rewards program.  We got a lot of great suggestions but the design team voted and decided that Jennifer’s suggestion of “rewards from the {heart"}” was the best one!  I loved it since it fits in nicely with our newsletter name “news from the {heart}.” 

Jennifer wins a $15 gift certificate for her help!  (Please email so we can send your gift!)  Thanks to everyone who took the time to email in suggestions!  (I’ll take this opportunity to remind you to subscribe to our newsletter on the right side of the homepage.  The newsletter is sent 1-2 times a month and contains specials, news and occasionally special opportunities and contests that are not advertised on the blog or Facebook.  Plus, one lucky subscriber is selected each month to win a $10 gift certificate just for reading!)

I also never showed you this card that I made for the amazingly talented Becky Oehlers for her birthday.  A mutual friend of ours and I collaborated to surprise her about a week before her birthday and I showed up at her door for what she thought was their dinner reservations!  She SCREAMED so loudly that I think the whole neighborhood heard her.  It was fantastic.  :)

I used some paper from the Hello Spring pad (loving that!) and used a Bitty Bag to create a pocket to hold a notecard where I stamped the greeting from the Technique Tuesday set, Happy Birthday in Memento Black.  What I didn’t photograph is that I stamped the word find from that set lower on the card and used a Multiliner to circle “SURPRISE”!  I used the Classic Edges One Edgeabilities to cut my scalloped edge and then added some Kaiser Sparklets for bling.  The final touch was some white satin ribbon. 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great weekend!