Hola May!

5 / 4 / 215 / 4 / 21

Can you believe it’s MAY already?! This year is chugging away. Speaking of chugging…it’s the eve of CINCO DE MAYO and Alma has always been great with celebrations! We have a gaggle of fun new digi images and digi cuts this month. Let’s see how you can use them!

TEQUILA!

The TEQUILA set is one of my faves from way back. But now that it’s a digi set, the possibilities are endless! Those tiki drinks really bring back memories of fun dinner’s in fancy restaurants when I was a kid. Of course, ours held a Shirley Temple and not TEQUILA.

I downloaded the shorter cup image into Silhouette Studio and made it jumbo sized. I separated the pieces so that I could print the cup on brown cardstock, the umbrellas on patterned paper, and the cherry and limes on cardstock as well.

I strung up the cups on jute cord and included flower cutouts and wood beads in between. I glued real paper straws to the back of each cup. This would be such a fun luau decoration!

My second Tequila project popped into my brain…the classic “1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila, FLOOR!” This is what would happen to me with ONE tequila, I’m afraid!

I printed TEQUILA and the shot glass, salt/lime, and margarita images onto white cardstock and cut the images using the Silhouette – what a timesaver, considering that I used to cut EVERYTHING with my Xacto blade. I also used my favorite TCP alphabet dies – BIG LITTLE ALPHABET and numbers from the NUMBERS PLATE die to create the sentiment. (Remember – all of these dies are on sale for 40% off right now. That’s a real deal!!)

The images are colored with Copics and the numbers were sponged with Distress Oxide inks. Enamel dots, hemp twine, and a little white gel pen finish it off.

SOMBRERO PENGUIN CUTABLE

I can’t express enough how great these cut files can be! It’s really a whole new world for an old-style stamper like me. I love this fun SOMBRERO PENGUIN CUTABLE image and thought he’d make a great card all on his own. I imported the file into Silhouette Studio and separated by color. I made a copy of the base image and then flipped it horizontally and moved it so that the images were touching right at the edge. I added a small offset border and cut the image out and then folded at the center to create a penguin shaped card.

I cut out all of the parts using cardstock from my scrap bin. What a great way to use this stuff up…you know I’d never just throw it away! The sombrero and his little feet are popped up on foam dots to give him some depth.

Penguin needed something festive so I added a little tassel banner. I wrapped embroidery floss around a little card and then tied the ends and the little band at the tops and then cut in the middle to make two tassels from each wrapping. Then I tied them to a little linen twine and taped the ends to his wings before adding the cutout to the card front. These fit into a regular A2 envelope and off they went in the mail today.

Hopefully I’ve given you just a wee bit of inspiration. Enjoy your CINCO DE MAYO and MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU, TCP fans!

Don’t forget the BIG SALE – going on now!

Spring Bliss Bunnies with Christine

4 / 26 / 214 / 14 / 21

Hello friends. It’s Christine and I’m popping in with a cute pair of cards from The Cat’s Pajamas April Digital Release! Have you heard TCP is going digital? Now there will be a constant supply of adorable designs to play with. It also means a big SALE going on too. More on that at the end of this post.

Today’s designs showcase some cute little bunnies enjoying Spring. I think the paper kind of bunnies are adorable, not so much when they are in my gardens. For this first design I’m using the new Bliss Digi which speaks to my book lover heart. This little dude is perched on a stack of books with a warm cup of coffee and enjoying some reading time. I had the perfect patterned paper to match where I wanted to go with this card from Echo Park called Coffee and Friends. I thought this sheet of patterned cups would be a great pairing to the design.

I’ve coloured the image with Copics to match the tones in the paper.

You can also see that I coloured some flower designs to the coffee cup on the book stack to match the designer paper, and then also added some flowered patterned paper on this great TCP cup and saucer die called Coffee Clatch CutUps Die. Doesn’t it make a great accent for the design?

Just a couple of enamel dots accent the card for fun.

For the next card I’m playing with another new bunny digi called Flutter By.

Here our favourite big-eared bunny is frolicking in the grass hunting butterflies. It’s a great little design to pop a sweet note to a friend.

Colouring is done with Copics in some blue-green and peach and gray shades.

For the background, I used an awesome TCP Stencil, Succulent, and Distress Oxide Ink (Evergreen Bough), and SU’s Blush Blossom ink with my stencil brushes to add the right tones of colour in the background to match the colouring. To anchor the scene I added TCP’s Grass Die that I love so much, as well as a bit of stitched grossgrain ribbon underneath to tie in the colours.

I’ve completed the design with Iridescent Holeless sequins from the TCP store that add a bit of sparkle.

Now, for the SALE news!

Because TCP is going Digital Alma is having a progressive SALE on all in-stock goodies. There are great deals to be had on stamps, dies, stencils and embellies. This month its 30% off! You discount will be applied in your cart. So don’t miss out! Thanks for joining me today!

Sneaky Peek #1— Big Cups & TCPTuesday Challenge

10 / 11 / 1610 / 12 / 16

We’ve been taking a wee break over here at The Cat’s Pajamas, getting our mojo back and enjoying the Summer.

Now, it’s time to show you what we’ve been working on all this time, on this first day of Sneaky Peek Week.

The best way to kick off any day, is with a cup of coffee. So, this set is called “Big Cups”, because that’s where I like my coffee. And, it’s the perfect way to kick off TCPTuesday, with a beverage challenge.

Coffee is my absolute go-to beverage, and tea is what I reach for next, and this set celebrates both. With our favorite Cat and Pooch AND the Penguins, this set comes complete with the sassiest of sayings. This set and the stamps and dies you see featured this week will be available on October 18.

It’s not Friday, yet, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying this cheerful card by Nancy Thomas. She pairs a snoozing Poochie with one of our NEW Dies, our Cups Duos CutUps. This fabulous die set comes with 3 different cups and 3 different inserts giving you even more versatility.

We know that sometimes you just have to get that last drop of coffee before you start your day, and so does our little penguin.

This card by Christine Okken is made even more fun with our NEW Roller CutUps. It’s easy to bring a smile to a face when this penguin rolls down the track.

Julie Elak colors up the rest of the penguin gang for this card. She adds the sentiment and a cup from the NEW Cups Duos CutUps as a finishing touch.

Okay, I know you wanted to get a closer look at Sprinkle before her coffee and here she is. Jessica Rone colors her up fabulously from the top of her curlers to the bottom of her bunny slippers.

I Like Big Cups

Cups Duo CutUps

Roller CutUps

Want to see more of this set? Check out the Special Guest Designer and members of our Cat Pack’s blog for a closer look.

SPECIAL GUEST DESIGNER:

Anita Madden

CAT PACKERS

Nancy Thomas
Christine Okken
Brenda Nakandakari
Wendy McGaffey
Julie Elak
Jessica Rone

Are you IN IT TO WIN IT? For a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to The Cat’s Pajamas store, leave a comment on each of the Designer’s Sneak Peek posts, including The Cat’s Pajamas blog. Each day, a winner will be randomly drawn and will be announced on the TCP Facebook Page and this blog the following day.

Want to join in on the TCPTuesday Beverage Challenge?

Here are the details:

Every other Tuesday a new challenge will be posted on The Cat’s Pajamas blog and our Facebook page.
If you want to play along you just upload your design to The Cat’s Pajamas blog page using the InLinkz button by the Monday, 11:55 EDT before the next challenge.
You are not required to use a Cat’s Pajamas stamp or die but if you have them we would love to see them.
On the following TCP Tuesday, the winner will be chosen from the previous challenge and will receive a Cat Cash Voucher for $10 or $15 if a TCP product is used.

The winner of TCPTUES324 is KTDesigns. Please contact alma (admin at thecatspajamasrs dot com) to claim your $10 gift voucher. Congrats!

Link your entry here.

An InLinkz Link-up

Sneaky Peek #7 — Spotlight on CutUps

11 / 16 / 1511 / 16 / 15

It’s the final day of Sneaky Peek Week! Just one more sleep and our NEW Release will be available for purchase.

We’ve shown you peeks at our 6 stamp sets, so we thought we’d take this day to spotlight the CutUps Dies that will also be releasing. These dies were so fun to work on and The Cat Pack did such a great job making cards with them. So let’s get started.

Christine Okken uses a sentiment from Joy to the World for her card. She watercolored the leaves and the lacy Poinsettias for a beautiful card. When you order the Poinsettias CutUps Dies you get a large and small solid and lacy Poinsettia for a total of 4 dies, so you can use them separately or together. Did I mention this card is beautiful?

Brenda Nakandakari uses the sentiment from the NEW Wreath Building Kit, and adorns the NEW Grapevine Wreath with the NEW Leaves CutUps. The Leaves CutUps are FREE with any purchase of $65 or more.

Wendy McGaffey‘s card is just as sweet as a peppermint stick. The Grapevine Wreath starts as her base then she tops it with the sentiment and scroll from the NEW Wreath Building Kit. Then she layers up the solid Poinsettias and the Leaf CutUps to complete this festive card

June Swart’s classic card is simple as it is elegant. She uses the NEW Easy Stitched Bow CutUps, and the NEW Leaves CutUps to cut paper that give this Grapevine Wreath a bit of bling without going over the top. Then, she stamps a sentiment from the NEW Wreath Building Kit. Just a wonderful card.

Nancy Thomas cuts the Grapevine Wreath from gold and embellishes it with white and gold Poinsettias. A sparkly leaf finishes off this festive wreath. Absolutely Stunning.

Want to see more? Check out these Cat Packers, and our Swanky Stamper for their take on this set.

Nancy Thomas
Brenda Nakandakari
Wendy McGaffey
Christine Okken
Julie Elak
June Swart

After you hit their blogs, join us for our release party on our Facebook Page for more Sneaky Peeks and giveaways.

Easy Stitched Bow

Leaves

Poinsettias

Grapevine Wreath

Win A $10 Gift Voucher or Stamp Set

Just comment on the Cat Pack, Swanky Stamper, and Guest Designers blogs each day and you could win this stamp set or a $10 Gift Voucher to purchase any of the products or a stamp set you see this week.

After you comment, check our Facebook page to see if you’ve won. We chose a winner at random each day.

Click Here To See If You’ve Won

Sneaky Peek— Day #7

7 / 27 / 157 / 27 / 15

It’s Day 7 of Sneaky Peek Week and I can’t believe how fast this week has gone. There have been so many great stamps and dies, don’t you think. And, The Cat Pack has outdone themselves. AGAIN.

The past week the focus has been on the great stamp sets in this release, so today I thought we’d focus on the great dies and Cutables that are coming your way.

Remember the stamp sets, dies and Cutables we are peeking this week will be available for purchase today at 9:00pm pacific.

Now onto the cards.

First up is Lisa Henke‘s card. And, it’s a beaut! She uses the NEW County Fair CutUps with the NEW Simply Stacked Sentiments. What’s great about the County Fair Die is that it draws attention to whatever is in its borders. This CutUps is made for Paper Piecing. The grass “grows” at the bottom and the pennants flutter across. We give you two stitched pennants, to make personalizing the banner easier. And a sun (not shown) just in case you want to make it a sunny day.

And, what’s this? This is one of the Cutables that will be releasing this time around. It’s called the PopUp Slider card. Here, Nancy Thomas gives you a peek at what’s hiding under that flap.

Just a quick tug on the tag and the Sock Monkey is revealed and the “Show Me the Monkey” sentiment pops up to the surprise and delight of the recipient. This card has lots of potential. You can stamp the top of the tag or add a greeting. Make a sentiment pop or an image. It’s up to you. Tuck the tag back in and the flap lies flat for mailing. Brilliant.

Here’s a closer look at how the card pops up

Wendy McGaffey monkeys around with two of our NEW dies, the Sock Monkey and our Birthday Balloons. Her card is bold and graphic and uses no stamps, but certainly makes a statement. It’s easy to paper piece the monkey and our Birthday Balloons are all separate dies so that you can die cut the balloons on the front of your card, or create diecuts, like Wendy does here.

Want a card that demands attention? Tammy Hershberger mixes the sentiment from our NEW “Stoked” set with an older image from our Fun in the Sun set. With that much color in the paper, all you need is a bold image to make it sing.

And, here is the inside. She uses the NEW Long, Tall PopUp to create the scene. The bunny is standing tall on a wave like the Big Kahuna. Her wave is cut using the Wavy Stitched Border and the Stitched Clouds really make this card pop even more.

I hope you’ve liked Sneaky Peek Week and the daily hops. Let us know by leaving a comment on The Cat Pack’s blogs below and on this one. We are giving away a $10 Gift Voucher each day of Sneaky Peek Week picked randomly from the comments left . You could win a $10 Gift Voucher just by leaving a comment.

Nancy Thomas
Wendy McGaffey
Lisa Henke
Tammy Hershberger

We will announce the randomly chosen winners daily on our Facebook Page. Just look for this graphic.

Don’t forget our Pajamas Party on our Facebook page. We’ll show you even more cards and projects and give away more gift vouchers. And, you never know, there might be a surprise at the end.

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow. We’ll have our final Release Day Blog Hop and kick off our Summer Customer Blog Hop where you could win a $50 gift voucher.

Stoked

Simply Stacked Sentiments

Show Me The Monkey

County Fair

Long, Tall, Popup

Sock Monkey

Happy Birthday Balloons