NOPE! This time you’re invited to our first on-site, in-person Make and Take in over a year!!! Stop by Paper Anthology between 10am and 5pm on Saturday, July 24th for a FREE Make and Take featuring Hero Arts’ Christmas Robins Stamps and Dies and Buffalo Check Pattern Bold Prints Background; part of Hero’s amazing holiday-themed ShopBox, which you can see while you’re here. Double punches for Bag Ladies; if you’re not currently in that group, consider purchasing a beautiful, reusable Paper Anthology Bag Lady Tote!
Christmas in July has never been more exciting, thanks to the wonderful winter-themed Hero Arts ShopBox, which has just arrived at Paper Anthology! Please note that these products are only available for purchase IN STORE, but you can email elisabeth@paperanthology.com to reserve your favorites! Check out this short video showing the collection:
There are beautiful dies, like this three-part diorama, Looking Glass Winter Forest which lets you make a multi-layer forest landscape with just three easy cuts! Hero Arts never disappoints when it comes to stamps, of course; this sentiment is one of three that are featured in the Christmas Robins stamp set, shown in the top photo from Hero; there’s a coordinating die set available for the Robins, as well.
The Snowy Rooftops Old Prints stamp pairs beautifully with the Elegant Window fancy die; (just imagine HOW MANY ways you could use that window!) the “warm and cozy” sentiment comes from the Christmas Holidays Stamp and Cut set which features two large diecut greetings with shadows (“Happy Holidays” and Merry Christmas“) as well as thirteen smaller sentiments which can be used separately or together.
Slimline cards are still a huge trend and this Slimline Christmas and New Year Cover Plate die lets you make an effortless shaker card… plus… you’ve got those cut-out letters to arrange in any way you like on a second BONUS card!
There are lots more beautiful and useful items, including Holly Berries stamps and coordinating Holly Berries Frame Cuts Die Set…
Christmas Rose stamps and coordinating Christmas Rose Frame Cuts Die Set…
Beautiful Large Snowflakes and Swirls dies…
And a Buffalo Check Pattern Bold Prints Cover Stamp!
To see the entire collection, scroll back up watch the video reveal OR stop by Paper Anthology to see everything in person!
The annual Paper Anthology Christmas Card Swap is always a lot of fun, as well as an amazing source of inspiration. Still working on your own cards? Here are some awesome ideas to spur you on! Cards are in displayed in alphabetical order because there’s no way anyone could choose a “favorite”! ♥ (PS: Want to participate in next year’s swap? Subscribe to the newsletter so you’ll see the sign up –and all other special events– the minute they’re announced!)
We absolutely *LOVE* seeing what our friends are making, and during the Paper Anthology 9th Anniversary Celebration we were treated to a huge helping of incredible eye candy! (Visit the PA FaceBook Page and scroll back a bit to see for yourself!) Michelle DeSaro made some especially inspiring cards; including this amazing cross-stitched Christmas! (Because YES, she really did stamp, diecut and hand stitch that entire jaw-dropping A2-sized Taylored Expressions Buffalo Plaid background!)
This stunning autumnal card has it all: beautiful coloring, just the right amount of inking, and fabulous composition. (Just look at those Sunny Studios Pretty Pumpkins perfectly placed in the “V” of the pennant!)
How lovely is the soft hand-drawn effect attained with Art Impressions’ Watercolor Clay Pot Set? And then the card is finished with elegant details like the punched and rounded corners.
You really need to look at this lovely Christmas card to see how many elements have been cleverly layered: a two-color wreath with sentiment stamped on top; layered onto a doily, with a velvet bow; all of which perfectly match the softly patterned paper and coordinating cardstock, with inked and faux stitched edges.
The mice from Lawn Fawn’s A Creature Was Stirring set are always adorable, but Michelle has made them even cuter by coloring them perfectly and then added plenty of diecut accessories to surround the window on this super-sweet shaker card.
Behold the Tim Holtz Christmas Door, featuring EIGHT new Stampers Anonymous holiday sets! New arrivals include Snarky Cat Christmas,Holiday Scenes, Vintage Holidays and lots more, plus we have some lovely new TH holiday stencils. To make it easier to find all of the above quickly, there’s now a New In Store category, right up top in the online shop, so you can find the “latest and greatest” with just one click. Meanwhile, the Tiles for Miles Class in a Kit has been restocked (in a limited quantity), as has the super-popular Taylored Expressions Tool Tray, just in case you missed either of those the first time. Thanksgiving is next week, so Paper Anthology’s Kenvil store will be closed on Thursday; but open Black Friday 5-9pm and 10-5 on Small Business Saturday. (PS: there might be one or two in-store specials on Friday and Saturday… just sayin’…)
Nothing is more fun and inspiring than seeing what our friends are making, and the cards that were linked up during Paper Anthology’s 9th Anniversary festivities were full of amazing, clever ideas. We highly recommend scrolling through the challenge posts on the PA FaceBook Page, with an emphasis on the “Comments” sections, which is where the cards are posted. Louise Coviello made some especially lovely cards over the weekend, featuring ideas we definitely want to try! For example, her simple pinecone (above) is stamped crisply, using exactly the right colors; and the sentiment reminds us how impressed we were the first time we saw someone heat emboss in gold. The clear droplets are understated, but add texture and sophistication.
How cool is it that the shaker window makes up the entire front of this card? Louise stamped and embossed those pretty trees right on the acetate window, and used a unique and stunning hand painted background within.
This Christmas card is perfectly simple… and simply perfect! The Mandala/Snowflake image with ombre ink behind it stands out beautifully; a glittery sentiment and a few sequins finish it off nicely.
Another “Aha!” moment: Louise’s wreath images are embossed in WHITE and then watercolored… with a subtle greyish-blue accent that’s very eyecatching. A gold sentiment and glittery red Nuvo Drop berries… yes, please!
We’re playing online this week with a weekend long crop at the Paper Anthology Facebook page – come and join us! One of the challenges was to create a Christmas in July card, so I decided to ink up this Dare 2b Artzy stamp that I have been dying to play with. Black embossed, fussy cut, with a few extra petals added for dimension. I added a sentiment with an Impression Obsession die and some gems from Studio Katia. Turns out it’s perfect for the current challenge over at Shopping our Stash as well!
Still 11 days left before this month’s Christmas Card Club and I already have the card designed! This month I channeled all my favorite things – wood, plaid, gingham and a rustic cabin feel. I used Stampers Anonymous “Festive Overlays” set (another favorite thing) for the main image and sentiment. (die cut with Taylored Expressions awesome stitched and scallop sets). The plaid is a Studio 490 background stamp and the woodgrain is a Sizzix 3D embossing folder. My all time favorite May Arts ribbon, some die cuts from Penny Blackj and Elizabeth Crafts, along with a sprinkling of star sequins from Buttons Galore finish it off (not to mention a bunch of distress ink)!
Thanks for stopping by, leave a comment and let me know what you think!
With all the Christmas cards I design throughout the year, you’d think I would have done a Jingle Belles challenge before this! Well, I finally did one, just in time for their Holiday break! The girls at Jingle Belles asked us to “bring them some Figgy pudding” and design a card inspired by festive food! Since Lauren says her favorite holiday treat is Xmas cookies, I decided to make her a plate full!
I used a bunch of Sizzix dies on this one: Stitched circles, Doily and Fresh Baked # 1 and # 2. Sentiment and Frame is from one of my favorite sets from Stampers Anonymous, Simple Saying – CMS155. (If you don’t have this one in your collection, get it – you will reach for it over and over again!) The patterned paper is from the Authentique “Jingle” collection. Oh, and glossy accents – lots of glossy accents.
