Kalyn

Peek of the Week 7-15-09

    Hello there! I've been really busy making lots of cards and crafty fun lately, so I'm excited to share this week's Peek of the Week! It was my friend, Laura's birthday last week and she absolutely LOVES cupcakes, so I went into my stash to find the perfect embellishment and designed a card around that. Here it is:

SUPPLIES: Cardstock: (white, pink) Bazzill Basics Paper  Patterned paper: (rainbow stripes) K&Company; (blue) American Crafts  Color medium: (red marker)  Dye ink: (pink) Clearsnap  Sticker: (cupcake) EK Success  Fibers: (orange polka dot ribbon) craft store  Tools: (decorative edge scissors); (threading water edge punch) Fiskars  Adhesive: (foam tape)

It's a pretty simple design, but I really wanted the colors of the cupcake embellishment to pop.

In other news, I signed up for a Twitter account! So, if you have one, follow me and I'll follow you back! :) You can find me here: http://www.twitter.com/paperislove Tweet tweet!

Stay tuned for a brand new spin-off of my Pretty Things post (with a more trend-focused perspective)!

<3,

Kalyn

Pretty Things 7-13-09

    Hi there! I've been wanting to post this inspiration blog for a while now, but I wanted to save up enough goodies to really make a jam-packed post! As usual, this post has 3 sections (fashion, home decor, and paper-crafting) that feature patterns, shapes, motifs, colors, and textures that I find inspiring. I won't blab too much, let's just get to it:

Fashion:

Love this dress from Anthropologie - basic on top, wow on bottom! Not sure which I like more, the bow or the color.

  

Another adorable dress from Anthropologie. The painterly pattern on the top seems to be everywhere now. Sorry that their pictures are kind of blurry.

This Anthro cardigan may not be practical, but I can't get over how gorgeous the draping and ruffles are. It's really so much more than a sweater. It's wearable art, for sure.

  

What a sweet, girly trench from ModCloth.com! Love the bow and ruffles.

 

 

I think the cut and shape of this ModCloth.com dress is so classy and would probably look good on a lot of body types. The soft, floral pattern (with purple, my favorite color) is simply chic.

 

 

This is Anthro's "happy day" bracelet and I think the name perfectly describes it. The colors just scream happiness and I love that the link is decorated with fabric and beads!

This black and white dress is from ModCloth.com. My favorite part of it is the surprise trim at the bottom! It's a great example of how to mix patterns appropriately.

 

The bee motif is showing up everywhere in paper-crafting and it has made its way into fashion! I think the pink, yellow, gold and pearls in these bee earrings from Anthro make them the perfect fancy summer accessory.

 

This American Eagle bikini top has a gorgeous vintage-inspired floral pattern that I wish I could find on some patterned paper! Too bad I don't get to go swimming very much.

This dress is called the "Floating Lotus Dress" from Anthropologie. I think it's so heavenly and I would probably wear it every day if I owned it. The soft, lilac colors, the  flowy fabric, the shape...sigh.

   Owls have been a huge trend in the paper-crafting world for a while now and I just adore this crazy, but beautiful rhinestone ring from Anthropologie.

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a sucker for cardigans and this short-sleeved, belted-waist Anthro cardigan is simply gorgeous. The color choice is really fresh and the bold pattern reminds me of some older American Crafts paper. Love it!

This technically isn't a "fashion" item, but it is a beauty-related item. It's part of Gwen Stefani's first fragrance line and I think the packaging is just adorable! I smelled all of them, but this was my favorite. It has a fruity, coconut smell and I may be adding it to my fragrance collection very soon!

 

Home Decor: 

 

The "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters are just about everywhere now - they even have posters that make fun of them...that's when you know you're famous. But out of all the ones I've seen, this is my favorite. I love anything that has the Union Jack on it (probably because of the semester I spent in London...or maybe it's because of my childhood love of the Spice Girls) or anything that reminds me of classic British culture.

I found this awesome European-inspired pillow at laresident's etsy shop. Love the colors!

The colors in this lightswitch paired with the super-cool mosaic pattern caught my eye at sooz1's etsy shop. I could totally see this in a future craft room.

Wall decals are also everywhere in home decor lately and even though I think it would be hard for me to commit to one design for a long period of time, this is one I think I could live with for a while. I love the whimsy of it! Maybe dandelions will be a motif we see more in the future! This is from Studiojk's etsy shop.

  

I just thought this oven mit was adorable and I can't really resist anything purple and girly! I found it at pyknic's etsy shop.

  

This panda bowl is from ModCloth.com. I just think it's so adorable. It might be for a child, but I could totally see keeping candy in it or displaying it on a wall for fun. :)

This rug is from PBTeen.com and I love the bold, colorful pattern.

  Last, but not least in the home decor section is this gorgeous vintage-inspired table from Pottery Barn  paired with this graphic, yellow rug! So sunny and warm.

 

Paper-Crafting:

Here are my four favorite papers from the brand new Lemonade collection by BasicGrey. I'm always honored to say that I know the genius behind this collection - Celeste Rockwood Jones! She's such an inspiration.

  I'm thrilled that BasicGrey is now adding embellishments to their product lines! These are called "woolies" and I can't wait to get my hands on them. The little snail is my fave in this collection.

Another embellishment BasicGrey has come up with is these journaling sheets called "take notes". These are from the June Bug collection and they're just so vintagey and cute!

  This is one of the best pieces of patterned paper I've seen in a while. I've been waiting for this trendy, flannel/lumberjack-inspired plaid to pop up on paper for a while...and here it is in BasicGrey's June Bug collection!

How cute is this new heat embossing tool from American Crafts? I love that it's pink! If I didn't already have a green one, I'd be getting one of these asap!

AC Thickers are always one of my favorite paper-crafting supplies and I can't wait for this new collection to come out!

These clear stamps will come out in American Crafts' new "Blue Skies" collection. How stinkin' cute is that squirrel?!?

 And for the grand finale, some FLAIR! This is from American Crafts' upcoming "Junior" collection. I love love love it, even for the Rubik's cute alone!

    Hope you enjoyed another Pretty Things post and that you're inspired to do something crafty!

<3,

Kalyn

 

Peek of the Week 7-8-09

    Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fabulous 4th of July! Sorry that it's been a week since I've blogged, but I was trying to keep the Cosmo Cricket post on top for their judging.

    Unfortunately, I found out yesterday that I did not make this year's design team. Even though I knew competition would be stiff (something like 350 people tried out), I was still a little disappointed with the news and had a brief moment of feeling like I was a failure as designer. Luckily, I didn't let that silliness last too long and I snapped back to reality. I just realized that I need more experience and need to be making cards / scrapbook pages in a higher volume to better develop my craft (which I decided involves waking up much earlier than I normally do to get more done - 6:30 am anyone?). 

    All in all, I'm really happy that I tried out because I think it forced me to push myself further and I ended up with what I consider some of my best work yet! I'll definitely give it another go next year because I just adore their products and would really like to be a part of the CC team.

    Before I show the POTW, I want to show you a little peek into my backyard:

Check out these cuties! I call them brother and sister, but I really don't know what they are. The two of them and their mom have been prancing around my backyard all week! We also have a bird's nest with 3 little babies in there and a very curious racoon that I had a staring contest with through my kitchen window over the weekend.  It's like all my favorite patterned paper is coming to life in my backyard! Haha :)

 Here's a close-up of Baby Girl (or so I call her).

Now, on to the real Peek of the Week! I've been wanting to make a card using these little envelopes from Martha Stewart Crafts for the longest time and I finally did it:

SUPPLIES:  Cardstock: (white) Bazzill Basics Paper  Color media: (pink marker) EK Success; (red, blue colored pencils) Crayola  Clear stamp: (flourish) Autumn Leaves  Dye ink: (blue) Clearsnap  Accents: (pink gingham envelope) Martha Stewart Crafts; (pink button) craft store  Fibers: (white floss) DMC  Adhesive: (foam tape)  Tools: (threading water edge punch) Fiskars; (corner rounder punch)

I used colored pencils and a ruler to make my own little notebook paper and snipped off the edge of my threading water scalloped edge punch so that it looked like a regular 3-hole punch piece. It's pretty simple overall. I'll probably send it to a friend :)

<3,

Kalyn

 

Peek of the Week - Cosmo Cricket Design Team

        I'm not the type of person who usually makes an announcement when I'm trying something new, but I'm doing it now! With my Bachelor's degree behind me, and much more time to devote to my crafting, I'm going for something I've always wanted to do.  I'm officially trying out for my first design team!

    Cosmo Cricket has announced their open call for new design team members and asked those who are interested to post their best projects on their blog. So I'm here to do just that. But before I do, I want to say a little bit about this company. Obviously, a lot of people are trying out for this and there is a lot of "blog love" as I call it, floating in cyberspace for Cosmo Cricket.  For me, paper-crafting is a passion and I only work with products and designs that really feed my creative spirit and Cosmo Cricket does that and more!

    Not only are their designs always cutting-edge and on the pulse of the industry's trends (I mean, have you SEEN the Early Bird collection?), but they project such a fun and playful attitude as a company. For example, the bottom of each of their pieces of paper says "Acid Free. Lignin Free. Fat Free. Sugar Free. High in Fiber." I giggle nearly every time I read that. They also have creative ways of telling customers to take a peak at the other side of their double-sided papers by including cute one-liners in the bottom right corner of every page. Some examples: "Look if you must," "Want s'more?", "Over Easy", More jolly by golly"...just to name a few.  These little details convey a sense of joy about their products that they want to share with us, their customers. Cosmo Cricket just has a way of making me smile!

    On a personal note, I'd just like to say that this is the perfect time in my life to grow as an artist and to see where it will take me. No matter what the result of this design team tryout, I will continue giving everything I have to this art form because I truly love it and the joy it brings into my life. Thanks so much for being a part of it!

    So without further ado, I present to you, Cosmo Cricket, and to my fabulous blog friends, my projects, my heart, my soul..a bit dramatic I know, but I'm going with it. :)

 

Here is a card using Mr. Campy that was published in the March/April issue of Paper Crafts magazine.

Another card with the Snorkel line! Love that popsicle!

And another Snorkel card! This line is so beachy and instantly brings me to OCNJ every time I look at it. This card is definitely dedicated to my mom who is a constant lifesaver to me.

Here's a wedding card using the fancy and fabulous Ever After line.

Here's a thank you card using the gorgeous, can't-get-enough-of-it Early Bird line.

And a friend card using Early Bird.

Here's a love card using the Girl Friday line.

Just in time for Saturday a festive July 4th card using the Lil' Man collection.

I can't get enough of the Lil' Man collection! So, so cute!

To check out other Cosmo Cricket projects I've done, click on my album on the right hand side!

Thank you so much, Cosmo Cricket for making products that inspire so many of us to create and for this exciting opportunity to work on your design team.

<3,

Kalyn

Peek of the Week

    Hey everyone! I'm so excited for my second Peek of the Week! But before I show you the card, I have to talk a little bit about the newest special issue from Paper Crafts magazine - Card Creations 7!

    This 164- page  treat has 296 card ideas for every holiday and occasion you could think of. I've looked through it probably 5 times already and still find new cards to ooh and ahh at as I flip through its gorgeous pages. I feel so lucky to be a part of Card Creations 7 and you'll find cards of mine in the Father's Day, Congratulations, and All Occasion sections (my card is actually the first one in the issue!). I highly reommend picking this issue up and getting some instant inspiration! :) You can also check out tons of festivities going on at the Paper Crafts Connection blog and Moxie Fab World blog.

    Okay, on to POTW! I made this card for a woodgrain challenge and really like the way it turned out. It's kind of funky, but it could be used for a valentine or just to tell someone how much they mean to you :)

SUPPLIES:  Cardstock: (kraft) Bazzill Basics Paper  Patterned paper: (Lavish from Eva collection) BasicGrey  Accents: (felt love) Fancy Pants Designs; (assorted buttons) craft store
; (red glitter glue) Ranger Industries  Sticker: (scalloped border sticker from Urban Prairie collection) BasicGrey  Die: (heart) QuicKutz  Fibers: (twine) craft store  Tools: (corner rounder punch); (die cutting machine) QuicKutz

Thanks for visiting my blog and stay tuned for a "Pretty Things" trend report coming soon!

 <3,

Kalyn

Happy Birthday, Mom!

    That's right - today's my mom's birthday! And even though she'd rather not be reminded of it, I couldn't help but show her a little blog love on her special day.

    She's my best friend, my biggest supporter and cheerleader, my role model, my favorite person. I love you, Mom! And of course I show my love best through paper! :) Here's her simple, but festive birthday card:

 

SUPPLIES:  Patterned paper: (Grass from Blue Hill collection) Crate Paper  Color medium: (blue gel pen) Sakura  Accents: (die cut flowers) Crate Paper; (pink, blue glitter glue) Ranger Industries  Dies: (Nutmeg alphabet) QuicKutz  Tools: (die cutting machine) QuicKutz; (decorative edge scissors) EK Success  Adhesive: (foam tape) 

    Make a wish, Mom!

<3,
Kalyn  

So You Think You Can Dance

    Fox’s reality dance show, “So You Think You Can Dance,” has been one of my favorite shows on TV since its second season. It’s now in its 5^th season and still amazes me. This season is only in its second week of the competition, so I suggest you watch it (Wednesdays at 8 EST and Thursdays at 9 EST)!

    Dance is one of my favorite forms of artistic expression and when beautiful choreography is paired with a powerful song, I just lose it. Last week, a couple that I hadn’t really paid much attention to the previous week, Karla and Jonathan, totally stole the show for me and I still tear up watching their dance. They did a contemporary routine to “Falling Slowly” – an Oscar winning song I fell in love with from the movie “Once,” (which you should also check out if you get the chance).

    I hope you enjoy their gorgeous routine and I’ll continue to post my favorites from this season!

<3,

Kalyn

Happy Father's Day!

    Here's wishing all the Dads in our lives a very Happy Father's Day and a huge thanks for being there for us, helping us grow, and giving us their love.

    I did a silly thing and mailed my dad's card before taking a picture of it, but it was a very close rendition of one of my cards in the soon-to-arrive Card Creations 7! (More on this amazing special issue from Paper Crafts later). Here are a few pages from a mini album that I made a few years ago that feature my dear ol' Dad:

    And as if I weren't lucky enough to have an amazing Dad who loves me more than I can probably even imagine, I have a great step-dad who welcomed me into his life with open arms and always does wonderful things for my mom and I.

Happy Father's Day to Daddy and Bill and all the fantastic fathers out there!

 

<3,

Kalyn

Introducing...Peek of the Week!

    Hi friends! As you can see in the title for today's post, I'm starting a new series on my blog called Peek of the Week. I'm always so inspired by Kristina Werner's  Make a Card Monday and Finally Friday videos and thought that I should start my own little weekly craft update every Wednesday. First, I'll tell you a little bit about how I came up with this name:

    I had a very strange, but funny Spanish teacher in ninth grade named Senor Coco (loco Coco as he referred to himself) who always had funny sayings and phrases that I'll never forget. Every Wednesday he would remind us why "Miercoles" was so special - we had made it through two days of school and only had two more to go... it was the "pico de la semana" or the peak of the week. To demonstrate, he would put his hands together to form a mountain top shape with a beaming smile on his face and squeal "PEAK OF THE WEEK!"

    So, when I tried to think about which day to debut a weekly craft project, I thought that Wednesday would be the perfect opportunity to celebrate the middle of the work week with something fun. And since sharing a card that I've made on the PEAK of the week will give you a little PEEK into my world, the name Peek of the Week was born. I wanted to have a little graphic ready to go along with this weekly tradition, but that might have to wait until next week. :)

    My first-ever Peek of the Week (POTW as I may refer to it sometimes) is a card that I made for my friend, Megan, who recently moved to Spain to get her Master's degree and teach English. We've been friends since we were babies and I really miss her being so far away. As you already know, I just purchased the new QuicKutz Reuse die cut set (which includes two globe dies), so I thought sending her some fun snail mail would be the perfect opportunity to use them!

Here it is...

 

 

SUPPLIES:  Cardstock: (white, red) Bazzill Basics Paper  Patterned paper: (blue polka dots) K& Company; (green diamonds) October Afternoon  Color medium: (black, red markers) Sharpie  Accent: (red glitter glue) Ranger Industries  Dies: (globes, Reuse alphabet, heart) QuicKutz  Fibers: (red floss) DMC  Tool: die cutting machine (QuicKutz)  Adhesive: (foam tape)

I hope you enjoyed the Peek of the Week!  Thanks for checking it out :)

<3,

Kalyn

 

New Goodies

    I've been eyeing it up for quite a while and it finally arrived in my mail yesterday with the rest of my Two Peas in a Bucket order ... it's QuicKutz's "Reuse" limited edition gift set complete with alphabet and tons of tree / recycling dies!

    I couldn't resist the sleek and simple design of this alphabet paired with the gorgeous variety of tree dies! The one with the three scalloped rings is my favorite! And this adorable set also comes with a resuable tote bag for groceries!

    So, to celebrate the new arrival of this awesome set, I made a thank you card for my step-sister and her husband who sent me a great graduation gift! Here it is:

SUPPLIES:  Cardstock: (Vanilla, brown, lime green) Bazzill Basics Paper  Patterned paper: (dark green) unknown  Clear stamp: (flourish) Autumn Leaves  Dye ink: (Creamy brown, blue) Clearsnap Color medium: (Brown marker)  Accents: (brown glitter glue, Crystal glitter glue) Ranger Industries  Adhesive: (foam tape)

     You can definitely expect to see many more projects using this adorable set. I can't wait to really dig in and see what I can do with it! :) Well, I'm off to Barnes & Noble to enjoy an afternoon with some friends (and show them the July/August Paper Crafts in person while we're there)!

<3,

Kalyn