Who's Birthday is it?!

IT'S A PMS BIRTHDAY!

Thats right, this month PMS turns 2!!!! Can you believe it?! Because I sure can't!

And in fact, exactly 2 years ago was the first post on this blog!

My my my how time flies!!!!!

All month long we will be having special happenings in honor of PMS turning 2!

We are starting off today by offering a special digi stamp that at this time is available as digi only (and no, it will not be in the release next month)

Meet... NATALIE (which means birthday by the way!)

Isnt she precious?! Prepare to see her in action on cards soon!

You can purchase her for your very own in honor of Paper Makeup Stamps turning 2

HERE!!!

Also a reminder that we are having a VIP hop to celebrate all the things we love on the 7th!

We are inviting some very special friends to join the design team in the hop so you definitely won't want to miss it! The hop will start at 7am EST on the 7th and as always on our hop days, we will have prizes and other fun things!!! Then we hope you'll join us for a little birthday party chat in our forum at night on the 7th!!! Party will begin at 9pm EST. :D

Makeup Artist Spotlight

Today our spotlight is shining brightly on Senior Makeup Artist, Randee Elsing (Randee's Rendezvous).

During one of Randee's trips to my area, I got to meet her for lunch, she's even sweeter in person!  And the fact that she is clearly a Bears fan weighs HUGELY in her favor ;), lol.  When I asked Randee to choose her favorite PMS creation, this is what she said... "I love this card because it uses one of my favorite fairys, Kirsten, in a unique and different way.  I saw a silhouette image of a dandelion field and this idea just popped into my head - I just love it when your ideas translate to a card just the way you imagine. I think this card just came together beautifully, from the colors to the layout to the sentiment and image - I LOVE it all!"  

Isn't this just stunning?!?  I LOVE everything about that card!!  Here is one of my favorites from Randee

I just love her "out of the box" thinking... isn't this fun?!?!?!!?  This would make an awesome Teen girl party invite.  You know what's next, yup, and Q&A sit down with Randee...

1. When did you get started stamping? It seems like forever, but when I relate it to my pregnancies it dates back to about 12 years ago.  A coworker came into work with a card she made at a SU! party.  I went to her party, had my own, became a demonstrator, discovered SCS, blog world and PMS!!
2. Tell me 5 songs or artists on your iPod right now. I haven't added anything new in quite awhile, actually I've only added the intial play list!  Most of the songs are funky upbeat songs to keep me moving whether it's in the lab, on a walk or on a treadmill.  I've got newer stuff from Usher, Nelly, and JT and older stuff from Salt n Peppa and Rob Base!! 
3. All Stylists have a go to accessory or tool... what's yours?  If I'm not adding actual stitching to a card I always seem to end up grabbing my faux stitching tool (aka tracing wheel)  I love the sublte interest and dimension it adds to cards and layers . 
4. What's your favorite flavor of ice cream? Boring, I know, but my favorite is plain ol' Vanilla.  Love the old-fashioned country churned kind.  Maybe it's because it goes well with soo many other things :0)
5. Where do you find inspiration? I find inspiration everywhere!  Sounds cliche, but it's true.  Blogs, SCS and mags are a big source of inspiration, but catalogs, fabrics, home decor and nature have all inspired me as well.
6. Do you have a favorite technique or style? I love all different styles and techniques and have tried many of them, but I seem to gravitate towards layers and antiquing.  I LOVE pop dots and Ranger distress ink :0)
7. What is your favorite color palette? Bold bright colors!  I love greens and blues and bright orangey reds
8. When your 'mojo' takes a spa day without you, what gets your creative juices flowing again?  I try to find a card I like and CASE it.  Usually I end up tweaking it or trying something new.  Another thing I do is try to come up with something out of very limited supplies or only the supplies right in front of me.  That usually gets me thinking creatively or out of the box.   And finally, I try to think of something unique or different that uses a technique or stamp in a different way.   
9. When you aren't stamping, what do you like to do? I have 3 boys that keep me VERY busy and occupied with their activities.  I love taking morning walks (weather permitting) with my dog - the solitude is lovely.  We have been in a whole house remodel project for 6 years now, but I still like searching for that perfect home accessory or planning and completing the next step in the never-ending project. 
10. Tell us something, not stamping related, about you...   I like to play golf and I am a die-hard Chicago sports fan!!  I've been a Chicago Bears, Blackhawks and Cubs fan for as long as I can remeber (yes even before the Stanley Cup win).  I love dressing up in all the fan wear and going to the games or screaming from the couch! 

Well that's all for now.  You can leave Randee some love here or, better yet head over to her blog, check out her awesomeness and leave her a comment or two there :).

Makeup Artist Spotlight

Today we are shining our spotlight on Makeup Artist Andrea (Crafty Engineering).

When I asked Andrea to pick her favorite PMS creation, this is what she had  to say... "My favorite recent card was one I did as a submission to Paper Crafts Magazine as part of a sketch challenge.  This was the first time I paper-pieced a fairy and I absolutely love it...it took awhile, but it turned out so cool!".

I just LOVE paper piecing!  Here is one of my faves from Andrea's blog...

Such a fun card with fabulous elements!  I just love Andrea's style!!  Well, you know the drill... it's Q&A time, here's what Andrea had to say...

1. When did you get started stamping?  I took a stamping class at a local craft store when I lived in Peoria, IL back in 1997 (I think!).  From that class I started making my Christmas cards, but didn't do much beyond that.  Then we moved back up to Michigan in 2002, I decided to become and Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.  After that, I was completely hooked!  
2. Tell me 5 songs or artists on your iPod right now.  Up until Mother's Day, I wouldn't have been able to answer this question...that is when I finally got an iPod Shuffle.  Anyway, 5 artists on my iPod are (please don't judge!) 1) Kid Rock (kind of my guilty pleasure...but supporting a Detroit area artist), 2) Glee Cast (totally love it...need to get the other volumes), 3) Black Eyed Peas, 4) Fergie, 5) ABBA (hard to get better than Dancing Queen)
3. All Stylists have a go to accessory or tool... what's yours? Wow that is a tough one! Obviously a paper cutter is key to everything, but that is a given right?!  So my go to tool is probably my paper piercer...it is just so useful!  It can be used to obviously pierce holes, but the holes can be decoration in among themselves or to place other embellishments.  Then I also use it to help get paper out of detailed dies, spreading glue in small areas, etc.  Just have to be careful not to poke my finger...it hurts, that thing is sharp!  My go to accessory would probably be ribbon...sometimes it just adds the perfect touch and I have a hard time thinking a card looks complete without some sort of ribbon! 
4. What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough...when I was in High School, my friends and I would eat a tube a cookie dough in an evening!
5. Where do you find inspiration?  I totally find inspiration from all of the amazing bloggers and crafters out there.  My blog reader is full every morning of tons of inspiration!  
6. Do you have a favorite technique or style?  I don't feel I have a set style (maybe I do, but I need someone else to tell me what it is, cuz' I have no idea what it is!), but a favorite technique would probably be paper piecing.  I am not totally confident in my coloring abilities (definitely not up in Katie's League!), so I love to paper piece my images sometimes!  It is fun to color the images with patterns as well as color!  
7. What is your favorite color palette?  Not sure I have a favorite color palette...just depends on my mood.  There usually is either Chocolate Chip or black in there though...they just help to ground the other colors!
8. When your 'mojo' takes a spa day without you, what gets your creative juices flowing again?  Challenges, challenges, and more challenges!  Maybe some new paper or stamps too!  
9. When you aren't stamping, what do you like to do?  I get the joy (and trials) of being a stay-at-home mom, so I am usually playing or caring for my two kids.  I love to walk (actually training to walk a half-marathon in September) and hike (when I am on vacation...not much hiking to be done around where I live!).  My husband of 11 years and I love to travel...we have been all around Europe, the Caribbean, and last year we added a little of Egypt with a little Central America and of course the US for good measure.  I also sing in the Praise Band at my church to fulfill my musical side.
10. Tell us something, not stamping related, about you...  Most people know just based from my blog, but I am a Mechanical Engineer by trade.  I graduated from the University of Michigan (GO BLUE!) with my BS in Mechanical Engineering.  I worked in the engineering field for 10 years before deciding to stay at home once my second child was born.  I never felt like a was a "true" engineer, though, so I am still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up!

Well I hope you've enjoyed getting to Andrea as much as I have (GO BLUE!!!).  Be sure to stop by her blog, you are sure to be inspired by her fabulousness (that absolutely is a word!)... don't forget to leave her some love.

Paper Makeup Artist Fashion Show

It has been far too long since our last Paper Makeup Artist Fashion Show!

Our design team has really had their mojo flowing these past weeks!

Check out some of their recent creations!

A free digital slideshow by Smilebox

Order shipment update

Hello Everyone! Just giving everyone an update on our shipping!

For those who missed the previous message... The southeastern US has been hit by major snow storms that we just arent equipped for. The 9 inches seems piddly to many in the more snowy states, but here we dont have salt trucks, snow plows etc because we just don't get this kind of snow! Unfortunately, all government offices have been closed ALL WEEK due to the snow which would include our post office in my city. Today I believe will be the first day that the post office has been open! WOOHOO! I will be making the trek to take all packages directly to the Post Office.

I am very sorry for the delay on all the orders. It was just out of my control.

Best Wishes everyone!

Release in Review day 2

Holy cow we have snow.... and a lot of it! Especially for the south! A little update... all orders are being processed and packed... but no one will pick them up. hahaha. Our post office was completely closed today due to snow and likely will be tomorrow as well. All order from the release should go out by Wednesday. Sorry for any delays.

And now back to our scheduled post... It's day 2 of our release in review! In case you missed it, you can check out the latest releases here!

Here are some phenomenal samples from the Paper Makeup Artists!

Fiora the Ferrett

Card by Simonne Clay

Cosette
Card by Tina Hale

Sasha
Card by Tangii Crain

Moody for France and the Mon Cheri Card Kit
Card by Lisa Kind

Cosette
Card by Anita Hovey

Billy and Bianca
Card by Maria Gurnsey

Moody for Reading

Bookmark by Shaela Odd

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Release in Review

Today is day 1 of our Release in Review!

In case you missed it, we just had a release on January 7th!

You can catch all of the new releases, including our latest card kit, HERE.

Our Jan/Feb release includes 3 new fairies (1 is only available in the kit), 2 new Moodies, 2 new critters and a fun you combo set! You really should check them out!

And now... here are a few samples from the Paper Makeup Artists!

Moody for France

Card by Jami Bova

Sasha using papers from the Mon Cheri card kit

Card by Ginger Schwerin

Billy & Bianca
Card by Michelle Van Patten

Fiora the Ferrett using papers & embellies from the Mon Cheri Card Kit
Card by Randee Elsing

Card by Katie Cotton

Sending you Love set

Card by Christi Snow

Thats all for today! Be sure to check in tomorrow for more of our release in review!