InStyle Stamps Blog

Happy New Year!

2012-01-07T22:26:00.000-08:00

Hope you had a wonderful holiday! We will be adding new images to the blog this coming week. We have a couple new Chloe's. STAY TUNED!

Have a great weekend!

New images and some news!

2011-10-25T08:12:00.001-07:00

While we get ready for a new chapter with ISS, our website is down. Until we bring it back up with great new products, we are releasing a few new digital images.

The first image to kick things off is one of two new ADIL images. It is called Tea Time. It's a gorgeous scene of a mom and daughter playing together! How cute is that? Our mother and daughter digi sells for $3.00

The next image is a series called 12 Days of Christmas. We've created an image for each of the days in the classic song. There is so much you can do with this set. This lovely Christmas themed set sells for $10.00

And our second ADIL image is called Thanksgiving. Can't you smell the trimmings? This image sells for $3.00

We have provided a drop down feature for the cart for you to take advantage of buying them all or choosing one. You will receive the image once payment is received via email.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Bunch O' Stamp Sale!

2011-10-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Here is the last of our current Anime Rubber Images. This is what's left over from our last production run. We have bundled them into sets of stamps and reduced the price drastically. Each stamp is different, but each set of stamps have some of the same images. So if you wanted to buy 2 sets, you may receive repeat images.

All of our anime stamps are in this package. The 30,29 and 28 stamp sets include some ADIL images.

Because this is a bundled deal, we can't be specific about which stamps are included, but they ARE ALL CHARACTER STAMPS and from our anime line.

Here's the exciting part, the stamps are only $1.00. So for example with the 30 stamp package deal, you'd be buying 22 stamps for $22.00 and getting 8 stamps essentially free! That is an awesome deal. And even if you have all of our stamps, you could always buy them for a friend and get them stamping. These package deals make great birthday and holiday gifts!

We've made it easier to purchase. A buy now button with a drop down menu is located directly on this blog page at the end of this post. $4.95 for shipping has already been added as well. If the shipping is more than $4.95, ISS will cover the remaining amount due.

***PLEASE NOTE***This is only for US residents. If you are interested in having these packages shipped internationally, YOU will be responsible for total shipping costs. Please email us through the contact us button up top and let us know what country you live in. We will get you a shipping quote.

I will be adding our retro/object package deals shortly. There are only a few of each set available so get them while you can. Once they are sold, that is all she wrote. :)

Just to give you an example of what's in a package I have a list of images available in a 30 set:

Loreilei, Laying Down Ava, Father and Kid, Combing Hair Ava, Tiffany the Cheerleader, Nurse Norah, Nico the Ninja, Peggie our Pogo girl, Baby Jayla, Karaoke Ava, Ava Holding Balloons, Birthday Cake Ava, Red Carpet Couple, Christine and Baby Jayla, Kissing Couple (Mitchel and Tiff) Wing Change Ava, Sofie (Scuba girl), Paula (sitting eating chocolate), Isabel (sad on a rock), Banner Ava, Stacey (sky diving), Sam (winter), Lizzie (preppie), Tatiana (tennis girl), Gabrielle (golf girl), Jack the pirate, Frankie (halloween), Katsu (profile head), Nate (cowboy).

That is an absolutely fantastic deal. So make sure you purchase you set today!

Copics for sale

2011-09-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

Closet cleaning part 3. I went through my copic markers and because I bought the refills, I am selling off my duplicate markers. I'm not selling the refills because I will use them lol.

I use to sell them and so that is why I have these duplicates. After I organized them I found out that I had all these extra's. Ha ha bad buyer. :)

The sketches are $2.50 and are used, but in great shape. The ciao's are $1.75 and in great shape as well.

Here is what I have:

SKETCH:

E13
E25 (2)
E27
E29
E44

CIAO:

E00
E11
E21
E47
E50
E51
E53

B23
BG01
BG10
BG23
BG34
BG49

G21

R00
R20
R29
RV34
RV42

YG00
YG95

Send me an email at vvillasenoratinstylestamps.com make sure you take out at and put the @ :)

First come first serve.

CD release Update!

2011-09-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Hope you had a great weekend. I did. I was busy busy working on these cd's. And here is the final information.

There are 12 cd sets. And here are the breakdown of each cd set:

Chloe's - Our 2nd best seller next to the A Day in the Life Series. There are 28 already released images, 3 sets of 3 characters and 12 matching accessories for these sets and 19 brand new images not on the website. That is a total of 62 images.

Price: $21.95

A Day in the Life - Our most popular images. We have also combined it with our Fairy tale set and Gracie and Twirla. There are 35 images total. The ADIL images are scenes and the fairy tales are also.

Price: $21.95

Breast Cancer - Our breast cancer images are unique. There are 14 images and one brand new kid set with 2 kid characters.

Price: $12.95

Brand New - This is a set of never seen images. There are is a set called the 12 days of Christmas which include each of the days of the song. There is a costume set of anime girls from around the world. There are 3 brand new A Day in the Life images and lot's of other stuff. There are a total of 79 images

Price: $39.95

Everday Anime - These are all of our anime images. There are a total of 106.

Price $45.95

Patty - We have 6 sets of Patty (total of 36 images). A couple of sets have not been released yet.

Price $21.95

Objects - There are a total of 109 objects.

Price $45.95

Recipe - There are a total of 18 recipe related images.

$15.95

Retro - There are 67 retro images included our beach, band and kid collection.

Price $27.95

Nature - There are 118 images from birdhouses, to animals and butterflies.

Price $45.95

Holiday - Just in time for Halloween, there are 69 images.

Price $27.95

Ava's/Kylah's - Our fairy collection has 13 images.

Price $10.95

There are no duplicate images on any of these cd's. They are high quality and print fantastic.

Discounts are as follows:

1 cd full price
3 cd's 15% off
6 cd's 25% off
9 cd's 35% off
12 cd's 50% off that is all 732 images for only $169.70. Awesome deal!

First class shipping is included with each cd.

I will have the first 10 sets of the 12 cd's back from the duplication company in 7 days. The remaining sets won't be back until the 2nd week of October. If you would like to pre-order your set(s) please email me at vvillasenor@ instylestamps dot com. Make sure you remove the spaces and type in the . where it goes.

I'm working on adding a collection of the images for the cd sets so please be patient with me.

Round 2 cleaning out my Scrap Studio

2011-09-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Here is the 2nd round of scrap supplies I'm going to be selling. Yes I will ship internationally, of course you will pay for shipping. Items will either ship first class or priority your choice. First come first serve.

Here is what I have:

Paper Pad Packs- Each one has 36 sheets

Basic Grey Wander Paper pad Packs (1) $2.00
Imaginisce Enchanted Collection (1) $2.00
Bo Bunny iCandy Brads 24 pieces total Brand New Sadie (1)$1.50

Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Brand New in wrapper
Frayed Burlap (1) $2.00
Broken China (2) $2.00 each
Antique Linen (1) $2.00
Fired Brick (1) $2.00
Mustard Seed (3) $2.00 each
Peeled Paint (2) $2.00 each
Tattered Rose (2) $2.00 each

Stampin' Up Craft Pads New in the wrapper

Gable Green (1) $2.00

Stampin' Up Craft Pads Used (once, twice at the most)

Pale Plum (1) $1.00
Summer Sun (1) $1.00
Bashful Blue (1) $1.00
Close to Cocoa (1) $1.00
Lavender Lace (1) $1.00
Pixie Pink (1) $1.00
Tempting Turquoise (1) $1.00

Stampin' Up Classic Brand new in wrapper

Sage Shadow (1) $2.00

Stampin' Up Stampin Spot Brand new (small)

Wild Wasabi (1) $1.00
Basic Black (1) $1.00
Purely Pomegranate (1) $1.00

Stmpin' Up Classic (used once or twice at the most)

Baja Breeze (1) $1.00
Real Red (1) $1.00
Not Quite Navy (1) $1.00
Basic Black (1) $1.00
Brilliant Blue (1) $1.00
Pixie Pink (1) $1.00
Basic Gray (1) $1.00
Kiwi Kiss (1) $1.00
Green Galore (1) $1.00

Close to My Heart Brand New in wrapper

Outdoor Denim (2) $2.00 each
Archival Black (1) $2.00
Clear (1) $2.00
Autumn Terracotta (1) $2.00

Close to My Heart (used once or twice at the most)

Heavenly Blue (1) $1.00
Sunflower (1) $1.00
White Daisy (1) $1.00
Orange (1) $1.00
Key Lime (1) $1.00
Barn Red (1) $1.00
Sunkiss Yellow (1) $1.00
Black (1) $1.00
New England Ivy (1) $1.00
Taffy (1) $1.00
Grey Flannel (1) $1.00
Bamboo (1) $1.00
Pansy Purple (1) $1.00
Amethyst (1) $1.00
Desert Sand (1) $1.00

Staz On Solvent Ink Brand New in wrapper

Saddle Brown (1) $2.00
Teal Blue (1) $2.00
Blazing Red (1) $2.00
Olive Green (1) $2.00
Vibrant Violet (1) $2.00
Pumpkin (1) $2.00
Dove Gray (1) $2.00
Azure (1) $2.00

Staz On Opaque with dropper Brand New

Butter Cream (1) $2.00
Baby Blue (1) $2.00
Soft Lilac (1) $2.00
Mellow Mist (1) $2.00

The Essential Glue Pad Brand New in wrapper (2) $2.00 each

All the ink pads have been check and ink is still on the pad (those that are open excluding the staz on opaque they are opened but not used).

I will combine shipping on them for you and you will receive a slight discount if you buy all items in same group.

I will be listing a whole lot of Stampin Up rubber stamps. They are not in their cases but they are complete sets. However they will be sold as a lot. :)

Happy shopping. Feel free to pass it on to friends. Make sure you use the contact tab at the top of the page to let me know what you want.

Cd Update

2011-09-13T16:00:00.001-07:00

Thank you ladies for all the great input.

So far I've decided to break down the images into cd's. The categories so far are: A Day in the Life, Ava's, Breast Cancer, Chloe's, Papers, Everday Anime, Holiday, Food Related, Nature, Patty, Objects, New images.

In the New Images category there are 86 new images never released. And in the Chloe category there are 35 new Chloe's not released. Now to price them. LOL it is a lot of work. Thanks for your help though.

There will be a discount for buying more than one cd at a time as well as buying the entire set.

Thanks for the input again!

Suggestions???

2011-09-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Hope you had a happy summer. Time sure did fly by. I've been asked by a few people if I would consider putting all the images on a cd and selling them. I'm not sure. What do you guys think? So far we have over 700 images. I'd include all the images that have been released so far. Not sure what to charge. Thoughts?

Happy Monday!

2011-07-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. We have some exciting news. All digital images are now .99 each. That's right, only .99 cents each. Even our A Day in the Life series.

We will also be releasing some more Patty sets. Patty Love will be available tomorrow. We are just working on the image for the page. All Patty digital sets will be $5.00. That is $5.00 for 6 images. Great deal!

Also tomorrow we will be releasing 4 more brand new Patty sets for $5.00 each. Each set still comes with 6 images. There is no way you can beat that price.

These prices will be good until December 31st, 2011.

Each month we will be releasing 5-10 new single images so make sure you check back. Our first 5 will be brand new Chloe images. You won't wanna miss them.

Last Cleaning Closet Listing for the day

2011-07-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

They are dies and folders. Some are new and some are used. First come first serve. :)

Spellbinder Grand Nestabilities Brand new
Grand Scalloped Circles $20.00
Grand Ovals $20.00

Cuttlebug Embossing Folders Used $1.50 each A2 size
Heart Blocks
Spots & Dots
Tiny Bubbles
Stylized Flowers
Your Invited
Perfect Paisely
Kassieo's Brocade
Divine Swirl
Traffic Jam
Baby
Congrats
Friend
You
Script Texture

Cuttlebug Embossing folders Set of 4 Used $1.00 each set of 4
It's a Girl
It's a Boy
Best Friends
Flowers
Formal Squares

Dies $1.50 each
Puzzle
2 Step Butterfly

Disney $2.00 each
Tinkerbell (die and embossing folder)
Minnie Mouse (die and embossing folder)

Alphabets $10.00
Hippie Chick
Olivia
Harmony

Sizzix Stampin Up
Bigz Scallop Envelope $5.00
Bigz XL Baskets & Blooms $8.00

Sizzix
Flower, Daisy #2 $3.00
Frame,Scallop Oval $3.00
Hello Kitty w/flower $5.00

Closet Cleaning Update

2011-07-12T09:49:00.001-07:00

The following items are left:

Basic Grey

6x6 Paper Pads $1.00 each
Wander 3

Cleaning out my Closet

2011-07-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone. Hope you are having a good week. I'm decluttering and am going to be listing a lot of items on ebay over next couple of weeks. But before I do that, I wanted to give my peeps first dibs. This round I have the following items:

Basic Grey

6x6 Paper Pads $1.00 each
Wander 4
Jovial 3

6x6 Paper Pads with matching Brads $1.00 each
Marjolaine 4 pads and 6 glazed brads
Pyrus 2 pads and 6 glazed brads

Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro refills
Permatac 1 $1.50
Hightac 3 $1.50 each

Copic Markers -brand new

Sketch $2.00
Y00 3
YR14 1
R83 1
BV23 1
E0000 1
YG97 1

Refills $2.50
E25
E44
E49
B21 2
R11
E00
BG18
C1
R32
E21 2
E51
E57
Colorless blender Bottle $2.00

Spica Glitter Pens $1.00
Melon 2
Lemon 4
Red 2
Sky Blue 2
Gold 3
Turquoise 3
Olive 3
Lavender 2
Black 3
Orange 2

First come first serve. Shipping is not included. You can choose your shipping method. Paypal and credit cards accepted. You are welcome to send a check but your items will not be shipped until the check clears the bank. You will be responsible for any return check fees.

I will be listing accessories shortly. Happy Shopping!

Patty Summer Lovin Digital Set

2011-06-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

Here she is just in time for summer. Patty's Summer Luvin is now available in digital. The total set of 6 is $12.95. You will get 2 Patty images and 4 accessories. Because these are digital images you can size to fit any project.

She is available now so stop by and purchase her today. The sale is still going on so if you use the discount code, you will be able to purchase her at 60% off until June 30th.

Have a great week!

Happy Friday!

2011-06-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

It has certainly been a while. Hope your week is going terrific!

We have some new releases this month. They will be released on the 30th. So each week from now until then we will preview 1 or 2 of them.

Today we have Patty's Summer Luvin set previews. Patty is playing in the sand with her shades on. Doesn't this just warm your heart?

And in this set she also has a sand castle!

There are 6 images all together. Stop by next week to see more.

With InStyle Stamps going in a different direction, you will soon see a lot of new stuff happening. While we love rubber and digital images, we feel it is time for us to expand into other paper crafting related markets and so we hope you will stick around to be a part of that as well.

Have a Happy Weekend!

Sale Alert!

2011-05-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

We have some exciting news! InStyle Stamps is going 100% digital. All of our rubber stamps will only be available through our retailers starting June 30th, 2011. And as a special we are offering 60% off all of our instock rubber until the end of June.

Simply add this code: JST110528195147 to the shopping cart to receive the discount before checkout. It will only apply at the time of the purchase! So make sure you add it to the cart.

Since we will be a totally digital company some of our Patty and Tia sets will also be digital. AND we will have lot's of new images debuting soon.

June 12th we will have our summer image release! Make sure you check back with us for that as well.

And lastly, as of May 27th, we have discontinued all of our challenges. We are goign to be offering a monthly giveaway, but that won't begin until September. We want to take the time right now and thank everyone that participated in our challenges we totally appreciate it.

We are going to be having a lot of new and exciting things happening! You will also see a big change in what we post on the blog starting in June as well. So thanks for being a loyal customer and checking back with us.

I also appreciate all the emails I've received during the last month of transition. It warmed my heart.

So with all that said, don't forget to use that coupon and pass it on!

Have a great memorial day weekend!

It's Been Awhile!

2011-05-10T07:16:00.001-07:00

I assure you we haven't forgotten about the blog. We had some interesting situations arise and were working to implement them as well as finalize some other things. I'm pretty sure all will be worked out this week and we will return to our normally scheduled programming.

I am very excited to say though we have our summer images all ready for debut. While this month is pretty much going to be used to get back on track, June is going to be a fresh new month of beautiful images, projects, challenges and surprises.

Thank you for being so patient while we undergo these weeks of silence. I promise we will be back bigger and better than ever.

We're here sort of!

2011-04-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday all.

We at InStyle Stamps just wanted to let you know we are here, but will not be posting on the blog until May 4th. We are planning some new stuff and working out all the kinks.

So that means the Blog hop for this month may not post but we will be back next month big, stronger, better!

Until then, have a great week and see you soon!

Last Call for InSpiration Challenge

2011-04-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we will be announcing the winner. Make sure you get your entry in!

New Color Challenge and last month's winner

2011-04-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Hump Day Peeps!

First I wanted to say thanks for all the entrants to the color challenge. It was a blast checking out all your projects. And the winner of one digi for their project is Pankti!!! Congratulations. Please contact us within 48 hours to claim your prize. You can use the contact us tab at the top of this blog.

And now for this our color palette for April.

I just have to say how much I love this color palette. Honestly I'm a total green person.

Here is some dt inspiration:

Kerry's

Axa's

Both projects used our new sets from Tia and Cuddles and Patty. We are having an issue with the pictures showing up, but don't worry I have been assured it should be up today.

This month we are going to spice it up and not only give the winner a digi or 2 but also a goodie bag filled with Basic Grey papers, Copics and some Glitter pens!!!

We will need at least 10 entrants in order to give this prize so make sure you tell a friend.

The deadline to enter is May 10th by 11:59 pm PST. All you have to do is use the color palette above and create away. If you have one of our images, why not flaunt it? :)

Have a great week and hope to see your entry soon!

Last Chance for your Color Challenge entry

2011-04-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

We are starting a new challenge tomorrow and choosing our winner from last month. You have until 11:59 pm PST to enter tonight. Why not give it a chance? You don't have anything to lose. Just think of us as your practice projects before you get big time and submit your creations to the big dogs like Paper Crafts Magazine, Creating Keepsakes, etc.

Here is the color palette:

And here are a few more projects to get some inspiration from:

Here's Mackenzie's

and Patty's

Paper Craft Artists Needed!!!

2011-04-07T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

InStyle Stamps is looking for 2 Paper Craft Artists who can think outside the
box and create super cute projects featuring our stylish digital stamps.

Even if you are not interested in this position for yourself, please tell a friend!

Here are the details:
1. Applicant must be willing to create 6 projects per month with digital
images provided by ISS.

2. Applicant must be willing to create a well written blog post for each
project that promotes the image used to create the project. In other words,
all projects must contain a completed project image, step-by-step photos,
and detailed instructions explaining how to create the project.

3. Applicant must create a variety of projects with no more than 1 card
and 1 scrapbook pages accepted in a one month period. In other words,
we want to show our customers that our digital stamps can be used for more
than just cards and scrapbook pages. We want to show them a wide variety
of ideas. For example, we want to see a mixture of wall art, gift bags, baskets,

tabletop pieces, holiday decorations, wedding and event ideas, and even clothing
options.

4. Applicant must agree to an exclusivity clause. All projects accepted by ISS
will be exclusive to ISS.

5. Applicant must be willing to chat up the complete project by linking to the
company blog

on their personal blog. However, applicant will not be featuring the project
on the personal blog.

5. Applicant must agree to a 3 month term. At the end of the term, we may
renegotiate.

Applicant should:
1. Have exceptional coloring skills. Most of our images are made to be
colored. Paper piecing is also welcomed. It is not necessary to use
copics only. You are welcome to use any coloring medium to complete your
projects, however neat coloring is imperative. All projects must be
professional and clean with no visible mistakes.

2. Think outside the box. We are looking for individuals that will wow us
with every project they create. Because this is a paid position we expect
the quality of work produced to be on point and top quality.

3. Be committed. This position will last a minimum of 3 months. At the
end of the term, the individual or ISS may cancel or renegotiate the
contract.

4. Have exceptional writing skills. Because you will be blogging on the
company blog about your creations, your writing should be clear, concise
and free from grammatical errors. We do have a professional editor on
staff that will proof your work. Any rewrites will be done by the blogger.

5. Fun loving. Please be excited about crafting and working with our
images. You will be creating images with our new sets that are released
each month and so it is important that you like ISS and are willing to chat
up our product when given the opportunity.

6. Must not be over extended with other crafting commitments. We are
looking for individuals that have the time to dedicate to our company.
While it is ok to be on other design teams concurrently with this
position, it is imperative that our projects get top billing.

You cannot rush or throw projects together and expect to get paid. All
projects should have TLC (tender loving craft time) and that TLC should
show in every project you submit!

What you will get:
Monetary Compensation - $30.00 per project/post (you keep the project)
6 images per month (Images are yours to keep and use for non-commercial
purposes)
Bio and Picture on our design team and staff page
25% discount on future ISS orders
A letter of recommendation at the end of your term, upon satisfactorily
completing your position, should you request one.

How to apply:
Use the contact us link at the top of the blog to send us an email. Your email should include the following information:

Name
Address
City, State Zip
Phone number
Contact email

Why you think you'd be a good fit for ISS

Crafting experience - We are not looking for you to have been published. Anyone and everyone is welcome to apply. This is not limited to the US however, please keep in mind any time zone differences, we work in PST.

3 projects you are proudest of that display your talent. Please include only one type of sample per project type. In other ones, one card, one scrapbook page, one box, etc.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 pm PST, May 1st, 2011. Applicants will be notified by May 3rd, 2011 via email. Should the applicant need to create a project using one of our images for further consideration, we will let you know that once we receive your project samples.

***NOTE***All aplicants must be willing to fill out a 1099. You will be employed as an independent contractor and responsible for your own taxes, healthcare, etc.

Get ready for Patty!

2011-04-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Our resident cutie, Patty has a brand new rubber stamp set available this Friday. Her set is called Appreciation!

Serously how much cuteness can you take?

And here are some cute projects our design team came up with. Some even used the sketch from yesterday.

Snail mail:

A Pretty Floral Bouquet

Cutesy Present:

Patty Sitting:

Patty holding balloons: Did you notice the different languages?

And a cute Thank you word:

Stop by tomorrow to pick up your very own set!!!

You know what time it is? Sneak Peak Time!

2011-04-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well not only is it sneak peek time, but it's also Sketch Challenge winner announcement as well. So without further adieu, the winner for last month's sketch challenge is.....LINDA S. You have 48 hours to contact us to claim your digi image. Please use the contact us tab at the top of the blog to send us an email. Congratulations!!!

This month we have a new Patty set as well as a new Tia set. Tia is up first today. Her set is called The Attitude of Gratitude. Here she is:

This adorable thank you set comes with 6 deeply etched rubber stamps. They are the right size for any project!!!

Here is the sketch we are featuring this month along with some design team inspiration:

Here's a Thanks a bunch bouquet:

and Tia holding a thank you sign:

Here's a cookie bouquet:

The cutest lil Thank you bear:

Tia holding Cuddles:

Everyone loves Cupcakes right?

Isn't this set wonderful? Both sets of sneak peeks will be available this Friday, for $19.95 each. Great price too!

For our sketch challenge you have until May 3rd by 11:59 pm PST to enter!!!

I mentioned on our facebook page we had some great news. Patty and Tia will soon have some digital sets available so stay tuned!!! We are really excited about that.

Join us tomorrow for our Patty preview. Her themed set is appreciation as well.

Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!

Last Call for Sketch Challenge

2011-04-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the last chance to enter by 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be announced tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Happy April Fool's Day

2011-04-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

We have a brand new ad over on Splitcoast stampers!!! I'm excited about that. The word for this month because of it is Explore. Those visiting us from SCS for the first we, we welcome you.

InStyle Stamps features Anime, Retro and Whimsy Stamps for Today's stylish stamper! We have rubber sets, individual images as well as digital.

Please feel free to browse our site, sign up for our newsletter so you can get some amazing deals. Check out the 5% off link up at the top of the sidebar. You will get 5% off every purchase if you click that link. Pass it on to a friend!

Today's card is featuring Sofie. She is our snorkling cutie. She is available in rubber for $6.95.

Isn't she cute? We also have more sport themed images. Gabrielle is our golf player and Tatiana is our tennis star just to name a few.

Thanks for stopping by. We'll be back next week with our new release and sketch winner and a new challenge. Have a great weekend and we hope you don't get fooled too much. :)

Still have a chance to enter our Inspiration Challenge

2011-03-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Our inspiration challenges are so great. The photo's we use always capture some sort of creativeness. Whether you draw from the color scheme, or the layout, inspiration comes in many forms!

And here are a couple inspiring projects:

Angelique

Mackenzie

You have until April 19th, by 11:59 pm PST to enter. Make sure you leave a comment on the original post here. Good Luck.

Blog Hop Winner

2011-03-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday!

We're here to announce the blog hop winner. And the lucky participant is...Lillian Child!!!!

Please contact us within 48 hours to claim your Fairy Tales Rubber Stamp set. If we don't hear from you by Tuesday, March 29th 5:59 pm PST we will have to draw another winner!

Congratulations again. You will love this set.

Sketch Challenge

2011-03-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

Still have a little time to enter our sketch challenge.

We'd love to see what you come up with. Deadline is Tuesday April 5th by 11:59 pm PST. The prize is one or two digital images of your choice.

Here is some inspiration:

Patricia C

Lawren

Aren't those images adorable? Come on give it a try. Now's as good of time as any! Good luck.

Let's Go to the Hop!

2011-03-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

You know what time it is, it's Blog Hop time! I'm glad you stopped by to join us.

This month our theme is Spring. I love spring! We need the rain where I live since doesn't rain much so I look forward to it. I remember singing "April Showers" in the school choir and that tune runs through my mind at this time each year.

This month's prize is our Fairy Tales Stamp set. This set comes with 6 fairy tale themed images, Snow White, Thumbalina, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Alice in Wonderland and Sleeping Beauty. The set is worth $21.95.

All you have to do to enter is simply go to each team members page, comment on today's post and come back here to comment and let us how much you enjoyed the hop.

A winner will be announced on Sunday, March 27th by 6:00 pm PST. You will then have 48 hours to claim your prize. Make sure you send us an email by clicking the contact us tab at the top of the blog.

Here is the line up:
Patricia H
Angelique
Axa
Kimme
Sherry
Jennifer
Kerry
Virginia
Patricia C

Happy Blog hopping!

Enter our Color Challenge

2011-03-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

to your project in our comment section here. If you use one of our images you will receive 2 free digital images, if you use one, you still receive one image. Great odds, and you get to be creative.

Here is the color palette:

You have until April 12th no later than 11:59 pm PST time to enter. What are you waiting for?

Check out a couple more samples from our design team members:

Axa's

and Sally's

It's simple to do. Simply use the color palette below and post a link here to enter.

Have you entered our Color Challenge yet?

2011-03-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

What are you waiting for? You could win 1 or 2 digi's. It's simple. Here is our color palette:

And here are 2 more samples:

Kerry's:

Virginia's:

Both Kerry and Virginia used Patty in her Sunday best from our Patty's Bunny Wuv set. It is available for purchase now.

Hope to see your entry soon!

Freebie Thursday!

2011-03-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

I hope you are not getting pinched too much! We have a great image to share with you today. But before we do that I want to let you know about our sale we will be having that starts tomorrow.

We are offering 25% off all products in the store. That's right, 25% off. The sale starts tomorrow. The coupon code will be on the blog. And the sale will end on March 31st. So make sure you visit. And if you are a subscriber to our newsletter or a past customer, your coupon code will go out today and you will get an extra day to shop before the inventory goes.

And now for the Freebie of the day:

Isn't this stork super cute? The image is 3.12 x 2.43 and is 72 dpi. I love the colors.

Now here's the best part...

Just click on the image, copy it, and paste it into your image software program.

That's right. You can use this image, free of charge!

There is just one catch... you cannot sell anything you create with this image, or any of our "Freebie Thursday" images. They're for non-commercial, personal use only. If you happen to share an image of your completed work online, attribution to our company is mandatory. Oh, and if you'd like to use these images to enhance your blogs and/or website, you can...just make sure you follow our "Freebie Angel Policy" here.

FREEBIE ANGEL POLICY

Our images posted under Freebie Thursday can be used to create any type of project you like for personal use. You may not use this artwork to sell. Crafts created for sale using this artwork in anyway, shape or form is strictly prohibited. These images can not be used in Trademarks, banners or buttons. You are welcome to use them to enhance a blog post or for personal art projects and or paper crafts.

If you would like to obtain a limited commercial license for these images, there is a licensing fee of $50.00. If you obtain the license fee, you will be allowed to use the images for sale and in button and banners, but they may not be altered in any way and there is a restriction on the amount of items that you can sell. Please email us for further details. InStyle Stamps reserves the right to change or alter this freebie giveaway program at any time.

Still Time for the Sketch Challenge!

2011-03-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

We have a great sketch challenge going on. Here it is:

Check out these inspiring projects:

Allison

and Axa's

Enter now! The prize is fabulous. Post a link to your project in the comment section of our March Sketch Challenge.

March InSpriation Challenge and winner

2011-03-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

It's the 3rd hump day of the month and that means it's time for our new InSpiration Challenge.

3 Wednesdays of the month here at ISS we offer great challenges! The first Wednesday is our Sketch Challenge, the 2nd Wednesday is our Color Challenge and the third Wednesday is our InSpiration Challenge. Each challenge has a prize ranging from 1-2 digital images to a whole rubber stamp set. Their fun and easy to join. Simply create a project using our featured color palette, sketch, or inspriation photo and post your link in the appropriate post's comment section. We will select a winner and notify you the day of the challenge. You will then have 48 hours to contact us for your prize. That's it! Easy peasy.

So now let's announce last month's InSpiration Challenge winners: It's Jan!!!! Congratulations.

But I'm not going to stop there. Since we had so many participants, I want you all to feel special so I'm going to give away one digital image from the set to each participant! Yay!

You have 48 hours to contact us. Please use the contact button at the top of the blog and email me your image choice from Tia and Cuddles- Rain or Shine rubber stamp set. Congrats again to Jan and to everyone.

And now for this month's InSpriation:

Here is Axa's take:

and Sherry's

Last Call for InSpiration Challenge

2011-03-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Haven't entered our InSpiration challenge? Well today is the last day. Make sure you post your project soon.

Here's a cute sample our very own Jennifer made. Cute right?

We are totally sure your's will be just as creative. Why not give it a try? What do you have to lose? We need a couple more entrants in order to give away our Tia and Cuddles Rain or Shine set. Go for it!

Making up for Freebie Thursday!

2011-03-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

The post for Freebie Thursday didn't happen so today we are making up for it. Here is the latest installment:

This image is sized 4.86 x 5.55 and is 72 dpi. Doesn't this image just scream spring? I'm hoping it comes soon. :)

Now here's the best part...

Just click on the image, copy it, and paste it into your image software program.

That's right. You can use this image, free of charge!

There is just one catch... you cannot sell anything you create with this image, or any of our "Freebie Thursday" images. They're for non-commercial, personal use only. If you happen to share an image of your completed work online, attribution to our company is mandatory. Oh, and if you'd like to use these images to enhance your blogs and/or website, you can...just make sure you follow our "Freebie Angel Policy" here.

FREEBIE ANGEL POLICY

Our images posted under Freebie Thursday can be used to create any type of project you like for personal use. You may not use this artwork to sell. Crafts created for sale using this artwork in anyway, shape or form is strictly prohibited. These images can not be used in Trademarks, banners or buttons. You are welcome to use them to enhance a blog post or for personal art projects and or paper crafts.

If you would like to obtain a limited commercial license for these images, there is a licensing fee of $50.00. If you obtain the license fee, you will be allowed to use the images for sale and in button and banners, but they may not be altered in any way and there is a restriction on the amount of items that you can sell. Please email us for further details. InStyle Stamps reserves the right to change or alter this freebie giveaway program at any time.

Wanna see some more inspiration from our new releases?

2011-03-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Easter is right around the corner. Have you started your projects yet? Well we have the perfect sets to help your creativity!

Here is Patty in her sunday best from our Patty Bunny Wuv set available now created by Jennifer:

And our very own Virginia created a little something something using the flower from the same set:

This set comes with 6 rubber stamps that are deeply etched and works perfectly with any coloring medium you select.

Make sure you stop by and pick up one for you or maybe even for a friend!

New Color Challenge and last month's winner

2011-03-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Happy Hump Day!

Thanks for stopping by. Are you have a great week? I will reserve my comment when I have something better to say lol. My mom told me if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Right?

So without keeping you in suspense, let's announce our winner and then show our next color palette.

I was hoping to get more participants in the challenges this month and offered a Patty's Pretty Posies set for giveway if we reached 10 entrants. Sadly we didn't, but we still chose a winner and they still get a digi. Yay! The winner is Dorcas! Please email us at the link above under the contact us tab. Check out the website and let us know which image you'd like and we'll email your. Remember, you only have 48 hours to claim your prize.

Now on to this month's challenge. Here are the colors:

Now these colors I can work with. I love green's and blue's. And here are a couple of samples using the color palette:

Sherry's

And Jennifer's

Sherry used Tia reading her bible from our Tia and Cuddles - He is Risen set. Jennifer used our Easter Tree from Patty's Bunny Wuv set. Both sets are on sale for $19.95 in the store now.

You have until April 11th, 2011 by 11:59 pm PST to enter. You could win either 1 or 2 digital stamps depending of if you use one of our images or not. So what have you got to lose? Help us spread the word about our challenges and don't forget to enter!

Last Call for Color Challenge

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Today is your last chance to enter our color challenge. We need a few more entries in order to give away that Patty Love set. If we don't meet our number we will still give away 1 or 2 digi's depending on if one of our images were used.

Here is the color palette:

You have until tonight by 12:00 pm PST to enter. What are you waiting for?

Operation Write Home Bunny Hop

2011-03-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our stop along the Operation Write Home Bunny Hop. You should have hopped here from Jan if not you will want to go back to the Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps Blog so you don't miss any of the wonderful creations.

Today's hop is all about Spring and Easter. It's nice to think about such nice warm thoughts after a long hard winter. If you would like to donate any Easter cards the deadline is March 18 and Mother's Day cards must be to the shippers by March 31. This helps insure that the cards can make it to their destinations in plenty of time for our troops to send home to their loved ones. If you have never sent cards to OWH before the list of their shippers and all the information you need to know can be found here

Now for the cards:

From Kimme

From Virginia

Now hop on over to Kimme's blog to see what else she has created.

Release Day

2011-03-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Tia

AND

Patty

ARE OFFICIALLY IN THE HOUSE!!!!

Here are some more projects featuring both our resident cuteness:

Make sure you stop by and get em'while their hot!!!

Sneak Peek Tia and Cuddles

2011-03-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

Is it Thursday already? Wow time flies by. I'm glad though. My hubby was deployed to Afghanistan and he won't be back until October so I'm counting the weeks.

Today we are sneak peeking Tia and Cuddles - He is Risen. This set is a mix of cutesy images with religious symbols.

Our Tia and Cuddles He is Risen set comes with 6 rubber stamps and will sell for $19.95.

So let's meet Tia holding her bible:

And our a lovely sheep:

A cross:

Tia painting eggs with her bestie:

A flower pot:

And lastly a lovely basket filled with eggs:

Both Tia and Patty will be available tomorrow morning. So make sure you snatch them up fast. We're expecting to sell out by the afternoon. They were a huge success at CHA.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sneak Peek and New Sketch

2011-03-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Hump Day peeps! Hope you are having a fantabulous morning! We've got our new releases and our sketch for the month of March. This month we have 2 Easter themed sets but before we get into all that, let's announce our winner.

And the winner of February's sketch is Ruza's Craft Corner! Congratulations Ruza, you have 48 hours to claim your digi. Please click on the contact button at the top of the page to email us.

And now for our sweet releases. Today we are featuring our new sketch for the month of March for our sneak peeks. We are showcasing Patty's Bunny Wuv set.

Here is our sketch:

And let's meet Patty wearing her Easter best:

Bunny himself:

Here's a beautiful flower:

And Patty holding a basket:

Wow what a fabulous tree:

And lastly a lovely egg:

This set is so versatile and perfect for all your Easter projects because Easter is April 24th so you have way over a month to be creative. Woo hoo!

Our Patty Bunny Wuv set comes with 6 rubber stamps. This set and our Tia and Cuddles He is Risen set (peeking tomorrow) will be available for $19.95 on Friday.

I love Patty, she is adorable!

So why not buy the set and enter all of our challenges this month? You have until Tuesday, April 5th by 11:59 pm PST to enter the sketch challenge. If you use one of our images for the sketch, you could win 2 digital images. If not, you are still a winner and will receive 1.

Join us tomororw as we showcase Tia and Cuddles new set. She is just as cute! Trust me.

Thanks for stopping by.

Last Chance to enter the Sketch Challenge

2011-03-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Today's the last chance to enter our Sketch Challenge. Make sure you add your link to the comment section here by 11:59 pm PST tonight!

Here is the sketch. The

Don't miss out!

Monthly Round Up

2011-02-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Today we are showing some of the great images we have available on the site from our new rubber stamp sets.

These projects are using our Patty's Pretty Posies set and our talented dt member Kimme created them.

I love all the nice, bright colors! Great job.

Blog Hop Winner

2011-02-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

Hello, Hello!

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend. I've gotten a lot of crafting done for this upcoming month and I'm quite excited about it. I can't believe how on the job I am lol.

Without further adieu the winner for our Blog Hop goodie bag is....DAHSIAAR!!! Congratulations. You have 48 hours to claim your prize. Please use the contact link up top to send us an email. We will be sure to mail out your prize within 10 days.

I hope your month has been full of blessings and accomplishments. We have a lot going on in the next few months at ISS.

Join us Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for our Sneak peeks and Release day. We will also be using our sketch for March to showcase our first day of sneaks. You won't want to miss our new Patty and Tia releases. They are adorable.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great night!

InSpiration Challenge reminder!

2011-02-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

We just wanted to remind of you of the inspiration challenge we have going on here. It's great this month. We are giving away a free stamp set. Could you be the winner? You never know. Why not make a cute card and submit it today!

Here is inspiration photo:

And here are 2 more projects for inspiration from two of our talented design team members.

Here is Karin's

And here is Kimme's

Click here to read more information about the challenge! We'd be happy for you to participate.

Special Coloring Tutorial AND image

2011-02-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Esme, one of our talented artist's came up with a coloring tutorial for you and created a cute image to go with it. The image is only $2.00 and available here:

Hello, my name is Esme and I got inspired to share with you how I color digital images with Prismacolor pencils. I love coloring with pencil because you can get the same effect as you would with Copic or other brand markers and pencils are much more cost effective.

Let's get started:

Step 1

Choose the colors you want to use for the image then apply the colors lightly. Make sure you fill in all the space. Don’t apply too much pressure while coloring the base colors. Make sure the base eye area's (the outer part from the pupil) are white.

Step 2

Choose the area where you will add the darker colors for the shadow. To define where to put the darker colors/shadows, you will need to define where the light source on the image is coming from. For this image, I had the light source come from the right so I need to put the shadow on the left part on the image. To make things easier, you can draw some guideline where you'd like to put the darker colors. But make them light so they won't be noticed after you're done with the shadow. The lighter you draw the gridlines, the easier they are to erase. :)

Anyway, deciding where to put the shadow/gradation can be tricky sometimes, so using other references like from your own photos or pictures or even tutorials from other artists can be a lot of help.

Step 3-4

Apply the darker shade of pencil colors on the selected area. Make it a gradation.

Step 5

After putting all the shadaows where I wanted them, I noticed that the colors on this pic were too pale. So i put some darker colors like the orange for the hair.

Step 6

Blend the colors using a cotton swab to make it look smoother. Some people use gamsol, or baby oil to do this. The choice is yours.

Step 7

Finished

Here is the finished piece. The great thing I love about art is that you can be so creative and do what you want. I know my pictures are not the best quality, but I hope you can still see what I'm talking about.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial on Coloring digital images with Prismacolor pencils. Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget purchase the image I used and share what you come up with.

It's Blog Hop Time!

2011-02-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

This month has been a whirlwind month for me. My hubby left for Afghanistan, and so much business changes about threw me for a loop. I'm finally getting my wits back so hopefully March, will run much smoother lol.

This month our theme for Blog Hop is Celebrating Friends. This theme is very near and dear to my heart. I don't have many friends. I'm build deep relationships and that means my friends are few and far between. But those that I do count as friends are more like sister's. I love them all very much and they hold a very special place in my heart.

Our design team created some extra adorable projects this month. And here they are:

Kimme
Karin
Cathy
Axa
Angelique
Kerry
Jennifer
Virginia

Thanks for coming back! Weren't their showcases extra cute? I loved each and everyone.

This month for our goodie bag prize, we are asking that you leave a comment on each of the design team member's project and then leaving a general comment here letting us know you visited each member. I will then select a random commenter and they will receive a goodie bag filled with oodles of goodies. The bag value is $25.00.

You have until Saturday, February 26th by 12:00 am PST to leave your comments. The winner will be chosen and revealed by 6:00 pm PST on Sunday, February 27th.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful weekend.

Freebie Thursday!

2011-02-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for stopping by again for Freebie Thursday.

Here is the free color image Angel Bunny:

I figured with Eater right around the corner, you couldn't go wrong with this cuite!The image is also sized 400 x 300 pixels and has a dpi of 73. But it is 5 1/2 x 4 inches. That is a nice size image.

Now here's the best part...

Just click on the image, copy it, and paste it into your image software program.

That's right. You can use this image, free of charge!

There is just one catch... you cannot sell anything you create with this image, or any of our "Freebie Thursday" images. They're for non-commercial, personal use only. If you happen to share an image of your completed work online, attribution to our company is mandatory. Oh, and if you'd like to use these images to enhance your blogs and/or website, you can...just make sure you follow our "Freebie Angel Policy" here.

FREEBIE ANGEL POLICY

Our images posted under Freebie Thrusday can be used to create any type of project you like for personal use. You may not use this artwork to sell. Crafts created for sale using this artwork in anyway, shape or form is strictly prohibited. These images can not be used in Trademarks, banners or buttons. You are welcome to use them to enhance a blog post or for personal art projects and or paper crafts.

If you would like to obtain a limited commercial license for these images, there is a licensing fee of $50.00. If you obtain the license fee, you will be allowed to use the images for sale and in button and banners, but they may not be altered in any way and there is a restriction on the amount of items that you can sell. Please email us for further details. InStyle Stamps reserves the right to change or alter this freebie giveaway program at any time.

Happy Hump Day!

2011-02-23T12:06:00.000-08:00

Hope you are having a very happy hump day. Or at the very least, a productive one.

Be sure to stop by on Friday to check out our blog hop. And of course tomorrow is Freebie Thursday. Stay tuned!

Freebie Thursday!

2011-02-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for stopping by again for Freebie Thursday. This week is flying by. I'm glad though because I'm really really swamped with tons of work and I'd like to take this weekend off to rejuvenate!

This weeks freebie is super cute. Adorable. They are our resident cheerleader's, Alyice and Nane. I named them after me and my best friend. :)

The image is 400 x 300 pixels and has a dpi of 72. But it is 5 1/2 x 4.1 inches. That is a nice size image.

Seriously this image makes the perfect rah rah card for anyone you know going through something. Maybe they are just having a bad day or year. Whatever the circumstances or situations, this image on a project is bound to cheer them up!

Now here's the best part...

Just click on the image, copy it, and paste it into your image software program.

That's right. You can use this image, free of charge!

There is just one catch... you cannot sell anything you create with this image, or any of our "Freebie Thursday" images. They're for non-commercial, personal use only. If you happen to share an image of your completed work online, attribution to our company is mandatory. Oh, and if you'd like to use these images to enhance your blogs and/or website, you can...just make sure you follow our "Freebie Angel Policy" here.

FREEBIE ANGEL POLICY

Our images posted under Freebie Tuesday can be used to create any type of project you like for personal use. You may not use this artwork to sell. Crafts created for sale using this artwork in anyway, shape or form is strictly prohibited. These images can not be used in Trademarks, banners or buttons. You are welcome to use them to enhance a blog post or for personal art projects and or paper crafts.

If you would like to obtain a limited commercial license for these images, there is a licensing fee of $50.00. If you obtain the license fee, you will be allowed to use the images for sale and in button and banners, but they may not be altered in any way and there is a restriction on the amount of items that you can sell. Please email us for further details. InStyle Stamps reserves the right to change or alter this freebie giveaway program at any time.

Inspiration Challenge

2011-02-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for stopping by for our Inspiration Challenge. Hope your hump day is treating you well!

This month we decided to draw inspiration from a more modern palette. It sort of reminds me of George Jetson's living room for some reason. And since we are a retro inspired company, we will take full advantage of this lovely picture.

Here is the inspiration:

And here is Angelique's project:

You can never go wrong with bling right?

This month we are shaking things up a little and offering one of our newest stamp sets for the prize. We're offering Tia and Cuddles Rain or Shine set IN RUBBER for this challenge. The fence that Angelique used in her card is one of the images. I love Tia jumping in that puddle. I use to do that all the time as a child.

Cute right? This set is so versatile, you can create so many cute and amazing cards for friends and loved ones.

All you have to do is create a project using our inspiration above and leave a link to your post in the comment section of this post. You have until March 15th, 2011 by 11:59 pst to enter.

There is a small catch, we have to get at least 10 entrants in order to give away this set. So make sure you tell a friend. Otherwise we will be giving away 1 or 2 digi's depending on if you used one of our images or not.

Speaking of prizes, let's select our winner from last month. The winner is Jammie!!!! Congratulations. Please contact us within 48 hours to clain your prize. Click the link tab up top. You will then be able to choose 2 digi's of your choice since you used one of our images. Hooray!

Be sure to check back every Wednesday. We have other challenges with prizes too. In fact, our color challenge is offering a free stamp set prize too. Go check it out!

Still have time to participate in the Color Challenge

2011-02-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

On the 2nd Tuesday of each month, InStyle Stamps has a Color Challenge. We post a color scheme and some projects featuring that color scheme.

Here is this month's color palette:

And here are 2 more projects showing off those gorgeous colors:

Kerry used Tia holding an umbrella from our Tia and Cuddles Rain or Shine Set.

And Kimme used Patty planting from our Patty's Pretty Posies Stamp Set.

Both sets are avaialable now on the website.

You still have plenty of time to participate. This month's prize is a new stamp set release. But we need to have at least 10 participants in order to choose a winner. If we don't reach that, then we will give away one or two digital images depending on if a ISS image was used in the project.

Please post a link to your creation on this post comment section! Good luck.

Plaid Winners

2011-02-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

Last week we got to play with some fun Plaid products. Our design team used Extreme Glitter, pop dots and the starter mod podge set that included 5 glues. I absolutely love Plaid.

The four winners are:

Monday - Annette Bowes
Tuesday - Jan Garber
Wednesday -Manhattan Mandie
Thursday -Cat Spicer

Sadly there was only one comment on Friday and that person already was a winner.

Congratulations ladies, all you have to do is contact us (click on the tab above) by Wednesday, February 16th before 12:00 am PST with Plaid Winner in the subject line and your mailing address. Your prize will be mailed within 10 days.

Once again, Congratulations to our lucky winners. I know you will enjoy these great products.

We were scheduled to add in the last of the projects, but there are some glitches. So we will post them in a round up later this month. Thanks to all those ladies that participated.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Method Monday - Neverending card

2011-02-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

It's my turn (Cathy) to host InStyle Stamps Method Monday, and I am going to show you how to make a Neverending card. You can buy kits to make them, but they are really easy and lots of fun to make yourself.

If you don't know what a neverending card is, its a card that uses clever fold to fold round 4 views back to the front ... it never ends!

OK so this is how you make it:

You need cardstock, double-sided tape/strong glue, patterned papers, stamps, colouring media, embellishments. A scoreboard is helpful but not necessary.

Step 1:

Cut 4 strips out of plain or coloured cardstock, 10cm x 20 cm

Step 2:

Score each piece at 5 and 15 cm along the long edge.

Now score 2 pieces at 5cm along the narrow side.

Press the creases down firmly.

Step 3:

Now lay the two pieces that you have just scored like this ...

Step 4:

We now start attaching the pieces. I prefer to use double sided tape, but you can use glue. You will need to let the glue dry and "fix" before you do too much playing with the folds as if it isn't dry your panels will move.

So put tape or glue in the 4 our corners as shown.

Step 5:

Now lay the other two peices as shown.

Step 6:

Peel the tape cover off andattach the remaining pieces one corner at a time as shown.

Step 7:

So it will look like this ...

You now need to re-crease the folds and begin to rotate it through the 4 views to check the card moves smoothly, with no catching.

So this is the front view .. trim any overlap off, equally on each side.

View 2 ... again you need to trim any catching edges, or the card won't

work well.

View 3 ... again the centre edges might need a bit of a trim.

And finally view 4 ...

Step 8:

Now you need to decorate it all.

The panel sizes I used were:

Green cardstock :

9.5cm x 9.5cm (4)

9.5cm x 4.5 cm (18)

4.5cm x 4.5cm (12)

Patterned paper:

9cm x 9cm (4)

9cm x 4cm (18)

4cm x 4cm (12)

And here is how I decorated the panels. I used Basic Grey Romani and Gypsy papers.

It is useful to mat up your panels and then tack them on to the card panels either using temporary tack. This allows you to see what each view will look for.

Step 9:

Now you can add your images and embellishments.

I used the stamp set Patty's Pretty Posies

I coloured the images in using my copics and promarkers (colours listed at the end).

Again it is worthwhile tacking your images on to the panels and taking a look at what the card will look like.

The second view has narrow panels which means you can have a sneaky peek of what is to come ... or put your images/ebellishments so they don't show.

Be careful adding enbellishments ... if they are too bulky the card won't move smoothly and it will pull apart.

As you can see here, the flowers and brads are pushing the edges apart a litle.

I used Prima flowers, Craftwork Card candy and papermaina brads.

The pen colours are:

Promarkers - sunkissed pink, blush, ivory

Copics - E37, E35, E33, E31, E43,YG91, BG000, BG01, BG05, Y000, Y00, Y02, Y17, R000, R00, R11, RV23, YG03, YG11, YG06

I hope you liked the tutorial, and give a Neverending card a go.

Cathy xx

Winner Announcement Plaid Week

2011-02-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

We are having issues with blogger. We have a few more projects to showcase, but blogger is not letting us upload the images. So we will postpone the announcement until Sunday evening. Please feel free to comment if you haven't already.

Thanks for your understanding.

Day 5 Plaid week

2011-02-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today is our last day of Plaid week. If you haven't seen the other projects, please start here.I hope you have enjoyed all the projects featured so far. Tomorrow we will be drawing the winners, so you still have time to be comment on all the days to be entered for a chance to have your name drawn. The winners will receive some extreme glitter, a mod podge starter set of 5 glues and some large and small pop dots.

Here are the rest of the projects our team designed with:

Tanya featured whirly bird. He will be available later on today in the store for only $1.00.

Patricia featured our lovely kissing birds image. How cute are those glittery hearts?

Melissa used Moonbeam Chloe. I love the sentiment.

And Kerry made another adorable frame featuring one of our Patty Love images. The stripes remind me of striped hershey kisses. Too cute!

What I like most about the projects is that they are all unique. Mod podge can be used in a variety of ways. I have used it for bathroom art. I simply adhered patterned paper to canvas and then added a couple of coats of the mod podge to give it a little shine, but more importantly to protect it. I will try to dig up some photos I think I may have of my very first project.

No matter what you are creating, Plaid has the products that can enhance and give that project that special wow factor you are going for. Their projects are top quality and reasonably priced. Don't forget to check out their website and project gallery.

Make sure to leave comments every day. You could win a nice goodie bag filled with free Plaid product! Hope you enjoyed our preview week. Don't forget to stop by tomorrow to see if your are among the 5 winners!

Freebie Thursday

2011-02-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for stopping by again for Freebie Thursday. With CHA last week we got swamped trying to get everything together. And we missed 2 weeks.

So to make up for it, we are going to be giving out 2 images this week.

Let's get started:

How about a little angel hospitality:

The image is 350 x 400 pixels and has a dpi of 144. She is adorable.

And these cute little balloon tags are perfect for any sentiment:

Also sized at 350 x 400 pixels and a dpi of 144. This would compliment any project you had in mind.

Now here's the best part...

Just click on the image, copy it, and paste it into your image software program.

That's right. You can use this image, free of charge!

There is just one catch... you cannot sell anything you create with this image, or any of our "Freebie Thursday" images. They're for non-commercial, personal use only. If you happen to share an image of your completed work online, attribution to our company is mandatory. Oh, and if you'd like to use these images to enhance your blogs and/or website, you can...just make sure you follow our "Freebie Angel Policy" here.

FREEBIE ANGEL POLICY

Our images posted under Freebie Tuesday can be used to create any type of project you like for personal use. You may not use this artwork to sell. Crafts created for sale using this artwork in anyway, shape or form is strictly prohibited. These images can not be used in Trademarks, banners or buttons. You are welcome to use them to enhance a blog post or for personal art projects and or paper crafts.

If you would like to obtain a limited commercial license for these images, there is a licensing fee of $50.00. If you obtain the license fee, you will be allowed to use the images for sale and in button and banners, but they may not be altered in any way and there is a restriction on the amount of items that you can sell. Please email us for further details. InStyle Stamps reserves the right to change or alter this freebie giveaway program at any time.

Plaid week Day 4

2011-02-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

I can't believe what great projects our design team has come up with using Plaid projects. We were so thrilled to be able to use the mod podge starter set, pop dots and extreme glitter. And boy is that glitter extreme.

Here are a few more projects created with Plaid products:

Patricia made this cute tin featuring our Mom Love image with extreme glitter:

And how cute is this butterfly lamp that Patricia Chalas made? Adorable right? The butterfly lamp will be available Friday. In fact all the images not on the website being showcased throughout this week will be avaiable on Friday too.

And lastly, Wendy made this adorable project featuring Asia:

Don't forget to check out Plaid's website. They have some great non-stamping products too.

Tomorrow is our last day. Have you left your comments to be entered to win? Better hurry up!

Day 3 Plaid Week

2011-02-09T05:00:00.001-08:00

I hope you are enjoying this weeks Color Challenge and our projects featuring all plaid products. Today is the 3rd installment and features 3 non-card projects.

Kerry made this adorable frame using the ballet slippers from our Gracie and Twirla Set.

She used the extreme glitter and it came out adorable.

And Cathy made this adorable ceramic pot featuring one of the images from Tia and Cuddles Rain or Shine set.

And lastly, Sally made this adorable box featuring our small whimsy cup.

All of these projects feature plaid products. Have you checked out the website yet? They have something for everyone.

And don't forget to comment on all the days. We will be selecting one lucky commenter each day to receive a goodie bag filled with products from Plaid that our design team have been working with. You might even win a Mod Podge starter set!

Join us tomorrow for even more great projects.

Color Challenge

2011-02-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for joining us for our Monthly Color Challenge today. Before we get started, we'd like to announce our winner from last month. The winner is...Sammibug! Thanks for playing along. You have 48 hours to claim your digi prize. Just click the contact us tab up top to email us.

And now for this month's color palette:

Perfect not just for Valentine's day, but also for Love projects in general. And here are a couple of samples of the challenge:

Both Axa and Karin used stamps from our new Patty's Pretty Posies ! new rubber sets.

You have until the March 8th at 12:00 am PST to enter. The winner will be announced March 9th. But to make things a little more interesting, the winner will be given a new rubber stamp set of Patty Love. Here she is:

So make sure you tell a friend to enter the drawing this month. The only catch is that we have to have at least 10 entrants to give away this set. If we have less than 10 we will give away 1 or 2 digi's depending on how many the entrant used on their project.

Spread the word, and have fun!

Day 2 Plaid week

2011-02-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm glad you stopped by again for day 2 of our plaid showcase. Today we have a video created by Wendy Price making a rolled flower for her Valentine's project featuring Extreme Glitter Glue.

Here is her project featuring Mom Love:

And here is her video showing us how to make that cute blue flower.

Our 2nd project for the day is featuring pop-dots. I love pop dots. They are great for giving any project that extra dimension needed.

I used Tia and Cuddles for the image and popped it up with the pop dots. The great thing about these dots is that you can reposition them if you need to. Of course you have to be careful removing them or else you may take some paper off with them, but it's not that hard to move them around if need be.

Join us tomorrow for our Color Challenge and 2 more projects featuring Plaid projects. Don't forget to comment on each day. You will be entered to be chosen to win a fun little goodie bag filled with products we are showcasing.

We will be choosing 5 winners, one from each day, so those are great odds to win right?

Plaid Week

2011-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday everyone! Thanks for stopping by. This week we are going to be featuring projects we got to play with from Plaid. If you haven't heard of Plaid, they make everything from glitter glues to pop dots. Make sure you check out their website for all their products.

Each day we will be showing off projects made by our design team. And each day we are giving our winners a chance to win some of the great products we are featuring. After each post we will be selecting one different commenter each day. At the end of the week, we will announce the winners from each day. You will receive a little goodie bag filled with the same plaid products our designers got to work with.

So let's start this off with a few projects.

The first project was created by Patricia Chalas. She created a cute notebook and corner book mark. Check out the extreme glitter glue she used on Crystal's hair. Too cute right?

And the 2nd project was created by Tanya Johnson. She used whirly bird! Whirly bird will be available in the store this Friday.

Plaid offers over 5000 crafting products under 50 brand names world wide. Here is a link to their gallery of projects. I'm sure you will get some great inspiration.

Check back with us tomorrow. We will be featuring a youtube tutorial made by one of the design team members using more plaid product.

Method Monday-Bag-A-Lopes

2011-02-07T05:00:00.001-08:00

It's time for another Method Monday and today Kristine is going to share a fun way to package up some goodies for those little valentines in your life!

Valentine Bag-a-Lopes

It’s hard to believe that Valentines Day is right around the corner! But there is still time to whip up some fun, cute treat bags for the kids in your life. When my kids were little I loved making these little bags for my kids to take to their friends.

You’ve probably seen Bag-A-Lopes before made out of large envelopes to make gift bags but these Bag-A-Lopes are made out of standard business size envelopes which turn into the perfect size goodie bags.

SUPPLY LIST:

-No. 10 envelopes (4 1/8″ x 9 1/2″}

-multiple printed or stamped images (I used Heartful Chloe)

-Markers, pencils, or other coloring implements

-Score-Pal (or alternate method of scoring)

-Ribbon

-yummy goodies to put in your bags

-Whole punch

STEP 1:

To make your bag-a-lope, first seal your envelope.

STEP 2:

Score envelope 1″ around on three sides and across the bottom corners.

STEP 3:

Print out and color your images for your bags. I used Heartful Chloe and typed the sentiment below her.

STEP 4:

Cut the images down to 2” x 3” and back with a slightly larger panel of cardstock before adhering to the bagalope in between the scoring lines.

STEP 5:

This step gets a little tricky but I know you can do it! Open the envelope at the top where you cut the 3 inches off and fold on the creases to create the sides and bottom of the of the bag-a-lope.

STEP 6: Fold the pointed flaps on the bottom underneath the bag and secure with adhesive.

STEP 7: After filling the bag-a-lope with some goodies fold the top of the bag-a-lope over away from you and punch two holes through the fold. Tie a piece of ribon through the holds and secure with a bow to hold the bag closed.

These adorable little bag-a-lopes would be great for anytime you need a favor bag. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you’ll give it a try the next time you need some goodie bags!

Kristine

CHA and February Releases NOW AVAILABLE!!!

2011-02-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today is the official debut for our CHA and February releases!

All the rubber stamps set we've released at CHA are now available in the store. Go check them out!!!

The Final Day of Sneak Peeks

2011-02-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today we are showing you the last of the sneak peeks for our two new February releases - are you on the edge of your seat? Let's just get right to it!

Kerry Kung (using Rain or Shine)

Jessica Fick (using Pretty Posies)

Karin Martin (using Pretty Posies)

Jennifer Greco (using Pretty Posies)

Angelique Nederpel (using Pretty Posies)

Sandie Dunne (using Rain or Shine)

Oooooooh, we just cannot decide which set we love more! Of course, the rockin' samples that our designers create make us drool over them! Tomorrow we'll show you the sets in their entirety, and they will both be available for purchase. Get ready!

Just call me crazy

2011-02-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the mix up folks. I picked the sketch winner early, and STILL hadn't announced the Blog Hop winner. We'll get it together, I promise ha ha.

So the winner for the blog hop is....Lillian Child. You too have until Friday, February 4th before 12:00 am PST to claim your goodie bag.

Happy Hump day! Check us out tomorrow for our last sneak peek day! Aren't the new images adorable?

Sneak Peeks AND a Sketch Challenge!

2011-02-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

We are combining two exciting events today - our Sketch Challenge and more sneak peeks for our February release. First let's show off the sketch:

We would love to have you play along with us this month! The keyword for this challenge is ISSSC02. You have until Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST to enter. Leave your link below (directly to your entry, please) and remember to comment after you play! You could win TWO digi images from our store if you play along and use an InStyle Stamps image. If you don't use one of our images, you could win ONE digi image from us.
Here are the rules:

Make a new card or project using our sketch (you are welcome to combine with other challenges)
Post it on your blog or in an online gallery, using the keyword ISSSC02. Then link below, directly to your post
Mention our challenge, or use the picture of our sketch, on your post (with a link back here)

Now, let's take a look at what our designers created using this sketch and brand new images from Rain or Shine and Pretty Posies:

Kristine Reynolds (using Rain or Shine)

Axa Lima (using Rain or Shine)

Cathy Wallington (using Pretty Posies)

Jennifer Greco (using Pretty Posies)

Karin Martin (using Pretty Posies)

And here are a couple of bonus samples with images from these sets:

Angelique Nederpel (using Rain or Shine)

Sandie Dunne (using Rain or Shine)

Are you as excited as we are? These sets are both absolutely darling! Which one do you have your eye on?

The winner for last month sketch challenge is Angela. Please claim your digi's by Friday, February 4th before 12:00 am PST.

It's Sneak Peek Time!

2011-02-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today we are going to show you sneak peeks from our two brand new rubber stamp sets. Both sets will be officially released and available for purchase on Friday, February 5th!

First up today is an addition to our Tia collection (first introduced last month, in the Tia and Cuddles set). Today we are going to show you two images from her new set, Rain or Shine. Ready?

Kristine Reynolds

Axa Lima

Next we're going to show off two new images from the newest set of Patty stamps. You first saw Patty last month, as Patty Love. Well, this month she is being featured in Pretty Posies - take a look:

Aren't they all darling? Be sure to check back tomorrow, when we have both our monthly sketch challenge, AND more sneak peeks from these two new sets!

Last Call for January Sketches!

2011-01-31T12:00:00.000-08:00

Have you played along with our January sketch challenge yet? There's still time! Submissions are open until Tuesday, Feb 1st at 11:59 PM PST. This is a great sketch, because you can dress it up or keep it clean and simple. Take a look:

We would love to have you play along with us this month! The keyword for this challenge is ISSSC01. You have until Tuesday, February 1, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST to enter. Leave your link below (directly to your entry, please) and remember to comment after you play! You could win TWO digi images from our store if you play along and use an InStyle Stamps image. If you don't use one of our images, you could win ONE digi image from us.

Here are the rules:

Make a new card or project using our sketch (you are welcome to combine with other challenges)
Post it on your blog or in an online gallery, using the keyword ISSSC01. Then link below, directly to your post
Mention our challenge, or use the picture of our sketch, on your post (with a link back here)

Have fun!! We can't wait to see what you come up with. Be sure to let us know if you have any problems adding your entry :) Happy Crafting!

Ballet is InStyle!

2011-01-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today we are showing you more projects with the second set we are releasing at CHA this weekend! We first showed you Gracie and Twirla here. It's an adorable rubber stamp set that's all about ballet, and girly-girl things. Take a look at a few projects from our talented designers:


Taylor Usry

Kristine Reynolds

Gracie and Twirla will be available for purchase in the store on Saturday, February 5th. It will retail for $21.95.

If you happen to be at CHA right now, stop by and see us at Booth #5023!

We Love Fairy Tales

2011-01-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

We are releasing two brand new rubber stamp sets for CHA! The first is Fairy Tales, and we gave you a sneak peek of it here. Today we are back with a few more projects using this set!

Sandie Dunne

Jacquie Chapman


Taylor Usry

Cathy Wallington

Taylor Usry

And here is another look at the whole set:

Fairy Tales will retail for $21.95, and will be available for purchase in the store on Saturday, February 5th. And if you happen to be at CHA right now, we're in booth #5023, so stop by to see us!

Be My Valentine Blog Hop

2011-01-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today, while many of our design team members are getting on planes to meet up at CHA, their blogs are hopping for Valentine's Day! Everyone created some wonderful projects to share with you, all involving that extra sweet holiday coming up. Go take a look at what the team came up with, and come back here to leave some love (don't forget to leave some along the way).

Kristine

Cathy
Sandie
Taylor
Jessica
Axa
Angelique
Kimme
Jacquie
Karin
Kerry
Jennifer

So much awesomeness from our talented designers! Did you have a favorite? You don't have to tell who made it, but please do share your favorite new stamp set (or specific image) from this month! Leave a comment below (and make sure to tell us your favorite new stamp set or image from a set) and we'll draw a random winner to receive a $25 goodie bag!

You have until Sunday January 30th at 12:00 PM PST to leave your comments. Happy hopping!

Mom Love

2011-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

We introduced a new digi image in February, but we didn't give enough fanfare, so today we are highlighting her again! This is Mom Love, and she is a darling anime image, isn't she? She's available in the store right now! Take a peek at what a few of our Chickies have done with her:

We'll be at CHA this weekend, in Booth #5023 - will you be there? Stop by to see us if you are!

Monthly Challenge Round-Up

2011-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

We've thrown out three great challenges this month and today we are going to recap them all for you! So you know our schedule, the first three Wednesdays of each month always have a new challenge, and although you are always welcome to play along, you are only eligible to win a prize from us if you link up your project by the Tuesday night before the next challenge. We also introduced a new format this month, to make playing along much easier!

Let's start with out Sketch Challenge. The keyword for this challenge is ISSSC01, and the original post can be found here. Check out these samples from our designers:

Jen Greco (rubber stamps used: Gracie and Twirla, to be released at CHA)

Cathy Wallington (digi image used: Dandelion Chloe)

Next up: the Color Challenge. The keyword for this challenge is ISSCC01.You can find the original post about it here. This one really stretched our designers! Here's a quick peek at some of their projects:

Jen Greco (rubber stamps used: Gracie and Twirla, to be released at CHA)

Kimme Leach (rubber stamps used: Gracie and Twirla, to be released at CHA)

Lastly, we had our Inspiration challenge. The keyword for this challenge is ISSIC01, and it's original post is here. Look at these adorable projects:

Axa Lima (rubber stamps used: Patty Love)

Karin Martin (rubber stamps used: Tia and Cuddles)

Dont forget - we'll be at CHA this weekend! If you are going, make plans to stop by Booth #5023 to say hi!

Showing Off

2011-01-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

We are showing off some more amazing work today, from our Chickies and Chicklets. In case you weren't aware, we have three talented teams of designers. The Chicks work with our high quality rubber stamps, and the Chickies and Chicklets work with our huge selection of digi images.

Take a look at what a few of our fabulous designers have showcased recently:

Anki Bargman, Chickie (image use, Asia)

Patricia Hays, Chickie (image used: Heart 3)

Patty Chalas, Chicklet (image used: Natalie)

We are headed to CHA this week! If you are going to be there, be sure to stop by and see us. We'll be in Booth 5023!

Method Monday: Simple Wine Tags

2011-01-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

It's Karin, hosting my first Method Monday here at the InStyle Stamps blog. I have some crazy simple wine tags that are great for your next party, or packaged up to give as a little gift along with a bottle of wine. I have made these before and sold them at a craft fair, but they we larger and cut out with Nesties. Very time consuming. Since they are a one time use item, why not make them simpler and quicker? This idea was born from that thought.

Here are the supplies you will need:

Favorite InStyle Stamp (I used the yarn image from the new set Tia & Cuddles)

Any Scrap Paper (Mine is so old, I have no idea of the manufacturer ;) )

1" Punch (EK Success)

2" Scallop Punch (Marvy)

1/2" Punch (McGill)

Copic Markers (Photo detail below)

Scissors

Tape runner (Tombow)

Start with any kind of paper you have on hand. Like I said, mine is scraps from my (big) pile ;)

Use your 1" punch and punch out some holes, leaving some space in between the punches.

Next, take your 2" scallop punch and center the 1" circle in the middle and punch it out.

Here are the rings you end up with.

Take your favorite image (I used the yarn from Tia and Cuddles; great for my knitting friend!)

and color them in using Copics to match your chosen paper. Then use your 1/2" punch to cut them out.

These are the specific colors I used.

Take the rings, and snip with scissors in between the scallops

Add a bit of tape runner along one side of the snip and attach the image to cover the slit.

Now you are ready to have your guests add their names and the party can begin!

I told you they were easy!

If you give this little project a try we would love to see your results :)

She's on Stage

2011-01-23T06:38:00.000-08:00

We have a fabulous project to share with you today, from one of our illustrators. That's right, the talented lady who drew this set for us was inspired to make this stunning creation. Ready to see?

stamps used: Gracie and Twirla

Esme used Gracie and Twirla, a set being released at CHA next week, and created this whole scene from scratch. She created the stage from scratch, hand drew the floral background, and colored it all with colored pencils. Isn't it amazing? The curtains are absolutely darling, aren't they? What little girl wouldn't want a scene like this? It has really inspired me to create something fun for my daughter, and opened up so many new possibilities with this set!

Check Out What's Coming!

2011-01-22T10:25:00.000-08:00

We have a fun surprise today! We wanted to share some amazing projects featuring some soon released rubber stamps and digital images. Enjoy the eye candy, and start making your wishlists :)


Virginia Villasenor (rubber stamps used: Rain or Shine, coming in February)

Amber Hillman (digi image used: Girls Night Out, available next week)

Sherry Campbell (digi image used: Bralyn, available next week)

Sally Kendall (digi image used: Whimsy Bug, available next week)

Let's Get Inspired

2011-01-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Ready for a very tasty bit of inspiration? We've got it for you today! This is a beautiful table full of delightful treats. The picture lends itself well to all sorts of inspiration...shapes, colors, trees, white space. Let's take a look!

What do you think? As with our other challenges so far this year, you'll see our new format with this one too. The keyword for this challenge is ISSIC01. If you upload to an online gallery, please use that keyword so we can find your awesome project to leave some love! Wait until you see what our designers made to share with you today.

Pam Hornschu (stamps used: Tia and Cuddles)


Kristine Reynolds (stamps used: Gracie and Twirla, to be released after CHA)

We'd love to have you play along with us this month! You have until Tuesday, February 15th at 11:59 PM PST to enter. Leave your link below (directly to your entry, please) and remember to comment after you play! You could win TWO digi images from our store if you play along and use an InStyle Stamps image. If you don't use one of our images, you could win ONE digi image from us.

Here are the rules:

Make a new card using our InSpiration photo (you are welcome to combine with other challenges, but these challenge MUST be the focus of your card)
Link below, directly to your post
Mention our challenge on your post (with a link back here), or use our photo (again, with a link back here)

We had fewer than five entries for our December challenge, so we will combine those entries with the entries for this challenge and draw one winner next month! Thanks to everyone who did play along - December was a busy month!

Q & A Tuesday With Karin Martin

2011-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today you are getting the chance to know Karin Martin a little bit better - it's very exciting! This is Karin's first term with us, and we could not be more thrilled with the amazing samples she is putting out.

You'll also get to see some of Karin's favorite projects so far - you'll love them too!

How long have you been stamping, and do you prefer to make cards or other projects? I've been stamping for approximately four years. Cards would be my project of choice. You always need a card, and the more you send or give away, the more you can make!

What's your crafting style? Do you have a messy or clean craft space? I'm not sure if I have just one style - it depends on the stamps I'm using. I love to try everything. My style is messy and clean - it's not spotless, but it's not a disaster either.

stamps used: Tia and Cuddles

What five words best describe you? Funny, dependable, tall (I'm 5'10"), organized and loyal

What tool or embellishment can you not live without? My Cuttlebug!

stamps used: Tia and Cuddles

What is your favorite stamping technique? I'm still amazed by heat embossing. I oooh and aaaah every time I turn on the heat gun.

Which of your favorite InStyle Stamps projects is your favorite? My card for the upcoming blog hop on January 28th. You'll have to hop along with us to see it!

Method Monday: An Easel Card With a Twist

2011-01-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone! It's Kerry here. I'm your host for this week's Method Monday. I love making easel cards. But I always worry whether or not the card will stand (whether my ribbon is strong enough or not, etc. ). I came across this idea from surfing the amazing blog land a few weeks ago, so I figured out the measurement to work with a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card. It's super easy, let's get started!

You will need:

your base cardstock, measure 9 3/4' and 4 1/4"
main card, solid cardstock (green) 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"and pattern paper 5 1/4" x 4"
Border punch
Scoring tool
Heart punch or nestabilities (optional)

On the base cardstock (9 3/4" x 4 1/4").

On the longer side (9 3/4"), score at 2 3/4", 5 1/2", 8 1/2".

Please note: 2 3/4" if you are using a Scor Pal, you can shift the cardstock to 1/4" and score at 3". :)

Then add adhesive on the first 2 3/4" block and on the 1 1/2" block, you can use any border punch to create your border.

Attach your card on the adhesive area. :) And Viola!!

Now, to finish up the project with the brand new Tia and Cuddles set. And here is the sideview.

Goodies that I used:

Stamps: Tia and Cuddles

Paper: Bazzill, Basic Grey Wander paper pad

Copics: BG0000, BG000, BG11, E000, E00, E02, E04, E07, E 15, E17, E27, E41, E42, E55, G09, G17, R20, W0, W2, W4, Y28, 110

Others: sentiment is typed out from the computer, Martha Stewart border punch, Creative Memories mini heart punch, and Spica pen

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and give it a try! If you do, be sure to leave us a link of your project so that we can see it!

Time Is Almost Up for Pre-Orders!

2011-01-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Patty Love and Tia and Cuddles are only available at the special pre-order price of $15.95 through tomorrow night. So if you haven't ordered yours yet, now is your chance!

Take a look at some amazing inspiration from our designers, to get your mojo going:

stamps used: Patty Love

stamps used: Tia and Cuddles

stamps used: Patty Love

You can pre-order Patty Love here, and Tia and Cuddles here. Get them before they sell out!

We Forgot a Winner!

2011-01-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

We were so excited to show off the new format for our January color challenge that we totally forgot to announce a winner for the December color challenge! We're so sorry! In case you missed it, here are the colors for this month's challenge - Beautiful Butterfly:

So, Carole, today is your lucky day! You have 48 hours to claim your prize - shoot us an email using the "contact" tab at the top of the blog, and please put Dec 2010 Color Challenge winner in the subject line. Congrats!

Freebie Thursday

2011-01-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

Hope you are having a great week so far. January is just flying by isn't it? With CHA coming up and us debuting there, we have tons of work left to be done. But we didn't want to leave you without a freebie.

Today we have a cute little tea set. I love tea. And this is perfect for a friendship project.

The image is 72 dpi and 300x300 pixels.

The colors are so springy.

Now here's the best part...

Just click on the image, copy it, and paste it into your image software program.

That's right. You can use this image, free of charge!

There is just one catch... you cannot sell anything you create with this image, or any of our "Freebie Thursday" images. They're for non-commercial, personal use only. If you happen to share an image of your completed work online, attribution to our company is mandatory. Oh, and if you'd like to use these images to enhance your blogs and/or website, you can...just make sure you follow our "Freebie Angel Policy" here.

FREEBIE ANGEL POLICY

Our images posted under Freebie Tuesday can be used to create any type of project you like for personal use. You may not use this artwork to sell. Crafts created for sale using this artwork in anyway, shape or form is strictly prohibited. These images can not be used in Trademarks, banners or buttons. You are welcome to use them to enhance a blog post or for personal art projects and or paper crafts.

If you would like to obtain a limited commercial license for these images, there is a licensing fee of $50.00. If you obtain the license fee, you will be allowed to use the images for sale and in button and banners, but they may not be altered in any way and there is a restriction on the amount of items that you can sell. Please email us for further details. InStyle Stamps reserves the right to change or alter this freebie giveaway program at any time.

Beautiful Butterfly

2011-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's time for our very first Color Challenge of the year. As we mentioned in our Sketch Challenge last week, you'll notice we've made some changes to the way our challenges look. This is to make it easier for you to participate, and spread the word about the challenges. Are you ready to see our gorgeous colors for this month?

Just look at that stunning butterfly! We've picked out some colors from the photo to inspire you - you can use them all, or you can leave off the neutrals and use whatever neutral you'd like. Just be sure to focus on those shades of green and brown! You'll also notice that this challenge (and all of our challenges now) have a specific keyword. Please use this when you upload to any online gallery, so we can easily find it! For this challenge, the keyword is ISSCC01.

Now, here's a peek at what our designers have done with this amazing color palette, using stamps we've just released AND stamps we are releasing at CHA:

Axa Lima (stamps used: Patty Love - available for pre-order)

Sandie Dunne (stamps used: Fairy Tale - available after CHA)

We'd love to have you play along with our color challenge this month! You have until Tuesday, February 8th at 11:59 PM PST to enter. Leave your link below (directly to your entry, please) and remember to comment after you play! You could win TWO digi images from our store if you play along and use an InStyle Stamps image. If you don't use one of our images, you could win ONE digi image from us.

Here are the rules:

Make a new card using our color combo (you are welcome to combine with other challenges, but these colors MUST be the focus of your card)
Link below, directly to your post
Post the picture of our colors, on your blog post (with a link back here) when you do a write up

Have fun!! Remember to comment after you play. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Last Chance For Winter Purples!

2011-01-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

All over the place temps are freezing - people are seeing snow and sleet today! InStyle Stamps has embraced the cold weather and shared a nice cool color palette to challenge you with. Shades of purple, silver, and white plus a little bit if sparkle....so elegant! If you haven't had a chance to play along, there's still time! Take a look at our color inspiration photo:

Image Credit: A Creative Mint

And here is some inspiration from our designers:

Kerry Kung (image used: Valentine Ava)

Robin McKinley (image used: Heartful Chloe)

Axa Lima (image used: Valentine Ava)

We'd love to have you play along with our color challenge this month! You have until tonight - Tuesday, January 11th at 11:59 PM PST to enter. Leave your link below (directly to your entry, please) and remember to comment after you play! You could win TWO digi images from our store if you play along and use an InStyle Stamps image. If you don't use one of our images, you could win ONE digi image from us.

Here are the rules:

Make a new card using our color combo (you are welcome to combine with other challenges, but these colors MUST be the focus of your card)
Link below, directly to your post
Mention our challenge, or use the picture of our colors, on your post (with a link back here)

Have fun!! Remember to comment after you play. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Q & A Tuesday: Meet The New Girls

2011-01-11T08:11:00.001-08:00

Last week we introduced a new feature to the blog - Q & A Tuesdays. We told you, in this post, that we'd be sharing company news, industry happenings, and getting to know us all a little better.

Well today you are going to get to know TWO new someones a little better! What a fun treat. In case you missed their debuts last week, we wanted to take a minute to bring Tia and Patty back to the spotlight.

Patty volunteered to be our first introduction of the new year. Did you get a chance to see Patty last week, in her first post? She's a charming little cutie, with an adorable haircut, a sweet smile, and a love of all things chocolate! We're releasing Patty Love as her very first showcase - it's all about Valentine's Day and cupcakes! Take a look at the whole set:

Isn't she just so fun? Patty Love has six quality rubber stamps included in the set, and will retail for $19.95. However, because we love our customers and are so excited about getting Patty in your hands, you can pre-order her her for 20% off the retail price! That's right - until January 15th Patty Love is only $15.95 plus shipping! Here is a fun tag that Jessica made, to get your mojo going:

Now for our second meet and greet of the day...Tia! Did you see Tia's debut post last week? Tia is a fresh and spunky girl who loves her cat, Cuddles! We are releasing them together for their first showcase, in a set named Tia and Cuddles. Take a look at their set:

Don't they look like they are having a great time? Tia and Cuddles has six quality rubber stamps in the set (the milk and kibble are one stamp), and will also retail for $19.95. But, like, Patty Love, we want to share this set with you at a special price! So until January 15th you can pre-order Tia and Cuddles for 20% off the retail price - $15.95 (plus shipping) for all this fun! Here is a sample to give you some inspiration:

What are you waiting for? Order your Tia and Cuddles or Patty Love (or both!) today, and lock in the amazing sale price!

Method Monday: 2-5-7-10 Box

2011-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Good Morning! It's Taylor here, and I'm excited to get started with our very first Method Monday of 2011. I have a really fun, easy project today....we're going to make a 2-5-7-10 box. These are great for Valentine's Day favors for the kids at school (or people in your office), birthday party favors, baby shower gifts, and pretty much any other occasion you need to make fast, cute gift packaging for! Let's get started.

Here are the supplies you need for this project (not all pictured below):

8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock
Patterned paper (as needed/desired for decorating - on this project I have used Prima's Romance Collection)
Decorative edge punch (or decorative scissors)
Crop-a-dile (or handheld circle punch)
Scoring board (here, Martha Stewart, but Scor Pal or a paper trimmer with scoring blade will work)
Scissors
Sticky Strip
Pop-Dots
Any InStyle Stamps image you choose
Copics (for this project, E00, E40, E25, E27, E29, E35, E37, G20, YG03, YG63, YR21, R27)
Ribbon, primas, brads (and other embellishments as needed/desired)
Nestabilities
Ink, sponge

Your first step is to place the cardstock lengthwise on your scoring board and score at 2", 5", 7", and 10". Next, turn the cardstock and score it at 2" and 7". Once that is finished, hold the cardstock horizontally (as pictured below) with the 2" section at the top, and the smallest section on the left side. Cut off all of the 2" portions at the top, with the exception of the largest one on the left -this will be your box flap. Trim the top of the arrow piece at an angle, to create a tab for adhesive. Along the bottom, cut upwards along the score lines to create 4 small flaps (which will be the bottom of the box). Completely remove the section on the left. When all of this is done, your piece will look like the one below:

Make sure that you use a bone folder or scoring tool (I used my tool that accompanies the Martha Stewart scoring board) to crisply fold along each score line, to give your box clean edges. Place a piece of red sticky strip along the long tab (with the angled edge) to close the box on the side, and begin assembling it. When folding the bottom, be sure to fold the small flaps in first and then the larger ones (as pictured below):

Place one more piece of sticky strip along the large flap on the box bottom, and seal it closed.

Use you decorative edge punch or scissors to add some detail to the closure flap. Once that part is done, you will have something that looks like this:

You will want to "pinch" your box closed - line up the front and back of the box top and pinch it together. Use your Crop-a-dile to punch two holes in the closure flap (just the flap at this point!). Now, close the flap over the box and use a pencil to mark where the holes should be. Insert the Crop-a-dile into the box and punch those two holes out. Thread the ribbon through as shown below:

Now it is time to decorate your project! I used a new digi image we are releasing this month, Mom Love. I printed her out twice - once as part of my base and once to cut out and pop up on dimensionals. So for that image (pictured below, on the left) I colored her well, with all of the details and shading necessary. For my base image, I just gave her general color, so that the small bit you can see once she is popped up on pop dots is colored and not blank. I left the image inside the Nestie and sponged around the outside, to give it warmth in the middle and a clean, crisp white edge. Because I printed my image small, it is hard to see that I colored her eyes following our tutorial. Click on the picture to see a larger view! If you do, you will also be able to see where I spilled a drop of water on my base image - good thing I was planning to cover it with the image I cut out ;)

Here is my finished box! I added a bit of patterned paper, a cardstock die cut from the same collection, and a few Primas. It's filled with candy, and hidden on a shelf until Valentine's Day. This was a super easy, quick project to make. I'm going to make more for my daughter's teachers, I think!

Have you ever tried one of these before? We'd love to see what kind of 2-5-7-10 boxes you can create! Feel free to leave us a link to your post, so we can leave you some love.

Ballet Keeps You On Your Toes

2011-01-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

And now for the second set we are releasing at CHA later this month. This one is a personal favorite of mine, because it might be named after someone near and dear to my heart! Are you ready to see it?

Introducing Gracie and Twirla! Aren't they just the most adorable pair? This rubber stamp set comes with nine images - Gracie twirling, Gracie tying her ballet slippers, Twirla dancing, a pair of ballet slipper, dancing feet, two different tutus, a wand, and a sentiment ("ballet keeps you on your toes"). How adorable are they? Like our Fairy Tales set, Gracie and Twirla will retail for $21.95 and will be available for purchase just after CHA.

Want to see the gorgeous samples we made to share with you? Take a look:

This is the absolute cutest, girliest set ever, isn't it? Birthday party invitations, thank you cards sets, personalized notes, gift sets...you can do so much with it!

Just because you can't get this stunning set yet doesn't mean we don't have new goodies for you. You can pre-order Patty Love in the store, here. And you can pre-order Tia and Cuddles right here. Both sets are 20% off of their regular retail price of $19.95 if you pre-order by January 15th.

A Super Sneak Peek!

2011-01-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

We are getting so excited about CHA at the end of the month that we've decided to go ahead and show you the sets we are releasing just for the event! You won't be able to order them until after CHA, but you'll be enjoying sneak peeks from our designers all month long. Ok, are you on the edge of your seat yet? Here it comes...our very first CHA release!

Take a look at Fairy Tales! A brand new rubber stamp set with six fairy tale inspired images. Snow White, Rapunzel, Alice, Sleeping Beauty, Thumbelina, And Red Riding Hood - they are all in there in amazing detail, just waiting for you to create with them! Fairy Tales will retail for $21.95, and will be available for purchase in the store just after CHA. Now, take a look at some design team inspiration

Cathy made a castle for Rapunzel!

Jacquie's Alice and Rabbit look like they are ready to dance right off the card stock!

Just look at sweet Thumbelina, peering out from the leaves

What a lovely Snow White, in a gorgeous yellow dress

Red Riding hood hasn't even noticed that wolf in sheep's clothing behind her!


Lovely Sleeping Beauty, resting amongst the flowers and thorns - so peaceful!

This set is so gorgeous, isn't it? All of the amazing details make the images so sweet - perfect for little girls, or just those of us who are young at heart!

Just because you can't get this stunning set yet doesn't mean we don't have new goodies for you. You can pre-order Patty Love in the store, here. And you can pre-order Tia and Cuddles right here. Both sets are 20% off of their regular retail price of $19.95 if you pre-order by January 15th.

Introducing Tia & Cuddles!

2011-01-06T11:26:00.000-08:00

Check out Tia and Cuddles now available in the store for $19.95.

HOW cute are they?? Tia and Cuddles comes with six rubber stamps in the set - Tia holding Cuddles, Tia walking Cuddles, a ball of yarn, a paw print, a fish, and a milk/food dish stamp. The possibilities are endless with this combination of images!

We have some fabulous samples to show off this new set. Ready to see?

Once again, Tia and Cuddles

Freebie Thursday (used to be Freebie Tuesday)!

2011-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for stopping by. Are you loving our new images? What? You haven't see them yet? Well yesterday we debuted Patty Love. And today is another cutie coming up shortly. So make sure you stop and check them out. They are the cutest lil girls yet.

So, with all the new stuff going on here at ISS we decided to move Freebie Tuesday to Thursday. And since we didn't post a freebie during the holidays, we are posting 2 today.

First up is beautiful vase with red roses! The perfect pick me up. And with Valentine's day right around the corner, why not use it to make someone smile? This image is 72 dpi and 200x200 pixels.

I love it!

And we thought we'd share a little beach scene. This one is called Night Lighthouse. There are so many possibilities. I adore lighthouses.

This image is 72dpi and is 400x300 pixels.

Whenever I see this image, I automatically think help in the time of need! Touching.

Now here's the best part...

Just click on the image, copy it, and paste it into your image software program.

That's right. You can use this image, free of charge!

There is just one catch... you cannot sell anything you create with this image, or any of our "Freebie Thursday" images. They're for non-commercial, personal use only. If you happen to share an image of your completed work online, attribution to our company is mandatory. Oh, and if you'd like to use these images to enhance your blogs and/or website, you can...just make sure you follow our "Freebie Angel Policy" here.

FREEBIE ANGEL POLICY

Our images posted under Freebie Tuesday can be used to create any type of project you like for personal use. You may not use this artwork to sell. Crafts created for sale using this artwork in anyway, shape or form is strictly prohibited. These images can not be used in Trademarks, banners or buttons. You are welcome to use them to enhance a blog post or for personal art projects and or paper crafts.

If you would like to obtain a limited commercial license for these images, there is a licensing fee of $50.00. If you obtain the license fee, you will be allowed to use the images for sale and in button and banners, but they may not be altered in any way and there is a restriction on the amount of items that you can sell. Please email us for further details. InStyle Stamps reserves the right to change or alter this freebie giveaway program at any time.

It's Time For New Directions!

2011-01-05T06:52:00.001-08:00

Patty Love is available in the store now.

Introducing Patty Love! Isn't she absolutely adorable? There are six rubber stamps in this set - Patty holding a cupcake, Patty holding a string of hearts, a sheet of heart-shaped cookies, an adorable oven, a three tiered stand full of cupcakes, and a box of chocolates. Patty Love is the perfect Valentine's Day set, but she'll be great for birthdays too. And any other occasion where cupcakes are calld for (and let's face it - when aren't cupcakes called for?)

Just look at the sweetness our amazing designers have come up with to show off this new rubber stamp set:

The Very First Sketch of 2011!

2011-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

We have some fun announcements planed for the rest of the week, but right now it's time for our first sketch, well our first challenge actually, for 2011! Let's just get right to it, shall we? But don't forget to keep checking back....you just might get to see our brand new rubber stamp sets!

You'll notice some differences with our challenges this year. Each one has a specific keyword, so that you can upload to online galleries. We encourage to share your projects on your blog, and over on Paper Craft Planet - we have a fun group over there and will be starting a customer gallery. Each month we'll draw a random winner who will receive a little gift from us, just for having a project in there! So always use the challenge keyword, and "instylestamps" (no quotation marks) when you upload at Paper Craft Planet!

Now, on to the inspiration from our designers! You are getting a sneak peek at some of our new rubber stamps sets today, with more details to be revealed over the next couple of days. We aren't even going to tell you the names of the sets yet! Are you ready???

Jacquie Chapman

Angelique Nederpel

Make a new card or project using our sketch (you are welcome to combine with other challenges)
Post it on your blog or in an online gallery, using the keyword ISSSC01. Then link below, directly to your post
Mention our challenge, or use the picture of our sketch, on your post (with a link back here)

Have fun!! We can't wait to see what you come up with. Be sure to let us know if you have any problems adding your entry :) Happy Crafting!

A side note: because we had fewer than 5 entries last month, we will combine those entries with the entries for this month's challenge and draw a winner before the next challenge. Thanks to everyone who played along!

Last Call for 2010 Sketches!

2011-01-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

Check out our interview with Kerry, and get to know her a little better!

There is still time to play along in last month's sketch challenge - submissions will be taken until 11:59 PM PST tonight! What are you waiting for - get crafty with us!

Want to see what some of our designers made? Check these out!

Taylor Usry - image used: Vanessa

Axa Lima - image used: Scarf Chick

Cathy Wallington - image used: Gingerbread House

We would love to have you play along with us this month! You have until Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST to enter. Leave your link below (directly to your entry, please) and remember to comment after you play! You could win TWO digi images from our store if you play along and use an InStyle Stamps image. If you don't use one of our images, you could win ONE digi image from us.

Here are the rules:

Make a new card or project using our sketch (you are welcome to combine with other challenges)
Link below, directly to your post
Mention our challenge, or use the picture of our sketch, on your post (with a link back here)

Have fun!! We can't wait to see what you come up with. Be sure to let us know if you have any problems adding your entry :)

Q & A Tuesdays

2011-01-04T07:54:00.000-08:00

We're starting a new feature today, and it will continue every Tuesday in the future! We will either be interviewing one of our super-fabulous designers, or you will hear from Virginia, our fearless owner, or you'll chat with me (Taylor), the Creative Director. Our goal is that you get to know our team a little better. We will share things like industry news, company happenings, fun facts about the designers, favorite projects and products...all sorts of information.

Today we are going to get to know Kerry Kung a bit better. We are fortunate to have had Kerry on our team for quite some time, and we don't ever want to lose her! We also asked Kerry to share a few of her favorite projects with us, and you will see those throughout her interview.

How long have you been stamping, and do you prefer to make cards or other projects? I have been stamping for 4 years, and I love it! I tend to make alot of cards, but I really enjoy making 3D projects, too.

Kerry paired Mailbox Love with some fabulous patterned paper for the sneak peek of his image.

If you were a Copic marker, what color would you be? Definitely a pink! Can I pick teh whole RV and R collection? Ok, if I have to pick one, I say RV83 - it is my new favorite!

What's your crafting style? Do you have a messy or clean craft space? I don't really have a style. I like to "wing it"! My craft space is a very clean mess!!

Kerry made a little pizza box with Mel, as part of a Being Thankful project.

What five words best describe you? happy, funny, loving, caring, hardworking

Kerry used Tilly to celebrate World Cardmaking Day in 2010

What tool or embellishment can you not live without? Do paper trimmers count? I also can't live without my bling, Spica, and Stardust pens.

Thanks again, Kerry, for being such a valuable team member! We're thrilled to have and everything you bring to the team :)

The Best of Method Mondays

2011-01-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

We don't have a new tutorial for you today for Method Monday. Instead we are going to share some of our favorites from last year, to help get your mojo going in this fabulous new year! Beginning next Monday, and continuing every Monday after that, we will be bringing you fresh new tutorials for cards, altered items, projects, coloring....all sorts of amazing ideas!

Take a look at some of the marvelous Method Mondays from last year. Below each picture is a link to the original post, so you can see how to make one for yourself!:

Joy's Tea Bag Holder


Cyndi's Aperture card


Angela's Altered Clocks


Kerry's DIY Corkboard


Trash to Treasure with Kristine

Taylor's Envelope Holder

We hope you've enjoyed this quick look at some of our projects from last year. You can see everything featured on Method Monday here, if you'd like. There are tons of helpful tutorials and pics. We can't wait to bring you new and exciting tutorials beginning next Monday. See you then!