Still not sure exactly what Peel & Stick Stamps are?

Think of it this way:  PSA Personalized Stamps have Switchable Middles.   You can take your personalized stamp, remove the middle, and stick on a new one.  There are over 600 middles to choose from!  How you use one stamp body is up to you and the possibilities seem endless. 

I love my personalized stamp and I use it all the time on any correspondence.  Yes, I know “correspondence” sounds like something your grandmother would say.   But my grandmother was fabulous and she wrote great letters, and I like to follow in her footsteps.   It’s so much fun to change out the middle of my stamp to fit the theme of my letter.   It makes the contents of the envelope that much more exciting and special.

Here's one of my personalized stamps:  

For Molly’s first birthday party, I changed out my “O’Regan” and used the Cupcake from PSA Cupcake.  I colored it up a little to show you what you can do with it here:

For Molly’s Christening invitations, I used the dress from PSA Carriage.   It looked something like this:

I helped a friend stamp her birth announcements for her baby boy, and we used “It’s a boy” from the PSA Carriage Collection.   The idea is shown here:

I can’t wait to get started on Christmas cards – there are so many great new middles.   My two new favorites are “Whimsy Tree” and “North Pole”.   You can see them here at: http://www.psaessentials.com/psaoriginals.htm. It's going to be hard to choose just one this holiday season!

And Switchable Middles are not just for correspondence!  Over the next few months we are going to showcase all the great ways you can use your personalized stamp with fun middle designs.   From greeting cards to entertaining, we have a lot of ideas to share.

So if you didn’t understand the concept of Peel & Stick before, I hope you are beginning to see the idea of switchable middles for a personalized stamp.  The possibilities are endless!

Supply Spotlight:  Stamps: PSA Personalized Stamp, PSA Carriage Collection, PSA Carriage Collection, PSA Carriage Collection.   Paper: White envelopes.   Tools:  PSA Stamper.   Other: Progresso Woodless Colour Pencils.

Halloween Decorating Time!

If you know me, you would know that I’ve always hated Halloween.   Too much pressure with the costume, stress when I was in middle school of who I was going to trick or treat with, or a competition with kids to see how much candy I could get.  Even college was miserable because it was really an excuse for girls to dress inappropriately – and being a Victoria Secret girl (costume is a bra & underwear), didn’t suit my body type or work in my comfort zone. 

My opinion of Halloween recently started to change as we received design team call submissions using PSA Peel & Stick stamps.   From a design perspective, I always thought Halloween was sort of kitschy but the designs we have been receiving are clean, modern and beautifully designed!  I started getting in the mood and decorating.  Here’s a great dining room set up idea. 

Isn’t this tree amazing?  Our designer Susan D’Anna created it and I think it belongs in a Pottery Barn catalog!  (It would sell me the table...)  It’s quite tall and has spiders and bats dangling from the limbs.   Susan used the PSA Haunted Shack Collection and the U.B.U. Happy Halloween to create this very hip, fun to have on your table center-piece.     

Susan also made this banner!   I love the use of color and that the banner fits across an entire double window!  It's a festive way to spice up the dining room. 

 Another Halloween decorating idea that I am enjoying are these fabulous candles by our designer Amy Kingsford.    They are battery operated and produce a beautiful soft glow.  She’s embelleshed the edges of the stamp, making the PSA Haunted Shack really stand out. 

Another one of our designer's Carly Robertson came up with this adorable Hello Kitty Favor charm, which I attached to a wine bottle.   It would be a great hostess gift.   She also created these simple wine charms.  Adorable!

I have so much more Halloween in store for you in the next couple of weeks!  Stay tuned.

Supply Spotlight:

1. Halloween Tree:  Stamps:  PSA Haunted Shack, U.B.U. Happy Halloween, and Hello Kitty.    Paper:  Black and Orange (Creatology).   Other:  Black pipe cleaners, black ribbon (Spool O'Ribbon). 
2. Banner:   Stamps:  PSA Haunted Shack, U.B.U. Happy Halloween.   Paper:  Black, Orange & Haunted (Creatology).    Other:  Felt ribbon, staples. 
3. Candles:  Stamps: PSA Haunted Shack.   Paper:  Assorted (Patterned Papers, Eeerie Collection).   Tools:  Scalloped & Circle punches (McGill's), Laser cut paper doily (Basic Grey).   Other:  Black Rhinestones (Heidi Grace Designs), 4" & 6" Flameless Vanilla Candles (Mainstays). 
4. Wine favor & charms:  Stamps: PSA Hello Kitty.  Paper:  Card stock (SU!), patterned paper (A muse).  Tools:  Circles (Spellbinders), Scoreboard (Martha Stewart).  Other:  Rhinestones (Zva Creative), metal tags, markers.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

If you didn’t know what all those “I like it on the ____” posts were on Facebook, join my club.  I had to ask my friends who are in college to explain it.   Apparently, it’s where you “like to put your purse.”  And obviously the innuendo is enough to get everyone talking and truly increase awareness of Breast Cancer Month.  (Since that’s what it’s supposed to promote!)

I like it on the desk in my kitchen. 

To honor Breast Cancer Month, I’d like to share some beautiful cards that our designer Anthonette Chavez has made using our PSA Dare to Dream Collection.   These cards would be great to send to someone you know affected by Breast Cancer, or a great fundraising opportunity.  (Create a few dozen, sell them on your Etsy store and donate the profits to Susan G. Komen!)

The designs here are so clean, simple and professional looking.  Anthonette is also showing us that you don’t have to use PSA Peel & Stick stamps “in the round.”  Here she’s cut out the words to suit her design.   It’s an interesting and different perspective.

For some gift type ideas,  Anthonette decorated a Tic-Tac case and our designer Mara Campbell created a treat bag for her friends who were participating in a Breast Cancer Walk.  They are both great ideas to give as little gifts and tokens of appreciation.

What a beautiful way to honor Breast Cancer Awareness and support it!

Supply Spotlight:

1)   Live for the moment card:  Stamps:  Dare to Dream (PSA Essentials), Paper:  Melon mambo - textured, Pumpkin Pie, & Kraft (Stampin' Up), Very Vanilla (Stamp'in Up), white, mauvre, (Only the Best).  Tools:  Big Shot with scalloped square Nestabilities (Spellbinders), flower die (Sizzix), Scoring board (Martha Stewart), Crop-a-Dile (We R Memory Keepers).  

3)   Thinking of you card:  Stamps: Dare to Dream (PSA Essentials), Paper: Pretty in Pink and Basic Black (Stampin' Up), white (CA Paper Goods).   Tools:  Heart to Heart Punch (Stampin' Up), Scoring Board (Martha Stewart), 1.25" circle punch (All Night Media), 1/16" paper punch (Fiskars).    Other:  Metal tag (Stampin' Up), bling frame (Heidi Swapp), Pretty in Pink Ribbon (Stampin' Up).

4)   Tic tac case:   Stamps:  Frenchie (PSA Essentials), Paper:  patterned paper (KI Memories), Pink Pirouette, Kraft, Rose Red (Stampin Up),  Tools:  Scallop Circle Punch (Stampin'Up), Small Heart Punch (Stampin'Up) Scoring Board (Martha Stewart). 
5)  Treat bag:  Stamps Dare to Dream (PSA Essentials), Papertrey Ink Polka Dot Stamp,  Paper:  Papertrey Ink.  Tools:  Circle punch (Fiskars).   Other:  Twine (The Twinery), Ribbon (Offray). 

More Design Team Announcements!

I am excited to announce more members of this talented design team today!  Look around the web for this exciting bage:  "PSA Stamp Camp Design Team."

All of these designers submitted fabulous October projects using PSA Peel & Stick stamps .  You will see them all here this month.    

The designers were all asked: "What's your favorite something?" and their responses are below as part of their introduction.  Be sure to check out these ladies blogs! 

Amber Zimmerman:  I have a print from "Slidesideways" on etsy that says, "Let the sun shine in".  It is my favorite and hanging in my craft area because it is cheerful and a like a bit of sunshine streaming in my room all of the time (especially on those gray Indiana winter days).   Blog:  http://amberzimm.blogspot.com/

Melissa Phillips:  Loves all things design and craft, especially paper crafts like card making.   Blog:   http://lilybeanpaperie.typepad.com/lilybeans_paperie/ 

Julia Aston:  My favorite craft is to make or embellish boxes and containers.  A creative package makes even the smallest of gifts extra special.  www.createwithjulia.blogspot.com

Jennifer Holmes:  My favorite thing to do while I craft is to drink coffee and listen to music!  Coffee is something I love almost as much as stamps and the music helps put me into the appropriate crafting mood (I've been listening to Christmas music since July!).  Blog:  www.simpleflourishes.com 

Jennifer Witmer:   My favorite something is a portrait of my grandmother, Katherine done by her father, Will Howe Foote.  I'm fifth generation artist in my family and this is my every day inspiration to do what I love.   Jen's not in the blog world yet. 

Anthonette Chavez:  I love my iPhone! It's the handiest gadget ever in the Steve Jobs universe with email, texting, Twitter, internet, pictures, video, music, GPS, games, my shopping list, and it just happens to be a phone too.   Blog:  http://chavezdesigns.blogspot.com/ 

Stephanie Jones:  I love being the 'crafty mom' around here - and often having a kitchen full of 6 year old girls wanting to get painty/inky/glittery!!!  Blog:   http://www.pinkstarcreations.blogspot.com/

A few more annoucements early next week!  Stay tuned.

World Teacher's Day!

Today is World Teacher's Day - a day to honor those who teach our children!  This newer holiday began in 1994 when UNESCO (United Nationals Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – a specialized United Nations agency) chose October 5th to promote awareness of education and thank teachers across the world for their dedicated service.  It's not a made up holiday!

I’d like to thank Ethel Grant, my daughter’s daycare provider and teacher.  Ethel has 10 children of her own, 44 grandchildren, and 17 great-grand children. Impressive numbers, right?  She knows more than just a little about raising children and over the last 10 months, she’s taught me what to do when Molly has diaper rash, what to do when she’s on hunger strike, what to do when she acts up, and generally predicts what’s going to happen next.   Teaching comes in many forms and while Molly’s too young to be in a classroom – she soaks up the world around her right now like a sponge.   Those around her are very influential, so I am happy we have Ethel. 

To celebrate and to honor those who teach our kids, today’s a great day to give a small gift!   Our designer Julia Aston came up with a few great ideas:  a First Aid Kit, a small note pad, and a tin with some magnets!   She used the Superstar PSA Peel & Stick Collection and PSA Hello Kitty School Days to create these simple and clean gifts!

Another great idea is to give a card to your child’s teacher, or if they are old enough, work on this great card with them!    This was designed by Enfys Cashmore – I love the use of the bold red and how the stamps really pop! 

Thanks to Julia and Enfys for these great ideas and ways to celebrate teachers on this World Teachers Day!  To all the teachers out there – thank-you! 

Announcing the Design Team!

After a two month long search, I am pleased to announce we have chosen 15 designers to be a part of the PSA Stamp Camp Design Team!    Their talent far exceeds my expectations.   There is a wide variety of styles, areas of expertise and artistic points of view.    We are sure to see different ways to use PSA Peel & Stick Stamps and appeal to a range of audiences.   It’s a great group!    I’d like to introduce just a few of them now, and I'll update more throughout the week.    

All of the designers were asked to answer this very broad question:  What’s your favorite something?   Their answers are shared below as part of their introduction.    Be sure to check out their blogs, too!  

Carly Robertson – Is primarily a card maker whose favorite something is described as a day that starts with Starbucks, followed by a spa treatment (or two), lots of fun family time, ending it with a great meal, and then off to my craft room for a late evening of card making!

Blog: http://carlyrobertson.typepad.com/paper-in-bloom/

Marie Ramirez :   My favorite craft:   I love paper crafting.   The possibilities are endless!    There’s so much you can do with paper.   Blog: www.absosweetmarie.blogspot.com

Erika Taylor:   I love art.   I couldn’t possibly pick just one favorite painting but I could maybe pick two.   Flaming June by Lord Frederic Leighton and That Which I Should Have Done I Did Not Do by Ivan Albright. What can I say?!  I'm eclectic!  Blog:  http://taylordconcepts.blogspot.com/

Amy Kingsford:  My favorite medium to craft with is recycled or repurposed objects from my home...it's inexpensive, it's green and it opens your mind to an endless world of possibilities!  For example...my home-made abacus style headboard was once the louver door from our basement linen closet...shhh don't tell anyone!  Blog:  http://www.scrappydoo-askings.blogspot.com/

Susan D’Anna:   My favorite thing for inspiration is a pattern with bright colors.   It’s usually my starting point for any craft project - anything from wrapping paper, fabric and even envelope liners!

Mara Campbell:   My favorite color combo is ocean blue, white, and kraft paper.   Those colors make me wish I was sipping a cold cocktail on the beach! Blog:  http://www.loveyourmotherearth.blogspot.com/

I will feature more designers this week, so stayed tuned to check out this talented group!

National Get Organized Month!

I spent the month of September preparing for blog launch day, so you wouldn’t believe how excited I am that it’s finally here! 

October is National Get Organized Month and I plan to do just that.   It’s time to stop keeping everything in my blackberry.   I’ve found a solution for a simple and fun calendar on my fridge – this way the whole family can see it.    I used a host of Peel & Stick stamps (Mom’s calendar collection) and created magnets for a dry erase board.     October is filling up quickly!   Molly and I are on a mini vacation in my hometown of Winchester, MA (just outside of Boston) this weekend.  (We are missing Mike but he has to work!)  Also planned this month:  lots of Friday “Ladies Who Lunch” with Ashley & Susan,   a date night with Mike planned in Savannah, and my birthday is October 20^th!    We have a few meetings scheduled for PSA, and of course there’s the mundane to do’s but I always seem to forget - picking up the dry cleaning, carpool, a hair appointment, and going to the gym.   This calendar is a perfect visual reminder of all these details. 

I am also getting organized over at PSA!  While the Craft Room at PSA Essentials is still a work-in progress, you can see we made some serious headway!   When I came on board, the room was a storage room carved out of the warehouse.  I spent one afternoon painting it, have installed some shelves, and am trying to organize supplies in bins.   There’s still a lot of work to be done here, but check out these before and midway through pictures.   I am looking forward to making this a creative haven.

  

Up next – I’ll announce our Design Team!   Also, this month I will feature all sorts of ways to use Peel & Stick Stamps for World Teachers Day, Breast Cancer Awareness, Halloween and Girls Night Out.  Looking forward to a great month!