Ahhh... Vacation

After what's seemed like a long couple of months, I couldn't be happier blogging from sunny and warm Cabo San Lucas, Mexico!   I am here with my husband Mike, daughter Molly, my parents, my grandfather,  and two best friends, Jenny and Meghan.   How lucky am I?  I am here all week.  

I have a great post for you on Friday - it's Charles Shutz's birthday so we are celebrating Peanuts! Check back for it.   Until then - have a Happy Thanksgiving from me and everyone at PSA Essentials!

Thanksgiving Table Top

Three really cute ideas for you today for Thanksgiving table top! 

Check out this very fun centerpiece by Erika Taylor.  It’s a pumpkin with a tag that says “T” for “Thanksgiving” or “Taylor.”  You can personalize it to fit your table.   I put it in my favorite leaf plate, surrounded it by some fall decorations from Pier 1 and had a great dining room table centerpiece!  The colors really pop and it looks festive. 

Designer Amber Zimmerman came up with this great Activity Sheet for kids – perfect for the table this Thanksgiving.   Kids are sure to stay entertained by checking off all the things they are thankful for and coloring in the stamps.  I am so impressed with the wide array of PSA stamps she was able to use here – this project really shows off PSA’s versatility.    Whether kids are thankful for dogs, dolls or baseball – there’s something for boys and girls here and is sure to be lots of fun. 

 

 

Designer Christina Padilla created this fun “Kids Table” Flag using a PSA Hello Kitty Trick or Treat Stamps.   Thanksgiving is all about family and what fun it is to celebrate your kids, too.   Make their table special and put in as much thought to theirs as yours, and everyone wins!

 

I am sure you are all busy getting ready for Thanksgiving!   Almost here…

Supply Spotlight: 

1. Pumpkin:  Stamps:  PSA Archive (PSA Essentials).  Paper:  Various colors (PaperTrey Ink.).   Tools:  Score board and cutter (Martha Stewart).   Other: ribbon (Reasonable Ribbon) and Glimmer Mist.
2. Activity Mats:   Stamps:  PSA Essentials.  www.psaessentials.com/peelandstick .  Paper: HP Ink Jet and Fall Creations (PaperTrey Ink).   Other:  Markers sets (Michaels)
3. Banner:   Stamps: Hello Kitty Trick or Treat (PSA Essentials).

Thanksgiving Cards & Gifts

Thanksgiving is fast approaching!  My favorite tradition of Thanksgiving is when my family goes around and says what they are thankful for.   Last year, my husband said he was thankful for the Jets and Mark Sanchez.    My mom said she was thankful for her my father and all the great travel they get to do.   My cousin Tyler said he was thankful for his health.   You can see everyone has a different take on the exercise…   This year, in addition to being thankful for my husband, my daughter, my family and health,  I am  thankful for my position with PSA Essentials and doing something I love.

Do you send “thank-you” cards around Thanksgiving?  It’s a great idea.   What about making a “thank-you” card or a “happy thanksgiving” card and sending it to friends and family you won’t be able to see this holiday?   Just a quick note on why you are thankful for them or to tell them you are thinking about them.   Here are some cute cards our designers have come up with.  

This one is from Erika Taylor - she used PSA Vanilla Peel & Stick stamps here:

These two are from Stephanie Jones, she’s used Hello Kitty Trick or Treat Peel & Stick stamps here. 

Our designer Amber Zimmerman had a great idea for hostess gifts.   Going to someone’s house for Thanksgiving this year?   Bring these.    She created fancy and personalized hand towels.    She’s used PSA Archive Peel & Stick stamps to stamp the initial of the last name.    I must tell you that this gift isn’t the most practical because our inks aren’t washable.  But – it sure does look great and lots of people have fancy hand towels that they display but people don’t really “use.”

Anthonette Chavez created this adorable gift bag that’s the perfect size for a wine bottle and some cocktail napkins.    This is another great hostess gift idea to bring to the Thanksgiving festivities you are attending.  She used Hello Kitty Reindeer games.    Love her patterned papers and color use.   

Love this time of year.  What are you thankful for this season?

Supply Spotlight:

1. Happy Thanksgiving card -  Stamps:  PSA Vanilla (PSA Essentials).  Paper: Cardstock Assorted (PaperTrey Ink).   Other:  Glimmer Mist, embellishment flowers and ribbon.
2. Pumpkin Pie card -  Stamps: Trick or Treat (PSA Essentials - Hello Kitty).  Paper:  It's A Punkin Patch Digital Scrapbooking Kit (Merkeley Designs), Spring Rain (PaperTrey Ink).  Other:  New Leaf Baker's Twine, Spring Rain Vintage Button (PaperTrey Ink).
3.  Happy Thanksgiving -  Stamps: Trick or Treat (PSA Essentials - Hello Kitty), Gobble Gobble (PaperTrey Ink).  Paper:  Dark Chocolate, Scarlet Jewel, Rustic White (PaperTrey Ink).  Tools:  Corner Rounder, 1" Circle Punch (Marvy?), Decorative Label Punch (Stampin' Up!), Threading Water Border Punch (Fiskars), Forest Branches Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug/ProvoCraft). Other:  Dark Chocolate Twill Tape, Scarlet Jewel Vintage Buttons (PaperTrey Ink), R39 (Copic).
4. Hand Towels - Stamps:  PSA Vanilla (PSA Essentials.)  Other:  Fabric (oAnns) & buttons (JoAnns)
5. Gift Bag -  Stamps: Hello Kitty - Reindeer Games (PSA Essentials), Paper (all Stampin' Up): Very Vanilla, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, patterned paper, Ink: Grapefruit (PSA Essentials)
   Tools: 1 1/16" circle punch (EK Success), 1.25" circle punch (All Night Media), 2" circle punch, (Fiskars), Crop-a-Dile (We R Memory Keepers), Other: gift bag (Michael's), Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue, pink lace, foam tape (3M), Silver thread, eyelet (Making Memories), Copic markers, glitter pen (Sakura), button (Papertrey Ink). 

 

Modern Thanksgiving Decorating

My Grandma Jan went bonkers every holiday.  She had a separate basement storage area for all of her decorations.   I can remember pulling out Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations box, after box, after box.   What I remember most about Grandma Jan’s decorations were how literal they were.   For Christmas, there were a heck of a lot of Santa’s.   For Thanksgiving, there sure were a lot of pilgrims.    Don’t get me wrong – I love Santa’s and Pilgrims, but what I like about modern decorating is that the interpretation is less literal and people everywhere seem to be playing around with different approaches. 

Our designer Susan D’Anna seems to have a great eye for modern decorating.   Her ideas are super chic.  She created this table setting for Thanksgiving.   The colors and patterns are so up to date. 

Once again Susan created a centerpiece tree.  (Check out her Halloween one here: http://psastampcamp.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-decorating-time.html ).    On this one, she has acorn ornaments and PSA Hello Kitty Trick or Treat stamped ornaments dangling from the limbs.  

These modern dish top place cards are would be perfect for a small Thanksgiving party.  Use the first letter of the person’s name to indicate seating.  Susan used PSA Vanilla Peel & Stick stamps for lettering here. 

Can you believe Thanksgiving is only 14 days away?

Supply Spot Light:

Hello Kitty Peel & Stick (PSA Essentials), Lower Case Letters Peel & Stick (PSA Essentials). Paper: brown constructions paper (Creatology), purple textured scrapbook paper (Bazzill Basics), 11x17 laser jet paper with pattern printed on it (Hammermill). Tools: Tape (Scotch Brand), Scalloped Stamp Punch (Fiskars). Other: Gold Glitter Glue (Colle Scintilante), brown ribbon (Spoole O’Ribbon), brown pom-poms (Creatology), glass jar (Ball), purple and brown wood shavings (manufacturer unknown), rocks and acorns and branch.

Get Well Soon!

Our design team member Jen Witmer had emergency back surgery two weeks ago.   A disc slipped into her spine and doctors had to cut through layers of muscle to remove the disc and repair the injury.   She’s looking at a minimum of 9 weeks of recovery, and she’s confined to her recliner most hours of the day.  The worst part about her injury is that she can’t lift anything over 10 lbs, including her 11 month old son, Elliott.     She’s relying on her husband for nearly everything, and also the community for support.    I thought I would try and pitch in. 

First, I arranged this bouquet of simple flowers in a pickle jar.   I stamped up some “thinking of you” sticks from the PSA Dare to Dream Peel & Stick packs.  I truly am thinking about her all of the time!  

 

Next, I made her family my white chicken lasagna and Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Peppermint filing.   I must admit that I sampled the Whoopie Pies and I am in heaven.     The recipe came from Better Homes and Garden’s Food & Gift issue.   I stamped the recipe card with my new personalized:  “From the Kitchen of Libby O’Regan” stamp and am calling both recipes my own. 

 

I know Jen is going to need a lot of help over the next few months and I hope she will call me.  I made her some “coupons” which she can redeem anytime.    One is for a night of babysitting Elliott, so she and Bryan can have some alone time.   One is for a home cooked dinner, one for drinks in with the girls,  one is for lunch of her choice, served in her recliner.     Of course she doesn’t need the coupons to call me for her needs, but this seemed like a fun thing to make her. 

Here’s to a speedy recovery Jen! 

Supply Spotlight:

1. Flower arrangement.   Stamps:  PSA Dare to Dream (PSA Essentials).  Paper:  Yellow and Orange (Papertology).    Other:  Wooden rods (Michael's) and flowers
2. Recipe Card.   Stamps:  PSA Personalized "From the Kitchen of"  (PSA Essentials).  Paper:  Yellow, Green and Blue (Papertology). 
3. Coupons.   Stamps:  PSA Date Night,  PSA Country Home,  PSA Carriage (PSA Essentials).  Paper: Various colors (Papertology).   Other:   Pearl rhinestones (Martha Stewart),  Markers Classic Colors (Crayola). 

In the press

There’s a lot of buzz about PSA Essentials right now!  Here’s a quick update. 

On November 4^th, we were featured on Hampton Road’s Bride Blog.  The post gives great ways to thank guests for gifts and for coming to their wedding.    You can read the blog post here: http://www.hamptonroadsbride.com/bride_blog/?p=778.   Be sure to pick up the next issue of Hampton Roads magazine - we will be featured in the printed issue!

We were also just written about on the popular, Examiner.com.  You can read the article here:   http://www.examiner.com/scrapbooking-in-atlanta/get-your-stamp-on-at-psa-stamp-camp.    Examiner.com is “the inside source for local” and has a great following.   If you are visiting us from reading that article – welcome and thanks for stopping by!  Stay tuned to this blog and Atlanta Scrapbook Examiner for more PSA Essentials updates.   



Stay tuned...

Unveiling PSA How To Videos

Recently, I became an actress. 

Okay, so not a real actress but I am on camera for 4 minutes to show our audience how to use PSA Peel & Stick Stamps.   In the videos, I explain the basics: how to use your stamp the minute you get it, how to change your design, and how to change the ink.    Did you know you can use our Peel & Stick stamp designs with an acrylic block?  I also explain how in the videos.

We hired Pink Squirrel Productions to shoot them.   Based out of Savannah, the owner Jamie Prescott has filmed many movies and regularly shoots spots for Paula Deen and the Food Network.  Jamie and his crew are world class!  We staged the videos at The Mansion at Forsythe Park in the 700 Kitchen.   The kitchen is a stunning backdrop and my fantasy craft space.    The 700 Kitchen is used for cooking classes and Chef Darin gets rave reviews on Trip Advisor with over 3,000 positive reviews!  I am dying to take one of his classes.   You can read more about the iconic Savannah hotel and find out more about cooking classes at http://www.mansiononforsythpark.com.   

It was a great place to shoot the videos!  I am so proud and excited to unveil them now.   We hope it will make PSA Peel & Stick Stamps easy to understand.   I look forward to hearing your comments!  Please click on these two links below to see them now. 

Peel & Stick How To Video

How to change your ink cartridge