pinkfresh studio blog hop

Hello!  If you've come from Isha's blog as part of the Pinkfresh Studio DT Intro Blog Hop, welcome!  I've seen all the girls' sneak peeks so I know you've seen some awesome projects already!  I'll have the full hop list at the end of this post for you.  This is a great chance to meet the entire Pinkfresh Design Team--there are lots of new faces for this term, and some familiar ones, too.

At the end of the post you can also leave me a comment to win an awesome prize pack of new Pinkfresh products!  You'll have a chance to win a stamp & die prize pack worth $100 OR the entire Escape the Ordinary paper/embellishment collection.

The two winners will be randomly selected.  To be eligible, you must leave a comment on ALL blogs in the hop.  Comments close at 11:59 PM CST on Friday, August 18th.  Winner will be announced on August 25th on the Pinkfresh Studio blog.

Onto the projects!

I'm sharing 2 cards, using a mix of elements from Escape the Ordinary and stamps.  I wanted to use some sentiment stamps in conjunction with the colorful elements of ETO.  My first card is an all occasion greeting against a piece of graphic coral paper from the 6x6 paper pad.  The butterfly die cut, with its gold foiled details looms large behind the stamped tag and floral puffy stickers.

I added some dotty fabric and a marigold fringe bow from my own stash to match the florals.  The 'Hello friend' stamped sentiment is simply stated and beautifully lettered by Inna Moreva.  You can find the stamp on the 'Forest Friends' set. 

My second card follows the same sketch, but is not quite as bright and bold, due to the fact that it's a sympathy card.  I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that these are my least favorite cards to make, due to the sad subject matter.  However, I also think that they are some of the most important and meaningful--and appreciated.

I kept the card subdued, with softer, neutral details like the leaves and branches, deep green patterned paper, and elegant black and white fabric.  I did add a peach bow, because I know my recipient is going to appreciate it when she receives it.  (She's a fellow crafter who adores all things feminine and recently suffered the loss of a close family member.)  Again, the gorgeous lettering by Inna conveys a heartfelt message; no other words are needed here.  (You can find this stamp as part of the 'Say It With Florals' set.)

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit Anna next!  Don't forget to leave a comment everywhere you go for the chance to win some awesome Pinkfresh Studio goodies!

Pinkfresh Studio

Elena Roussakis

Isha Gupta

Rebecca Luminarias (that's me!)

Anna Kossakovskaya

Flora Monika Farkas

May Sukyong Park

Amanda-Jayne Baldwin

Amy Tsuruta

Beata Valint

Ashley Horton

Julia Stainton

Adrienne Alvis

Laura Bassen

Kathleen Graumuller

Veera Saarivo

Evelyn Pratiwi Yusuf

Elsie Robinson

etsy shop update :: new layered tag sets

Hey, hey!  Are we in August already?!  I'll admit this is kind of my least favorite time of year as this month is generally the onset of 3 months of uncomfortably hot weather here in Southern California.  July is manageably warm, but I sure do miss May Gray and June Gloom!!

How has your summer been?  Busy?  Lazy? Over?  Ours has been somewhere in between.  School starts back up in a couple of weeks for Gus so there's that to be thinking about.  And then the rush of holidays and birthdays...They're always fun, but boy is there so much to think about over the second half of 2017!!

Oh, and, like I mentioned last month, I've got a new class on my radar!  Have you checked out my card class at Big Picture Classes yet?  If not, go have a look--it's called Outside the Envelope and it's all about making awesome packaging for your handmade cards (you can apply the techniques to more than just cards, too)!  I think you'll enjoy it.  And my coming-soon class (which is not through BPC, but a company near and dear to my heart) is something I'm so, so excited about!!  I really can't say much more than that, but it's a gift wrapping course and as soon as I can drop a few more details, you bet I will!

On the blog tonight, I'm sharing some recent additions to my Etsy shop.  There are several new tag sets, like this one with the cute birds and tassels.  I still love to create pretty layered tags.  They're pure enjoyment and eye candy for me, and I use them all the time on my own gift packages.  Every tag set comes packaged up in a sweet muslin bag, tied up with trims and, if you couldn't guess, an extra layered tag or set of stacked tags.  It's ready to give if you know a stationary or paper lover!  Or go on and keep it for yourself to dress up your own packages.

Here's a lively set!  Those colors are so happy, don't you think?!  There's just something about bright yellow that equals instant cheer, so imagine one of these tags on a birthday or thank you gift to a great friend.  If you frequent this blog and/or are familiar with my work, you know how much I love texture!  And these babies are certainly not lacking there!

Do you love butterflies or know someone who does?  This is the perfect set for you then!  It's another pretty ensemble of pink, gold, and yellow elements--that's one of my favorite color palettes so I come back to it often.

You'll notice I adore little details like bits of lace, tiny stamped sentiments, and the odd wisps of metallic thread.  Those are really what give depth to the tags.

And let's do one last set for the post, which has neither pink nor yellow in it, if you can believe that!  This one is great for fall, I think, with peach, gold, and navy blue.  That deep shade of blue is one of my favorites currently and I find myself reaching for it often.

These tags are encouraging and uplifting and the lucky person on the receiving end of one of these is going to feel so special to get it.

There are a few more new goodies in the shop, like three  new gift wrap / embellishment / paper kits--yes, THREE!  I also listed some new greeting cards so be sure to head over to my shop and check everything out!  If you have any questions or special requests, I'd love to hear them.  Is there something particular you'd like me to make--a theme or color scheme you don't see here?  Let me know!  It's helpful to know what YOU, my dear customers, are looking for, so don't be shy.

I'll be back here soon!  Enjoy your week, my friends!

~Rebecca xo

my first class + a huge sale!!

Hello, old friends!  How have you been?  Happy summer!

I've got a few things I wanted to tell you about, and let you know what I've been up to over the last few months.  I'm still knocking around Instagram, and you can find me on the 6th of every month over on Nichole Heady's blog for my Papertrey Ink Packaging Ambassador post.  I've really been enjoying that.  I'm also still on the Pinkfresh Studio DT so you can find me there about once a month, too.  I'm definitely staying crafty!

Before we get too far into the crafty business, I do want to let you know I'm having a GIANT sale in my Etsy shop.  It's my biggest sale EVER and the entire shop is 50% off!!! I'm cleaning it out and letting things go for a steal so if you've been eyeing anything in there, now is the best time to get it.  Quantities are limited to what's listed and most of the items will not be restocked once they are sold out.  There is no coupon code necessary, either, so you don't have to hassle with that!

{Peach, Green, Copper + Gold Kit: $15}

There are several gift wrap / paper / embellishment kits for sale in the shop and if you like the way I use trims, tassels, and tags to dress up packages, the kits are a fantastic source for those items.  They're definitely made up of my favorite things to use for packaging, and most are selling for $10-$15 currently.  That's a great deal!!

{Valentine Kit - $12}

And once you've ordered your kit(s), head on over to Big Picture Classes for my inaugural class on card packaging!  I'm so excited for the opportunity to develop and teach this class over there.  It's called Outside the Envelope and it's all about foregoing a basic envelope for something a little bit more fun and unexpected when you're giving a card--make an impact before your recipient even sees the card!

This class was a whole lotta fun, along with a whole lotta work to put it all together so I do hope you'll take some time to check it out.  There is quite a bit of information packed into it, including:

- 4 Step-by-Step Card Packaging Samples
- 4 Step-by-Step Cards
- My favorite supplies
- Tips for mailing/hand-delivering the final products
- A deep look into my thought process when I'm creating packaging
- And much, much more!

Even if you don't make a lot of cards--or any cards at all--the ideas in the class will be helpful for adding layers, textures, and soft touches to any of your projects or special gift wrappings.  With 5 videos, tutorials, and more photos than I can believe, you'll get a ton of insight into how I put my cards and packages together.  And, yes, you read that right: There are EIGHT total projects in this class--aside from 4 start-to-finish card coverings, there are also 4 start-to-finish cards!

I had a lot of fun putting the projects and class together so I hope you'll check it out and let me know what you think.  I'd also love to see any projects you make that are inspired by the class, so don't be shy--share!!

You must be a member at Big Picture Classes to take the class; the fee is $9.95 per month and there's a free 2-week trial when you sign up.  They offer a varied selection of craft classes, ranging from beginner to expert-level, and with topics that cover scrapbooking, DIY, stamping, mixed media art, and card making.  If you aren't a member already, it's a valuable investment!  (I totally recommend Janna Werner's Crazy Clusters class, too. Hint: You might come across a familiar name during one of the lessons in her amazing class!)

I'm fairly certain I may pop up again at some point this year with another class...perhaps in a different venue...and I'll be sure to fill you in on that if/when it happens.

And, still, there are one or two more things I have up my sleeve before the summer is over and I really cannot wait to share those with you (though, I must wait, unfortunately).  I hate to keep you waiting, so here's a sneak at the latest Papertrey Ink Packaging Ambassador Post...You can find it on Nichole Heady's blog on July 6th!

And here are a few more 50% off steals in the Etsy shop:

{Pink, Gold + Beet Kit: $10}

{Pink + Gold Kit: $13.50}

{Aqua, Rose Gold + Yellow Mini Clothespins: $3.30}

{Pink Glitter Mini Clothespins: $2.70}

{Pink, Chocolate + Rose Gold Mini Clothespins: $3.90}

You'll find A LOT more in the shop so please go have a look!

Enjoy the rest of your week, friends!

papertrey ink :: guest blogger :: packaging ambassador introduction

Hey, guys!  I want to direct your attention to Nichole Heady's blog today.  I'm introducing my new role as the 'Packaging Ambassador' over there.  You can find out just exactly that is, get some background on why I love gift wrapping so much, and see a few more photos.  On the 6th of each month I'll have a new post on Nichole's blog, as part of that series, also known as Paper & Package.

I'm fulfilling a bit of a dream in this role, wherein I get to dig deep into my affection for all things Paper & Package and share them with you.  It's an in-depth look into gift wrapping and will provide you with more than just a pretty picture.  I'll share tips, tricks, techniques, tutorials, and favorite products so I encourage you to check it out each month.

There are some really exciting things coming to my series in the next few months!  I hope you'll have a look and let me know what you think!

~Rebecca

xoxo