{Fabulous Friday Giveaway} $100 Gift Certificate & Set of Fresh Ink Pads from Impress!

UPDATE!!

We have a winner!

COMMENT #38 - Bullfrogs & Butterflies

She said: "Love their Divine Twine & Fancy Square Punch."

Congratulations Bullfrogs & Butterflies! 

Please contact me at toni@thetomkatstudio.com to claim your prize!

Happy Friday!Today's FABULOUS giveaway is sponsored by a fantastic company, Impress Rubber Stamps! I was introduced to this company when my childhood best friend, Margie sent me a gift certificate for helping with her baby shower! Impress offers a wide selection of craft punches, stamps, embellishments and more! Impress has generously offered to giveaway a $100 gift certificate along with a full set of their signature Fresh Ink pads!

Need some inspiration?
Check out the Impressive Ideas page on their site!
It's FULL of amazing creative craft ideas!

Ready to enter to WIN?1) Visit IMPRESS, come back here and leave a comment telling us what you would pick if you win!

2) Become a fan of IMPRESS on Facebook! Let them know TomKat sent you! Come back and leave a comment letting us know!
3) Are you a fan of TomKat Studio on Facebook? Comment for an additional entry!

Winner will be chosen on Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 11:00pm (MST). Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

{Fabulous Friday Giveaway} Twine Lovers Pack from The Twinery - $98 Value

UPDATE!!

We have a winner!  And that lucky person is.....

COMMENT #363 SAM & JOSH!
She said:  Use it to wrap cakes and cupcakes.
I think she left her comment short & sweet because she is the mom to TWINS & TRIPLETS!!  That is a busy, busy woman!  So, Sam & Josh, be sure to contact me at toni@thetomkatstudio.com when you can find a spare second in your day!!

Good day everyone!  Toni here to bring you this week's Fabulous Friday Giveaway!  Who is already thinking about all of the treats and baked goods you will be giving away this holiday season?  And who is already thinking up cute ways to package your goodies?  Well, we are about to help you with that.

The giveaway comes courtesy of The Twinery!  They are graciously donating the Twine Lovers Pack.  That is 8 full spools of colored twine - a $98 value! With 240 yards of twine on each roll.  That should last you a while!  You can use it for so many different things - giftwrapping, crafting and you guessed it....packaging baked goods!! Fabulous!  Visit The Twinery's blog for some wonderful ideas!

Do you want to enter?  Here is how!

1)  Visit The Twinery, and after you have been inspired, tell us how you would use your Twine.

2)  Become a fan of The Twinery on Facebook!  Don't forget to leave that TomKat love!  Let us know that you did by leaving us a comment.

3)  Are you a fan of TomKat?  If not, join us here.  If you are, let us know!

Winner will be chosen on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 11:00pm (MST). Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

***In addition, The Twinery is offering a 25% discount to TomKat Studio readers during the giveaway period!   Just use the code TOMKAT25 at check out! Visit their website here.***

Local Love: Domestic Bliss in Mesa, AZ

My MIL offered to watch my kiddies one afternoon last week, so I could have some "me" time. What a luxury! Most of my regular errands were taken care of, so it was truly a "free" afternoon to go anywhere my heart desired. So, with my little purse (no pull-ups or wipes allowed) and a gift certificate to the spa...off I went, without a clue where I was going!

First stop....can you guess? Craft store...it really is a luxury to browse and let your mind wander with creative ideas without two munchkins in the cart. I am working on my DIY Frame Kits and stocked up on some fabulous paper to offer with them. {one of my faves from amy butler}

Next stop...my paper supply store. I picked up some supplies I needed, along with some packaging ideas for the DIY kits. Since I was in Mesa (a bit of a ride from my house)....I figured I finally had a few minutes to stop by.....

Domestic Bliss, a fabulous home/baby/crafty boutique in Mesa. I rarely go there but I had been wanting to check out their "Blissful Living Studio", where they hold craft/sewing classes. They have actually combined spaces, and the craft studio is now part of the store (darn...I missed it!), but extremely fabulous still. They carry the brightest, cutest patterned fabrics, including designs from my favorite fabric/paper ladies, Amy Butler & Heather Bailey. They offer all sorts of fun classes including: sewing, crochet, fashion consulting, paper crafting, jewelry making and more! If you read Nie Nie (my hero), she taught here before her accident last year.

I bought a fabulous wall hanging by PaPaYa, which was so funny because I had read about their gorgeous new workspace earlier that morning on one of my fave decorating blogs, Decor8!
It was meant to be mine!
{photo of Papaya's Workspace via Decor8}

The green is perfect for my home studio, and I've been wanting to add some pops of pink!

Here it is on top of my armoire:

If you are in the Phoenix area, stop by Domestic Bliss....it's fabulous!
1622 W. Main Street, Mesa AZ 85201

Needless to say, I didn't make it to the spa......next time, for sure.

The TomKat Studio: DIY (Do It Yourself, Please!)

I am excited to tell you that the DIY kits are in production for my frames! I am quickly figuring out that I cannot keep up with demand for everything I make, so it's time to put YOU to work!
{small custom frame I made recently}
The frame kits will include a 12x12 frame (custom made locally for my shop!), hardware, instructions, and possibly paper and flower options to choose from. Adding rhinestones will also be an option. Certain papers work better (bubbling can be an issue) and I would offer papers that I have the best success with. What are your thoughts? Would you just want the frames/hardware/instructions, or the decorative options, too?

{custom frame made for heather}
You may have noticed that my Etsy shop continues to be "on vacation". Trust me, I am not on vacation. Things were just getting too busy and stressful that I decided to take a break, re-evaluate and figure out the best way to move forward! I have so many ideas but really need to take time to figure out what makes the most sense on my limited time schedule. Thank you for your patience if you've tried to email/convo me and I haven't replied yet!

Other exciting news about the DIY branch of The TomKat Studio....

I am starting to work on PRINTABLE invitation designs and party supplies! I can't seem to find the time to design/print/cut/fold/assemble/package/ship all of my orders, so I'm ready for you to Do-It-Yourself! I design, you print & assemble?

What do you say? Are you up for it?

Get ready to get your craft on!

Sneak Peek: Little Birdie Twin Boys Baby Shower!

As I mentioned previously, my childhood best friend, Margie is pregnant with twin boys! We recently reconnected on Facebook, and she discovered my new creative venture! She hired me to design the invitations and cupcake toppers for her "Little Birdie" twin boy themed baby shower, and she took it from there! She just sent me some fabulous photos of all the details and I will be sharing them here, as soon as I can get them all downloaded! You are in for some crafty, creative fun! She also wrote up all of the sources for everything she made, including recipes....so stay tuned!



Also, I hope she doesn't mind, but I stole this self-portrait she took of herself from her flickr page! Isn't it amazing? She's 16 weeks preggo with twins in this shot.

Cupcake Monday: Super Cute Cupcake Punch!

I am a big fan of craft punches! I LOVE Martha's line of punches, all the little animals and flowers just make my mind go crazy with ideas!

My childhood best friend sent me an email about this adorable cupcake punch made by Impress Rubber Stamps! Isn't the card adorable? So I stopped over at the Impress website and ended up spending way too much time there! They have an "impressive" selection of fabulous items! I'm sure I'll be back when I can narrow down my ideas!

FIND THE CUPCAKE PUNCH HERE!

Crafting: Silk Flower Clippies

{photo via a feathered nest}

I LOVE these flower clips and they look super easy! It seems that it is finally okay for mommas to wear them in their hair, not just little girls! I'm no stranger to gluing bling on to flowers, but I've never made a clippie! Thanks to Abby at "A Feathered Nest" I have the instructions now!

My daughter has quite a huge selection of flower clippies with rhinestones. Before she had pigtails, she wore one at all times. Now, it's momma's turn! My sister-in-law has made some fabulous ones for "big girls", as well as my friend, Thuy!

I love the green jewel on this white flower! Thuy used the same jewels, but in clear for Kate's memo board. (I hijacked it HERE)

These flowers are also adorable to clip on your purse or diaper bag!

VIEW THE COMPLETE TUTORIAL HERE!

TomKat Studio Frames: Perfect for Mother's Day!

Need a Mother's Day gift? Miss Holly is ready for a new home!

I just listed this frame in my shop! Isn't she pretty? :)

Here is Holly's Description from Etsy:

Meet Miss Holly! Holly has a casual elegance about her that makes everyone feel right at home. She loves all things beautiful and is wearing a gorgeous damask paper designed by Amy Butler. She is sprinkled with Swarovski crystals!

This hand decorated frame is 12x12 overall, with a 4x4 opening for your favorite photo. Made beautiful with paint, designer paper, genuine Swarovski crystals and a gorgeous silk flower. Painted, sanded, distressed and decoupaged by yours truly ;)

BUY MISS HOLLY HERE

Birthday Parties: Gorgeous Party Hats!

Mmm, Mmm, Mmm....these are the most beautiful party hats I have EVER seen. I found these out in the blog world, on Sweet Cuddlecakes, and originally from Such Pretty Things. After viewing the full tutorial, I realized the papers used are from Heather Bailey. No wonder I love them so much! This looks like a super easy project for your child's next birthday party! Maybe I should create matching ones for my party collections and offer them in my shop?!

CLICK HERE FOR TUTORIAL

The TomKat Studio Frames: SOLD OUT on Etsy!

A fabulous photographer in Illinois just purchased my remaining frames on my Etsy shop for her new studio/shop! She is eager for more, so it's time to get to work! (Not that I'm not working already!) Thank you for your order, Ashley! My dear Miss Evelyn....I will miss you the most!

Miss Amy, you've brightened many of my days!

Miss Annette, we didn't spend much time together, but I know you'll be happy in your new home!

Farewell my lovelies!

Crafting: Martha Paper Peonies

Martha Stewart sent me her "Craft of The Day" today (I subscribe), and I thought these would be fabulous to make and use on my frames!

UNTIL, I clicked on through and looked at the list of 15+ supplies you need and the detailed 16 step instructions! Beautiful, but no thanks! Anything that starts with boiling paper probably isn't worth it.

CLICK HERE for full article & instructions


I DARE YOU! Make these and live to tell about it!

Happy Easter!

{image from martha}

Birthday Parties: Yummy Lollipop Birthday Party Collection on Etsy!

It seems there is quite a demand for party packages that include more than just invitations & thank you cards! My "Sweet Cupcake" collection has had a TON of views on Etsy (over 700 in just a few short weeks!) What does that mean? Well, the other items in my shop average about 100-150 over the course of a few weeks. So the cupcake package is getting a lot of attention! Yippee!

I've even had several people find me on Google for invitations! (Wanna be my best friend? Go on google, search "cupcake birthday party", "lollipop invitations" and other terms like that. See if you find me! If you do, click on the link (makes me more popular) and be sure to tell me how far down on the google search my info/link was!

My most popular item for sales so far has been the cut-out lollipop invitations! (Of course....they are the hardest ones to make!) After taking photos of all the lollipop items from Kate's party, and the items for a customer's Bella party, I decided to put them all in a party kit in my shop!

CHECK IT OUT HERE!

Invitations: A Little Birdie Told Me.....

I recently had a special request for a potential customer on Etsy, for a invitation for a girl baby shower with a bird theme. The customer saw my lollipop invitations, and wanted something crafty like that, but within a budget. She sent me the picture below from Martha of the cupcakes they are having at the party but in pink (cute)!

I based this layout on a new design I recently did for Sarah for a baby shower she has coming up (I will post soon!), that included the scalloped border, which I love! Then, I designed the momma & baby chicks, printed and cut into scalloped circles! The circles "pop" off the page, to give it that crafty feel the customer is looking for!

I hope she likes them! Kate sure does! :)

I posted the invites on Etsy last night, and I'll be working on all the other items to create a collection soon!

FIND THEM HERE :)

Birthday Parties: Kate's Yummy Lollipop Party!

My little cupcake turned two last week, and her lollipop birthday party was this past weekend! I had so much fun designing her invitations and decor! Everything turned out really "sweet"! I think everyone had a great time! Shown above: Yummy Lollipop invitations, more info from my previous post HERE! I also designed cupcake toppers (3 versions: "kate's sweet shop", "k", and "kate"), and favor tags ("thank you for being sweet") tied to the mini swirl lollipops!

Shown above: Cupcake stand (more on this later!), marshmallow pops inspired by Bakerella, pink snowballs turned lollipops, rainbow jello form stuck with a lolli stick, and I also did fruit on lollipop sticks!

Above: Kate's Sweet Shop Door Sign, Cotton Candy Buckets (walmart Easter section $1!), and bright necklaces (walmart)! Homemade giant lollipops made of paper plates, paper, wood dowels, cellophane & ribbon!

Above: My little princess all dressed up in her TUTU from Etsy and custom lollipop rhinestone TANK TOP from Pouty Pants, courtesy of my fab sister-in-law, Nicollette! Orange & pink tissue paper pom-poms by Martha Stewart!

Party guests having fun! Love this picture of my best friend's daughter with googly eyes for the marshmallow lollipop! Kate got some fabulous gifts including the memo board made by my crafty friend, Thuy! For a craft, the kids decorated foam circles, made into lollipops!

Having your own Lollipop Party?! You can now find invitations, favor tags, cupcake toppers & more in my ETSY SHOP!

Birthday Parties: Lollipop Party Sneak Peek!

Kate's lollipop birthday party was yesterday and we all had a great time! Here is a little peek of what's to come from lollipop land!

CUPCAKE TOPPERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN MY SHOP!

TomKatStudio Photo Frames: Florie

Meet Miss Florie! She should actually be named Miss Kristi, because she is Kristi's first creation for The TomKat Studio, and she reminds me of Kristi! Miss Florie isn't fussy, she is soft spoken and beautiful. Her neutrality gets along with everyone, meaning she'll fit in with most decor! She is topped with a soft, cream flower that welcomes you like a hug. Her inner glitz and glam come out with her amber colored Swarovski crystals! Florie will be available for purchase at the TomKat Studio Etsy shop soon!

TomKat Studio Photo Frames: Evelyn

Meet Miss Evelyn! I have decided to "name" each frame that I make. That way if you ever see one you like, just remember her name and I'll know which one you're talking about! Plus it is just plain fun to look at the style of the frame and come up with a fitting name!


Evelyn was made using my favorite square 12x12 frame. The paper used to dress her is a green and white damask, with a worn look. The base of the frame is painted white. Swarvoski crystals outline the center opening for a 4x4 photo. She is topped with a beautiful white & green flower sparkling with crystals!


I am gearing up to officially launch an Etsy shop to sell invitations and frames! I am planning on making each frame unique, although if someone requests a certain style I can duplicate it, as long as the materials are available. I am also open to making custom frames to fit your nursery, child's room or home decor. Just say the word....

Heather Bailey - Creative Genius Among Us

Do you ever feel like the world is so small? When I was on my quest for decorating ideas for the TomKat Studio, I was searching "craft room" photos on Google & Flickr. Mostly I saw cluttered, messy craft rooms with the exception of one perfectly bright, lovely space. From my search, I saved ONE photo. This was it....

So as many of you know, my room doesn't look anything like this, but this one sure makes me drool. Fast forward a couple months, and I'm on Facebook chatting with Sondra Barr, the editor of Go Gilbert! magazine and notice that the publication has finally gone online. Sondra & I "met" last year when my last house in Gilbert was featured in the publication. Since I live in Chandler now, I miss Go Gilbert! and decided to see what was new. To my amazement, one of the recent covers of the magazine features a trendy-looking mom, Heather Bailey and her two kids in THAT craft room!

Weird...this amazing girl with this amazing room happens to live practically next door! What are the chances? So, I visited her website, read about her many experiences on her path of success, and drooled (some more) over EVERYTHING that she creates. (fabric, scrapbook supplies, hair "trash ties", ....you name it) She is a creative genius! And lucky for her, her husband is an amazing photographer that documents all of her fabulous projects.

I'd think we could be friends....although I might get REALLY jealous of her, because I already am! Congratulations Heather on your creative success! And thank you for being an inspiration!

Valentine's Day: Little Love Bug Craft Party!

The Little Love Bug party went great yesterday! I think everyone had a great time! I hired my neighbor girls, Kathleen & Christina to help the kids craft, so the moms could relax (or try to at least!) Tables were set up for both the moms to craft, as well as the kids. It was a really easy party to host, as the main activity just entailed pulling out all my craft supplies, picking out red/pink papers, stickers, etc and letting the guests go to work!

My three year old & I made the heart garland and hung it around the house. It is so easy to make. Just find a heart (I used a chipboard one) or draw and cut one to use as a template. Cut out hearts in different papers, punch two holes and string with ribbon. Simple, inexpensive & cute! I've been noticing paper lanterns as party decor a ton lately, so I picked a couple up at Pier One (they only had white), and stuck some hearts on them.

What's a party with yummy treats? Cupcakes are always a must, so I did strawberry with strawberry frosting, and topped them with M&Ms. I also made heart-shaped brownies, scotcheroos (my fave) and had Valentine candy scattered around for nibbling! The heart shaped fruit pizza cookie (Kristi), strawberries & cream (Sarah) & yummy muffins (Kim) all fit right in!

This was the invite for the party, a quickie I designed and emailed out! Thanks to everyone who came and I hope you all had a great time!