{Fabulous Giveaway} Enter to WIN a Silhouette Craft Cutting Machine!

We have been holding on to this secret for a while now, and we are thrilled to be able to share it with you!!! The fabulous Silhouette will be available on CYBER MONDAY from 4am to Midnight EST for the shocking price of $199! That is $100 off the retail price! Pure craziness! This is the newest version with more capabilities and the newest technology. Silhouette American has NEVER sold these cutters for this low of a price! And that's not all. It will come with a roll of vinyl, a roll of transfer paper and a home decor CD. That's an additional $71 worth of products! So, if you are doing the math, that is almost $200 worth of savings! There is a code that you will need to use to purchase at this fantastic price, and that code will be available early Monday morning, so stay tuned!

Ok....so are you sitting down?
We are giving away another Silhouette!
With the success of our last giveaway for them, they asked us to host another one!
Just in time to make some fabulous holiday decor and gifts!
Here is what is included with this giveaway:

Silhouette Machine

Software for Windows XP/Vista, Mac

Power cable, USB Cable

2 Cutting Mats (one for thick media, one for thin media)

One Cutting Blade

$10 gift card to the Silhouette Online Store

This is such an awesome machine and it can save you tons of money on gift giving over the holidays! You'll definitely have to take a look at the Silhouette Blog for so many fun ideas and tutorials.

Here's how to enter!

(up to 5 comments per person)

1) Leave a comment and tell us what project you would love to make with your own Silhouette.

2) Become a fan of the Silhouette on Facebook. Leave a comment letting us know that you did.
3) Fan TomKat Studio on Facebook. If you already are, let us know!

4) Post about this giveaway on your own blog. Leave a link to your blog in your comment.

5) Mention this giveaway on your own Facebook page. Let us know that you did.

You must leave a separate comment for each entry!
If you are commenting as anonymous, please leave an email address so we can contact you!

The giveaway is open until 11pm Sunday, and the winner will be posted early Monday morning. We will also announce the code for the Cyber Monday deal in our Winner's post!

Open to US residents only.
The winner must not have won another Silhouette from us, or any other giveway.

Good luck!

{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.

{DIY Party Projects} Mini Cake Bunting Tutorial & Free Printable Alphabet Pages!

We are sharing something super fun to celebrate our big milestone of reaching 10,000 fans on Facebook! I can't explain how thrilled I am that you love what we are doing here on The TomKat Studio and that you are telling your friends about us, too! If you aren't a fan on Facebook yet, JOIN THE PARTY HERE!
I enlisted the help of one of my favorite party girls, Sharnel Dollar of Sharnel Dollar Designs to share a fun MINI CAKE BUNTING tutorial with you! She created one (below) recently for a party and I fell in LOVE! If you don't know Sharnel, you should. This fabulous party girl is full of ideas and style. I swoon over her gorgeous dessert tables, party styling and projects!
Along with her instructions, I have designed several printable PDF alphabet pages that will work perfectly for this project! I also took a few shortcuts when I created my own bunting to celebrate our 10,000 fans! So, check out her tutorial and below you will find my shortcuts!

What you will need:

2 Bamboo Skewers
2 Striped Paper Straws
Embrodiery Thread
Needle
Scissors
Cardstock

Download and print the free printable alphabet pages of your choice on cardstock. Cut out bunting flags and arrange them in order on a flat surface. Thread your needle with embrodiery thread (it's perfectly ok to make funny faces when completing this task.) We pre-punched two holes on the top corners of each flag to make it easier to push the needle through the card. Embrodiery needles aren't sharp enough normally to pierce without making a mess of the card. Thread each of the flags from the top row then pop the needle through one of the straws. Take the needle off the thread and re-thread the other end to enable you to attach the loose end to the remaining straw. Place your skewers in your cake and then insert the straws over the skewers. Tie the end off with two or three knots to secure the bunting in place. Continue this with the remaining bunting.

My Tips:When I made mine, I used a few shortcuts. I didn't have time to pull out a thread and needle, so I designed the flags as foldover diamonds so that I could secure the folded flags over thin ribbon with double-sided tape. I didn't have skewers on hand, so I used 6" lollipop sticks instead. Then just tied the two strings of bunting on the straws. It was really easy and super fun!

Here's the fun part!
Download your FREE printable alphabet flag pages now!

Download PASTEL pages HERE
Download BRIGHT pages HERE
Download BOLD pages HERE

fyi...in the scribd preview, the letters appear to be lopsided but when printed they are not!

Thank you to Sharnel for this fabulous idea! I would also like to thank Melissa at Decadent Delights for the gorgeous cake, Laura Winslow for the fabulous photos, Smeeks for the fab photo shoot location & paper straws, Sally at Polka Dot Market for the Balloons, and Serena, our intern for making the adorable mini pinwheels for the cake stand!

Looking for cake bunting with custom fonts/colors?
Coming soon to the shop! Email us for information!

{Fabulous Friday Giveaway} Tissue Paper Poms from PomLove - Set of 12 Poms!

UPDATE!!

The winner of the set of 12 Poms from PomLove  is......
Comment #136: Regan
She said: My two daughters and I all have birthdays within the same week in August - and this year I'm turning 30!! We definitely need some poms!

Congratulations Regan! And Happy Early Birthday to you! 30 is the new 20, you know!

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



{fairy garden party}

Today's Fabulous Friday Giveaway is brought to you by PomLove! Happy Floating Paper. That's what Poms are! They add that special little something to your party decor! We have been recommending and using PomLove for all of our parties for over a year! Kristen is fabulous to work with and offers a wide range of sizes and colors...perfect for any party!

{vintage circus party}

PomLove has generously offered one our readers the chance to win a 12 Pom Kit! This kit includes 3 small Poms (9" diameter), 5 medium Poms (14" diameter) and 4 large Poms (16" diameter) tied with green cloth wire sections. Also included is a guide for easy unfurling and 10 yards of monofilament for hanging. All papers are folded and edge cut by hand in various patterns for a textured look. Fabulous!

{tomkat parties: vintage surf, kate's room, cupcakes in the city, wagon baby shower}

Here's how to enter:Visit PomLove then come back and leave us a comment telling us what occasion you would use your Poms for! Simple!

Winner will be chosen on Wednesday, July 21, 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.

PomLove
Blog

Facebook
Etsy

Good Luck!

{SUPER Fabulous Friday Giveaway} Winner of the Silhouette!

Wow! We had our BIGGEST giveaway response ever!!! In the end, we had over 2,400 comments and we turned to Random.org to choose our winner........

So, without further delay, the winner of the Silhouette Craft Cutting Machine is..................

COMMENT #1085: Bonnie!

She said: I would love to use the machine to try the glass etching (the fishbowl is adorable) but would also love to try the rhinestones. :)

Congratulations Bonnie! You and your new friend are going to be very happy together! Please contact me at toni@thetomkatstudio.com to claim your prize!

Thank you EVERYONE for your participation in this SUPER FABULOUS GIVEAWAY! It was so much fun for us to do.
And remember, it is not too late to get the Silhouette at an amazing price.
Check here for the details.

Do you have a product or service you think our readers would LOVE?

We want to hear from you! Email me at toni@thetomkatstudio.com with details/links!

We have another fun giveaway lined up for Friday so be sure to come back and visit!

{Fabulous Giveaway} Last Day to Enter The Silhouette Giveaway!

If you haven't already, don't forget to enter our most fabulous giveaway yet!

The Silhouette Craft Cutting Machine!

For details and to enter, visit THIS POST!

{DIY Tutorial} Scallop Circle Paper Garland!

Today over at Project Nursery, I am sharing how I created the paper garland for our dessert table disply at the She's Having a Baby Event in Beverly Hills {more details here}! Hop over to check out the tutorial! It is super easy and can be used for any holiday or event!

VISIT MY POST for the full instructions!

We would love to see your photos if you make these for your events!

{SUPER Fabulous Friday Giveaway} Silhouette Craft Cutting Machine! {$300 value}

This is so exciting! It's our BIGGEST GIVEAWAY EVER!

I was sent a Silhouette Craft Cutter to test out and share my thoughts with you, my lovely crafty readers! I only had a little time to whip up some creations before I left for vacation, but I'm already giving this little machine my seal of approval!

{cupcake wrapper, favor box and doily made using the Silhouette}

What is exactly is the Silhouette machine you ask? It is a digital cutting tool that connects to your computer like a printer, but instead of printing designs, it cuts them with a small blade! All you need is the machine, your computer and the cords to connect the two together! Simple!

It comes with many adorable shapes and templates already loaded. My favorite feature is that you can use the FONTS from your own computer and also create your own shapes/designs for cutting! {no cartridges to worry about!} If you want more designs, they offer a huge selection in the Silhouette online store! Average price is $.99, but you can also subscribe for savings! Here are a few of the favorites I started with (party related, of course!):

Oh, the possibilities! There is so much you can do with a Silhouette. You can cut vinyl, etch glass, paper crafting, use for scrapbooking and cardmaking, make iron-on transfers and so much more!

See how much fun this little machine will be? Stay tuned for more of my projects with my new toy! I have so many ideas!

The Giveaway Package will include: Silhouette machine, Software for Windows XP/Vista, Power cable, USB cable, 2 Cutting mats (one for thick media, one for thin media), Cutting blade, plus a $10 gift card to the Silhouette Online Store to get you started!

ENTER TO WIN NOW:

{Enter up to 3 times by completing each of the following tasks. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each task completed!}

1. Visit the Silhouette website. Come back and tell us what project you would make first if you win!
2. Become a fan of Silhouette on Facebook. Come back and comment to let us know that you are now a fan or already are!

3. Become a fan of The TomKat Studio on Facebook. Come back and comment to let us know that you are now a fan or already are!

Help us spread the word and have your friends enter!
I'm sure they'll let you use it if they win!

Winner will be chosen Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 11:00pm (MST).
All entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only. Winner will be selected using random.org

Interested in purchasing your own Silhouette now?

Silhouette is offering TomKat Studio readers two FABULOUS promotions right now!
AWESOME PROMO(purchase by July 1st)

If you buy the Silhouette between now and July 1st you will get the following:

$50 off the Silhouette Craft Cutter

2 rolls of vinyl (Valued at $15.98)

1 roll of transfer tape (Valued at $7.99)

Scraper (Valued at $6.99)

Home Décor CD (Valued at $50)

$10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store

Cutting Blade

2 Cutting Mats
All for $249.99

{A Savings of $130.96}

GREAT PROMO

(purchase July 2nd through July 7th)

Buy a machine and receive the following:

$50 off (receive for $249.99)

2 rolls of Heat transfer ($29.89 value)

$10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store

Cutting Blade

2 Cutting Mats

All for $249.99

{A savings of $89.98}

To receive either of the above discounts, enter ILOVETOMKAT during checkout!

CLICK HERE to visit the Silhouette site for project ideas, design templates, and more information!

{Teacher Appreciation} Notecards & Flowers

Teachers are amazing. They give and give so that our children will learn and grow under their wings. My son attends a Kinderprep that is absolutely amazing and we love his teacher, Carrie! We wanted to make his teacher a little gift to show how happy we are to have her!

I also made up a couple sets of notecards for my friend, Vicki to give as gifts to her kids' teachers! I'm still loving all of the colors and designs from my Fairy Garden collection, so I translated them into notecards and little sweet tags!

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!

Birthday Parties: Cutest Happy Birthday Banner!

While browsing one of my favorite party girls' sites Party Perfect, I came across this adorable banner for a birthday party that I had to share with you! This was created by Darleen for her son's monster truck party and I'm in love with it. So simple and easy, and it's nice to see a new take on the birthday banner! You can do this! Go make one!

TomKat Studio Frames: Worth The Wait...Hopefully!

I've been bad. Really bad. I had several custom orders for frames from April, that I finally just completed. Luckily, my customers were patient. I think they will be happy with the results!

During the process of making these frames (quite a few steps), I tell myself I'm not going to make them anymore. Too much work. But then, when I see the end result...I just can't help but want to make more! I've had many more requests for custom frames, but with my lack of time and demand for party products, I have been turning down the orders! So, I've been thinking about offering a DIY kit for these, including: instructions, frame, hardware, crytals and a choice of paper & flower combinations. What do you think?

So, on to the new ones! This one was created for Kara's mother-in-law (for Mother's Day), and it's my favorite of the bunch! I used a navy/olive/cream Amy Butler paper, topped with a white flower & Swarovski crystals.

Kara also purchased a frame for her mom, for Mother's Day and requested neutral or burgandy. I found this simple patterned paper and topped with a rich burgandy flower & crystals!
Mandy found me on Etsy, and after we chatted about some of her wedding items, she decided she couldn't live without a frame! She requested something blue/brown, and after giving her a few options, she chose this blue/brown (almost olive) Amy Butler paper. I topped with a white flower and some bling (of course!)


It was such a relief to get these completed and shipped off!

I also made two small custom frames, for my local customer, Heather.

I'll share those soon after I take some pictures!

Cupcake Toppers: What's Your Name Again?

One of my customers requested that the cupcake toppers she ordered from my Lollipop Party Collection be customized with each child's name who was attending the party. I LOVE this idea! How cute would it be if you had tables set up for the kids and at each place setting, put a cupcake with their personalized "topper" in it, so they would know where to sit! Aren't they fun?

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: Simple Happy Mother's Day Card!

Need a last minute card for Mother's Day? These are simple to make! I think they are pretty self explanatory, but if you need help, let me know!

Hopefully my "moms" don't read this post until after they receive them! :) Love you, moms!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mommas out there!

Party Collections: New Sweet Cupcake Birthday - Cupcake Toppers

The Sweet Cupcake Birthday Collection was one of my first listing on my Etsy shop, and it is definitely one of the most popular! Lately I have been designing a bunch of fun, custom toppers, including the bright ones in the Lollipop Collection. I decided it was time to revamp the cupcake toppersfor the Cupcake Collection!


Cupcake flags are one of my favorite items! They make such a big impact and are very affordable!

These are sold in sets of 12, HERE IN MY SHOP!

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