Going Postal: Giveaway Winners

Hi, hi, hi.

I've just spent some quality time with random.org - the random number generator - in order to find the 10 winners of the giveaways which ended today.

So, without further ado ... here's which of you won what:

1. Wild Olive Winners:

•  Project Random/Olivia from http://projectrandom13.blogspot.com/ 

Olivia, please email me [via the link in my sidebar] so I can pass your email address on to Mollie at Wild Olive ... so she can then email you the pattern as a PDF file!

Now for ....

 Conratulations .....

• Carolyn Philips from http://messmuddleandfun.blogspot.com/ [details now passed on to Wild Olive]

Carolyn, please email me [via the link in my sidebar] so I can pass the email address on to Mollie at Wild Olive ... so she can then email you the pattern as a PDF file!
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2. The Ribbon Girl winners:

 

Congratulations to the 5 winners [as promised, I DID enter your name twice if you left me the additional details as set out in the giveaway rules!]:

1. Beverly of http://beverlykepple.blogspot.com/ [Prize posted out]
2. Salamanda's Scrappy Adventures of http://salamandaspaperadventures.blogspot.com/
3. Nathalie of http://anounceofcreativity.blogspot.com/ [Prize posted out]
4. Jennifer of http://jennifersjumbles.blogspot.com/ and finally ... [Prize posted out]
5. Abi of http://creatingpaperdreams.blogspot.com/ [Prize posted out]

• Please email me [via the link in the sidebar] your postal addresses so I can package these up and post them out to you ASAP.

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3.  The 3D Jean winners:

Congratulations to the 3 winners of a Vintage Image CD:

1. Amanda of http://all-kindsofwonderful.blogspot.com/ [Address details passed on to 3DJean]
2. Becky of http://beckysburblings-beckyg1.blogspot.com/ [Address details passed on to 3DJean] and
3. Joan of http://latenightstamping.blogspot.com/ [Address details passed on to 3DJean]

• Please email me [via the link in the sidebar] your postal addresses which I will then pass on to Jean who will send you your disc.

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Congratulations to all 10 winners! Make sure you get your details to me ASAP so you can start creating!



If you weren't successful this time round - do not despair!

• There's still time to enter the Docrafts' giveaway as that remains open until teatime on Thursday 18th! 

I'll see you back here tomorrow with the final post in the Going Postal series so, if you've got any last minute posty projects for me to pin [wow, that's quite a tongue twister!] you'd better get a wriggle on!

Soon, soon.

Julie 

Going Postal: Freebie postcards [and other stuff!]

Hi, hi.

This series has been quite a revelation to me! I mean ... I *knew* it was a safe bet that many of you would understand my fondness of postal themed ephemera and stories but I've been surprised at how something new pops up each day:

• Like the people who've casually mentioned how much they've enjoyed the whole series ... and I'm always amazed at how or where they heard of any of it, let alone the whole thing!;
• Like the number of people now following the Going Postal Pinterest board;
• Like the number of you who blogged about it which led to many 'I've just hopped over from XYZ'z blog' type comments [thanks!];
• Like those fascinating glimpses into your lives you've left for me when I've made you work for your entry to the giveaways. Some of which have made me laugh out loud ... and others have brought a lump to my throat.
• Like how someone lovely even based her Sketch of the Week blog feature around my series - even if the technology-monsters did manage to eat the accompanying video she made mentioning Going Postal. It's the thought that counts. And that was a big, kind, thought.
• Like the people who kindly accepted my request to organise a giveaway, or the ones who've offered me something unexpected or even increased the initial number of prizes on offer;
• And like the talented SJ who dropped me a line asking if she could offer all of you smashing Going Postal people a lovely postcard freebie today ....

Printed here on to kraft cardstock, SJ of Little Musings has designed these birdie postcards for you to download at your leisure and print -off on to the paper + card of your choice whenever you want!

Link fixed now!

Just head over there to grab your free images!

OK then, I might as well grab you while you're still thinking of birds ... to show you a few of my own winged creations:

Click to visit my shop :-)

I've been making collage like a crazy woman this month [Oh, OK, who just said I do everything like a crazy woman? Who was it? Own up!] and I'll introduce you to as many as makes sense in the coming weeks!

I really do love working with paper. I bet you'd never have guessed ... eh?

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Right then, while I get all dreamy about paper ... again .... you shouldn't forget that:

• You just need to hop over to SJ's blog to download your birdy postcards .... maybe those of you who left comments on my previous post - about who you want to write a note to - could use SJ's designs to do just that!
• 3 out of the 4 current giveaways close to entries at 1pm [UK time] TODAY [13.08.11]! So get your comments in right now if there's still time [links to all giveaways are in the sidebar.]
• I'll announce the winners either later tonight or tomorrow.
• There's still time however to enter the Docrafts' giveaway [worth almost £50:00] just visit yesterday's post for details.

I'll be back tomorrow with a final post-y project and quite probably an emotional speech at how much I've enjoyed your participation in Going Postal ...

See you then then.

Julie :-)

Going Postal: Docrafts Giveaway!

Hello again.

With only two days left before I lick my last stamp and send Going Postal off to the big post-box in the sky ... I have one final giveaway for you to enter. And it's a big one!

If you've been following this series you'll remember the XCut postage-stamp punch from yesterday's post and maybe also the postal themed set of Forever Friends acrylic stamps I mentioned in this cardmaking post.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Well, the very nice people at Docrafts  were so happy that many of you seemed to like these supplies as much as I did ... that they'd like to give you the chance to win them!

Here's what Docrafts are offering ....

The full set of all 5 XCut Nesting Postage Stamp punches ranging from 1" to 3"!

 AND ... a set of the Forever Friends 'The Good Life' Journal stamps!

So ... what do you say? Are you in? Would you like to see all these lovely posty goodies delivered to your door?

Here's what you need to do ...

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

HOW TO ENTER:

• Leave me a comment on this post making it clear you want to win.
• That's it! 

But ....

• If you'd like your name adding to the prize draw TWICE then ...
• In your comment also mention someone or something you'd like to send a letter/note to and why!
• It can be anyone ... even yourself ... just add it into your commment and I'll put your name in the hat twice.

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• The deadline for comments will be 18:00 Thursday 18th August 2011 with the winner announced ASAP afterwards.
• Please make sure to check back here to see if your name was drawn as the winner. I too will make every effort to contact you - by clicking on your profile in your comment - so please make sure that it links to somewhere I can leave you a message.

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Thanks for dropping by today and a huge THANK YOU to Docrafts for their generosity.

[And a special thanks to Katy!]. 

Julie :-)

Going Postal: Scrapbooking with postage stamps + punches

Hi, hi, hi.

I've been excited to hear how some of you are suddenly peeking into and saving security envelopes for theirlovely patterns since last week's post on scrapbooking with them.  I've been using them quite a bit since then too, this time on projects I'm making in preparation for my upcoming class [why, yes, I did just drop a big hint that I'm writing a class right now. Because I'm that subtle].

But for today's page I've returned to stamps. This layout features more original postage stamps and also one I created myself with the help of a postage-stamp punch:

The structure of the page is inspired by Shimelle's 'Sketch of the Week: 03.08.11'.

So, here's my bespoke postage stamp featuring the young thrush who spends a great deal of time in our back garden:

And it was made on a base of white cardstock punched from this X-Cut punch:

Then I printed off a photo small enough to fit inside. [James later pointed out that if I'd printed off the photo with enough white space around it I could have simply punched the whole thing in on e go - meaning I wouldn't need the white cardstock base. I hadn't thought of that ... !]. Or I could have simply trimmed down an existing photo to fit.

While I've had that punch for several months now, I think this is the first time I've used it to recreate a postage stamp. However, I've spent much more time using it the wrong way ... deliberately ... let me show you what I mean.

Rather than punch out serrated-edged squares with it I use it more as a border punch:

I like how clean and unfussy it is. It's what I used to add edge-detail to scraps of paper on the cards I made from stamps + snippets and my 'Saving for best' micro-mini book:

 To use any of your shaped punches as a border punch [I've done this with my scalloped circle punces too] you need to turn the punch upside down so you can see where you're positioning the edge of your paper:

Then simply punch as normal, 'nibbling' away the edge for as far as you need it:

For this particular page I used the technique on very thin strips, to create a frame around the page, but it works equally as well on large pieces which you just want to give a decorative edge to.

So that's my page for today. I hope there's something there to inspire you, whether it's the reverse punch technique, the 'create your own postage stamps idea or, once again just incorporating real postage stamps into your work:

Can I give you just one tip though before you start ? One small word to the wise? One 'do as I say not as I do' piece of advice?

It regards using original old stamps but which are, as yet, unused. OK then ... here is is ...

When you're using old stamps; stamps you can't remember buying; stamps which you probably bought in a big mixed-bag from ... who-knows-where; stamps wihch may have come from someone's collection, a carboot sale, donated to you by family members. Stamps which may have spent the past decade in a damp, foisty cardboard box before you excitedly rescued them and decided to let them fulfil their full artistic potential ...

.... try to remember NOT to stick them to your project by licking them!

Trust me. In fact, trust me, my tongue and my taste-buds [which have yet to forgive me] ... we know of what we speak.

You've been warned!

Julie :-)

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• I'm not sure what's coming next in Going Postal ... possibly something home-decor related! 
• Here's the Going Postal Pinterest board which has expanded yet again since my last post.

Going Postal: Collage

Hello you. Hello Monday.

First I'd like to thank you for your great response to my previous post - about the ArtisOn workshop. When I blog I'm  never quite sure which topics will inspire pepole to leave comments and join in the conversation ... which is why I try to just blog for myself, and if anyone else likes it too, that's a lovely side-effect! So I was pleasantly surprised that you all seem to have fallen for that workroom / lunch / table filled with paper as I was!

OK then, on to more Going Postal-y business now.

If you've not yet got round to submitting anything for me to pin to the board then, don't worry, you've got until this coming Sunday to do so.

So far we've had layouts, mini-albums, postcards, deco-tape, jewellery, photos ... and more and now I''m throwing 'collage' into that mixed post-bag:

 While I like to make quite abstract shapes and layers in my collages, I also like to have an image on there somewhere and, as small as they are, stamps give me just that.

Similarly, I MUST have words/text/letters on pretty much everything I ever make so once again these feature questions and phrases cut from my favourite vintage school textbook find:

 Thes are some of my latest additions to my etsy shop, and I'm delighted to think that, this morning ...

.... while I'm trying to explain to the bank that they I didn't make an appointment to discuss my financial goals and plans as it says in the letter they sent me ... and that actually they rang me with an offer ... that ...

.....while I'm doing all that,  this particular one will be landing on the doormat of the person who bought it:

When it does land ... I wonder if she'll keep the stamp from the parcel?

Thanks for dropping by, before you go ...

• I'll be back tomorrow with another way to add a postal feel to a scrapbook page;
• Don't forget to enter the 3 giveaways [the links are in the sidebar];
• Swing by the Going Postal Pinterest board to see the work which is already there;
• [If you liked Kirsty Neale's deco-tape project pinned there - you should check out the other designs she made here on her blog].
• Get blogging your own project/photos/story for me to pin before Sunday 14th.

Have a great day, I'll see you back here tomorrow, or on Twittter whenever I'm near my laptop!

Julie :-)