New DT member + more Inspiration + GIVEAWAY!

Hello crafty folks,

I guess you noticed that 3 of our Release countdown posts are missing. I had to deal with some health issues, so I wasn't able to write up the posts - so sorry!

But you seem to LOVE the release - we got so many orders in already - wow. Thank you, my friends, you rock and you make this business grow and be enjoyable for all of us!  We love you!

So, instead of a countdown we'll turn it into a post-release inspiration - and we have TONS of amazing projects for you.

First of all, it's FINALLY time to announce that we're welcoming a new Design Team member. 

Nicole Vögeli

We met Nicole on Instagram - she knocked our socks off with many of her fabulous creations. She has an amzing CAS style - well balanced, perfectly educated. And the best part - she is super kind and encouraging, leaving sweet comments for fellow crafters and enriches this crafty community.

She has always showed that she loves our products, and we love her projects, so having her on our team is a match made in heaven! <3 

Here are some of her recent projects (and LOTS more to find on her blog and IG feed!) 

Don't you just love her clean style and her great photos? (BTW: She takes them with her mobile and edits them with an app - maybe she can make a tutorial about this one day... anyone interested?)

Please give a warm welcome to Nicole!

It's now Nicole's time to introduce herself to you:

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Hello everyone!
So, this crazy cool thing happened! :-) Christine asked me - totally unexpected - to join her fabulous team and I’m over the moon! I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. Ever since I discovered Christines stamps, I’m a fan of Create A Smile. This is truly a dream come true.

I’m Nicole Vögeli (my last name means birdie in Swiss German), 34 years, from Switzerland. 

I always had a love for paper, pens, stamps and all the beautiful craft supplies. I remember my all time favorite christmas present as a kid was a big blue box full of crafty stuff. And that love just never ended. But crafting has become more than just a fun thing to do. It’s my happy place. Especially as a mom of an almost two year old boy, crafting during nap time really helps me to get my energy back. And sending and receiving handmade cards is just priceless for me. I call it happiness in an envelope.

I make cards for more than 15 years now but I did other crafty stuff too. When I got my Big Shot in 2012 I started to focused on cardmaking. I prefer to make clean and simple cards. I’m just most comfortable with that style but that does not mean, that all my cards are like that. I just do whatever I’m in the mood for. I also like it clean and simple on my craft desk. I’m not a very messy crafter, I clean up my desk regularly and I l-o-v-e to have my craft supplies organized :-) That just helps my creativity to develop. I love to get inspired by other cardmakers, my everyday life, nature… It’s just amazing what you can create on a little piece of paper. 

If I’m not crafting I enjoy walks with my family through Switzerlands beautiful old towns and I have a love for castles (we have a lot of beautiful ones, now museums). I also enjoy baking, reading historical novels and singing (I’m thinking about joining the gospel choir here).

I’m happier than a bird with a french fry and honored to be a part of that wonderful Create A Smile DT-family and looking forward to meet you here on the blog every Wednesday from now on.

Hugs from Switzerland
Nicole

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I would now like to show you some more projects using the newest release :) If you haven't checked out the release so far, you can take a closer look at all the products HERE

Nicole made four amazing cards using the new products:

On the first card she used the cute Koala from All Hands on deck! /Alle Mann an Bord! stamp set and created a wonderful treasure map for her background. This cards is the perfect combination of vintage/ distressing and CAS!

On the second card she created a wonderful maritime striped background on the Lovely Tag XS to add the lighthouse from Glowing Seaside/ Strahlende Küste. I love the light, soft maritime look on this one!

Yay for more Koala prates! Nicole thought outside the box and turned the Lovely Tag M into a boat for the Koalas from All Hands on deck! /Alle Mann an Bord! Ha! What a great way to use the tag!

The Lovely Tag M cut from masking paper created a perfectbackdrop for your focal point. the jellyfish from Glowing Seaside/ Strahlende Küste seems to glow on this background. And the droplets are the perfect finishing touch!

Anika made three Tags using the Lovely Tags M die :) they're all different and each one is so beautiful!

On her first Tag Anika used the Color Your Polka  Cling background stamp. And her watercolor rainbow makes this tag so eyecatching! The black birthday sentiment from the Gebrutstags-Triple die set just pops!

On her second tag she used watercolor over an embossed Mandala. I think her color choice creates an amazing oriental look! I wish I would get that tag! ;)

Tag #3 was created with the Clustered Leaves  cling stamp. the lose watercolor on top makes the white embossed leaves shine - and it looks so dreamy! <3

I am sharing three cards with you today:

On my first card I used the vampire squid from Glowing Seaside/ Strahlende Küste and made him pull some of the Lovely Tags XS across the sea. I am super pleased hor the coloring turned out - I think the squid is so much fun to color!

On my second card I created a super subtile background using the Starry Night cling background and one of the Double Stitched Rectangles to make my little Hippo pop :)

My last card for today has a completly different style. I added a whole lot of Dylusions Ink to some Mixed Media Paper - this is super intense and highly reactive with water. I spritzed the Mandala cling stamp with water and stamped that onto my colored panel. You could intensify the look by dabbing the reactivated ink off with a dry cloth, but I loved the tone on tone look.

So many projects - so much inspiration. I hope you're not completely overwhelmed :)

Now for the giveaway!

We're giving away a 15€ gift code to the store for one lucky winner. 

To play along:

• Leave a comment, telling us what you love about summer
• Let us know which product of the new release you love most and WHY.
• Optional:  tell us what kind of stamp or die you would love to see in the future.
• We'll draw a winner from the comment that hit the guidelines on wednesday, July 20th 2016.

Thanks for stopping by and encouraging our designers! 

Love and hugs