10 Minute Craft Dash #8

It’s time for the first 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge of December! Since I absolutely LOVE this time of year, I wanted to make this month extra special for the challenge. As you saw yesterday, I have TWELVE very special guests joining me today, along with a hefty prize pack. More on that a little later in the post….

As you can see above, there isn’t a specific color palette for this challenge. This time around you just need feature red somehow {a little or a lot}, it fits within the 10 minute time frame* and post the time it took to create within your post.

* If you aren’t able to stay within the 10 minutes, you can still link up your item! While it won’t quality for the winner spot, it might still be featured in the favorites!

 

Time it took to create: 9 minutes 15 seconds

For this project, I used a little clipboard I bought a while back {LOVE that $1 section at Target} and pulled out three of my washi tapes. Once I got my paper sized, adhering the washi tape was a breeze! Add in a quick bow and notepad, and this project was finished!

As you all know, I have special guests joining me for this challenge. These gals are extremely talented individually, but bring them all together and wow, it’s pure amazing. Be sure to visit each of them- I’ve seen some of their items already and you won’t want to miss a single one!

While the beautiful goodness from the special guests are a prize in itself *wink*, I also have put together a mega prize pack for the winner of this challenge. Since I already know I won’t be able to choose winners by myself, I have a special team put together who will help me pick out winners when the challenge closes. I’m already anticipating a super hard judging process!

Here is the prize pack the lucky winner will receive…..

 How to Play
1) Create a card/craft project within 10 minutes using red somehow {a little or a lot}
2) Post the time it took to create
You can pull out your supplies before your timer starts!
3) Follow Pretty Pink Posh viaGoogle Friend Connect or subscribe to my RSS blog feed
  • Post the challenge graphic in your post, link to this challenge post.
  • You may combine a total of three challenges with your entry. You may enter the challenge a maximum of two times.
  • Challenge ends December 15, 2012 at 11:59pm, PST.

Special Guests + Mega Prize

If you follow my blog, you know that I host the 10 Minute Craft Dash twice a month. I wanted to make December EXTRA special for the challenge {since it’s my favorite time of the year}, so I have two exciting things coming. One is still a secret, but I can let you in on what’s happening tomorrow! A new challenge will launch and it will bring 12 very special guests with it! Since I’m horrible at keeping secrets, here’s a peek at who will be joining in the fun….
This new challenge will be easier than usual, so I hope many of you will join along in the fun! If you’re intimidated at the thought of creating in a short amount of time, I have some helpful info on the Tips & Tricks page. Also, if you aren’t able to stay within the 10 minutes, it’s not the end of the world. Just as long as you try, post the time within your post, create something using the colors and have FUN, that’s good enough for me.
If you are interested in getting a head start on your project, I have the challenge info on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page. This is EXCLUSIVE to those who like my page. If you go there and go to “exclusives”, you get to see the next 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge colors a day early!
Oh, another thing about tomorrow’s post…..there’s a HUGE prize pack for the winner! I’ve been gathering items for a couple weeks and this prize is pretty amazing, if I do say so myself.  :)
Hope to see you and all your crafty friends here tomorrow! If you’d like a reminder, you can follow me via Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS blog feed or get Pretty Pink Posh via emails!
Big hugs…..

10 Minute Craft Dash #7 Highlights

Hello, sweet friends!

Today is a two post sort of day. The post a little later will be giving you a little peek into some of the fun that’s coming for tomorrow’s BIG challenge. This post is all about the fabulous entries and highlights from the 10 Minute Craft Dash #7 that ended on Saturday.

The ladies who entered this last challenge did such a fabulous job. I love all of the different ways the colors were incorporated! You gals are so awesome and think outside of the box and use different colored ribbons, pearls, brads, ink colors and glitter to incorporate the colors. Bravo!

Now for the winner…..

Congratulations to Bev

Bev, you truly did a beautiful job with this color palette. Each element of this card was so purposeful and one would never guess it took less than 10 minutes to make! I’ve already emailed you with the gift certificate details and info on picking the color palette in January. :) Here’s you winner badge- you deserve it!

CD_winner

Ready for some of my favorites? If you’re new to the Craft Dash, I always pick out some entries to showcase and share with you. There are so many amazing entries and I can’t help but shout out some of them. Granted, if I could, I would do all of them, but that would be quite a lengthy post.  Here are the links to the gals I picked this time around….be sure to stop by each of the blogs to take a look at the beautiful cards! {Ladies, feel free to grab the badge below and put it on your blogs!}

CD_favorite

See you all In just a bit with the line-up of special guests that will be joining me tomorrow. Also, there will be info on how you get an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming challenge! You definitely won’t want to miss the post– it will be packed to the brim with fun stuff!

Featured Blogger- Kristyn Merkley {Lil’ Luna}

Good morning!

It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of Pinterest. Not only are there amazing inspirational photos and ideas, you can also stumble across some amazing websites and blogs! {Note: this can be extremely dangerous when you have an already full blog reader}

A few months back, I was browsing yummy dessert recipes and saw these Mini Butterscotch Graham Pies. These little pies looked delicious, were easy to make and had step-by-step instructions. Imagine my DELIGHT when I went to the direct link and saw LOTS more goodness and pretty eye candy all in one place. Cue in Lil’ Luna.

I have spent countless hours on the Lil’ Luna site, which is run by the incredibly sweet and talented Kristyn Merkley. I recently became a sponsor on her blog and wow, she is amazing. Not only does she run an incredibly successful and beautiful site, she is also the mother to three kids and expecting her fourth! I have no idea how she has time to do all of the projects and recipes AND keep up with little ones. I’m thrilled and honored to introduce you to Kristyn {aka Lil’ Luna}!

 

Tell us about your blog. When and why did you start it?

I started Lil’ Luna in the summer of 2010 as a place to share some crafts and recipes with my friends and family members who were wanting to know how I made my crafts and wanted my recipes. Never did I imagine that it would turn into a part-time job that I LOVE!!

When you first started your blog, did you have any specific goals or dreams for the future of your blog? If so, what were they?

I really didn’t start my blog as business so I didn’t have goals… after the first year and starting to make a little money I made some goals and continue to make them each year to help the blog grow and develop even more.=

Do you ever find it hard to come up with blog content?

I’m happy to say that I have never found it hard to come up with content for the blog. I just try to think what I’d want to learn how to do or make and do a tutorial and recipe for it. Since there are so many things I still haven’t tried, I have a feeling I’ll have enough content for awhile. :)

Are there particular posts that you enjoy doing more than others?

I have always loved crafting but REALLY enjoy food photography – it is so fun and I have loved learning how to use my camera and try to take pretty pictures.

What has been your favorite blog post {of yours} to date? 

I don’t know if I have one particular blog post that is my favorite, but I have loved the ones where I can be myself and be honest with my readers and share personal experiences. Those are the ones that I feel like get the most comments and the most reader-interaction.

Do you have any advice for people hoping to take their blog to the next level? 

I would definitely say to try and be original!! That is what will get people returning to your blog and new ones coming to check it out. And it’s so important that you just be you and not try to be like another blogger because being unique is the key!

 

Okay, now onto some fun questions that are non-relevant to blogging…..

If you could spend the day with any celebrity, who would it be? Why?

I would have to say either Josh Groban (love him and his voice) or either James McAvoy (my favorite actor). They are both so talented and I wish we were friends… plus, they’re cute and easy on the eyes. ;)

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? 

I love spending time with the hubby (I promise he’s my #1 guy even after the last question – lol!!) and enjoy watching movies and going on dates with him. I also love spending time with my little family and three adorable kiddos making new family memories!

If you had to choose one color scheme for your whole house, what would it be? 

Eek – not completely sure, but my house colors have always been red, yellow, black and apple green since I’ve been married, and fortunately they are still those colors and I still love them!

Name 5 things that you are most passionate about:

I’m passionate about my faith, my family, being creative, learning and meeting new people!

Okay, now that you have gotten to know this sweet gal, I’m sure you’re dying to check out her amazing site. Be warned: you may not want to head over if you’re hungry or under a time constraint. *wink*

If you are new to Kristyn’s blog {or even a longtime fan}, browse around and let me know what your favorite recipe finds are in the comment section below! There are so many amazing things on her site, I haven’t been able to look at everything!

I hope that you enjoyed this feature and are just as inspired by this gal as I have been. I’ll see you tomorrow for the 10 Minute Craft Dash #7 Highlights AND a little secret info on what is coming this Wednesday!

Thanks so much for stopping in today….

New Feature + Sponsorship Opportunities

Do you ever have a hard time keeping up with all the blogs in your reader? If you’re anything like me, you follow lots of blogs and sometimes, you may accidentally miss a post. While we try to keep up-to-date on everything, it can be easy to miss an important post! 
I came up with an idea to help with this- Week in Review. The idea is to post snippets of all the posts from the week and any important info that you all won’t want to miss. I WILL need you help though- can you let me know if this is something you would like? It’ll take a little bit of work on my end, but it’s worth it if it helps you! 
Let’s give this feature a whirl….. If you missed any of the posts listed, you can click on the photo to visit the direct link!

 
Some may have noticed some changes in my blog design recently. As I’ve put in many more hours doing blog posts, whether it be creating projects, lining up sponsorships for the 10 Minute Craft Dash, or working on collaborations, I’ve learned that these things add up. 
After doing a lot of thinking, I have decided to become an affiliate with Amazon.com! If you ever need an item from Amazon {gifts, anyone?}, if you use my search bar on the right hand side, I’ll receive credit and a small commission for items you purchase. The small amount of income will help with my hosting costs & crafting supplies and also fund some of the giveaways I’ll be hosting in the future!
Also, another new item on the blog- I’m now offering sponsorship opportunities! If you have a business or blog that you think the Pretty Pink Posh readership might enjoy, consider sponsoring an ad! 
 
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today. Can’t wait to hear what you think of this feature and the opportunity to sponsor Pretty Pink Posh!  

Happy Snowmen

Oh my, the current 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge has flown by! I couldn’t let another day pass by without showing you another card before the challenge ended. After all, these colors work PERFECTLY for the holidays and the upcoming Winter months!
If this challenge is new to you, don’t let the title intimidate you. I’ve heard from numerous participants who have said they couldn’t believe all that could accomplish in 10 minutes! I know many will tell you it’s even addicting once you get the hang of it! If you need some tips on creating quick cards, I’ve put together the Tips & Tricks page that provides some pointers.
Time it took to create: 6 minutes 49 seconds
As I was going through my stamps, I saw this snowman face from the Holiday Blocks set. It’s been ages since I used it and I thought it worked perfectly with these colors! Also, how adorable and happy does this guy look? LOVE!
I hope you will join me in the challenge! Remember, there’s a gift certificate up for grabs for the winner, along with a special opportunity I’m providing for the very first time!
For those who would like to keep up-to-date on my challenges and the rest of the blog, you can follow me via Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS blog feed or get Pretty Pink Posh via emails! {All social media links on the right hand side of the blog}
I hope you have a great Friday. I’ll be back tomorrow for another blog post!

Etsy Shops + Coupons + Giveaway

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to head into Seattle with my mom, sister and aunt. We had such a wonderful time seeing the holiday decorations, shopping and we also got to visit the Etsy Rain show! If you’re a crafter, you most likely are familiar with Etsy. It’s THE place for beautiful handmade crafts by talented crafters. There is everything from decor, clothing & accessories to baby blankets/ bibs, dinnerware and cards. This show showcased some of the talented Seattle area crafters. 
When I headed into the show, I had fully intended to buy only gifts. Needless to say, that plan didn’t work out so well- I found so many things I liked! Here is what I purchased…..
#1 Handmade Seattle mug purchased from re.Served
#2 Handmade Letterpress cards purchased from ilee
#3 Handmade fabric velcro bags & tote purchased from huck & jo
It was so great to support local small business owners- I forgot how fun it could be! Not only are these items great quality, the owners were super sweet as well!
   
I know that many of my readers enjoying purchasing from small businesses and also can appreciate good quality items. If you need to purchase some Christmas presents, I have some great news for you! I contacted the sellers that I purchased from, along with one other (that I’m eying lots of items from) and they generously offered up some coupon codes for YOU!
*click on photos to go directly to the Etsy shops

  
The sweet owner over at re.Served has graciously offered a fabulous giveaway to you, my amazing readers. How beautiful is this teapot? I love that it’s modern, whimsical and so detailed! I can see this piece fitting in so many kitchens, or how amazing would it be as a gift? Everyone has a coffee or tea drinker in their life! :) 
The details on the giveaway:
1) Leave a comment ON THIS POST letting me know you favorite item in the re.Served store. 
3) If you become a (public) follower on my blog, or already one, you get to leave an additional comment! Just let me know you became/ are a follower!

You have until Saturday, December 8, 2012 to enter.

I hope that you’ll check out these fabulous Etsy shops and take advantage of these amazing savings. Not only will you get amazing handmade items, you also get to support some Seattle small businesses! Also, be sure to enter the giveaway– feel free to let your friends know about it too. :) 

Mad for Plaid

Do any of my fellow cardmakers struggle with creating masculine cards? I’ll be honest here: whenever a birthday comes up for one of my guy friends or a family member, my heart starts to panic. Do I have any cards in the stash that will work? Will they mind if I just buy a card? Will this person care if there’s a bow or glitter on their card?

Recently a friends birthday came up and I needed a card. Stat. I always seem to gravitate to patterned papers for guy cards- probably because I have quite a few that work for these kinds of cards. For this card I found this great plaid paper and it was my starting point for my color scheme. {Love this paper!}

On this card, I used Pile It On from WPlus9 Design Studio. Sadly, I’ve only used it once before, but now that I have successfully created a masculine birthday card with it, I’ll be pulling it out more in the future!

Tomorrow I’ll be skipping my regularly scheduled Thankful Thursday post. In it’s place, I have a post FULL of beautiful things, fun links and a GIVEAWAY!

Hope to see some of you on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page later. I just love interacting with you a little more and in depth there! If you haven’t “liked” my page over there yet, I hope you will! I truly do love getting to know you all better and this gives me the opportunity to do so a little better. :)

See you all tomorrow. Have a fabulous Wednesday!

Find Pretty Pink Posh on Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

 

Family Game Night

If you’re anything like me, you enjoy time with family and friends. When I was growing up, we didn’t have cable tv, so we spent many nights playing board games together. Some of my fondest memories are of the late night games we used to play- no electronics or cell phones, just time together.

It’s so easy these days to get caught up in the busyness of life. With my accident, I haven’t been up to doing much outside the house, so board games have been making a comeback in my life. Not only does it keep the mind off of the stresses of life, it’s also a time for cherished moments with my family.

With the holidays coming up, I thought I would compile a list of a few of our favorites. Hopefully it’ll introduce you to some new games, or possibly remind you of some of the ones you have!

Purchase Rummikub HERE

Purchase Settlers of Catan HERE

Purchase Spot It HERE

Purchase Apples to Apples HERE

Purchase Five Crowns HERE

I honestly could have kept going….our family loves playing games! I have done a second post with more of our family favorites- find it HERE!

Question: what are your favorite board/ card games to play with your family and friends?

Guest Designer

Being a guest designer= such a privilege. 
As a coordinator of a company blog and website, I know that there are so many options when choosing designers to join the team, or become a guest designer for a month. I am always so grateful and honored when companies approach me to represent them. 
I have loved being a guest designer over at Neat & Tangled this month. These cute designs are so easy to work with, and it also gave me the opportunity to play with my beloved Copics. Also, it was fun to meet some new blog friends, too!
Come join me one last time as I blog over on the Neat & Tangled blog today. 
 
Have a fabulous rest of your Monday, sweet friends. I hope you’ll join me over on the Neat & Tangled blog today!