MARCH KIT goes on sale FRIDAY!

If you have ordered or subscribed, it will ship March 5th!
(Or available for pick-up, those of you that are local!)
And you can still PRE-ORDER up until the 5th!
(This way you will be GUARANTEED a kit!!)

This month, leading up to our GRAND OPENING of The Story Matters website, kits will be available in VERY limited quantities... and after you see the inspiration, you will NOT be disappointed!! SO many wonderful layouts and projects from those of the designers that worked with the March kit!! WOW!!

Jillibean soup is the newest in this months kit... NEXT month there will be even MORE brand new CHA Winter products! Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon, Karen Foster... Subscribing NOW will guarantee a kit each month! And REMEMBER! Our kits are only $24.99 (plus s/h when needed) AND, though each purchase starts a subscription, you can cancel any month by the 20th!
AND each month will have something special, like handmade ONE OF A KIND buttons!

And watch for another sketch, and at least one more challenge in March!!

Stay tuned!!

A Closer Look-Distress Ink Tutorial By Angela Ploegman

Supplies needed:

Cardstock or Patterned paper

Paper Crimper

Wet Glue (I prefer Beacon Zip Dry or Fabri Tac)

Circle Punch

Paper Trimmer

Optional Supplies:

Tim Holtz Distress Ink

Tim Holtz Distress Powder

Brayer

Terrifically Tacky Tape

Heat Emobss Tool

Xyron Creatopia

Instructions

1. Cut a strip of cardstock 2 – 2.5 inches wide…the length (and less so the width) of the strip will determine the diameter of the flower…I generally use a 12 inch long strip. If you cut the strip too wide, forming the flower becomes difficult. 1 strip will form 2 flowers.
2. Ink the paper strip using the distress ink. Apply the Distress powder and emboss. When cool, remove the ‘excess’ embossing powder by rubbing with your fingers.

3. Cut the strip in half using a decorative edge strip cutter on the Xyron Creatopia. You can use your paper trimmer for a straight edge.
4. Run the strips through the paper crimper. Fold the strip accordion style on every other ‘crimped’ edge.

5. Attach the two outside edges with wet glue or Terrifically Tacky Tape to form a ring.
6. Punch 2 circles from cardstock. For this size flower, I use a 2 inch circle punch.
7. Apply a generous amount of wet glue to the outside edge of one of the punched circles. Flip one edge (the straight edge) of the folded paper ring into the center of the ring and place the flattened ring onto the glue on the punched circle. Place a weight on top and let the glue dry.

8. Apply a generous amount of wet glue to the outside edge of the other punched circle.
Place face down on the flattened ring. Place a weight on top and let the glue dry
9. Embellish your pinwheel flower as desired! Embellish your pinwheel flower as desired!

Finished Layout (so you don't have to scroll down! :) )

Thanks Angela! This was fabulous!

Now go stop by Angela's blog and say "hey"! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

And remember! Subscriptions available NOW, and the March Kit available for shipping and pick-up on March 5th!!!

Full layouts from the designers will be posted on the 5th also!!

And the winner is...

Thank you to everyone who participated in the sketch challenge! It was fun to do some blog hoppin and see all the great layouts everyone created with the first kit!

And now for the winner...
Keely!!!
Contact me with your address @ meganklauer{at}yahoo{dot}com and I'll get your prize to you asap!

FEBRUARY KIT SOLD OUT!!!!

You can start your subscription NOW, and you will receive the MARCH kit (the "buy" link to the right!)

If you wait until March 5th (when March goes on sale and ships) to start your subscription, it may very well sell out FAST!

The fire is spreading!

Already SO much inspiration! Can you imagine the inspiration when we launch our website with gallery and forum!?!

-Still time to join in on the sketch challenge! Scroll down to check that out!
-Show us what you did with your distress embossing powder! Give us a link to your creation in the comments!! Or email me your creation pennyscrapbooks@aol.com!
-Don't forget! The SNEAK PEAKS are BELOW for March! YUM!

March Sneak Peek!!

Check out the colors that are SO neutral they can go with just about any subject, yet SO yummy, you can't resist!

Here is a look at our March Kit-on sale March 5th at 10am CST!
Still just $24.99, with free pick up option for local customers.

Those who got a kit in February will receive this kit via their subscription.
(Just a COUPLE February kits left, so jump in on the fun and start your subscription TODAY!)

Featuring paper from Jillibean Soup, more custom buttons from The Button Box, and a vintage milk cap!

You will see more and more just released product in each kit, until it is ALL new product by MAY, when we plan our GRAND OPENING event with the opening of our website!!

So be sure to grab a kit! Limited edition kits, but anyone that subscribes is always promised the next months kits!!

Check out the slide show for peeks at the designers inspiration!

How are those sketches coming??

You still have time! So get your kit out and CREATE with the sketch Megan provided, and you could win some FREE product for your efforts!!

We are PAINFULLY close to selling out February's kit.

Come back soon for some kit inspiration use the distress powders, but in the meantime, check out this technique video by Tim Holtz demonstrating just how cool distress powders are!
And you got one in your kit! (Or will have one if you buy one of the last few!!)

Check it out!


And TOMORROW is Sneak Peek day!!

Sketch challenge!!!

Sketches are a great way to get a creative jump start!
So...here's one to get you going with your new kit!

My original layout:

The Sketch:
It can be a 12x12 or 8.5x11...change it up or flip it around...what ever gets your creative juices flowing!

On this layout I flipped it around a bit and got a whole different look!

{Link your TSM kit layouts below for a chance to win a prize! You have until Sat. Feb. 20th...winner will be announced Sun. the 21st}