Piggy Tales Blog

Upcoming DT publications!

Hi everyone!  I just wanted to let you know our design team has been hard at work creating and submitting to magazines.  So far you can expect to see the following publications!  There will be much more to come!     Congratulations TEAM!

Charity Hassell:

Three cards accepted for CardMaker Sketch Book 3-Christmas cards due out in September!!!

Mou Saha:

Album - CK Issue
Card & tag set - CK Blog
(3) 2-page layouts- CK September Issue

Linda Harrison

Card in Scrapbook and Cards Today - Summer issue

Paula Gilarde

A -2 page layout in Sept CK 

Have a GREAT weekend everyone!  We're getting a babysitter for a much needed night out!  My husband is taking me to my favorite Italian restaurant, Maggiano's!  I can't wait!

:)  trina

I {SPY} Thursdays!

Hello!  Okay this week is better than last...getting a little warmer!!  This weekend, was totally raining!!  I know this because I stood in the rain for 2 hours waiting for my little sister to finish her VERY first MARATHON!!!!  Yes, I do realize that this is crazy talk.....running for hours on end is not my idea of fun, neither is standing in the rain.  But I have to admit that I was very IMPRESSED!!!  I will never,  I repeat, never run in a marathon but I admired every single person as they crossed the finish line-with a smile on their face.  So congrats Aunt Ya-Ya!!!!  Now for more attempts to get Spring on its way to me....

 

 

 

 

I {SPY} a card in Paper Crafts Mag from our very own DT member, Melanie Douthit.  Using the Cinderella Collection and Friends Rubons, she made the cutest Friends Forever card!!  Melanie is the Queen of cards, she was the February PTA (Piggy Tales Academy, the best kit club EVER!!) kit designer and made the yummiest cards!!  So hopefully next week I will be happy with warmer weather!!  

 

Have A Great Week!

Giboney

 

FREE $10 GIFT CARD

With Earth Day coming up tomorrow, and being one of the leading eco-friendly manufacturers in the industry, we thought we should commemorate this special day with you.  We have a total of 11 eco-friendly collections, that is 66 papers, that are printed on acid and lignin free, recycled papers with beautiful organic and soy based inks. We also have many other products made with recycled content, and we even offer stickers produced from a wind powered factory.  WOW...now that is a reason to celebrate!!

Take advantage of our Earth Day special and save some green
for your wallet too!  ANY PURCHASE OVER $40.00 WILL BE SENT A FREE $10.00 GIFT CARD! 

But you will have to hurry because the sale ends Sunday, April 26th.  Enter ECO2009 under "Additional Comments" at checkout and you will receive your $10 gift card by email within 24 hours.  Click here to shop online NOW!

Photo Tip Monday

Thanks to everyone for the amazing pictures submitted last week!  Congratulations to Windy Robinson & Carrie Buss for their photo entries from last week's contest.  They will each receive a $25 gift certificate to use on www.piggytales.com!  Thanks for sharing!  Here are their photos...

Windy Robinson

Carrire Buss

Now for this week's tip...

In celebrating Earth Day this week I tried to think of a tip for everyone to use while taking pictures outdoors.  From my experience I've found that the best time of the day to take pictures is between 2-3 hours before the sun sets.  I love the rich yellows and long shadows during this time of the day.  I've also noticed that shadows aren't as sharp and the light isn't as bright and harsh...kids also don't squint in the sunlight...

Here's a photo I took right after lunch time, around 12 pm...notice how bright the light is...it washes out my sweet nephew, Joshua.  

Here's another picture of Joshua taken at 5:30 pm instead, about 2 hours before the sun set behind the mountains.  

This weeks challenge is to try taking a picture just before sun set.  You'll be surprised how different your pictures will turn out!  If you'd like to share your photos please email them to contests@piggytales.com (Please keep your photos less than 200 KB.  Only 2 entries per person.  Deadline is April 26th.).  I'll pick a couple photos and showcase them next week on our blog. Those people will receive a $25 gift certificate to our website!  I can't wait to see all the fun pictures (this is my favorite part of my job!).

Debbie

I {Spy} Thursdays!

Hello! I was hoping with my last post that it would help welcome Spring into the air….unfortunately we are still wearing coats around here.  But I don’t want to wish too much on warm weather because I am not ready for the summer heat yet!  I don’t know if you are like me, but when shopping for scrapbook paper, I always see pink and purple paper and think about pictures of my daughters that would go good with them and then blues and greens and think of scrapbooking my son’s pictures with those papers.  So when I saw this layout……..

 

 

 

I was very surprised!!  The Frog Prince Collection is one of the yummiest little Boy lines—so I thought!  Don’t you just love how the paper brings out the Brides Eyes!!  So this week, I {Spy} thinking outside the box, maybe even scrapbook your sons pictures using PINK! ;)

 

Have A Great Week!

Giboney

 

 

 

i'M BacK and wiTh a FuN proDuct spotLight tOo!!!

Hi alL!!!  I can't believe how long it has been since I have blogged!  YIKES!  Time flies when you are having fun- and I have been having plenty of  it with our kit club- the Piggy Tales Academy (PTA)  AND with getting to go to 2 CK conventions this past month!! YAY!  I had the BEST time making new friends in Louisville and St. Louis!  ...and I am really, REALLY sad that I won't be teaching again until after the baby is born and we are off to CKU Japan!!  I will miss getting to see all of my friends at the events this year!!  Be sure to check out Piggy Tales fantastic class line up this year if you are attending any conventions- They are so awesome this year- I still can't believe how much product you get for the price of the classes- WOW!!!    

Okay, so before I share with you a cool product spotlight, I have to catch you up on a little business, as I have gotten so many e-mails asking if I know what gender the baby is yet- It's a GIRL!!!  YAY!  Thank you all for keeping up with me!! Giboney's Baby Lily has a friend!!!  Now I just have to get my hands on one of those sassy bling binky's and we will be all set!!

Alright, so now for some PTA fun combined with a super cool product spotlight.  We have some amazing designers lined up for the April and May club kits and I love seeing how our talented designers use our innovative products!   I have to highlight one of the Layouts done by Marla Kress that is featured for May- it is so awesome!  I LOVE how she cleverly used the barndoors as part of the title for this Layout and I know that you will too! SO SOOO fuN and such SuCH taleNt!  I also love how she used the brand new "Build-a Rubons" on the barndoors as well- they are so versatile and this is a perfect example of how YOU get to be the designer when you use them on your projects!!  Enjoy and it's great to be back!!

 

To view the current and upcoming kits by our featured designers for April, Amber Winward and May, Marla Kress- please visit the following link:

http://www.qbaroo.com/piggytalesretail/currentkit.cfml

Photo Tip Monday!!

Thanks for all those who submitted pictures from our challenge last week to take pictures from a different angle.  Here is one of my favorite entries from Nancy Holley.  Congratulations Nancy, you've won a $25 gift certificate to our website!

Now for this week's photo tip.  Does anyone besides me have a hard time getting your children to pose for the camera?  My 3 year old son's favorite thing to do lately is to make silly faces instead of smile for the camera.  

I gave up a long time ago trying to get him to smile, and have found that some of my favorite pictures have been of him not even looking at the camera at all.  In fact, I've taken a few pictures of my boys from behind and I love how they've turned out.  It's not very often we think of taking a picture of someone's back side, but I love how these pictures turned out...

So this week's photo challenge is to take a picture of the back side of something you usually wouldn't.  It could be a person, an object, or anything you can think of.  If you'd like to share your photos please email them to contests@piggytales.com (Please keep your photos less than 200 KB.  Only 2 entries per person.  Deadline is April 19th.).  I'll pick a couple photos and showcase them next week on our blog. Those people will receive a $25 gift certificate to our website!  

Have Fun!

Debbie 

{I Spy} Thursday

Good Morning!!  And Happy Thursday to all of you- this picture….

 

 

Just mades me so happy! I love this little egg that my new friend, Miss Lynette Daniel made.  Using the Little Red Riding Hood Collection and an actual egg, First she made a hole on each side of the egg and then blew out the yoke, using Mod Podge, she first laid down the flowers and then using a pop dot she added the same flower on top with a glitter center…..so cute! I wish that I could find the time to make some of these…maybe next year but until then I hope that everyone will enjoy and have a Very Happy Easter!

 

Giboney

 

 

 

 

DT Showcase-Mou Saha

This week I'd like to showcase MOU SAHA, one of our Design Team members and member of the CK’s 2009 Dream Team!  Her talent shines through with her bold, exceptional designs!  

I've also included the link to CREATING KEEPSAKES blog where she posted an adorable baby card and tag using one of our NEWEST collections Rain, Rain Go Away and 3M Products.  

http://creatingkeepsakesblog.com/2009/04/02/welcome-mou-saha-2009-dream-team-member/

"See You In Spring Break" Card
Supplies: Patterned paper (It's Raining, It's Pouring: Bed, Morning); cardstock (DCWV); palm tree template (Scotch 3M); distress ink (Ranger); pen (American Crafts); adhesives (Scotch tape runner, Scrapbooker's Glue with 2-way Applicator); other supplies: (3) buttons
Instructions:
1. Trim Yellow cardstock to 5.5x8.5 inches. Fold to make a card 4.25x5.5 inches.
2. Using the palm tree template and pencil, trace the tree on the striped side of the Bed paper. cut it out with scissors or a craft knife.
3. Ink the edges of the palm tree.
4. Lay the Morning paper at an angle at the bottom of the card, mark with a pencil and cut it out.
5. Attach the piece from step 3 along the bottom edge of the card with the Scotch 3M tape runner.
6. Using the precision tip of the 2-way applicator of the Scrapbooker's Glue, attach the palm tree following the slant of the Morning paper.
7. Attach a few buttons in the tree using the vellum adhesive tape.
8. With a black pen, write "See you in spring break" using your best cursive handwriting.

Layout - Big?
Supplies: Patterned paper (La Belle et la Bête: Chateau; Mary Mary Quite Contrary - Silver Bells); letter stickers, chipboard shapes (Mary Mary Quite Contrary); cardstocks (DCWV); border punches (Fiskars); pen (American Crafts-black; Mitsubishi-white); embroidery floss (DMC); adhesives (Scotch 3M - tape runner, photo splits); others: needle
Instructions:
1. Trim 'Chateau' paper to 8.5x11 inches.
2. Use Effervescence punch to create a border at the top.
3. Punch a green cardstock using the Apron Lace border punch.
4. Layer it beneath the Chateau paper so that about half an inch of the green border shows above the punched Chateau paper.
5. Trim a 9.5x5.5 inches piece from the Silver Bells paper.
6. Use Lacy Days of Summer Punch to create decorative border at the bottom.
7. Using the Scotch 3M permanent adhesive tape runner, attach this piece toward the right leaving about half an inch from the top.
8. Attach photo leaving about an inch from the right side of the layout using Scotch 3M Permanent Photo Splits.
9. Use tape runner to adhere the chipboard photo corner at the top left and a chipboard button toward the bottom right side of the photo.
10. Doodle on the photo corner with a white pen and sew the button with embroidery floss as added touches.  
11. Punch scraps of pink and yellow cardstocks using the Apron Lace border punch and adhere them below the photo as shown.
12. Zig zag stitchwith green embroidery floss to add interest.
13. Journal on the photo with black pen.
14. Add title to the bottom left corner of the photo.

Also, I wanted to let you know I'm going to be instructing classes at CKC Mesa next week!  So, if you're going to be there, sign up for a few of our classes and come see me!  You won't want to miss out on the FUN!

http://www.scrapandpapercorner.com/events/ckc/mesa/index.html

Happy Easter!

:) Trina

20% off entire purchase online!

I love Easter!  Of course I always love an excuse to dress up our boys and take pictures!  To celebrate we're offering 20% off your entire purchase of Piggy Tales products online now through Saturday, April 11th.  Use coupon code EASTER09 at checkout to take advantage of this sale! 

Don't forget to check out our fun spring lines online to scrap those cute Easter and spring pics.  To view our newest products visit our website HERE.

Debbie