November 2013

Shopping for inspiration- the holiday edition

christmas, katie gehring, merry and bright, Party Dots, simple christmas, Sunburst 11.29.2013

Hello Neat and Tangled lovelies!

Katie Gehring here. It's no secret that I love shopping for inspiration when I am out and about, and I am popping in today to share a card I made inspired by holiday decorations at (my favorite store, like, ever) Target!

Last weekend, I was picking up the items on my Target list and somewhere between the kids clothes and shoes departments I looked up and saw this.

Those colors, the circles, the shine! I was inspired! I snapped a picture with my iphone trying not to look too conspicuous. When I returned home, I pulled out some of my Neat & Tangled stamps to make a card based on this Target decor, and here's what I created...

I stamped Sunburst with green ink on green cardstock and punched out the center of the image with my circle punch. Party Dots was stamped with gold ink, and I punched a couple of small circles from the larger stamped image.

The stars from Merry and Bright accent the red circles and the sentiment is from Simple Christmas. A few circles punched from bronze shimmer cardstock added some depth and shine.

I think this card is pretty on Target with the inspiration (pun intended), and it's flat for easy mailing! Next time you are out and about in all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, don't forget to look around. Your next spark of inspiration could be hanging from the ceiling!

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

mary dawn quirindongo, on the edge, On the Strip 2, thankful turkey 11.28.2013

Hello Neat & Tangled friends! I know many of our US friends are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving. What a wonderful time it is to just reflect on what we are so grateful for! Included among all the things I am so thankful for this year, I must include all of you, my Neat and Tangled family. You're continual excitement and support warm my heart, and I wish I could find some way to let you know how much I appreciate all the joy you bring to Neat and Tangled. It doesn't even begin to express my gratitude, but please enjoy this sale beginning Thursday, November 28 at 8am EST! It will run through Sunday, December 1st. No need to enter a coupon code. Usual free shipping rates also still apply!

And Mary Dawn created a sweet card for you all :)

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Neat & Tangled!

YOU + ME

amy kolling, you + me 11.27.2013

Hi everyone! Amy K here today........What did you think of the November release last week? We hope you liked it!

I have one more card to share using You + Me. LOVE this set. Today, I've used it as Danielle used in her VIDEO during release. You can view the video HERE. I loved hearing where her inspiration for this stamp set came from!!! Great idea=fabulous stamp set!

I went with a sweet design and pale colors. I created my little scallops using the heart stamp included in this set......another use for your stamps!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

thank U

everyday labels 11.26.2013

Hi there! It's Suzanne here today with a manly thank you card using Everyday Labels. I thought it would be funky and fun to stamp the sentiment across a word bubble diecut, and then use some shaped dies to create the large letter U on my own. Everything was layered over some black and gray papers, with matching enamel dots to match...and I was done!

Thanks for looking!

Uncommon Goods: Aquafarm Review

aquafarm, uncommon goods 11.25.2013

Hello friends!

Here today with a post that is a little different! I'm here to do a fun review of a product called Aquafarm from an amazing company called Uncommon Goods. If you've never heard of Uncommon Goods stop what you are doing and head over there NOW!

Uncommon Goods not only has some of the most amazing products but they are just a good company. They focus on featuring unique designs and hand crafted gifts that are created in harmony with the environment and without harm to animals or people. They also support several awesome non-profits including RAINN, American Forests, Women for Women International, and City Harvest. See, just good people doing good things!

Now for the Aquafarm...here is the "professional" photo of the Aquafarm

And the official description:

The double-decker combination of garden and fish bowl creates a symbiotic ecosystem. In the top tray, basil, mint, spinach, baby greens, and other edible or decorative plants thrive as nutrient-rich water is circulated past their roots. That process purifies the water, which is then sent back to the 3-gallon tank below, creating a happy, healthy habitat for a beta or goldfish.

So, let me tell you a little about my Aquafarm experience. First of all, I was super excited to try this. Our family is very into health and wellness. We love growing our own food and using the freshest produce. Plus, my son has been BEGGING for a fish for month now. Win win! The Aquafarm seemed like a perfect fit for our little family!

When it arrived it came in some cool packaging

And they had everything you needed neatly packed inside with very clear directions

Okay, I lied. There was no fish, BUT they did give you a coupon for Petco!

Picking out the fish was probably the most time consuming part of the set-up. Grayson couldn't decide what color betta fish to get. We settled on this cool red/blue one, quickly named Nemo by my 2 year old.

All in all it took me about 30 minutes to set this up, 10 of which was letting the fish sit in the water in it's bag to get used to the temperature.

At this point I was just hoping to keep the fish alive for my son's sake. Forget actually growing anything! But, lo and behold about 2 weeks later...

We had wheat grass! Now, mine does not look as lush as the professional photo. Pretty sure this was my own fault because I used the seeds really sparingly. So, I trimmed some off for my juice!

Here it is after it's cut!

After I clipped it, it grew back pretty quickly. It's been about 6 weeks now and my grass finally died. Had to happen eventually with all the clipping I guess. Luckily they give lots of seeds so I'm just going to clean out the cups and replant!

I'd say the only negative was that the motor can be loud. As long as you have it in the right spot it's just a quiet hum, but if it gets knocked loose it makes a loud vibrating sound. Easily fixed by popping it back in place.

I have to say it has been a success. Not only did I actually keep the fish alive and get the wheat grass to grow, it has been a great educational tool for the kids and a fun topic of conversation when we have company over! I think I might plant the basil next just to see how that grows (I actually hate basil!).

Aside from the Aquafarm, Uncommon Goods has a ton of really fun, unique, personalized gifts. A few other cool items they have are the Pick Punch (for the musicians in your life), and Kinetic Sand (which would be great for kids). You definitely should check it out while you do your holiday shopping!

November Release Day 5: Introducing Warm Wishes Digital Stamp + Classic Christmas Sequin Mix + Coupon Code!

classic christmas sequin mix, november release, sequins, warm wishes digital stamp 11.22.2013

Hello friends! Welcome to the fifth and final day of Neat and Tangled's November release! Thank you so much for all your excitement the past few days! Reading all of your comments brings me such joy! All stamps and sequins are now available for purchase in the shop!

But wait! I still have one digital stamp and one variety pack of sequins to show you! First for the sparkly pretties :) The Classic Christmas bag of sequins is perfect for those classic Christmas projects! You will find shades of red and green, pearl, and gold. A variety of 5mm, 6mm, and 8mm are in this mix. Approximately 250-300 sequins.

And now for a fun digital stamp! With hand lettering and a rustic cup, Warm Wishes is the perfect stamp for warm and cozy Winter days! The digital image measures approximate 3.25" x 3.25" in it's original form, but can always be resized to accommodate your project! When you order this stamp it will be sent as one digital stamp, as well as separate sentiment and cup digital images so you have plenty of options.

Warm Wishes is available for $2.50, or it is FREE with any purchase from November 22 through December 1

All you have to do is:

1. Add Warm Wishes Digital Stamp to your cart with other items

2. Use code WARMWISHES when checking out!

And now for some cozy projects from the design team and a special guest designer, Jana Millen!

By Katie Gehring

By Katie Gehring

By Jana Millen

By Jean Manis

By Nina Yang

I do love the variety you can achieve with a good digital stamp!

The design team did such a wonderful job this week I can't thank them enough :) Releases would be nothing without them!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Danielle

November Release Giveaway Winners!

giveaway winner

Hello friends!

Stopping by to announce the November Release Giveaway Winners!

Day 1: Everyday Labels

Day 2: On the Edge

Day 3: On the Corner

Day 4: You + Me

Please email me at [email protected] with your mailing address!

November Release Day 4: Introducing You + Me and Giveaway!

giveaway, november release, you + me 11.21.2013

Hello, hello friends! Welcome to day 4 of Neat and Tangled's November release! This month we have 4 new sets, 1 new variety pack of sequins, and 1 digital stamp! Be sure to stop by everyday for fun, inspiration, and giveaways! All stamps and sequins will be available tomorrow, Friday, November 22, at 8am EST!

In case you missed:

Day 1: Everyday Labels + Giveaway!

Day 2: On the Edge + Giveaway!

Day 3: On the Corner + Giveaway!

Today's fun 4x6 set, You + Me, includes all the elements needed to create fun projects expressing your love! Use the circle and petal shaped solid stamp to create fun and unique Venn diagrams! Or simply use the hearts and arrow! How about making flowers from the petal shaped image? Lots of possibilities with this set!

And now for some stunning projects!

By Danielle Walls

By Nina Yang

By Katie Gehring

By Chari Moss

By Yana Smakula

Neat &Tangled November 2013 Release | You + Me

By Yana Smakula

By Pamela Ho

By Linda Trace

By Suzanne Dahlberg

By Amy Kolling

These girls always blow me away!

And now for the giveaway!

To enter to win You + Me:

1. Be a follower and leave a comment!

2. Follow us on Facebook and share about release with your friends! (leave another comment)

3. Follow Neat and Tangled on Twitter and tweet about our release, use @neatandtangled! (leave another comment)

See you back here tomorrow!

November Release Day 3: Introducing On the Corner + Giveaway!

miriam prantner, november release, on the corner 11.20.2013

Hello, hello friends! Welcome to day 3 of Neat and Tangled's November release! This month we have 4 new sets, 1 new variety pack of sequins, and 1 digital stamp! Be sure to stop by everyday for fun, inspiration, and giveaways!

In case you missed:

Day 1: Everyday Labels + Giveaway!

Day 2: On the Edge + Giveaway!

Today is special because not only am I introducing a new stamp set, I am also introducing a new stamp designer! Please say hello to Miriam Prantner!

My name is Miriam Prantner. I've been married to my husband Andrew for 12+ years. We have two daughters Ellie (6) and Carina (3) and a beagle named Geronimo. I've been crafting ever since I can remember, but only started making cards and stamping a few years ago. About a year ago I took a stamp carving class, and while I was carving came up with the idea for On the Corner of. If for no other reason, I wanted to get it produced so that I could have a set of my own. After showing my drawings to some friends, they encouraged me to go for it and see if I could have it made. I have to thank Danielle for really believing in me and this idea. Neat and Tangled was the first company I approached with my very rough sketches last year. The timing wasn't right back then, but we stayed in touch, and I'm so happy that my designs are now part of the Neat and Tangled family. I hope that you love On the Corner of as much as I do. There's more to come!

And now for Miriam's first set! On the Corner is a fresh and original 4x6 set perfect for cards, traditional scrapbooking, and Project Life. Have fun mixing and matching these fun and playful sentiments and images to create the perfect pairing for your projects!