Posts By: Julie Elak

Throwback Thursday – Julie Elak

Posted by: Julie Elak on Thursday, May 5, 2016 at 12:00 am

***Click here for the May DT Dare post and your chance to win a YNS stamp set of your choice!***

Hi everyone! This week we are taking a look back at my own creations since I joined the team in June 2012. I started off on a separate team that did challenges only, now challenges are part of the regular design team.

Blog: The Last Minute Crafter

I selected this card as my favorite because it still makes me smile! It was a selfie of sorts before selfies were so popular.

YNS Supplies: Smiley Happy Critter Crew Set Two | Instalove Polaroid Die Set

Karen selected this card as her fave because she loves the little chalkboard.

YNS Supplies: Perfect Chemistry stamp set

Here is one of the first creations I made after joining the team using the Snorkel Fun Penguin stamp set – it is still one of my favorite sets!

YNS Supplies: Snorkel Fun Penguin stamp set

We have 2 more weeks with the design team in the spotlight. Be sure to stop back to see more!

-Julie and the YNS Team

May 2016 DT Dare – Comment to Win!

Posted by: Julie Elak on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at 12:00 am

This month we dared the design team to show us their stripes. The team accepted the dare and that means you have the chance to win a stamp set of your choice!

DTDare2candy

For your chance to win, leave a comment on this blog post.

You have until May 6th at midnight EST to leave a comment and be entered in the draw. The winner will be announced on May 7th.

Let’s check out the team’s creations featuring the newly released stamps and dies to see what type of stripes they went with.

Deborah

YNS Supplies: Diagonal Strip-Tastic Edge | Little Notes stamp set | Little Notes Die Set | Magical Pastel Gumdrops

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Anita

YNS Supplies: Keepin’ It Reel stamp set | Keepin’ It Reel die set | Stitched Rectangle Dies | Circles with Stitching and Piercing Marks Dies | Cosmic Crush Sparkly Gumdrops

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Julie

YNS Supplies: Word Critters – Gardening Birds stamp set | Word Critters – Gardening Birds Die Set | Stitched Rectangle Dies | Forest Friends Scene Die Set (hill)

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Martha Tucker, May Guest Designer

YNS Supplies: From the Heart Stamp set | Wedding Bliss stamp set –

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Kendra

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Amy Tsuruta, May Release Guest

YNS Supplies: Little Notes stamp set | Little Notes Die Set

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Laura

YNS Supplies: Little Notes stamp set | Little Notes Die Set | Stitched Rectangle dies | Tiny Stitches Stitched Line Die | Hey Baby Sparkly Gumdrops

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Tracy
YNS Supplies: Word Critters – Gardening Birds stamp set | Word Critters – Gardening Birds Die Set | Magical Pastel Sparkly Gumdrops

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Holly

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Sue

YNS Supplies: Stripe-tastic Diagonal Edge stamp| From the Heart Stamp set | Magical Pastel Sparkly Gumdrops

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Kymona

YNS Supplies: From the Heart Stamp set

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Don’t forget to head on over to the Your Next Stamp store to take advantage of the online discount code below and save an extra 20% on everything in the store!!!

Please leave a comment before you go for your chance to WIN a YNS stamp set of your choice!

You have until May 6th at midnight EST to leave a comment and be entered in the draw. The winner will be announced on May 7th.

Mark your calendars and join us for another chance to WIN on May 22nd with our Feature Day blog post!

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Thank you so much for stopping by! Wishing you a fun and creative day!

–Karen

May 2016 New Release Hop Winner

Posted by: Julie Elak on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 11:59 pm

If you commented on any of the blogs in our May New Release Blog Hop then you may just be a winner! Are you ready to find out if it is YOU???

Random.org did it’s thing and selected Trina P. who left this comment on Amy Tsuruta’s blog:

Congratulations Trina P.! You have won at $25.00 gift certificate to the YNS store. Please contact Karen via the link at the bottom of the site. Happy Shopping!

For another chance to win from YNS, check out the May DT Dare post. The team is sharing stripes and one lucky person who comments on the post will win a stamp set of their choice.

-Julie and the YNS Team

Welcome May Guest Designer Martha Tucker

Posted by: Julie Elak on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 12:00 am

Please join us in welcoming Martha Tucker, our guest designer for the month of May! You may have noticed that Martha has already been busy crafting away. She was in the line up for the May new release blog hop and shared a preview too.

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Martha Tucker

Blog: Trinity Rose Designs

I am a mother of two beautiful children , I have been married to my wonderful husband for eight years, crafting is my absolute passion, there is rarely a day I don’t make a mess in my Craftroom!

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Today Martha is sharing a fun card featuring the remote from the stamp set For the Boys.

Be sure to stop by Martha’s blog to say “hi”.

-Julie and the YNS Team

Sketch and Color #37 – Winners!

Posted by: Julie Elak on Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 9:59 am

Winner announcement time!

Thanks to everyone who played along with challenge #37. We enjoy seeing your takes on the sketch and color challenges.

The random winner is participant #12, Chantal Levesque! Congrats Chantal, you win a $20.00 gift certificate to the Your Next Stamp store since your challenge project contained YNS products.

The random winner of our social media challenge is Alixsworld, who posted her creation on Instagram! Congrats Alix, you win a $20.00 gift certificate to the Your Next Stamp store!

Congratulations to both our winners. Please contact Karen via the link at the bottom of the website to claim your prize.

Now on to our Top Pick for the challenge…it is this card from Tricia Traxler…

Tricia created her card based on the sketch from Challenge #37. The banner is such a great add on to the slanted panel. Plus, the coloring on the banner matches the patterned panel perfectly. The stamp set Waddles – Happy Brrrthday is spreading the smiles with this card!

Challenge #38 is going on right now. Join in the fun for a chance to win!

-Julie and the YNS Team

Sketch and Color Challenge #38

Posted by: Julie Elak on Friday, April 29, 2016 at 12:00 am

Are you looking for something to kick start your mojo? Why not join in our bi-weekly challenge???!!!

Challenge #38 starts today and is open through Thursday, May 12th at midnight EST. There is a sketch and color combo to choose from. Pick the one that inspires you, unless you really want to challenge yourself and combine the two! Plus, the best part is you might win a gift certificate to the YNS store by playing along.

One random participant will win a $15.00 gift certificate to the YNS Store, plus if the winner uses YNS products on their creation they will receive an additional $5.00 on their gift certificate. We also select our favorite creation featuring YNS products from all participants and announce a “Top Pick”. The random winner and “Top Pick” will be announced on the YNS blog the Sunday following the challenge close. Link up a picture of your creation from your blog, gallery, etc. at the bottom of this post and you will be entered to win.

PLUS…if you are using YNS products on your creation why don’t you take the YNS Social Media challenge too?! Check out all the details in the rules at the bottom.

The sketch

If you use the sketch feel free to swap out shapes or rotate; so long as we can see the basic sketch was your inspiration.

The colors

If you choose the color combo, be sure to use at least 3 colors and feel free to add in neutrals.

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Which one inspired the team?

Kymona

YNS Supplies: Word Critters – Cats and Dogs stamp set

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Yuki (April Guest Designer)

YNS Supplies: Woodland Cuties stamp set

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Anita

YNS Supplies: Life’s A Hoot Stamp set | Life’s A Hoot Die set |Circles with Stitching and Piercing Marks die set | Stitched Rectangle Die set | Gumdrops

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Kendra

YNS Supplies: Flower Ink Splatter stamp set | Coco – Sweet Treats stamp set | Circles with Stitching and Piercing Marks Die Set

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Julie

YNS Supplies: Honey Bear stamp set | Stitched Rectangle Die set | Scrapworks Strips die set | Circles with Stitching and Piercing Marks die set

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Sue

YNS Supplies: Hammie Coffee and Tea stamp Set

Be sure to join in the fun and share your own creation inspired by either the sketch or the colors OR both! Link up your project through Inlinkz below. Note only 3 entries per person.

YNS’ challenge #38 ends on Thursday, May 12, 2016, at midnight EST
If you use the sketch feel free to swap out shapes or rotate; so long as we can see the basic sketch was your inspiration.
If you choose the color combo, be sure to use at least 3 colors and feel free to add in neutrals.
Only new creations please.
Limit of 3 entries per challenge # per person, each entry must be different.
Be sure to link back to our challenge in your blog post or gallery entry.
Entries not meeting the challenge guidelines will be removed.
All stamps are welcome, although we love to see YNS stamps and dies on your projects.
One random participant will win a $15 gift certificate to the Your Next Stamp store. If YNS stamps or dies are the focal point then the winner receives an additional $5 gift certificate for a total of $20. The winner will be announced on the YNS Blog the Sunday after the challenge closes.
The YNS Top Pick will receive the “YNS Top Pick” badge and their project will be featured on the YNS Blog the Sunday after the challenge closes. To be considered for the Top Pick, YNS stamps/dies must be the focal point of your project.
Social Media mini challenge – Does your challenge creation feature YNS products? Then take our social media mini challenge to be entered in an extra prize drawing! In addition to the inlinkz link up below to your blog or gallery, add your challenge creation to Instagram with “#yournextstamp” and “#ynschallenge38”, the YNS Facebook page referencing “challenge38” in your comment, and/or the SplitcoastStampers gallery with keyword “yournextstamp” and“ynschallenge38” and be sure to mention the YNS Challenge. There will be a separate drawing for all challenge projects added to those 3 social media sites during the challenge time period. If you add to one site then you receive 1 entry in the drawing. If you add to two you receive 2 entries and 3 entries if you add to all three. Remember, this is only for challenge creations featuring YNS products. The random winner will receive a YNS Store gift certificate for $20.
Have fun!!!

-Julie and the YNS Team

An InLinkz Link-up

Throwback Thursday – Sue Taylor-Hill

Posted by: Julie Elak on Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 12:00 am

Today we are continuing our design team Throwback series and taking a look at creations made by Sue Taylor-Hill. Sue joined the Your Next Stamp team in February 2015. She had two stints as a guest designer prior to that.

Blog: Gertsgoods

When asked what her favorite creation is since joining the team Sue responded: I love this stamp set because I am a night owl and coffee-a-holic. On this card, the water color background turned out looking like a night sky!

YNS Supplies: Life’s a Hoot stamp set

Here is Karen’s favorite YNS creation from Sue. She chose this one for the wonderful CAS layout.

YNS Supplies: Piles of Smiles stamp set

This is one of Sue’s first creations after joining the team.YNS Supplies: Little Darling Jasmine stamp set

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Julie and the YNS Team

Farewell to April’s Guest Designer Yuki

Posted by: Julie Elak on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 12:01 am

April is drawing to close which means it is time to say goodbye to our guest designer Yuki.

Yukari Yoshioka

Blog: Handmade by Yuki Instagram: handmadebyyuki

Yuki’s cards have made us smile all month long. She nailed the 3 Cs – clean, colorful and cute!

Let’s take a look back at some of her creations.

YNS April Preview_You Are My Hero Closed_HandmadebyYuki

YNS April Preview_You Are My Hero Open_HandmadebyYuki

YNS April Blog Hop_You Life Me Up_HandmadebyYuki

Lucky for us, Yuki will be sharing one more project with us on Friday for Challenge #38. Be sure to stop back and join in the fun!

-Julie and the YNS Team

April 2016 Feature Day Winner!

Posted by: Julie Elak on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 12:00 am

Time to announce the winner of a YNS stamp set! Did you leave a comment on the April Feature Day post which was full of scenic cards? If yes, then the winner may just be you! Let’s find out…

Random.org did it’s thing and returned #74:

That means our winner is Jennifer K who left this comment:

Congratulations Jennifer!!! Contact Karen via the link at the bottom of the website to claim your prize.

Thanks to everyone who left a comment on our scene filled cards. We have more eye candy coming your way soon. The May release will be arriving this weekend! Stay tuned for new inspiration and more chances to win YNS prizes!

-Julie and the YNS Team

April 2016 Feature Day – Comment to Win!

Posted by: Julie Elak on Sunday, April 24, 2016 at 12:00 am

The design team and our April guest Yuki were asked to create a scene for this month’s Feature Day. We promise there was no kicking and screaming although a few on the team mentioned creating a scene really was a challenge!

Be entered in a drawing to win a stamp set of your choice simply by leaving a comment on this post!

You have until April 26th at midnight EST to leave a comment and be entered in the draw. The winner will be announced on April 27th.

Don’t forget to leave a comment!

Let’s find out what type of scene each person created…

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Yuki, April Guest Designer