Avery Elle April Blog Hop: BEGINNINGS & GIVEAWAYS

Today is not an ordinary day around here:)  Yes, it's Avery Elle Blog Hop Day, and, of course, that's always fun!  But today, I have all kinds of happy, happy news that I have been longing to share!  I hope you have some time to sit awhile, this is going to be a long one;)  The theme for today is beginnings!  

The first new beginning involves a new Avery Elle DT member!  Our new teamie is none other than the awesome Nina Yang from Waffle Flower Paper Crafts blog:)  

Not only is she an awesome designer (her templates are phenomenal), but she's one of the sweetest and smartest gals I know.  Nina and I are already friends, and I'm super excited to be on a team with her!  Check out Nina's website because she's got all kinds of fun and wonderful stuff:)  

The second announcement is a new beginning for Avery Elle!  Debuting this month are Elle-ments, exclusive steel dies!  I'm ecstatic to say that this month, Avery Elle is releasing 2 sets of dies.  One of the sets is called Rounded Diamonds (set of 4 nesting dies) and that's the set I'm working with today!   (If you keep hopping, you'll see the other set of dies:)

And what could make dies even better?  Coordinating stamps (natch)!  Are you imagining all the possibilities in this set?   I know I have;)

The graphics in this set are perfect for whipping up bold and graphic CAS cards in no time!  My first card uses the largest chevron stamp with the matching die.  The dies are open in the middle, so it's super easy to die cut AFTER you stamp.  (The sentiment is from last month's set All Squared Up by the way)

This chevron stamp is so versatile because is can be used alone or with any size of the Rounded Diamonds dies.  You'll notice that the chevron design itself goes all the way to the edge of the cut for a nice clean look!  Let's keep moving shall we?  My second card takes advantage of the ability to do a reverse cut design.  

For a bit of color, I used vellum colored with Distress Ink behind 3 of the reverse cut "windows".  In the last window is a sentiment from the Framed Fonts set.  This card was super easy to do!  If you don't have vellum, how about using patterned paper or washi?  Good clean graphic fun:)

My last card uses the matched set together, a stamp with the matching die.  I used the open design stamp and colored it in with Copics.  Then I die cut a panel with the matching die to place over the stamped image with foam tape.  I love that the design could be a leaf, petal, or even a feather!  (The sentiment is from last month's Petals and Stems set)

I really hope that you've enjoyed the dies and stamps I've used today!  Not only because I'm a DT member, but because I had a hand in designing these babies!  Yup, I designed the Rounded Diamond dies and I collaborated with Jamie (the owner/designer of Avery Elle) on the coordinating stamps (THANK YOU FOR TAKING A CHANCE WITH ME JAMIE!).  Even as I write this blog post, I still can't believe it!  I didn't intend on designing dies or stamps.  Truthfully, the only reason I tried any designing at all is a purely selfish one.  I wanted them and couldn't find them on the market:)  Simple as that!  I've always been a fan of squeezing the most from your craft tools and I specifically designed this set to be used in multiple ways.  My die designs (die-signs?) are meant to be used with the coordinating stamps OR by themselves to build backgrounds, shapes, tags, whatever!  I really hope you see the same potential in them that I do:)  And you never know what other dies may be in the works (did I say that?)!  

And guess what?  Jamie is mixing up the release schedule at the store this time and the new stuff is live in the store, RIGHT NOW!  Go ahead, we'll wait:)

Now if you got through all of that, I lurve you! Mwah! THANK YOU for hanging in there!  You all are amazing and your support on this blog has been nothing short of miraculous!    (Okay, enough of my jibber-jabbering)

Now if I haven't tired you out, you have to keep hopping along to see all the wonderful projects using this month's release!  You'll be excited to know that this month we have one of my favorite folks guest designing with us, Laurie Willison (see I told you this was an awesome month)!  Here's the blog line up if you've just started...

Jamie Gracz (Avery Elle blog)

 Chunyuan Wu
Nina Yang
Heather Campbell

JJ Bolton (you are here:)

Laurie Willison (guest designer)

Kasia Curry

Don't forget, to celebrate the April Release Blog Hop, Avery Elle is giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to one winner!  You have until Sunday, March 31st EST to enter.  The winner will be announced on the Avery Elle blog on Monday, April 1st (no foolin').  All products will be available for right NOW!!!

To increase your chances of winning:

• Comment on any of the design team's posts and the Avery Elle blog
• Tweet the contest (we are @averyellestamps)
• Share with your friends on Facebook (we are www.facebook.com/AveryElle) and make sure they tell us you sent them
• Pin one of the April Release projects from the Avery Elle blog or the design team blogs to Pinterest
• Like us on Facebook (comment on the Avery Elle blog if you like us or already like us)
• Become a blog follower at the Avery Elle blog (comment on the Avery Elle blog if you become  a follower or are already a follower)
• Join our Flickr group (comment on the Avery Elle blog if you join or are already a member)

As a bonus giveaway, I will also be choosing a winner at random from the comments on this blog post.  The winner will get a set of the Rounded Diamond dies!  Just leave a comment by Sunday, March 31st EST:)

Mahalo and Aloha,

jj