Happy Mail by Monique + Big Idea Festival

by Monique Liedtke

Three years ago my mum died and then last June my stepfather also passed away. Right now I'm having a very difficult time dealing with everyting that comes with this: emptying the house and all the memories this brings. I'm so lucky I have my husband and sister right next to me to help me cope and making sure I don't have to go through this time alone. My husband is my tower of strenght and my sister, well, she's just always there. If it weren't for them I don't think I would have been able to cope. So these two cards are for them! Love them both!

Supplies "For U" card: Create-A-Card "Square Grid Assortment", Hello Spring and Sugar & Spice 6x6 Paper Pad, Mini Pearls (Baby Girl Assortment), Cardstock Stickers: Fancy Frills (Sugar & Spice), Teensy Type (Bon Bon), Shin-Dig (Bon Bon).

Supplies "Thank You" card: Create-A-Card "Square Grid Assortment", Sweet Cakes and Snips & Snails 6x6 Paper Pad, Jewels (Ladybug), Cardstock Stickers: "Simply Sweet" (Ladybug), Teensy Type (Ladybug), Fancy Frills (Ladybug).

Big Idea Festival

Join the Big Idea Festival now. Stacy Julian shares a special video message about Happy Mail Campaign and some of the darling cards she created with the Create-a-Card program. You just need to add the class (which is free) to your cart to access this part of the website. Learn more here.

Join in the fun by participating in their Create-a-Card Challenge (you have until the 18th).

Announcing Happy Mail

What is Happy Mail?

Happy Mail is a concept Stacy Julian presented to Cynthea Sandoval last year at a trade show. Our Create-a-Card program was the perfect fit for this idea and with the help of both companies we are excited to announce it's launch. 

What is the Happy Mail Campaign?

The following statement was posted on the Big Picture blog today, "Starting Sept. 1 2012, I Stacy Julian, declare that I will make and send 365 handmade cards with handwritten notes. Now I do not want to do this alone and I know with your enthusiastic support, we can do this. Join me in a pay-it-forward Happy Mail movement where people rediscover the joy of sending and receiving handwritten communication (with a stamp)."

Why participate?

The online world is an exciting place to work and hang out—with new advances in digital media and communication exploding at every turn. Many of these digital tools have established themselves permanently in our daily lives and routine—think email and Facebook. But the sheer volume of digital communication can be utterly overwhelming, driving attention deficit, dehumanization and diminishing returns on our efforts. It’s crazy to me, that these super-convenient tools, celebrated for their ability to connect people, can actually have the opposite effect. This is why my big idea is very old-fashioned and requires only a pen and a piece of paper.

So we here at Doodlebug are excited to share our support of the program and we've challenged our own design team to pay it forward and send out a card and handwritten message to a friend. Let's start of the week of features with Melinda....

You Are So Tweet Card
by Melinda Spinks

My little card is destined to cross the equator and head all the way up to the United Kingdom. When we were asked if there was someone deserving that we'd like to send a surprise card to, I knew exactly where I wanted mine to go. My recipient is a special lady that I've never met in person, however she is incredibly sweet, passionate about her family, animals, craft and a real battler. My special recipient always puts a smile on my face no matter what she is facing in her own life and she was so thoughtful and generous when she sent our little Teddy a beautiful parcel of goodies including his very first pair of shoes. I hope this makes her smile!

Supply List: Create-A-Card Square Baroque Assortment - Swimming Pool; Crushed Velvet Cardstock - Lily White, Bon Bon; Paper Frills - Limeade; Mini Doodle-pops - Festive Flock; Simply Sweet Mini Rubons - Lily White.

Visit the Big Picture Classes Blog to learn more 

about the Happy Mail Campaign 

and the Big Idea Festival (free class).

Join us again tomorrow to learn more about this fun program and how we're teaming 
up with Big Picture Classes and Stacy Julian!

Using 3x3 Cards on a Layout + Giveaway

Love the idea of incorporating the new mini cards from the Create-a-Card collection on a layout. So we challenged both Melinda and Ro to show us how they would do it.

Giveaway
We'd love your help sharing these fun layout...post them to your Facebook and/or Pin them to Pinterest and leave a comment you did. We'll pick a lucky winner and send you some of these fun 3x3 cards!!

Life is Great Layout

by Ro Phillipsen

Halloween Layout
by Melinda Spinks

These tiny little cards and envelopes are just the cutest things and so easy to use for projects other than their intended purpose. I decided to place them on may layout as mini photo-frame for each of my three sweet children, and then flip the lids to reveal what really lurks beneath... their 'special' faces fit for Halloween.

Supply List: 3x3 Mini Stitched Cards - Limeade, Beetle Black, Tangerine; Haunted Manor - Night Owls, Ghost Town; Haunted Manor - Cardstock Stickers, Cardstock Frame Stickers; Doodle Twine - Halloween; Mini Pearls - Halloween Assortment; Mini Doodle Pops - Spidies, Wise Guys; Braddies - Spidies; Teensy Type Cardstock Stickers - Beetle Black, Lily White, Lilac; Expressions Rub-ons - Halloween.