Hello! Happy Friday! I have a lot of information to share with you today, so I’m just going to jump right into it.

First of all, it’s new digital image release day at Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps! There are three new items available for purchase now: Kiwi Koala’s Cuppa digi stamp, Eskimo Kisses colored digi stamp, and Eskimo Kisses Sentiments, which is a set of 3 sentiments. You can click on the pink words to see what the new images look like.  All of the SNSS Digi Challenge design team members are featuring at least one of the new images and/or sentiments on their blogs today, so be sure to check out the links in the left sidebar here to see what they’ve been up to, or head over to the SNSS Digi Challenge website.

Next, it’s time for another Sweet ‘n Sassy Digi Challenge! This week’s challenge is to make a shaped card using a digital image. Your card can be any shape other than a rectangle or a square.  Using a Sweet ‘n Sassy digital image isn’t a requirement, but we really enjoy seeing what our challenge participants can create with them.  One of our challenge participants who does use a SNSS image will be chosen as a Spotlight Participant in next Friday’s challenge post.

I chose to use Kiwi Koala’s Cuppa for today’s card.  I cut the card base with my largest Nestabilities Labels Eight die, making sure that the card fold was within the label shape.  Then I used the same die to cut my designer paper, which I attached to the card front so that the fold is hidden.  (It’s on the left side.)  The image panel was cut with a smaller die from the same Labels Eight set.  The sentiment comes from another Sweet ‘n Sassy digital image set.  I thought it worked well with this image to create a wintery card for Operation Write Home.  The button and bow were a bit of an afterthought.  Without them, the card was too plain.  So I wanted some sort of embellishment that wouldn’t look “lost” against the designer paper, but that wouldn’t be so bulky that mailing the card would be a problem.

Thirdly, as part of this month’s birthday celebration at Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps, all digital stamps will be on sale today through November 21, 2012!  You’ll save 25% off the purchase of any digital image.  If you haven’t worked with digital stamps before, this is a terrific time to try them out.  There’s a wide variety to choose from – the cuteness of Kiwi Koala, Cocoa Mouse, and Rhubarb the bear, as well as realistic birds and flowers, various seasonal images, and lots of great sentiments.  Here’s the link to the store: Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps – Digital Stamps Have fun shopping!

I’ve saved what I think is the most exciting part of today’s news for last: All participants in this week’s Sweet ‘n Sassy Digi Challenge will be entered into a drawing for a $20 shopping spree toward the purchase of Sweet ‘n Sassy digital stamps!  If that wasn’t incentive enough to join in the challenge, participants who use a Sweet ‘n Sassy digital image in their challenge project will have their names entered into the drawing twice!  So chose a favorite digi to create a card that’s any shape other than a square or a rectangle, and share it with us at the SNSS Digi Challenge website!  You have until 11:59 pm eastern time Thursday, November 22 to link your work there.  Good luck to all the participants – I’m really looking forward to seeing what everyone makes!

Supplies for today’s card:
Digital Image: Kiwi Koala’s Cuppa (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Digital Sentiment: Stanley Penguin (SNSS)
Cardstock: Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs); Kraft (Stampin’ Up); designer paper from Aspen Frost 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: printer ink
Other: Labels Eight Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders); linen thread (SU); button (Bazzill)