Cosmo Cricket

Let's Take a Little Joy Ride

I would try to write a fun story or something to make you laugh, but it is snowing and I am mad about it! There is at least 5 inches of fresh snow on the ground at the moment and more is coming down. Have I ever told you that I feel like one of the kidnapped girls in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers? Yep, I've been taken up to the mountains and I won't be let down until spring! Bless my beautiful hide!!! I guess it could be worse...... Eric's out there shoveling the driveway as I sit in my cozy kitchen complaining for you all!

OK, I have received some of the funnest Joy Ride projects. I've hardly had a chance to use this line myself. But, Jack has a birthday the end of April and I have big plans of doing it up with these fun papers! Can you imagine the polka-dotted and striped party hats?

The following projects come from the SRM Sticker's Design Team. They are a super-talented group of girls! Then there's one from a fan and one from our team member, Laura. Take a look!

By Norma Kennedy

 

 

By Amy Heller

By Celine (She combined the line with Lil' Man)

 

 

By Kathy (She mixed the line with Early Bird and Garden Variety..... Love it!!)

 

By Laura Craigie

 

By Jen Martakis

Joy Ride: Kit Club Giveaway!!!

I was suppose to post this giveaway on Wednesday, but in between evaluations for Jack, moving warehouses and setting up the new building, the HSN announcement, finishing up our May release (I hope I don't get in trouble for saying that) and working on the new CHA summer stuff...... Well, let's just say that I woke up from one of my nightmares Wednesday night and realized that I totally spaced it!

My life right now reminds me of what it was like after I had my fourth baby. I went through a phase where I forgot everything...... keys, appointments, etc. One day at the pediatrician's office, I had forgotten the immunization card and so explained my plight to him.

He told me that our brains are like icebergs. Every thing we need to think about is like a penquin standing on the iceberg. He said sometimes the iceberg gets all filled up, but more penquins try to get on. As they jump on the iceberg, they push three or four penquins off on the other side. So, I am claiming too many penquins!!! Now I just have to figure out how to get a bigger iceberg!

Ok, onto the kit.

I love this one. Before I saw the kit, I saw this layout that was made using it. In fact, we posted it on our facebook fan page because we thought it was so fantastic.

 

This kit, Every Which Way, is brought to us by Up the Street Scrapbooking. I love the colors. They do such a good job putting together a fun assortment of products. They also have some fun add-ons that you may want to check out.

Tara wanted to do a giveaway on her blog, as well as ours. And I think that's a great idea. Leave a comment today through Monday morning, here on the blog, and we'll pick a random winner. Tara will pick a winner on her blog too.

While you're waiting to see if you won, check out these other projects made by their team. Update: I was just reading the Up The Street blog and they are looking for designers! I know how talented you all are, so thought I might mention that bit of info too.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Jolly by Golly Layouts

I think some of our fans are in the Christmas spirit already, check out these fun layouts using Jolly By Golly.

By Lucy:

By Merdrey:

So, have you caught the Christmas spirit yet?

I have! For the first time ever, I hit the Black Friday sales. Eric and I left the house at 4:30 in the morning, fought the crowds and the craziness to save about $150 on presents for our kids. Would I do it again? You betcha...... it was a blast!!!

Here's the scoop. We showed up at the Shopko parking lot at 4:45. Being Black Friday virgins, we were totally surprised by the long line of people waiting to get into the store. I told Eric we should just wait in the warm car and we both agreed that if anything on our list was gone we were going to be "chill" with it.

While we were waiting, I saw our neighbor walking up to get in line. I called her over to chat and found out she had never gone to sleep that night. Because Old Navy was open at 3:00 she just stayed up until then and had been shopping ever since. As we were talking, we saw the line starting to move and decided to go up and get into it. However, on our way up to the line, we saw that there were two sets of doors. Both were open, but the line was only feeding into one set. We simply bypassed the line and went through the other doors.

My neighbor and I were both after the Littlest Pet Shop playset. We found it, but then needed to find the pet pack to go with it. By now, the whole crowd seemed to be in the toy section. We were walking down the aisle when I spotted it on an endcap just ahead of us. There were three left. I really think it was a Christmas miracle that I got the last two for us!

We gathered up the rest of the items on our list and after waiting in line for about 30 minutes we were done. All my Christmas shopping is done now. I do have a couple projects to work on, but that is what I love most about Christmastime!

Updates, Reminders, Giveaways

Take a look at our soon-to-be warehouse!

I am amazed at how fast it is being built!

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Just another reminder that your local scrapbook store is most likely having amazing sales for you the day after Thanksgiving. Call them up and see what they're planning. You may be surprised at what they have to offer!

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Check in tomorrow for our Cosmo Cricket Thanksgiving special. I am so excited about the story we are going to be sharing with you. You will definitely see a different side to Cosmo Cricket.

We had intended to do prize giveaways with this post, but after filming yesterday, we all agreed (even prize maniac Lindsay Moore) it's just too special. We don't want anything to detract from the spirit of it.

So, we are giving away prizes today!

Leave us a Thanksgiving thought. Maybe something you are thankful for, maybe someone you are excited to see over the holiday, maybe something wonderful you are planning. Whatever it is, help us all get in the "attitude of gratitude."

We'll announce three winners to recieve two papercrafting kits of their choice on Monday following the holiday. The contest will be open until then.

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For those of you that love layouts, check out these featuring Earth Love. The first is by Heidi Sonboul (removed for publication) and the second is by our own Natasja Verbeek.

 

The New Challenge and Jolly By Golly Projects

For those of you that are longtime blog followers, you know that I am constantly trying to stay in shape and regain my youthful, pre-four-babies figure.

Well, just in time to completely ruin the holiday season I am at it again. It all started with this post on Facebook.

Well, after a phone call to Thom, we have decided on a company challenge with ourselves as the players. Here are the rules:

Start date: Today

End date: CHA Winter 2010

Trust: We will be honest because being dishonest is worse than being flabby.

Measures: We will use the same scale for every weigh in. We will use the percentage of weight lost. The person losing the highest percentage wins.

Other rules: No fads, or gimmicks. These include by are not limited to cleanses, pills, saunas, etc. Just good, old-fashioned diet and exercise. We want to be healthy!

Winner's Prize: The winner will see their new CHA line used in a layout done by the other and posted on the competitor's blog. (Thom thinks he is getting the better deal because we have a much larger blog following. What I didn't tell him is that I'm not a very good scrapbooker...... wait, maybe he isn't either.) The winner may also see their company shirt worn by the other at their booth at the show. We need approval from Thom's boss before promising this though!

Here's what I need from you all....... tons of support! I weigh a bit more than I did at Scrapfest, 5 pounds more to be exact. But, Thom weighs a lot more than me and he's a guy. So, I started a seperate blog, The Julie Diaries, for any who are interested in following all my ups and downs..... hopefully, their all downs! Go there and keep me motivated with helpful tips and encouragement, I'm sure I'll reward you with occassional prizes.

OK, enough of that! I love to get emails from Karola Witczak. I couldn't resist any of the Jolly by Golly project she sent my way. They are all delicious.....

 

 

 
 
 

Corrections Needed!

Do you just love this layout? Well, the girls at scrapbook.com do. This is their choice for the October challenge winner.

Debbie Weinhold who created this project has been patiently waiting for the past two weeks for us to get this posted on our blog. She is too nice to complain or ask us to hurry up. She has just been watching and hoping everyday that we would get our act together.

Well, Debbie, we are so sorry for the delay! But, we absolutely adore the layout!!!

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You may have also noticed that I was not the guest blogger over at Creating Keepsakes on Friday. This one is totally my fault. I did a blog entry, but I forgot to tell Eric where to email it. I'll be making amends with CK this morning!

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While I was in Florida totally letting the Cosmo Cricket world back home fall apart, I did find some great seashells!

These ones are different than the ones I got in July. They are HUGE! My kids have already claimed the biggest and best, but my leftovers aren't too bad. Check it out (I put in one of the July shells so you could see the size difference).

 

Well, I'm just glad to be back home to the snow covered ground of Providence, Utah. It was complete torture dealing with Florida's cold winter temps of about 70 and gorgeous sandy beaches. They are really missing out over there. Who would prefer walking barefoot on sand over walking on snow in wool socks and boots?

Oh, we did have some business to conduct too, it's not like we were on the beach the WHOLE time...... I promise! In fact, it looks like we'll have some great things going on with HSN this March!

Have a great Monday everyone!

Mosh Posh Kit Giveaway!

Good morning everyone!

Are any of you fans of Mosh Posh? I think you must be because they have sure put together a darling kit for November.

It features our Nutmeg papers and you could win one for yourself. Simply head on over to their blog and leave a comment. They will enter you into their drawing for the free kit. Then you can make some fab projects like these ones that their design team created.

 

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If you would like to increase your odds for winning some Cosmo Cricket love today, then you will also want to check out Moxie Fab World where our design team member Wendy Sue Anderson is guest blogging. Over there you can win some Jolly By Golly products, including the 12" chipboard.

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Yesterday I went down to Oscar's for a haircut and since many of you posted last week about liking the haircut blog entry, I thought I would update you.

About four months ago I plopped myself down in Oscar's chair and said, "Oscar, I am bored with my hair. I have had different versions of the same haircut for the last 15 years. So, I either need a brand new short haircut that I have never seen before or I need to grow it out. If we can't do either of those things, then I think I will become a brunette." (I had to throw in this threat because Oscar thinks my super short hair is the perfect length for me.)

The threat worked and Oscar replied, "No, brunette for you Julie."

So, we are four months into growing my hair out to what Oscar says will be a long haircut for me, but short haircut for anyone else. Apparently he is planning something about chin length that is "shaggy and artsy". 

I'm very intrigued, but I'm not entirely sure I will last to see it come true. It is now not short enough or long enough for anything. You know, that terrible every-day-is-a-bad-hair-day stage! In fact, yesterday when I went in to have him "help" it, he told me I wasn't allowed to come back again until after Christmas. He seems to think that cutting it won't make it get longer faster.... whatever!?!!?

I think he is secretly enjoying my torture for making him change the length. He seemed to smile, a wicked smile, as he told me I would have to endure a couple "uncomfortable" months.

So, here is my question to you, will it be worth it? I am now worried that I will grow it out to find I don't like it and then chop it all off again only to have Oscar say, "See Julie, you should just listen to me, I am the professional."

All advice will be considered!

Cosmo Cricket FAQs

Our brand has really grown a lot over the past three years and just when we think we have answered all the questions for the last time, a new fan comes around and asks again. We love it! I think we just really enjoy talking about ourselves or something?

Anyway, I thought that there may be many out there too shy to ask, but are wondering some of the same things. So, I have put together a list of frequently asked questions along with their answers and some projects just for the fun of it.

1. The most frequently asked question is definitely if Lindsay is my husband.

We have addressed this many times, but like I said, it still comes up. So, no, he's not. Lindsay is married to a lovely and talented woman named Tehawna (tea•on•uh). Besides that, he is 14 years older than myself and actually tells me when things make me look fat!

By Laura Craigie using The Boyfriend

2. Are you related to Lindsay?

We were asked this again just last week, and there is a bit of a story here. Eric and I are actually related to Lindsay by marriage, but we didn't know until about 6 months after we had started Cosmo Cricket. We were originally referred to him through a business consultant (the best $200 we ever spent, but don't tell Lindsay). Then, at a Memory Trends trade show, we found out that Lindsay's cousin is married to Eric's sister. I can hear you all saying, "only in Utah", right?!? Well, they are actually from Star Valley, Wyoming..... I think it must be like Utah, but worse.

By Debbie Olson using Be Good

3. How did you come up with your name?

Cosmo Cricket is Eric Comstock re-arranged. That's right, the technical term is that it's an anagram.

4. Why is it Eric's name and not yours or Lindsay's?

My name scrambles into Occultism Joke and Cute Jock's Limo. I am thinking that our next venture could be a limo service or Halloween supply store, but for scrapbooking we liked Cosmo Cricket. Lindsay's name scrambles into Side Arm Looney....... need I say more?

By Wendy Sue Anderson using Girl Friday

5. Where can we buy your fabric?

Our fabric is distributed by Andover Fabrics in New York. If you have asked your local quilt shop and cannot find it there, you will most likely need to purchase it online. We are hoping to have our own consumer shopping site for fabric available soon.

By Dannisdoodles using Nutmeg

6. Can I use your products in items I sell? / What is your Angel Policy?

All Cosmo Cricket products are protected by copyright. We do allow our products to be used in items for sale (cards, pre-done layouts, collages, etc) as long as it is the original product that is being sold and credit to Cosmo Cricket is given. You may not reproduce our products in any way without written permission. If you would like to request written permission, you can email us through our website's contact page. We consider each request on a case by case basis.

By Yukari Takanashi using Flueriste

7. How can I get on your design team?

When we have openings on our design team, we advertise this through our blog. I don't know when the next call will be, but I'll be sure to let you know here, well in advance.

8. How can I submit projects to you for your online galleries and blog features?

Email your projects to us through our website's contact us page (I don't post the email here because it generates tons of spam). We love to see your projects and are very grateful to you all for helping us show others how to use Cosmo Cricket products.

9. Does Cosmo Cricket offer digital scrapbooking products?

All our digital artwork is available through scrapblog.com. Sometimes we have free digital downloads on our blog, you just need to keep your eyes open for them.

10. How do you come up with your designs?

My husband, Eric and I design every Cosmo Cricket product. We work together in an office in the basement of our home and inspire each other to do our very best. Eric is very in touch with the latest trends in design and color. I focus more on the concepting of new lines and product ideas. We are influenced by our everyday surroundings, friends in the art world and even our moods.

By Laura Craigie using Snorkel

11. Is it as much fun to work at Cosmo Cricket as you make it look and how can I get a job?

It is a lot of fun working at Cosmo Cricket, in fact, it is written as a requirement in the contract between Eric, Lindsay and myself. If you would like to work for us, send us your information. We don't have many openings, but when we do, we look through the resumes that we have on file first.

12. Can I buy product at wholesale for teaching classes at my local scrapbook store?

You betcha! We love to work with designers that love our product so much they want to share it with others. If this is something you would like to do, please contact us through our website contact page with the details. You will need to meet minimum ordering requirements of $100, so please keep that in mind.

By Gudrun Loennecken using Snorkel

13. How can I get Cosmo Cricket to come teach a class at my local scrapbook store?

We love to teach classes, unfortunately we are not a large company and Lindsay and I actually like spending some time with our own families. If we are going to be in the area for other events, you are more likely to get one or both of us at your store. Contact Lindsay for more information on requirements and our schedule.

14. What if I have a question that wasn't answered here?

Feel free to ask! You can leave a comment here and I'll update as needed.

By Amy Parker using Girl Friday

Nutmeg!

Nutmeg should have arrived at your local scrapbook stores by now. Have you seen it there? I hope so!

If you are having trouble locating this fun line, it is now available for purchase here. Just a reminder, when you place an order through the Cosmo Cricket website, it will be the store nearest you with the product in stock that will ship your order.

By Natasja Verbeek

I am updating this post with these great layouts from Jen Benoit. Lindsay just sent them to me and I think they are fabulous!

Now for the winners of Lindsay's contest.

Congratulations:

Christine H. who said, "Welcome back to the blog! I really do love this blog. It makes me laugh. 2009 is winding down. Hopefully, you had enough excitement in 2009 to carry over into 2010....shoot for boring next year. It's really underrated."

Cathy K. who said, "Glad you're feeling better - sorry about the hospital experience, but you almost make it sound comical - makes you appreciate the comforts of home, doesn't it?"

Jen who said, "Lindsey, glad you're doing well, safe and sound at home! Pick me!"

Aimee who said, "LOL. Thanks for the giggles tonight :) Hope you are getting on the mend!"

Laura who said, "Glad to hear that things went well with the surgery and kudos for having a sense of humor about it all (can't be easy sometimes). Happy weekend!"

OK, you lucky ladies, send your address to kristen@cosmocricket.com and she'll send you your prize!

Thanks for playing everyone and have a great Monday!

TGIF: Fabulous Fan Projects!

I can't believe how many talented people are out there! This is a tiny sampling of the many, many projects we get to see every day at Cosmo Cricket.

By Samantah Sibbet, using Early Bird

By Lynette Carroll, using Early Bird

By Anthea McChonachy, using Be Good

By Donna, aka Grunge Girl, using Lil' Man and our Cosmo To Go shipping box (love that!)).

By Dannisdoodles, using Earth Love. She used this as a centerpiece for her son's birthday party. Cute!

By Cheri Wenger, using Haunted.

By Michelle Shee, using Cogsmo Fabric.

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Some of you have been asking how Lindsay is doing. Well, let's see, should we? Here's what the hidden camera I installed in his office showed yesterday.

OK, I'm kidding, there isn't really a hidden camera........ I promise, Lindsay! You trust me right?

This is really a photo taken on Wednesday when "Uncle" Lindsay took Jack to the warehouse for "bring your business partners' pre-school aged child to work so that they can meet their deadlines" day.

Have a great weekend everyone!