Stampin’ Addicts SU! Occasions Mini Blog Hop

Welcome to Stampin’ Addicts Occasions Mini Blog Hop.  Once again we’re ringing in the New Year by showcasing many products found in the newly released Stampin’ Up! Occasions Mini Catalog.  These items will be available for purchase beginning January 4, 2011.

If you started this hop from the beginning, you just came from InkPaperStamps where Holly previewed some beautiful projects using the Petal Cone Die.  If you’re starting the tour at my blog, you can continue on to visit all participants by using the link at the end of my post.  If you get lost anywhere along the way don’t worry, you can find links to all the participants on the Stampin’ Addicts website.  All links will remain live until Sunday evening, so take your time visiting, enjoy and come back often!

I chose the Springtime Vintage fabric as my item to showcase.  I love the colors and patterns in this fabric, so bright and cheerful and definitely scream springtime!  I haven’t used any fabric in my paper crafting endeavors, honestly never once thought about the possibilities.

I dug in deep for my first project – have to admit making that first cut into these gorgeous fabrics was darn right scary … but once I did it, I never looked back!

This 5” square card started with the puffy heart in the center and grew from there, layering scalloped circles of fabric with a circle of card stock.  For more of a vintage feel I sponged the blue cardstock, if you look closely you’ll see I even sponged the edges of the blue scalloped fabric circle.  Ink on fabric, wooohoooo!!! 

My next project is also a card.  In case you didn’t know, I LOVE cards! I also can’t get enough of butterflies so was super excited when this idea popped into my head.  It isn’t often when I am able to keep a project clean and simple, but this was one of those items that less was definitely more.

For the body and antennas I dyed white 1/8” ribbon to match the Not Quite Navy, then looped it around the back.  The butterfly is double stacked on dimensionals to give it extra lift.  I wish you could see this up close, it looks like it is really ready to take flight.

For my last creation I broke out of my comfort zone, dug out my sewing machine and dusted it off (it was REALLY dusty!).  Thank heavens it was still threaded (probably from the 1990’s) as I’m not sure I’d remember how to do it again. 

I used one of those cardboard coffee holders from a local coffee store as a template, layered felt and fabric, hand gathered a strip of complimentary fabric for the ruffle and sewed it all together.  I decided it still needed “something” for more interest so I cut some flowers using the Big Shot and layered them all together, then added one of the new big buttons.  What did I end up with?  My very own one-of-a-kind coffee cozy!  (the red at the bottom of the cup is part of the cup design, NOT a sample of the Springtime Vintage fabric line)

Thanks for stopping by and visiting, I hope you enjoyed the projects I’ve shared with you.  I’ll post more details and project recipes during the next month.  Please continue on the hop and visit Lisa, who will be sharing some fun ideas using the Easter Blossoms stamp set.

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Tea Light Box

Please forgive the photo quality of my pictures, my camera seems to be trying my patience today … it won!  Remember, if you want to see any of the photos larger, just click on them.

As promised, over the next few days I will be posting the instructions and/or project recipes for items I created  for Stampin’ Addicts Stampin’ Up! New Catalog blog tour.  Today I am going to reveal how I created my Tea Light holder box.  For the sake of photography, I used a scrap piece of white paper and drew lines in pencil to show where the score/fold marks are on the fancy favor box.  While this die does call for a 12” sheet of cardstock, I used an 6” x 11” piece – making sure that I placed the paper at the very end of the die that did NOT have the overlap.  This resulted in the overlapping tab (on the right side of the photo) being cut at approx. 1/4”, definitely enough for a piece of sticky strip to hold it all together.

 
After cutting the base of the box, I used the Clearlits Scallop Rectangle die to cut the inserts on the narrow side panels only.    I eyeballed this, trying to center it on the panel – then cranked it through my Big Shot … repeating the process for the second narrow panel.

 

 

Now grab your ruler, this is where the real technical (NOT) stuff comes in!   In the photo below, see how I have my ruler running right along the scalloped edge of those 2 scalloped panels?  I marked a dot about 1/2” in on each side, then drew a line between those two dots … moved to the top of the box and did the same thing.  MAKE SURE TO DO THIS ON THE INSIDE OF YOUR BOX!   Then I connected the top and bottom dots to create my cut lines. 

     

Using a craft knife and ruler, I cut out on those lines – leaving a nice little opening for my decorated vellum cardstock piece.  Do the same thing on the last panel.  You should now have 4 openings in your candle holder and the hard part is done!

I wasn’t sure as to the result of heat embossing on normal vellum paper so I opted to use the heavier vellum cardstock from Stampin’ Up!.  I measured the openings, added approximately 1/2” to the top and side measurement, then cut my vellum pieces.  I inked my stamp up with Versamark, colored with markers, stamped the image on the vellum, sprinkled with iridescent ice embossing powder and heated it all up.  The result was exactly as I hoped!  Attach these pieces to the inside of the panels with snail (I placed the embossing on the outside).  A few pieces of sticky strip to put the box together and you are finished!!!

  

Again, I opted to use battery operated tealights (2 fit nicely inside this box) – I did not want to test the waters and see if paper really burned.  <grin>

Project Recipe:

Stamps:  Just Believe
Paper:  Cajun Craze, Peach Parfait DSP, Vellum Cardstock
Ink:  Peach Parfait, Not Quite Navy, Old Olive (marker), Not Quite Navy (marker)
Accessories:  rhinestone brad, paper flower, sponge, 1/8” ribbon, iridescent ice embossing powder, circle punch, birds & blooms die (scalloped circle)

Just Believe – SU New Catalog Blog Hop

Welcome to Stampin’ Addicts New Catalog blog hop.  Are you loving the new Stampin’ Up! catalog already?  I have really had to exercise some major self-control as I once again find myself wanting everything!   If you are loving this catalog as much as I am then you will definitely want to make sure you visit each and every stop on the tour, 26 in all, each showcasing a different product offered in the 2010-2011 SU Idea Book & Catalog. 

If you jumped on the bus at the beginning of the tour, you entered my blog after visiting DawnMarie at DMdesigns.  Didn’t you just love what she did with the Cottage Garden stamp set?  Bet you want to run right out and purchase it now!  If you started the tour from my blog, follow the link at the bottom of this post to continue on your journey.  If you get lost along the way, you can always jump right back on by visiting Stampin’ Addicts for the complete list of tour participants.  This blog hop will remain active through Sunday, August 1st.  Please check back often … and enjoy!!!

I am sharing a few projects I have made with the brand new stamp set “Just Believe”, found on page 109 of Stampin’ Up!’s new catalog.  I swear this set screamed my name LOUDLY when I came upon it.  Hopefully after you look at my creations, you will love it just as much as I do.  If you want to see the photos larger, just click on the images!

I originally used this criss cross card box design for a shoebox swap I participated in while at the Stampin’ Up! convention, had so much fun making it I decided to do it once again – this time including cards!     The piece of ribbon peeking over the top corner of the box is some of the new 1/2” stitched poly-ribbon.  This ribbon is absolutely wonderful to work with, and gorgeous to look at! 

Can you see I’ve also been playing with the new Basic Pearl jewels?  Love, love, love these!!!  They are self-adhesive – just run the tip of your scissors underneath and slide the pearl over – glue and pearl sticks to your scissors and allows you to place it exactly where you want.  If you look closely under the “friends” sentiment on the card, there is a row of 3 of the tiniest pearls in the package.  

This is the little note that slips inside the criss-cross card.  Once again, the 1/2” poly ribbon appears – this time shredded and looped through the top to use as a “pull”.

 

For my next project I pulled out tons of my new toys and had a great time playing with them all … you really do not want to see my stamping quarters right now!  On the main image I used my brayer and newly acquired skills to make a quick scenic background, added a few strategically placed leaf branches from the Two Step Bird punch and one of the new Bitty Buttons.  The scalloped borders are are pieces of cardstock punched from the brand new Dotted Scallop Ribbon punch – yet another new love of mine.
Last but not least … a candle holder!  Ok, so I am deathly afraid of fire and opted to use battery tea lights – but you get the idea.  I used the fancy favor box die to create the box, as well as the new scalloped rectangle clearlet to cut the sides – and even more fun new products!.  Be sure to stop back later this week, I will be posting more photos and details on this holder!
Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting me.  I hope you’ve enjoyed the creations I’ve shared with you, as much as I did making them.  Please stay on the bus and continue with the tour – your next stop will be Cindy, who will be showing you some fantastic ideas using the Countryside stamp set.

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Stampin’ Addicts “Last Chance” Mega Hop

Welcome to Stampin’ Addicts Retiring Sets Mega Hop.  We’ve all been busy playing with a few of the stamp sets that Stampin’ Up! has announced will no longer be for sale as of July 1st, 2010.  I’m so glad you decided to stop by and see what wonderful creations this group of gals … oh, and even 1 guy … have designed to share with you.  

If you started this tour from the beginning you came upon my blog after drooling over the beautiful creations Jennifer made with the Garden Whimsy set.  If you're starting the tour at my website, follow the link at the bottom of this post to continue on your journey.  If you get lost along the way, you can always jump back on the tour bus by visiting Stampin' Addicts for the complete list of participants.  This tour will run through Sunday evening (June 13) ... so sit back, relax, enjoy and come back often!!!

I have chosen to share with you a few samples I made with the stamp set “Le Jardin Botanique” and maybe … just maybe … convince you that you can’t live without it!  (giggle)

I recently splurged and took brayer classes offered by the “famous-to-the-stamping-community” Michelle Zindorf, and thought this set would be perfect for me to practice my newly learned technique on.  Remember … I’m a beginner so please be gentle with me!  In this first project I decided to make a 5 1/2” square card and try my hand at a landscape type artwork.  I’m definitely NOT a botanist, have no clue as to what kind of flowers, berries, whatever I am using – so just went with my imagination.  I thought those little berry leaves would make a fun “bush” (of sorts), nestled on a hill with a lonely tree and a bunch of random wildflowers.  After this project was completed, I proudly showed it to my daughter who lovingly told me it was beautiful and looked like a fantasy picture.  I’m hoping she meant that in a good way.  What do you think?

I enjoy creating different sized cards than the standard, so once again chose a larger 6 1/4” x 4 1/2” size to focus on the floral image from this set.  Since my brayer was still sitting on my desk, I thought it would be fun to play with it once more … this time brayering at an angle and only about 2/3 of the way up the main image panel (I’m definitely getting better at this!). 

I embossed the image to make it pop a bit, colored the blooms, highlighted a few petals and the stem with a white gel pen – then stamped a few random leaves on the lower corner.  Then I had to do it all over again because I “somehow” managed to drop the inked up brayer on the completed image.  <sigh>

Did you notice the fun corner treatment I used on the Really Rust background panel?  I used the very edge of the curly label punch and snipped off the corners of the paper … just enough to form that cute shape and let the designer paper peek through.  How fun is this! 

If you want a larger view of any of the images, just click on the photo.

 
Ok, so I’ve put away my brayer and taken out my spritz bottles for a change of pace … added some water and a few drops of re-inker and sprayed away on some whisper white card stock which had already been adhered to a heavy duty magnet sheet and run through the big shot.  I used 3 colors for this process, but the photo isn’t showing it well.  After it was dry, I stamped the images and colored the tree with an aqua painter.  I really like the effect of this technique.  This would make a quick, easy and useful gift for anyone … who doesn’t love magnets!

Thanks so much for joining me on the tour bus, I hope you enjoyed what I shared with you!  Please continue on the journey by visiting Krystal who will be showcasing some fun ideas using the Good Friends set.

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Stampin’ Addicts SU Summer Mini Blog Tour

Welcome to Stampin’ Addicts Summer Mini Blog Tour.  This tour is a preview of many wonderful creations made using items included in the new Stampin’ Up! Summer Mini Catalog.  Items from this mini catalog will be available for sale beginning on May 1st. 

If you started this tour from the beginning you came upon my blog after visiting Holly.  Didn't you just love her marvelous creations made with the Elements of Style stamp set?  If you're starting the tour at my website, follow the link at the bottom of this post to continue on your journey.  If you get lost along the way, you can always jump back on the tour bus by visiting Stampin' Addicts for the complete list of participants.  This tour will run through Sunday evening ... so sit back, relax, enjoy and come back often!!!

I am showcasing the “Mostly Vintage” Decor Stencils.  I adore all the stencils in the Definitely Decorative line, this is quickly becoming my current favorite.  I love the versatility, and that the set comes with an additional mask stencil.  Fun, fun, fun!  I don’t want to hold up the tour bus, so am going to keep things brief.  Please check back later in the week for card recipes and more details.

My first project I decided to use both the main stencil AND the mask – wanted to play around a bit and see how these two items worked together.  I wish I had taken a few pictures along the way as the original colors in this came out uber-bright … they actually kind of hurt my eyes looking at it.  Figuring I was going to probably toss it and start over, I decided to soak it down with my water spritz bottle ……let it sit awhile to dry, added a few details and finishing touches.  I decided I loved the muted colors and the final outcome!

My next project was so much fun to make, I used several different items from the Summer mini-catalog.  The circle focal piece is actually the very center of the Mostly Vintage mask stencil.  I sponged a bit of the mask, punched it out and decided to sponge the edges a bit to give it some depth.  I felt this project needed much more of a vintage look, used the new embossing folder and sponged the heck out of it – then sponged some more.  The Bashful Blue satin ribbon gives it a little touch of elegance.

For my final creation I chose to use the main stencil from the set, once again using only a portion of it.  I masked off the unwanted areas – then sponged until I had the color depth I wanted.  
I thought this area of the stencil was perfect for a cute little set of monogrammed note cards and coordinating envelopes.  I was amazed how quick and easy these came together, might just sit down and make another batch for myself!

Of course, these wonderful note cards would not be complete without a matching tin to present them in!

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting, I hope you enjoyed my preview of the Mostly Vintage Decor Stencils.  Please continue on the tour by visiting Michelle who will be showcasing some great ideas using the Rough Type alphabet set.

Stampin' Addicts Birthday Blog Hop

 
Welcome to Stampin' Addicts first Birthday Blog Hop!  Stampin' Addicts is a free website dedicated to all things Stampin' Up.  They offer SU-oriented galleries, challenges and special events. This Birthday Blog Hop is one of several events being held this week-end to help them celebrate their 1st birthday.  Membership at Stampin' Addicts is free of charge, and is open to Stampin’ Up! fans everywhere.  When you're done following the hop here, pop on over and check them out!

If you started this tour from the beginning you came upon my blog after visiting Allison.  Didn't you adore the young boys birthday ensemble she created?  If you're starting the tour at my website, follow the link at the bottom of this post to continue on your journey.  If you get lost along the way, you can always jump back on the tour bus by visiting Stampin' Addicts for the complete list of participants.  This tour will run through Sunday evening ... so sit back, relax and enjoy!!!

I have created a sister - practical and pampering gift ensemble to share with you.  My sister is very special to me and I don't get to see her often as she lives "fur fur away" as we say in my house - but I still like to make something special for her when I can.  I decided to take a "celebrate your entire day" kind of approach at this ... are there any of us who wouldn't enjoy celebrating every step of our day?  Without further ado, let us begin a journey through my sisters special day ...

*** SPOILER ALERT***  If you are reading this sis, stop now unless you really want to know what your belated gifts are!!!

The alarm clock rings, sis stumbles out of bed and finds her very first birthday gift is eagerly awaiting her ... just look at that trio of pretty boxes stacked high, bright red polka dotted ribbon cascading down the sides and a most beautiful paper bow perched atop (all Stampin' Up! items of course!).  Whatever could be hiding inside?  Should she open the boxes quickly or just sit and admire them ... this is almost too beautiful to take apart!  Alas, curiosity gets the best of me her and she decides opening would be the best way to start off her day.  And what a start it is!  Gently removing the bow (don't want to destroy this!) and untying the ribbon, she lifts up each of the colorful box lids to reveal ... an assortment of coffees, teas and mini creamers, specially designed for her to use in her Keurig coffee brewer.

After several minutes she finally decides which flavor to enjoy, then makes her way to get ready to head out the door ... unfortunately, sis still must go to work on her special day. 

 

... which brings sis to the second stop of her birthday celebration.  As she picks up her keys she finds another package sitting right next to the door - guess she best open that up before heading out for a busy day at the office (or where ever she heads to).  Oh my, now who wouldn't want to be seen with this darling note pad holder (and matching file folder!) in their arms? 

Unfortunately, due to time restrictions I can not show you today just how cute this is inside ... a junior legal pad sits on one side, with a coordinating pen, and a monthly calendar so I always know what day it is (I seem to forget this little detail quite often).  

Sis has had quite a busy day, gets back home to all those nightly household chores, and finally sits down to put her aching feet up ... and sees one last gift sitting on the coffee table.  What more could she possibly ask for, this day has already been perfect.  Ahhh, something special to help her relax at the end her day ... a lovely hand stamped scented candle and a gift tote of bubble bath and body cream.  Wait, turn that tote around (sorry, I can't show you this today) ... there are 3 tiny bottles of instant hand sanitizer neatly snuggled in the box on the other side!  Ok, I will admit that my sister is a nurse and I am sure she could use those little bottles of sanitizer!

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you've enjoyed spoiling my sister as much as I have!  Check back later in the week for more photos of these projects as well as recipes.  Please continue on the tour by visiting Carmen who will be showcasing boys birthdays.

Bitty Box surprises finally revealed!

You would think being home alone would give me all the time in the world to stay caught up with posting to my blog - evidently that isn't true.  I'm sorry I'm so late posting the details on the cute Bitty Box note card set you all loved, things have been a bit hectic around here.  I've made a promise to myself that I WILL get this done today ... and hopefully have some new things to post soon.

I mentioned I found a few surprises I made while creating this, you might already be aware of these but they were new to me and I was very excited when I made the discoveries. 

Discovery #1:   
We all know how nicely Stampin' Up's Full Heart punch layers with the new Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit die, but did you know you could also make those cute little polka dots coordinate perfectly by inserting your heart into the same embossing die after punching it out?  Easy peasy, and I love the subtle difference in the hearts when layering as above!

First, punch out your heart and position it inside the embosslit die as shown in the first image below.  Close the die and run it through your Big Shot ... perfectly sized and positioned polka dots - yet no scalloped edging!

     

Discovery #2:  Did you know you could add shimmer paint to your color mixture when dying ribbon to coordinate with your project?  I am unable to achieve a wonderful photo to show you just how shimmery this ribbon is when sitting in front of you, just let me assure you ... it is gorgeous!  The tiny glimmering light spots are pieces of the glitter in the shimmer paint, now embedded in the ribbon! 

To achieve this all I did was put about 25 drops of water into a small plastic bag, add 12 drops of refill ink and 2 drops of Champagne Mist shimmer paint (amount of ink, water and paint depends on how much ribbon you are dying).  Squish it all up, roll up the ribbon and put it in the bag.  Squish it around again, making sure all the ribbon is covered with your homemade die.  Pull out the ribbon and lay it on a thick layer of paper towels, fold over the towels and apply some pressure to "soak up" the excess liquid.  Lay your piece of ribbon aside and let it dry ... which only takes a few minutes.  Pick up the dry ribbon and admire your creativity!

And finally, the cards cards and envelopes which were super quick and easy to assemble. I took a 2" x 4" piece of textured Pretty In Pink cardstock, used the Pinking Hearts border punch to make the pretty edging at the bottom of the card.  Punched out a few hearts using the SAB Welcome Neighbors dsp paper pad and layered them with the Scalloped Heart embosslit die.  Using a coordinating piece of paper, I lined the inside of the card and made matching envelopes - stamped on the envelope and DONE!

On a special note, I have to give credit (as promised) to my darling daughter for her aid in designing and making this project.  THANK YOU CASSIE!!!  She claimed to suffer from "sizzix elbow syndrome" after so many hearts were cut and embossed ... could we possibly see a new medical diagnosis in our future?

Project Recipe:

Stamps:  I {Heart} Hearts
Ink:  Pretty In Pink
Paper:  Pretty In Pink textured and regular, Rose Red, Welcome Neighbor DSP Paper Pad (SAB)
Accessories:  Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, Organza ribbon, corduroy button, Full Heart Punch, Small Heart punch, Pinking Hearts border punch, Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit die

Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop - Stop #5

Welcome to Stampin' Addicts SU! Sale-A-Bration Blog Tour.  All participants in this tour are featuring creations they made with items you can earn for FREE during Stampin' Up's SAB period (January 5 - March 31).  For every $50 purchase of Stampin' Up! merchandise you get to choose one item from the SAB catalog free.  It doesn't get much better than that!

If you started this tour from the beginning you came upon my blog after visiting Sarah.  Didn't you love the wonderful projects she made using the Good Neighbors stamp set?  If you're starting the tour at my website, just follow the link at the bottom of this post to continue on your journey.  If you get lost along the way, you can always jump back on the tour bus by visiting Stampin' Addicts for the complete list of participants.  This tour will run through Monday evening ... so sit back, relax and enjoy!!!

I am showcasing the "Welcome Neighbor" designer series paper pad.  I'm tellin' ya, this pad is HUGE and the selection is fantastic!  72 total sheets of 6" square papers ... 3 sheets each of 24 different designs ... I had such a tough time deciding which designs I wanted to use, I love them all!  I'm not going to go into too many details, don't want to hold the bus up ... check back next week, I'll be posting more details on these projects.

My first project is a magnetic post-it note holder.  This cute little heart design makes a great background paper, the colors are so vibrant and fun yet not overpowering.  The bird is punched using the brand new Two-Step Bird punch from the reverse side of the heart paper.  I added one of SU's rhinestone brads, a bit of ribbon and a magnet on the back. 

This next project was super fun to design and make, an idea I've had in my head for quite some time. I've been looking for something cute and small to keep my notepapers and writing utensils in, which seem to always be hiding from me when I need them.  You could use this for almost anything - I found a few bottles of SU ink refills fit perfectly in the bottom section! 

My last item is a set of mini gift cards and envelopes in a matching box - perfect for a quick and easy last minute gift!  Once again, all these cute designer prints can be found in the SAB Welcome Neighbor paper pack.  Can you spot the two discoveries I found when making these?  They might not be new ideas to you, but they sure were to me.

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting, I hope you enjoyed my projects as much as I did creating them.  Please continue on the tour by visiting Sharon who will be showcasing the Whimsical Words stamp set.

Occasions Mini Blog Tour, Stop #15

Welcome to the Stampin' Addicts SU! Occasions Mini Blog Tour. We're kicking off the year in grand style, showcasing many of the products in Stampin' Up!'s newly released Occasions Mini brochure. These items will all be available from your demo on January 5.

You may have arrived here after visiting Dawnmarie's site, didn't you just love all the wonderful creations she made using the gorgeous Shades of Spring designer series paper! If you are starting the tour at my blog, you can continue on to visit all 23 participants via the link at the end of my post. If you get lost anywhere along the way, you can find links to all the participants on Stampin' Addicts website. All links will remain live until Sunday evening, so sit back, take your time, visit often and ENJOY!

I am showcasing the stamp set Vintage Vogue, available in wood mount and NEW clear mount. I decided to be brave and try the clear mount set, must admit I was totally thrilled with how easy they are to work with.

The first project I'm sharing is a stamped picture frame. I purchased this several months ago with the intention of altering it - this stamp set seemed perfect for this project. I used Brocade Blue and Soft Suede inks, and the "rock and roll" technique to get some variation in coloring; then stamped randomly all over the frame. Since these were the clear mount stamps, I was able to eyeball the placement. What a super easy project and I love how it turned out!

RECIPE:

Stamps: Vintage Vogue
Paper: Bashful Blue
Ink: Brocade Blue, Soft Suede

 

 

 

 

 

Next I chose to try my hand at stamping on a tumbled tile. This was totally new to me and a fun learning experience. The distressed look of these tiles just seemed to go wonderfully with this stamp set.

RECIPE:
Stamps: En Francais, Vintage Vogue
Ink: Pale Plum, Rose Red, Elegant Eggplant, Mellow Moss

 

 

 

For my last project I decided to make a stair step card. This was once again my very first attempt at this so please excuse my imperfections! I discovered (by mistake!) that the new Beautiful Wings butterfly embosslit layers PERFECTLY with the Bigz Beautiful Butterflies diecuts. I had so much fun making this card and it seemed to continue to grow with each and every step. I finally had to call it quits before it became too busy.

RECIPE:
Stamps: Vintage Vogue
Paper: Bravo Burgundy, Pretty In Pink, Mellow Moss, Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Pretty In Pink, Versamark
Accessories: White EP, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Modern Label Punch, Pretty In Pink Corduroy Button, Regal Rose brads, Little Leaves Sizzlet, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, hemp twine

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting, I hope you enjoyed my projects as much as I did creating them. Please continue on the tour by visiting Marie who will be showcasing the brand new stamp set "Tiny Tags".

It's Party Time ... MDS Style!

It's finally time to celebrate the official rollout of Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio software.  Some of us from Stampin' Addicts have come together to throw a blog party to show you some samples of what we have been having fun with the past few weeks.  This blog party is a little different in that it will be active for the entire month of October ... you don't have to rush through all the blogs in one weekend ... please come back and revisit as often as you would like!  There is a button in my sidebar on the left side of the page that will take you to my announcement post where you will find a list of all the party participants.  Without further ado, I'd like to show you what I've been up to, and maybe, just maybe, spark your interest in the MDS program a bit more.

For my first project I decided to make a birthday card using a photo my daughter had taken.  Long story short ... my grandson is the ultimate Star Wars nut - when we were in Las Vegas a year ago my daughter saw someone dressed up as a Storm Trooper and was kindly allowed to take a photo to take home to her fav nephew.  I have always wanted to make him a Star Wars birthday card, but alas, Stampin' UP! has no Star Wars stamps.  What a breeze this was to make with MDS - took all of about 15 minutes. 

I love the ability to create oval crops of your photos and mat them perfectly!  I then located a star stamp in the software, resized to fit my needs and scattered a few in each corner - again, matting perfectly with a click of a button and adding drop shadows for depth.  Then I chose a black brad, copy and pasted to add one to the center of each star.  Gray grosgrain ribbon is in this program ... woohoo, perfect!!!  Did you notice that little staple I added to connect the ribbon pieces?  Yup, in the program also! 

 

The first photo is straight from the MDS program, which you could then have printed through their professional service if you would like.  The second photo is a "Hybrid" card I made using the same project.  I just printed it out, cut and matted onto red cardstock - added brads to all those tiny stars and added a piece of hodgepodge hardware and red brads around the sentiment.  How cool is that!!!

I am super excited about my next project, and LOVE how this turned out.  I started out playing with the software to make some "designer" cardstock of my own.  I used a script background paper in MDS, then added the damask stamp from Friends 24-7; copy and pasted, lined it all up and printed on whisper white cardstock.  Then I decided it MUST be double sided so back to work I went, this time using a soft flower background - then "stamping" a torn edges floral border on the edges and in the middle.  I turned the whisper white cardstock over and printed this design out.  So what do you think so far???


Stay with me ... the next part is what I think is the really cool part!  I took this card stock and cut out two envelopes using the Sizzix Bigz Scalloped Envelope die.  Used the remaining pieces of scrap designer paper to form the bottoms and sides to appear more "tailored".  Added a felt flower, large brown button from the Button Latte collection and a snip of celery ribbon to the front ... jumbo eyelets to the sides and Old Olive grosgrain ribbon to form the handle for this cute little purse box!   Do you see the double sided paper in action and are you loving it so far?  There's still more!


Can you see those cute little note cards peeking out of the box?  Those are 3x3 cards (they fit perfectly!!!) which were once again designed entirely with My Digital Studio to create custom designer cardstock, then printed out on whisper white cardstock.  I cut the paper into 3x6 pieces, to form the three gift cards.  All I added was a photo corner punch using leftover scraps from the original box cardstock, a felt flower and a brad.  I think these would make a really special gift!

I hope you have enjoyed my creations as much as I enjoyed designing and sharing them with you. 

Remember, this is an ongoing party and all links will remain active until November 1st.  Take your time, visit these Stampin' Addicts blogs often for more ideas on using MDS to its fullest! 

DMDezigns/Dawnmarie: My Digital Studio - The Birdseye Overview
HowManyCats?!/Comeka: Digitize Your Sketch Library with MDS
Yapha: Turning Templates into Treasures
Willysgirl/Sarah: MDS Xmas and Extras
Hollylogic/Holly: MDS as a Design Tool (or How Not to Slice Up All Your Brushed Gold)
Lyssa: Playing with Stamps You Don't Own
Lilysinkpad/Sara: Simply Scrappin' Kits Go Digi
JulieA/Julie: Wanna Little Music with Your Slideshow?
lovetostampandscrap/Cheryl: Creating a Calendar to Beat All Calendars
Melina Stamps!/Melina: Man-Scrapping with MDS
BroncoMom/Joyce: Build Your Own DSP
Britiney: Clever Album Covers - A Piece of (Cup)Cake
S1itcher46/Kim: Hybridizing and Cataloging Collections
Kelli: Side-by-Side Test: Is it Actual or Is It MDS?
Scrapbookmama/Ellie: Keeping the Spotlight on Your (Adorable!) Subjects