For my 10 Weeks of Christmas Post #3 I want to let you know that Digital Scrapbooking Day is this Sunday November 5th. You know that extra hour you're gonna get? Now you know how to use it :)
My Digital Studio 2 (or MDS2) is the digital software from Stampin' Up that you can use to create projects on your computer. The 10 weeks of Christmas logo is one example of things that I have created, but you can create scrapbook pages, calendars, cards, photobooks, swatchbooks, facebook banners, and whatever else your imagination and creativity can dream up.
Some of the things that I think are unique about digital designing are:
1. it takes up MUCH less space than regular crafting - all your supplies are in your computer.
2. it is SO easy to create and complete a beautiful project using the designer templates - you can literally drag and drop pictures and add your personalized text and be done.
3. it takes NO EXTRA TIME to make multiple items - you design one card (or calendar or photobook) and you can print it multiple times.
4. it is VERY portable - when you download to a laptop you can take it with you wherever you go.
If there is a week for you to delve in and give it a try... this is it. You can download a
FREE trial of My Digital Studio 2 software here. Then you can download
three FREE downloads here. And then you can
get 50% off most digital kids here.
To get started using your free My Digital Studio 2 trial you can check out
www.mydigitalstudio.net for lots of short tutorials, tips, and project ideas so that you can start creating today! Or I am happy to help you learn more about the software at my next free MDS class (next Wednesday, November 7th at 7pm).
If you are considering creating projects for Christmas (and why wouldn't you be) then just circle
December 3rd on your calendar, because you will want to order your products by then to have them delivered in time for Christmas. It is also worth mentioning that printing your creations is totaly affordable. Stampin' Up just recently reduced printing costs of all products by half and the quality is bar-none!
This week not only takes all the fear out of trying (it's FREE for Pete's sake) but we also have an excuse to try because it is Digital Scrapbooking Day this Sunday. You can share what you create by posting a comment below.
Go on. Pour a coffee. Press the Download now button. Jump in. There's nothing to lose and a fun, new creative outlet to gain.
My little guy as a Bat for Halloween.
Stampin' Up is having a Spooktacular Stamp Sale for ONE DAY ONLY! On Monday, October 20th ALL stamps will be 15% off! This includes all the stamps in the annual catalog, all the stamps in the holiday catalog, background stamps, cookie stamps, personalized name stamps, and even the brand new single stamps!
To celebrate I am inviting EVERYONE over to stamp a card and enjoy some apple cider while browsing through the catalogs on Monday evening from 5-9pm. And for every stamp set you order you get an entry into a draw to be the Monday Mystery Hostess, who will get all of the hostess benefits for the day - minimum $35 in free product!
So, take a look at what you need for your holiday project lists, gift-giving lists, and your wish list!
Monday is going to be the best stamp day ever!
So much for it just starting to feel like fall because today we have SNOW?!?!
While there are certainly reasons to complain and feel begrudgingly toward the cold white stuff I have instead forced myself to think of the things I like about snow. The main won is that it can be very peaceful, beautiful, shimmery, and sparkly.
For this 10 weeks of Christmas #2 post I wanted to feature some of my favourite bling that make people go, "Wow!"
For this Christmas card I began with a very vanilla base and used the Snow Swirled stamp set. I inked the tree stamp and greeting with the Versamark pad and then sprinkled gold embossing powder over the stamped images. I then used my heat tool to melt the powder to create that gorgeous shiny raised image that you can see in the photo.
I love the Shaz-aam that Glimmer Paper provides. I used the Champagne Glimmer Paper from the Holiday Catalog and cut it out with the Finishing Touches Edgelit with the Big Shot. I then wrapped it with the Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon for a little colour.
To finish the tree I punched a Champagne Glimmer star using the Holidays Minis Star Punch and adhered it to the top. Then I added Rhinestones to the centre of all of he stars in the tree. Rhinestones are such an easy way to add sparkle to any project.
The finale for this card is the Gold Glow Smooch Spritz that provides the subtle shimmery background.
This card was inspired by
Retrosketches #34 and the
Made Especially for you Misting Challenge. It is, for sure, the most sparkly project I have ever attempted and I must say, I love it!
I hope this inspires you to bling up your holiday projects and you are welcome to share them with me in the comments below :)
I feel hibernative; ready to curl up with a cup of tea and settle in for a long winter. I am genetically pre-disposed to this, my Mom hibernates too. Obviously I tend towards year-round crafting, but for others I would say that this is the season for crafting. People are coming indoors, and there is time to make personalized gifts and cards for the holidays. Ahhhh, it's a good time of year.
And if you believe that the life cycle is similar to the cycle of a year, then I would say that retirement is similar to the fall. For me, I imagine summer as that busy time in life where you are working and raising kids, and doing "the adult thing" and then fall comes with it's gentle changes when you have time for the things you enjoy.
My husband asked me to make a Retirement card for a couple who had both recently retired. I wanted to make it about the two of them and not too feminine or masculine. I was told that they are young-spirited and full of fun, so I also didn't want to make it old and stodgy. I was inspired by Connie Babbert over at Inkspired Treasures. My take is over there -> I knew I wanted to use the Happy Hour stamp set and they grey and yellow combination I felt was perfect for a couple. How about you? Do you like the fall? How do you picture your retirement? Mine I think will include a lot of crafting :) | |
Around here, in the beautiful Okanagan valley, it has just started feeling like fall. So, can you please explain to me exactly, how it is actually only 10 WEEKS until that jolly fat man in the red suit will be breaking and entering all over the world again? That is 70 days people!! WOW!!
Well, to celebrate the on-coming festive season I will be doing special 10 weeks of Christmas posts featuring my must-have Christmas items and lots of great ideas for gifts, cards, decor and more. PLUS! There may even be some SURPRISES!
hint: keep reading.
This week features the must-have Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps. I have so many friends who try these out and fall in love with them. The stamps come with a super-duper easy cookie recipe and they are just so darn easy to use that all the kids can squish the cookies with the stamps and they always come out perfect. There are three sets to choose from and each comes with a wood handle and three silicone stamps.
My new Holidays Cookie Stamps are currently on the road being shipped to me today. I can't wait! And you shouldn't wait to make these a part of your holiday traditions either. In fact, to make it these stamps even sweeter, I will offer NO SHIPPING COSTS for all the cookie stamp orders that are placed by this Saturday, October 20th by 12 noon! You will get your order just in time to whip up some cookies for a Halloween party :)
Mmmm. I love cookies.....
Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends. I have been reflecting for some days now about how very grateful I am for the life I have. The big stuff and the little stuff, and the things that I can sometimes take for granted I am so thankful for today and every day.
Our family enjoyed turkey day at my In-laws home with extended family and it was an extremely enjoyable evening. I made up a seasonal centrepiece for the occassion. Paper pumpkins and a gold doily on a footed plate with a candle. Perfect!
I decided that a pumpkin theme could probably hang on all through the fall, rather than just for a weekend :) So here they are now...a little less formal but still darn cute don't you think?
These came together really quickly too. Perhaps you would like to make some for Halloween or fall decorations, so here is how I did it:
For each pumpkin I cut 10 strips of paper 4" x 3/4" and punched a hole near the one end of each strip. Then I threaded each strip onto a brad. I ran each stip down my bone folder to help them curl up. Then I punched out a 1 1/4" circle of the same paper and stuck it onto a Jumbo Sticky Round and cut it out. I pulled up the strips and stuck the edge to the sticky circle until all were stuck.
For the top I used the Modern Label punch and scored it. I cut a couple of very small strips of cardstock and again curled them with my bone folder and stuck these down along with some scraps of linen thread and then adhered the ends of the label punch together. Then adhered the "top" to the pumpkin. Ta da!
I think these would be great as a fun kids fall craft too. I'd love to see how you get crafty with pumpkins, so share links to your projects below.
Update! I guess over at Hand-Stamped Sentiments they thought a Pumpkin theme was a good idea too and made it into a theme challenge.
Check out all sorts of pumpkin projects by clicking here.
National Card Making Day was a huge success for me. Several people joined me throughout the day for some crafting fun and I got a ton of cards made. I've been really itching to start designing and creating Christmas cards, so that was my focus...as you can probably see below :)
This one was inspired by Retrosketches #32. I've been keeping an eye and wanting to play with several of their sketch challenges, but just haven't had the opportunity. I really have been playing with paper strips a lot, so had a blast with this sketch. I used the new Core'dinations cardstock and embossed and sanded to give it a bit of extra diension. The finishing touches (which are hard to see in the photo) is the Dazzling Details on some select stars on the tree.
I have decided that I really love playing with challenges, so watch for more coming :)
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