Let's go back to 2008...

I have been working on MDS alot lately so plan to see lots of it!  I got inspired by the Project 52 on the MDS website and yes, I have started 2011 already but I wanted to go back and try to catch up with previous years. Now my Project 52 is actually Project 12. Instead of 52 weeks, I went with 12 months of the year.  I find it easier for me to cover monthly recaps then weekly.  You will see similar elements in this 2008 album.  First is the use of the rounded corner punch. Second is that I grouped two months together and had them made similiar in style.  Basically, I created the page and then insert a duplicate page mirrored. I then changed it to fit the themed month.  You will see in the next few days how it worked.  This option made it so easy to do the 12 months super fast.

This is the front page for my 2008 album. I added square punches in multiply and filled them with random photos from throughout the year.  The stamped background image from Bliss brush set if from the Salebration MDS CD that is FREE when you purchase $50.00 in SU! merchandise.  With all that comes on the CD, it is a deal! I also love the bird here from Bliss brush set and the antique brads in a row.

Have a magical day!

Cindy

MDS Watercolor Technique Tutorial

First select an image that has negative space and enlarge it to the size of your page or however you plan to use it.  Then you will use Extreme Element splatter image to add the watercolor effect of the flower.  Change the color to Cherry Cobbler and size to fit the flower. You can also use the flip or mirror options to move as well. Copy and paste splatter image to each flower part.  Next you will take an oval punch and change the color to Old Olive.  

Continue to copy and paste until you have filled in all the areas needed with these punches. You might need to zoom in to see the edges closely.

You could leave the background white but here I added a Riding Hood Red punch circle enlarged to fit over the whole image.   

With the large circle highlighted, arrange, order and send to back. Or right click and "send to back" option.

Now you will click on your large flower image highlighting it. Go to arrange, order and bring to front. Or right click and "bring to front" option.  

The sample Yvette Kreb's did with the For all you do Flower Block gave me such inspiration! I did that one as well for a scrapbook page that I will share with you later this week.  This was so much fun for me to do!

Thank you for stopping by and I hope that these instructions help you!

Have a magical day!

Cindy

I added the video on You Tube that I did!  Enjoy!

Why I love my digital studio!

A few weeks ago, Stampin Up MDS website had a blog post contest.  You were to post one feature that you love about MDS by Feb 2nd.  Well, I had started to work on it and like always was waiting to the last minute of the deadline to get it done.  Then the flu struck me and my daughter and on my birthday no less!  So I missed the deadline totally.

I forgot about the page for some time and recently went back to it to finish it.  I could not narrow it down to one feature because this digital scrapbooking program is SIMPLY THE BEST! I love everything about it!  I incredibly happy and in my element when creating on it! The original colors were not what you see. They were black, pear pizazz, white, tangerine tango, and daffodil delight.  But I wanted to change the colors to match my studio/office.  I am planning a redesign in my studio next week and I want to get this printed and framed in my room. 

I am loving this layout so much which was inspired by Holly Linford on her Project 52 pages.  I love it so much, I am working on my "project 52" with this layout.  I will share those soon.  I have January done and February designed and just have to put pictures in it.

Have a magical day!

Cindy 

Happy Valentine's Day

I made this Stampin Up! My Digital Studio project for my best friend, the father of my children and the love of my life! This is a 12 x 12 scrapbook page that when I printed it on my new printer (HP OfficeJet 6500A) became a 8.5x11 page perfectly.  Don't ask. I have been working out the kinks on my new printer and working with MDS program and Windows 7.  I know it can do better than what I have figured out.

I will place this with his gift for tonight's dinner. We are having dinner at home with Meg and Alli. Everyone gets their favorite foods for dinner. Yummo!

Have a magical day ful of LOVE!

Cindy

Valentine iPods

I saw this great idea on the Stampin Connection. I also saw it at last year but never got around to trying to make it. You can find the pattern for this on Family Fun website here: ROCK CANDY IPODS  I came up with the idea to have the box part be an actual box that could hold an iTunes Gift Card.  I used the matchbox die cut from the Big Shot.  I just used the measurements to make mine bigger to hold a gift card. The circle dial part is a 1 3/4" punch and the heart is a 1/2" circle punch.

The Regal Rose iPod is for Allison and the Pumpkin Pie iPod is for Megan.  They both have iTouch players so I know they will really LOVE the iTunes GC.

Have a magical day!

Cindy

For my "nutmeg" sweetheart

My oldest daughter is named Megan. When she was a baby, I came up with the nickname "nutmeg" among several other cute loving nicknames...boo, lala, meggo, meggies, etc.  My email even reflects it. And well it just stuck with me when I came to creating a business for my craft show items and then this blog.  She is growing up to be a beautiful, strong, loving, smart, spiritual, young woman. A few days ago, we were talking and she reminded me that she will be in high school soon and I wanted to cried like a baby.  

I cased this card from someone's card that I tagged on my photos long ago. The card is super simple and I love that. I copied the letters from chipboard and then cut them out. I went with the Pumpkin Pie on this because it is one of my nutMEG's fav colors. When you see tomorrow's projects, you will see why I went with the orange and pink on the cards.

Have a magical day!

Cindy

For my little sweetheart

I cased this card from someone on Stampin Connection.  I used Regal Rose, Real Red and Whisper White.  I really love the flower part.  I punched a boho blossums in Real Red twice. Then glued one down on top of stamp image.  The next flower I scratched the edges to give it some dimension.  I put a hole in the middle and attached a silver brad.  The ribbon is the 5/8" grosgrain Regal Rose but folded in half.  I used snail adhesive to glue it together.

This card is for my youngest sweetheart.  I have been making these Valentine's items in my studio and she keeps coming in to say hi or see what I am doing but I have had to tell her more than once "out of here, I am making something special for you". So she is super excited to see all this on Monday.

More to come!

Have a magical day!

Cindy

with LOVE always

Today's creations were inspired by 2010 Artisian Winner Angela Timms on her blog here: trulyinkspirational.blogspot.com  I saw these super cute accordian flowers many time over the past year or so and wanted a challenge to finally get around to making one.

I used a 4 x12 piece of paper.  Score every 1/2" on the 12" side til the end.  Then cut into two 2" pieces.  Fold on the scores and adhere them together.  Then swish down to make the flower.  I used hot glue to hold mine with a 1 3/4" punched circle. I hot glued the stick to the back. See pic below.

Some I made with the bamboo skewers and one was a magnet. I made these for the ladies in my office for Valentine's Day.  Our SWEET bosses always gives each of us one rose and a little cash bonus and I thought these would look nice in the vases.

The center of the flowers were done on My Digital Studio.  I used the Love stamp image from XOXO.  It is a large image at firt. So I selected a 1  1/4" circle punch onto a plain 8.5x11 sheet.  Then edit the size of the stamp image to fit just inside the punch image.  Tip learned from Mandy's video. Changed the color to Real Red.  Added Very Vanilla CK Ali font text boxes to the top "with" and to the bottom "always".  Copied all images and passted several to make a bunch of these on the same page.  Print out and punch with real 1 1/4" circle punch.

This shows that the back of them are 1 3/4" circle punch in Real Red.  It helps when putting these together and finishes off the back of it.

Have a magical day!

Cindy

Inspired by Mandy

Looks stamped right?  BUT....it is NOT!  It is My Digital Studio printed mixed with real embellishments = Hybrid.  I watched Mandy Grant's incredible tutorial here on mydigitalstudio.net : MANDY'S VIDEO  She gave some great tips about MDS as well.

I did not have the stamp sets she used so I challenged myself to do the same thing with another stamp set.  I used Just Believe images.  I printed the Early Espresso flower image on Crumb Cake cardstock.  Then I printed the sentiment in Early Espresso and the circle in Old Olive on Whisper White. I punched them out using the Wide Oval and Scallop Circle punch.  I added the Early Espresso striped Grosgrain ribbon and popped up the oval with dimensionals.  I did sponge the edges of each piece with Crumb Cake ink.

Then my mind started to take off on how many of these hybrid/MDS/punched cards I could create!  I made some more! I absolutely LOVE it! Thanks Mandy for sharing and for inspiring me!

Have a magical day!

Cindy

Celebrating me today!  Happy Birthday to me!  Spending time with the people that love me!

A Starz/Paws Meeting

Every other month, my sideline Monika hosts a demonstrator's team meeting for us ladies.  This happened in January after leadership convention so we could see and hear all the latest in Stampin Up!  There was so much!  Here are the make and takes that we created that night.  My favorite was the name tag.  It showed the Two Tags die cut as well as a sampler of the new fabrics in the Mini Occasions Catalog and the fabric designer brads.  Hope I remember to wear this to our meetings from now on! 

Fran from Alabama showed us a cool trick with the edge punches on a card.  We got to use the new Petal Cone die cut and Pom Pom trim. Also the new spinner stamp set and embellishments which are cute in person.  Jenn showed us these super simple candy holders using the tag punches.  You can put a nugget or Hershey kiss in the middle of them.  I will be making these for Valentine's day.

These are such great nights! Sharing stories and ideas. They make me happy!

Have a magical day!

Cindy

Love is in the air!

Here is a retired stamp set that I never got around to creating Valentine's cards with! Truely simple to make. I used my Stampin Up! markers to color in the mailbox in black and the hearts in Real Red.  You huff the stamp with the ink on it to give it moisture and stamp on 4 x 5 1/4 Whisper White. The ribbon is an off brand but I had lots of it to do the 8 cards that I made. 

Then because the base card was red, I added another white insert. I punched hearts in Real Red and added them to the inside like they were flowing too.  Now that I look at this, I could have added a stamped swirl behind the hearts.

I hope to take a picture of the girls blowing kisses or a sign saying "Love you XOXO" and mail these out to some family and friends.

Have a magical day!

Cindy