Fish Confetti and Curtain Rings?

It is amazing what I find when cleaning out my craft drawers!  I found a box of little do-dads that had all sort of "treasures" that were "too cute" to throw away.   Seriously, why do I have fish confetti and curtain rings in there??  Probably left overs from a school project - we have had some pretty nifty homeschool masterpieces over the years.


This is the card I came up with:  

The Washington Apple dsp was a perfect color match for the fish.  The many different circles on this card pull it together.

The curtain ring reminded me of a life preserver.  The "Best Fishes" is from Very Punny- one of my very first stamp sets.  It is still one of my favorites!

One of the images from the Circle Circus stamp sets makes perfect bubbles when stamped on light blue patterned dsp.

Dont forget the Blog Candy drawing!

The time is approaching for the next round of UStamp to start with all new (and I have to say AWESOME projects) for spring.  As a designer, I get a sneak peak at the new projects and WOW! what a bunch of talent and enthusiasm!  It all starts in just 11 days!!  And you have a chance to win a FREE PASS to UStamp by leaving a comment on one of my posts this week.  I would especially be interested in what you would like to see me post about My Digital Studio.  I am working on lots of goodies that I will be sharing but I would like to know what you are interested in learning.  You can click here to see past MDS tutorials.

I will pick a random winner on Wednesday March 10.

Blog Candy!!!

The time is approaching for the next round of UStamp to start with all new (and I have to say AWESOME projects) for spring.  As a designer, I get a sneak peak at the new projects and WOW! what a bunch of talent and enthusiasm!  It all starts in just 12 days!!  And you have a chance to win a FREE PASS to UStamp by leaving a comment on one of my posts this week.  I would especially be interested in what you would like to see me post about My Digital Studio.  I am working on lots of goodies that I will be sharing but I would like to know what you are interested in learning.  You can click here to see past MDS tutorials.

I will pick a random winner on Wednesday March 10.

Happy Birthday Annette!

A sweet card today!  Lots of red and lots of circles too.  The Real Red background is dry embossed with the large dot texture plate - it does not show in the picture.  I love how this turned out - I usually do not make monochromatic cards but the reds and pinks were so pretty together that I stopped there.  

The inside has a slider inserted in a 3X3 envelope to dispense the M&Ms without taking the card apart.

If you see this Annette - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Supplies: Paper- Real Red, Prints Pack DSP, Whisper White.  Stamps - Something Sweet.  Punches- 3/4" Circle, Round Tab, Word Window.  Accessories - Treat Cup, 3x3 envelope, White Taffeta Ribbon, Texturz Backgrounds #1,  dimensionals.

Explosion Box Goes Digital

OK I am totally excited to share this project with you- a hybrid explosion box!  SU had a challenge for demos to submit projects made using My Digital Studio.  My submission was chosen as one of the winners!

I have been working on various 3D concepts using MDS and I have to say this turned out even better than I thought it might.   The wonderful thing about using MDS for a project like this is that once the template is created it can be used again and again.  Just pop in the pictures, add coordinating digital papers, and dress it up with stamps.  After assembling the box, add hybrid accessories and voila - cute little keepsake boxes!

Here is the scoop on how to make it:

Supply List:

Paper: 

2 - Whisper White cardstock - 8-1/2” X 11” 

1 - Chocolate Chip cardstock - 9” X 9”

1 - Chocolate Chip cardstock - 4-5/8” X 4-5/8”

Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Pack

Tools:

My Digital Studio

Accessories:

Sweet Pea Stitched Felt

Instructions:

1. Open a new project in My Digital Studio.  Choose Photo Album - 8-1/2” X 11” Landscape-Create Your Own.  After naming the project select Blank Page.
2. Add the 1.25” Square Punch to the page from Punches in the Resource Palette. Resize the punch to 2-1/4” square.  Add a Photo Box to the center of the square (Approximately 1-7/8” square)  Use Align function to center Photo Box in punch.

        3.  Group Photo Box and punch.
        4.  Copy and Paste to give a total of 5 squares on the page.

        5.  Arrange squares in cross pattern leaving a small space between each box. Use Align functions to assist in placement.

The first template is complete. 

       6.  Create a second template using punch resized to 2-1/4” square and Photo Box 2” square.

NOTE:  Save these templates.  Make a duplicate page of each before continuing.  Use the duplicate pages to complete the rest of the project.  The templates can be used again and again.  

        7.  Delete the center photo box.  (I left it in my saved template in case I wish to have a photo in the center of another project.  For this project I wanted to add embellishments to the center.)

        8.  Add mats to each punch.  Change color to coordinate with project - in this case Chocolate Chip.  Increase size of mat to 5.

        9.  Add photos to photo boxes.

      10.  Add mat to each photo - in this case Old Olive.

      11.  Select each punch and Paper Fill with paper from the My Sweet Pea Designer Kits.

      12.  Add stamps to photos.

   13.  Print on Whisper White cardstock.  Cut out. Score on mat lines of center square and folds sides up.

   14.  Score 9” X 9” Chocolate Chip cardstock at 3” all around.  Cut out corner squares. 

   15.  Cut 8  2-3/4” squares of Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper.  Adhere to both sides of outside squares of 9” X 9” piece.

   16.  Adhere middle square of larger scrapbook piece to middle of base.  Then adhere smaller scrapbook piece on top. 

   17.  Score 4-5/8” square at 3/4” on all sides.  Cut corner flaps and adhere to make lid.

    18.  Decorate with Sweet Pea Stitched Felt.

To see more My Digital Studio Tutorials CLICK HERE.  More are planned for the future as I get then done!

Look whose stampin' now!

I may have a new convert!  Tom wanted a retro looking frame for a poster but couldn't find one so he asked me if I could stamp on one.  As I started to work on it, he decided to give a helping hand.  It turned out great and we had fun working on it together.

Here is the new heat-gun pro:

We silver embossed the retro-looking stars from the SnowBurst set on the black frame.

Hagrid is our ever "helpful" assistant.

Both artists admiring the finished product.

My Digital Studio Hybrid Love Bandit Frame Tutorial

My Digital Studio is great for creating backgrounds for a stamped project.  For this project I knew I wanted to use the clouds from the Sunny Day Designer Kit so I chose the color palette of Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion, Pumpkin Pie, and Old Olive.    

For the sky, I wanted a lighter shade of Tempting Turquoise so I simply reduced the opacity.  How cool is that?!  I love that now I have every SU color in every shade!  Just one more thing you can do with MDS that is not possible with traditional materials.

Also, I did not have any designer paper that I liked for the hills in my stash - so I created them on MDS!  Here is the complete tutorial to make this project:

1.   Open a new project in My Digital Studio. Choose Photo Album - 8-1/2” X 11” Portrait-Create Your Own.  After naming project select Blank Page.

2.   For sky background piece add the 1.25 Square Punch to the page from Punches in the Resource Palette.  Resize punch to 4” X 6”.  Color Fill with Tempting Turquoise and reduce opacity to 32.  From Embellishments choose Designer Kits - Sunny Day - elements.  Add two clouds to upper right corner.  Resize clouds (Striped cloud: width -93, height - 51.  Solid cloud: width - 111, height - 80.)

3.   For green background add 1.25 Square Punch.  Resize to 2” X 6”.  Copy and paste giving two rectangles to fill.  Select Paper Fill - Small Polka Dot - Old Olive.  For last rectangle select Paper Fill - Dotted Stripe - Old Olive.

4.   Print on Whisper White cardstock.  Cut out each rectangle leaving a white border for adhering to frame mat.

5.   Free hand cut green paper into hill shapes.  Layer and adhere to back of mat.

6.   Stamp animals with Chocolate Chip Classic ink on Whisper White.  Color with Stampin’ Write Markers. Cut out squirrel and raccoon.  Punch owl with 3/4” Circle Punch.  Adhere with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

7.   Stamp trunk with Chocolate Chip classic ink on Soft Suede cardstock.  Stamp leaves with Old Olive Craft ink on Pumpkin Pie.  Cut out and layer with dimensionals.

8.   Stamp and punch sentiment using Word Window punch in Chocolate Chip ink on Whisper White. Layer on Tempting Turquoise.

9.   Punch Trio Flowers and adhere to mat.

I have more tutorials in the works.  To see past My Digital Studio Tutorials click here.

One more tip for today.  Make sure your ink pads are well-inked.  I was having trouble stamping the owl for this project.  The stamp was new so I did all the usual tricks for conditioning a new stamp: cleaning it with Staz-on cleaner, lightly sanding etc.  Nothing worked.  Finally it dawned on me to try re-inking the pad.  The image on the right is what they looked like prior to re-inking.  What a difference!  Something so simple but easily forgotten.

 

Supplies:

Stamps: Love Bandit

Paper: Whisper White, Pink Passion, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Soft Suede

Ink: Chocolate Chip (Classic), Old Olive (Craft)

Adhesive: SNAIL, Sticky Strip, Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive

Accessories:  My Digital Studio, Stampin’  Write Markers - Pink Passion, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, Blush Blossom, Punches - 3/4” Circle, Word Window, Trio Flower, Stampin’ Dimensoionals, purchased frame (4” X 6” opening).

Organize Your Chocolate, Announcement and Blog Candy Winner

I sent this box of chocolates to my grandma for Valentines Day.  The pattern for the box was designed by  Natasha Zandbergen  for UStamp.

I have been anxious to use some of the bold patterned paper in the Sweet Pea DSP Stack.  This box top was the perfect size to show off the pattern of the paper.   I added Sweet Pea Stitched Felt Pieces, few punched birds and it was done!

Natasha's box held office supplies.  I reorganized the interior sections to fit Hershey bars and Dove Hearts.  Lots of room for lots of chocolate!

Now for my fun announcement.  I have been invited back as a guest designer for the next round of UStamp- Spring Soiree 2010.  Designers are already at work behind the scenes on all new projects.  You can learn all the details by clicking on the banner below.  There is an early bird special you will not want to miss.

And to celebrate the winner of the today's blog candy will receive a FREE PASS to UStamp-Spring Soiree.   I entered all names for comments left this week on random.org list generator.  You can see the screen shoot here.

As you can see Lynn is the winner of the pass.  Congratulations!!   I will have another pass to give away in the near future so keep checking back.  I appreciate all comments - it lets me know there are readers out there!