Favorite Fall Memory Challenge

This is a design I submitted for a "Favorite Fall Memory Challenge" by GinaK Designs. I love everything about Fall - the colors, the crunching leaves, apples, pumpkins, extra baking, soups and warm breads, chili, cool air and warm sunshine....it is hard to narrow down a favorite memory!

Our small town is known for it's apple orchard - Jonamac Apple Orchard and Corn Maze. Every Fall- the kids and I visit the play area several times, usually meeting other friends there. We enjoy apple doughnuts, apple cider, fresh apples - and of course CARAMEL APPLES! Yum! For this design, I used retired SU! designer series paper Summer Picnic. Then added a glittery apple "core" - isn't it cute?

TIP: I created it using the Round Tab Punch out of Confetti White. Then I punched another one out of Real Red and used my Paper Snips to cut off just the top and bottom edges, and attached them to the Confetti White core. For the seeds, I punched the smallest flower in the Boho Flower Punch, and used my Paper Snips to cut out the seeds.

Trivia Tidbit: Did you know that the number of seeds in an apple core indicates the number of times a bee visited the apple blossom for that apple? We learned that on a homeschool field trip to Royal Oak Apple Orchard!

I chose the verse, "Each of us is God's special work of art." from the retired SU stamp set Words of Wisdom. Fall is a beautiful reminder of the truth of this statement - each apple, pumpkin and colored leaf - no two are ever alike - just like each of us, His human creation!
ENJOY!

Sneak Peek - NEW COLORS!

I'm still hosting Chat & challenges over on SUDSOL (the online community for SU demonstrators), and this week, instead of giving a sketch - I gave 8 tasks or steps that asked participants to gather certain supplies. Once all 8 steps were given, they then had 30 minutes to design a project using only what they had just gathered. My inspiration for the steps came from THIS CARD I had done earlier. I actually got time to play along with my own requirements this go around (it's been a loooong time since I could do that!) I wanted to use the "July Fourth" stamp set currently in the Summer Mini, also available as a digital download! The 'stamping off' technique works wonderfully to create a sky full of fireworks - don't you agree? :)

Notice the colors? The blue is the past In Color Pacific Point - it's back as part of SU!'s Color Renovation of our core color families. The red is a BRAND NEW color - Cherry Cobbler - aslo part of the Color Renovation and the new core color families which will be released July 1st with the NEW CATALOG & IDEA BOOK! If you don't already have a demonstrator, and would like a Stampin' Up! 2010/11 Idea Book & Catalog - contact me or order it via my SU website on July 1st. you'll also be able to view it online via my SU website on July 1st. If you're like me - nothing beats a hard copy of an SU catalog though! :)

This design also uses: "Fundamental Phrases" & "I (Heart) Hearts" stamp sets, Big Shot, Top Note Die, Curly Label Punch, Build-a-Brad, Fire Rhinestone Circle Brads, Eyelet Border Punch & Dimensionals.

Oh yes - and here are the 8 Requirements if you'd like to play along... 3 colors of card stock (one can be DSP), 2 stamp sets, 2 coordinating ink colors (can match if you like), 1 punch shape, 1 border (can be a border punch or anything else), 3 embellishments; 1 popped up item & at least 3 layers (can have more, but not less). It was fun to see all the different card layouts that came out of these 8 requirements. GIVE IT A TRY! Then link your creation back here so we can all see what you came up with.

I'll be using this card as a wedding anniversary card for friends who were married in the beginning of July. ENJOY!

My Digital Studio Wedding Hybrid

Here are my two hybrid wedding cards, which we used this month! I LOVE weddings!! You can see the original digital card in this post.

I printed the cover images on my home printer - they turned out wonderfully! Then I mounted it on Elegant Eggplant card stock, added Certainly Celery 5/8" Satin Ribbon as a strip and as the knot bow. I also added the Rhinestone Brads (circles on one, squares on the other), used my "Define Your Life" stamp set for the sentiment stamped in Elegant Eggplant -layered on Certainly Celery and popped up with Dimensionals.

Inside, you can see I also layered, using either the Scallop Trim Border & Corner Punches or the Eyelet Border Punch. I also used the "Fifth Avenue Floral" stamp set for the lily image here and on the envelope. The verses inside come from a retired SU stamp set.

I received the version of this card I ordered via Stampin' Up!'s Professional Printing Service - and it is lovely! The card stock it is printed on is a very heavy weight. I had it so the insides of the card were both printed in the Elegant Eggplant color - and plan to layer that too, when I use the card. It came with a nice, quality envelope too. For now, I will keep my professionally printed card as a sample to show you all. In the coming months, I hope to complete a photo album and calendar too. ENJOY!

My Digital Studio - Wedding Card

Woohoo! I finished the certification training for Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio (MDS) - the digital paper-crafting software that helps you create photo albums, cards, calendars and so much more!

This gorgeous, watercolor lily image is part of a recently released MDS DSP Digital Download called "Summer Splendor." There are several different floral images in this DSP - all equally lovely. For this design, I used the Crop tool to create the image I wanted.

I utilized Stampin' Up's MDS Professional Printing Services for this wedding card so I can see for myself the quality of the printing. In my experience, SU is awesome when it comes to quality and I look forward to seeing the quality printing they've lined up for us all. And YES cards ordered through the SU Professional Printing service do come with an envelope. :)

I actually ordered the cards without the sentiment, matted layer, ribbons & brads. Why? Because I like to keep the hand made effect in my card projects. So I plan on creating a 'hybrid' card by using my SU supplies at home to add the ribbon, brads & sentiment layer. I will aso add layers & stamping to the inside before writing our message.

I also tried printing this card from my home computer - I have an HP All-in-One Photosmart printer - and was very pleased with the results. I wanted to see how the home printing process would work, and also how the ribbon & brad embellishments looked printed. Again - I was very pleased with the results. ENJOY!

My Digital Studio Baby Inspired Card

Our sweet new son inspired this design created with My Digital Studio. I thought his little onesie was so cute, and he IS one of our handsome little boys! :)

I used Sahara Sand, Bashful Blue & Ballet Blue (textured) card stocks. A little Chocolate Chip Stitching and some Kraft buttons (re-sized to fit my project!) The image comes from the set Nursery Necessities.
I purchased the Textured Card Stock digital download, and everything else comes with the included software.

Cool MDS Tip: For the Bashful Blue Dotted Stripe DSP - I wanted the color a little 'less' so I used the tool for "opacity" and lightened the color a little! So many cool tools to make your projects perfect - including a 'color match' option that allows you to choose a color from anywhere on your project and the program will match it, for example for the text of your journaling. ENJOY!

Card Patterns Sketch #65 & My Digital Studio

I am having such fun playing with Stampin' Up's My Digital Studio (MDS)! I created this design in about 15 minutes using the Card Patterns Sketch #65!

I am really loving the feature of using MDS for conceptualizing or planning out my projects. I can use the digital medium for online use, to send an Ecard or even have the card printed using Stampin Up's Professional Printing services! I can also use what I create to hand make the project - only I don't waste supplies trying to get it just right! I can do that part on MDS in minutes then enjoy the crafting at my stamp table.

Check out My Digital Studio (MDS) and Card Patterns Sketch #65 - please let me know how I may help you with My Digital Studio! ENJOY!

My Digital Studio - Wedding Card

So I've been going through the training for Stampin Up's My Digital Studio (MDS) - a digital paper-crafting software program - and look at some of my first creations! The card on the left is my original design. The card on the right is a "Step It Up" version where I added more embellishments - namely some Vanilla Hodgepodge Brads.

The basic My Digital Studio (MDS) software comes loaded with over 2,000 images including card stock, stamps, DSP, punches and embellishments,even some of the Simply Scrappin' Kits are included! Stampin Up makes new digital downloads available on a regular basis. Digital downloads are available for both Mac and Windows users AND whether you use MDS or not. That's right - you can purchase MDS digital downloads to use with a digital program you may already have.

If you've been considering a digital paper-crafting software program I highly recommend My Digital Studio for it's ease of use and variety of uses. Check it out and let me know what you think and if you have any questions! ENJOY!