Simply MDS 2 - Day 6

Day 6 had us doing "punch art" in My Digital Studio.   If you follow Heather's blog you are aware that she loves using her punches and has done a couple of online Simply Punches classes.  On this project we combined several punches to create a fire hydrant and then added the scottie dog stamp.  It was a lot of fun to do.  We did it as a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" project, so if I want I can print it onto card stock and I will have a little greeting card.  Great fun

My Digital Studio - Day 5

The fifth day of the class highlighted how easily a page can come together by adding a few punches and filling them with DSP.  For this page we used the square punch and changed the size to make rectangles.  They were filled with DSP and then the heart punches were added and filled with DSP to match.  Add a few little shadows, photo boxes, text and embellishments and the page was done.  It literally only took a few minutes.

Simply My Digital Studio - Day 4

On the fourth day of the class we created projects, saved them as jpg files and then printed them onto iron on transfer paper.  Heather's example was ironed onto a baby's T-Shirt.  I decided that I would make myself a custom tote bag.  My camera is not working properly right now and I don't have my new one yet so I don't have a photo of the completed bag yet.

I created the images in MDS, printed them onto the transfer paper (being careful to print them as mirror images because I was using text), cut them apart and then ironed them onto the large canvas bag that I purchased at Michael's (with my coupon of course!).

These are the images I used -

Day 3 - MDS

The third day of Heather's Simply MDS Two class demonstrated how to change a photo box to a circle.  How fun is that!  We also did some colour matching, changing the opacity of some elements and even creating our own customized DSP.

Day 2 - My Digital Studio

Day 2 of the class demonstrated how to incorporate various elements available within MDS.  On this page we used stitches, punches, borders, stamps and of course photo boxes.  We were able to do some colour matching - for example some of the colours in the "stamped" stars were matched to colours within the photos.  A great way to coordinate your pages.  Day 2 also demonstrated that it is OK to have lots of white space on your page.

Happy Birthday

I celebrated my birthday a few days ago.  One of the celebrations was with Judy and her husband Wayne.  On Monday we went out for a lovely lunch and then went back to Judy's for some cake and crafting - digital crafting.  The cake was wonderful.  We are able to purchase "cakelets" in some of our local stores.  They are from a bakery in Toronto - Dufflet?  Absolutely the perfect size for a small group.

Monday was the day I took my laptop with me and we did a scrapbook page using My Digital Studio.  I will not share Judy's page with you as I will only post pages and photos of my own family members after getting permission.  We used photos of Judy's little grandson and used the layout from Day 1 of Heather Summers' Simply My Digital Studio Two online class - posted yesterday.

I will post a picture of the birthday card Judy made for me.  I am going to have to CASE it for sure!  I love it.  I am not sure, but I think the card stock and ink may be the retired Cool Caribbean.  I love the dew drop in the centre of the medallion.

Thanks Judy!

My Digital Studio

Heather Summers is hosting a 20 day online class for My Digital Studio.  I had participated in her first class and quickly signed up for the second one.  On the first day of this class Heather demonstrated how easy it is to customize one of the "pre-packaged" photo layouts to make it your own.

We selected the option that had nine photo boxes already placed on the page.  By simply removing 2 of the boxes a blank space was available to fill with a text box.  I also created text boxes at the top and bottom of the page - filled in my text, filled the photo boxes, added a few embellishments and I was almost done.  I did add a background paper but using functions in the program I reduced the opacity so it was a little more subdued.

It is not too late to sign up for the class - it is online and you go through each of the classes on your own schedule.  There is one project posted each day - a video as well as a downloadable PDF file - and it will be available online until the end of October.  PLUS the class fee includes a DVD.  Heather is going to create a DVD that will include all of the videos, PDF's and photos.  She will be sending a copy to all of the class participants.  Check our Heather's blog HERE for more information.

The My Digital Studio program doesn't come with any fonts, but any fonts you have on your computer are picked up by the program.  There are a lot of free fonts available on the internet that can be downloaded quickly.  The font I used is Diggs my Hart - a favourite of mine.

On Monday when I went over to Judy's for our weekly "play date" I brought my laptop and we played with the My Digital Studio program.  Judy has the most darling grandson and we used photos of him to create some pages. 

Marie Kirkwood's All Time Favourite Christmas Card Swap

For my second card I decided to use Dasher.  It is a great stamp and I have used it quite a bit.  This time I followed the layout for the "Olive the Other Reindeer" card that I posted HERE.

I decided to change up the colours of the reindeer and ribbon.  I love the ribbon, but unfortunately it is now retired.

Supplies

Stamps - Dasher; Four the Holidays

Card Stock - Confetti White; Real Red

Ink - Chocolate Chip; Real Red

Other - Real Red 1/4" Taffeta Ribbon; Retired SU Ribbon

All Time Favourite Christmas Card Swap

Again this year Marie Kirkwood is hosting a swap featuring Christmas stamps.  I signed up for 2 spots - I have to make 2 sets of 12 card fronts.

My most favourite christmas stamp is not from Stampin' Up! so I couldn't use it for this swap.   That stamp is a wonderful Santa face.  In the new Holidy Mini catalogue there is a set - Jolly Old Saint Nick - with a very nice Santa face so I decided to use that for my first set of 12 cards.  I used a card featured in the mini for my inspiration.

Supplies
Stamps - Jolly Old Saint Nick
Card Stock - Baja Breeze; Real Red; Shimmery White; Candy Cane Christmas DSP
Ink - Black StazOn; Real Red, Sahara Sand and Blush Blossom markers
Other - Real Red 5/8 Satin Ribbon

Simply August Thank You - Day 5 Take Two

After making the Day 5 project using Tree Trimmings I remembered that I do have a stamp set with mittens.  It has been retired for quite some time but I am glad I still have it.  I pulled it out and although I had to change the dimensions of the focal image a little bit I got my card made.  I decided to use Real Red brads as the "pegs" for hanging the mittens - I usually hoard my embellishments and just didn't want to tuck into the Vintage Trinkets for a second time in one day.  Heather had used the "Merry Christmas" stamp from Teeny Tiny Wishes for her greeting.  My image panel was not as tall as Heather's so I decided to use a stamp from Heard from the Heart.

Hope you like the card!

Supplies
Stamps - Heard from the Heart; Bundle Up (retired)
Card Stock - Crumb Cake; Marina Mist; Very Vanilla
Ink - Real Red; Old Olive; Marina Mist; Chocolate Chip marker
Other - Real Red brads; Dimensionals; Stamp-a-ma-jig

Simply August Thank You - Day 5

Heather's project on the final day of her Simply August Thank You class was a Christmas card featuring the Jolly Bingo Bits stamp set on page 28 of the Holiday Mini Catalogue.  She used the little mittens and stamped it 3 times in different colours.  She then drew in the strings and had them "hanging" from the little brads in the Vintage Trinkets package.

I don't have the stamp set so I decided to take the look of the card and use my Tree Trimmings stamp set.  I stamped the images, drew in "strings" and hung them using the vintage brads.

Supplies
Stamp Set - Tree Trimming; Short & Sweet
Card Stock - Very Vanilla; Real Red; Old Olive
Ink - Real Red; Old Olive; Baha Breeze; Real Red marker; Basic Black marker
Other - Dimensionals; Vintage Trinkets; Stamp-a-ma-jig

Simply August Thank You - Day 4

Day 4 of Heather Summers' Simply August Thank You class featured a card with ruffled fabric.  The Holiday Mini catalogue has two packages of fabric to choose from.  Heather chose to feature the striped fabric from the Candy Cane Lane package.  As I don't have the fabric or the stamp set (A Cute Christmas) I decided to make some substitutes.  I used the retired 1" Double Stitched Real Ribbon and the Santa face from Jolly Old Saint Nick.

Although I found the ribbon ended up being quite bulky (I probably should have used some of the wide striped ribbon) I am quite pleased with my card.

Supplies
Stamps - Jolly Old Saint Nick
Card Stock - Garde Green; Blushing Bride; Candy Cane Lane DSP; Shimmery White; Real Red
Ink - Basic Black; Jet Black StazOn; Blush Blossom, Real Red and Pretty in Pink markers
Other - Button (Regals); Ribbon - 1" Real Red Double Stitched (retired), 5/8" Real Red Satin, 1/8" Real Red Taffeta; Sticky Strip; Dimensionals; Glue Dots; 1 3/4" Circle and 2 3/8" Scallop Circle; Signo White Gel Pen

Simply August Thank You - Day 3

On day 3 of the class Heather demonstrated the sponged background technique.  Her project was a Halloween card and she used Rich Razzleberry and Elegant Eggplant to create a beautiful (kind of spooky) background.  I decided not to go with the Halloween theme when I saw a card posted by Liz Goldhawk - it is the second card in her post HERE.

I'm really pleased with my card, but I have to figure out where to put a sentiment.  I may use a small greeting from Tiny Tags, punch it out with the Jewelry Tag punch and hang it from the ribbon with some thread.  For now I like it just as it is.

This is one of the cards Judy and I will be making when we get together this afternoon.

 Supplies
Stamp Set - Just Believe
Card Stock - Basic Black; Poppy Parade; Whisper White
Ink - Poppy Parade; Peach Parfait; Daffodil Delight; Pear Pizzazz; Basic Black Craft
Other - 3/8" Daffodil Delight Taffeta Ribbon; Elegant Lines Embossing Folder; Black Embossing Powder; Dimensionals; Stampin' Sponges

Aviary - Inspired by Heather Summers

The second card Judy and I made this week was CASEd from one of the cards Heather Summers presented at convention in July.  You can see the card HERE.  Scroll down a bit - it is the second card in the post that I used for inspiration.   Heather's card is a fun fold card with a dimensions of 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 when closed.  I decided to adapt it to a standard size card.

Supplies
Stamps - Aviary; Teeny Tiny Wishes
Card Stock - Old Olive; Rich Razzleberry; Pacific Point DSP
Ink - Rich Razzleberry; Pacific Point; Tempting Turquoise; Old Olive; Basic Black
Other - Dotted Ribbon, Modern Label and Word Window punches; dimensionals

The third card Judy I made using the Aviary stamp set is one that I have posted before. Click HERE to have a look. This was one of the cards I made following Heather Summer's Aviary Class.

Aviary

This week Judy and I made a few cards using the very cute Aviary stamp set.  This is the firstof the three cards we made.  I had seen the card on Stampin' Connection but unfortunately I can't link to the post - it was posted by Kelly J. Birrell.

 
Stamp Sets - Aviary; Teeny Tiny Wishes
Card Stock - Early Espresso; Pear Pizzazz; Peach Parfait; Poppy Parade
Ink - Early Espresso; Pear Pizzaz; Peach Parfait; Poppy Parade; Basic Black
Other - Boho Blossoms, Modern Label, Large Oval and Itty Bitty punches; Dimensionals; brad

Simply August Thank You - Day 2

The second day of the class featured Tart and Tangy and the A-Z stamp sets.  The card is a 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 card.  It would be great a little card in a child's lunch box or to enclose with a teacher gift.

Supplies
Stamps - Tart and Tangy; A - Z
Card Stock - Cherry Cobbler; Whisper White
Ink - Chocolate Chip; Cherry Cobbler
Other - Linen Thread; Regals Button
Technique - Masking

Simply August Thank You - Faux Candles

Heather Summers has again invited me to participate in her Simply August Thank You online class.  On the first day Heather featured a set of three "candles" made of Designer Series Paper.  Inside the tubes there are battery operated candles.  Too bad that doesn't show through on the photo, but when the lights are dimmed they are so pretty.  Heather's sample had a Halloween theme, I decided to make mine for Christmas.

Hope you like them.

Supplies
Card Stock - Candy Cane Christmas DSP; Real Red; Old Olive
Other - Scallop Square die; Tasteful Trim die; nonSU Poinsettias; battery operated Tealight Candles

Pocket Silhouettes

A few weeks ago I saw THIS card while exploring some blogs that I had never visited before.  I bookmarked it thinking it would be a great little project for Judy and I.  So along with the cards I posted earlier this week, we each made one of these.  I love how the little rhinestones add a little something extra to the black silhouettes.

Supplies
Stamp Set - Pocket Silhouettes
Card Stock - Barely Banana (retired); Certainly Celery; Rose Red; Regal Rose; Whisper White
Other - 5/8" Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon; Rhinestones (from the retired Eggcellent Eggs Kit); Scallop Trim Border Punch

Quick Post

This week Judy and I had our usual "playdate" and made a few very quick cards.  I had received a little note card from Veronica Jamieson, a fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrator, and decided that we would CASE that card.  It was an opportunity to use of some of the Fresh-Cut notes I had on hand as well as some of my retired felt flowers. 

We each made four cards - 2 with a pink background in the and 2 with chocolate chip.

Supplies
Stamp Set - Fresh Cuts
Card Stock - Chocolate Chip; Pink Pirouette
Ink - Chocolate Chip
Other - Fresh-Cut Notes; Felt Flowers (retired); Brads