Playing Catch Up: Temptation Tuesdays, Card Sketch #2 & Free MDS Trial

Oh dear, I am a bad blogger but I'll try to redeem myself a little bit today. I've got weeks worth of digital downloads to post plus my attempt at the 2nd Card Sketch Challenge and...I completely forgot to tell everyone about Stampin' Up's Free 30 day trial of My Digital Studio.

So let's get started...here are the new releases from Tuesday, February 14th/2012.

I thought last week's downloads were terrific (Doily stamp, Attic Boutique Kit, <insert grin here>) but I really like the digital kits and template available this week.  Here are the downloads from Tuesday, February 21st/2012.

I'm really excited about the downloads from Tuesday, February 28th/2012!  Two of my FAVOURITE items are included in this release...the Mixed Bunch Kit and the You're My Type stamp brush set. I've seen sooooo many great paper cards made with the Mixed Bunch stamp set and Blossom punch but now we can play with it in MDS, too!! Plus, that little You're My Type set just seems like it's appropriate for almost anyone. LOVE IT!

I don't know what the weather's been like where you live but here in Southwestern Ontario, our winter has been blissfully unseasonably warm with very little snow. (Disclaimer: Unseasonably warm still means temperatures at the freezing point but compared to -20 degrees celsius it's definitely been unseasonably warm!). Anyhow, as a result...spring-like weather is at least 4-6 weeks ahead of schedule this year!  YAY!! The Walk In The Park II kit in the Tuesday, March 6th/2012 new releases just seems to capture the springtime joy we're feeling here, perfectly.  

Of the hundreds and hundreds of My Digital Studio downloads, if you ask many regular MDS users they'll include the Downtown Grunge Digital kit as one of their top ten favourite downloads. In today's My Digital Studio new releases (for Tuesday, March 13th/2012), there's a collection of Candid Frames that look like they'll coordinate nicely with the look and feel of the Downtown Grunge kit. Check it out!

Whew! That's a lot of downloads to catch up on...how exciting! So...I've currently fallen behind in the Card Sketch and Scrapbook Sketch Challenges that my upline have been running for the fabulous group of Stampin' Up! ladies that I'm so delighted to be a part of but before I got tied up in other important priorities (I'll get into the details another day), here's my 2nd Card Sketch submission.

The sketch layout looked like this:

I went with a simple card using Mocha Morning DSP.  Although I could have added a button or some twine, I thought if I leave it pretty clean, it would be very unisex.

If you're still with me...thank you so much! Pat yourself on the back...you deserve it!  Last but not least, if you haven't tried My Digital Studio then you're going to looooooove this!  Stampin' Up! now has a 30-day FREE Trial Version of My Digital Studio Express available for people to test-drive. The Express version doesn't have as much content to play with (stamp sets, dsp, embellishments, etc) BUT the program still has all of the same functionality as the full version. What this means is that you can try your hand and making digital scrapbook pages, cards, flyers, invitations, title pages for school homework projects, etc...ALL FOR FREE!!! If at the end of 30 days, you haven't fallen in love then you're not out a single cent. If (as I expect you will) you have fallen in love, then you can pop over to my online store to order your copy of the full version of the software (with over $600 worth of digital content included!). When it arrives and you install it, all of the projects you made with the trial version will still be on your computer so you can continue to work on them. I know...it's amazing!

So...that's an awful lot of catching up we did. I apologize for the lack of posts recently but I'm working on a very large project for a special Stampin' Up! demonstrator contest so I can't post my work. You can be confident that when I'm not blogging, I'm up to my eyeballs in my craft room...and I hope you are, too!

Happy MDS'ing!

Lori

Scrapbook Sketch Challenge #1

Above is a design layout that Heather Summers has presented for the first scrapbooking sketch challenge of 2012.  Sketch challenges are a new thing for me but after about an hour of tinkering, I completed not one but 2 versions of this sketch.  Plus, this also adds 2 more pages to my British Columbia album from our trip last summer.

Here are my results!

If you end up giving this scrapbook sketch a try, too...email your results to me and I'll post them in an upcoming blog post!

Happy MDS'ing,

Lori

P.S.  If you're interested in checking out any of the digital downloads I used on this card, pop on over to my website to browse from the comfort of home.

Temptation Tuesday: A Cornucopia of Holiday Goodies!

One of the best parts of new digital downloads on Tuesdays is that you just can't predict what Stampin' Up! will release for us each week and this week is no exception!  There is something for everyone!  A wedding themed board book, a floral spring kit, a St. Patrick's Day stamp brush set, some Easter goodies for decorating eggs and a stamp brush set for animal lovers.  This week has it all!!

Take a peek!

I'm eager to start playing with the Patterned Animal Stamp Brush Set.  Too cute! 

Stay tuned for my take on this week's Scrapbooking Sketch Challenge.  I hope to have my results to post later in the week.

Happy MDS'ing, 

Lori

P.S.  You can browse my online store HERE.  Reminder: There is no shipping on Digital Downloads.  You can download and install them directly following your purchase.  How's that for instant gratification?!

Trying My Hand At Sketch Challenges

The group of Stampin' Up! ladies that I belong to has started doing a sketch challenge each week.  On "even" weeks we try a Card Sketch and on "odd" weeks we try a Scrapbooking Sketch.  I've never participated in sketch challenges before but this might be just the type of pressure-free encouragement that I need to keep challenging myself creatively.  Though participation is encouraged, it's not mandatory.

Although, the challenges are meant for paper-crafting I've decided to create my projects with My Digital Studio so that they'll maybe inspire you, too!

Here's the sketch diagram for some inspiration:

Here's my take on the challenge!

I used Baja Breeze textured card stock, Twitterpated buttons (from the Twitterpated Digital Kit), Wisteria Wonder buttons and ruffled ribbon and the "Thank You" stamp was from the Take Note Digital Kit.

Don't forget...tomorrow is Temptation Tuesday (new downloads will likely be released!)

Happy MDS'ing,

Lori

P.S.  If you're interested in checking out any of the digital downloads I used on this card, pop on over to my website to browse from the comfort of home.

Temptation Tuesday: It's Meant To Be!

There are a lot of downloads that I love...Downtown Grunge, the Sale-A-Bration Digital Content CD, Overlay Stamp Brush sets, etc but this week's downloads are the most sophisticated that I think Stampin' Up! has EVER released!  G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S!!!  I have to admit...I've been in a MDS slump lately but this new group of downloads has me fired right back up!

For more details, pop on over to my website...

Happy MDS'ing,

Lori

Buckle Up...This Is Going To Be A Long One!

Whew!  I've got some SERIOUS catching up to do!  First, let's get an update on last Tuesday's new My Digital Studio downloads.  They're gorgeous!  Check out the baby book template...I plan on using some of these layouts in my Vancouver trip scrapbook but I'll just change the art work.

Next...hold on to your seats!  There are oodles and oodles of exciting things going on at Stampin' Up! from now until the end of March.  Below you'll find the Sale-A-Bration Catalogue.  You get to choose one for FREE for every $60 you spend.  What's even better is that there are both traditional paper-crafting AND digital items available for FREE!  So there is definitely something for everyone.

The next image explores the Sale-A-Bration benefits for customers... 

 

I'm not a new paper crafter but I am a new demonstrator.  I haven't hosted any workshops before but I've certainly attended many of them so I'd be happy to introduce your friends and family to paper crafting or digital scrapbooking in your home or mine.  You'll have a fun, informal evening, you get to take home the projects you make and I even bring the snacks!

If you love saving money (how does 20% off all of the time sound?), becoming a hobby demonstrator might be for you.  There is a quarterly sales minimum but there are no rules that require you to have customers or hold workshops (though there's a world of opportunity if you give that a try).  You can just be your own best customer and simply enjoy getting your $425 worth of products for just $150 (if you sign up during Sale-A-Bration) and you'll get the option of choosing a package of Designer Series Paper or My Digital Studio Download in each month that you place a demonstrator order for the rest of 2012.  (Hint, many MDS downloads are worth more than a package of DSP and there's no shipping charges on digital items!)  PLUS, there is great flexibility in the choices for your starter kit.  If after several months you decide that being a hobby demonstrator isn't for you, just stop ordering and you'll fall off the system.  No pressures!

Whew!  Are you still with me?  Great!  So, basically...there is nothing but excitement from now until the end of March.  Who doesn't love getting great products for FREE, right?!

So...browse, drool, wipe your chin and shop in your pj's.   I'm off to download and install my new MDS freebies!!

Happy MDS'ing!

Lori

Temptation Tuesday & Mosaic Scrapbooking

Hi there!

The temperature is dropping at mock speed tonight and the winds are nearly scary but not even the weather can dampen the fact that it's TUESDAY!  Hooray for new digital downloads from Stampin' Up!

Can't you just picture birthday party or tea party invitations, etc made with the Sweet Shop Digital Kit?  Too cute!  Click the picture for a larger image or pop on over to my web store to browse further.

Last night I had the immense pleasure of being contacted by two My Digital Studio users.  One is an avid user who was trying to figure out how to reproduce the Spice Cake Designer Series Paper digital quilt that I made on a digital card and the other has owned her My Digital Studio software for 2 YEARS(!) and is just getting started using it now.  Boy, is she ever in for a treat!  Let's get a collective round of applause for MDS users at all stages of learning.  Whether you tinker with My Digital Studio occasionally or use it every day, we're all benefitting from great value, terrific technical options, a "family" of creative users who inspire us with their ideas and of course, a veritable craft room of digital scrapbooking supplies all tucked safely away in our computers.  Hooray for MDS!

So...with this in mind, I thought it would be fun to post a 2-page spread from the scrapbook I'm working on from our British Columbia trip last summer.  Though this page looks detailed at first glance, it's super simple!  Just make lots and lots of "square" punches and resize them into small squares, larger squares and/or rectangles.  In the blink of an eye, you have what looks like a mosaic of photos all laid out in a tidy fashion.  If you have any questions about how I built this page, please don't hesitate to email me.

Until next time, Happy MDS'ing!

Lori

Temptation Tuesday: I'm Loving 2012 So Far!

The end of 2010 and almost all of 2011 was tough.  Tough as in, what-doesn't-kill-you-makes-you-stronger tough but for some reason, I have a completely new outlook on 2012.

I'm starting 2012 a with a little more enthusiasm and a brighter spirit.  I have an insatiable desire to cross things off of my to-do list in 2012.  Now don't get me wrong...my to-do list doesn't exactly contain earth-shattering tasks but things like replacing baseboards chewed by my wiener dogs, hanging art work that I bought years ago but that's collecting dust in the basement storage room and finishing my My Digital Studio scrapbook from our trip to Vancouver last summer.  These are all tasks that will put my house back together or make me very, very happy.

One of my crafting to-do's is to build my inventory of cards so that I don't miss sending a card to anyone in my family who's celebrating a birthday, anniversary, etc...  So, first I need to apologize because I haven't been MDS'ing much lately (though I'm keeping up with treating myself to new downloads each Tuesday) but I will have some crafty card samples to post here in the weeks to come.

Today though, I hope you're satisfied with new digital downloads from Stampin' Up!

Click the picture for a larger image or click HERE to pop over to my online store to check them out there.  I think the Twitterpated Kit is a wonderful value.  I can't wait to play with that pleated ribbon!!!

Happy MDS'ing,

Lori

Temptation Tuesday...and a FREEBIE!!!

Woo hoo!  The new year is off to an amazing start!  Not only is today Tuesday, which means new digital downloads have been released by Stampin' Up! for My Digital Studio but there's more excitement.  Stampin' Up!'s Facebook page hit 100,000 "Likes" this past weekend so until January 10th, they've offered the digital download kit "Day In The Life" (a $18.50 CDN value) for FREE.

  

Pop on over to Stampin' Up!'s Facebook page for more details on how you can download this wonderful digital kit.  

Have I mentioned I love free stuff?  FREE!  Wheeee!!!

Happy MDS'ing,

Lori

Temptation Tuesday: Love Is In The Air

Hi there!

I hope the holiday season finds you happy and healthy.  Here at home, my daughter and I had a lovely Christmas hosting both sides of the family on Christmas Day.  Dinner went off without a hitch and we have enough leftovers to feed a small army.  I think I'll have to make up lunch-size portions and freeze them so I can pull them out one meal at a time over the next couple of weeks.

Even though Christmas has come and gone in a flash, Stampin' Up! has still released new My Digital Studio digital downloads today.  Woo hoo!  Love is in the air (so-to-speak) with some great new Valentine's Day themed downloads.  I love them!!

Click HERE to browse for more details or shop from the comfort of home.  Reminder: Digital Download purchases are ready to download and install instantly after purchase.  No shipping costs or wait times!!

Happy Holidays and Happy MDS'ing!

Lori

MDS for School Projects? You bet!!

Hi there!  Can you believe there are only 4 more sleeps until Santa comes to town?  I'm just a little excited!

My daughter is vice-president of her high school's student council and their school will be celebrating it's 100th birthday in 2012.  The festivities will take place throughout January to June 2012 and one of the first events of the year is a school dance.

Normally, school dance tickets are hand-drawn onto paper and then photocopied but this 100th birthday dance deserves something a little more presentable and a lot more fun.  So...I took a picture of the school council's 100th birthday t-shirts and modelled a page of tickets after them.  The best part is that the tickets only took me about 30 minutes to create.  Hooray for MDS!!

How fun is this, eh?  

Until next time...happy MDS'ing,

Lori

Temptation Tuesday: Mocha Morning...YES!!!

Stampin' Up!  I loooooooooove you!  Today, you made one of my favourite sets of Designer Series Paper available as a digital download and I couldn't be more excited!!

Click the image below for a larger view of today's new MDS Digital Downloads or click HERE to purchase any of these goodies for yourself.  Remember...digital downloads are available instantly after purchase.  As much as I love it when the men & women in brown stop by to deliver Stampin' Up! goodies, the instantaneous gratification of digital downloads just can't be beat!

Tomorrow, I have an MDS project I did for my daughter's high school for you to see.

Until then,

Lori

Every boxed set needs cards...

One of my favourite ways to use up old DSP is to cut it into squares or strips, adhere them to a piece of white card stock and run them through the Big Shot with my Top Note die.    A little ribbon and a button or two and voila, several quick, simple cards for my boxed sets.

Tomorrow is Tuesday so hopefully we'll have some new My Digital Studio downloads to drool over!

Lori

I have another addiction...BOXES!

The Stampin' Up! demonstrator website is an endless source of inspiration.  I recently spotted a video showing how to make this cute little box that holds 3-4 cards.  Normally, boxes require 12 x 12" paper which I don't typically have on  hand because I'm more of a card-maker than a scrapbooker (except for digital, OF COURSE!) but this box uses letter size card stock.  So...I looooove this little box set.

Take an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of card stock (letter size).  Cut it down to 6 x 11".  On the 11" side, score it at 3 1/8", 3 1/2", 8" and 8 3/8".  Then decorate the end of the right hand side like I've done in the picture.  Check out the sneak peak in the picture.  I've trimmed the end with new a new Edgelit die that you can look forward to in the Occasions Mini catalogue that starts January 4th/2012.  Until this new die is available to customers, you could use your favourite edge punch.

Using the piece of card stock that you trimmed off to make the box, cut 2 pieces 3 1/8 x 1 1/8".  On the short side, score at 3/8" and 3/4".  These wee pieces will fill in the sides of your box.  Fold on the score lines and use Tombow glue or Sticky Strip to adhere it on the inside edge of your box.

If you wish to decorate the box with Designer Series Paper as I've done, the front flap piece is 5 3/4 x 2 1/2" (trim again with the punch/die of your choice).  The front box bottom piece is 5 3/4 x 2 7/8" and the box back piece is 5 3/4 x 4 1/4".

Note:    The DSP I've used is retired...but wait until you see the new DSP coming in the Occasions Mini and during Sale-A-Bration.  You'll want to make oodles and oodles of card sets when you see the gorgeous DSP!

I'll post some of the cards I made for this set tomorrow.

Until then,

Lori

Clearance Rack Blitz! Save up to 80%

WOW!!!  Stampin' Up! certainly laid a fantastic surprise on us yesterday.  Between December 15th/2011 and January 5th/2012, they're adding up to 200 items to the Clearance Rack with prices up to 80% off.

It's AMAZING!  If you like punches, Big Shot dies or ribbon...RUN NOW and check it out!  Click the image above to see what's on sale.  Grab a tissue...you're going to drool!

Happy MDS'ing (or shopping!!)

Lori