Scrapbook Layout for the Rain

  What kind of pictures would you put on a layout that has umbrellas?  I wracked my brain trying to figure that out for my April layout.  I finally decided on some pictures I took of the fancy hose system my husband rigged up when the sump pump in our basement which is also our bedroom, froze.  This is a wonderful story we will want to remember in the years ahead.

I made this a hybrid page by using My Digital Studio for the umbrellas.  Here is a close up of the umbrellas.

  Steps used to make the umbrella

1. I did a search to find the umbrella image.
2. I changed the size of the image so there were 3 different sizes.
3. I copied each image so I ended up with 2 of each size.
4. One umbrella of each size was cut up to be the pattern for the designer paper.  Then I filled each panel of the umbrella to create the pattern you see.

  The clouds were stenciled on the sides of the pages with 3 different blue inks.  The rain drops were punched out of silver glimmer paper.  The final accent was a rhinestone on each raindrop.   

Miscellaneous Monday-My Digital Studio birthday card

The first page of the card.  I thought the spatter made it look like fall.

    Who do you send cards to?  I send them to my customers, family members, and quilt guild members.  That is a lot of cards each month.  I have a perpetual calendar that I refer to that helps me make sure I get cards out on time.  Some of the cards I send out I make in My Digital Studio.  They are quick, fun and I still have a chance to be creative. This is the card I am sending out this month.  Here is why I like to use MDS

1. I make the 1st and 3rd page of the card the same, likewise the 2nd and 4th page.

This is the second page and has a place where I can write a message.

2. I have SU print off the cards, saves me ink and especially now when there is a sale on printing services.

3. I cut the cards in half when I get the cards back from the printing service, and then have double cards for the original price.

  There are all kinds of tutorials at  www.mydigitalstudio.com that help you figure out what to do with some of the tools.  And MDS is only $19.95 instead of the $79.95 it was when I purchased it.  You can even try it out one month for free.  Can't get a better offer than that.

Sushi's Top 10 Stampers

     Another way I like to honor the people who stamp and shop with me is by presenting them with a Top 10 Stamper Award.  Here is how I find out my top ten stampers.

1.  I narrow the search to the last catalog year, so this year it was from June 2012 to May 2013.

2. I then make a list of every who spent a certain dollar range.

3. Finally, I see who has been in the top ten for this year.

  I created a card using My Digital Studio that I mail to each one of the top ten with a gift certificate they can use with the new catalog.  Notice the small blue snail at the bottom of the card.  I added that because my stamping group is called The Super Snails.

Hostess Brunch invite and VIP garage sale pass

     It is almost the end of another StampinUp year and what a year it has been.  I like to thank anyone that has had a party or has ordered the equivalent of a party with a hostess brunch. And I have been doing so for 6 years.  It is a really fun afternoon with a lot of activities planned. This year the brunch will be on Saturday, June 15th from 11-3.

1, Of course a brunch.  Every year I plan a different menu, and some years the food I prepare is a brand new recipe for me also.  So far, no problems.

2. An auction complete with bidding paddles, and SU money.  I auction off all the 3-D items I have created for classes over the past year.  It is great fun for me to see which items are the most popular.

3. A hostess only unique make n take that I never use in a class.  The mold is broken with this event.

4. Included in the invitation is a VIP pass to my annual retired items garage sale.  Hostesses get to come the night before the garage sale is open to the public and shop till they drop.

   Last year my granddaughter was staying with me at the time of the brunch and entertained the guests with stories of her younger brother and sister. She is now 11 so who knows what stories she will decide to share with the guests.

   I had great fun creating the invite, and the VIP pass using My Digital studio. 

Making a hybrid card for a swap

 

 

For my second card to swap this Saturday, I decided to create a new My Digital Studio Hybrid.  Here is how you can do what I did to make a hybrid card.........

 1.  The first step is to create a background piece for your hybrid card.  I found a card I liked on My Digital Studio templates, eliminated the bird and branch elements, and the saying.  Then I changed the colors a little from the original and sent this design off to StampinUp to be printed.

 

 

2.  When the background came back from being printed I trimmed it up and  added items that I thought made the card look good.  

 

     Scalloped circle punches

     Dotted Scallop border punch

     Delicate Details lace tape

     A Round Array stamp set ( A sneak peak stamp set you can order now that will be in the new catalog.

      Rhinestone

 

Notice how the first card differs from the Hybrid card I made a month or so ago.  Same background, totally different look.

 

 

  Sam told me he liked this card better than the first card.  Which one is your favorite and why?

 

How to make a gift certificate in My Digital Studio

     Have you ever had the need to have a business card, insert for a card, or a gift certificate and needed it right now?  Well, that has happened to me quite often.  I get a great idea that I want to follow up on before I forget about it and am not sure how to do it.  Ever since I purchased My Digital Studio 2 my problem has been solved.  I can create anything I want whenever I want and even print it on my own computer.  Here are the easy steps I follow.

1. I open a new document in the customize category.

2.  I create the document in an 8 1/2 by 11 page format.  That make it really easy to see all the parts I am creating.

3.  Once I have my item created, I go to the section called Share.  I save my document as a jpeg item.

4. When I go later on to the document to print it, I choose the number of items I want to print.  For these two gift certificates I chose 9 per page.  

5. I print them using SU card stock, and cut them to size.

    I include the certificate on the left in the birthday card I send to all my customers.  The one on the right I just created and am planning to send those to stampers I have not seen for a while.  

Wouldn't you just love to get one of these in the mail? 

 Wouldn't you love to be able to create something like this on your own?  MDS 2 is the answer!

How to make a hybrid MDS card

   Have you wondered what a hybrid card is all about?  This card for today's class is a My Digital Studio hybrid card.  This was so easy to make. I just followed these simple steps

1. Create a background and have it printed with the service StaminUp contracts with to preserve the StampinUp colors.

2. Stamp the bird and leaf image on scrap whisper white card stock, cut them out, and attach them to the background.

3.  Stamp Happy Birthday using VersaMark, sprinkle white embossing powder on the versa mark and heat the powder till it melts.

4. Make a similar design on the matching envelope.

   Do you think you could design a simple background using My Digital Studio?  You can test the product out for free for 30 days.  Contact me for more information if you are interested.  sue.scheets@gmail.com

Cards from Friends

From Arlene

From Elaine

From Becky

From Kathy

From Anna

From Robin

 

     Sadly, it is time to put Christmas away.  While I was gathering up cards, projects, and decorations I decided to share with you the rest of the hand made cards I was sent this year.  Each of them was unique in its own way.

  I loved the way Arlene used the technique called stamping off with her trees.

  Elaine put her own twist to a card we made in class, and I love the monochromatic look to the card.

   I must copy the wonderful elf on Becky's card and use it next year.

   The sponging of an accent color on Kathy's tree adds a great touch to her card.

   Anna slipped a current picture of my great neice and nephew under the corner of the ornament on her card.

   Robin used the tri-fold card from My Digital Studio for her card, and on the back is her family's Top 10 for 2012.

 

     Thank you to everyone who thought of me this year with a handmade card.  I appreciate all the effort and caring that went into the creating and feel priviledged to have received the result of your efforts. Now, on to a new and exciting 2013!

A Gift from Me to You

    
     I call this tree the giving tree.  The ornaments hanging from the tree were created using My Digital Studio.  But there is more to each ornament than meets the eye.  On the back of each ornament I have written the name of something that can be ordered from the current catalogs.  No Peeking Please.  When you submit an order in December you will be able to choose an ornament from the tree.  The item listed on the back of your order will be my gift to you. What do you hope is on the back of the ornament you might pick?