Happy Halloween!

Super cute Halloween page totally copied from Heather Summers.  Heather is a super talented Digital designer.  She is starting up a new online class that I just signed up for, can't wait.  See the details here. I had to see for myself how hard the little owls would be, so I gave it a try.  They are actually not bad!  I highly recommend trying one.  The eyes were easy because they are a pair, so you don't have to line them up, and the crop tool makes eyelids and other things a breeze!  And how did Heather make the bones?  No idea because I started the page and just kept going, I suppose I could have emailed and begged for help but I looked closely and I think it is two heart punches connected by a rectangle.  That was tricky, until I zoomed in and tried again.  Once you get the hearts turned 90 degrees in opposite directions, make a punch rectangle by resizing a square and move it to the middle of the hearts.  Then, group all three and re size them really small!  Then copy and paste some more and you have a skeleton costume.  For the Batman, make three owl punches, leave one whole, crop one just a body, then crop a belt.

Click on the owl body, then click the crop button.  In the new window, highlight the area you want to keep.  This picture is for the grey batman suit.





Click on the next owl body and make a smaller cropped area for the belt.










Put the three bodies together and you have a batman suited owl.  Next use the oval punch and the bat punch to make the belt buckle. 













The tree is from "Spooky bingo bits", the bats are from "Wicked Fun".   Wicket Fun is on sale until November 5th!  You get great Halloween papers and some really fun stamps for just $4.96, normally $9.95.  Check out this digital kit, and many others that are 50% off.  Sale ends November 5th! 






Thanks for stopping by!!

Free Downloads for Digital Scrapbooking Day!!

Who doesn't love free?   I love free and Stampin' Up! is offering free downloads this week for Digital Scrapbooking Day!!  YEA!!  And, to sweeten the deal even more, 50% off Digital Kits!!  I love so many of the digital kits, I think I have most of them already (love the instant gratification of digital downloads).    Get your free downloads through my stampin up store.  click the shop now button in the top right corner, then My Digital Studio in the column on the left.

Free Font Friday

I thought I would share with you a place where I get FREE FONTS.  I love FREE FONTS!   I really like playing with different fonts on my digital projects.   I found a site that offers free fonts on fridays.  Some of them I don't like but still download, not sure why,  some I really don't like and I pass on them, but a lot I really really like and use all the time, mostly handwritting styles.  They come out every Friday, and you can access them until the next friday.  The site is here, sponsored by Creating Keepsakes.   I thought today's font was cute.  I saved the site into my favorites and visit each Friday-ish to see what the new font looks like.   Another great site to visit for fonts and other things is the handmade home.  They post some really unique fonts from time to time. 




Thanks for stopping by!!
Check back on October 29th for Stampin' Up's Specials for National Digital Scrapbooking Day!!!

   

Toxic Frameable Template

The Toxic Frameable Template is just so perfect for making a Halloween project to decorate your home, but it is so much more than just an 8 1/2 by 11 frameable template!  You also get all the items that make up the template, like the cute Halloween graphics, webs, bats, spider, and more.  You also get the sort of distressed over lay that makes up the background, which you can change to any color to fit your needs as it comes as a stamp.   I was recently asked if the template could be re sized as is to make something like a card and the answer is yes you can!!  Just open the templates by going to the 8 1/2 by 11 portrait templates.  Once you have the project open, click the edit button, then re size, and choose your new size.  I made mine into a postcard front size 3 1/2 by 5.   Now sometimes when you re size things they are not perfect, and in this case, the background was off.  There was about a half an inch that was blank.  But no fear!  You can fix that.

See, this picture shows the problem.

If you right click on the page, you will get this box that says "unlock page object".  while your cursor is on the background stamp at the bottom, click the unlock and you will be able to move the background stamp to fit your page.  The toxic orange background is actually two layers so you need to unlock the first one, move it slightly so you can then unlock the second layer.  Then move them where you want them and you are done!

Another maybe easier way to do this is to just open up the template and then click the "project" button at the top tool bar, then click "share" and "export pages".   Save the picture somewhere, I have a folder for MDS projects.  Then close the page and open a new blank page.  On your blank page make a photo box in the size you wanted.  I chose to make a photo box 3 3/4 by 5 inches.  Then I import the template from my folder,  just as I would import a picture.   I made 4 photo boxes on my page, and that way I can make 4 cards with one print out.

  Then I printed them out on my paper, I printed onto Very Vanilla.  I cut them apart and adhered them to a layer of Pumpkin Pie card stock cut at 4 by 5 1/4.  I stuck a basic black glimmer brad in the corner, then adhered to a Basic Black card base. 

I recently used the toxic elements to make a price card for the craft fair I was in recently.

And I used it for a title on a scrapbook page.

 

A great thing about digital downloads is you don't have to wait for delivery!! Download the toxic frameable today!
Thanks for stopping by!

 

Zachary's Birthday

 

A lot of the children in my son Zachary's class bring a little treat of some kind on their birthday, so of course Zachary wanted to bring something too.  The school has a zero food policy, no candy or edible things of any kind, which makes it hard to think of what to bring.  Lucky for me Halloween is just around the corner and I found some fun things at Target to put in the little pouches.  I used the Blast Off kit from Stampin' Up! to create a page of these cute little space ships.  

There are 20 kids in class, so I printed out 5 sheets onto Whisper White card stock.  I cut them all apart and rolled them into tubes, sort of like toilet paper tubes.  I used red sticky strip to ensure that they stay together when I filled them.  Once you make your tube, pinch one end closed and use sticky strip again.  Then fill your pouch.  I forgot to fill two of them, very annoying. 

 

Next, use sticky strip again to pinch the other side closed, this time going in the opposite direction. 

I also made a few goodie bags for the boys who came with us to the movies for his birthday.  I used the same image, cut it out, and adhered it to a party bag.  I also made little toothpicks with aliens and "6" on them for the cup cakes.  This is a fun download, its a photobook download, but I have been using all the fun little embellishments on lots of projects and birthday cards and pages. 

 

Download includes:
* 1-page décor template (8-1/2" x 11")
* 1 double-sided postcard designer template (5" x 7")
* 1 greeting card designer template (4-1/4" x 5-1/2")
* 34-page board book template (8" x 8")
* 69-piece stamp brush set
* 12 Designer Series Papers
* 12 embellishments
* 2 punchesYou get all the papers and images in the book as stamp brush sets and embellishments.  Really fun.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

 

 

 

 

Storytime

I was heading to bed when I popped my head in the kids room to see if story time was almost over and I saw Jillian and Zachary all snuggled into their dad listening to the story.  Zachary was especially cute with his head resting on Daddy's arm.  I remembered my camera was not too far away, so I quietly went to get it and snapped a few pictures before they noticed me.   Ben is a good story teller and always makes it fun.  I love that the little two have this special time with daddy most nights.
 I used the perfectly named download "storytime" which is filled with cute graphics that look straight out of an old time story book.  The papers were great for this page too. 

Storytime Ensemble - Digital Download 127195 This download included all the embellishments used in the book below, papers, images, stamp brushes and templates.  All for $19.95.    Download includes: * 1 12" x 12" page designer template * 1 6-1/4" x 8-1/4" journal front and back cover designer template * 26-page 5-1/2" x 3-1/4" swatchbook designer template * 34-page 8" x 8" board book designer template * 74-piece stamp brush set * 20 Designer Series Papers * 126 embellishments * 1 punch Features: * Digital-exclusive * Packed with a variety of templates: flashcard swatchbook, ABC photobook, school page, journal * Complete with all the coordinating elements to create additional projects Coordinating colors: Basic Black, Basic Gray, Elegant Eggplant, Midnight Muse, Pool Party, Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie, Riding Hood Red, So Saffron, Soft Suede, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi

You might also like... smaller versions of the download that include the paper only, or the stamp sets only. see below for those downloads.  Storytime Designer Series Paper - Digital Download Regular Price: $5.50 Preferred Price: $4.95 Storybook Friends Stamp Brush Set - Digital Download Regular Price: $6.61 Preferred Price: $5.95

Monster Munchies

I used the Monster Munchies Digital Download to make these cute cupcake picks!  Cupcake picks make it easier to wrap cupcakes for bake sales because they keep the wrapping off the frosting, and they are super cute!! 

I used my paper punch to punch the circles out, them added a scallop circle punch to hid the tape I used to stick the toothpick to the circle. 

#131314  $12.95 Download includes:
* double-sided postcard designer template: invitation (3-1/2" x 5")
* 3-page décor designer template: treats, coaster (8-1/2" x 11")
* 14-piece SVG stamp brush set*
* 16 embellishments
* 7 Designer Series Papers
You get all these cute Monster Munchies tags and embellishments.  And, the great thing about buying digital downloads....  instant gratification!  No need to wonder if you'll get it in time for the party, download it as soon as you submit the order.   You also get all the cute papers you see behind the cute embellishments. 

 

Swim Lessons

I loved Rochelle Gould's page on MyDigitalStudio.net so I just had to make one like it with pictures from Jillian and Zachary's swim lessons.  I love how she used the scallop stitching to make waves, so clever. 
The bubble font on my page was a download from Creating Keepsakes, which has a digital scrapbooking site that gives away free font downloads each Friday.  Free Font Friday has some pretty fun fonts most of the time.  They only stay up a week, then you have to pay for them, usually $0.99 so not bad.  Add that link to your favorites and check them out on Fridays.   The scallop stitching comes with the MDS software in the embellishments section under "Staples and Stitching". 
Thanks for stopping by today!!

More Digi Frames!

I am really having fun playing with digital frames this week.  These frames have a great doodling look, perfect for David who often doodles on the backs of his homework or anywhere else with some white space.  The frames are from the Convention 2012 photobook download.  I did not get a chance to go to convention this year but I saw a lot of cute pages made with the elements of the photobook template pages, so I ended up breaking down and getting the download anyway.  The background papers have a chalk board look, the stamps are great frames and swirls and journaling blocks, all with a hand drawn look.   The layout for this page is from the My Digital Studio.net Weekly challenge.  This weeks challenge is a Scrap Map.  If  your project is chosen the winner, you get a free download!  I love downloads and free is always good!  Head on over to the Mydigitalstudio.net website and go to the scrap map 2 gallery to see the other entries, and if you like mine, leave a comment to help my chances of winning.  Or, even better, make a page of your own and try for the free download yourself!
Here is a bit of the detail from the download...

Its hard to see from the picture, but the download comes with several frames like I used for my page, 71 piece stamp brush set, 3 punches, papers, embellishments and a 24 page template #130971   $17.95. 

Frames!

I love all the fun frame options that are available with My Digital Studio.  This page uses some fun frames that were a download from September 11th and they are really fun!  The colors are crazy bright, but don't forget that you can change the color with the recoloring embellishments tool that came with the MDS2 upgrade.   I saw this layout on Mydigitalstudio.net, made by Jenn Picard and I knew I had to make one too!  So Fun.  Hope you like it.  The frame download is #131330 and is only  $2.95   The Jillian letters are from the Announcing baby download which comes with upper and lower case alphabet numbers and letters #129592 for $4.95 and the papers are from Urban Oasis #126042 for $4.95.
 Here is what you get with the frame download...

Thanks for stopping by today!

I am participating in a craft fair on Oct 13th.  If you are in the Lombard Illinois area, come say hi!  I will have a My Digital Studio display as well as a traditional paper crafting display!  Lombard Church of the Nazarene on Rt. 53 just south of North Ave.

 

Happy Halloween Hybrid Title

What is a traditional paper scrapbook page doing on my Digital Blog?   Well, I used My Digital Studio for the Title and the tag!  It is hard to line up stamped letters sometimes, and a lot of work to cut out lots of letters, so when I decided to make a traditional paper page, I was a bit bummed about what to do for a title.  Then I thought about scanning the photos and doing a digi page, but the photos are not great to begin with, so scanning might make them worse.  So, a hybrid page is the perfect solution!  These pictures are from 1993!!  I do my scrapbook pages in no particular order as you can tell! 

I created the title by opening a blank project page in an 8 1/2 by 11 size, since that works with my printer.  I did a search in my stamps for anything with the word Halloween and picked my favorite, which turned out to be the Happy Halloween from the Toxic Frameable download.  I then added the cute spider from that download as well.  I wanted some color on my words, so I changed them to Tangerine Tango to match my project, then chose the "Coloring Tool" to add some black highlights.

 Next I added some basic black splatters, and changed their opacity to about 36%.  I grouped all the elements together, copied and pasted another set underneath the first, and saved the page.  I stuck a piece of Very Vanilla into my printer and printed it out.  


I also used MDS for my tag. 

Thanks for stopping by today!