Scentsational Mojo

I'm really loving the Scentsational Season stamp set and the Holiday Collection framelits.  Oh, and I can't forget the Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper.  It's so easy to create cute holiday cards with these great new products!

Today's card design is based on this week's Mojo Monday sketch.

 



For the greeting, I stamped the "Season's Greetings" from the More Merry Messages stamp set in Cherry Cobbler ink onto a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock.  I then used the Big Shot and the Apothecary Accents framelits to cut out the greeting.  If you look closely, you'll see that I paper-pierced the edges of the greeting.  The Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack features a template that fits this label....how cool is that?

Here is a complete list of the supplies used:

STAMP SETS:  Scentsational Season, More Merry Messages

INK:  Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede

PAPER:  Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper

ACCESSORIES:  Big Shot, Holiday Collection Framelits, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack, Stampin' Pierce Mat, Paper-Piercing Tool, White Gel Pen, Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details

All of these products can be ordered online on my Stampin' Up! website.

Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Tree Card Video

After all the finalists were notified about the Artisan Award, we decided to have a card swap at convention.  If you've participated in a swap before, you know there is always a certain amount of anxiety involved.  Is my card good enough?  Will people like it?  Well, imagine having to swap with Artisan finalists! 

I decided to re-create my tree card with current Stampin' Up product for the swap.  So, I made 25 of these babies!  (19 for the finalists and a few for Shelli and the team from SU)  I actually liked the way this one turned out better than the one I submitted for the contest.

And here is some exciting news.....I created a video to show you how I made it!  I am hoping that I'll be able to do more videos now that the kids are in school.   I'll be giving away the card that I created in the video to one lucky viewer.  Simply leave a comment here, on YouTube, or on my Facebook page.  One person will be selected at random on August 31st to receive the card.

 

To make this card, you'll need the following supplies:

STAMP SETS:  Scentsational Season, Sweets for the Sweet

INK:  Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede

PAPER:  Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper, Very Vanilla card stock, Lucky Limeade Card stock, Early Espresso Card Stock, Silver Glimmer Paper

PUNCHES:  Scallop Edge Border Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, 1-3/4" Square Punch, 1" Circle Punch

DIE-CUTTING:  Big Shot, Holiday Collection Framelits, Perfect Pennants Bigz L Die

ADHESIVE:  SNAIL, Dimensionals

OTHER:  Stampin' sponge, Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details (did not use in video, but shown on gingerbread man's buttons)

PAPER MEASUREMENTS:

Very Vanilla Card Stock:  4" x 8", scored at 4"

Strips of Very Vanilla & Designer Series Paper:  4-1/2" x 1"

 

If you recreate this card, I would love to see it!  Happy Stampin'

 

Artisan Finalist Blog Hop Day 10

 I can't believe this is the final day for the blog hop!  It has been such a fun and inspiring 10 days.  I've absolutely loved reading about everyone's projects and learning all about the intricate details.  If you've come from Holly Van Dyne's blog, you know exactly what I mean.

It looks like all of us saved the best for last.  Hopefully, I'm no exception.  This project was my absolute FAVORITE by far!  It was so hard to pack it up and send it to Stampin' Up!  I really wanted to keep it and I DID NOT WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER ONE!

I know quite a few florists and I'm always inspired by their artistry.  I showed a paper flower to one of my florist friends and told her about the project I had in mind.  She informed me that I would need to make A LOT of flowers to create a full bouquet.  I didn't know exactly how many A LOT was, but I ended up making over 80 flowers!  There are several different styles of paper flowers in this bouquet---I punched, die cut, cut, and rolled flowers for an entire day.  After all of the flowers were made, I had to attach them to floral wire and arrange them.  Eighty flowers ended up being too many, so I think the bouquet ended up with 50-60 flowers total.

The underside of the bouquet was unattractive with the floral wires showing, so I added some light green tulle to cover it.  The handle was wrapped with Daffodil Delight Striped Grosgrain ribbon and I added some jumbo pearls to accent it.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog during the Artisan Finalist Blog Tour!  I really appreciate all of your kind comments and I hope that you'll continue to visit.

You are now ready to visit the blog of Amy O'Neill.

This blog hop will take you in a complete circle, but if you happen to lose your way, here is a list you can refer to.

1. Connie Collins


2. Holly VanDyne


3. Melissa Stout  (you are here!)


4. Amy O'Neill


5. Sandie Conner


6. Amy Rogers


7. Mercedes Weber


8. Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin


9. Mindy Bingamon

 

STAMPIN' SUPPLIES

PAPER:  Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo, Pear Pizzaz, Concord Crush, Poppy Parade

ACCESSORIES:  Blossom Punch, Fancy Flower Punch, 2-3/8” Scallop Punch, Big Shot, Flower Fusion Die, Daffodil Delight 1-1/4” Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Jumbo Pearls

NON-STAMPIN’ UP!:  Tulle, Floral Wire, Floral Tape, Hot Glue

Artisan Finalist Blog Hop Day 9

I can hardly believe that the blog hop is almost over!  There have been some fabulous projects shared over the last week.  I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have!  If you started the blog hop from the beginning, you've just come from the blog of Holly VanDyne.  She is such an incredible artist!

Have you ever created something and it turned out NOTHING like what you had imagined?  Well, that is exactly what happened with this project.   I had originally wanted to make a display of photo props that was mostly black & white, somewhat vintage-looking.  And this is what happened.....

The moustaches and neckties were created in My Digital Studio, cut out, and adhered to dowel rods....that was the easy part.  Then, I started painting the blocks with black paint.....didn't like it.  So then, I covered the blocks with Designer Series Paper.  I didn't like that either because you could see the black paint on all of the corners of the blocks.  So I took a foam brush and added white paint to all of the edges to give it a shabby look.  Mission accomplished, but it needed something more.  I added the pleated paper border, letters, and a camera image for My Digital Studio to pull it all together.

Be sure to visit again tomorrow.....I think I've saved the best for last!

This blog hop will take you in a complete circle, but if you happen to lose your way, here is a list you can refer to. Be sure to check back every day this week for more great stamping and paper crafting ideas!

1. Connie Collins


2. Holly VanDyne


3. Melissa Stout  (you are here!)


4. Amy O'Neill


5. Sandie Conner


6. Amy Rogers


7. Mercedes Weber


8. Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin


9. Mindy Bingamon

 

You are now ready to visit Amy O'Neill.  She's got a great project to share with you today!

 

STAMPIN' SUPPLIES

MY DIGITAL STUDIO:  Father’s Day, Many Mustaches

PAPER:  Eat Cake DSP

ACCESSORIES:  Décor Blocks

NON-STAMPIN’ UP!:  Wood Dowels, White Acrylic Paint

Thanks for stopping by!

Artisan Finalist Blog Hop Day 8

It's Day 8 of the Artisan Finalist Blog Hop!  If you started from the beginning, you've just visited Holly VanDyne's blog.  She's a hard act to follow!   You'll be able to follow the blog hop all the way through by clicking on the links at the end of this post.

Today's card was actually the very last project that I created for the Artisan Award contest.  I had procastinated on making it because I wanted this last card to have a vintage-y, shabby chic feel to it.  It didn't turn out exactly as I had envisioned it, but that was okay.  It ended up being one of my favorites.

The fun thing about this card is that I was able to use up a bunch of scrap Designer Series Paper.  I actually just grabbed anything with a green pattern!

This card has a lot of sparkle thanks to the silver glimmer snowflakes and the red & silver glimmer brads.  You'll notice that I did sponge all the edges of the cardstock to give the card that vintage look.

The topper of the tree was a double-loop seam binding bow on top of a silver glimmer snowflake.  I pulled the ends of the ribbon to created the ruffled ends.

I've noticed that quite a few of the Artisan finalists decorated the inside of their cards.  This card is no exception!

There is a complete supply list for this card at the end of this post.  Many of the items on this card have retired, but I've got a special treat for you!

At convention this year, all of the finalists participated in a card swap.  I recreated this card with current Stampin' Up! product.  Because this is such a FUN card, I am going to have a video tutorial available on my blog on Monday.  You'll probably want to subscribe to my blog so that you can receive the updates, including this tutorial.

This blog hop will take you in a complete circle, but if you happen to lose your way, here is a list you can refer to. Be sure to check back every day this week for more great stamping and paper crafting ideas!

1. Connie Collins


2. Holly VanDyne


3. Melissa Stout  (you are here!)


4. Amy O'Neill


5. Sandie Conner


6. Amy Rogers


7. Mercedes Weber


8. Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin


9. Mindy Bingamon

 

You are now ready to visit Amy O'Neill.  She's got a great project to share with you today!

 

STAMPIN' SUPPLIES

STAMP SET:  Petite Pairs

INK:  Soft Suede, Real Red

PAPER:  Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Soft Suede, Garden Green, Everyday Enchantment DSP, Paisley Petals DSP, Nursery Nest DSP, Silver Glimmer Paper

ACCESSORIES:  Big Shot, Perfect Pennants Die, Northern Frost Die, Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon, Basics Glimmer Brads, Brights Glimmer Brads, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, 1-1/4” Square Punch

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Artisan Finalsit Blog Tour Day 7

In case you are just joining us, we are a group of nine out of twenty Stampin' Up! demonstrators who were selected as finalists in the 2012 Artisan Design Team competition. We didn't make the design team, but we thought you would still enjoy seeing our projects. There are a lot of talented ladies on this blog hop, so we hope you continue to join us each day for our ten day event. If you are making the rounds, you should have just arrived from Holly VanDyne's blog.

I'm excited to share today's card with you.  It's one of my favorites and it just makes me smile.  This is a MDS hybrid, meaning there are digital and traditional elements on the card.  If you saw it at convention, you probably weren't WOW'd by this card.  That is because the fun is on the inside.....

The "barn doors" were created with the Big Shot and the Peekaboo Frames Die.  I simply had a sheet of Riding Hood Red card stock printed when I sent my print order, so that I could die cut the doors to match.  The barn and the base card were created with My Digital Studio.  When you open the doors, this is what you'll see......

Here is a closer look of my pink piggies......

Aren't they cute?  But that's not all!  When you open the card, the inside looks like this....

I've got a complete list of supplies at the end of this post.  Most of the items are still available.  And if you haven't tried My Digital Studio yet, you can get a FREE 30-day trial.  It's a great way to try before you buy!

This blog hop will take you in a complete circle, but if you happen to lose your way, here is a list you can refer to. Be sure to check back every day this week for more great stamping and paper crafting ideas!

1. Connie Collins


2. Holly VanDyne


3. Melissa Stout  (you are here!)


4. Amy O'Neill


5. Sandie Conner


6. Amy Rogers


7. Mercedes Weber


8. Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin


9. Mindy Bingamon

 

You are now ready to visit Amy O'Neill.  She's got a great project to share with you today!

 

STAMPIN' SUPPLIES

STAMP SET:  Button Buddies, Smarty Pants

INK:  Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede, Basic Black

ACCESSORIES:  Natural Hemp Twine, Big Shot, Peekaboo Frames Die, Subtles and Neutrals Buttons

MY DIGITAL STUDIO:  Barnyard Buddies, Cloud Punch, Torn Edges

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Artisan Finalist Blog Hop Day 6

Welcome to the sixth day of our fabulous Artisan Finalist Blog Tour!  I've really enjoyed seeing everyone's projects and I hope you have, too.  If you are making the rounds on the tour, you should have just arrived from Holly VanDyne's blog.  Didn't you just love her project?  She is so creative!

My project for today is a masculine card.  I always find it difficult to come up with ideas for manly cards, so this was a bit of a challenge.  I had also been playing around with different ways to create chevron patterns and knew I wanted to create a masculine card using chevrons in the background.  And this is what I came up with.....

There is quite a bit of texture and dimension on this card.  The "chevron" background was a little complicated to explain, but if there is enough interest, I'll consider creating a tutorial after the blog hop.  Leave me a comment below if you want to know more.

The Designer Series Paper on this card has retired, but fortunately all the other supplies are still available through Stampin' UP!  Scroll down to the bottom of this post for a complete supply list.

This blog hop will take you in a complete circle, but if you happen to lose your way, here is a list you can refer to. Be sure to check back every day this week for more great stamping and paper crafting ideas!

1. Connie Collins


2. Holly VanDyne


3. Melissa Stout  (you are here!)


4. Amy O'Neill


5. Sandie Conner


6. Amy Rogers


7. Mercedes Weber


8. Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin


9. Mindy Bingamon

 

You are now ready to visit Amy O'Neill.  She's got a great project to share with you today!

 

STAMPIN' SUPPLIES

STAMP SET:  Daring Adventure

INK:  River Rock, Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy

PAPER:  River Rock, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy, Well Worn DSP

ACCESSORIES:  Big Shot, Houndstooth and Stripes Embossing Folders, Regals Buttons, Blue Denim Jean Ribbon, Natural Hemp Twine, 1” square punch

Thanks for stopping by!

Artisan Finalist Blog Hop Day 5

Wow!  I can't believe we are at the half-way mark already.  There have been so many amazing projects shared and my fellow finalists have got my creative juices flowing!

If you are making the rounds on the tour, you should have just arrived from Holly VanDyne's blog.  I just love her work, don't you?

When I started planning my projects for the Artisan Award contest, I knew that I wanted to show several different styles.  Today's card is "simple and elegant." 

To create the flower, I punched several pieces of Rose Red card stock with a scallop circle punch.  I spritzed each circle with water, allowed it to dry, and then distressed it with a bone folder to break down the paper fibers.  This process allowed me to peel the paper circles apart into 2 very thin layers.

The circles were stacked together and a brad placed in the center.  I sprayed the flower lightly with a mixture of shimmer paint and alcohol, then ruffled up the petals.

The scallop borders were created with the Tasteful Trim die.  The edges were sponged and then I placed tiny pearls all along the scallop edge.  Scroll down to the end of this post to see a complete list of supplies.

This blog hop will take you in a complete circle, but if you happen to lose your way, here is a list you can refer to. Be sure to check back every day this week for more great stamping and paper crafting ideas!

1. Connie Collins


2. Holly VanDyne


3. Melissa Stout  (you are here!)


4. Amy O'Neill


5. Sandie Conner


6. Amy Rogers


7. Mercedes Weber


8. Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin


9. Mindy Bingamon

 

You are now ready to visit Amy O'Neill.  She's got a great project to share with you today!

 

STAMPIN' SUPPLIES

STAMP SET:  Teeny Tiny Wishes

INK:  Concord Crush

PAPER:  Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Concord Crush, Rose Red, Timeless Portrait DSP

ACCESSORIES:  Big Shot, Tasteful Trim Die, Rose Red Seam Binding Ribbon, 1-3/4” Scallop Circle Punch, Modern Label Punch, Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, Basic Pearls

 

Artisan Finalist Blog Hop Day 4

 Welcome to Day 4 of the Artisan Finalist Blog Hop!  Since it's a Monday, I thought it would be a great day to feature a bright & cheerful card.

The Artisan contest really helped me stretch my creativity.  You might find this hard to believe, but I've never felt that scrapbooking was my strong suit and I usually shy away from bright colors.  I think yesterday's scrapbook page and today's card are prime examples of what can happen when you step outside your comfort zone. 

I used markers to ink up the greeting stamp.  The ribbon was gathered and adhered with sticky strip.  I believe this style of card is called a "starburst".  Most samples I've seen, the designer will sew between the different strips of paper.  I DON'T SEW!  So, I used White Craft ink on the edges of each paper to make it stand out.

Here is some great news!  All of the products that I used on this card are still available through Stampin' Up!  I've got the supply list at the end of this post.

 

This blog hop will take you in a complete circle, but if you happen to lose your way, here is a list you can refer to. Be sure to check back every day this week for more great stamping and paper crafting ideas!

1. Connie Collins


2. Holly VanDyne


3. Melissa Stout  (you are here!)


4. Amy O'Neill


5. Sandie Conner


6. Amy Rogers


7. Mercedes Weber


8. Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin


9. Mindy Bingamon

 

You are now ready to visit Amy O'Neill.  She's got a great project to share with you today!

 

STAMPIN' SUPPLIES

STAMP SET:  Bright Blooms, Word Play

MARKERS:  Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Pacific Point, Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black

INK:  Whisper White Craft, Pacific Point

PAPER:  Whisper White, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Summer Smooches DSP

ACCESSORIES:  Big Shot, Designer Frames Embossing Folder, Daffodil Delight Seam Binding Ribbon, Paper Daisies, Brights Brads

Thanks for stopping by!

Artisan Finalist Blog Hop Day 3

Here we are at Day 3 of the blog hop.  I really hope you've been enjoying these amazing projects!  I also want to tell you that I've really appreciated all the kind comments and emails about my projects so far.  For those that are wondering, Bella is doing great and will be starting Kindergarten on Wednesday.

The story behind this next scrapbook page could be called, "How Janine Tinklenberg Helped Me Become an Artisan Finalist."  I loved this card from her and decided to recreate the card to use as one of my class samples.  I made the flowers, but never got around to making the actual card.  So the flowers found themselves in my scrap pile.

In the midst of creating my projects for the Artisan Award contest, I developed Bell's Palsy.  For two weeks, I was unable to do much of anything due to pain and fatigue.  When I finally felt a little better, I struggled with a very dry eye and frequent eye pain.  Unfortunately, I only had 4 of my projects done and just 2 weeks to finish the other 6 projects.  I refused to quit, even though it was very tempting.

This scrapbook page was one of the last projects that I needed to complete.  I had almost everything done, but it needed "something".  I absolutely could not stand the thought of making another paper flower (you'll see why soon).  At this point, I was running out of time and starting to just throw stuff together.  As I was digging through my scrap pile, the Jan Flowers (as I like to call them) appeared.

When I added those 3 flowers to the page, I knew they were perfect.  Jan managed to save my sanity and help me become an Artisan finalist.

Thanks Jan!

There are lots of small details on this page and fortunately I took lots of pictures before sending it off to Stampin' Up!  You can click on any of the thumbnails to get a closer look.  I will have a list of all the ingredients for this page at the bottom of this post.

This blog hop will take you in a complete circle, but if you happen to lose your way, here is a list you can refer to. Be sure to check back every day this week for more great stamping and paper crafting ideas!

1. Connie Collins


2. Holly VanDyne


3. Melissa Stout  (you are here!)


4. Amy O'Neill


5. Sandie Conner


6. Amy Rogers


7. Mercedes Weber


8. Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin


9. Mindy Bingamon

 

You are now ready to visit Amy O'Neill.  She's got a great project to share with you today!

 

STAMPIN' SUPPLIES

PAPER:  Whisper White, Summer Smooches DSP

ACCESSORIES:  Big Shot, Designer Frames Embossing Folder, Brights Buttons, Natural Hemp Twine, White Baker’s Twine, Summer Smooches Brads, Blossom Punch, Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, Petite Pennants Builder Punch

Artisan Finalist Blog Hop Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of the Artisan Finalist Blog Hop!  I hope you are enjoying all of these amazing projects. 

If you started the hop from the beginning, you just finished visiting the amazing blog of Holly VanDyne.  I am always WOWed by her projects and today's project was no exception.

Today, I'm sharing another scrapbook page and this one has a very personal story.  This picture of my daughter was taken in late December 2011.  Two weeks later, Bella was admitted to the hospital due to dehydration, malnutrition, and fever.  We soon found out that she has Crohn's Disease.

I think that was the longest and certainly one of the most difficult weeks of my life.  When your child gets diagnosed with a chronic, life-long illness, you can't help but question everything.  I wondered what I had done wrong.  I wondered what her life would be like in the future.  And I felt like all my hopes and dreams for her had been crushed.

To say that I went through a grieving process would be an understatement. 

Friends and family made frequent visits to the hospital so that I could take short breaks.  During one such break, I was driving in my car and the song, "I Hope You Dance" came on the radio.  I broke into tears.

I suddenly realized that we could face ANYTHING with the right attitude and that this disease was not going to quash those hopes & dreams.

Here is my second project:

At first glance, this will seem like a clean & simple digital page.  There are many overlays and layers that make up the background.  I used shades of Whisper White, Very Vanilla, and Pink Pirouette to create a very soft, feminine look.

The strand of pearls was created by first stamping a Curly Cue from the Notes stamp set.  I lined up 50 bazillion pearls over the line image of the stamp, then locked them all in place.  (Okay, it wasn't 50 bazillion....but it was close!)

Here are the supplies from My Digital Studio:

Embellishments
    Basic Pearls and Rhinestones\Basic Pearls and Rhinestones - pearl large

Stamps
    _Designer Kits\Twitterpated\Twitterpated - background 3, Color = WHISPER WHITE 255,255,255
    Music Notes\Music Notes - background, Color = 0,0,0
    Notes\Notes - curly cue, Color = PINK PIROUETTE 255,216,209
    Vintage Overlays\Vintage Overlays - texture 4, Color = PINK PIROUETTE 255,216,209
    Vintage Overlays\Vintage Overlays - texture 13, Color = 255,250,226

Punches
    Large Photo Corner Punch, Fill Color = PINK PIROUETTE 255,216,209
    Large Photo Corner Punch, Fill Color = PINK PIROUETTE 255,216,209
    Alphabet & Numbers\Smitten Alphabet Punch\Smitten Alphabet Punch - a, Fill Color = BASIC GRAY 118,122,121
    Alphabet & Numbers\Smitten Alphabet Punch\Smitten Alphabet Punch - c, Fill Color = BASIC GRAY 118,122,121
    Alphabet & Numbers\Smitten Alphabet Punch\Smitten Alphabet Punch - d, Fill Color = BASIC GRAY 118,122,121
    Alphabet & Numbers\Smitten Alphabet Punch\Smitten Alphabet Punch - e, Fill Color = BASIC GRAY 118,122,121
    Alphabet & Numbers\Smitten Alphabet Punch\Smitten Alphabet Punch - n, Fill Color = BASIC GRAY 118,122,121

Photos
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Twitterpated - designer series paper\Twitterpated - 7

 

Here's how the Blog Hop works. Our blog hop makes an endless loop, so no matter where you begin, you should find yourself back where you started. If you lose your way then you can refer to the list below. If there are ten of us, then why only nine names? Unfortunately Mary Haugen was not able to join us due to technical difficulities.

1.  Connie Collins

2.  Holly VanDyne

3.  Melissa Stout  YOU ARE HERE!

4.  Amy O'Neill

5.  Sandie Conner

6.  Amy Rogers

7.  Mercedes Weber

8.  Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin

9.  Mindy Bingamon

 

You are now ready to visit the one and only Amy O'Neill.

See you back here tomorrow!

Artisan Finalist Blog Hop Day 1

I am so excited to finally be able to share my projects from this year's Artisan Award contest.  Over the next 10 days, all of the Artisan finalists will be sharing their amazing designs.  You'll definitely want to follow along!

What is the Artisan Award?

Each year, Stampin' Up! holds a competition for demonstrators based on the creativity, style, craftsmanship, composition, color, and consistency of their projects.  To participate, you must produce 3 scrapbook pages, 5 cards, and 2 scrapbook pages.

Twenty finalists are chosen from among all the entries.  From the twenty finalists, 10 are chosen to be on the Artisan Design Team.  While we are not the ones who were selected for the design team, we still thought it would be fun to give you a closer look at our projects.  I know you will be absolutely blown away by the talent in this group of demonstators.

Here is my first project:

I created this page with My Digital Studio using the Keep This Memory Photobook Designer Template.  This download is probably my all-time favorite!  It includes a complete 26-page template for creating a 12" x 12" photobook.  All you have to do is add your pictures and you are done.  OR.....you can do as I did, and really step it up.

There are quite a few small details such as stitching and small buttons that I added to make this page POP!   One of the great things about MDS2 is I can now give you a list of supplies used.

Background
     Color = SOFT SUEDE

Embellishments
    Designer Kits\Keep This Memory - embellishments
    Staple & Stitching\Very Vanilla - Stitching Straight
    Round Buttons\Soft Suede - button
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - White
   
Stamps
    Designer Kits\Keep This Memory\Keep This Memory

Punches
    Hexagon Punch
    Round Tab Half Punch

 

And here is a little piece of trivia......You can't use a picture of yourself on any of the contest entries.  Do you know how difficult it was to find a family photo that I wasn't in?  I actually had to ask a friend if I could use HER family's photo for this layout!  How funny is that?

 

Here's how the Blog Hop works. Our blog hop makes an endless loop, so matter where you begin, you should find yourself back where you started. If you lose your way then you can refer to the list below. If there are ten of us, then why only nine names? Unfortunately Mary Haugen was not able to join us due to technical difficulities.

1.  Connie Collins

2.  Holly VanDyne

3.  Melissa Stout  YOU ARE HERE!

4.  Amy O'Neill

5.  Sandie Conner

6.  Amy Rogers

7.  Mercedes Weber

8.  Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin

9.  Mindy Bingamon

 

You may have just visited one of my favorite digital divas, Holly VanDyne. 

You are now ready to visit the one and only Amy O'Neill.

See you back here tomorrow!

Are you a Newsletter Subscriber?

If you are, you should have received the August Stampin' Newsletter in your email inbox today.  This month's newsletter includes my upcoming class schedule, a technique tutorial on using the Core'dinations card stock, a quick & easy card, and more information on My Digital Studio.

You can view the newsletter by clicking here.

If you want to subscribe, simply use the sign up box on the right side of my blog or at the link above.

August 1....so much to tell you about!

There are so many exciting things in the Stamping world today and I can't wait to share them with you!

First, MDS 2 is now available!  If you have already purchased MDS, you can get an upgrade to the new software for $19.95.

Get 31% off 31 digital content options and most of our print products for all 31 days in August! Feed your My Digital Studio addiction. Not into it yet? With digital goods on sale and a new software that you can try for FREE with the 30-day trial, August is the time to see what it's all about!

What's on sale?
ALL cards, photobooks, individual pages, and tags.  That's right: print any photobook, board book, swatchbook, individual pages, greeting card, postcard, trifold card, or tag-all for 31% off.

Some of our best digital content.  30 downloads and 1 content disc. Yup, that equals 31.  You can view the sale items in my online store.

 

Spooktacular Offer
During August, we've only got treats-no tricks-for you!  New demonstrators will get a FREE Howl-o-ween Printer's Tray project kit-a $60 value-just for doing what they already love.

It's only $99 to sign up and create their own Starter Kit, choosing up to $125 in any current Stampin' Up! products!  JOIN NOW

 

2012-2013 Holiday Catalog
Wait until you see all the gorgeous products available in this year's holiday catalog.  They are available for ordering now.  You can view the products in my online store or you can download the pdf.

Local customers may pick up a copy of the Holiday Mini catalog at the Stamp Pad from 9am--noon on Saturday, August 4th.

If you would like me to send you a copy of the Holiday Catalog and you are not currently working with a Stampin' Up demonstrator, email me at melissa@thestampdoc.com and I'll make sure you get one!