Hello School ~ TSOT81

For many of us it is back to school time.  The SU Storytime DSP pack makes me think of school, so I thought I would play with it today as my kids finish their first week of school. 

I used this weeks sketch at Try Stampin' On Tuesday for the base inspiration.  My first thought was to use strips of paper from the Storytime pack, but then I saw this ruler paper that already had strips.  :)  Made it easy to put this card together.

Challenge #81

I added a strip of white paper to make my window framelits stand out from the background paper.  Instead of a button I used a ribbon slide, and adhered it using glue dots.  :)

Sorry the colors are washed out.  I'm not sure why.  They look vibrant on my camera, but washed out on the blog.  ???  One of life's many mysteries.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

SU Items Used:
Stamps: Friendship Preserves
Paper: Storytime DSP, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Wild Wasabi
Ink: Ridinghood Red, Basic Gray, Wild Wasabi
Misc: Wild Wasabi Stitched Grograine Ribbon, Window Frames Framelits, Round Designer Ribbon Slides

Hope Is A Wish...

Yesterday was a big day in our house.  My oldest turned 16 and both boys started school!  I'm not sure where the summer went, but it flew by super fast!!!  After I dropped them off this morning I went to my hobby room for some "craft therapy".  Here is what I came up with.

There are some great challenges out there in blogland.  In fact, I've got a stack of them printed out from the past couple of weeks that I haven't had time to complete.   This card is a combo of two challenges.  I started with the Dynamic Duo.  This was an easy first step because it uses two of my favorite colors, Wisteria Wonder and Concord Crush.   Love them!  They make any card pretty.  I usually struggle with color challenges, but just using 2 colors I love made this challenge super easy.

The second inspiration came from the current Retro Sketches challenge.  It's using another one of my SU favorites, the Top Note die.  I love the clean look to this sketch and the pretty bow, so I tried to mimic it pretty closely.

It's very hard to see in the picture, but I tried to capture the effect.   I used the new SU Illuminate Glimmer Watermark Ink with clear embossing powder.  In person you can tell it is reflecting the light in a luminous way.  It's very pretty.  The sentiment uses the same Illuminate Glimmer Watermark Ink pad and the Concord Crush (retired) ink pad.  Then I quickly used clear embossing powder on it too.

The strip of Basic Rhinestones added just the touch of added sparkle I wanted on this card.

For the inside I made good use of my scraps.  :)   And, I made a discovery when I punched out my name label for the back.   It fits perfectly in the new small scallop circle punch!

It didn't take me long to get my groove back.  Now if the dishes and laundry would do themselves, the groceries would magically appear in my pantry/fridge/freezer, and meals would cook without needing me to prepare them I might just get to the rest of the challenges I have sitting in my craft room.   :)

Creative Blessings,
Heather

All products used are from Stampin' UP:
Paper: Wisteria Wonder, Concord Crush, DSP Patterns Stack
Ink:  Illuminate Glimmer Watermark, Concord Crush
Stamps: Blooming with Kindness
Misc.: Top Note Die, Clear Embossing Powder, Basic Rhinestones, Linen Thread, Concord Crush Ribbon (retired)



Blooming With Kindness

Illuminate Glimmer Watermark

Top Note Die

MDS Color Challenge

It's back to school week here, and it seems fitting that I am taking a class too.  Today's card is my first MDS project that I made from start to finish without using a template.  The class I am taking put out a color challenge, so I decided it was a good time to try making something on my own.  I can obviously still use some work, but here is what I came up with.

If you would like to participate in this challenge, make a project using the following colors.  It doesn't have to be digital.  I'm just trying to learn My Digital Studio, and the easiest way for my to do that is just to play with it.  ;)   In fact I just made the tag below to show you the colors.  This is fun!

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

MDS Monday

I've been playing around with MyDigitalStudio2 (MDS2).  It's Stampin' UP!'s digital creator software.   Because the program is new to me and I don't have a local demonstrator to help me, I signed up for an MDS2 online class.  :)  Hopefully I will become knowledgeable enough to help my customers if I ever have any that want to do digital scrapbooking.  ;)

I won't be giving up traditional scrapbooking any time soon, but you might see a few digital layouts from time to time.  Plus, I have already used it to create (and print) my own stationary.   Did you know you can print from your own home printer, send it out to be printed or have SU print & ship to you?  Here is a journal I just created using MDS2+ yesterday morning.

Front Cover

Back Cover

Basically I took the template that SU had in their program and changed colors, papers, embellishments, etc.  I loved the swirls and overlays, and the butterflies so I kept those.  Here is what the original cover looks like.

How fun is that?!!!  The original journal is already in the MDS2+ program.  I see so many possibilities with this program. 


Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Friends Matter

Today's card was super quick to make.  The colors come from a color challenge on SN.  (Melon Mambo, Early Espresso, and Whisper White)    After I sponged the embossed layer with Early Espresso I wished that I had not inked it so heavily.  To offset that a bit I decided to add some glimmer mist.

The shimmer mist curled the sentiment and I was going to tack it down with two more dimensionals.  But I kind-of like the way it curled on both ends so I might not.   I love the little pearls, don't you?

I chose a friend sentiment because my friends have been neglected since baseball season started last Spring. <gasp> Once school starts I really want to send some of my friends notes letting them know I have not forgotten them.  If you are one of my poor neglected friends who needs a card from me just let me know in the comments below, or on one of the cards I post next week and I will send you the card you post on.  ;) 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Affection Collection

Modern Label Punch

Vintage Wallpaper EF

Office Kindness ~TSOT#80

Our card-a-day blog group has a new challenge this week.  The challenge is to make a card with an office theme.  When I think of office I think of secretaries, paper, mail, phones, typewriters, computers, keys (don't know why), desks, etc.

I really need a card for someone at work so I decided to jump back into making cards with this challenge.  I thought about making a card similar to the one in this post clicky, but when I pulled out the Fan Fair paper I found this postcard image that I thought would be fun to play with.

Once I had the main image I looked through my pile of sketches.  I've been printing them out the past couple of weeks, but haven't had much creative time.  The sketch from Try Stampin' On Tuesday was PERFECT!  I really like this sketch, and I'm thinking about using it to create a scrapbooking page. 

The swirls in the background are what really captured me about this sketch.  It's hard to see with my focal image on there, so I took a picture before adhering it.  If I use this sketch again for a card I will use a smaller image.  The swirls are from the Everything Eleanor stamp set.

As for the details, I stamped the sentiment from the stamp set Blooming with Kindness.   The ribbon is Island Indigo Ruffled Ribbon and the pearls are from the Basic Pearls set.

For the inside I took another image from the Fan Fair DSP and stamped Thank You, then cut it out.   I wanted the paper I stamped on to match the paper on the front of the card and this worked very well.

I'm giving this to someone at work to thank them for always going above and beyond.  The best part is it really could be given to a man or a women.  I would probably switch out the pearls for brads if I was giving this to a man though.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Card Recipe of SU products used:

Paper: Fan Fair, Everyday Enchantment (retired), Very Vanilla, Island Indigo
Stamps: Everything Eleanor, Blooming With Kindness
Ink: Basic Grey
Misc. Basic Pearls, Island Indigo Ruffled Ribbon

Updates

Just a quick post to let you know what I have been up to.  Scott and the boys finished the roof on the shed, and we got it painted.  It looks so good!  Not there's just the inside to finish and a few things outside.  :)  Yippee!  Here is a picture of the work in progress.  Max thinks we built him his own house and wants to know why the doors are closed.  lol

School starts next week, so this week is filled with "back to school stuff".   This includes haircuts, getting new backpacks, school supplies, clothes, shoes, etc.   If you have ever done this with 2 boys you probably know what a painful process this can be.  :)

Michael also started football, so he has practice every morning.   This means we can't do the "errands" until practice is over and he has a shower.  lol Today he is supposed to have a friend over after practice, so I may not get any back to school stuff done.

On top of that,  I'm in a swap that is due this week.  YIKES!  I've really struggled with this swap and had to redesign it several times.   :(  Anyway, I'll be working on my swap cards in between errands and work.  No new cards for me until I get this swap done.  I apologize to my card a day blog group.  I'll be back on track soon though, I hope.  Thankfully I'm in the final stretch.  

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

***Update***  My cards are all finished!  :)  I just need to print out the card recipe and get them ready to ship tomorrow, hopefully.  I can't show you the finished cards until everyone receives theirs, but here is a shot of my "in progress".  I actually watched a movie on my laptop while I worked on these today.  The boys were engrossed in their game.  :)

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Spoiler Alert for SN Fall Swap
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Scrapbook Sunday

I miss scrapbooking.  My scrapbooking stuff has been collecting dust most of the summer.  I'm currently working on July 2009 in our family album.  Yesterday the entire family was in the hobby room, and I got a chance to work on pictures of the Tillamook Air Museum.  I love working on those types of pages when the boys are around because they get excited about what I am doing.  Hopefully I will get some time to finish that layout this afternoon, so I can share it with you guys next week.  I find that once I jump in with scrapbooking I can usually get on a roll.

Today though, I thought I would share with you my first MDS2 page.  My Digital Studio 2 (MDS2) is Stampin' UP!'s digital creation software.  I purchased the kit that comes with an extra $500 worth of digital "stuff".  This page was made this morning, start to finish, using one of the predesigned pages in the kit, as well as some stamp images from Daring Adventure.  (also in the kit)  It was quick and fairly easy to do.  I still have a long way to go before I master digital, but at least I was able to create something with pictures I took last weekend.  I think I'm going to go back and add one more set of footprints going off the page.  I thought that area would be cut off.  :)

I'm currently watching the videos that SU has put out teaching us all how to use their digital software.  If you are interested here is the link.  http://mydigitalstudio.net/page/beginner-techniques

You can try out the software yourself for FREE with a 30 day free trail.  If you do, let me know, and we can learn together.  :)



Creative Blessings,
Heather North



I chose MDS2+

 There is also an MDS2 (cheaper with less extras) a Free MDS2 Trial (if you've never tried out MDS2 and want to try before you buy), an MDS2 upgrade (if you already own MDS) and MDS2+(this is what I chose because I thought it would be easier to start if I had some options of things to "play" with.)

Thanks, Friend

My boys went to play with friends today, and I was able to spend an hour in the hobby room.  Here is what I came up with.  :)  I was even able to clean up the mess I made.  Always a plus.  My mojo is definitely coming back.

If you are wondering about the colors, I got them from the color challenge at CR84FN.  I like the combo a lot.  Though I had to use a non-SU purple.  It is an old piece of  CM cardstock.

The sketch is from this week's Retro Sketches. 



I took some liberty with the size.  It is a 4 1/4 square card.  I also left off the swirly bit.  I was going to add it but couldn't decide which color to use.  

Instead I added a little detail in the top corner. :) Isn't that teeny tiny brad cute?  I was going to add a rhinestone, but I was curious to see just how small my new brads are. 

 It feels good to be crafting again.  I have a stack of challenges printed out and a list of cards I need to make.  All I need are time, energy and an air conditioner in the garage.  :)

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Paper: Summer Smooches, Island Indigo CS, Whisper White CS, Wild Wasabi CS, CM Purple
Ink: Versamark, Wild Wasabi, Island Indigo, Black
Stamps: Everything Eleanor, Lovely Labels, Mixed Medley (Hostess)
Misc. Little Labels Punch Pack, Modern Label Punch, Paper Doily Die, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch

Everything Eleanor



Paper Doily Sizzlit

Lovely Little Labels

Mixed Medley (Hostess)

Remember When

Don't you hate when you need to send a sympathy card?  It can be nice to have some sympathy cards on hand, but I find that I enjoy the process of praying for someone as I make them a card after they have lost a loved one.  Don't get me wrong, I hate that there is a need, but I love that I can do "something" for them, no matter how small.

As much as a sympathy card is appreciated in that first week, I think it means even more in the weeks and months that follow the loss.  In those first days everything can be a blur.  Later it seems as though everyone but you has moved on.  It is then that a sympathy card received has such a deep impact.   So if you are a procrastinator and think it is too late to send a card, you could end up sending it at the perfect moment. 

I wanted to do some tearing for this card.  For some reason it seemed appropriate.  Perhaps it is the tears, or because a heart is broken.  This card is for someone who has lost her father, so I also wanted the card to have a masculine touch.

I did add a few pearls.

The inside looks like it is on an angle because I am trying to hold it open in one hand and take a picture in the other.  It looks much straighter in person.  (at least I hope it does)

I hope you never need to send a sympathy card, but if you do then I hope this inspired you in some way.  My prayers are with each of you who have lost somebody you love.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Card Recipe:  All items Stampin' UP!
Paper: Retired DSP, Very Vanilla CS, Sahara Sand CS, Soft Suede Cardstock
Ink: Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede
Stamps: Word Play, En Francais, Four Frames, Blessings From Heaven, Retired Background stamp
Misc.: Brushed Bronze, Bronze Button, Linen Thread, Basic Pearls, Decorative Label Punch