Happy Flowers!

MDS continues to delight me with the ability to change colours and sizes, and the card below is an example of what can be done.

The cardstock is Melon Mambo, as is the narrow border on the card front. The flowers are from the Summer Happiness kit, and have tiny pearls in the flower centres. The green scalloped ribbon is from the Back to School kit and the label, which has been re-coloured, is from the Spring Fever kit.

 The sentiment is from Make A Wish, and re-coloured in Melon Mambo and Lucky Limeade. The striped DSP is from the In Color Playful Patterns 2010-2012 and the DSP behind the flowers is from the Gingham Garden collection, the latter reduced in opacity so the flowers can be more easily visible.

Create a Card Front in MDS

I have been helping a friend get started with My Digital Studio, and thought it might be helpful to add these basic instructions to the blog, hoping others may find it useful.

CREATE A CARD FRONT:

Open up your MDS.

When the main screen comes up with New Project Options, click on CUSTOM

Up the top, change the Inches to Millimeters

Change the WIDTH to 90mm

Change the LENGTH to 135mm

Click on CREATE PROJECT

Name the Project CARD FRONTS PORTRAIT

Click on SAVE

****** From now on, you can SAVE your work as you progress, holding down your keyboard key CTRL -left bottom on your keyboard - and whilst holding it down, press on the keyboard letter S. Yes, S for SAVE! It is a good habit, to save your work every few minutes.

You can also later repeat the CUSTOM process above, reversing the width and height measurements and naming the project CARD FRONTS LANDSCAPE, to make cards that are wider than taller.

Now, to add some background DSP.

Go to the left hand side of MDS, and up the top where it says Resource Palette, click on the end icon...see image below, red arrow...

Click where it says  ADD AS PAGE LAYER.

Click on BROWSE

This will bring up all your folders of DSP.

You will see, listed, Cardstock and Designer Series Paper. There may be a + sign in front of Designer Series Paper, and also Designer Kits, when you want to check them out later, if so, click on it to expand the list. 

When you see the DSP group you want, we are using Cottage Wall this time, highlight it with your mouse, and click on OPEN, down the bottom right hand side. Now that you can see that whole folder of DSP on your left hand side, you can scroll up or down to see all the colours of it.

Find one you like, then Click and Drag it across to your blank card front. See the little grey corners, and some more of them in between? They are called NODES, and you use them to RE-SIZE. 

Choose one of the NODES, then CLICK and DRAG on it until your DSP covers the card front. You will have to click and drag on one or more of the others, too.

Here is an image, covering what is written above:

Now, once you have dragged the Cottage Wall pink Pattern 2 DSP over all your card front, go back to the Cottage Wall DSP on your left side, and Click and Drag the green pattern of it, No. 9, over onto your pink card front. 

Re-size the green DSP to about an inch deep and the full width of your card front, by clicking and dragging on the nodes. Position the green DSP on the lower third of your card front.

Go to the DESIGN CENTER on the right side of your MDS program, and click on PUNCHES. You may have to scroll up or down, to find PUNCHES. Once you have clicked on it, you will see up the top, ADD A PUNCH. Click on that, then click on the CIRCLE PUNCH, and down the bottom, click on APPLY. Wait a few seconds and then click on CLOSE.

Your card front should now look something like this!

Now, while the nodes on your circle are visible, click on one and enlarge your circle big enough so you will be able to later add a sentiment. If you lose the nodes, don't worry, just click on the circle again and they will return. Seeing the nodes, simply means that particular item has been 'selected', so you can work on it.

Now, move your mouse pointer over the circle. You will see a four-way arrow 'thingy'; this means that you can now MOVE the circle and re-position it in the upper centre of your card front. Try doing that.

Good job!! Now, the circle should still be showing the nodes, so go over to your DESIGN CENTER again and click on COLOR FILL. Find Very Vanilla and click on it, then on OK. Your circle will now be filled with Very Vanilla.

Click on your circle to 'select' it, nodes should be showing again. Go across again to the DESIGN CENTER and click on MAT. Drag the slider to 6. 

Then, where it says COLOR and a black square is showing, click on the black square and click on Old Olive and click OK, then click on OK again.

You should be back to your card front, with a vanilla circle, surrounded by an Old Olive border. Got that? Great! Things should now look something like the photo below.

Whilst the circle is selected...nodes showing...go to your DESIGN CENTER again and click on Drop Shadow and then on OK. See how it makes the circle 'stand out'?

Now you are ready to add a sentiment! Back over to the Design Center, find where it says STAMPS, [ you might have to scroll down to find it ]... click on STAMPS and then click on ADD STAMP, up the top.

Whoo....too much choice, eh? Scroll down the left hand side until you find Delightful Dozen and click on that title. All the stamps in that set will now be displayed, with an image beside them. Click on Delightful Dozen Happy Birthday, then click on APPLY, give it a few seconds, and then CLOSE.

What you will see now, is a BIG, black greeting. No panic! Just click on one of the nodes and drag it in until it is small enough to fit within your vanilla circle. Place your four-way arrow thingy over it, click and drag until the sentiment fits nicely in your circle. Breathe out!!!

Now, with the sentiment highlighted, showing the nodes, go to your Design Center again, click on CHANGE COLOR and click on Rich Razzleberry and then OK. Select your sentiment again by clicking on it, then back to Design Center and click on Drop Shadow and OK. Your card front should now be looking like this....or better!

All this might sound a huge amount of work and just about now you might be thinking, this is too hard! Don't worry. In a day or so, it will feel as natural as breathing, and you won't even have to think about what to do. It WILL be worth it!!!

Now, we just need to add some decoration to the lower part of the card. Let's check out the Global Search option. The icon for Global Search is down the right hand corner, just past Zoom and the + and - signs and looks a bit like a little frying pan with handle.

Click on Global Search icon and then in the search bar, type in Cottage Garden. We are looking for some flowers that come with the Cottage Garden Collection. Scroll through those displayed and choose Cottage Garden Flower 1, click on it then click on INSERT, wait a few seconds, then click on CLOSE.

You will have a large black flower on your card front. Don't like it like that??? LOL....well, change it! Click on the flower so you have your little nodes showing.

Make it a little smaller, by dragging on the corner node. You want it to fit inside the width of your green DSP.

Go to the right, in your Design Center, and click on Change Color. I selected Very Vanilla. Now, back to the Design Center and click on Drop Shadow and then on OK. Click somewhere on your black blank space, to de-select the nodes.

Now, a new trick! Right-click on your Vanilla flower, and then click on COPY. Right click somewhere on your green DSP, and click on PASTE. Right-click and then click on PASTE again!

You should now have three Vanilla flowers, mostly on top of each other. Click on each one and drag them across your green DSP, until you have them where you would like them.

Here is your finished card. All your own work! Now you have mastered some basic skills, you can build on what you have learned, to make some gorgeous creations! We will come back to this basic card later on to add some more techniques, so don't worry that it is a little plain for now. Give yourself a pat on the back for getting this far, and remember - it will get easier, as you become more familiar with various techniques!

ADDING MORE DETAILS.

Want to learn some more techniques? Let's dress the card up a little more. Go back to your Global Search and enter Cottage Garden in the search area. Click on Cottage Garden 3, then on INSERT, wait a few seconds and then click on CLOSE. 

More big black flowers on your pretty card?We are now going to learn how to CROP because we really only want one of those three flowers. 

Making sure your nodes are still showing on your black flowers, go to your Design Center, and click on CROP. This will bring up a box, where you see your three black flowers displayed. 

Take your mouse and at the top of the smallest black flower, click-and-drag so that the entire small flower is highlighted, and a little room to spare around the edges. Then click on OK. Big improvement. Now you only have ONE black flower on your pretty card!

We can now change the colour. Click in your Design Center, on the Change Color icon, and when the colour choices are displayed, click on Rich Razzleberry and then on OK.

Making sure the nodes are showing on your flower, click on Drop Shadow, and then on OK.

Now, we can do what we did before...copy and paste. Remember how? Yes, right-click on the flower and then click on COPY. Right click on the card front somewhere and then click on PASTE. Do this right-click and PASTE twice. You should have three Razzleberry coloured little flowers, huddled in a group.

Click-and-drag each one down into the centre of each Vanilla flower. SAVE your work.

Here is an image of the updated card front. Does it look a little more interesting? 

You can later add some dimension by adhering a pearl in the centre of each little flower. Now, you can print out your card front and assemble it on your cardstock. 

Woodwork

Thanks to MDS, I am making so much more progress, with my late husband's album. Col was always very keen on working with wood, and it was interesting, in later years, to do family history research and learn that the previous seven generations also were carpenters, or were skilled in that area. Col was very proud to learn that his grandson, Tim, had chosen carpentry as a profession.

Col in London - World War Two.

Loving my new HP printer which prints A3 pages! The new printer and Stampin' Up! My Digital Studio are a powerful combination to make scrapbook pages quickly and easily.

No excuses now!!!

Here is another page for the album created about my late husband, Colin, and his experiences in World War Two. The photos, understandably, are somewhat frail and small, as were most everyday photos of that era...but I am so glad to have them, to add to the store of memories.

Colin looked really handsome in his Air Force uniform, and family members have told me he never lacked feminine company, whenever he came home on leave. I'm so glad I met him later in life, or he may never have looked in my direction!

Modern Medley DSP

There are a number of things I absolutely love about My Digital Studio, and one of them is the ability to print out your own Designer Series Paper!

My latest download for MDS has been the pretty, and very versatile Modern Medley Overlays Kit. These delightful overlays can be re-coloured in your favourite Stampin' Up! colours and then printed out.

This card shows the Music Notes overlay, one of the twelve which comes in the Modern Medley Overlays Kit. I have added a black border and then cut out the printed card front with a small white border before mounting on Cherry Cobbler cardstock.

The grey and white striped DSP was also a download in MDS, called Patterns DSP, and is exactly the same as our conventional Patterns Stack. The bonus is that for a $2.50 download, each of the four designs can be re-coloured and printed out.

Here it is coloured Basic Gray. The sentiment is from the retired set, Beautiful Birthday, however this is also available for download to MDS. I cut it out using a Labels framelit and added dimensionals. The ribbon is Raspberry Ripple Stitched Satin ribbon.

Ex Libris in MDS

Ex Libris is such a pretty and versatile background stamp, but I don't manage large stamps very well so it was wonderful to find the same stamp available as a download for MDS.

Here, it is re-coloured using Basic Gray, with the Thanks So Much greeting from the Oh, Hello stamp set, which is also available as a download for MDS. The greeting was coloured in Cherry Cobbler and the whole card front printed out on white cardstock. I like to cut the card front out leaving a narrow white border, before mounting onto the card base, which here is Basic Gray.

A Satin Stitched ribbon in Raspberry Ripple was attached before adhering the front onto the card base. Flowers, stamped in Cherry Cobbler and mounted with dimensionals, are from the Flower Shop stamp set.

Roll of Honour

My Digital Studio has made it easy for me to get back to scrapbooking...currently I am working on my late husband's album and especially his war record. 

One of my recent MDS downloads has been the Back To School Kit and it is really good value. The page below was created using some of the elements from Back to School and it is set to be one of my favourite 'go to' MDS kits.

MDS Tea Shoppe Cards

Did I ever mention, how much I'm enjoying MDS? Creating is enjoyable, and so is the shopping! Today I downloaded the MDS version of that gorgeous stamp set, Tea Shoppe, which has long been on my Wish List!

One feature of MDS which is invaluable, is the ability to re-size images, and this stamp set illustrates that very well. It was so easy, to create the teacup so it was just the right size for this particular card.

The background is Pool Party, using a stamp from another MDS download, called Bunch of Backgrounds. I would highly recommend this stamp download, it is extremely versatile. The pretty border is part of the Tea Shoppe set, and the cup is stamped with the luscious new colour, Strawberry Slush. Cardstock is Melon Mambo and there is a hint of pleated doily peeping from the teacup.

Here is another version, using Pale Plum as the background colour, with Rich Razzleberry for the cup and Old Olive for the sentiment. Another feature of MDS is the ability to save a card design and later change the design or colours, simply by clicking on the components.

I would like to thank Claire Daly for her excellent MDS video, where she showcased the Bunch of Backgrounds stamp set used on these cards. Here is the link to Claire's video:

Layered Backgrounds 

Book Buddies

How much fun can you have, with the delightful MDS download called Book Buddies?

Here is what the download looks like, it is a Designer Template and the four come ready to print like this onto A4 cardstock, then all you need to do is laminate and cut out, ready for gifts or stalls. The downloaded file is an absolute bargain at $3.50 and the order number is 132814.  I love MDS!

Tea for Two

Good news......this is not a Stippled Blossoms posting. I have a new obsession!

It is called My Digital Studio, or MDS, and is a Stampin' Up! product relatively new to Australia.

MDS has absolutely changed my way of paper crafting. Cards are so much easier now, and because parts of them are printed out on my trusty HP printer, they are quicker and more economical.

Here's my first attempt, a CASE from Alisa Tilsner's  video, with slight adaptations. Alisa used the DSP and flower from the gorgeous Tea for Two Easel Calendar Template and that is what is used on my card below.

My background was created in MDS, example below. The flower for the centre is printed out in MDS separately then fussy cut and popped up on dimensionals. Add some pearls and the card is ready to go. I always like to stamp a matching Top Note die-cut and adhere inside, for written messages.

Here is my base card:

Another colour, using the same design:

Click on the link below to see Alisa's card and watch her video.

Create the Moment

The Lazy Gardener

My late husband, Colin, was devoted to his garden and even after suffering a debilitating stroke, managed to find a way to connect with the soil and his beloved flowers. This layout was made using My Digital Studio.

Tool Tip!

The Stampin' Up! Two Way glue pen is a wonderful tool and is in frequent use in my craft room.

Do you find it frustrating, when using the glue pen frequently, to have to put the cap on after each use so the glue pen does not dry out?

I found a solution!

Take a wad of Blu-Tack and make it into a ball.

Press the top of the glue pen into the ball of Blu-Tack and push the entire ball firmly down onto your work surface.

Now, you can unscrew the barrel of the glue pen, use it, then drop it back into the upturned cap, using the cap as a 'holster'. At the end of each craft session, make sure to firmly screw the barrel part into the cap part, ready for the next craft session!

Poinsettia Flower

Connie Collins published a wonderful video, showing how to create a poinsettia flower, using part of the Holiday Stocking die and the Spider Web embossing folder.

Of course, I had to order them both, and a set of Sharpie pens in order to get the gold one for colouring the pearls!

Here is the link for Connie's video:

Poinsettia Tutorial

Everything Eleanor

Can you believe, I have had this gorgeous stamp set for three months, and this is the first card created with it? What makes it even worse, is it was number one on my wish list and could not wait to get it!

Can anyone relate?

The card above is Very Vanilla, stamped with En Francais background stamp in Crumb Cake, which is attached to a piece of DCWV cardstock from my stash. Scroll from Everything Eleanor is stamped in Soft Suede, also the sentiment from Vintage Verses.

The flowers from Everything Eleanor are stamped using the Rock and Roll method...first stamped in Crumb Cake then the edges of the stamp gently rolled in the Soft Suede ink. It makes such a difference, and a very easy technique. 

One just needs to remember, stamp in the lighter ink then roll in the darker ink! The other way around, just messes up your ink pad.

Flowers are popped up on foam dots and pearls added to the centre of each flower.

My preference is to add something decorative to the inside of cards, and have used a 'card front sized' panel of Very Vanilla, embossed in the Lacy Brocade folder, with a Very Vanilla die cut over it, using the Top Note die. A small flower from the Everything Eleanor set is adhered to the top right-hand corner.

Beautiful Birthday and Stippled Blossoms

This did not start out to be a purely Stippled Blossoms blog site! Thought I was finished with this wonderful stamp set, and then saw a posting by Rebecca Scurr, of a gorgeous card.

Rebecca had seen a similar card created by Leonie Schroder, and had posted her own variation. Rebecca has kindly given me permission to copy her card, and I have done so below, with my variation  using the stunning Beautiful Birthday stamp.

You may check out Rebecca Scurr's blog to see what other wonderful cards she has created!

Stampin' With Rebecca

Below are my four cards, based on Rebecca and Leonie's creations.

Stamp is Beautiful Birthday, and inks are Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, with Pear Pizzazz and Certainly Celery for the leaves.

Inks are So Saffron and More Mustard, with Pear Pizzazz and Certainly Celery for the leaves.

Inks are Wisteria Wonder and Elegant Eggplant, with Pear Pizzazz and Certainly Celery for the leaves.

Inks are Rose Red and Pretty in Pink, with Pear Pizzazz and Certainly Celery for the leaves.

Putting It All Together!

Card making is an adventure!

 The new stamp sets arrive, and our first cards will probably incorporate most of the elements of that set, which has been designed by Stampin' Up! to go together.

What happens, when you have made as many cards as you want to, with that particular set?

You mix it up!

The card above has the chevron from Oh Hello, a medallion from Daydream Medallions, a sentiment stamp from Vintage Verses, a butterfly from Papillon Potpourri...you get the idea....

Here is another example. The banner is from Hearts a Flutter, tucked under a Lattice die cut. Then the sentiment stamp, is PART of the Just Thinking stamp, but instead of being cut out with a Window Frames framelit, the central sentiment has been punched out with the 2.5 inch circle punch, which leaves just enough of the border to frame the sentiment. 

The next card has some of the same elements, with the Just Thinking card cut out with the Window Frames framelit, but then the sentiment on that stamp is overlaid with the sentiment from Delightful Dozen, punched out with the 2.5 inch circle punch.

The possibilities and variations for mixing up elements from our stamp sets are exciting! I do like to get good value from my purchases, don't you?

Stippled Blossoms Variations

This would be one of my favourite stamps - and one I had glossed over in the current catty. Thankfully someone posted some gorgeous cards on their blog using Stippled Blossoms and it then became a 'must-have!"

Here are some examples of the versatility of Stippled Blossoms: 

This one is stamped in Elegant Eggplant and Wisteria Wonder ink, on Wisteria Wonder cardstock.

The sentiment in Elegant Eggplant showcases the wonderful, single stamp Just Thinking, which is cut out using the Window Frames framelit. I like to use a suitably stamped Top Note die cut for the message inside cards and this one is also stamped, using the smaller flower from Stippled Blossoms. 

A similar card,  stamped in Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink, on Pink Pirouette cardstock. The Just Thinking sentiment is stamped in Wild Wasabi ink.

Another variation, this time stamped in Marina Mist and Bashful Blue inks, the roses are fussy-cut and adhered to the card with foam dots; the leaves are stamped using the retired Pear Pizzazz ink, and Certainly Celery. The sentiment is from the Vintage Verses, SAB stamp set, cut out with the Apothecary Accents framelit. The card front is embossed with the Lacy Brocade folder. Papillon Potpourri butterfly punched with the Bitty Butterfly punch from SAB 2013. 

Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink combination above, displaying the gorgeous sentiment stamp, Beautiful Birthday, which would be one of the best value stamps in the entire Stampin' Up! catalogue. The Happy Birthday sentiment has been cut out using a framelit from the Ovals Collection, backed with retired Blushing Bride DSP cut out with the Labels framelit. Leaves in Wild Wasabi. Cardstock is Pink Pirouette. 

The card below uses the Stippled Blossom stamps again with the Regal Rose and Petty in Pink combination, with the variation of the Apothecary Art stamp on watercolor paper, using the markers Melon Mambo, Regal Rose and Pear Pizzazz for the watercoloring.