Spooky Good Times

With the leaves starting to change and the cool weather we've been having, I've got Halloween on the brain! Today I'd like to share a couple pages I created using photos from out last Halloween party along with the retired Wicked Fun DSP.

You cannot see from my first photo too well, but the tag says "boo to you" that stamp is from the Good Greetings stamp set which is FREE right now when you host a party of $300 or more. It's a great set...check it out!

Here's a look at the right page of the layout...

I just love that skull image which is part of the retired set From the Crypt. Even though it is retired, this set is still available in My Digital Studio. I actually used MDS to import the bat stamp brush image into my Silhouette to cut it a larger size. The original size bat stamp is also shown embossed in black and cut out on three different spots on the layout.

I used Kiwi Lane Templates to create the wavy borders. My good friend and scrappin' buddy has a few sets and I enjoyed playing with them the last few times we've gotten together.

Halloween Rocks! Pages

Many of you who have been regular visitors of  my blog may know that each year we host a Halloween Party. We spend a lot of time during the month of October transforming our barn and yard into the perfect spooky party zone. As you can imagine, I take a lot of photos during the evening to capture all the great costumes and fun we have. I have a couple scrapbooks dedicated just to these Halloween photos...but over the past few years I've really slacked off in the Halloween scrappin' department. This past month I've been busy working on my Halloween album and have completed quite a few layouts. I'll be sharing some of these pages here over the next few weeks.

The From the Crypt stamp set and the coordinating Cast A Spell DSP are probably my all time favorite Halloween items from SU!. They retired a while back, but luckily both the stamp brush set and DSP are still available in My Digital Studio. I happened to have stocked up on this favorite paper so these are traditional 12x12 pages.

The Pumpkin Pie background was stamped with one of the images in the From the Crypt set. I cut the curvey background pieces using a set of templates by Kiwi Lane. The large bat & spider designs were cut using my Silhouette Cameo and My Digital Studio. The web border and title were also cut using the Silhouette. Here's a look at the full layout...

Out of the 20+ years we've been having our parties, this was one of my favorites. A friend of ours is in a band and we hired them to play that year...so it really did ROCK! Even my pumpkin matched the theme...Alice Cooper.

Thanks for stopping by today...hope your day rocks!

Afternoon Daydreams at Epcot

Here I am on a dark and dreary Monday afternoon daydreaming about one of my favorite places to be...Disney World. What a coincidence...one of the items on sale as part of the Weekly Deals is a really nice kit for My Digital Studio called Afternoon Daydream. Here is a quick page I created using this fun kit and a favorite photo of my Mom & I at Epcot.

Have you ever visited Disney World at Christmas time? It really is even more magical and more spectacular than it normally is. Each park is decked out as only Disney can do it...if you have never been this time of year, I highly recommend it!

The only thing I added to this page (besides text) are the Antique Brads...all the other elements are included in this kit. At only $5.97, it's a real deal! But hurry...today is the last day to download it at this reduced price.

Check out the rest of the Weekly Deals.

Thanks for visiting today!

Bandstand Birthday Pages

Today I have a few scrapbook pages to share that I created in My Digital Studio using the Bandstand Digital Download Kit. Yesterday was my oldest son's 26th birthday, so I whipped him up a quick page yesterday morning so I could post a birthday wish to him on his Facebook page. I used an adorable photo of him enjoying birthday cake back in 1991.

It turned out cute, but there were a few things I wanted to change...but I was in a hurry yesterday. This morning I took a little more time and decided to make another page to go with this one using a photo that I took yesterday. I also tweaked the first page.

As you can see I changed the title and added a label with the date. I also added a border strip to the top & bottom of the chevron border to help define it a bit more. These are all elements included in this fun kit.

You may have noticed that on my first layout I had the chevron border all the way to the bottom of the page...I decided I didn't like it that way so I raised it up to have a border of Pool Party below. Many times when I finish a scrapbook page there are little things that I'd like to change. With traditional scrapbooking sometimes it is difficult or impossible to change something once it is all adhered into place. That's what is so nice about creating in MDS...with a few clicks of the mouse it is easy to make almost any change you would like.

Heres a look at the right page of the layout showing my son all grown up...with real facial hair instead of the one made of chocolate frosting like in the first photo. He's holding up a 6 pack of beer that my youngest son bought him for his birthday. He picked it out based on the funny name.

Here is how the two pages go together...

Hope you like these pages!

Spring Break Memories

I spent the day with my sweet Auntie on Wednesday and she taught me all kinds of great tips & tricks using the My Digital Studio program. I've had the program for quite a while longer than she has, but I haven't really worked with it too much, and she's done so many cool things with it! Thanks to my Aunt Roberta, I now know a lot more about using MDS and I think I'll be using it more. Our little get together even inspired me to give my blog a whole new look...see...now it's ready for Spring!

I created the header, the buttons and the footer all using the Spring Break II Digital Download. While I was at it, I even whipped out a quick scrapbook page using a favorite photo from the BEST Spring Break vacation I ever went on.

This is my hubby & I in Kauai. Wish we were in Hawaii right now! Hopefully some day again soon. Until then I will dream of palm trees, warm weather & ocean breezes. (it sure sounds a lot better than pine trees, cold weather & bone-chilling breezes!) Todays forecast here in Michigan is going to be a balmy 40 degrees! Actually, it really will seem warm after the weather we've been having.

Enjoy your day and have a great weekend!

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween to you! Each year we have a Halloween Party which we hold out in our barn. We really get into decorating our yard and barn for the party. A lot of our friends & family look forward to our party each year and go all out with their costumes, I always look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with! There are always a few that are downright hilarious...and this year was no exception!  It really does makes for a fun evening! This year I sent out invitations that I designed using My Digital Studio.

I printed them at home on Whisper White card stock...4 to a page, then cut them and mounted them on 1/4 sheet of Pumpkin Pie. I used the From the Crypt stamp brush set and also printed out a sheet of the spiders on 1" circles of Cast A Spell DSP which I also used on the rest of the invite along with a few elements from the Pick Your Poison Designer Kit. I punched out the spider circles and added a black rhinestone to each one (along with the little bat) and then adhered them to a 1-1/4" black circle, and attached them to my card using a dimensional. Of course I stamped my envelopes to match. I love having my favorite Halloween papers still available to me by using them in MDS! Here's a little closer look...

I made up prize buckets containing a scary movie on DVD, popcorn & candy to give to the winners of our costume contest. I inserted a hand stamped pick into each one with the category...best couple, scariest & funniest.

Like I said, we really get into decorating...so that includes our pumpkin carvings.

The past couple years I've dressed as something creepy (last year I was even a creepy man...Alice Cooper) so this year I wanted to dress in something pretty, so this is what I came up with.

Notice the arrow going thru my hubby's hat! lol Not too much to his costume, but he liked it that way. I got the pieces for mine at the Salvation Army and added details using paint, beads & feathers (which I already had in my stash) so I spent less than $10 on mine...not including the moccasins, which I already had. Check out the incredibly beautiful face painting my friend Amy had done for her Day of the Dead costume...she looked amazing!

And now, here's a treat for you....

Just stop by my SU! website between now and Nov 5th and you download three digital downloads for FREE! PLUS the digital kits are 50% off! If you don't already have My Digital Studio, you can download the FREE trial version...so what are you waiting for!?

 

Blue Ribbon Dad

Happy Father's Day! Here is the card I made for my hubby using the new Blue Ribbon stamp set.

I'm not sure why my Not Quite Navy ink photographed so much different from the card stock? In real life it's a way closer match.

Anyways...I love the little congrats ribbon image that comes with this set, so I thought why not make my own ribbons by using My Digital Studio? All I did was use different fonts in different sizes using Not Quite Navy ink. Then I printed out the "ribbon" strip and cut them into the banner shapes using my Square Punch for the ends. ( I don't have the Bitty Banner Framelits yet) I sponged the edges of each banner with...you guessed it...Not Quite Navy ink!

I also used the new Chevron Embossing Folder and some Silver Glimmer Paper for some sparkle.

Hope you get to enjoy the day with those special Dad's in your life!

Pick Your Poison Prizes

This past weekend we had our annual Halloween party. We had so much fun! I love decorating for the party and seeing all the creative costumes my friends and family come up with! No Halloween party is complete without a costume contest, and I like to make the prizes. This year I made tombstone candy boxes using the Pick Your Poison DSP.

I started with foam tombstones I picked up from the Dollar Store. I painted the category and the year with white acrylic paint. The boxes were made by cutting down cereal boxes and then I covered them with Pick Your Poison DSP. I stamped "Happy Halloween" from the House of Haunts set onto Pumpkin Pie and embossed with Black EP. Punched it out using the Extra Large Oval Punch and layered it onto an embossed oval Designer Frame Embossing Folder. A couple black brads and some Razzleberry ribbon finish it off. Then I just used some craft glue to adhere the box to the front of the tombstone and they were ready to fill with treats (and a few tricks too!)

Here's a quick and easy project I made to decorate my witch's cabinet. I used the Pick Your Poison Embellishments Digital Downloads. This way I can print them up any size I want, and they will fit a variety of bottles I've collected. Here's a peek into my witch's cabinet.

This year my hubby and I dressed as rockers Alice Cooper & Rob Zombie...here is a photo of us out in our haunted barn along with the pumpkins we carved.

Graveyard Smash

It's getting to be that time of year...and I've already got Halloween on the brain! Been busy working on some scrapbook pages and getting ready for our annual Halloween party by designing some invitations. As you can see, even my blog has taken on a new look! Using My Digital Studio and one of the newest downloads - Pick Your Poison Embellishments, I've easily created a Halloween theme. I can't wait to make some scrapbook pages and decor items using this digital set! For now, I have a couple traditional scrapbook pages to share.

These photos were taken at last years Halloween party. I also included our invite here on the pages as well. Doesn't the Petite Pennant Builder Punch make a cute title? The letters from the Billboard Sizzlet Strip fit perfectly inside the punches. Here is the right side of the layout.

I used my most favorite SU! Halloween paper ever...Cast-A-Spell, which is retired in regular 12x12, but available as a download for MDS. I also used it for my blog design. Here's a look at the two page layout.

Two stamp sets I used here - From the Crypt & Eat, Drink & Be Scary are also retired as traditional stamps sets, but like the Cast-A-Spell papers, they are available as digital download stamp brush sets for My Digital Studio. Thanks for creeping on in today!

Making Room For the New

I've been busy cleaning and reorganizing my stampin' space to make room for new goodies. The page I made below using MDS shows photos of the newest sets I have for sale. Please visit my Retired Stamps 4 Sale Page for all the details on these items and other stamps and Simply Scrappin' Kits I have for sale.

All sets will be shipped in padded Flat Rate Priority shipping envelopes unless otherwise requested. I can only accept Paypal as payment unless you live local and want to pick up at my home and pay in cash. For all the details check my Retired Stamps 4 Sale Page.

How Sweet It Is!

I've been having a lot of fun with the new Hostess disk for My Digital Studio called Cheerful Treat. Not only did I re-design my blog using the papers & elements found on the disk...I also whipped up this scrapbook page.

My Mom & Iwent strawberry picking at a local farm on Tuesday morning, then spent the rest of the day making jam and of course...yummy strawberry shortcake. We hadn't been strawberry picking together in years, and we really enjoyed the day...even though it was a lot of work! My boys are happy to have some homemade jam again...they are so spoiled they won't eat store bought anymore. We are already talking about going again next year.

That's my beautiful Mom in the photo along with some of the strawberries we picked. The strawberry background "paper" was a closeup photo I took of the strawberries and then I just copy & pasted it a couple times to make a background paper. The teardrop shaped journaling block is one of the elements on the Cheerful Treat disk...I thought it kind of looked like a strawberry, so it was perfect.

The Level 1 Hostess Disk was first available to earn in the Summer Mini Catalog, but I'm happy to say it is also available in the NEW Idea Book & Catalog...along with a set of 12x12 papers for those who don't do digital paper crafting.

Have a sweet weekend!

Sweet Child O' Mine

Today is my oldest sons Birthday, so I thought I'd share a scrapbook page I created using one of my favorite photos of him when he was just a little guy along with lyrics to one of my favorite songs.

The year he was born the song "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns 'n Roses was a huge hit. To this day, the song always reminds me of Chris who is still a sweetie and has "eyes of the bluest skies". This page was created using My Digital Studio.

Have a great weekend!

Springtime Vintage

Guess what I've been doing? I've been busy playing with My Digital Studio and wishing for warmer, sunnier, springtime weather. Since all I see is white when I look outside, I was rather sick of seeing snowflakes when I logged onto my blog too! What better way to beat the Winter blahs than to work with some gorgeous new Spring themed floral papers. Not only did I update the look of my blog, I made a scrapbook page to share as well.

I loved the scrapbook page in the latest issue of Stampin' Success and as you can see, that was my inspiration here. It really shows off these gorgeous papers well and makes the perfect backdrop for one of my favorite photos.

For my blog banner, buttons and background, I also used the Springtime Vintage papers which are available as one of the newest downloads. I also used one of my favorite stamp sets, Vintage Vogue, which is also available in digital form. Just visit my demo website and they are easy to add to your collection.

Trust me, I am no computer whiz...so whenever I create a new blog design, I'm always concerned about technical issues. With numerous tweaks, it now looks almost how I want it on my screen....but I always wonder if the page will load properly on my visitors computers. So I'd love to hear any feedback.

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy every moment of your weekend!

A New Look For Winter

I've been busy playing with My Digital Studio the past few days. I thought it would be fun to give my blog a new look for the winter months. I had used MDS to create my header and buttons previously, but had always wanted to try a background as well. Until I found this great tutorial on Debbi's Design blog, I wasn't sure how to do it. Thanks Debbi, you rock!

I used the Winter Post stamp brush set and two of my fav SU! colors...Baja Breeze and Certainly Celery for my blog makeover.

The only thing I couldn't figure out, is how to keep my design on the background from enlarging so much? If anyone can give me some tips on this I'd appreciate it. Other than that, everything is showing up on my monitor  pretty much how I wanted it...now I'm just hoping it is showing up on your end as well! Please let me know if things are not loading properly for you.

Unfortunately I had to make several sympathy cards over the weekend...those are always hard. Today I hope to work on my Christmas cards some more...it's getting closer! Have a GREAT day!

Enjoy Every Moment

A few days ago I shared some cards that I designed for my All Occasion Card Class and promised to share the details in the future. Here's the second card out of the group of four. I used the soon to be retired set Enjoy Every Moment.

I used this years In Colors for my color combo - Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry & Melon Mambo. Bermuda & Curry will be retiring but Melon Mambo will be part of the new Brights Collection in the new catalog. To get the word enjoy to fit exactly inside the center of the flower, I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig. I also should have used it for the words "YOUR DAY"...but I winged it and that's a bit off...darn it! The "YOUR DAY" stamp is actually from another retiring set...Celebrate Everything. I think that the two sets work well together. Patterned paper is from the Razzleberry Lemonade collection.

Here's another card I created using the same stamps & basically the same layout. I changed the colors and added some detail with a pierced edge and Jumbo Eyelet & Vintage Brads to put a masculine twist on it.

To create the stamped background I also used a stamp from the Circle Circus set. This time I used a brand new color that is part of the Regals Collection in the new catalog...Cajun Craze. I also used another "new" color...Crumb Cake - which was formally known as Kraft. Cool thing about Crumb Cake is that it has matching ink where Kraft never did. To round out this color combo is one of my fav blues...Not Quite Navy.
If you have My Digital Studio, you don't need to worry about Enjoy Every Moment retiring, because it's included in the stamps with that program. My friend Rachel made me this super cute hybrid card for my birthday using My Digital Studio and I think...Walk in the Park paper. She printed the image and then embellished with patterned paper, punches, brads and ribbon. I LOVE it!

Thanks for stopping by today. Enjoy every moment of your weekend!