A Week of Digital Delights Begins Tomorrow

 The official Digital Scrapbooking Day is Saturday, November 2. But one day just isn't enough, so we're celebrating for eight! Here's what we have lined up: 

1. Guest bloggers: A talented group of demonstrators, customers, and designers from around the industry will share project inspiration on the blog. 
2. FREE download: Be sure to check in on Saturday, November 2 to get your freebie.
3. Videos: We'll share some more ideas with training videos to help you get started. 
4. Daily deals: Every day, we'll feature a new download for 50% off! 
5. Challenges: Use the daily deal download to create a project for your chance to win free downloads. (Upload your samples to the gallery with the matching tag to enter.)

Here's the list of daily deal downloads: 

• 11/1 Amped Up Ampersands Kit
• 11/2 Hello There Kit + FREE Moments Ago Stamp Brush Set
• 11/3 All Time Fave Photobook Template
• 11/4 Modern Medley Overlays Kit
• 11/5 Be Brave Pocket Cards
• 11/6 Nobody's Business Photobook Template
• 11/7 Autumn Traditions Kit
• 11/8 Afternoon Daydream Kit

It's all happening at MyDigitalStudio.net!

Thanks for choosing me as your demonstrator while you celebrate Digital Days! And don't forget that the MDS Sale (including many print products) last through November 30th...plenty of time to design and order your Christmas Cards and gifts.

Eastern Elegance Designer Series Paper

I've been having fun crafting with this simply gorgeous DSP this week (Eastern Elegance~Item 130131). You may have seen the birthday card I created with it for the Friday Mashup a few days ago. Since the paper was on my desk anyway, it seemed like a good time to use it for a few other projects:

A friend asked me to make a few wedding cards for her, so I chose to create pocket cards (in case she wants to tuck in a gift card or cash. Love that you can use all the different designs and they coordinate so beautifully!

My Stampin' Up! friend Pam also passed her $100K milestone, so I created this swing card for her and on the right you can see how it opens up with a place to write. She always incorporates a LOT of details in her creations, so this card has some extras just for her! Then it went into this little monogrammed pocket envelope (made using the Envelope Punch Board) along with a 100 Grand candy bar, of course :)

When One Party Ends, Another Begins...

Not surprisingly, we like to celebrate at Stampin' Up! And having been around for 25 years, that's something to commemorate, certainly :)

In keeping with that theme, here are a few awesome products on sale for one week (click pic to shop)

It never ceases to amaze me what people can create with a little rubber, ink and paper...now I just revel in the incredible ways you can manipulate a little card stock. But Stampin' Up! isn't ONLY about rubber stamps: It's about handmade gifts, unique home decor, gorgeous packaging and preserving memories.

While I resisted the move to digital scrapbooking, I have to say that I don't regret coming to the "dark side" one bit! With My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up! there are INFINITE crafting possibilities outside of memory albums! My next project is going to be a family recipe book and watch for a blog post coming soon about a really fun gift idea you can personalize for your friends...

So with that introduction: HAVE YOU TRIED My Digital Studio? With a price of just $19.95, you don't really have an excuse NOT to try it...but just in case you are hesitant, you can try it FREE for 30 days by downloading it here.

The best news is the Digital Party we are getting started TODAY~

Now is the time to print your own Christmas Cards, yearly scrapbook or prepare for a "December Daily" with a template that will make your Christmas merry...VERY! Not only are select digital and print products on sale, but we are starting a week of Digital Delights from November 1-November 8~  including a FREE download on Saturday, Nov. 2. Set a reminder to visit www.mydigitalstudio.net each day!

For my friends who have already taken the plunge with MDS, you'll be happy to hear about the new My Library App:

A Piece of Cake Birthday Mashup

Couldn't resist the color challenge at the Friday Mashup...and whenever there is cake, I'm ALL in!

Here's the card I crafted:

It has a fun fold to open like this:

Take a Coastal Cabana marker to a little bitty Glimmer Paper flower and add a pearl: 

Card Recipe (all supplies from my Stampin' Up! store):

Stamps: Birthday Cake (130390), Remembering Your Birthday 
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate Stampin' Write Markers
Paper: Whisper White, Crushed Curry and Smoky Slate card stock, Eastern Elegance Designer Series Paper (130131), Silver Glimmer Paper (124005)
Accessories: Coastal Cabana Ruffle Stretch Trim (130024), Daffodil Delight Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (126872), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), Scallop Trim Border punch (118402), Pearl Basic Jewels (119247)

Another Milestone Celebration

My friend Kristi just passed her $100,000 career sales with Stampin' Up! and I wanted to celebrate her great accomplishment!

Kristi likes purple (and sparkles), so I created a Rich Razzleberry swing card using the Stampin' Up! Label Card Thinlits, made a Faux Diamond covered quote from the Feel Goods stamp set (can you see the sparkles over the words?) and a co-ordinating tube for her 100 Grand Candy Bar using the Label Love set and Artisan Label punch:

Here's what it looks like when you open the swing card (a silver glimmer paper YAY!) and it has another flap over the place where I wrote her a message:

Some things I love about Kristi:

• She's always got bling on. And you'll never see her in public in sweats :) She's always dressed nicely and looks fabulous. 
• Her paper crafting designs are always very detailed and perfectly created!
• She's a loyal friend
• Her optimism is contagious!
• You can give her an assignment and she follows through. Dependable and thorough.

If you aren't familiar with the Faux Diamond Technique, IT IS SO EASY! I like to do it on a small focal point of a card. Here are basic instructions:

1. Stamp image on card stock and let it dry
2. Press front of stamped card stock into Versamark Pad (102283), covering completely
3. Sprinkle Iridescent Ice embossing powder (101930) over ink-covered card stock. Shake off excess powder
4. Heat embossing powder with Heat Tool (129053) until set. See the diamonds sparkle!

As always, you can order supplies to try this technique at home from my Stampin' Store.

Let the Party Begin!

Here are the 25 stamp sets and the 25% off prices (in red)! W=Wood mounted and C=Clear Mount

But wait, there's MORE!

Kids (and Grandmas) LOVE the Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps: Fun for cookies or playdough, and they fit perfectly in a Christmas Stocking (hint, hint)

Annndddd...don't forget there will be a Thursday special (one day only) so the best day to shop this week will be Thursday :) Put it on your calendar, set an alarm on your phone, stick a post-it to your computer with your wish list, tie a string on your finger to remind you! 

(Just in case you missed it, the $25 starter kit special has also been extended for a few more hours...until 11:59 MST tonight, October 22...

there is always room for more friends in my Stampin' Family)

$25 or 25%?

Today, you may teeter between two decisions....

The choice is yours: 

Join my Stampin' Up! Family for just $25 (ends TODAY, October 21, 2013)

~OR~

Choose from 25 different stamp sets at 25% off (starts TOMORROW, October 22, 2013)

Ideally, you could choose BOTH ~ Join today and get an additional 20% off the discounted stamp sets as a demonstrator tomorrow :)

Whichever way you tip, it's guaranteed fun for the ride!

10/22/13: GOOD NEWS UPDATE! If you couldn't make up your mind, you've been given a few more hours to mull it over...try Stampin' Up! for $25 through October 22, 11:59 p.m. (MST)

5 Ways on Fridays: Thankful Tablescape Simply Created Kit

The pieces of the new Thankful Tablescape Simply Created Kit (item 133463) in the Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog were designed to decorate a Thanksgiving table, but of course, people get crafty and find new ways to utilize the parts in unique ways, so come along as I share a few of my favorites! Leave a link to other awesome crafts using this kit in the comments. 

1. Starting with cards, here's a pocket card I created from the Tablescape kit following the 

Create with Connie & Mary sketch 273: 

All I added was a crumb cake envelope (for the pocket), a piece of Early Espresso card stock, a strip of 1-1/4" Burlap Ribbon (132140) and I punched the circle using the 2-1/2" circle punch (120906). 

2. At SU! convention in July, Sara Douglass demonstrated how to create a Thankful Journal from the Tablescape kit, but my photos weren't that great, so a quick internet search found another Sarah (Sagert) who had crafted her own...with some nice pictures of her lovely pages :)

3. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for anything in a mason jar, so Jessica Lewis' simply sweet Thankful Jar immediately appealed to me! Can't you just imagine filling this with reasons to be grateful? 

The Birch paper and chocolate chip herringbone paper both come on a roll in the kit and are perfect for wrapping around a vase, jar or candle. 

4. Allison Okamitsu (a very talented Canadian demonstrator) created the last two gorgeous home decor projects from the Thankful Tablescape Simply Created Kit. The first is a Thankful Banner and you see more of this beauty by clicking on the picture.  

5. I love Allison's style and her blog is "Nice People Stamp". Haven't met her, but it's a given she's one NICE person to share her talents! This is also her creation~A frame covered in the Birch-bark paper from the kit. Isn't the banner adorable? Visit Allison's tutorial for the frame HERE (or click on photo)

Thanks for checking out my 5 Ways on Fridays collection! Order the Thanksgiving Tablescape Kit from my Stampin' Store to create some fabulous Fall creations of your own, then post a link to them in the comments so we can be inspired by YOU!

Trick-or-Treat: A Perfect Fit for Blondies

I consider myself a connoisseur of baked goods and my favorite bakery on the planet is The Sweet Tooth Fairy. Yesterday I stopped by for a cupcake (okay, two) and discovered their BLONDIES: Like a S'more on steroids! Let's just say I may have a new addiction.

In an act of SERENDIPITY, I discovered that said Blondies fit perfectly into the new Decorative Window Gift Boxes from the Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog (6 boxes for $4.95...a bargain!):

Side Note: I bought four blondies to share with the ladies I visit in my church calling each month...only three blondies made it to the boxes...

Add a strip of Designer Series Paper, a skull stamp (so they can tell their kids it's poison and won't have to share) and some washi tape and abracadabra! You've got yourself a VERY quick gift. IF you can deliver them before you eat them all.

Project Recipe (for the boxes, not the blondies)
All supplies can be ordered from my Stampin' Up! Store

Stamps: Toil & Trouble (2013 Holiday Catalog)
Ink: Staz-On White (Item 106960)
Paper: Witches Brew DSP (132185)
Embellishments: Witches Brew Designer Washi Tape (132156)
Other: Blondies from The Sweet Tooth Fairy!

Weekly Specials, Daily Deals

Stampin' Up! is offering weekly Specials (while supplies last) in October, as well as one-day deals each Thursday! While I may not post each Thursday deal here on my blog, I WILL put it on my Facebook page, so make sure to LIKE it, then circle THURSDAY on your calendar for the next few weeks for your Stampin' Up! Shopping Days, so you can catch both weekly and daily deals while getting you holiday shopping done!

Create-Your-Own Gift

Have you ever read the Create-Your-Own-Adventure chapter books where you can choose what happens next at the end of every page? Well this gift is a little like that :)

Enclosed in this adorable box (with an acetate sleeve) are 2-1/2" cards and blank tags, along with stamped and punched "card candy". The recipient can choose the greeting for the occasion and quickly put together a gift card or tag to match the need...like this:

I'm sure you'll come up with many great uses for this idea, but here's what I used to create this one:

Project Recipe (All supplies from my Stampin' Up! store): 

Stamps: Label Love 
Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Early Espresso, Island Indigo, Summer Starfruit
Paper: Soho Subway Designer Series Paper (item 130140), Crisp Cantaloupe, Summer Starfruit and Very Vanilla card stock
Accessories: Tag a Bag Gift Boxes (130927), Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (113439), Chalk Talk framelits (129983), Summer Starfruit Stitched Satin Ribbon (126846), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430),  7/8"Scallop Circle (129404) and Artisan Label (130920) punches.

NOTE: Label Love stamp set and Artisan Label punch are also available in a bundle for 15% off. 

5 Ways on Fridays: Envelope Punch Board

Today I'm sharing FIVE amazing ways to use the new Envelope Punch Board from Stampin' Up! (Item #133774). Once you see these, you'll NEED your own and you can order it from My Stampin; Up! Store Since it's Halloween season, I made most of my samples using the Witches Brew Designer Series Paper (132185), Toil & Trouble and Tags 4 You stamp sets (Holiday Catalog) and Label Bracket punch (132153)

1. Make Envelopes. Stating the painfully obvious, but hey...that's what it was made for! Just remember this: Envelopes don't always have to hold just a card :)

If you haven't seen how the Envelope Punch Board works, WATCH the Training Video from Stampin' Up! I also love having a liner inside the envelope and the best video tutorial I've seen (using just a small square of Designer Series Paper) is from Mary Fish and her tutorial can be seen HERE. 

2. File Folder Cards. These unique cards are so much fun to make and you could create a whole slew of little file folders to organize things like photos, paper embellishments, receipts, etc.

Patty Bennett's Video Tutorial explains how simple these are, and once you've made a few, you just can't stop! 

3. Boxes. Yep, that's right: The Envelope Punch Board can make BOXES! Here are two of my top picks (because they are both simple, and I'm all about easy!)

Elaine Schader (at Elaine's Creations) made this box to hold some eerily adorable Halloween tags from four envelopes made with the Punch Board. Check it out on HER BLOG.

Designed to hold 4 cards & envelopes, I discovered (after I whipped this one out in no time flat) that this little gem also holds a King Size Kit Kat! I followed the instructions by Cindy Beach at Stamp, Paper and Ink. The only modification I made was to use my Word Window punch to create a place to insert the top flap and hold it closed.

Learn to make another candy bar box on THIS video tutorial by Janet Wakeland

4. Advent Calendar. When I saw this on the Stampin' Up! blog post  (scroll down past the Game Day banner to see the instructions and downloadable PDF for dates) I thought it was GENIUS!

5. Envelope Tag Book. Here's one for the memory keepers...or this could be a fun way to present love coupons, a grandma brag book or just for fun.

Tricia over at the Efficient Crafter is the artist for this project and her motto, "Quick...Let's Craft!" tells me she's my kind of lady! View her tutorial HERE. 
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So there you have FIVE different ways to use the new Envelope Punch Board! It's a MUST HAVE tool for your Craft Closet and you can order it in Loni's Stampin' Store today. If you have another great way to use the EPB, leave a comment below to help compile a resource for more excellent ideas!