Endless Wishes: 5 Ways on Fridays!

Well, I had this ready for last Friday when my computer was out of commission...and wouldn't you know it: Stampin' Up! sold out of this awesome Photopolymer stamp set on Tuesday!!! GRRRR...

But I'm sharing it anyway because of all the time and effort I put into it, and those of you who were lucky enough to snag one before they sold out~ You're Welcome! Of course,  many of the designs & techniques could be re-created with another snowflake stamp set, such as Festive Flurry :)

P.S. Endless Wishes *is* available as a digital brush set (item #136559) for all you digi-crafters and if SU! changes their minds and produces more, I'll make sure to update this post (we can hope, right?)

1. Faux Diamonds. This is always a big hit and so very easy! I gave step-by-step instructions on the Faux Diamond technique in this post. The Designer Series Paper is from the Winter Frost Specialty DSP (132341)

2. Random Stamping. Just go crazy with it. Let them overlap, go off the edge of the paper and layer them on top of one another. I really loved the look of White/Baked Brown Sugar/Cherry Cobbler on Crumb Cake card stock and even stamped a piece to go on top of my jar of apple pie filling.

3. Make a Window. The Squares Collection Framelits (130921) and the Big Shot (113439) create perfect windows. I used a piece of a window sheet and stamped the snowflakes using the White Stazon ink pad (106960), then placed it between the Navy and (polka dot embossed) Blushing Bride layers to appear that you were gazing outside to a frost covered world.

4. Use the Words. While the snowflakes are delicate and delightful, the words are what sold me on this set. It's awesome to be able to mix up the script with the print and come up with dozens of greetings. So cute! I paired the greetings with some of the Season of Style Designer Series Paper (132340), the 1" Cherry Cobbler Grosgrain ribbon (132135) and Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine (123125) and a Vintage Faceted Designer Button (127555).

5. Monochrome Embossing. The words & snowflakes on the white were simply stamped using the Silver Encore pad (132141) and I embossed in silver on the Silver Foil Sheet (132178). This card is stunning in person, though the photo doesn't do it justice (sorry...I tried). Just because it needed MORE bling, I added the Silver Glimmer paper (124005) as a layer, too!

Stamped snowflakes are much warmer than the real thing, eh?

Stretching My Muscles with Mosaic Madness

It was a challenge in the truest sense of the word: This color combination from Create with Connie and Mary made me stretch my creativity!

Since it was a challenging color scheme, I chose to use a stamp set I haven't had any inspiration with either (a double whammy, I guess you could say). Here's my creation:

It turned out better than expected, and I feel more confident in using the Mosaic Madness stamp set, too.

Card Recipe
Stamps: Mosaic Madness, Yippee Skippee
Ink: Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand, Tangerine Tango ink pads and markers
Paper: Naturals White, Always Artichoke and Sahara Sand card stock
Accessories: Mosaic Punch (131267), Big Shot (113439) and Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder (129984), 1/8" Mini Brads (122941), Stampin' Dimensionals

Back in Action with Holiday Sale

It's fitting that today is "Name Your Computer" day! After eking everything I could out of my (very) old but well-loved Imac, I took the plunge and invested in a MacBook Pro last Saturday. I'm still getting the hang of things, but I can already tell we are in for a long and adoring relationship. However, that change took me away from posting and so I'm trying to catch up. (BTW, I've named it MacBeth)

Did you know there are only 35 days until Christmas? Because Thanksgiving is so late this year, we are really going to have to cram a lot of holiday into just a few short weeks...so don't wait for Black Friday to start shopping! Stampin' Up! just started our Holiday Sale this morning:

While the doorbuster sales are good for one day only (November 20th), the rest of the sale extends through December 2nd, so click below to download the sale flyer, grab a highlighter and your Christmas Gift List :) Or print it off, highlight what you want and hand it to your husband with my website in CAPITAL LETTERS :D     (www.loni.stampinup.net)

As long as you are shopping, here are the weekly deals too:

 Ready to shop? Pull up a cup of cocoa, put on your comfy house slippers and click here

A Snow Flurry

Though it's still unseasonably warm in Utah for November, we are experiencing a flurry of SNOW from Stampin' Up!...starting with this gorgeous Simply Created Kit which makes 10 snowflakes to frost your tree, adorn a gift or shimmer on a mantel! I think these will sell out quickly, so order quickly!

And a NEW Photopolymer stamp set, ENDLESS WISHES, has the sweetest sentiments along with a few crystal flakes:

And some awesome deals from the Holiday Catalog this week:

My Digital Studio: 5 Ways on Fridays

My Digital Studio is a Sweet digital designing Suite from Stampin' Up! that has evolved to become quite an intuitive user experience. If you are like I (was), you may have just turned off and tuned out...

"I'm computer challenged," you were thinking, "and I'll never be able to learn digital stuff. It sounds too complicated."

Stop. Right. There. 

MDS is INTUITIVE (look it up if you don't know the meaning) and it's EASY...and there are step-by-step training videos. Hello?! And templates that you can drag & drop pictures into (or customize). And you can try it FREE for 30 days. Duh. This is a no-brainer. (As long as you have an hour or two to play with it, so don't download the free trial the week your daughter is getting married) 

Obviously, it is optimal for creating photo albums and cards...but THAT'S NOT ALL it's good for! Today I'm sharing 5 different ways to use My Digital Studio:

1. Fabric Transfers

When I saw this on the SU! blog with instructions for using MDS to print on transfer paper, I was so delighted! How fun and easy to dress up not only our mini muslin bags, but a t-shirt, a backpack or a piece of fabric to frame in an embroidery hoop. Crafters...start your irons!

2. Chalkboard Quote Template

There are plenty of ways to add the look of chalkboard to your card and pages in My Digital studio (I like this video by Kimberly Van Diepen) but did you know you can also print a template to use on a chalkboard wall (or frame)? Check out the tutorial here or click on the picture above.

3. Recipe/Cook Books

There are actually quite a few recipe book templates to choose from in MDS and you can print them as board books, hard bound books, single pages or in this case (and my favorite) as a free-standing recipe book using the Easel Calendar format :) How cool would it be to gather family comfort food recipes (and pictures of family members cooking them) to compile as a gift for a family reunion or Christmas?

4. E-Cutters & MDS

(Personalized Water Bottle by Connie Collins)

Oh, yes, digi-crafters...you read that CORRECTLY! My Digital Studio has SVG files that can be used with E-CUTTERS! Which means that you can cut paper and VINYL (and who knows what else) with an E-Cutter that can import any SVG file. 

Video Tutorials that may be helpful in learning how-to: 

Kimberly Van Diepen shows you the basics of SVG files and e-Cutters

Erica Cerwin also teaches MDS & SVG here

While there are a few e-cutters that seem to work, Silhouette Cameo is a popular choice and
Connie Collins walks you through the process from start to finish in this video

5. Home Decor

Create a year's worth of interchangeable quotes to showcase in a lovely frame. If you create 5x7 postcards in My Digital Studio, you can print on both sides of the card: 6 cards will give you 12 personalized quotes or pictures (and through November 30, 2013, printing through MDS is 30% off). You can even peek at a friend's Pinterest board to find her favorite quotes and make it a very thoughtful gift.

DO YOU HAVE MORE IDEAS FOR MY DIGITAL STUDIO? Share them (or links) in the comments so we can compile a resource of MDS ideas that are "outside the book" :)

If you are fortunate enough to be visiting this list in November 2013, you can take advantage of the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year"...for digi crafters, anyway...because many digital downloads AND print services are 30% off through November 30, 2013! Check out the awesomeness HERE.

Hidden Message Slider Card

On my walk this morning as I was cheerfully stomping through some fallen leaves, this card came into my mind...and it actually turned out better than I had imagined!

How about a video tutorial? Okay, even if it did just take me two hours and I still haven't showered...


I'm always THANKFUL for comments to know if you like what I'm sharing :) and even MORE grateful for your Online Orders and will send you a card to tell you how grateful I am (as long as you don't select "No Contact" when you place your order...I have to be able to see your address to send you a card, right?)

Warm Thanks (and Blog Candy)

'Tis the THANKS-GIVING season:

How adorably sweet is this "warm" gift of appreciation?

I've been looking forward to trying these new "Mugging" mixes from Shirley J and when I saw them at Macey's today, I had to grab a few, along with this speckled Baked Brown Sugar mug. Add a few Stampin' Up! supplies to decorate with~Tea Lace Paper Doilies (item 129399), A Round Array stamp set, 7/8" and 1-1/4" scallop circle punches (129404 and 127811), 7/16" Natural Trim (129287), Baker's Twine and some ink~ and you've got a quick gift!

The other sweet thing is that there are currently 8 flavors of Mugging Mixes:

• Chocolate Brownie Cake
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownie Cake
• Old-Fashioned Yellow Cake and Cobbler
• Country Style Cornbread
• Pumpkin Spice Bread
• Walnut Bread
• Quiche in a Cup
• No-Pan Pancake

All you have to do is add water, stir it up in a mug and microwave for less than 2 minutes!

I picked up two mixes and here's today's BLOG CANDY! The first person who guesses which two I bought will get ONE of the mixes and a package of doilies from Stampin' Up! Make sure you leave your guess in the comments and check back to see the winner on November 15th :)

WENDY: You are the winner! Thanks for all your comments and I'm sorry to post the winner so late, but I had to transfer to a new computer :P Email me your address and I'll send a Chocolate Brownie Cake and Pumpkin Spice Bread Mix to you!