Stampin' Up! Weekly Deals

Here's the Stampin' Up! Weekly Deals ... you have until next Monday night, February 23rd to order these items with the sale price!! =)

• What's Up Punch [Item # 133781]
  Get it for only $12.71 
• Celebration Basics Kit [Item # 133007]
  Get it for only $11.21 
• Mosaic Punch [Item # 131267]
  Get it for only $11.96 
• Pansy Punch [Item # 130698]
  Get it for only $11.96 
• 2014-2016 In Color Backgrounds Designer Series Paper Stack [Item # 133705]
  Get it for only $16.46 
• Pumpkin Pie 1/4" Cotton Ribbon [Item # 134565]
  Get it for only $4.46
• Daffodil Delight 1/4" Cotton Ribbon [Item # 134559]
  Get it for only $4.46 
• Amped Up Ampersands Kit - Digital Download [Item # 134844]
  Get it for only $5.97

See them all here>>> http://tinyurl.com/SUweeklyDeal

XOXO,

Sally

 

New MDS Downloads - 3 FREEBIES

Every Tuesday new downloads for My Digital Studio are released. Today there are two that are FREE, and there was one the week of February 12th as well! I've linked them all so you can click the name and go straight to the download. There you will be able to read all the details.
You will have to login so your downloads will be saved in your profile...you can choose to load them on your computer later, whenever you are ready to use them!

March Calendar Wallpaper - FREE

No Regrets Pocket Cards - FREE

Most of the downloads available are pretty inexpensive, and if you don't have MDS yet, you can download it on a free 30 day trial anytime you are ready to create! I love making things with MDS and even though I love to touch paper and ink, MDS can make hybrid projects so much easier.

Label This Designer Template - FREE

Stampin' Up! must be trying to help us keep our resolutions this year, because several of the new downloads lately have been various labels for getting organized! The one above includes many of our retired colors as well as all the current ones.

Here's one for Laundry, your closet, and the always messy craft room!

Label This Laundry Designer Template $5.95

Label This Closet $4.95

Label This Craft Room Designer Template - $7.95

 I love this one for your Kitchen!

Label This Kitchen Designer Template $7.95

And here's a cute one for the office, the playroom, and your garage...

Label This Office Designer Template $4.95

Label This Playroom Designer Template $3.95

Label This Garage Designer Template $4.95

There are so many more downloads available. Here's another cute one from today's set:

Happy Things Pocket Cards $5.95

You can check them all out on my website and get yourself the free 30 day trial of MDS!!! Click HERE to explore my store! ;)

So Much News

Wednesday afternoon Stampin' Up! began announcing a whole slew of stuff that continued throughout the day yesterday...

First we welcome a New item - the Sizzix Texture Boutique. It's a super cute little embossing machine. Comes with 2 folders, 1 Pair of Standard Embossing Pads, and a Mylar Shim. $39.95 (item 132700) There's a limited supply of 4,000 of these available and we've already sold 1,500 since this was announced! Here's a video to see it in action:

On Monday November 19th at midnight the Online Extravaganza begins. We'll have 3 products 20% that day only along with many other items up to 50% off through November 28th. Here's a list of everything on sale for easy reference! To purchase any of these items, simply click [shop now] while on my website, or try this link to my online store.

 

Have you ever seen that little black square in an advertisement that you can scan with your smart phone and be directed to the website or promotional page? Well this is a new take on that technology. It's called Talking Tag. You buy a sheet of them and using the internet personalize them before attaching to a card or gift. Now your pictures really can say a thousand words!You get 10 tags for just $7.95 (item 129723) Here's a "how to video". 

A card-making application iPhone app! Simply Sent is what it's called, I've linked it on my Facebook Page for you to find it easily in the iTunes store! This iPhone app allows you to create an e-card-from a template or completely on your own-and send it via e-mail or post it on Facebook...and it's FREE!!! Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 5.1 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Introducing the new and improved Stampin' Trimmer! Although paper trimmers are a common crafting tool, this trimmer was designed exclusively by paper crafters for paper crafters-and because it was made by Stampin' Up!, you know it's a cut above the rest! My trimmer is slowly losing the measurement markings when I commonly put my fiongers...they're just rubbing off. You won't have that problem with this one, and it has many more wonderful improvements! $29.95 (item 126889) 

Effective November 14, 2012 I can add digital downloads to a customer workshop order. These used to be only available as an online purchase, but as long as I have your email address, you can buy these from me in person when you attend one of my classes or clubs. Totally cool!! :) 

Well that's all for now! lol

~Sally

My Digital Studio Express FREE Trial

Our FREE 30-day trial of My Digital Studio Express* is now available. Make sure to get it, and let your friends in on it too! My Digital Studio Express includes one stamp brush set, 12 Designer Series Paper patterns, 81 embellishments, 26 punches, and 5 designer templates. Your 30 day trial period starts as soon as you launch the program. It does not matter when you download the program, your 30 days will start as soon as you actually launch (open) the program.

How do you get it?
You can download the software and access the free trial (item 129600) just as you would a Stampin' Up! digital download or any online purchase. Just visit my online store and there is even a link to the free trial on the upper right.

 

Online Community!

Did you know that MDS has it's own online community? Check it out and be inspired!!! =)

http://mydigitalstudio.net/

 

What do you do once you try it and like it?
Once the 30-day free trial period is over, you can purchase the downloadable or disc version of the software to continue using it. You'll simply open up the trial version you already have on your computer, and will be prompted to enter the product registration key you received after purchasing the software. (You'll receive this key via e-mail if you purchase the downloadable version, and you'll find it along with your shipped software if you purchase the disc version.)  

 

*MDS Express is not the full product version. Click HERE to see what is included.

 

My Digital Studio Features & Benefits

Exclusive Stampin’ Up! Content

• Stampin’ Up! artwork and accessories available in a digital format.
• Stampin’ Up! colors allow for perfect coordination when embellishing professional print projects with traditional embellishments. Add depth and dimension when you combine digital with handcrafted elements.
• With My Digital Studio, your favorite images and colors do not retire—you can keep using them for years to come!

Software & Content Options

• The full version of My Digital Studio includes nearly 2,000 unique elements—stamps, embellishments, designer and photo templates, punches, Designer Series papers, card stock, and more. If you have the Express version you can purchase a booster pack to add additional content found in the full version.
• Intuitive functionality for easy navigation and project creation.
• Automatic photo fill for effortless design.
• Boxed software comes on two DVDs, making installation quick and simple.
• PC and Mac compatible.
• Training and quick start materials available to help you learn more.
• My Digital Studio can be used as a design tool, allowing you to create projects digitally before crafting them with paper.
• My Digital Studio boxed software is competitively priced at $79.95.
• Download the My Digital Studio End User Software License Agreement.

Digital Downloads

• Download new stamp brush sets, embellishments, kits, punches, Designer Series Paper and templates to My Digital Studio on a regular basis.
• Digital downloads are compatible with other design programs.
• Digital downloads feature exclusive Stampin’ Up! artwork and colors.
• Many embellishments are true to size, making it easier to combine digital projects with paper crafting.
• Download the End User License Agreement for Stampin’ Up! Digital Content.

Print

• Professional print service integrated in software, allowing you to order photo albums, calendars, cards, and individual pages.
• Stampin’ Up!’s professional print services ensure that printed colors match with our traditional products. Because personal printers and other print services use different settings, their prints may not match Stampin’ Up!’s exclusive colors.
• Don’t limit yourself to print projects! You can also create digital projects like DVDs, interactive albums, and e-cards.
• rint your projects from your home printer. (Depending on your printer’s settings, printed colors may not match Stampin’ Up!’s exclusive colors.)
• Stampin’ Up!’s professional print services use only the highest quality products— papers and sewn-reinforced album covers (linen, leather, and photo covers).

Stamped COOKIES!!!

We just had another Halloween themed birthday party for my daughter, Sydney. We have a really fun time decorating the whole house and backyard for her parties. Since she has a September birthday at the end of the month, we have done the Halloween theme venue a few times before. This one celebrated her 10th birthday!

Sydney in her mummy costume

I made her invitations using My Digital Studio. I just layered a few elements digitally and printed them on my printer. Once trimmed out with my chocolate bar measurements I wrapped them up for delivery to the potential party guests. And since MDS uses Stampin' Up! punches and images I was able to coordinate her cake with it. I used my Bat Punch* with a black sugar sheet to punch bats for her tombstone cake!

Party day is always so crazy I try to do as many things ahead of time as I can. The easiest was making these snickerdoodles, which happen to be the birthday girl's favorite cookie!

Snickerdoodles made with Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps

I didn't put pumpkin faces on them using just any old cookie cutter or mold. These are reminiscent of my post on pie stamping. Stampin' Up! has released a new product for the holidays, Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps!

They are super cute and easy to use. They're sold as a trio, so you get all three of the stamps above along with a beautiful wood handle that they easily slide on and off of. Here's a flyer with more info about Cookie Stamps! =)

The only real trick to them is to use any recipe that doesn't have a leavening agent in it. My snickerdoodle recipe listed baking soda, so I just omitted it. They came out fine. Not as puffy as usual, but still delicious and with cute pumpkin faces!!!

Here's my recipe...

SALLY'S SNICKERDOODLES
Makes 3 dozen

1 Cup Butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda (you can leave it out)
1/4 teaspoon salt
---------------------------------------------------------
2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400. Cream together butter and sugar, eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, soda (if using) and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfulls into balls. Roll balls into sugar-cinnamon mixture.

Place dough balls on ungreased cookie sheet and press with cookie stamp. After pressing they won't spread during baking. If not using cookie stamps (and if you included baking powder) make sure you space your cookie balls about 2 inches apart so they can expand and rise.

Bake 8-10 minutes depending on how soft you like your cookies. Eat them all!

*Bat Punch retired 2011 

Getting in the Spirit of Things

Halloween is my favorite holiday! My whole house is decked out in true fashion this year because I convinced my 9 year-old to have her party (she was born on 9/25) in October and make it a costume-birthday party! Also with everything out this year, my oldest is inspired to have her own shin dig too; she's never had a costume party and we might as well make the most of it all! :)
The photo above is a small representation of my Spooky Town. I have the whole village set up on the dining room table and you might recognize the paper I used as the backdrop. Yup, it's the packing material you get when a Stampin' Up! order arrives via UPS! hee hee

This is the cake I made her. Using these cookies as tombstones was not my original idea, but the way I saw them they had "RIP" and things like that written on them. Cute, but I wasn't going to do that on a birthday cake. I also crushed up a bunch of Oreos for the top of the cake. It tasted even better than it looks!

I did some super fun  invites using the Fang-tastic Stamp Set (Vampire on some, and a Witch on others), and I also had some done with the Make a Monster Set...so cute. I'm sorry to say I can't share a pic today though, I guess I miscounted because we gave them all away!!!
This is Sydney, AKA Vampire Girl, with her graveyard cake...

...and now for something crafty using paper! ;)
This is an 8-1/2 x 11" scrapbook page using the new Waffle Paper as well as other goodies in the Holiday Mini...LOVE it!!! The spider web was done super easy using the Big Shot, and if you like the Designer Paper I used here, you will love the whole package, too! The spiders were done by trimming off select parts of snowflakes from a Sizzlits Die 4-Pack...yeah they only have 6 legs, but aren't they cute!?

Stampin' Supplies:
STAMPS - Make a Monster (for eyes), Fang-tastic (treat bags in background)*

PAPER - Pumpkin Pie, Waffle Paper Assortment 2*, Whisper White, Basic Black, Night Owl Designer Series Paper*

INK - Pumpkin Pie

OTHER - Textured Impressions Spider Web*, 1" Circle Punch, White Gel Pen, Snowflakes Set #2 Sizzlits Die 4-Pack (3 used)

*Items from the current Holiday Mini Catalog (Sale Dates 9/1/2010-1/3/2011)

Digi Dabble

It's almost time to make another calendar. That was a big project last year, and since then I have only used My Digital Studio to make a few 12x12 pages. My only excuse is my undying love for ink and paper. ;) But I will continue to dabble, it's a lot of fun!

MDS can scratch that crafty itch likety split. I really like the built in templates, you can just drag and drop photos in. It's amazing how quickly you can do a page!
Templates are set up as "albums" with multiple coordinating pages. You can also choose one or two by just deleting the extra pages before you build your "project." And the template will still be there for later use if you decide to build additional pages from it. These are from the Designer Template Sunny Day 12x12 album.
I really liked the look of this page the way it was, but I only had one photo I wanted to use. Once I started tweaking things I couldn't stop! LOL Actually I didn't spend too much time on this. An easy thing to do with an existing layout is copy and paste items to move around. That saved me time from browsing through all the other various embellishments available. I also added more background paper and several drop shadows for dimension. Not the best quality photo, but I LOVE it!

Stampin' Supplies:

My Digital Studio™118108 $79.95

For more information about what My Digital Studio can do, visit my website.

My First MDS Project

I've been dabbling with digi scrapping for almost two years now and even though I still have a deep love for true paper crafting, I just HAD to get myself a copy of My Digital Studio, from Stampin' Up! As a demonstrator I went through a certification process so I could learn about it and have the knowledge to help others. It's so easy to use; I can see myself doing many projects with it. Some all digital and a few hybrid things.
As part of my certification I had to create something using the software, so I decided to make a 2010 calendar. It's not only practical, but it came together quickly. The elements available are so easy to drop in and there are even templates you can use to help you with your layout. Here's a screen shot:


It's the lead in page for the month of June. The pictures folder is on the left side and I just dropped my photo in, selected some "stamped" images, and added a ribbon. The small preview images along the bottom are all the pages of the calendar, and you can simply click on any of them if you need to make an edit. This image below is the calendar page itself that coordinates with the one above.


There are designer papers to use as well and I incorporated them into several of my other pages, but I didn't want every page to be "the same." I'm super excited to get it. The printing/shipping service is really fast. I uploaded it for printing on Saturday evening and it'll be here tomorrow. I can't wait to hang it in my kitchen!

Want to know more about My Digital Studio? Watch the video on my website! There are also two great promos this month that include My Digital Studio:

• Get 50% off My Digital Studio when you host a workshop totaling $400 or more
• Spend $50 on anything in the Gift Giving Guide and receive a free Decor Element ($16.95 value)