I made this for a swap (the swap’s tonight) but ended up not liking it as much as another design (I’ll show you after the swap) so here it is. I used last week’s Splist Coast sketch challenge and this week color combo: soft sky, purely pomegranate, and black.

I dunno, now that I look at it, it’s not that bad but, since it’s my upline’s workshop and swap, I figured an SU stamped image would be more appropriate, thus the other design/card.

Material:

Everything from Stampin’ Up! except for the center stamp, which is a Bella stamp. Pattern paper is Cutie Pie. The shoes and pants were colored using my Copic sketch markers. Embossing was done by my Cuttlebug template.

I am so excited for tonight. It’s been a loooooooong time since I went to a workshop. There was one last month but it was when I was out of town for my conference. It’s always fun to meet up with other ladies who love to stamp too and just chit chat about anything.

Oh, I have an M story… since M was born we’ve always done all sorts of educational activities with her. That was why we took TV service out so that TV will not be the center of her entertainment. Since she was 3-months-old we’ve signed with her and she signed back at 6-months-old and she’s always been a little sponge. M knew how to count to 50 when she was just over 2-years-old and we’ve been playing math games since she turned three. I’d show her my fingers and asked her, “If I have four fingers and two went to sleep, how many do I have left?” She’d count my finger and tell me, “two.” Last night I told her that it’ll be a long night, I still have cards to make for the swap. She asked me how many I needed to make and I told her five. She asked me how many I’ve done and I said two. Then she said, “ooooh, you have three more to make.” Wow! I do fractions with her too… we’ll see if that sticks {::SMILES}.

Last tutorial that was similar to this, I used the pen tool. For this one, I use the marquee tools to join, dissect, or remove an area and then creating a path from it so that you can put your text in it. Lots of uses and lots of fun to use.

Here’s a Mother’s Day card that I created last week using digital paper from The DigiChick: Mom’s Collab kit. Isn’t the picture, the moms, cute? I just printed it on card stock paper. Actually everything I used here, pattern paper and the image, were printed the same time as all the other items I used for the gift card holder from last week; printed on an 8.5×11 card stock paper.

To illustrate, check out the image to the left. What I did was created an 8.5×11 page with 300dpi in Photoshop. Then I used my ruler to give me a 1/4″ guideline around my print area to make sure that my images will not be chopped off when I print. Like most printers, my printer will not print to the edges (no bleed printing), it will leave me with a 1/4″ white border around my print area, so the guideline helps me give a visual on how far to the top, bottom, left, and right I can go.

Then I insert the images that I want to use and put them into different layers. I’d adjust the size accordingly (CTRL-T/transform) and then layer the pattern papers on top of each other. After I have everything set up the way I want, I print.

Pretty simple huh?

Some people like to use matte photo paper to print their hybrid elements/paper. I’ve done both and it all depends on the look you want. You do get a better, more crisp print out, with the matte. But, with my cardstock, I’ve been quite happy.

There’s some talk that Stampin’ Up! wants to dip into the digital world but personally, I think they shouldn’t. BUT, if they do, this is one way you can use digital products. There are tons of digital kits, elements, and papers out there that you can buy, like the stuff at The DigiChick’s. But there are many also that you can download for free (check out www.shabbyprincess.com).

Here’s the limited supplies challenge from Split Coast last Friday:

1. Make a square card. (Any size)
2. Use only scrap pieces of paper. (The base card doesn’t have to be a scrap.)
3. Use ribbon or fiber scraps.
4. Use only ONE other embellishment.
5. Use any colors, stamps, and tools.

Guess what? I made a RECTANGLE card. I got #2 and #3 and on #4… well, I missed that one because I can’t read English. I thought the ribbon was the ONE embellishment. I missed the “other.” URGH!!!!!!!

My husband wants this in writing, so here goes: I can’t read and follow directions. BUT… when it comes to work related direction following, I am awesome. I mean if not, I’d have half a** installed and running web apps, right? Selective? Who knows!

The material:

Paper: Soft sky, Kraft, black, and white cardstock with the Cutie Pie and 7Gypsies DP
Ribbon: Pomegranate
Tool: Paper piercer (I LOVE that thing, can’t you tell?)
Stamp: SU Lovely Labels

I have some pages to share too. These are my last pages for Dana Frantz (City of the Arts kits were used for the two LO). After tomorrow, I will not be in her CT team anymore. My three months will be over. Sad but at the same time I’m ready to try something new. But, I think I’ll take a little break from CT-ing for individual designers. My job at The DigiChick will be enough to entertain me. I have so many options! So fun, fun, fun!! I’m still a CT at Tara Sroka and so you’ll be seeing a lot of hybrid with stamps besides the good ol scrapbook from now on. I’ll still do digital (maybe not as frequent) and of course videos (which has been around Tuesday/Wednesday when I get to them).

The Country Girl page was just a quick layout that I did with a small portion of the kit. There are so many more elements in there that I couldn’t use because it didn’t quite fit the theme that I had in mind and the photos that I have. They’re all lovely though, check them out!

The second layout, Dreams, was super easy and super quick and I never thought I’d do this but I used Dana’s Quick Page. What’s a QP? Well, a QP is basically a page that’s already been set up for you and all you have to do is plop in the photo.

That’s pretty much what I did, I grabbed this photo and layered it under the QP layer. Voila. Isn’t this QP awesome? That’s why I went ahead and used it because it’s so pretty (some QP are not this nice, ha!). Better than what I could have done with all the elements.

Hope you all have a great night! There’s frost warning though, I need to get my plants in before I go to bed. Laters!

Here’s my take on Beate’s weekend sketch challenge #45. I used Kraft, again, as my background paper and the Cuttlebug. This was a really quick card to make. I think it’s another five minute card.

I used the Spring Solitude set and I used the Stamp-a-majig to stamp over the bigger flower. I love that tool! The DP is from SU’s Cutie Pie and the “hi” is American Craft’s alphabet chipboard. Colors: Pomegranate and Marigold Morning from 2007 the in colors. The ribbon is Regal Rose.

Our outing was nice. Short but nice. Went to Michael’s and grabbed a few K&Company’s new items, some Amy Butler series. LOVE the new stuff. Not only are they cute, cute, cute, the packaging is recycled and also reusable. You should check them out!

I cut into my paper already and putting a page together. Another M page. Can’t wait to get it done! Loving the feel of the whole set.

The sushi restaurant was delicious as always. For the first time, Emma skipped the steamed dumplings and opted for the california AND tuna rolls. She LOVED the spicy crab salad and onion soup. She was a little piggy!!! She even dipped the rolls into some soy sauce and was brave enough to try the wasabi although that ended up in her spitting the content of her mouth onto my hands. I told her it was spicy but she wanted to try.

I love that girl, she’s such a great eater. I wonder if she’ll continue to eat if I tell her that the fish is raw… naaaaah, I’ll wait until she finds out on her own, why ruin it {::SMILES}.

I received an email from Scrapbook Trends Magazine and they liked what I sent them so one of my pages will be in the September issue. Whoo hoo!!!

I wasn’t serious when I sent them the email. I got to their site from Stampin’ Up! demo site actually. SU’s demo site is not the easiest to navigate and one day earlier this month I felt like clicking around to figure out where things are at (being a web designer makes me uber critical of others’ navigational systems). After clicking here and there I got to the “get your work published” page and one that was listed was Scrapbook Trends. After looking at the different criteria for September (now they’re doing a call for the November issue), there was one that fits and so I sent them a short note and an attachment. I totally forgot about it and it didn’t even click when I read their email stating they’ve accepted my layout (ok, I even forgot what I sent them - glad they attached the image).

Of course I’m super happy this weekend and M is too since it’s one of her pages (granted I think she has no idea what being in a magazine means). In the middle of the email, there was this note:

“Although we are planning on publishing your layout, sometimes space constraints change, resulting in layouts not being published. This rarely happens, but if it does, you will still receive the same amount of product as our thank you.”

Now to wait until Sept. to see if mine is actually published {::SMILES}.

I haven’t posted any traditional pages in almost a week, thought I’d post this. I’m going to submit this to One Little Word. Their word for this week: Grow. Check OLW out, they’re so fun, great words and awesome DT.

I love this page and the picture. I took these last Easter and I’ve done a few pages here and there but saved the best for this layout. Not a lot of embellishments really but with the type of background paper, it makes the page look busy. I used a few items from my Studio Calico kit and also a few chip boards from this big can that I got from WalMart. I picked this up months ago and was going to return it but ended up using it at the crop a few weeks ago for giveaways. But I still have a lot left.

We’re leaving for some sushi. Maybe Michaels will still be open. Might see what they have.

It’s been a while since I made this type of layout. Nothing fancy, just me and Photoshop. I did this fairly quick too, maybe 30 minutes. I really like it because it reminds me of the good old days in graphics class over 10 years ago. Back in the days I wanted to work at either an advertising company or a magazine. Obviously none of the above happened but I’m quite happy. I get to do this for a hobby, no pressure!

I know that there are so many terrific kits out there and I myself just want to buy, buy, buy, and try them out. But, once in a while, sit back, relax and see what you and your application can do (this can be challenging, especially for those who relies a lot on kits or love to fill up the page). If you have a hard time, grab one of your favorite magazine (I love my Country Living) and get some inspirations from there.

If you have nothing interesting to do this weekend and have about an hour, I challenge you to create a graphic style layout. Leave your kits, elements, fancy paper, etc. behind. It’ll be fun. I think you’ll like it {::SMILES}.

I have some winners!!! The M randomizers picked:

#9: Patty

Patty posted the following on April 21, 2008 at 1:02 pm. - Edit

This is actually the first time I’ve visited your blog. I’ve never stamped before, but am interested in getting started, so I’ve been blog browsing and got linked to yours from somewhere!

Patty, please email me your address. You can click on the Contact Me link on the top right and use the form or email me at stampin (at) scrapbit (dot) com. I also need you to tell me which stamp set you’d like to receive.

For The Digi Chick winner, M picked the following:

#14: Zakirah.

Zakirah posted the following on April 21, 2008 at 12:37 pm. - Edit

Lucky you!! Totally deserve it ~ congrats!! I saw you gallery at DST and your work is amazing. Wishing you a happy and fun time making projects with the awesome stuff by the TDC designers!!

Zakirah, I have your email address but please contact me so that I can confirm it with you and I’ll email the gift certificate code to that email address. I’ll make the purchase after I hear back from you.

Thanks everybody for playing!! Congrats to the winner.

Did this card for the color challenge at kwernerdesign. I did it really quick. Didn’t really have time to think of the design/layout. I really like the colors and want to participate. My first time trying out her color challenge.

I did substitute Sahara Sand with Craft paper. I don’t have Sahara Sand. Everything is by Stampin’ Up! except for the sentiment which is PaperTrey’s. I used the distressing tool to distress the so saffron paper and then paper pierced it. The stamp set is Garden Silhouettes.

So here it is. Hope you like.

I did this for SCS’s Try a New Technique challenge. This week is a gift card holder. I LOVE it! Because I loved it so much, I made two!

The first one, the red dots background (I did myself by the way {::SMILE}) is actually M’s. Well, she claimed it. I felt bad, I always make cards for others but hardly for her and so I said sure as long as she takes good care of it. She said she will. So she has it now. The stamp is one of the new Bella stamps that I got earlier this month. I just haven’t had the occasion to use it. The dots and the sentiment is from PaperTrey and the rest is Stampin’ Up! I think I kind of combined a few challenges from last week on this. I used black to highlight my red cardstock and made my own BG paper.

If you haven’t done any challenges, you should. It always gets me motivated and help think outside the box and try something new.

The second card I did with a new Digi Chick kit: Total “Mom” - Sense Collaboration Kit. Awesome kit for digi AND hybrid. I’m not kidding you. Even if I’m not a CT for TDC, I’d be bragging about this kit. I’ve only used a tiny portion of this huge kit and I can do A LOT of cool pages and cards not mentioning digital project with this one kit. Mother’s day is coming around the corner!!

I wish my hubby makes cards. He’s only made me one card all the times we’ve been together. I’ll have to show you that sometimes. Kind of cute in a manly way, ha ha! It was sweet and I always look at it. It is after all, the ONLY card hand crafted by him.

Below is how the inside look. I didn’t do a lot of decorating but of course you can. Check out the SCS gallery for all the submissions to this challenge.

It was an odd day yesterday. I had a headache, which went away after a nap and some pills, but my throat just hurt. My sore throat happened Tuesday night. I feel fine now, just still hacking a bit. I wonder if it’s because people’s been (including the husband) burning around our house. We burnt off our field and the neighbors did the same. Not sure if it’s a country thing or it’s just something everybody wanted to do the last few days. I am sensitive to smoke. I can’t be in a smoking section at a restaurant, pass by people who are smoking, or enjoy a bar/club. I wasn’t always like this, more so after I had M. I’m glad they passed the no smoking in Kansas City. Maybe it’ll spread to our little college town. Hmmm…

This is one easy way to recolor. You’ll find many other ways but I’m all about quick and easy {::SMILES}.

After watching the tutorial, if you’re interested in some digi or stamp blog giveaways, please keep scrolling down.