Constantly Stamping

CAS MDS Hybrid Wedding Card

Life has been coming at me hard and fast the past few weeks. We had a lot of hail damage back in March, so I have been busy dealing with the insurance company trying to work out all the details of the repairs. This is also achievement test week and the last week of tutorial at our son's homeschool group, so needless to say, I have been a bit distracted from my blogging. I needed a quick card for a wedding, so today's card is clean and simple. I created the card front using the flower image from the recently released "Earth Laughs" MDS digital download and the "Happy Greeting" digital stamp brush set. I printed it out on Whisper White card stock and then colored it with Daffodil Delight & Lucky Limeaid markers. To create a glow around the image, I sponged Tea Stain distress ink from the Distressing Essential Kit around the edges. I trimmed it down and added it to a Daffodil Delight card base. That's all here is to it. I may go back later and add a little bling, but for now this is a great, simple card that I can put in the mail without any worries.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I can't believe my husband and I have been married almost twenty-two years. Happy Valentine's Day, honey!

Love is in the air and today seems like the perfect time to share another free digital Bible verse with you. Hope you are enjoying them. If you have a favorite Bible verse or inspiration quote that you would like to see be made into a digital file, leave me a comment and maybe I will design it next.

 

 

MDS Sunset Serenade Card

I thought I would take a little break from leadership samples to share with you a little project that I did a while back. This is just a simple notecard that I created in MDS using the Sunset Serenade download. Not much to tell about it really...it's just a fun, simple little note that I put together just in case I need it.

I have been playing around with the new Simply Scored insert that I was lucky enough to win at Leadership. I created a fun envelope to go along with the card using some coordinating DSP. I will be back soon with some helpful hints on making envelopes with the insert along with measurements for some different size envelopes.

Another Digital Bible Verse Freebie!

I don't know how life is at your house, but at our house we sometimes need a little reminder about our "attitude". Today I have another free digital Bible verse for you. Just scroll down to the bottom of this post for the link. I have had this verse ready to go, but I wanted to make an inspirational piece to use it on. So yesterday I sat down with My Digital Studio and created this framed art to put on my desk at home.

I design my .png digital images so that you can use them large (like you see here) or small for a scrapbook page or even a card without image distortion. To use the files all you need to do is create a new folder in the stamp folder of your MDS software. Then you can use them just like any other digital stamp brush set. I named my folder "Bible Verses" so that I know where to find them.

For this project I purchased an inexpensive 8"x10" frame. I removed the glass so that I could add embellishments to the finished piece. Be careful not to cut yourself when removing the glass. Here is how I created the artwork in My Digital Studio.

In My Digital Studio I created a 8.5"x11" (landscape) scrapbook page and added the Tickets & Tags DSP #2 for the background. (Tickets & Tags Kit #127431). I added a square punch, enlongated it, and filled it with Tickets & Tags DSP #1. Then I added a drop shadow. Next I added the Decorative Label Punch, enlarged it and filled it with Whisper White. I added a Baja Breeze outline to the punch (size 6) and also added a drop shadow. For just a subtle hint of color I added the flourish from the Bliss Stamp Brush Set in Baja Breeze and changed the opacity to 20%. Then I pulled in the Bible verse artwork and left it Basic Black. For just a little bit of interest I added a little bird from the Bliss set. Now it is ready to print. I printed my digital masterpiece on HP Premium Presentation Paper on my HP Photosmart C5180 color printer and trimmed it down to fit inside the frame. I added a few flowers that I created by hand and some pearls for a finishing touch.

If you don't have My Digital Studio, you now can get a free 30-day trial version of My Digital Studio Express. Just click on the shop 24/7 button in the upper right corner of my blog and select "Digital Designing" from the menu. At the very top you of the list  you will find more information on how to download your free trial software. 

Here is the link to today's free digital Bible Verse download. Enjoy.

Another Freebie - Song of Solomon 2:12

You may recognize this next verse from my Artisan Award SB pages. When I entered the competition I actually created the layout in MDS, but I have gone back and re-created as a .png file it so that all you need to do is add it to your layouts as a digital stamp. See my earlier post here for more info on how to do that.

 

A Sweet MDS Tutorial

I received a nice comment from Tammy asking how I created the label for the Valentine Treat bag. So Tammy, this is for you (and anyone else who may be wondering). I tried to keep the pictures small, but you can click on them and they will enlarge if you need a closer look.

 

Of course you need to purchase and download The Sweetest Ever Valentine template. Open MDS and create a new project. Choose Multiple Output Option. Select 8-1/2x11 Portrait setting. Choose Designer Template. Select Sweetest Ever Valentine Template. This is what Page One will look like.

Step One: Delete everything off the page except the part that we will be working with.

 

 

 

 

Step Two: Move the words and frame away from the background. Group them together to make it easier to keep together. Also group together the background paper but leave it where it is.

Step Three: Duplicate the background and move it below the first box.

Step Four: Return the words and frame to the original position.

Step Five: Use the square label punch to cover the portion that you don't want to print.

Step Six: Fill the punches with the same color as the background paper (in this case, Whisper White). This helps conserve printer ink.

Step Seven: Use the square punch again to add a little extra pink CS to the sides. I used the color picker to get an exact match.

Step Eight: Change the color of the side punches to pink. I used the color picker to get an exact match. Now select everything and group it so that nothing gets messed up. You may want to fill the other portion of the page with other elements so that you don't waste your expensive matte photo paper.

That's it. How this helps!

The Bible Verse Project

I have to tell you a little story about this next project before it will make sense, so beware, this may end up being a longer post than usual!

Last spring I was involved in a ladies Bible study at the home of a good friend. One of the things she recommended was to memorize a verse each week by putting it on a sticky note and putting it somewhere where you would see it often. I got the idea to design a post-it every week for the remainder of the study. I designed the verses with my Creative Suite software and saved them as PNG files so that I could add them as digital stamps to my MDS software. Since I created the files without artwork, I don't need to worry about copyright infringement. I checked with SU and they said that I can give away the files as long as I don't charge for them. You will occassionaly see MDS artwork in some of my samples, but the art was added after the fact and aren't included with the PNG files. Now here is the tricky part. I am not exactly sure how to add the .png files to my post in a way that can easily be downloaded, so I am gonna try to attach it at the end of the post and we will see what happens. If it doesn't work, please feel free to contact me and I will send you an email of the file. I am also open to suggestions for a better way to do this. To use the Bible verses with MDS, I went into my MDS software/components/stamps and created a folder called "Bible Verses" and placed the files there. They should then just show up just like any digital stamps you have in your MDS software. Of course, you can use the files with any software that allows you to import .png files.

Here is the first verse that I designed. I can't believe that I have never gotten around to sharing this scrapbook page of my husband and son. I made this page in MDS several months ago but I forgot to post it. This photo was taken about five years ago just before my husband deployed for Iraq. I think it is my all-time favorite of all photos of my guys. The verse is Nehemiah 8:10. As I look back on that difficult period of our lives I know that it was only through our faith in Christ that were able to make it.

Here is the free download.

 

Sweet MDS Hybrid Valentine Treat Bag

OK...yes I know it is New Year's Eve, but honestly, it isn't too early to think about Valentine's Day. I have had a wonderful holiday season, but it is just time to move ahead. Yesterday I decided that I wanted to do make something...anything...but what? So I decided to check out the MDS website. I haven't been there in a while and I was curious to see what new downloads are available. That is when I stumbled onto this gem. It's the Sweetest Ever Valentine Designer Template (#129009). For only $9.95 (US) this download includes pre-designed lollipop cover, mini chocolate wraps, medium cello bag treat toppers, a candybar wrapper and some cuter than cute lables and tags. They are already designed, so all you have to do is print, cut, and assemble. Those applications are so obvious, so I thought why not see what else I could come up with using this fun download.

This is what I came up with. I started with a 5"x12" piece of DSP from the new mini catalog, folded it in half and used a new die from the Occassions Mini Catalog (available January 4th, 2012) along with a bunch of other goodies from the new mini. Did I mention that you are going to flip when you see the new mini catalog? OMG! There are so many fabulous new products. I hope you saved some of your Christmas cash, because you are gonna have to have just about all of it!

Well, that is about it for now. Have a wonderful and safe New Year's celebration and I will see you next year!