A Field of Poppies and Happy Labor Day!

Well, I haven’t done much on this Labor Day – especially as far a laboring.  However, Rick’s Landscaping finished the area behind our deck today, so I have been out looking at the flowers.  And speaking of flowers, how about some poppies?

I’ll admit this isn’t a real field of poppies, but when I look at this card, my mind drifts to the beauty of a field of red or orange poppies.  Those of you who know me well know that this is one of my absolutely favorite flowers.  At one time, I had two wonderful red poppy plants outside my kitchen window until Mr. Shall Remain Nameless pulled them out thinking the foliage was a weed.  So, I am forced to find the beauty in this stamp – Pleasant Poppies.  The truly neat thing about this card is that I actually printed the poppies with My Digital System on a firm vellum.  The flowers are actually colored with markers on the WRONG side of the vellum.  Coloring on the wrong side is very forgiving of little errors which is great as I tend to make a lot of little errors!  One of my new framelit sets of the Squares Collection which is what I used to cut the poppy frame shown on the card.  The Square Lattice embossing folder provides great texture to the card front.  While looking for an appropriate message for this card, I found “the earth laughs in flowers.  e.e. cummings” which I though was perfect and looks great stamped on Tangerine Tango.  Black “rhinestones” provided the finishing touch both for the message and for those poppies showing the full center.  So part of the work on the card is done for you – the poppies are printed and cut to size, the frame is pre-cut, and I have pre-stamped and cut several of the messages. 

I hope you can come this weekend and make this fun card – you too can dream of a field of poppies!  The cost is $12.00 for 5 flower cards – a dahlia, a vase of lilies, individual flower shop blossoms, the poppies, and a beautiful embossed poinsettia.  Dates and times are:  Thursday September 5th from 2 to 9 PM, Friday September 6th from 2 to 9 PM, Saturday September 7th from 9 AM to 3 PM, and Saturday September 14th from 9 AM to 3 PM. The September 14th stamp camp is being held as several Saturday stampers are tied up on the 7th. If you plan on coming on the 14th, please let me know as soon as you can. The cost for this stamp camp with 5 cards is $12.00.  If you can tell me ahead of time which day you will be attending, it is a help – but not a necessity. I always look forward to seeing you!

One more blog post to look for – the final summer flower card features Washi Tape, a bit of grunge and the Flower Shop blossoms!  Give me a call or drop me an E-mail if you have any questions!

Blessings, Rosemary – 630/759-3089 – paperrose01@aol.com

Come to Bethlehem

I wanted to share the Christmas card I created for my Mother this year.  I used the Come to Bethlehem image in My Digital Studio (MDS) with one of the Piece of Cake designer series papers as the background.  Using MDS is great for background papers as it allows the designer to vary the opacity.  Note the difference in the backgrounds between the card front and the message as I used a more opaque look for the message inside the card.  After printing the card front, I trimmed and layered it with Soft Suede cs on a So Saffron card.  An added rhinestone adds to the beauty of this simple card. 

                      

This is the message that I cut and layered inside my Mother’s Christmas card. 

Did you know that you can get a FREE 30-day trial of My Digital Studio.  After the 30 days, there is no big push to buy the digital studio.  If you are interested in creating and printing your own Christmas cards, this would be a great time to try the free trial!  Let me know if you are interested.  After  you order the free trial, it comes to your computer immediately so that you can load and start using it.  This is a great way to personalize your cards as you can add your own wording in the lettering style you want right on to the front of your cards!

The Christmas Stamp Camp is right around the corner – December 7th and 8th.  Check back tomorrow for a preview of one of the cards we will be doing!

Blessings, Rosemary

 

 

 

 

 

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Weeklong Celebration of Digital Scrapbooking Day begins:

From October 29th thru November 5TH, customers can get FREE downloads and 50 percent off digital kits! Check out MyDigitalStudio.net for details. See the discounted kits below at  http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ItemList.aspx?categoryID=562

Item          Designer Kit                                    Retail Value    Sale Price 50% Off

130861    Afternoon Daydream Kit                 $9.95                    $4.97

129928    Afternoon Tea II Kit                          $9.95                    $4.97

119839    Always Elegant Digital Kit              $9.95                    $4.97

129358    Attic Boutique Kit                              $9.95                    $4.97

122175    Autumn Spice Digital Kit                $9.95                     $4.97

127600    Autumn Traditions Kit                     $9.95                     $4.97

130969    Bandstand Kit                                  $7.95                      $3.97

130970    Be of Good Cheer Kit                     $7.95                      $3.97

123728    Celebrations Digital Kit                 $9.95                      $4.97

130982    Chevron Punch Kit                          $7.95                      $3.97

123956    Christmas Cheer Digital Kit         $9.95                      $4.97

120880    Christmas Cocoa II Digital Kit      $9.95                     $4.97

128876    Day in the Life Kit                            $14.95                   $7.47

130059    Fifty Nifty Kit                                      $9.95                      $4.97

130062    File it Fun Kit                                    $7.95                      $3.97

131228    Friendship Preserves Kit              $3.95                      $1.97

128875    Frosty Days II Kit                             $9.95                      $4.97

129924    Get it Done Kit                                $5.95                       $2.97

129870    Good Times II Kit                           $7.95                       $3.97

118465    Happy Birthday Digital Kit             $14.95                     $7.47

128872    Holiday Harmony Kit                      $7.95                       $3.97

127773    Holly Berry Bouquet                       $9.95                       $4.97

118466    Hoppy Memories Digital Kit         $14.95                     $7.47

128999    It’s all Me Kit                                    $9.95                        $4.97

130850    Joyful Times Kit                              $9.95                       $4.97

124230    Just Add Cake Digital Kit              $14.95                     $7.47

124443    Love Birds Digital Kit                      $9.95                       $4.97

131231    Lovely Little Labels Kit                   $7.95                        $3.97

129359    Mixed Bunch Kit                               $7.95                        $3.97

119978    My Sweet Pea Digital Kit                $9.95                        $4.97

132264    Neon Notes Kit                                $9.95                        $4.97

129898    New Heights Kit                              $7.95                        $3.97

122174    Nite Owl Digital Kit                          $7.95                        $3.97

129340    Number One Kit                              $9.95                        $4.97

129360    On the Go Kit                                    $9.95                       $4.97

124463    One Great Year Kit                          $9.95                        $4.97

131360    Ornament Keepsakes Kit              $6.95                        $3.47

127599    Party Animal Kit                               $9.95                         $4.97

131226    Picture This Kit                                $4.95                         $2.47

130851    Pinwheels on Parade Kit              $7.95                          $3.97

126027    Playful Polka Dots Digital Kit        $9.95                         $4.97

131227    Providences of Provinces Kit        $7.95                         $3.97

130983    Raspberry Splash Kit                    $7.95                         $3.97

118869    Recipes By Design Digital Kit      $9.95                         $4.97

127163    Red, White, and Blue Digital Kit   $5.95                         $2.97

130060    Season By Season Kit                   $9.95                         $4.97

127587    Sending Glad Tidings Designer Tags Kit

                                                                             $7.95                          $3.97

129605    Special Delivery Bright Kit            $7.95                           $3.97

129606    Special Delivery Subtle Kit           $7.95                           $3.97

127759    Spice Cake Kit                                $5.95                          $2.97

130852    Spring Break II Kit                          $9.95                          $4.97

129608    Spring Fever Kit                             $7.95                           $3.97

130076    Summer Happiness Kit               $9.95                           $4.97

118464    Summer Home Digital Kit           $14.95                         $7.47

129601    Summer Smooches Kit               $9.95                           $4.97

124229    Sunset Serenade Digital Kit       $5.95                            $2.97

129339    Sweet Shop Kit                              $9.95                            $4.97

129882    Tea Time II Digital Kit                   $7.95                            $3.97

132190    That’s a Wrap Kit                           $7.95                            $3.97

127431    Tickets & Tags Kit                         $9.95                            $4.97

125757    Tickets & Tokens II Digital Kit     $7.95                            $3.97

131217    Topsy-Turvey Celebration Kit      $9.95                            $4.97

121071    Travel Journal Digital Kit              $9.95                            $4.97

126022    Travel Log Kit                                 $9.95                            $4.97

129332    Twitterpated Kit                              $9.95                            $4.97

129607    Walk in the Park Kit                       $9.95                            $4.97

132567    Winter Wonders Kit                       $9.95                            $4.97

127609    Wicked Fun Kit                               $9.95                            $4.97

131218    Wonderfall Kit                                $7.95                             $3.97

120881    Write Stuff II Digital Kit                  $9.95                            $4.97

128883    You’re My Sunshine Kit                $7.95                             $3.97

MORE Mostly Male Cards

I know you haven’t heard from me in almost a month, but I am alive and well and busy, busy, busy.  My 94 year-old Mother is visiting from California.  For those of you who have not met Maxine, she is a bundle of go-go-go.  She has a trainer at a gym in San Jose but while she is here, thanks to the generosity of Judy, she is using a recumbent bike and my weights for her exercise.

I want to share 2 more of the Mostly Male Cards we will be doing at our Stamp Camp this coming weekend – August 3rd and 4th.  You’ve already seen the shirt and tie cards.

This card comes to us with a bit of help from My Digital Studio.  The grass (much darker on the actual card) from “Inspired by Nature” (Retired) and the frogs were printed from MDS which makes your job quite a bit easier.  I cas’d this general idea from Brenda Keenan, a demonstrator in San Jose, CA.  We add a decorative strip of the “Paisley Petals” Designer Series Paper layered to the left of the grass image.  We’ve also added a decorative edge with the Scallop Ribbon Border Punch and Chocolate Chip cs. The card edges have been sponged with Chocolate Chip, and our message comes from the new  “Itty Bitty Banners” and are die cut with the Bitty Banners Framelits.  A bit of 5/8” Chocolate Chip finishes this masculine card.

This masculine card provides a way to use up your scraps.  We have used the “Well Worn” (Retired) Designer Series Paper here and layered the strips on Cajun Craze cs that has been embossed with the new Chevron Folder.  This card was also cas’d from Brenda Keenan.  I used “Perfect Words” for my message and punched it out with the Decorative Label Punch.  2 silver brads and Espresso satin ribbon finish our card.  I also used this idea to make some cards for my Mother, using more feminine colors.  You can use a square punch to make your tails, but I prefer using the Photo Corner Punch. 

         

I am hoping – but not promising – a 4th card that features the Labels Collection Framelits on a black and gray card.  We are having a family birthday bash  tomorrow – Sunday – and work has been keeping me pretty busy Monday thru Friday.  But, I will try as this is such a CUTE card and is not at all difficult.

Hope to see you this coming weekend – Friday August 3rd from 4 PM – 9 PM and Saturday August 4th from 9 AM to 4 PM.  The cost will be $8 if we only do the 3 cards and $10 if I get the 4th card done.  These cards are not difficult and you should be in and out in less than 2 hours.  I will be at your side to help you with the folds of the tie and shirt card if you need help.  In case you’ve forgotten, what it looks like, I have added one of the tie cards below.  Give me a call or drop an E-mail if you have any questions!!!! Blessings, Rosemary – 630-759-3089

My Digital System card for April Stamp Camp

  

So remember the My Digital System card I showed yesterday?  This is the finished version after I added my creative touches.  I think, however, I will move my frog a bit more to the right when I do my next sample, and perhaps add a bit more brown Stampin’ Pastels.  The flowers are in Red Hood and More Mustard.  A small punched circle of basic black cs is the center of the mustard flower.  Black brads hold the medium flowers together and serve as a spiffy center.  I used a basic black Stampin’ Write marker to make tiny black centers in the small flowers on the left.  Crystal Effects highlight the “Birthday Banter” frog’s big lips and eyelids.  I also used Crystal Effects on the frog spots of the remaining two frogs as an accent.  A die-cut Framelit serves as the message placeholder.  I used the message that accompanies the frog in the “Birthday Banter” set:  “We may not be tadpoles anymore, but at least we haven’t croaked!”  The card looks much more difficult than it really is as the background, stems and 2 smaller frogs are already printed on your card stock.  I have stamped some of the flowers so they are ready for punching and adhering to your card front.  Of course, you may choose to use colors other than Red Riding Hood and More Mustard, and that is fine!

This is just one of the 4 cards we will be doing at the April 11th and 12th Spring Flowers Stamp Camp.  Check back in a day or two to see the next card using the beautiful Tea Shoppe stamp set.  We will be using tea stain on the tea card! 

Blessings, Rosemary – 630-759-3089

My Digital Studio, Birthday Cards, and a Ribbon Technique

     I tend to put family cards – birthday, anniversary, etc. – off until the very last second (sometimes PAST the very last second!)  So last month, I pulled up My Digital Studio (MDS) to do a quickie birthday card.  Of course if you are going to do 1 card, you  might as well do 4 as you can place a  4 X 5 1/4 design X 4 on a piece of 8 1/2 X 11 card stock.  This was the end result:

This was actually a card front that is a “stock” item in MDS.  I loaded it up, placed it X4 on my screen and printed 1 sheet of card stock.  As you can see, I did the 3 cards above each a little different – different background paper, different ribbon, different accessories.  My fourth cards features a ribbon treatment I had read about but never tried using the wonderful seam binding ribbon.    

I started by laying a piece of sticky strip the width of the card on the area I wanted to place my ribbon treatment.  Then I cut about 2 1/2 X the width of the card in Certainly Celery seam binding and shredded both long ends about 2/3” in.  I started pulling several strands of the seam binding from the right long end, and pushed the gathers along as I continued to pull.  I found if you try to gather too tightly, the ribbon curls around itself which was not what I wanted to show on this card. Loose gathering worked much better.  When I had the length I wanted, I placed the gathered ribbon on the sticky strip and pressed firmly pulling excess around each side of the card and holding in place with sticky strip.  You can see how this ruffled effect changes the look of the card when compared to the 3 cards above.  Something else I did with the marvelous Stampin’ Up Framelits:

Rather than waste the outline of the Framelit, I used it as a “window” on one of the other cards.  You just need to center the die carefully on your card stock so that the sides are even.

So, you are probably thinking – Big Deal Rosemary – so you used your MDS!  Well, the frog card we are doing for the April 13th and 14th Spring Flowers Stamp Camp, will include a MDS printed background.  We will add the finishing touches.   

This is the base card.  So try to imagine what we will be doing to this by adding our own frog and meeting the theme of Spring Flowers.  I must admit that Deb and I could not agree on this project.  Her preference was that we stamp everything.  My feeling was that we could let MDS do part of the work for us, and our creative selves would finish up the card. 

Check back in a day or two to see the finished card.  Hope you can make it on April 13th and 14th.  Blessings, Rosemary  630.759.3089