Stamp With LisaT

Christmas Photo Card

In my two previous posts (scroll down to see them), I shared some Christmas card "rejects". They're not really rejects at all - I was just playing with colors and DSP that appealed to a customer of mine. We were trying to come up with a Christmas card in which she could include a photo of her children. Once we got the color combo down, I came up with a layout for her. She did not want a traditional 'single-crease' card, but something more interesting or mechanical. She also did not want to just slip in the photo, but to incorporate it as part of the card.

What I came up with was a Gatefold card that contained a traditional card insert. Hard to explain, but I think the photos below will make it clear. I am not sharing the actual card, as that design was specifically for my customer, but I will share the layout and the color combo!

The colors were Kraft and Bordering blue, a soft, pretty, peaceful color combination.

Here's the front of the Gatefold card:

It's still a standard 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" size. I started with a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of card stock. I scored this at 2 3/4" on each side. The circle element is firmly attached to one side of the card only. The card is held closed by tucking the circle element under the smaller punched image, which is raised up on a dimensional.

When you open the card, it looks like this:

This is a 5 1/4" x 8" piece of card stock, scored & folded at 4". It's like a card within a card. Here's a view of the inside of the "inner card":

My customer used Repositionable Dotto to attach the photo to the upper portion of the card. Recipients can either remove the photo or cut the top flap from the card to retain the matted photo.

I enjoy getting together with Barb each year to plan her Christmas cards - she always challenges me (this card is WAY easier than the card I designed and she made last year!). If you need help designing a card or other kind of paper craft project, I'd be happy to help you out. Contact me for more information!
 
 

Christmas Card Rejects - Part 2

In yesterday's post, I shared some "concept" cards I made for a customer who wanted to make 130 Christmas cards. The final card had to have a way to contain a photo of her kids, but first I just made up a few 'regular' cards using color combinations and patterned paper that appealed to her.

Today I'm sharing two cards made in the winning color combination - Kraft and Bordering Blue. This is such a peaceful & soothing color combination - I really like it (and so did my customer)!

The card above is simple & elegant - a winner if you're looking for something you can turn out in a hurry.  I dressed up what might otherwise be a too-plain card by crimping the bottom of the front. It adds some texture and visual interest without crowding or overwhelming the card. I've used this layout before, so it might look familiar to some of you.

This card features the new Serene Snowflakes dressed up as ornaments. I stamped Whisper White craft ink directly onto the card stock. Last year, I made a similar card with vellum layered on top of the card stock. You can see that card and get some tips for embossing on vellum in that post.

In the next day or two, I'll share the layout of the final version of the card. We found a great way to make the card more than a simple fold-over card and to showcase her photo. I won't share the final card itself (that's Barb's card!), but the layout I will share - it's fun, interesting, and not too hard to mass produce.

Rec ipe for both cards (images copyright Stampin' Up! 1990-2009):
Paper: Kraft, Bordering Blue, Very Vanilla
Ink: Basic Gray, Soft Suede
Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Serene Snowflakes, Four the Holidays
Accessories: Ornament Punch, paper crimper, silver elastic cord, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, dimensionals

Christmas Card Rejects

I have a customer who makes her own Christmas cards every year. She makes about 130 and seems to whip them out in no time at all - and they're never 'easy' cards! I help her design the cards each year - we get together and take a look at the colors, patterned papers and stamps that appeal to her. Then I make up a couple of samples and we take it from there.

Although she likes cards with unique folds and always looks for a clever way to enclose a picture of her children, here are some of the 'plain' concept cards I made for her this year. They're not really rejects - just part of the process!

These samples use Kraft paper and the Christmas Cocoa paper:

(the middle star ended up with a gold brad in the center after I took this photo - it just needed something!)

That's it - 3 simple cards, each well suited for mass production! If you haven't started your cards yet, you can't get much simpler than this. They each use such a little bit of the patterned paper that your paper pack will go a long way!

No separate recipes, but I used Kraft, Real Red, Soft Suede & Whisper White card stock, Soft Suede and Real Red Ink, Christmas Cocoa DSP, Season of Joy & Dasher stamp sets, corner rounder, 3/4" circle punch, gold elastic cord, Real Red Grosgrain ribbon, Star Punch, dimensionals - think that's it! Enjoy!
  

Medallion Boxed Card Set

'Tis the season - for hostess gifts! A boxed set of cards always makes a thoughtful gift for your hostess. With so many parties coming up, why not whip up a few sets and be prepared? These make great hostess gifts, teacher gifts or gifts for anyone you'd like to remember with a simple gift this season.

As you can see, the cards don't need to be elaborate in order to be pretty. The Medallion stamp is perfect for making quick but elegant cards. Below is a picture of a boxed set of 6 cards and envelopes. You can find instructions to make the box and lid in this post. I wrapped  a length of ribbon around the outside of the box to hold it closed and sealed it with the "Just for You" stamp from the Oval All set.

  
I made two variations of the same card, just alternating colors. I used Bermuda Bay and Rich Razzleberry. Here's a shot of each one:

A few tips for getting a good impression from the Medallion stamp, or any large or background stamp:

1. Paper! The quality of your paper really makes a difference! The smooth surface of Stampin' Up!'s Whisper White or Very Vanilla is perfect for accepting ink without bleeding or splotching. When I first started stamping, I used what I thought was less expensive packs of white paper that I purchased at my local craft store. I couldn't understand why other people were getting much better impressions using the same stamps and the same ink as me. I realized the paper was the difference. I even did the math and realized there was little or no difference in cost per sheet.

2. Upside down!

• place the stamp, rubber side up, and ink by pressing an ink pad all over it, or by using a brayer
• place your paper carefully on top of the inked stamp
• place a piece of paper (I use discarded printer paper) on top and gently rub your hand across the top for even coverage

3. If you don't want to go the upside-down route, your stamping surface is key! I usually use a plastic folding table as my work surface. There's a little bit of give on the surface of this table. That 'give' can lead to catching some ink from the edge of the stamp on your paper. When using a large solid stamp such as the Medallion, I head for my kitchen counters! The hard surface helps ensure a good impression. Just make sure to apply steady, even pressure. 

Recipe: (all supplies Stampin' Up!; images copyright Stampin' Up! 1990-2009):
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay
Stamps: Medallion, Oval All
Accessories: Scalloped Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot ribbon, Bermuda Bay Polka Dot ribbon, window sheets

Shopping Bag Card

These cards are so fun & easy to make! They easily hold a gift card, cash or small gift. I featured a tutorial for this in my December newsletter, which I mailed out to subscribers today. Not on the list for my free monthly emails? Sign up below, and I'll get December's issue right out to you. You'll also be in time for the last three weeks of my 12 Weeks of Christimas - a series of free project and card ideas for the holidays.

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All supplies Stampin' Up! Images copyright Stampin' Up 1990-2009

Huge Holiday Sale

I was hoping to create something today & share it with you, but I've been trumped by a big announcement from Stampin' Up!. We've had lots of health issues in my family that have kept me away from my craft table, the computer and my blog. I hope to be posting more this week, so stay tuned! In the meantime, check out the great deals in Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Extravaganza.

• These offers are good from November 23-30 only.
• I know it's a long list, but I promise it's worth your time to go through it. Great deals to be had!
• My personal favorite? The Ultimate Stamper's Starter Bundle - what a great gift this makes!

To order any items from this list, contact me directly or visit my Stampin' Up! website to shop online!

Item	Description	Regular Price	Discounted Price
120280	Framed with Love Bundle Framed with Love stamp set Full Heart punch	$43.90	$21.95
120281	Thank You Kindly Bundle Thank You Kindly stamp set Scallop Edge punch	$29.90	$14.95
120976	Thank You Kindly Bundle (French) Tous mes remerciements stamp set Scallop Edge punch	$29.90	$14.95
120282	Animal Crackers Bundle Animal Crackers stamp set Star Designer brads	$25.90	$12.95
120283	Corduroy Button Bundle Kraft Corduroy buttons Pumpkin Pie Corduroy buttons Summer Sun Corduroy buttons Basic Gray Corduroy buttons Chocolate Chip Corduroy buttons	$49.75	$24.88
120284	Game Night Bundle Card Games stamp set Game Night stamp set	$40.90	$20.45
120285	Four Square Bundle Four Square stamp set Scallop Square punch	$30.90	$15.45
120286	Heart to Heart Bundle Love You Much stamp set Heart to Heart punch Pretty in Pink 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon	$49.85	$24.93
120310	Heart to Heart Bundle (Spanish) Te Quiero Mucho stamp set Heart to Heart punch Pretty in Pink 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon	$49.85	$24.93
120311	Heart to Heart Bundle (French) J't'aime beaucoup stamp set Heart to Heart punch Pretty in Pink 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon	$49.85	$24.93
120287	Chipboard Letter Bundle On Board Timeless Type On Board Loads of Letters	$25.90	$12.95
120288	Double-Stitched Ribbon Bundle Bashful Blue 1" double-stitched grosgrain ribbon Rose Red 1" double-stitched grosgrain ribbon	$17.90	$10.74
120289	Ultimate Stampers' Starter Bundle* Best Wishes & More stamp set Eight Great Greetings stamp set On a Pedestal stamp set Earth Elements Stampin' Spots Earth Elements assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11") Whisper White card stock (8-1/2" x 11") Old Olive 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon Flower Designer brads	$127.70	$76.62
120290	Build-A-Brad Bundle Calendar Alphabet stamp set Pewter Build-A-Brad Antique Brass Build-A-Brad	$40.85	$24.51
120291	Enjoy Every Moment Bundle Enjoy Every Moment stamp set Circle Designer brads Flower Designer brads	$43.85	$26.31
120312	Enjoy Every Moment Bundle (French) Profiter de chaque instant stamp set Circle Designer brads Flower Designer brads	$43.85	$26.31
120292	Cheep Talk Bundle Cheep Talk stamp set Note cards Pumpkin Pie Corduroy buttons	$42.85	$25.71
120293	Sock Monkey Bundle Sock Monkey stamp set Sock Monkey Accessories stamp set Chocolate Chip Corduroy buttons	$58.85	$35.31
120313	Sock Monkey Bundle (French) Sing-chaussette stamp set Sock Monkey Accessories stamp set Chocolate Chip Corduroy buttons	$58.85	$35.31
120294	Alphabet Bundle Jayne's Type Alphabet stamp set Lovely Letters stamp set	$87.90	$52.74
120295	Simply Said Bundle Simply Said stamp set Old Olive 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon Full Heart punch	$52.85	$31.71
120314	Simply Said Bundle (French) Amitié stamp set Old Olive 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon Full Heart punch	$52.85	$31.71
120296	On Board Bundle On Board So Tweet On Board Batch of Blooms On Board Essentials	$42.85	$25.71
120927	Christmas Décor Bundle #1 Holly Berry Wreath Décor Elements (Kraft, Real Red) Real Red Vintage Ornaments Décor Elements Chocolate Vintage Ornaments Décor Elements	$74.85	$44.91
120298	Christmas Décor Bundle #2 Holly Beary Wreath Décor Elements (Chocolate, Real Red) Real Red Vintage Ornaments Décor Elements Chocolate Vintage Ornaments Décor Elements	$74.85	$44.91
120299	Christmas Décor Bundle #3 Holly Berry Wreath Décor Elements (Old Olive, Real Red) Real Red Vintage Ornaments Décor Elements Chocolate Vintage Ornaments Décor Elements	$74.85	$44.91
120300	For All You Do Bundle For All You Do stamp set 5/16" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$36.90	$25.83
120315	For All You Do Bundle (French) Merci pour tout stamp set 5/16" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$36.90	$25.83
120316	For All You Do Bundle (Spanish) Por todo lo que haces stamp set 5/16" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$36.90	$25.83
120301	Striped Ribbon Bundle Bashful Blue 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon Pumpkin Pie 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon Old Olive 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon Pretty in Pink 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon So Saffron 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon Real Red 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon	$47.73	$33.41
120302	Bling Bundle Sticky Pages Sticky Cuts Sweet Fine Supernova Stampin' Glitter Fine Galaxy Stampin' Glitter	$43.80	$30.66
120303	Fresh-Cut Bundle Fresh Cuts stamp set Fresh-Cut Notes 5/8" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$37.85	$26.50
120317	Fresh-Cut Bundle (French) Fraicheur exuise stamp set Fresh-Cut Notes 5/8" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$37.85	$26.50
120304	Pendant Note Bundle Pendant Park stamp set Pendant notes 5/8" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$39.85	$27.90
120318	Pendant Note Bundle (French) Adorable parc stamp set Pendant notes 5/8" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$39.85	$27.90
120319	Pendant Note Bundle (Spanish) Un dia en el parque stamp set Pendant notes 5/8" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$39.85	$27.90
120305	Sporting Bundle #1 Large Night of Navy Sporting Décor Elements Night of Navy Just Sports Décor Elements	$67.90	$47.54
120306	Sporting Bundle #2 Large Chocolate Sporting Décor Elements Chocolate Just Sports Décor Elements	$67.90	$47.54
120307	Sporting Bundle #3 Large Black Sporting Décor Elements Black Just Sports Décor Elements	$67.90	$47.54
114864	Ginormous Flowers I Décor Elements	$39.95	$27.97
114863	Ginormous Flowers II Décor Elements	$39.95	$27.97
112534	5/16" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$7.95	$5.57
112533	5/8" Neutrals Jumbo brads	$6.95	$4.87
112081	Scallop Square punch	$15.95	$11.17
113693	Full Heart punch	$15.95	$11.17
113694	Heart to Heart punch	$15.95	$11.17
112091	Scallop Edge punch	$15.95	$11.17
112571	Circle Designer brads	$5.95	$4.17
112579	Flower Designer brads	$5.95	$4.17
112572	Star Designer brads	$5.95	$4.17
114785	Small Wonderful Flowers Décor Elements	$39.95	$27.97
114786	Medium Wonderful Flowers Décor Elements	$69.95	$48.97
114791	Small Wonderful Leaves Décor Elements	$39.95	$27.97
114792	Medium Wonderful Leaves Décor Elements	$64.95	$45.47

  *This bundle is only available while supplies last.

New Digital Downloads Available for My Digital Studio

Good morning! As if there is not enough content in the My Digital Studio software from Stampin' Up!, new digital downloads are available beginning today. There are several holiday-themed kits that will make cards and other holiday projects a breeze! Check out the new offerings below - to take a look at them, follow these steps:

• Visit my Stampin' Up! website
• Click Shop Now in the upper right corner
• Click on Digital Crafting in the left column
• Click on My Digital Downloads towards the bottom of the screen
• the kits are grouped by category, or you can click Newest Downloads to see the latest!

Item #	Item Name	Price
118117	Berry Christmas stamp brush set	$5.95
118118	Friend by Definition stamp brush set	$1.95
118119	Just Perfect Alphabet stamp brush set	$9.95
120880	Christmas Cocoa II digital kit	$9.95
120881	Write Stuff II digital kit	$9.95
120882	Icicle digital photo card kit	$3.95
120883	Merry Moments digital photo card kit	$3.95

I'm excited because I get two of these new digital downloads for free! That's part of the incentive granted to me from Stampin Up! for earning my certification in My Digital Studio. Now I'm your go-to expert for all things digital! If you have questions about this exciting software from Stampin' Up! or would like to learn more, please contact me!

Have a great stamping day!

My Digital Studio - Soccer Scrapbook Page

Here's the page I promised in my previous post. It's another scrapbook page that I created using Stampin' Up!'s new digital papercrafting software, My Digital Studio. There's a couple of fun things about this page, the first being that I created the scrapbook page on the same day that I took the photos. Talk about instant gratification!

This page captures some of the action of my daughter's final soccer tournament game. It was another gray rainy day here in northern NJ, but that didn't dampen the girls' spirits. One of the other fun things about this page? You're seeing just one version. I created the page and added two team photos and two photos of my daughter. After saving it, I then deleted the photos of my daughter and popped in two photos of another girl in their place. Saved that as a jpeg file, and emailed it off to a soccer-mom friend of mine. I got two separate scrapbook pages with a few extra mouse clicks! Went back to the original file, substituted a team photo with the blanked-out faces, added the Stampin' Up! copyright information (it's a "stamp set" included My Digital Studio) and saved that version to share here with you.

How was it so easy to swap out the photos? There was NO resizing, re-matting or repositioning involved - it was super-easy! My tip here is that when using My Digital Studio, rather than adding a photo, add a photo box. A photo box retains sizing and placement information. I simply deleted the existing photo (this leaves the photo box intact), then double-clicked on the dark gray photo box to select a new photo. The photo mat stayed in place, I didn't have to worry about resizing the photo to match the other photos, and it stayed in the same location. So easy and quick!

A quick word about the matting: I selected each photo, then clicked on 'Mat' under 'Photos' in the Design Center (right side). I kept the default color of Whisper White, but this can be modified. To get the second layer, I simply added a card stock layer in Basic Black and sized it to fit under my matted photo. I did this once, and when I was satisfied with the sizing, I copy and pasted it two times, then positioned these under the respective photos.

Another fun element was the use of stars on this page:

• The three black stars along the left side were created using the star punch, which I filled with Basic Black card stock. I added a drop shadow, to give the appearance of being popped up on a dimensional. I also added a Whisper White brad to the center. Again, I created one star, then copy and pasted it. The Align tool did a great job of lining them up for me.
• The white stars that appear under the "Go Team" stamp and under my journaling were created by using the Sporting stamp set that's included in My Digital Studio. (Wow! Did you know there are 61 stamp sets included in My Digital Studio?)
• The large, transparent star that's under the "Team Huddle" picture is another Star Punch, enlarged, filled with Whisper White. I then changed the opacity to 30%.

My Digital Studio Scrapbook Page

So, I've finally taken the digital plunge with Stampin' Up!'s new digital papercrafting software, My Digital Studio. I have to tell you, that as a lover of PAPERcrafting, I didn't know how I'd like the digital aspect to it. I'm glad to say that I'm really happy with it! It's relatively easy to use, and there's lots of benefits, which I'll be sharing with you.

Here's (one of) the first scrapbook pages that I created. I don't know about you, but since going digital with my camera, I've been very bad about getting prints made. I just sent off a big order to be printed, but before it arrived, I was able to digitally create a page that's been in my head since July! Here it is:

This page documents a dramatic dive my daughter took off of our patio on her bike. She was (mostly)unhurt, but the whole thing was so noteworthy that after getting her cleaned up and settled down, I headed back to the scene of the crime with my camera.

I created a page "from scratch" - not using any of the many pre-designed options. The colors I chose are Garden Green and Soft Suede. I got the circle layer of 'patterned paper' by using a circle punch which I enlarged. I enlarged the circle before adding the Soft Suede grid pattern to it. Enlarging a patterned paper can cause it to pixelate, so I made the circle the size I wanted before adding the paper. I used the Align feature to align the three photos on the left side and rotated the title. I added some brads on a strip of paper for a little visual interest, and that's about it!

Next up? A soccer layout that I created the same day that I took the pictures - how fun is that? Be sure to check back for that.

If you'd like to learn more about My Digital Studio, click here to watch a short video that shows some of the fun things you can make.

To purchase My Digital Studio, click here. It's item #118108, and the price is $79.95. You can get yours at a 50% discount by hosting a $400 workshop by November 30. Contact me today to book your!

Photography Tips for Halloween

Halloween offers lots of opportunities for photographs, which, in turn, offers lots of opportunities for scrapbooking! Make sure you get the best Halloween shots by following some of these simple tips from PhotoJojo.com. Remember, there's no do-over for this fun night!

Lighting

Halloween is a particularly difficult holiday to shoot because most of the action occurs after dark, when low-light conditions make it difficult for your camera to get a sharp shot. You’ll get your best Halloween photos at dusk. For that hour or so while the sun is setting, you’ll have enough natural light to easily forgo your flash while still capturing the glow of your jack-o-lanterns and the bright colors of your costumes.

After dusk, use a high ISO setting (400 or more) and hold your camera as steady as you can (or use a tripod) to capture action without a flash. The rich, dark colors characteristic of Halloween are essential in setting a spooky mood, so make sure your flash doesn’t overpower them. Remember, Halloween’s not a bright holiday; and dark and creepy shots can work in your favor.

Brighten your pumpkins’ glow

Sure, you can stick a dozen candles in that puppy, but unless you want to risk a smoking jack-o-lantern, try adding a flashlight instead. Keep an eye on your angle so your camera can’t see the flashlight or its beam of light directly. (If you do opt for more candles, cut a hole in the upper, back part of the pumpkin–it’ll act as a chimney and allow your candles’ heat to escape.)

Quick tip: If you still can’t get the inner glow bright enough and you’re shooting indoors, try lowering or turning off your room lights to compensate.

For more great Halloween photography tips, check out the full article at PhotoJojo.com.

Have a safe and fun-filled Halloween!