MDSM64 You're My Sunshine Again

Tami brings us this week's MDS Monday sketch, plus the challenge to use some silver or gold bling, such as sequins, glimmer paper, or baker's twine.

I have to admit, I cheated a little on this one.  I grabbed a page layout from my 2011 book and started editing from there.  That's the easy thing about digital; why reinvent the wheel?  ;)

I did a MDS sunshine card not too long ago, so I guess I could say sun rays and starburst layouts are some of my favorite design elements.  I'm sure this card would just make someone smile.

MDS Elements: You're My Sunshine, Calendar Kit, Simple Snapshots DSP, Sweet Shop DSP, Hello, Baby pennant punch, Sunny Day clouds, Sara's Sequins.

Stampin' Addicts Retiring Blog Hop

Welcome to the Stampin' Addicts official good-bye party, the Retiring Blog Hop! Have you scoured through the retiring lists? I recommend you mark up your catalog with all the retiring sets, and by all means, grab those talking to you before they are gone! If you have been following the blog hop in order, you have just come from Mary's blog featuring the Off the Grid. Weren't her projects adorable?

Today I'm featuring a Sizzix Big Shot die, Peekaboo Frames.  This die is the starting point of lots of fun, interactive cards and projects.  Who doesn't want to open a door to see what is behind it?

I thought the circle peekaboo frame looks like a porthole.  Perfect time to play with the Hello, Sailor set from the Occasions catalog.

Stamps: Hello, Sailor, Woodgrain BG (retiring), Hardwood BG, Hello, Sailor MDS download; Paper: Marina Mist, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Smoky Slate, Very Vanilla, High Tide DSP; Ink: So Saffron, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Basic Gray; Accessories: Window Sheet, Natural Chevron ribbon, Gold baker's twine, Silver Mini brads, Gold embossing powder, Sponges, Circles Collection framelits, Peekaboo Frame die, Tasteful Trim die (retiring), Big Shot, Dimensionals.

I again pulled out the e-cutter and designed my own bee hive-shaped card for an interactive themed card.  Very fun!

I love the images from the Crazy, Mixed-Up Love set, which is also retiring.  The playful, cartoon images go perfectly with an interactive card.

Stamps: Crazy, Mixed-Up Love (retiring); Paper: So Saffron, Crushed Curry, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Afternoon Tea DSP; Ink: Black Stazon, So Saffron marker; Accessories: Crushed Curry chevron ribbon, Linen thread, Dazzling Diamonds, Owl builder punch, Peekaboo Frames die, Big Shot, e-cutter, Dimensionals.

So the double frame looks like a barn door, doesn't it?  I could make a farm card, but I thought, "You know what, wouldn't these make a cute interactive book for a preschooler?"  My daughter is no longer a preschooler, but she will love it just the same.  :)

I built the page in a spiral notebook I had made in the past.  You could go crazy and make a whole interactive book for a little one (hint, hint, Tanya).

I used the print and cut feature for the animals from the Storytime Ensemble download.  They are sooo cute!  I could just go to town with them.  And the fringe scissors are so fun to use.  I also used them to create the hay bales in the loft that the rooster is perching on.

Stamps: Barnyard Buddies MDS download, Storytime Ensemble MDS download; Paper: So Saffron, Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Whisper White; Ink: Soft Sky, Marina Mist; Accessories: Linen thread, Cupcake builder punch, Fringed Scissors, Simply Scored Board, Sponges, Square Lattice EF (retiring), Peekaboo Frames die, Big Shot, e-cutter.

I hit four out of five die-cuts on this die... not bad!  Make sure you check out the next stop to see what Betty at Kitty Stamp put together using Road to Happiness. Her projects are always amazing.

 

FM157 Minnie Ears!

OMG... this is totes adorbs!  Cindy is bringing us a fancy fold Friday Mashup challenge with polka dots.

Photo Source 

Here's your Mashup Challenge:

1. Create a project with "Polka Dots".
2. Create a project with a "Fun Fold".
3. or Mash it Up! and create a "Fun Fold project with some Polka Dots"!

Well, I was drawing a complete blank.  I love polka dots, yet rarely use them.  They say party to me, bright colors, or a sunny day.  I just couldn't come up with a fun fold, combined with polka dots, that was floating my boat.  The perils of crafting by emotion, I guess.  What else could I think of that uses bold, bright polka dots?  Summer dresses... or... Minnie Mouse!

Ok, a shaped card isn't quite a fancy fold, but we'll just skip past that part.  ;)  I created a card base and mouse ears card front in My Digital Studio with circle and half circle punches.  The bow comes from the That's a Wrap download.  All items were traced and cut on the e-cutter.  Wouldn't this be the perfect card for a Minnie fan?

Paper: Basic Black, Polka Dot Parade DSP; Accessories: My Digital Studio punches, That's a Wrap MDS download, e-cutter.

Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscriptions & Weekly Deals

Prepaid Paper Pumpkin subscriptions are now available!  They can also be added your order workshop (or any) order.  Woohoo!  Want to try Paper Pumpkin and let your hostess get credit for the purchase?  Try it!

With  Mother's Day just around the corner, it's a great time to take advantage of these prepaid subscriptions that can be bought as gifts. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Item	Paper Pumpkin Prepaid Subscription	Price (Shipping Included)
137858	1 month	$19.95
137859	3 months	$59.85
137860	6 months	$113.70 -- save $1 per month
137861	12 months	$215.40 -- save $2 per month

How It Works

1. When you use the above code to place your order (online, workshop, etc.), you will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to redeem the prepaid subscription.
2. Go to www.mypaperpumpkin.com and enter the redemption code.
3. Start enjoying their monthly Paper Pumpkin project kit the very next month!
4. Input your payment information when redeeming the prepaid subscription to continue receiving the monthly kit after the prepaid subscription ends (optional).

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Here are this week's Weekly Deals - and don't forget about FREE SHIPPING, which ends Friday.

2013-2015 In Color Core'dinations Price: $11.95 $8.96 5/8 Inch Crochet Trim Victoria Price: $6.95 $5.21 Afternoon Daydream Kit - Digital Download Price: $9.95 $5.97 Afternoon Picnic Designer Series Paper Price: $10.95 $8.21 Large Pearl Basic Jewels Price: $4.95 $3.71 Naturals Designer Buttons Price: $4.95 $3.71 Pacific Point 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon Price: $4.95 $3.71 Rich Razzleberry 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon Price: $4.95 $3.71

MDSM63 Cherry Blossoms & Retiring Lists

Joan has a fun page sketch for us for this week's MDS Monday challenge.

This reminds me of the log cabin quilt pattern my mom used to make.  I have to admit I had trouble thinking of a design and matching photo.  This pattern could be used for tiles, marble, bricks, iris pattern, labyrinth, even a boardwalk.  Yet I didn't have any photos to match these ideas.  I finally went with a bamboo pattern to match some cherry blossom trees.

I pulled in the bamboo paper pattern from the Spring to Life kit into another page, recolored it to Old Olive, and exported as a jpeg.  That pattern was then applied to this page using grouped photo boxes.

MDS Elements: Spring to Life kit, Very Vanilla Textured CS; Font: Bernard MT Condensed.

Retiring Products: The retiring lists are here!  It's the time of year to retire the old and make way for the new catalog.  All, including stamps, are while supplies last.  Grab them before they are gone.

Dates: April 21-June 4, 2014 (all items available while supplies last)

Free Shipping: April 21 - 25!  Everything qualifies for free shipping, including MDS print products.  Grab your products now and save 10%!

Retiring Lists:

• Retiring Stamps 
  • PDF
  • Excel file
• Retiring Accessories 
  • PDF
  • Excel file

The Stamp Review Crew: Six-Sided Sampler

Welcome to another Stamp Crew Review Blog Hop!  We share our take on a selected stamp set every first and third Monday.  Today will investigate the versatility of the fun stamp set Six-Sided Sampler, which coordinates with the hexagon punch.  These hops result in such a variety of ideas; don't you love them?

If you are hopping around in a circle, you have just come from Dawn's blog.  Dawn has such a fun paper crafting style!   To get myself warmed up with Six-Sided Sampler, I started with a clean & simple card for Easter.

I cut the egg shapes on my e-cutter using the egg punch from the Everything Easter download.  I then stamped the patterns from the hexagon stamps to create fun and colorful decorated eggs using last week's Friday Mashup color combination.  This card was a great excuse to pull out my Fringe Scissors again.

It is a little late to begin Easter cards, although maybe there is some of you out there?  You can try this technique of stamping patterns on any e-cut/die-cut/punched shape you can imagine, as you will see in the next card as well.

Stamps: Six-Sided Sampler, Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper: Pool Party, Wild Wasabi, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Whisper White; Ink: Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz, Wisteria Wonder, Soft Suede; Accessories: Everything Easter MDS download, Fringe Scissors, Cupcake builder punch, Perfect Polka Dots EF, Square Collection framelits, Big Shot, e-cutter, Dimensionals.

I love making shaped cards, so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for a hexagon card.

Using the Hexagon punch from My Digital Studio and an e-cutter, I designed and cut the Early Espresso card base and Crushed Curry card front.  I ran the card front and stamped Six-Sided Sampler images through the Hexagon Hive thinlit to create the hive die-cuts.  The sentiment came from the Six-Sided Sampler download with a small offset around the word for ease of cutting.

Stamps: Six-Sided Sampler, Field Flowers, Six-Sided Sampler MDS download, Flores Suaves MDS download; Paper: Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla; Ink: Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral, Sahara Sand; Accessories: Hexagon punch MDS download, Aquapainter, Hexagon Hive thinlit, Big Shot.

Make sure you check out the next stop to see what creative and fun goodies Kerry at Peonies and Paper Chains put together with the set.

ETA: You may experience some inconsistent ability to get to some of the links. TypePad is having issues and some of our blogger's posts will be available for a short time, then "crash" again. We are very sorry for the inconvenience.  Please visit the Stamp Review Crew landing page to continue on.

 

FM156 Sketchy Ombre

Ombre or hombre?  How do you pronounce "ombre"?  There was a discussion thread on this topic on Splitcoaststampers recently, which was quite amusing.  This week's Friday Mashup challenge is using the ombre technique.

Sketch by: Lynda

Here's your Mashup Challenge:

1. Create a project using the "Sketch".
2. Create a project with the "Ombre' Background Technique".
3. Or Mash it up and create a project an "Ombre' Background & The Sketch"

• The stamp image comes from the 2012 Stampin' Up! Convention stamp set I Am..., and I used the Chalkboard technique to create the main panel.
• I was going for a black & yellow color scheme, and used a Chocolate Chip frame to simulate woodgrain.  I also added coordinating, subtle woodgrain texture to the background.
• To satisfy the ombre requirement, I brayered a background panel with three different yellows. 
• I grabbed some script from the Walk in the Park II download, added a 0.2" offset, and cut it out with an e-cutter.  

Stamps: I Am...; Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Patio Party DSP; Ink: Daffodil Delight, Summer Starfruit, Crushed Curry, Whisper White Craft, Versamark; Accessories: Summer Starfruit twine, Chalk marker, White embossing powder, 2-3/8" Scallop Circle punch, Brayer, Sponge, Woodgrain EF, On Film framelits, Big Shot, e-cutter; MDS Elements: Walk in the Park II.