Celebrating 10!

April 2001 to present - 10 years now that I have been a Stampin' Up Demonstrator. Who knew when I joined, without ever having stamped before, as a Navy wife and mom with young kids looking just to meet new people and wanting to have something crafty to do, that it would last this long. I never really intended to make it a business (they'd call that being a "hobby" demo) and I have welcomed many other 'hobby" Demos to my team in these 10 years, some who stay for a while and move on, and others like me who find ourselves setting a new goal to reach each year (business building). This opportunity is just that - an opportunity for YOU to make it what you want - I have enjoyed every minute of these 10 years! The people I have met along the way, and friendships that have formed are what really keep me wanting to do this for years to come!

On to posting the class projects my stampin friends completed in March .... Using a mix of Sale-a-bration, Occassions Mini and new upcoming Catalog items.

Watercoloring with MDS

Back at beginning of February, I started playing around with My Digital Studio to make a card for my mom's birthday .... I loved the flowers from the Elements of Style brush set and was thinking there must be a way to color them softly as if watercolored. I found that the Splatter image from the Extreme Elements was the perfect thing to do the job.

It is BEST to begin whatever MDS watercoloring project you want with the size and rotation of main image exactly as you want it in finished project, however recent updates to the MDS program allow you to do this later.

Starting with main image on blank page/card etc .... start applying Splatter image over each area you want to color - pick a color and change the opacity to suit your desired effect (I used 40% and 43% to create too shades). You will use MANY of these in various sizes and rotations - it is best to start with one size in the color you want and simply copy and paste it into all places want that size and color before moving to next size and color to do the same. Copy and paste becomes your friend in making this go more quickly.

Once your main image has been colored to your satisfaction (it will be hiding behind all the splatters) - bring the main image back to FRONT. Highlight the entire area and 'group' if you want to move the image around and still keep all the color where it belongs. The new update in April for MDS allows you to resize or rotate once grouped.

If you visit Mydigitalstudio.net and search Watercoloring ... you will find some other samples which are wonderful inspirations as well.

Is it February already?

Right after I returned from Leadership I came down with bad cold .... recovered in time to get some stampin done then came down with flu .... I can't wait for winter to end! So here are a few of the projects we've done at my classes recently.

Leadership Prep

In a panic as I leave for Leadership in just a few days and still have all my swaps and gifts to complete. The girls are coming on Monday for a class - I will post pictures when I return. In meantime here were a few cards from previous class I neglected to post.

Motifs Smooch Spritz ---- Herbal diorama card ---- For All You Do CASE ---

Forest Friends

The theme of the class was to bring out some sets we hadnt used much recently - getting away from holiday just a little.

Two ideas inspired by WOW presentations at Regionals ..... I am trying to take at least one idea driect from Catalog so people start to look at the ideas it holds ... they are surprised when I show them the page when they are oooohhhing and ahhhhing.

Time ... where does it go?

It's been awhile since last post .... done some crafting and held some classes ... but it was the loss of our dog, Skippy, on the 28th that seems to have put me in funk and behind on all I need to get done .... so I will be attempting to catch up this week and next .... with followers and posts.

This was the favorite card from the Oct class ... funny how I wasn't that happy with it and didn't think anyone would like it at all and it was the favorite.

Recent workshop cards

No Sew Fabric Flower Pin

This was the gift I gave to friends at Baltimore Regional. It was idea inspired after seeing flowers made from cutting and heating satin ribbon. I was wondering what to do with my fabric with customers - I don't sew - so I was really happy with results and that it is easy enough for customers to do, selling them on maybe wanting to purchase fabric and die. It will be a class project coming soon.

More recyced gifts

Some old, some new..... A wood block, recycled from a large background stamp that I remounted ... Some retired Designer Paper.... the new vintage emnossing folder and Basic Gray cardstock .... brad, satin ribbon, and new pearls and Herbal Expression stamp set. A gift for a stampin' friend who is always doing for others.

Grungeboard Bracelets

When it comes to my craft table come fair time I'd have to say that the poor people stopping by have so many different items to look at that seeing everything just isn't possible. I just cant seem to stick to ONE or TWO items and always need to be trying new things to use my stamps and Stampin Up accessories on. This week I broke out the grungeboard (non-Stampin Up) I'd purchased awhile back and went to town with my Stampin Up Impressions embossing folders and craft ink. I always love that no two items I make ever turn out the same, even when I try, so each is truly a "one of a kind".

Recycled Butterfly

Been busy with remodeling projects around house (workers and dust everywhere) so haven't had time to really stamp for weeks. In an effort to downsize the clutter, I have been remounting 10 years of stamps I just couldn't part with and have been cleaning out my craft room. What to do with all those clear boxes the sets came in and retired designer papers I seem to be hoarding .... well here's what I came up with - Recycled Butterflies ... with command adhesive or velcro on back can be mounted to just about anything, like your work computer screen to brighten your day, or in groups on a wall. I have lots of retired paper and plenty of plastic so will be making a lot of these for my upcoming craft fairs. Cut up and ran the clear plastic through Big Shot with Exclusive Stampin Up Butterfly die (can use any clear plastic found as packaging around most items we buy these days) - die cut retired Designer Paper the same - used Crystal Effects to adhere paper to plastic butterfly - ran the combination through machine with the Elegant Lines embossing folder ... needed more so cut up used Coke cans and ran them through die cut to get the smaller butterfly and embossed that with same folder .... Crystal Effects and mini silver beads add bling to edges. I have some antenae to add I just have to find where I put them! Enjoy.

Always Elegant / Elegant Lines

My Embossing folder finally arrived so I could finish this card I had started .....Away from home for months so dont have a lot of my paper, ribbons and supplies with me so needed the folder to add that little something. The Always Elegant center image was done on watercolor paper and cut out ...using dimensional to pop it off the embossed images below. Adding a little bling with the new pearls.