Paper Crew Sketch Challenge

Please say a little prayer for my computer!  I'm worried it is on it's last legs.  I spent yesterday working on trying to speed it up and think it helped a bit.  But it's getting old in computer years I guess - about 5 years old (I think) so looks like I'll be shopping for a new one in the near future.  Hoping it can hold on until Christmas when there will be some sales.  I also worked diligently yesterday on my MDS2 Alaska album.  The deadline for the 31% off sale has been extended to mid September so I'm hoping to get it finished and off to the printer by then.  We leave tomorrow for Texas for a couple of weeks so I'll be working on the album on the airplane as well as at Ashley's (while Sonny does his handy man jobs!!)  That is another thing I like about MDS - I don't have to be hooked up to the internet and can work on it in the car, plane, etc.

(Well, my computer must have know I was talking about her .... the power went out as I was typing this for about 30 minutes!  Luckily, this was saved!)

So, I didn't get to post my Paper Crew Sketch Challenge last night as my computer was "defragging" whatever that means.  It was actually still in the process this morning so I don't know if it really did anything or not but I turned it off.  I had things to do, people to see ......!!!!

I once again did my sketch using MDS2 and I love it.  This card also was for a color challenge from Heather where I am taking her MDS2 classes.  The colors are:  Sahara Sand, Basic Gray, Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay and Whisper White.  Go ahead .... create something with those colors.  They are probably colors you wouldn't usually use, isn't that right?  And I know my good friend, Margaret has lots of Crushed Curry cards stock!!!   That is my challenge to you today.

Again this would be a very easy card to duplicate using good old card stock and ink! 

POSTING END TIME:  If you'd like to be considered as one of our spotlight cards, please be sure to link your project by Monday 7 AM EST and  link your post over to here too


VOTING: Starting on Monday, August 20th at 7 AM EST, you can start voting on the entries.  The voting will end on Tuesday, September 4th at 10 AM EST.

August Specials AND New Design Team

Get 31% off 31 digital content options and most of SU's print products for all 31 days in August!   With digital goods on sale and the 30-day FREE trial of the software, August is the perfect time for you to enter the digital designing craze and see what it's all about.

What's on sale?
ALL cards, photobooks, individual pages, and tags. That's right: print any photobook, board book, swatchbook, individual pages, greeting card, postcard, trifold card, or tag-all for 31% off. Click HERE for more info on our Print Products.

Some of our best digital content. 30 downloads and 1 content disc. Yup, that equals 31.

:•Print product bulk pricing isn't included as a part of this sale. 
•You can only get the digital downloads and print products via an Online order.
•The Floral District Collection Disc can go on a workshop order as it is a tangible item.
•There's no limit to how many sale items you can order. Go crazy!
•Get your orders in by Friday, August 31.
•Still trying to keep up on all this? Get more info about MDS 2, the new software (coming soon) HERE
 
Also August 1 is the launch of My Digital Studio 2!! I'm so excited for this!

• 75 new features!!!
•Design in spreads
•Create with custom canvas sizes
•Add more than one color to a single stamp image
•Resize vector stamp images while keeping them crisp
•See color combination suggestions
•And much more

Now on to my Design Team news.  As you may have heard or read, Cristena Bagne, is stepping down as the author and owner of the Stampin' Queens. Over the next few weeks, you will start to see some small changes as Pam Staples transfers the Stampin' Queen's to a new blog platform. With the transfer, there will  be a name change as well.  We will now be know as The Papercraft Crew.  We hope you'll continue to follow us along with participating in our weekly challenges.

As the new Challenge Blog develops, Pam will also be introducing some new challenges including a Scrapbook Challenge, Color Challenge, Topical Challenge and Digital Challenge... Yes, that seems like a lot of challenges but there will also be more design team members added to specific teams.

To stay current with the Stampin' Queen's Challenge Blog and the upcoming changes, you can also visit www.sunnygirlscraps.com for current updates along with the link to the new challenge blog. 

So, stay tuned over the next couple of weeks and for now, please play along with this weeks challenge!

Here is the sketch and card for the week:

I made the card using the Delight in the Day My Digital Studio kit - paper, stamps, and embellishments.

Check out the other sketch interpretations HERE or HERE.

Stamp Queens Sketch

Today is the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge.  Here is today's sketch:

I did my card with My Digital Studio and it was super easy using punches.  I filled the three circle punches with DSP from the Storytime Kit.  The background paper is also from the Storytime Kit as is the Owl image and the rulers.

I love this kit.  I'm making a special book for my grandson for his birthday with this kit.  I'll be sharing it with you next month when I finish it.

This is the last month that Cristena will be heading up our Stamping Queens team.  I'm not sure what changes will be made to the program but one of our NC gals is taking over the team, Pam Staples.  She's a great SU demonstrator and very creative so I'm sure she has some good ideas for the team. 

Sketch Challenge 47

I can't believe that we are already on Sketch Challenge #47!!  I really enjoy these challenges and doing them with My Digital Studio.  It stretches me to come up with different interpretations each week.  This week I actually did two cards for the challenge.  It was a fun sketch.



Tea Time II kit

Most of the creating work I did for this card used embellishments from Tea Time II digital kit. Embellishments in My Digital Studio can be elements you'd normally think of: brads, ribbon, buttons, but they are also beautiful digital images that can be moved and/or made smaller and layered to create beautiful additions to your cards and pages. I'm so excited about My Digital Studio II (which is coming soon!) because they will be adding the ability to color embellishments, too!

This MDS card uses DSP from the Summer Smooches.  The stamps are from Mouthwatering.  This would be easy to re-create with paper and stamps too.

Check out what the other Queens made this week using this sketch HERE.

Happy 4th!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!



made with MDS

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!  We joined my mom and Angela last night at their church to watch the fireworks put on by Lowe's YMCA.  We have usually watched the fireworks in the parking lot very close to where they put them off.  I think I like that location better - seems like you are right under them.

Tomorrow night we will probably go out on the boat to watch fireworks again.  These are put on at Queens Landing over the lake.  I enjoy laying down on our boat and watching the display.

It is Wednesday and time for the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge.  We decided to all do a patriotic card this time in honor of the 4th.  Here is mine:

Sketch Challenge

I had a really lazy day today.  It's so nice once in a while.  We are planning a trip in August to the Outer Banks when Ashley comes to visit.  We want to stay a few days in the more touristy area and see the play, The Lost Colony in Roanoke.  Then take the ferry and stay a couple of nights in Okrakoke.  So, I've been comparing rates to get the best deal on motels and trying to make a decision.

I sure hope Sammie has 9 lives!  Today I was standing in the hall upstairs talking to Sonny and Sammie was trying to get my attention I guess.  She jumped up on the bannister railing and was trying to straddle it like she likes to do.  But this time, she was on the quilt that I have hanging on the railing and it started to slip.  Sammie kept clawing to try to catch herself and all I could do was watch in horror as she fell backwards.  She landed on her feet (I think!) on a table that I have in the foyer and then onto the floor.  She broke a little crystal do-dad that was on the table in a hundred pieces!  I think she is ok.  She's been pretty quiet since her fall.  I bet she doesn't jump up there any more!

We got a call this morning from the Red Cross that we could be deployed to the hurricane/tornado area in Florida.  As of now, we are on stand-by.  They think they may deploy two teams.  Since I need to take Mom to the doctor on Thursday, we are standing by for the second team - hoping it won't deploy until after Thursday.

The Stamping Queens Sketch is a fairly easy one this week involving tags.

I used My Digital Studio to make the card.  Elements used from MDS are:

Sunset Serenade DSP, Taffeta Trimmings ribbon,  Twitterpated buttons, Tea Time II tags, butterflies are from Flores Suaves, Live Your Dream and Touch of Nature and Scallop Punch.

Stamping Queens Sketch + Blog Candy

Two posts today!  The other post I thought was scheduled for yesterday .... guess I picked the wrong date!  Makes sense since yesterday felt like two days to me.  In fact, I was talking to my friend, Margaret, earlier and told her today was Thursday.  She corrected me and told me no, it was Wednesday!

I took Mom to her regular doctor yesterday to see if we could get a grip on what was going on.  I think Mom thought he was going to "fix" her when he actually cannot do that.  He explained to us about what a crap shoot pinpointing the cause of pain on the spine when you have so much going on up and down.  She has arthritis, degenerative discs and stenosis.  When they did the surgery, they hoped they were hitting the source of her pain.  But, guess not all of it.  So, now we need to get the injection to the S-1 vertebrae and hope that helps.  He was going to call the pain mgt. doctor to see if he could fit mom in any earlier than July 16.  So, as usual, I am waiting for doctors to call!!  After the doctor left the room yesterday, Mom fell apart.  She is getting really depressed and giving up hope of ever feeling better.  She called Ashley last night and could barely talk to her, she was crying so hard.  It is really tough to see your mom like this.

I had my card class in the afternoon (I'll be sharing those cards tomorrow).  I did good this time - they finished 4 cards in 2 hours!!  I really tried hard not to let them be too intricate but still look pretty.  After class, Marianne and Judy and I went out to dinner at Pomodoro's in Mooresville.  It was really good and I have my lunch for tomorrow!!

Today is Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge and I did my card on MDS.

Look familiar?  I used the the elements from the digital kit, Sweet Shop - same as I have done on my blog background and banner.  The black frames are from the Candid Frames download.

We’d love to have you join us for the Stamping Queens Challenge this week!  Simply make a card using the basic bones of the sketch above, and then visit the stampin’ queens sketch challenge blog  to add your interpretation.  This week we are giving away BLOG CANDY - a 10-second bow maker.

Bright Blooms Sketch Challenge 43

It's time for the Wednesday Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge #43!  This week we had a great sketch to work with.  There are a lot of options for this sketch - make a pocket card, tuck a tag in .... etc. 

I have been working hard for a few days getting all my downloads on My Digital Studio up to date.  I printed out a list of ALL the downloads to date and have been highlighting the downloads that I have purchased.  Yesterday I went through the list and highlighted a bunch of downloads that I want to get in the future.  I ended up buying about $40 worth of new downloads yesterday so I just had to use one of them.  The flowers in the card below are from Tuesday's newest downloads.  You can see the newest downloads HERE.   Every Tuesday Stampin' Up releases new downloads.  You can view them all by clicking on the Digital tab above (in my blog title). 

I just love these flowers - called Bright Blooms.  They are pretty large and I just resized them (and copied and pasted them) onto the green scallop circle.

Items I used for the MDS card are:

Cardstock:  So Saffron, Melon Mambo, Lucky Limeade DSP, Flirtatious (yellow strip)
Punches:  Scallop Punch (filled with green); Scallop Trim Punch
Accessories:  Bright Blooms, Pearls
Stamp:  Best of Everything

I received some new SU goodies yesterday but I haven't had time to play with them.  We went out to dinner with friends last night.  We went to an Italian restaurant in Cornelius and had a yummy meal although I have enough Baked Ziti to serve a couple more nights!  Why do they give you so much?  Just lower the price and give me a normal amount of food!  When we got to the restaurant, Sonny & I noticed a new bar in the same area called Paddy's Pour House.  It had shamrocks on the sign so we assumed it was an Irish bar.  After dinner, we convinced our friends to go with us to check it out.  Well .... it will not make our Top Ten list!  I am sure we stuck out like a sore thumb - everyone in there was probably in their 20s, it was very loud, and didn't even have any of our Irish beverages on tap.  Too bad but we have seen a sign for a new Irish bar that will be opening in Mooresville soon and we are waiting to check it out.

I am going to be a travel agent on the side!  Our friends that we had dinner with are waiting for their passports to arrive.  They want to take a trip to Seattle and the Vancouver area and wanted our input.  They convinced me to plan it for them since we know about the area.  I don't know much about Vancouver but I suggested they spend a few days in Seattle, take the ferry to the San Juan Islands and stay at a bed and breakfast on one of the islands (something I wish we had done when we lived there) and then get on the ferry and head on over to Victoria.  Victoria was our favorite Canadian destination when we lived in Washington.  It is such a quaint little town.

Queens Sketch Challenge 42

It's Wednesday, so that means it's time for another sketch challenge from the Stampin' Queens.  One of the things that I love about these sketch challenges, is how versatile the sketches are. Here is this weeks sketch:

I decided to do a card about traveling in honor of my recent Alaska trip.  I used the May 22 download, World Traveler to make this digital card.  I finally got it to download today by turning off my Norton security options.  It wasn't SU's fault - turns out, it was Norton that was blocking it and deleting it since it was a new and quite large download.   So, now can get started scrapbooking my pictues. 

The elements I used with this card are:

Baja Breeze cardstock
World Traveler Photobook Template
Epic Overlays stamp
Travel Log (elements)

Here are the first few pages of my scrapbook that I have done so far. 

Title Page

Stamping Queens Sketch 39

I got carried away with making my cards for the Stamping Queens Challenge this week.  I forgot I had made the card last week and I made another one a couple of nights ago.  So, you have 2 cards this week for the challenge. 

Here is the sketch:

For the first card, I turned the sketch on it's side.

Stamping Queens Challenge

My card for the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge is a little different for me this week.  Of course I used My Digital Studio to create the card but there's not a flower on the card!!  Different, huh?  Don't you love the sentiment?  I do! 

These are the elements I used for the card: 

• Basic Gray Card
• White card layer matted in black
•  Basic Gray Distressed DSP
• Extreme Elements stamp (splat in blue & gray and stars in red)
• Sentimental Journey stamp
• Circle Punch
• Fantabulous You stamp
• Delightful Digital Tape

Let me know what you think about my creation with your comments!!

Stamping Queens Challenge

It's that time of the week .... Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge.  Again, I turned to My Digital Studio to create my card using Attic Boutique DSP and Elements.

Isn't this paper just gorgous?  The part that is not DSP is the ribbon border across the middle, the Happy Birthday tag, the Pearls and the flower in the top right.

Check out the other cards from the Stamping Queens HERE. 

Stampin' Up has announced a few items from past mini catalogs that are still available to order.  Here is a link to the Carry Over Catalog.

Get Em While You Can!!

Get 'em while you can!  The Accessories Retiring List has been announced and it is quite extensive.  You can check the list out HERE. 

Over 300 stamp sets, retired accessories list is 12 pages long! 

• The Simply Adorned Jewelry Line is retiring
• The Definitely Decorative Line is retiring
• We are getting a new style of ink pad, with a firm foam pad,
• 12 x 12 paper is going to be packaged differently
• Individual Markers are also going to be packaged different, so if you need some colors, pick them up now
• 2010 - 2012 in colors, are retiring
• Lots of tools and Big Shot Items retiring

 When you see the Accessories list you'll notice the ink pads are retiring ...  not to worry.  All the colors are staying with the exception of the In Colors (2010-2012) ...the ink pads are getting a make over as well as some of the tools (marked with an asterik on the list).  Several of the punches and dies are making me sad to see them go - Butterfly Punch, 5 Petal Punch, Snowflake Punch, Eyelet Punch, Leaves Die (which I just ordered!), Movers and Shakers, Daisies Die ...  So if any of these are on your "must have" list, you can order them on-line or by contacting me and placing an order.

My Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge is today also.  I made this card using My Digital Studio and a couple of the new releases, Fantabulous You and Decorative Overlays.

Stamping Queens Sketch plus CLEARANCE items added

 

Yesterday was the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge.  I designed another card using My Digital Studio.  It was a pretty easy sketch this time. Here is my take on it using the stamp set, Fabulous Florets.  Click HERE to see the cards the other gals designed with the sketch.

Margaret has been visiting me for a couple of days from Texas.  We went to Charlotte on Monday to pick her and Graham up and stopped off on the way home at the Original Pancake House .... yummy!!  Sonny and I took them to the airport this morning  - an almost costly trip.  We were driving back home just talking when flashing lights pulled up behind us.  We were on a highway that we hardly ever travel on and Sonny thought the speed limit was 60 or 65.  NOT!  It was 55.  Don't know how fast we were going - the officer did not tell him, just that he was speeding.  After he ran his license, he ended up only giving him a warning.  Such a nice guy!!  Whew!

NEWS FLASH: 

 55 NEW Clearance Rack items have been added to my Online Store, including a number of punches, dies, and accessories.  I will be putting an order in this weekend for Clearance items.  If you want to add yours to mine to save on postage, let me know.

Stamping Queens Sketch

My Stamping Queens challenge for the week will make you hungry!  I used My Digital Studio for this sketch.  It was an easy sketch this week.  Why don't you give it a try?

Also, check out the other Queens' sketches HERE.

Stamping Queens Bunny

Here is my card for the Stamping Queens Sketch this week. 

 Isn't he just adorable?  This is a My Digital Studio card using a template.

We arrived Wednesday in San Antonio and have been on the go ever since.  Maybe tomorrow I'll have a little more time to fill you in on what we have been doing!!

Stamping Queens Sketch #30

I used My Digital Studio this week to make my Stamping Queens challenge.  This is the Attic Boutique Designer Paper from the Mini Catalog (pg. 23).  It is so pretty and reminds me of my grandmother's attic.  Oh the treasures I would find up there!  It is also like the quilts my sister is making for me for my guest room.  My good "girlfriend" from Florida sent me 2 twin quilt kits that had been given to her.  So, I turned to my quilt making sister, Marianne, to make them for me.   She is so sweet!  I've got to come up with something extra special to do for her.

We had a pretty easy sketch this week.  I don't kow that I particularly care for this sketch but it was definitely easy!

I had a busy day today.  I left the house around 7:30 a.m. and headed for the Soup Kitchen.  We made BBQ pork chops, baked beans and cornbread.  It was pretty easy and we had it all in the ovens by 9:30 and ended up standing around and visiting until we served the meal at 11.  After I left, I dropped by Marianne's house to visit.  She had come home early to meet a repair man.  They've been in their house about 20 years and things are starting to need replacing - first it was the furnace, next her drier and this week it is the hot water heater.  When I got home around 4, Sonny and I worked out in the yard spreading mulch in the flower beds until dinner time.  I brought some fresh vegetables home that had been donated to the Soup Kitchen.  Most of the patrons there don't like the fresh veggies so what they don't take, they offer to the volunteers.  I brought home spinach, broccoli, artichoke, mushrooms, green pepper, and squash.  I had never cooked fresh spinach so I tried it tonight and it was DELICIOUS!!  It will be one of my favorites from now on! I just put a little olive oil in my skillet and browned some fresh garlic; next I added the spinach and cooked it for about 2 minutes - until it all became "wilted" looking; added a little salt and yummy!!  And so good for you too!

Stamping Queens Sketch 29 - not MDS - and a prize!

Do you believe it?  I did a Queens Sketch Challenge card without using My Digital Studio!!  I think this may be a first!  But what a fun card.   Button Buddies was one of the first sets that I had to have from the SU catalog when it was released last summer and I have not used it near enough.  I thought it was the perfect thing for this sketch.  Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting a good picture of it.

Supplies used:

• Stamps:  Button, Button and Button Buddies
• Ink:  Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasabi
• Cardstock:  Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
• Accessories:  Wasabi wide grosgrain ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Soft Subtles Buttons, Bakers Twine

And if you follow THIS LINK, you may win a prize for playing along!!

Here is the sketch for this week:

I really got a good workout at my water aerobics class Tuesday.  The class I took on Monday was really boring and I never really felt like I even got my heart rate going.  I can't say that about Tuesday's instructor.  I think I will be feeling it tomorrow.  But, I would much rather the class be intense so I feel like I am really working out.  Guess I will skip the Monday class from now on.

Stamping Queens Sketch 28

I made a pretty masculine card for the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge this week.  This is pretty out of the norm for me but it's good to stretch yourself and do something different, don't you think?

Again, I used My Digital Studio to create the card.  The stamp set is from Extreme Elements and Word Play.  The colors I used are Soft Suede, Not Quite Navy and Kiwi Kiss (which is retired but is one of my favorites!)

Ashley started her vacation today.  She is spending a couple of days in New Orleans with her friends before they all board the cruise ship.  They depart on Thursday afternoon for Cozumel although she doesn't care where they go.  The fun is being on the Rock Boat Cruise and enjoying all the shows and concerts on board.  She has been going on this cruise for about 10 years I think.  They missed the year Katrina hit and of course, she missed it last year.  Each year she adds to the group that goes with her on the cruise.  I think they are up to 30-40 people in their group now!  Friends from college, medical school, DC, Army, Seattle, etc. as well as their friends are in the group.   

Wednesday Stamping Queens Challenge

It's time for another sketch from the Stamping Queens.  As usual, I did my card using My Digital Studio.  It's so easy to do a sketch with MDS.

Here's the sketch we were to follow:

And here is my card:

For this card, I started with a card template and just changed things up .... quite a bit!  Here is the MDS template that I used:

I divided the red paper in half and matted it in white.  I added a Designer paper to the card.  I deleted the stamp "for you" and the white grid on the orange piece.  I removed the frog and put the stamp from Apothecary Art.  I added Digital Tape with a stamp overlay.  It's easy to redo a template but sometimes it's just as easy to start from scratch!

Check out the cards from the rest of the Queens HERE.