Third Thursdays Blog Hop: Keepin' the Memories Alive

Welcome once again to our Third Thursdays Blog Hop! This month our theme for the hop is Keepin' the Memories Alive! Posts will feature Stampin' Up! products or projects used for memory keeping. I ordered the Pressed Petals Journal to play with!
{you'll find Product Purchase Links for current items I've used, below the Blog Roll}

I actually ordered 2 of the Pressed Petals Journals, because the pages are perforated...I wanted one journal to use with the pages left in the binding, and one I could tear out all the pages from to use individually. Unfortunately, I didn't take the time to read the description, so I didn't realize that: A) these journals are a lot smaller than I imagined, and B) the designs repeat throughout the journal, and C) there are not even enough facing page "layouts" to journal for a whole month.

So, I went to work figuring out how I might alter the journal, to use it as a gratitude journal for one whole month, by adding pages. For this blog post, I'll just show you how I added the pages. I want to decorate the added pages a little bit, but I want to order the Pressed Petals Specialty Designer Series Paper first, so I'll have to come back to that part later. I actually thought I had also ordered the Stitched Labels Dies to decorate the cover, but I accidentally ordered another set of stitched dies that I already have. Ugh.

Anyway...I hopped onto my Facebook Page to do a LIVE demo of this tutorial, but it wouldn't upload the HD version, so I have added the HD version to YouTube. You can click below to watch the embedded version, or you can go watch it on YouTube at THIS LINK.

Stampin' Supplies: Pressed Petals Journal, THICK Very Vanilla Cardstock, Pressed Petals Specialty Designer Series Paper, Stitched Labels Dies, Stampin' Trimmer (for cutting & scoring), ARC by Staples Hole Punch (optional).

August 2019 Third Thursdays Blog Roll: Keepin' the Memories Alive
Kimberley Morris YOU ARE HERE
Angie McKenzie
Sarah Fleming

Stampin' Supplies Product Purchase Links:

Pressed Petals Journal

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

Pressed Petals Specialty Designer Series Paper

Stitched Labels Dies

AUGUST Monthly Perks Code: BPMSWFBG
(if your order total equals or exceeds $150, please do NOT use the Monthly Perks Host Code...you will have earned Stampin' Rewards of your own!)

Get your Stampin' Supplies in my ONLINE STORE, and Be sure to check out these Deals:
CLEARANCE RACK (Up to 60% OFF Retired Product)
BUNDLE & SAVE!!! (Annual Catalog Product Bundles at 10% OFF Everyday!)

~Kimberley Morris Colorado Springs, CO
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE 24/7!)
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MyDigitalStudio.net 10+ Photos Challenge Page

So, in case you haven't heard, or you've forgotten, you can download a FREE trial version of My Digital Studio 2 (MDS2), and play with it for 30 DAYS without spending a penny! Even if you previously downloaded the free MDS Express Trial, you can still download the MDS2 Trial for free. There's about $200 in digital art in the fully functional MDS2 Trial program.

Download the MDS2 FREE TRIAL software HERE!

If you are new to My Digital Studio, or just want to learn more, the most excellent resource is MyDigitalStudio.net You can browse the Stampin' Up! Blog, check out the Samples, and find tons of Training for all skill levels. Something new on MyDigitalStudio.net is the Weekly Challenge & Giveaway. The layout below is one I made for this week's challenge: 10+ Photos. You just had to use 10 or more photos on your project. [Click on the image to see it full-size]

One of the nifty new features in MDS2 is the ability to see a Supply List in your project. So, you can see the names of all the elements you are working with. For this page, I started with a 12x12 page template from the Grad Party Ensemble. Then I used another nifty new MDS2 feature and recolored the embellishments, and Designer Series Papers, to match my daughter's school colors. Oh yeah, and another cool MDS2 feature I totally exploited for this page, is the Rounded Corners feature for photos. Honestly, the thing that took me the most time was trying to track down and narrow down the pictures I wanted to use! (FYI: the two typefaces I used on this page are Blackjack, and Rockwell Condensed.)

Unfortunately, I made a little boo-boo with my computer the other day, and removed a program I didn't think I needed...only to hobble my MDS2 program. Instead of finishing my project and getting it posted by the Noon deadline for the challenge, I had to waste my time finding and reinstalling stuff. The moral of this story is that you DO need the Apple Application Support program for MDS, because it uses Quick Time, which is an Apple program. Lesson learned, the hard way.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Page a Day in May: 13 & 14

Here we are again, another installment of my Page a Day in May Scrapbooking Challenge! Yes, I know I'm falling behind a little bit with my pages again...hopefully I'll be caught up again by the end of the day today. [Click either image to see it full-size.]

Stampin' Supplies: My Digital Studio, 2011 Leadership Digital Kit.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Page a Day in May: 11 & 12

Here are some more pages for my Page a Day in May Scrapbooking Challenge. Okay, I really spent way longer on this two-page spread than necessary, but I was playing with some intermediate/advanced techniques. I think they turned out pretty. These pics are from an annual event called Stampin' for a Cure™ held every October in Colorado Springs by Stampin' Up!® demonstrators, to raise money for Susan G. Komen. I thought our new Strength & Hope Digital Kit was perfect for this project. [NOTE: Click either image to see all the details in full-size]

FYI: for every purchase of the Strength & Hope stamp set (in wood mount or clear mount), or the Strength & Hope Digital Kit, Stampin' Up! will donate $2 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation!

Stampin' Supplies: My Digital Studio, Strength & Hope Digital Kit, Top Note Shape Digital Download, Basic Pearls & Rhinestones Digital Download.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Page a Day in May: 9 & 10

Woo hoooo, it's May 10th and I'm 10 for 10 on my Page a Day in May Scrapbooking Challenge! I'm still using My Digital Studio to make my pages, and I'm still "cheating" by modifying premade pages. But you know what? I'll take it. These pages are from the same Happy Birthday premade album I mentioned yesterday. And I used another cool stamp from the 2011 Leadership Digital Kit...it's the little plus signs you can see in the background of each page. These will be facing pages in an 8x8 album. [Click either image to see it full-size, and don't mind the smudges on the names to protect privacy!]

Seriously, if you'd love to scrapbook (or create your own cards!) but just don't have the time, and/or space to store a bunch of physical product--you NEED to BUY My Digital Studio, or BUY My Digital Studio Express and then customize it with your favorite Digital Downloads, including templates for premade projects...so you can CHEAT like me!

For a really great deal, Become a Demonstrator during May and get the Digital+ Starter Kit at 30% OFF.

Stampin' Supplies: My Digital Studio, Leadership 2011 Digital Kit.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Page a Day in May: 6, 7, 8

Just another installation of my Page a Day in May Challenge! I took a few days off, but I've still done a page for each day. I actually have two more pages done but I want to show them as a layout together tomorrow. Once again, I used a Designer Template in My Digital Studio. It's the Happy Birthday album, with a few slight modifications. I love the grid stamp I put in the background of the haircut page...that grid image comes from the Leadership 2011 Digital Kit. There is actually a Brocade Blue Grid Designer Series Paper that comes with My Digital Studio, but I like that I can use the grid as a stamp and set the transparency of the lines to whatever level I like. [Click on any image to see it full-size. Names are smudged to protect privacy.]

Stampin' Supplies: My Digital Studio, 2011 Leadership Digital Kit

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Page a Day in May: 5

I know what you're thinking: "Doesn't this girl ever design a page that isn't blue???" Obviously blue is my favorite color. And you also want to know: "Doesn't this girl ever make pages with anything but My Digital Studio???" Really, I'm trying, I promise--but there's something so appealing about using as many embellishments and as much card stock as I want, and never running out! Plus, I am being super lazy again, and using a premade template...with a few minor modifications. This layout is a page from the Happy Birthday 8x8 album that I altered. Stay tuned for more scrapbooking as my Page a Day in May Challenge continues.

[Click Image to see full-size]

(Again, don't worry about the smear in the journaling on the scrapbook page image, that's to protect my daughter's privacy. The real scrapbook page is smear-free!)

Stampin' Supplies: My Digital Studio, Lots of Tags Shape 1 Digital Download.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Page a Day in May: 2, 3, 4

I'm catching up on my Page a Day in May Challenge...these three pages should bring me up to date.  Don't hate me because I can make awesome pages in minutes--you can too! I'm once again using a premade album template in My Digital Studio. It's the Digital Download for our 2011 Leadership Conference. I did not go to that event, but I LOVE the colors. Again, I'm just taking out anything too flowery and adding other embellishments in their place. I am soooo excited to get some albums done and sent off to be professionally printed during this month's 30% OFF SALE!

NOTE: Click on any image to view it full-size. Also, don't mind the smears, I've redacted some info for my son's privacy! The smears only appear on these images, not on the My Digital Studio project files.

Stampin' Supplies: My Digital Studio, 2011 Leadership Photobook Template Digital Download, Go Go Graduate Plus Digital Download, Flag Punch Digital Download, Thoughtful Overlays Digital Download.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Page a Day in May: 1 (Purring Kitty)

I've gotten a late start on my Page a Day in May Challenge, so I'm posting yesterday's page today. The subject matter reflects the cause of my tardiness! This past weekend it was like having a newborn baby again...sans childbirth. My kitty (Sneakers) hurt his leg somehow, and I had to carry him around to eat and potty over the weekend. The vet says it's probably just a bad sprain, and to baby him a couple more days to let him recover. Poor Kitty.

[Click Image to see it full-size]

This page is part of a Designer Template, which comes as a 12-page Summer Home album template in My Digital Studio. I really like the colors in this template, but not the flowery embellishments. So, I just took out the flowers and added some clouds from the Sunset Serenade bundle instead. It's SOOO easy to put together an album like this!

(Click HERE for details on Digital Download Bundles and Professional Print Products, on special for National Scrapbooking Month: May 1-31)

Stampin' Supplies: My Digital Studio CD, Sunset Serenade Stamp Brush Set (available as part of the Sunset Serenade Digital Download Bundle, on sale this month!).

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

National Scrapbooking Month 30% OFF Sale

WOW, there is sooo much going on this month! This post is going to focus on the National Scrapbooking Month Specials. First, we have a 30% OFF SALE on select stamp sets and special Digital Download Bundles. Then, there's a 30% OFF SALE on select My Digital Studio Professional Print Products. This is an AWESOME time to crank out some digital pages and albums, and get them professionally printed for phenomenal prices!!! There is no qualifying purchase necessary, just buy anything on the list(s) below and get 30% OFF!

Click HERE for complete List of ALL Products on Sale
Click HERE to view images of Stamp Sets & Digital Downloads

Click HERE to shop for Digital Downloads* & More!
(*Digital Downloads must be purchased through my Online Store. Physical purchases may be combined with any Digital Downloads order online, however, Digital Downloads may not be ordered from me anywhere but my Online Store.

And finally, there is a DIGITAL+ STARTER KIT SALE--get the kit for ONLY $122.50 (regularly $175). There's over $320 in product in the kit, so you're getting it at darn near half-off retail prices! And, if you want to add to your savings, purchase the Stampin' Memories Add-On Kit this month for ONLY $35** (regularly $50). The value of the product in that add-on kit is about $75, so again, so you are saving OVER 50% OFF retail prices with this special offer! REMEMBER: You can customize your choice of images and colors for many items in the Starter Kit!!! (**You must purchase a Starter Kit in order to purchase an Add-On kit.)

Click HERE for the Starter Kit Flyer

Click HERE to Become a Demonstrator

As always, please contact me prior to ordering or signing up to Become a Demonstrator, if you have any questions, or would like some tips or suggestions.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

Page a Day in May for Nat'l Scrapbooking Month

Since May is National Scrapbooking Month, I wanted to share my Page a Day in May idea with you.  I want to challenge myself to make a scrapbook page each day during the month of May.  I decided to share the concept with you now, in case you're interested in playing along...because if you're like me, you'll need a little prep time to make sure you get your pictures gathered, and develop (heh heh) an idea of what you want to accomplish.  Here are some suggestions to get your scrap-brain churning:

Start Recent and Work Backwards
This is self-explanatory, start with your most recent photos and work backwards.  Sometimes it's easier to get started this way instead of hunting for baby pictures from 20 years ago.  A variation of this theme is just to work with whatever is most accessible.  If your wedding pictures are at the top of your shoebox, work with those.  If you have a disc of Easter pictures sitting next to your computer, use those.

Work with a Theme
Maybe you want to create a birthday book for your kid(s)...one that just shows them on every birthday up until they moved out.  The same type of theme works for school years, just get out those pics from each grade.  Other quick and easy themes are family vacations, weddings, anniversaries, holidays, memorial books, high school reunions, a "friends" album, a grandkids album, and don't forget that you can make a ME album. 

Work with Borrowed Creativity
Seriously, purchase My Digital Studio and use the Designer Templates provided with the software!  There are several albums with pages already completed.  For your "page a day", just insert a picture and some journaling, and you are DONE.  Same thing goes for any of the Simply Scrappin' Kits Stampin' Up! offers--there are page ideas included right on the package.  Look at someone else's page and use their layout for inspiration...or just copy it exactly and put your own pictures in there!

Use What You've Got First!
Listen, if you want to buy the entire catalog of Stampin' Up! merchandise from me, I'm not going to complain...lol!  But if you have a closet or drawer full of stuff you "meant" to use for scrapbooking, then by all means, pull that out and use it FIRST.  Sometimes your inspiration for a page or an album can start with your supplies.  I know people who buy the supplies they love, and then go home and stage pictures that will coordinate with those supplies!  No, not me, I'm not that organizationally evolved yet.

NOTE: If you bought your supplies ten years ago and they just aren't your style anymore, then at least set them aside to sell or give away, before you do anything else.  Don't just pull them out, gag and cringe, and chuck those supplies back in the closet!  Why?  Because every time you take out your scrapbooking supplies after that, you will have unsavory thoughts, and that can sabotage your creativity.  Make sure you love what you see, and that you are excited to use your supplies.  Oh, and USE the things you're excited about, don't just keep storing/hoarding them (note to self).

Remember, you don't have to make a page that will go in an album, you can frame a page and hang it on the wall.  There are also lots of fun mini-album ideas that can be done with basically a page or two of card stock.  I'll try to feature some of these ideas throughout the month of May on my blog.  If you do a mini-album comprised of more than one page, do your assembly one day and then put in the photos, journaling, and embellishments the second day, and that can technically be "a page a day".  If you don't have time til the weekend, get your supplies gathered and set aside during the week and sketch out your page ideas, then do 7 pages on Sunday.  (This can be a great family activity, and a fun introduction to genealogy!)  However you do it, be sure to capture the Who, When, Where, Why, and What on each page, layout, or compilation (if you frame it, you may want to put the info on the back).  The subject matter is obvious to you now, but will it be to anyone else 20 years from now?

And, you don't have to scrapbook every picture you have.  Just pick the ones you really like looking at, and put them somewhere you can enjoy them!  On the other hand, you don't have to have any photos of people on your scrapbook page.  You can scrapbook your pets, you could create an alphabet book for your toddler with pictures of different animals, or you could just fill out a nostalgia page (just capture some of your personal memories from different times in your life), or a descriptive page (talk about the subject of your page and use words and journaling to create an image, literally and/or figuratively).  Or, if you love cooking, do a Page a Day Cookbook for May, and take pictures of the finished dish for each recipe.  Have fun with it!

On a closing note, sometimes we get so busy recording others' memories that we forget to record our own.  I suggest that if you are creating an album, take a page at the beginning or end to write a little about yourself, and your thoughts surrounding the album, and why you made it.  Be sure to date it.  How many times have we seen a cute or cool album and wondered whose thoughts and creativity were all over those pages?  Think of it as a provenance for a masterpiece...it increases the value exponentially for the owner!

Anyway, I hope that gets your mind moving, and I hope you will join me for my Page a Day in May challenge.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (SHOP ONLINE)
BECOME A DEMONSTRATOR

National Scrapbooking Month

In case you didn't notice the special on my sidebar, May is National Scrapbooking Month, and you can earn from FREE Designer Brads with qualifying purchases! Please CLICK HERE FOR FLYER.

One of the qualifying purchases is My Digital Studio™. You can make digital scrapbooking pages, cards, calendars, and even interactive slideshows with exclusive Stampin' Up! images, using My Digital Studio™. Check out the samples below:

On the soccer page, you can see the color matching feature of My Digital Studio™. I matched the green on the layout to a green on my daughter's soccer jersey. On the Together page, you can see how I used a My Digital Studio™ photo feature to display the picture in sepia tones--the picture was originally taken in color. The last project is a greeting card I made in My Digital Studio™, which I actually made for my brother in Texas, ON his birthday, and I sent it to him in email!

If you like to scrapbook, or even if you just like sharing pictures, or if you're just looking for something fun and easy to do with all those digital pictures on your computer, you NEED My Digital Studio™. Visit my ONLINE STORE and pick up your copy today...it's available for both MAC and PC. Order before May 31st and receive your choice of FREE Designer Brads.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (click SHOP NOW near top right to order 24/7)

Blog Candy Winners & Tutorials

The winners of my blog candy from the Royal Blog Tour are Debbie Gendorf and Roberta Smith! Debbie will be receiving the Vintage Vogue stamp set, and Roberta will be receiving a Vintage Vogue class planner.  I'll be emailing you gals privately to make arrangements for delivery on those!

I had also intended to post two tutorials today for the projects on THIS POST. However, I have been having some camera problems and I can't get to my photos! So, I will post the patterns and some simple instructions for you below, and follow up when I can get my camera to cooperate again...or after I take new pictures, if that's what I have to do (ugh). I apologize for that inconvenience, and please email me if you have any questions in the meantime.

Click HERE for a PDF pattern and instructions for the pages for the Matchbook Album shown below. Be sure you measure very carefully and exactly, for best results. The cover of the project was made from two other pieces of card stock adhered together, with the pages adhered inside the back of the cover, so the pattern is just for the inside pages.

Click HERE for a PDF pattern and instructions for making the stationery box shown below. Eight standard size cards and eight coordinating envelopes will fit inside. (TIP: Keep your layers as flat as possible on the cards, to avoid the sender having to pay extra postage for thickness or non-machineable letters).

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (click SHOP NOW button near top right to order)

ROYAL BLOG TOUR Spring 2010

I created the projects below for the Royal Blog Tour, and they feature the Vintage Vogue stamp set (Clear Mount, Item 118598, $17.95; Wood Mount, Item 117690, $23.95).

This first project is something I call a Matchbook Album. All the inside pages are created by scoring and folding one sheet of 12"x12" paper or card stock. The colors I used for this project were: Very Vanilla card stock and craft ink, Bashful Blue card stock and classic ink, Soft Suede textured card stock and classic ink, Kraft card stock, and VersaMark ink. I "cheated" a little and also used the coordinating Very Vintage Jumbo Wheel, and the *{love}* image from the Tiny Tags stamp set.

You can see the pages sort of fanned open below. I used both the Sending Love Hugs Notes, and Sending Love Kisses Notes, and their respective Glassine Envelopes for a couple of the pages. These come in Whisper White, but I sponged the notes with Very Vanilla Craft Ink so they'd match the vintage look, and dried them with my heat tool--and I think they turned out great!

Here's a picture of a bunch of the individual pages when they're opened up:

If you would like measurements and instructions, mark your calendar to come back and check my blog on May 4th, and I'll have a tutorial for the matchbook album.

This next project uses the same colors and stamp sets. The box on the left will hold 8 cards plus 8 envelopes inside. The card on the right is just an example of a note card you could put inside the box. Like the matchbook album above, the box is created by scoring and folding one 12"x12" sheet of card stock. I personally think either or both projects would be great for Mother's Day!

Again, if you would like measurements and instructions, mark your calendar to come back and check my blog on May 4th, and I'll have a tutorial for the box.

I created this 12x12 scrapbook page using My Digital Studio™, and the same colors I used on the previous projects. As you can see, the digital Vintage Vogue stamp set images are the same ones included in the rubber stamp set, but with My Digital Studio™ the images can be sized to better fit your page! And instead of stamping off to get a lighter color, you change the opacity of the image.

This final image is another My Digital Studio™ project--a card made in the same colors as the previous projects, using the Vintage Vogue stamp set. It's awesome to design projects in My Digital Studio™ because the program works through a system of layers, so you can "stamp" over other images without masking or cutting anything out!

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator since 1994
Colorado Springs, CO
procrastistamper@gmail.com
http://kimberley.stampinup.net (click SHOP NOW button near top right to order)

National Scrapbooking Month Specials

May is National Scrapbooking Month, and Stampin' Up! is offering THREE specials to celebrate! Use promotional products to help you record your memories, or make new memories by becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator at a huge discount :-) ACT NOW--ONLY TWO WEEKS LEFT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE GREAT PROMOTIONS!

Click HERE to view, or right click to download, a full-color promotional flyer listing all three specials.

JUMBLE ALPHABET SNEAK PEEK AT 20% OFF:
The new Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog will be available for ordering starting July 1st, 2009. This special involves a stamp set, called Jumble Alphabet, which will be available for order in the new catalog. This month, you get a Sneak Peek at the stamp set, and you may purchase it at 20% off the retail price, for $35.16! (reg. $43.95). Click HERE to view all the images in the stamp set. (This set contains 52 images, and is intended to be double-mounted on 26 wood blocks. Right click HERE to download a PDF to assist you in correctly mounting the images on the wooden blocks included with the set.)

BUY 3, GET 1 FREE - Designer Series Papers & 12"x12" Textured Card Stock:
During the month of May, buy three packages of any Designer Series Paper (DSP) or 12"x12" Textured Card Stock, and get a 4th package FREE! You may mix and match products, so you could purchase two packs of DSP, one pack of Textured Card Stock, and get one pack of *either* product for FREE. Click HERE to view, or right click to download, a PDF file listing all available selections, with colors, patterns, and prices for reference.

$75 SCRAPBOOKING STARTER KIT:
This month, you can become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator for only $75 with the scrapbooking focused Starter Kit. You don't have to be a scrapbooker, or even use the Scrapbooking Starter Kit supplies for scrapbooking--you can make cards using the supplies! (I can show you how!) As with the Standard Starter Kit, the Scrapbooking Starter Kit is customizable, and contains all the business supplies you would get with the Standard Starter Kit.

Click HERE to see the contents of the Scrapbooking Starter Kit, and look for my next blog post for details on how you can use the Scrapbooking Starter Kit to jump start your Demonstratorship. You don't have to run a business with your Demonstratorship, this is a great way to get your stamping and scrapbooking products at a discount. Check out THIS BLOG POST for some great benefits of becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

If you're ready to sign up right now, just hop on over to my Join Stampin' Up! page and enter my Recruiter Authorization Password: newdemonstrator (all one word, no spaces).

If you want to sign up and you have any questions at all, please feel free to call me at 719-205-5957, or email me. I'll be sure to call you back on my dime! The same goes for any of the specials, or any purchase you would like to make through me.--you may shop 24-7 at my ONLINE STORE, or call or email me with your order if you have questions before you place it.

Kimberley Morris, Colorado Springs, CO
Stampin' Up!® Independent Demonstrator since 1994
http://kimberley.stampinup.net

Summer Days

I'm cleaning my way out of my pre-Convention mess, and getting ready to do a free class at the Rockrimmon Branch of the Pikes Peak Library District tomorrow, from 10:30am-12:30pm. I thought I'd give you a little sneak peek at what we'll be making...

This stamp set is not in the 2008 Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog, it's actually on what's called the Dormant List. You can order it, it's just considered out of season, as it is a "summer" set. The page is 6"x6", and there is a little innertube at the bottom right of it, which is covered by the card. The card is 6"x3" and uses the same stamp set and colors. If you come to the library tomorrow while I'm there, you can choose which one of these FREE Make & Takes you'd like to make!

The new items on these projects are the Pacific Point blue card stock and ink pad, and the Curly Label Punch. You can see a sample below of my own personal finished page.

Stampin' Supplies: Life's a Breeze stamp set, Something Fishy Jumbo Wheel, Whisper White card stock, Bashful Blue card stock and ink, Pacific Point card stock and ink, Summer Sun card stock and ink, Only Orange ink, Basic Black ink, Boho Blossoms Punch, Scallop Punch (used for making clouds), Stampin' Sponge®, Bashful Blue Striped Grosgrain, Curly Label Punch.

Father's Day Frame

I posted a Father's Day Class last month, with a tie-shaped box and a shirt-shaped card...which you can see HERE. The third project for the class was a chipboard coaster frame, which I'll display now, since Father's Day is just a little over 10 days away! The outside of the frame, when it's closed, is pictured above. It's two 4"x4" chipboard coasters, covered with Olive Press Designer Series Paper (DSP), and tied together with Old Olive Poly Twill Ribbon. A "sleeve" has been wrapped around the frame, to hold it closed for gift-giving. In the picture below, you can see how the frame looks once it's open.

I used a Stampin' Up! Font CD to print the journaling onto Old Olive card stock. The idea is that the frame is self-standing once the striped "sleeve" is slid off, and the coasters are opened at an angle. So, Dad can take the frame to his office and easily display it on his desk, or the edge of a nearby shelf.

TUTORIAL: You can make your own frame using scrap pieces of chipboard, but I chose heavy (2mm) rounded-corner square chipboard coasters for durability. Lighter chipboard is going to more easily bend and/or blow over. The first thing I did to my coaster is optional--I colored the edges with a Basic Brown journaler marker. I used the journaler instead of the regular marker because the journaler contains pigment ink, which is fade resistant and waterproof. That way, if Dad sets the frame down in some drops of water (or coffee), the ink won't run.

The next thing you'll need to do is cover BOTH sides of each piece of chipboard with stamping or patterned paper. I chose the Olive Press Designer Series Paper (DSP), and adhered 4"x4" square pieces with the Stampin' Up!® Glue Stick, covering both the back of the paper, and the front of the chipboard with the glue, and taking care to get the glue all the way out to all of the edges. The picture below shows two different patterns from the Olive Press DSP pack, but you'll want to cover the front of each of the coasters with the same paper, and the back of each of the coasters with the same alternate pattern of paper. That way, your frame has the same pattern on front and back when it's closed, and the same pattern on both pieces inside when it's opened.

Once your glue is dry, you'll want to take a Sanding Block and sand away any excess paper from the edges of the chipboard, to make it flush. If your coasters have rounded corners, you'll sand away the paper at the edges and the paper will then be rounded, too! Once you're finished sanding, you're ready to punch some holes in your coasters, to tie them together. Use the eyelet template from the Crafter's Tool Kit to evenly measure 3/8" holes in the coasters, to punch out with the Crop-A-Dile. You'll then string ribbon through each of these holes and tie in a square knot to "hinge" the coasters together. Pay attention to the picture below with the coasters tied together--you will want to make sure you punch your holes so that the same pattern of paper is showing when you open your frame up flat.

The rest is pretty much self-explanatory. I cut two pieces of Chocolate Chip Textured card stock to 3-1/2"x3-1/2" and rounded the corners, and layered them inside the frame. Because my pictures had a lot of brown in them, I cut a layer of Old Olive card stock for contrast on each photo mat, to 3-1/8" square, and rounded the corners, then placed my 3"x3" photos on there (after rounding their corners, as well).

For the "sleeve" I just wrapped a strip of 2-1/4"x11" wide card stock around the frame, then adhered the sleeve to itself with Sticky Strip, and adhered a strip of 2"x12" DSP over that with SNAIL. I stamped the Happy Dad's Day greeting in Old Olive on Very Vanilla card stock and trimmed it out with scissors. (the Designer Label Punch will cut this out perfectly, but it doesn't leave any contrasting border area) I then layered the greeting onto a piece of Chocolate Chip Textured card stock which had been punched out with the Round Tab Punch, and put that on the sleeve.

This is a super easy gift that would be great for all types of occasions, and it's sure to be treasured and displayed for many years by its recipient.

Artisan Award Entry #3

This is the last of the 12x12 scrapbook pages I submitted...I didn't really have any pictures of my kids that were screaming out to me, but I had a few pictures of my cats, and a brand new Here Kitty, Kitty stamp set that I hadn't used yet. (remember, you can click on any image to see it larger):

The focus of the pages is my cats, who are both mostly black, so I decided to pull that color into the title. I wanted black, shiny letters, which turned out to be quite labor intensive. I used the Jumbo Outline Alphabet stamp set and stamped each letter in Craft white ink, then poured white embossing powder over that and heated it to set it. After that, I cut out each individual letter with Paper Snips. There was no apostrophe, so I created that by freehand, using a white gel pen to make the shape. Once all the letters were cut out, I applied Crystal Effects to the front of every letter and let it dry. I had already matted my photos and chosen the background paper, and put them where I thought I wanted them with Dotto® temporary adhesive. So, I laid the letters in where I thought they looked good, and adhered them with Mini Glue Dots®.

The background of this page is Creamy Caramel Textured card stock with Creamy Caramel ink used to apply the Meow Stampin' Around® wheel image. The background papers are from the Jersey Shore Designer Series Paper assortment. I added kitty cat details throughout the page, using the Here Kitty, Kitty set, stamped in Black StazOn ink, on Confetti white card stock, then colored with Blender Pens and Stampin' Pastels®.

To finish off the page, I created a couple of envelopes using the Mini Envelope Template, and used the Round Tab punch and some coordinating card stock to make some journaling pullouts.

And finally, I added a couple of photo corners with the Photo Corner punch, set a few more stamped images on the photo corners, and placed some Word Window punched tabs on the left side for balance. I liked the contrast and colors on this page, best of the three pages I submitted.