MDS2+ is Magic!

It's official!
I LOVE the new upgrade to My Digital Studio! (MDS2+)

Folks, if this computer systems challenged stamper can make something cool with a digital design program - trust me - ANYONE can do it!

Lookie!
I made a cool wallpaper for my iPhone this morning:

It was SO stinkin' easy!
I just followed the directions here from the My Digital Studio website:
http://mydigitalstudio.net/profiles/blogs/custom-canvas-time
This post told me the EXACT size I needed in PIXELS (whatever they are) to make a totally CUSTOM CANVAS (blank page) that would fit on my iPhone.
See! I don't even understand the lingo and I was able to do it! heeheehee

If you're wondering what the photos are, I used pics of me and my bff Tiffany Bauer at Convention last month. The background wallpaper, the little flower thingy and the black pretty border were all part of the exclusive Convention 2012 digital download that demos were able to get to make pages and photo books with our pictures. The Scallop Ribbon Border Punch is a separate digital download and I filled it with Midnight Muse Designer Series Paper in polka dot - also a digital download.

So, are you curious now? Want to check out MDS2 for yourself?
Here, visit my Online Store at this link : Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner.
At the top right of the Store page is a link that looks like this:

Click on that and you'll be able to add it to your shopping cart and download it for free!

I can't wait for you to try it out! Let me know if you have questions or need help - I can do it now!!

WooHoo!!

Happy Stampin'! MDS'n!

~~Robin

Gingham Birthday

Better late than never, that's what I always say!
LOL!

It's pretty funny - well maybe not if you are on the receiving end, but being a stamper, you'd think that I'd be on top of EVERYONE's birthdays and special events.
Ummm...not so much.
Just because I get the cards made, doesn't mean that I always get them delivered on time.
But it also doesn't mean that my heart's not in the right place either. It's just ticking a little late. :)
Can you relate?

Well, just like sending cards, sometimes I'm a bit behind on sharing cards too.
Take this one for example - it uses the Reason to Smile stamp set that was a one month only special in July.

Yeah, I've been a little busy.
But, hey, if you like it, just switch out the flower for another and you're golden!

The card uses a palette of Crumb Cake, Naturals Ivory, Marina Mist and Summer Starfruit. I loved the country, rustic feel of these colors together.

The gingham pattern was created by brayering Marina Mist ink onto the Stripes Embossing Folder and partially inserting the cardstock in it to go through the Big Shot. Once one layer was done, I brayered the folder again and turned the cardstock a quarter turn, running it through the Big Shot one more time.
The top of the pattern was a little messy, but the embossed border of Marina Mist cardstock covers that nicely. I used the new Delicate Designs for that piece.

The flower image was stamped with Summer Starfruit ink on the top section of the card and I added some stamped off flowers to the greeting scallop piece. That was punched out with the 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch and I stamped the greeting from the Hostess Set Wacky Wishes in Marina Mist ink. A little sponging with Summer Starfruit and a matching ribbon bow finished off the card and it's ready to send!

I missed a few June birthdays - maybe it will be in your mailbox! LOL!

Happy Stampin',
~~Robin

.99 Cent Fabric SALE!!

RUN! 
DO NOT WALK! 
To my Stampin' Up! Website Online Store 

For a limited time and only while supplies last, the following discontinued Designer Fabrics from the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog will be available at the low, low price of just .99 cents!!
 

These packages of fabric - which originally sold for $9.99 each - contain one Extra Wide Fat Quarter of each pattern shown in it's collection. (27" x 18"). You get THREE Fat Quarters in each package - that's just .33 for each FAT QUARTER!!



Take a look at some of the fantastic projects that can be made with these gorgeous fabrics:

These projects are done with our current fabrics, but the ideas are too wonderful not to share!

Listen, I can take your order for these fabrics at my upcoming classes, parties and camps, but there is no guarantee they will still be available - so go visit my WEBSITE now and place your order before they are gone for good!

Once you are on my homepage, simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner to enter my Online Store. 
You can either enter the item #'s I've given you above, or just go to the Clearance Rack and order from there.
You'll find lots of other great deals there too!!

This one is just too good to miss!
~~Robin

Quirky Papaya Collage

Howdy stampers!

I'm going back a bit for today's project. I was going back through some data on my blog and discovered a whole section of projects that I NEVER posted!
GASP!
Yes, it's true. I've been holding out on you. :)

I actually created this card in MAY for my private swap group the GoDivas.
We've never done it in a class or camp, so I may have to do that this week. Hmmmm.....

I have a fondness for square cards - just something a little different to mix it up a bit. Here, I used a palette of Naturals Ivory, Soft Suede, Always Artichoke and Midnight Muse. The stamp set is the beautiful - and quirky - Papaya Collage. (#126612 $23.95 clear)

I say quirky because at first glance, it seems like these images really have nothing to do with each other, but they actually do work together beautifully.

For my card, I stamped the frame image with Midnight Muse and offset it twice on the main panel. The leaves were stamped in the frame to fill the 'picture'. The focal point is the bird stamped with Soft Suede on Naturals Ivory and punched out with the 2 1/2" Circle Punch. I added the Naturals Button with Linen Thread to the piece and after sponging it with Soft Suede, popped it up on Stampin' Dimensionals.
The little strip of First Edition Designer Series Paper was spritzed with water and crumpled. I smoothed it back out and after it dried  mounted it underneath the focal image. Lastly, I spritzed the entire card front with a Crumb Cake Stampin' Write Marker and my Color Spritzer Tool for a final accent.

This card made me do the stamper's happy dance!

Hope today brings you the chance to make something you love and do the happy dance too!
~~Robin

A Sweet Memory

I have an Olympic hangover.
Seriously, I am LOVING all the coverage of the games. The inspiring moments and stories and all the amazing feats of these athletes just get me every time. But honestly, this going to bed close to midnight stuff is for the birds. Young birds!
Sadly, I am realizing that age 48 isn't youthful when it comes to sleep deprivation. LOL!

Yesterday was Mark's birthday and he took off work for the day. One of the things he wanted to do was sleep in. Now, sleeping in for us usually means 7 or 7:30, but yesterday we slept until 9:20!!
Talk about a late start - wow!

Well, that didn't deter me from making homemade lasagna for dinner - Mark's favorite! And Emma made him a double chocolate layer cake - the first she's ever done completely on her own from mixing to icing. It was wonderful and completely made Mark's day. :)
All this time in the kitchen made me remember the times I spent making cookies with my Grandma.
I participated in a Christmas Cookie 6" x 6" page swap at Convention this year and I knew right away that I wanted to share my Great-Grandma's Sugar Cookie recipe.

Here's the beginning of my page done with My Digital Studio (MDS):

(If you click on the photo, you can view the recipe - it's super yummy! Trust me!)
I created it using a pre-designed blank template in the MDS program and added my own photos and elements. Once I had the basic design, I printed it out on Whisper White Cardstock and cut it down to 5" x 5".
Then, I was able to finish designing my page:

The base color is Garden Green and I layered a mat of Riding Hood Red under the printed MDS page.
I used the gorgeous Christmas Tree image from the Christmas Lodge stamp set (#123769 $25.95 clear) in the background, stamped in Garden Green ink.
Isn't this just a beautiful stamp set??

I added a few finishing touches to the final page.
Some pierced corners at the top left and bottom right, two tiny button brads from the Vintage Trinkets, some Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, a Garden Green button and Linen Thread.

I love how this page turned out. It totally brought me back to my Grandma's kitchen working on cutting and decorating those delicious sugary treats. If you take a close look at the top photo on the MDS page, you can see the red holly leaf cookie cutter in my hand. It's a treasure to me because it's the same cookie cutter I used in my Grandma's kitchen 40 years ago.

We all have some sweet memories, treasures of our hearts that not only take us back, but tie us to the future as we pass them on.
I know my Grandma would have been so proud of Emma yesterday, baking her cake. That would have been a sweet memory for her and I know it will be for me and Mark.

Have a wonderful day today! Go stamp a memory....
~~Robin

Fresh Summer Bloom

It's Friday!
AND
It's also TAX FREE WEEKEND in Virginia!
You know what that means...........time to go SHOPPING! Ha!
Yes, time to check out the sales for school clothes and supplies, but it's also time to stock up on some great Stampin' Up! basics.

There's a whole list of your favorite Stampin' Up! products that are TAX FREE between today and Sunday, August 5th. I'm offering a special for all qualifying orders placed this weekend - check out the details at the end of this post.

My card today is done with the beautiful new stamp set Blooming with Kindness. (#126422 $16.95 clear)
As soon as I saw the New Catalog, I knew it would be on my first order. That flower is gorgeous!

Here I used a color combination of Old Olive, Midnight Muse, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White. The background is done with the new Embossing Folder - Fancy Fan and the scalloped edge on the Designer Paper is done with the Large Scallop Edgelits Die.
The ribbon is the 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain in Daffodil Delight. I love how easy it is to tie and work with.
The punches used are the 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circles and the Boho Blossom Punch for the little flower.

This card was one of my July Just Cards class cards and I swapped a few of these at Convention too. It really just makes me smile.

Here's the info on my TAX FREE WEEKEND SPECIAL: (Virginia Residents ONLY)

Stampin' Up! Tax FREE Products - August 3rd - 5th 
100425 2-Way Glue Pen $4.50
104332 Snail® Adhesive $6.95
104331 Snail Refill $4.50
104294 Sticky Strip $6.95
104430 Stampin' Dimensionals® $3.95
103683 Mini Glue Dots $4.95
103579 Paper Snips $9.95
103179 Craft & Rubber Scissors $19.95
101879 Watercolor Pencils $19.95
105021 uni-ball Signo® Gel Pen $3.95
102845 Blender Pens $9.95
Various Stampin' Write® Markers $3.50
119802 Watercolor Wonder Crayons Subtles (10) $16.95
119803 Watercolor Wonder Crayons Regals (10) $16.95
119804 Watercolor Wonder Crayons Brights (10) $16.95
119805 Watercolor Wonder Crayons Neutrals (10) $16.95
110755 Multipurpose Liquid Glue $3.95
104045 Anywhere Glue Sticks $3.95
123002 2011-2013 In Color Stampin' Write Markers $14.95
128978 Silver Stampin' Dazzle Marker $3.50 (Holiday Mini Catalog)
128979 Gold Stampin' Dazzle Marker $3.50 (Holiday Mini Catalog)

Place ANY order of $50 or more - including one or more items on this list - and you can choose 10% of your merchandise total in FREE product! 

So, if you place a $50 order, you get $5.00 to put towards more products of your choice!
A $100 order gets you $10 and so on.
PLUS, you don't pay any tax on ANY of the items listed above! That's a 5% savings just for stocking up on the crafting supplies you love!

Ordering instructions:
All orders must be placed via  e-mail message to me - stampwithrobin@yahoo.com 
OR Facebook Message - Robin Merriman 
This way I can apply your FREE products to this order and you have them all delivered at one time!
I will not be in the studio continually all weekend. When you e-mail or Facebook me, provide a list of items you are purchasing and the best time to contact you for payment information.
ALL orders must be paid via Visa, MasterCard or Discover.
ALL orders must be placed and paid for prior to 10 pm on Sunday, August 5th.

Check out the information on ALL these products and more in my Online Stampin' Store at this link HERE:
Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Simply click on the SHOP NOW button at the top right to get started!

So, don't delay - you only have until the 5th to take advantage of this TAX FREE WEEKEND SPECIAL!

Happy stampin'!

~~Robin 

You're Amazing!

Why yes, yes you ARE amazing!

Good Thursday morning peeps!
Well, here we are, almost a week deep into the Olympics and I'll tell you what's truly amazing - the fact that I've been able to get through my days on such a SMALL amount of sleep. I posted on my Facebook wall the other day that I needed an Olympic Sized Nap!
Can you relate?? Ha!

It almost makes me wish they'd show something like the Marathon during prime time - I could watch, take a nice long nap and wake up in time to see the winner cross the finish line. Yup, that would be ideal. What do YOU think?

Anyway, today's card is one that I created in June - yes, June, for my all Man card Just Cards class. I also swapped a few of these at Convention.

Here, I combined Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black and Naturals White. I love the balloon stamp in this stamp set - perfect for a LOT of occasions! (#126722 $22.95)

The focal image is done twice, the Cherry Cobbler layer is cut out with the Big Shot and the new Apothecary Accents Framelits. (#127003 $24.95)

For the top layer, I just stamped it on a piece of Naturals White cardstock and tore the top and bottom, matching up the frame part of the image. The whole piece is popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals.
The little accent piece is a Basic Black cardstock circle punched out with the 3/4" Circle Punch and a masculine Antique Brad.

Hope this card gives you some creative inspiration today. Who do you know that needs to hear "You're Amazing!"? Maybe it's a good time to tell them. :)

Happy Stampin',
~~Robin

Place your order for Stampin' Up! supplies in my Online Store: Robin's Online Stampin' Store
Simply click the SHOP NOW button at the top right corner to get started!

Remember, THIS weekend is Tax Free Weekend in Virginia!
There is a whole list of Stampin' Up! products that qualify for the Tax Free savings - oh YEAH!
Check back tomorrow or check your inboxes if you are on my mailing list for a fun Special that I'm running from Friday, August 3rd through Midnight Sunday, August 5th.
See you tomorrow!