Sunday Inspiration – Make BIG Plans!

goals Make Big Plans

I was at a leadership conference a few years ago and the keynote speaker said, “Don’t be afraid to give large assignments.  Large assignments inspire, cause people to reach higher, convey confidence.”  So I thought recently, why not me!  I need to Make Big Plans and inspire myself!

Download the FREE printable: Make Big Plans

I have struggled with a weight loss goal for some time.  I’ve made good changes in the way I exercise and eat in the last year, but I wasn’t reaching my ultimate goal.  The rest of my family is doing great, but I’m still stuck.  I have health issues that affect my weight, but that’s just an excuse.  It was time to inspire myself!

You know that investment company ad?  “What’s your number?”  Well, that’s what I needed  – a number.  And it’s working.  As soon as I focused on the vision, the ultimate goal instead of what I was doing from one minute to the next, everything changed.

So of course, I needed to make a cute sign in My Digital Studio 2, which I did very quickly.  Now I’m not going to share my number!  Sorry!  But I will share this “Make Big Plans” printable.

Happy Sunday, Julie

5 New Stampin’ Up! How-To Videos!

Stampin’ Up! just released FIVE new video tutorials featuring projects from the 2012-13 catalog.  Each video is only 2-3 minutes long and if you watch all five you’ll learn a lot of new techniques for your 10 minute time investment.  Definitely worth watching!

1.  Watch “Baby Memory Book Page Technique” which shows techniques used to create the Baby Memory book on page 62 of the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog.  You’ll love the unique use of the embossing folder!

2. Watch “Jolly Christmas Card” which shows how to make the adorable pop-up Christmas tree on page 181 of Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog.

3. Watch “Tea Shoppe Technique” featuring the fabulous gift box featured on page 56 of the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog.  This video will walk you through the entire creation of this gift box complete with dividers, clear lid and band in less than 4 minutes!

4.  Watch “Stampin’ Emboss Technique” and learn how to create faux metal tags with any stamp!  I LOVE the look of these ‘metal’ tags.  This is from the 2012-13 Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog pg. 105.

5. Watch “Outdoors Journal Technique” which will show in less than 2 minutes how to create faux leather and add distressing to a journal or anything else for that matter.  The featured project can be found on page 68 of the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog.

2012-13 Stampin' Up! Catalog

View 2012-13 Stampin’ Up! Catalog Online (flash)

2012-13 Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog PDF download.

2012-13 Catalog Stampin’ Supplies list PDF download of supplies used in the pictured catalog samples

Email me for a copy of the catalog.

Enjoy!  Julie

world treasures greeting card

Stampin’ Up! World Treasures Peacock Greeting Card

world treasures greeting card

I created this World Treasures peacock greeting card and when I got done I just wasn’t sure if I liked it.  It was late, so I left my stamping corner and went to bed. The next morning I entered my stamping corner and was welcomed by this beautiful peacock and fell in love! Really how can you go wrong with this exotic creature!

world treasures greeting card peacock detail

I stamped the peacock twice in Rich Razzleberry and once in Primrose Petals.  I die cut one of the Rich Razzleberry images with the Big Shot Die-cutting Machine and the largest framelit from the Apothecary Accents Framelits Dies set.  That became my main focal point.  I then trimmed out the inner fan of the Primrose Petals image with Paper Snips and trimmed out the peacock body of the other Rich Razzleberry piece and layered those with Stampin’ dimensionals after coloring some of the feathers with Stampin’ Write markers.

world treasures greeting card peacock

Sometimes when you stamp a solid image like this peacock body you can get a little splotching.  I whipped out my blender pen and picked up a little ink from the stamp pad and blended in the Rich Razzleberry for great coverage!

world treasures greeting card close up And is it possible to decorate this fabulous bird without bling?  I think NOT!!  A row of rhinestones does the trick and really is absolutely stunning in person.

The International Bazaar Designer Series Paper is all the rage in the background!  This pattern paper is a powerful design with a lot of Pop!, but having lots of white space around the peacock allows it to work and gives this World Treasures Greeting Card a very rich feel.

The Apothecary Accents Framelits Dies, the International Bazaar Designer Series Paper, Basic Rhinestones Jewels Accents, and the World Treasure Stamp Set are all part of the International Bazaar Product Suite found here.

Enjoy, Julie

world treasures peacock greeting card angle

Card Recipe:
Stamps: World Treasures w-#126765 c-#126767
Ink: Rich Razzleberry #126950, Primrose Petals #126858
Paper: International Bazaar Designer Series Paper #126920, Whisper White #100730, Pacific Point #111350
Extras: Apothecary Accents Framelits Dies #127003, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine #113439, Basic Rhinestones Jewels Accents #119246, Brights Stampin’ Write Markers #119702, Stampin’ Dimensionals #104430, Daffodil Delight Ribbon #126872, Paper Snips#103579
stampin' up! world treasure stamp set
Summer Silhouettes Kindness Thank You Card angle

Summer Silhouettes Thank You Card

Summer Silhouettes Kindness Thank You Card angle I enjoyed making this Summer Silhouettes Thank You card using many techniques including embossing, using watermark ink, stamping outside the lines and outlining.

Let me explain each technique.

1. Embossing – I stamped the flower centers on the background and the main flowers with white craft ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder so they would show against the darker flowers.

2. Using Watermark Ink – Versamark ink will give you a watermark affect on any color cardstock.  In this case, I used Versamark ink to stamp the lattice pattern in the background.

Summer Silhouettes Kindness Thank You Card detail

3. Stamping Outside the Lines – I stamped the leaves on a piece of Whisper White cardstock that was 2″ x 4-1/4″.  Then I trimmed it down to 1-1/2″ with a paper trimmer all the way to the edge of the leaves and snipped around the leaves so they hung outside the border of the paper.  It’s a cool effect, which works great for leaves, flowers and trees.

4.  Outlining – The main flowers and leaves are outlined with the fine tip of a Stampin’ Write marker.  If you look closely you’ll see that the outline is free handed and not complete.  I love the look!  What do you thing?

Summer Silhouettes Kindness Thank You Card

Have you tried these techniques before?  Which is your favorite technique or which would you like to try?  Leave a comment below.

Enjoy!  Julie

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Summer Silhouettes w-#126445 c-#126447, Blooming with Kindness w-#126420 c-#126422
Ink: Wisteria Wonder #126985, Lucky Limeade #126984, Elegant Eggplant #126989, Whisper White Craft #101731, Versamark #102283
Paper: Wisteria Wonder #122922, Whisper White #100730, Elegant Eggplant #105126
Extras:  White Emboss Powder #109132, Heat Tool #129053, Paper Snips #103579, Stampin’ Dimensionals #104430, Regals Stampin’ Write Markers #119701
Stampin' Up! Summer Silhouettes Stamp Set

5 Digital Photo Scrapbook Ideas

MDS Marathon Photo Book There is no time like now to start scrapbooking!  When my children were young I had to drag out boxes of materials and printed photos to create scrapbook memories for my family.  Now it is so easy to put a whole album together for whatever theme, or event you choose.

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 I didn’t start scrapbooking until my oldest daughters were 8 and 10, so they thought there were no pictures of them when they were young because the only pictures they saw were the pictures that made it into albums. And that didn’t happen until I started scrapbooking!

They were so shocked to learn that there were boxes of photos of their baby and toddler years hidden in the recesses of a dark closet.  And that’s what happens to our pictures and memories; no one sees them if we don’t start preserving them in a way that is accessible.

While I was at my sister’s house recently I photographed the covers of several My Digital Studio scrapbooks that she created for her family. So here are five ideas of photo books that can be created in My Digital Studio 2 that will allow your family to enjoy special moments forever.

1. Celebrate an Accomplishment – My nephew trained for and ran the Nashville Country Music Marathon during his senior year in high school.  My sister documented this special accomplishment and created this 8″ x 8″ photobook to commemorate it.

MDS Marathon Photo Book

2. Honor a Special Person on a Special Occasion –  When our mother turned 70, my sister created this 8-1/2″ x 11″ photobook which included pictures and letters of appreciation to my mother from her brothers and sisters, son and daughters and grandchildren.  What an incredible gift.

MDS Birthday Photo Book

3. Create a Theme Book – In this case the theme was visits to Disney World, where five trips to Disney were documented with pictures and stories of the family adventures at the theme park.  Another great theme book is a Christmas or Holiday Theme photo book where you showcase pictures from several Holidays in chronological order.

MDS Disney Theme Photo Book

4. Preserve the Memories of Summer Travel – Last summer my sister’s hubby was working in New York so the family spent a lot of time staying in Time Square.  Wow!  What a great experience and all the memories are preserved in this 12″ x 12″ photo book – We Were Here, NYC (2011).

MDS New York City Photo Book

5. Remember an Extra-Special, Once-In-A-Lifetime Trip – A few years ago, my brother-in-law was working in Japan for several months.  With all his traveling that year, he earned lots of frequent flier miles and at the end of his assignment in Japan, he was able to bring the whole family over!  The whole experience is replayed is this beautiful 12″ x 12″ photo scrapbook.

MDS Japan Trip Photo Book

Today, our most memorable trip was a trip to Disney in 2003 around which I created an entire scrapbook.  We can remember all the little nuances of that trip: the kids dancing with the street entertainers, the joy of getting wet unexpectedly in a water fountain, the funny faces we made waiting in line for a scary ride, taking pictures while we tried on all the goofy hats in the shop, and my hubby and I getting pulled out of the VERY large parade crowd to sing to each other in front of that VERY large parade crowd!  Crazy, fun memories!! 

Record your memories and enjoy your special moments forever!

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Enjoy!  Julie