MDS Peacock Menu

Sorry this blog post is coming later in the day, both Mel & I have been traveling out of state.  Better late than never, I say!  

I made these a few months ago and just found them in my stash of digital card photos.  With all the card-making Mel & I have been doing, we're collecting quite a few photos!  I'm glad to have come across these menu cards because though they are simple, they convey elegance.  A few minutes on MDS, print, cut and then some double-stamping does the trick!

The stamp is non-SU but the rest is everything Stampin Up.  I love the ease of My Digital Studio (MDS)!  It can turn anyone into a graphic designer and it's instant satisfaction.

Get your bingo cards out...today's Holiday Bingo Piece is the cardinal.

If you haven't tried it yet...what are you waiting for?!?  Look forward to some exciting MDS designs from us soon!  =)

Happy (digital) Stamping!

~Kiran

Stamps: Non-SU

Paper: Very Vanilla

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Gold Versaink 

Technical Difficulties

Im having trouble posting (not sure why) so check back later for today's project. But I can't keep you waiting for today's bingo piece--it's the snowflake. Cheers! ~Melanie

Celebrate Any Day

You may not know this about me, but I love a great geometric pattern.  In fact, that's usually my favorite thing about Stampin' Up!'s designer series paper, the focal point of today's card, but it's something that's easy to overlook in the catalog.  Why?  Well, small geometric patterns like this one don't show up very well when shown at 25%.  In fact, I entirely missed this pattern, and wouldn't have caught it if another stamper hadn't used the paper for a card on her blog.  I'm so grateful, because I do love this cheery and bright pattern.

The paper is Pocketful of Posies, and it offers a great set of geometric delights to yours truly, so I can promise that you'll be seeing more of this one.  I was also inspired by the great layout FTL167 over at Clean & Simple Stamping--there's nothing like a great layout to get my creative juices flowing, and the sample card for 167 was a huge inspiration.  

To make this card happen, I used my Circle Scissors Plus--one of my favorite tools which has been terribly underused of late.  I love how easy it is to cut circles of all sizes with only one tool, and I've used it time and time again.  I love geometric shapes as well as patterns, but often need some curved edges to offset all the squares and rectangles of my cards.  I cut out a 2.75" circle of the designer series paper (DSP) and a 3" circle of Pear Pizzazz.  

Next up, I stamped my Whisper White with the sentiment from Perfectly Penned in Pear Pizzazz BEFORE embossing the paper with my trusty Big Shot and the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  I've learned from experience that the stamping is much easier to do before embossing.  Then it was simple layering and glueing, and this card is now ready to go to absolutely anyone for a fun and bright pick me up...it will probably get good use on a gray January day.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves!  After all, it's barely December and you're wondering what today's bingo piece is.  Get your cards ready, and mark off the Christmas tree.  

Happy Holidays!

~Melanie

Stamps: Perfectly Penned

Ink: Pear Pizzazz

Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Pocketful of Posies

Extras: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Circle Scissors Plus

Why Hello There Holidays

These ornaments just put me in the holiday spirit, and I'm loving the bold typeface of "Deck The Halls."  Even though I still have a stack of holiday cards that I never sent to my friends and family last year (how did that happen?!), I think this is going to be my holiday card this year.  I just love it too much to not mass produce it.  What do you think?

I'll give more details on how to make today's card down below, but there's extra excitement starting on our blog today--HOLIDAY BINGO!  I'm happy to say that the fun is back by popular demand, since I've been hearing from many of you, itching to get your hands on this year's bingo cards...and I imagine, this year's prizes!  You're in luck, because Kiran and I are happy to oblige.  (Wondering where your card is?  Check your mail...the last batch went out yesterday.)

Here's how it works.  Every day, check our blog for another great project from Stampin' Up!, and another bingo piece.  When you get five in a row (diagonal, horizontal or vertical), leave a comment saying "BINGO" (what else?) and we'll be in touch so you can claim your prize.  And then, the game starts right over again--and we'll keep on going until the new year rolls around.  This means that you should strategize how you'll mark your bingo card, since you'll be using it more than once.  (Maybe x's in the corner?  I recommend using different colored ink for each round)

Are you ready?  Today's bingo piece is the candle.  Mark your cards!

For today's holiday card, I started with Merry & Type (my #1 gotta-have-it set from the 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalog) and Cherry Cobbler embossing powder.  I knew that I wanted to make some magic with these two!  Since the woodcut/letterpress look of the ornaments and fonts made me think of Sherlock Holmes and those old newspapers, I decided to keep the base colors muted with a base piece of Crumb Cake that I die cut using my trusty Big Shot and the Top Note die.  I decided I loved the look of the embossing, so that was good to go.

Next, I needed a card base, and decided to go traditional for this card--red and green it is, in shades of Cherry Cobbler (that fantastic embossing powder) and Garden Green.  I stamped the sentiment in Garden Green ink on the Garden Greek paper for a tone on tone look, in keeping with my toned down idea for this holiday card.  The Stamp-a-majig helped me achieve perfect alignment for decking the halls four times.  I trimmed down the top note piece with my paper trimmer, and sponged the edges with Early Espresso ink for a little extra texture.

Now it's your turn to weigh in--should I send today's card as my holiday card this year, or a version of the sparkly medallion from last December?  Leave a comment with your vote and help me decide.  Thanks!

Happy Holidays!
~Melanie

Stamps: Merry & Type
Ink: VersaMark, Garden Green, Early Espresso (sponging)
Paper: Garden Green, Crumb Cake
Extras: Big Shot, Top Note die, Cherry Cobbler embossing powder

Holiday Bingo is Back!

And so are we, just in time to share some holiday cheer and inspiration!  I hope you'll join us for a fun month of playing bingo, winning prizes, and trying your hand at some new holiday projects.  Kiran and I have lots in store for you, so check your mailbox--all the bingo cards have gone out and should be in your hands this week.

Of course, the Bingo cards themselves are a Stampin' Up! project, and so much fun for holiday parties and/or children--that includes the young at heart!  You can make these by hand stamping, or with My Digital Studio.  The cards above (all unique, mind you) are a hybrid of the two--I printed off the Bingo card from My Digital Studio, then did all the stamping by hand with Jolly Bingo Bits and an assortment of bright and cheery colors.  After all, what are the holidays if not bright and cheery?

Tune in tomorrow for the official kick-off, and be sure to keep coming back for more.  It's my favorite time of year!!

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Jolly Bingo Bits
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler, Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black, Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight, Perfect Plum, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Tangerine Tango, Garden Green, Melon Mambo
Paper: White Naturals
Extras: My Digital Studio

A Thank You as Pretty as a Peacock!

These beauties take a bit of time but gosh-darn it they were worth it!  What do you say?  Making 80 of these for my wedding thank yous was no small feat so I broke down the tasks.  I find an assembly-line system much easier.  For these cards the steps were:

- Cut all the vanilla + crumb cake paper for the card bases (couldn't decide so used both!)
-  Score + then fold all the card bases
- Stamping the back of each card w/this blog address! (*this was key)
- Measuring + cutting all the peacock print paper (non-SU) & rich razzleberry ribbon
- Stamping + embossing the peacock sentiment from 'Very Thankful' in gold
- Punch all the peacocks out w/the 2.5" circle punch

I glued the peacock print band + the ribbon to all the cards first.  Then I went back and added the circle punches with dimensionals for a raised element.  The last thing is to finish stamping the envelopes to match.  I can't wait to mail these...but I have to write them all out...let's hope I don't get carpal tunnel first! Haha. =)

Happy Stampin!
~Kiran

Friends ARE Good.

These were the thank you cards I sent to my girlfriends for planning and coming to my bachelorette weekend of fun & festivities in NYC.  Enclosed in every card was a photo of myself with each recipient from a nice dinner we had one night.  Isn't giving & receiving a card just make you feel so special?!?!

I had been coveting this Frankenstein-inspired sentiment for many, many, many months (as Mel is very aware).  So, when I finally received it, I really wanted to use it for a special card(s).

I love the combo of greens + purples so the combination of the solid certainly celery cardstock and the mixed patterns of the DSP just makes these pop.  I hope this gets you inspired to make & send a card to a friend too.  =)

Happy Stamping!
~Kiran

Stamps: Smarty Pants
Paper: Certainly Celery (retired), Rich Razzleberry DSP & Patterns Pack
Extras: Curly Label Punch, Modern Label Punch