I know what you're thinking...Lisa, the leaves are only just starting to change color and you're talking about snowmen!!!! That's right! It's hard not to with the super cute snowman stamp, Frosty Friends, in the Holiday Catalog.
A while back, I signed up for this stamp set in a demonstrator swap thinking I would have lots of time to get it done and sent off. Fast forward to a wrist surgery with complications, a long recovery time and an inability to really use my stamping stuff and it taking me a good 3 weeks to make my swaps!
I had my card designed, but getting 23 of them made proved to be quite a challenge, so I enlisted the help of my kids! My younger two lasted about 5 punches and then were done with the whole process, but my oldest was fantastic and pretty much made the cards! He punched everything, helped with the Big Shot stuff (embossing and cutting), sponged everything and then helped put it all together. He did almost everything except the ribbon (which I did with my right hand and my teeth...don't worry ladies who received my swaps...the ribbon ends that came in contact with my teeth were cut off!!!) and a little bit of coloring on the snowmen. SO, swap recipients, if your swap from me looks like it was made by a 10 year old, that's because it pretty much was!
I was so grateful for his help and it was so nice to sit at my little table and chat while we crafted together. That's something him and I don't do very often because he would usually rather be outside or playing lego! I guess, in a way, my injury was a blessing in disguise!
Canning...'tis the season!!! Do you can? For some people the word canning sends shivers down their spine (like spiders do for me!). In reality, canning isn't that hard, it's just time consuming. I know how to can some stuff and if you've been reading my blog for any length of time you know I can make jam...lots of jam...we still have lots of jam...from last year!!!!
This past weekend I went to the We CAN Stamp Mini Convention in Millet. I love going to these events for a few reasons. First, I get to spend the day with my stamping friends I don't get to see often. Second, I always get inspired. And, three, I usually get to demonstrate something and share with and inspire my stamping friends! This time, because I really wasn't healed enough to stamp, I did a presentation on vendor fairs and setting up displays with my friend and downline member Sherri!
Right about now, you're probably wondering how this relates to canning...right? Hang in there...I'm getting to that!!!
At these events, my upline Christy always has a little something for the people who demo. I love the little things she has for us and I really loved what she had this weekend. You see, she did some canning for us!
Isn't it fantastic? She "canned" fuzzy peaches for us!!!!! YUM!!! I love this kind of canning! Mason jars are fantastic for all kinds of things and Stampin' Up! product can help you decorate you jars for any occasion!
A little fabric over the part of the lid that seals is a fantastic way to jazz up the jar. And while you're at it, tie a piece of ribbon around it and add a fun tag. It's the little things, right! Christy used products from the Orchard Harvest Product Suite in the Holiday Catalog for this project. You can find all the Stampin' Up! products she used in my online store. So go ahead and place your order and in no time you too will be canning the easy way!
Sadly, as I was working on an MDS project yesterday, my fuzzy peaches vanished from my jar...I'm not sure how that happened!!!!!
Today is a great day! As of today, my kiddos have been in school for one week! I think we've gotten back into the routine of school and I am loving it being quieter around the house for a while each day! AND...it's Tuesday there's new digital downloads!
Because I've been having a hard time traditional crafting the last little while, I've really been playing with MDS 2 and am thrilled with all the new features! Becuase I love to cook and bake, at a lot of my events I have home made snacks. And I'm always getting asked for recipes. I'm all for sharing recipes, but I had to find a different way of sharing them rather than writing multiple copies. SO, I decided to start an LA Stamper Cooks blog where I will post recipes from my events and some of my family's favs. I won't post there regularly, but over time the number of recipes on there will build up and you can feel free to use or pin any of the recipes you find on there. All I ask is that you leave a comment when you make something to say what you think and if you share any of the recipes please link back to my site where you found them!
Now, becuase I have the ability to jazz up my websites with our awesome digital crafting software, I set to work to make a blog banner and background. Here's my banner.....
I had a blast learning about MDS 2 while making this banner and learned it's so true that the more you play with the program the easier it is to use. I used 2 new features on my banner...the first is color changing my background paper and the second is to make my words follow a line.
To make your DSP a different color, you need to add it to your page as a "page layer". At least that's the only way I could figure out how to do it!!!! Once it's on your page as a layer, you can change the color to any of our exclusive colors. You do need to remember that it will change it to be monochromatic (this is important to remember if you're changing a multi-color DSP). My DSP is from the Number One kit (DSP 10) and it was orginally blue. I wanted a yellow background, like Daffodil Delight, but when I changed it to that I lost the chevron detail. So, I changed it to More Mustard! I got my yellow color and maintained the chevron in the background.
The other feature, text on a path, is also super easy! You can see how to do it on this video by Holly (one of the MDS gurus at Stampin' Up!)......
Yet another fun feature of MDS 2 is that with the click of a button, you can get a supply list! So, here is the list of downloads/supplies I used to create my blog banner!
Embellishments Designer Kits\Get
It Done - embellishments\Get It Done - notepaper 1 Delightful
Digital Tape\Delightful Digital Tape 2 - basic gray
Stamps Splatters\Ink
Splatters\Ink Splatter 2, Color = CREAMY CARAMEL 203,158,117 Splatters\Ink
Splatters\Ink Splatter 3, Color = CREAMY CARAMEL 203,158,117 Now
You're Cookin'\Now You're Cookin' - utensils, Color = BASIC GRAY
118,122,121
Photos Designer Series Paper\_Designer
Kits\Number One - designer series paper\Number One - 10
All of these downloads can be purchased from my online store here. And, you can also download your FREE 30 day trial of MDS 2 at my online store too! The digital downloads released today can be found here.
If you have MDS or MDS 2 and want to learn more about the program and all the fun things you can do with it, please consider attending my next MDS Made Easy class. The class is free and will start at 7:30pm If you have MDS on a laptop please bring it and you can follow along with me. If you don't have the program yet, you are still invited to attend the class and see what the program is all about. Over the next few months I will be showing you how the program works as well as how to do all the fun new things MDS can do! I have limited space for these classes, so please RSVP to ensure your spot is saved for you! Unfortunately I had to cancel my MDS class last night due to a HUGE grass fire, but I will have some more dates for these classes set up soon, so keep checking the under the Events button up top!
And, finally, here is the link to the LA Stamper Cooks blog where you can find the recipes that I use often!
There's no recipes up yet, but I'm working on putting my Corn Chowder recipe (that I always make for Soup & Stamps night) up!
