Friday, October 30, 2009

Razzleberry Wheat


So today is another day where the sun just decided not to shine. I tried so many different places to get this picture and no luck with lighting..I just love how these colors turned out together. I do not have much time today so I kept this very simple as I have not had much completed to post this week. I did cut the segments first and then held down to my scratch paper with temporary adhesive while I stamped. They do line up but it must be the way I took the picture (holding on to it until before I snapped the picture so that it did not blow away..) I did stamp and sponge the background with Sanded before I ran it through the texture plate in the Big Shot.

Stamps: Sanded Background, Autumn Days
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Markers- Rich Razzleberry, Always Artichoke, Crushed Curry
Accessories: Big Shot, Weave Texture Plate, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Summer Sun Corduroy Button, Corner Rounder Punch


Have a GREAT weekend!!
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Blogger Background

Well, since I cannot sleep, but cannot be up and about I decided to put together a tutorial on how to make you own blog background in MDS (My Digital Studio). If you need to see the images larger, click on them and they will open in a new window-tab.

Ok, Here we go...open your MDS and choose Multiple Output Options.


Choose the size paper you want to use. I did mine in MDS on a 12 x12 page (but it will work on 8.5" x 11") I just like extra area to keep embellishments. I will use an 8.5" x 11" here since I plan on keeping it simple.


I chose the Create You Own Option. If you want to use some of their pre-made ideas you could go to Designer also.


Next it will ask you to name your project and where to keep it. I keep all of my work on an external hard drive since I work back and forth between my laptop and my desktop. That way all of my projects are in the same place.


Then you will have the options of a blank or they will give you a variety of layouts. I choose blank page since I want to start with a fresh canvas.


So it will give me a blank 8.5" x 11" page.


In order for me to keep my back page blank and create the background I want in the size that I want I will use the square punch to create my background.


Once I have my square punch stretched to the size that I want it (5" wide x 3" high) I can go ahead and click the paper fill button.


I have decided to make this one a Christmas background. I'm using Designer Kit/ Christmas Jingle Paper 2.



So my square punch is filled in with the paper of my choice. Make sure to stretch your punch to the size you want it before you fill it. That way the paper will not be distorted.


I am once again going back to the square punch for the post area of my blog. I will stretch this one to go from top to bottom and 1" from the outside of each left/right edge.


I am then going to use the color fill to fill in this punch. I decided to use Very Vanilla.



So now I have my 3" x 5" background with a post area that is 1" less on each side.


So now I am ready to add some embellishments. I've decided to add some Old Olive Grosgrain ribbon.


Since it is the last layer I have added it will automatically put it on the top. You will need to go to the Change Object Layer area and Send Backward. This will take it back one layer to be under the post area but still above the base.


So now I have already gone back to the punch area and have added a snowflake punch. I am now going to change the color to the Ruby Red to match the paper. If you do not know the name of the color you are trying to match you can always use the Picker option which is the 2nd to the last tab in the color chart above or you can use the Match color option. Either will take you to the same place where you use the dropper to pick the color already being used that you want to match.


So I have added 2 snowflakes and have given them some dimension with the drop shadow option. Now I was thinking of adding some stitching from the Embellishment area. Since I want to use 2 and I do not want to apply twice I can change the quantity right here in the window and hit Apply.


So here is the blog background that I have created. Try not to put things too close to the top. Depending on the size they will either get cut off or interfere with your blog banner.


After checking it all over and saving it you will want to click Share Project and choose Export to JPEG. It will walk you through the saving process. Edited to add: When you get to the JPG size screen, (option right before the image below.) you must choose large.


I always bump this up to 100% just to make sure that it is as crisp as it can be.


Tell it where you want it saved and it will let you know when it is ready.



Next you will need a photo editing program. I use Microsoft Picture It 10 (or now called Digital Imaging). So I brought in my JPEG blog background. I am going to go to my crop image option here.


I am going to crop everything outside of my 3"x 5" area off.


You will need to make sure that your image held it's size. If it does not you can either re-size your image so it does or create a blank 3" x 5" canvas and place your blog background to fit on that.


After your image is how you want it to be you will need to save it as a JPEG. (Remember where you put it :) )


Off to blogger we go. Now I have an extra blog (why not, they are free) to store images and play around with codes. So I go there and start a new post.


I then choose to upload a picture by clicking on the picture icon above the new post box. Hit browse and point it to where you saved your cropped background.


After you picture has processed it will be in you post box, go ahead and publish post.


Here is one I have been playing with and as you can see the new blog background is my top post. I tend to be one who has a bunch of tabs open at once. Since I do not want to go back and forth I am going to right click on the new background thumbnail and choose Open Link in New Tab. Depending on your browser, it may say different things. I am using Firefox.


So if you have chose to open in a new tab this is what you will see. Again you will need to right click on the image and choose Copy Image Location. You cannot just choose copy. You will not get the right address for the code.


Edited to add directions for getting the code in the IE Browser:
I am using another background since I no longer have the one I originally made for this tutorial.
 Once you have clicked on your image to open it in a window/tab you will want to right click on the image and choose Properties.

After you have click properties this window should pop open.  You will have to highlight the address or URL here.  Once again, the code will not work if you just copy the address from the address bar, it must be taken from here.  Once you have copied the code for the properties menu you will then paste it in the code given below.



Back on your blog page you are going to want to click Customize in the navigation bar in the upper right hand corner of Blogger. It will take you to the following page.


Here you will want to add a gadget and choose the HTML one.


Add this code (remove the :) at the beginning and end). The code would not post without a break. Do not forget to paste the Copy Image Location address in the appointed place:

<:)style type="text/css">body {background-image: url("Here is where you will paste the Image location that you copied"); background-position: center; background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment:fixed;}<:)/style>

Save

You can drag the gadget to where ever you want it in your Gadget layout. It will just be an empty gap.


So here is the new background that I have created. I hit F11 so I could show it as a full screen.

Edited to add: Some have contacted me with the problem that the image is tiled all over rather than filling the screen.  The problem here is that your image is not holding the full size after you have cropped it.  The fix is to create a blank canvas in your photo editing program that is 3" x 5".  Layer your cropped background unto that blank canvas, save and upload.

I hope this has helped those who want to create their own blog background with MDS but did not know where to start. If you have any questions feel free to ask!!

If there is any interested I will try to do a Banner Tutorial.

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Sorry, I have not had much to post lately. It is getting that time of year and quite a bit of my time has been working on Christmas cards. Here is what I have accomplished in the last week. Now to stamp, sponge and assemble....any volunteers? No wonder my back in killing me. Not sure why blogger rotated my picture....
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Monday, October 26, 2009

Baby Carriage


One day I was surfing blogs and I ran across the most adorable baby carriage on Lyssa Zwolanek's blog. It was too cute not to case and simple too. She a great tutorial on her blog on how to do it. Sorry, my picture is not very good. The sun refuses to shine and I need to get a better light in my office for pictures because winter is on it's way hard and fast.
Stamps: None
Paper: Bashful Blue, Bashful Blue Designer paper, Basic Gray, Whisper White
Ink: None
Accessories: Large Oval Punch, Small Oval Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Bashful Blue Taffeta Ribbon, Big Shot, Scallop Circle Die, Circle Punches for wheels

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Thursday, October 15, 2009

Build-a-Bear Caps


I was so happy with how my build-a-bear purses card turned out that when I saw the sketch challenge for the week I just had to do a boys one with the caps. My 14 year old son's favorite colors are black and lime green so I let him choose my colors for today. I stamped the middle cap with the Sanded Background and sponged around the edged. I used a q-tip to lightly do the rim of the cap.

Stamps: Sanded Background, Short & Sweet
Paper: Green Galore, Gable Green, Basic Gray, Night & Day Specialty Paper
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Modern Label Punch, Modern Label Die (Movers & Shakers), Gable Green Brads, Big Shot, Build-a-Bear Beary Boy Die


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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Punchy Nature



I am not happy with how this picture turned out. I think it is because the sun refuses to come out today....This morning I had to get some cards ready for this up coming week and weekend. SO I went to check out the color challenge and today's colors were Bermuda Bay, Apricot Appeal and Chocolate Chip. At first I stamped my image and tinted the edged with the markers. I was not happy with how that turned out so I decided to punch and do some highlights. I grabbed a scrap of Bermuda bay and it looked like it had been run over by the wheels of my office chair so I decided to totally crumple it up. As long as my card already have lots of texture I figured that my ribbon could not just lay there flat so with the help of quite a few glue dots we ruffled that up too. The button does lay flat on top of the 3/4" I think it was the angle at which I took it (and that it is freezing outside and I am wearing shorts...). So that is how this card found it's way into the world today and out into the mail tomorrow!

Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Short and Sweet
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Bermuda Bay, Apricot Appeal
Ink: Apricot Appeal, markers-Bermuda Bay & Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Library Clip, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Modern Label Punch, Magnetic Movers & Shapers Die, 5/8" Very Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, 3/4" Circle Punch, Kraft Corduroy Buttons, Piercing Tool

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Friday, October 09, 2009

Deer Friend



Well, 2 of my sons had birthdays last month. So I told them to agree on a Saturday where they can share a party. Well that was last weekend...so these are the thank you cards they will be giving to their friends.

Stamps: Natures Silhouettes
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Confetti White, Garden Green
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Top Note Die Big Shot, Wood Grain Embossing Plate, Chocolate Chip Jumbo Brad, Chocolate Chip Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon

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