MDS Monday- Blog Button Tutorial

I had a comment the other day that asked if I would do a tutorial on how to do the cute buttons I have preceding my categories in my sidebar.

I have been wanting to play with the Sweet Peas kit since it came out last week so this will give me a great chance to work with it here.

As you can see I build all my elements for each blog right on the same page.  This is the one I was playing with today. I have added a square punch and sized it on the MDS scale to 1.75" x .75". 

---

Next I am going to want to add a little color to my button.  You can always leave it Whisper White.  My background is Whisper White and I wanted mine to look like it had no background so I just left it as so.  I do leave the Mat around the outside until I crop it, that way I know that I stayed within my work area. So here I am going to add some of the designer paper.

---

I am going to use the one that has the little birdies all across the top.

---

but as you can see when when I choose OK all I get to see is the bird legs...so I am going to double click on the punch.

---

 and this little box is going to pop up so that I can drag the paper around until I get the image within the box where I want it.

---

So I have this little bird right on the edge of my button.

---

I have gone ahead and added a flower and some text to the image in MDS.  If I have quite a few of these to do, what I do is save it without the text and add the text in my photo editing program after I have cropped it.  That way I can change the text over and over and save each one without having to create so many buttons.

---

So now I am going to click Share Project/Export to JPG.  I always choose to export at 100%

---

After it is all saved, I go ahead and open it in my Photo editing program.  I use Microsoft Picture It 10! but there are others out there.  If you need help finding one click contact me in the navigation bar above and send me an e-mail.  I found one free on-line that I can point you to if you are interested.

---

I have noticed that some are having trouble keeping the images at the same size when the bring them in to crop them.  As you can see the image prior to this one came in quite a bit larger than the original 8.5" x 11".  So I have started by creating a new blank canvas in the size I want my finished project to be.

---

 I cropped the button and then drug and dropped it unto the blank canvas I created in the size I wanted.

---

I have headed on over to blogger and went to my elements page.  You are going to want to click Add a Gadget

---

and choose picture.

---

This window is going to pop up.  Do you see at the bottom where is says "Shrink to fit"?  Make sure that you un-check that.  Go to browse and find where you have saved it on your computer.  It will take a short time to upload.

---

Once your image appears you can go ahead and click Save.

---

Your element will automatically go to the top of you list.  Just drag each one to the position that you want it at.  Just remember to hit the save at the top of the page before you view it.

---

So here is the About Me button that I have created for this blog.  If you have any questions, comments, or requests please post them in the comment section below.

Happy Blogging!

Butterfly Note

I got a new light box and camera for Christmas and figured out neither of them were my problem with getting good pictures....the problem is the photographer.  Well I am on the subject of photography check out out Home Educator Group's photography contest blog. I won't tell you which ones belong to my son until after the voting is closed. I want to keep it fair for all of the kids.  Since you will not know the votes until after you vote I can share that my son is ahead in 2 of the categories.  Maybe I should have him take my card pictures for me. :)

This is a card that is in the new Ocaasions Mini catalog.  I have been wanting to CASE (copy and steal everything) since I saw it.  I had very little time today but just wanted to get back in the swing so I thought today would be a good day to do this very simple card.  They did use textured cardstock in their example but since I do not have it in that color I decided to go ahead and use the Sanded background, and of course sponge around the outside.  I also do not yet have the Tiny Tags set (it will arrive on Wednesday with my SAB order) so I used the marker to say Hello off of the Hello Baby stamp in the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.  I am love, love, loving the new style punches and the new Beautiful Wings embosslit.  The butterflies are held on by roled up mini glue dots.  I was afraid that the flat gule dots would not let them stay "in flight" mode.  Have a great weekend and I hope to see you all on Monday!

Stamps: Sanded Background, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper: Soft Suede, Old Olive, Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay, Very Vanilla

Ink: Soft Suede

Accessories: Big Shot, SU Embosslits Beautiful Wings, Medium Jewlery Tag, Sewing Thread

Love you (New toys!)

 

Wow, I just have not had the time to stamp.  My son had to be back to college early because of work so he flew out on Monday.  Then life got back to normal.  Well normal for everyone else, I get to play catch up on all of the things that did not get done while we were on break.

Today I decided I was going to play with some new toys and do the Sketch Challenge.  I was not so sure about the colors I choose until the card evolved a little more.

I HAD to use some of the new clear mount stamps.  The problem is I just ordered the blocks yesterday so I had to be inventive and mount them on something else to be able to use them.  I found they stick quite well one of the clear DVDs that come on the top of a pack of DVDs. :)  I am sure they will be much easier to use on the clear blocks, but I was just itching to use them!  I did lots of sponging around the heart and each top frame.

Card Details:

Stamps: Vintage Vogue, Well Scripted

Paper: Basic Gray, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Whisper White

Ink: Whisper White Craft, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Basic Gray

Accessories: Big Shot, SU Embosslits Scalloped Heart of Hearts,Stitched Felt Sweet Peas,Chocolate Chip Wide Grosgrain, Finial Press Impression Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Impression Folder, Chocolate Chip 5/8" Jumbo Brad

Merry Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas! I hope you are able to spend this day with loved ones. Today I want to share with you the card I sent out this year. I took the idea for the inside from the Catalog this year on page 31.  When I think of the word JOY I think of a song we used to sing in Sunday School as a child.  It was "Jesus, and others, and You what a wonderful way to spell JOY.  Jesus & others and you in the life of each girl and each boy. J is for Jesus for He has first place, O is for others we meet face to face. Y is for you in whatever you do.  Put yourself 3rd and spell. JOY."  So that is where I took the concept from the catalog.  I hope you have the JOY I sing about this Christmas in your life.

 

I had my family cranking away on the Big Shot this year.  My poor  Merry Deatils Sizzlits Die must have gone through over 1000 times.  It does look pretty rough but still works great. I know after making 100 of these, next years cards may end up being very very simple. ;)  I ran the 12" X 5.5" piece through the printer to get everything I wanted on the 4th panel first. Then I put my top border on and scored and folded.  I went through a few bottles of Tombow Multipurpose glue. ;)

Card Details Outside:

Stamps: Sanded Background, En Francias Background, Medallion Background

Paper: Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Whisper White

Ink: Ruby Red, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Big Shot, Movers & Shapers Die, Tag Corner Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Crop-a- Dile (for center hole in tag re-enforcer), Merry Details Sizzlits Die, Silver Elastic Cord, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch

Card Details Inside:

Stamps: Season Of Simple Grace

Paper: Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Whisper Whit, Ruby Red

Ink: Always Artichoke

Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Edge Punch, Merry Details Sizzlits Die, 3/4" & 1" Circle Punch, Serif Essentials Alphabe Die, Perfect Details Texturz Plate, Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate, Petals-a-Plenty Impressions Folder

Pop up Gift Card

Sorry that I missed MDS Monday this week.  My son surprised me and got to come home from college when he was not going to make it.  So I spent some quality time with him.  Today I HAD to make a card for a gift card that I have to deliver yet today.

Here is the card closed.

This is going to the gentleman who gives my son his special trombone lessons.  He is an ice cream addict so we got him a gift card so he can stock up.  I have wanted to make one of these cones for so long so this card gave me the chance.

This was soooo fun to make.  I dusted a Whisper White Craft sponge across the raised Thanks.  I sponged around the outside of the Very Vanilla with the Bashful Blue.  The ice cream and punched snow flakes where sprayed with Champagne Mist.

Card Details:

Stamps: Season Of Friendship

Paper: Cameo Coral, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Ink: Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue

Accessories:Scallop Circle Punch, Round Tab Punch, 3/4", 1" & 1-1/4" Circle Punches, Thanks Embosslit Die, Big Shot, Movers & Shapers, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Wide Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder

Embossed Butterfly

I had some problems finding good light today to take this picture.  I could not get the colors right, I wanted to show the shimmer spray on the butterfly, plus I wanted you to be able to see the embossed on the butterfly...Oh well, I hope you can imagine how this card looks in real life.  It is so pretty I just may never give this one away :). Not much energy today but the surgery went well and the pain is getting better.  Off to take another nap.  Happy Stamping!

Stamps: En Francais

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder, Big Shot, Top Note Die, 1-3/4" Circle Punch, Beautiful Butterflies Die, Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Scallop trim Border Punch, Champagne Shimmer Spray

MDS Christmas Picture

Sorry no tutorial today. I more than likely will be heading into the operating room when this posts. My gallbladder has decided that 15 years of attacks are enough and they have decided it has to come out. So I am sharing with you today the picture that I put together in My Digital Studio to send out with our Christmas cards. These are the 4 joys I have left at home (2 have flown the coop). My 14 yr old loves taking pictures and took some great ones of his siblings for me to include in this card. So hopefully I will be back on Wednesday to post some more. If you have any questions about anything in MDS post them in the comment section and I will get to them when I return.

Birthday Roses

e

Well, we received just over a foot of snow today so I did not have to run my kids anywhere and had the opportunity to sit down and do the Sketch Challenge. Of course I had to do a bright and cheery card since it is dark and gloomy outside. Plus I got the chance to use some of my new items coming up in the mini that will be out in January ;). I had to buy these 2 dies just so I could put the roses in the basket. Well I hope where ever you are that you stay dry and warm!

Stamps: Medallion Background, Think Happy Thoughts, Sanded Background

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Rose Red, Garden Green, Creamy Camel

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon,

Techniques: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Beary Hoppy Die, Beary Lovely Die, 1-1/4" & 1-3/8" Circle Punches, Mat Pack for Piercing, Perfect Polka Dots Impression Folder

MDS Monday

Today I am going to go over a quick but easy concept of grouping. I love this option when I have added a few small elements and do not want to move each and every one one at a time.

So I have started with a stamped flower from the Always set. I have already put in the background paper and added a stitched stem. I would love to color this flower in so off we go....

I have now taken the oval punch and shrunk it down to fit the inside of a petal. After I changed the color then I then copied and pasted each one and placed it to fit over each one.

Now that I have them where I want them I DO NOT want them to move. So I have clicked each one while holding down the ctrl key. Once I had them all clicked I go to the navigation bar/arrange and choose group.

This will lock them all together. Now I just need to either go up to the layer in the navigation or hold down the shift + Ctrl button and click the arrow button down until it is how I want. it.

Now that I have the oval petal group behind the flower outline I am going to once again hold down the Ctrl button and add the flower outline to the grouping.

So now I can freely move the created colored flower around and not have to worry about all of the little pieces.

I have added a few more embellishments including some oval petals for my flower.


I hope this has given you something new to try on your MDS. Let's see what I can come up with next week! If you have any requests please post them here!

Noel

The last and final side to the blocks. I hope you have enjoyed all of the fun things as much as I have had designing and making them. I once again sprayed the Snowflake with the Shimmer Paint/Rubbing Alcohol mixture. They needed just a bit of sparkle. I do not think you can tell but I did run the designer paper behind the O through the big shot with the Perfect Details Texturz Plate. The E was the only thing on all of the sides that I did nothing too. I think with the business of the paper, it was enough.

Stamps: None

Paper: Merry Moments DSP, Christmas Cocoa DSP, Real Red, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Whisper White,

Ink:None

Accessories: Big Shot, Serif Essentials Alphabet Die, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Sleigh Bells Ribbon, Merry Details Die, Square Ice Rhinestone Brad

Have a GREAT weekend!!

Love

So we are on to the 3rd side of my blocks. These are so fun to make and I can see many things to use them for. My daughter wants me to make one for her room with her name on it. I love the flocked paper I used underneath the L. I hated to cut it up, but I just needed to use it. The star was punched first with the small star and then with the large star. I cut a slit to slip it around the O. I love the library clips but they do not mail well, so I thought they would make a great addition to a craft, the same goes with the fluffier corduroy buttons. It is hard to see but I did also do some piercing on the corners of the E.

Stamps: None

Paper: Merry Moments DSP, Christmas Cocoa DSP,Real Red, Garden Green Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Vellum

Ink: None

Accessories: Big Shot, Serif Essentials Alphabet Die, Double Stitched Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Sleigh Bells Ribbon, Heart from BAB Beary Girl Die, Large Star Punch, Small Star Punch, Filigree Designer Brad, Library Clip, Spiral Punch, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button, Mat Pack for Piercing