3amStamping Pad

My Digital Studio Express-Free Trial!

If you've hesitated getting into Digital Designing, here's your opportunity to give it a try!  Stampin' Up!® is offering a 30-day Free Trial of My Digital Studio Express!  It starts right now and you can download it right to your computer!

With the FREE trial, you'll get:

• Full access to the software at NO COST.
• Full design functionality.
• Exclusive artwork that comes with My Digital Studio Express.
• Opportunity to purchase additional downloads from designer templates to stamp brush sets--and everything in between.
• Access to Stampin' Up!® professional print services.

It's simple; add the free My Digital Studio Express trial (#129600) to your online shopping cart, and then download and install it from your Download Manager. Be sure to use this special number to get your FREE TRIAL.

Happy Chinese New Year-Year of the Dragon

Today begins the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

I made this page with My Digital Studio (#118108 or Express #124483) to commemorate the occasion.

According to Chinese Astrology, Dragons do well being their own bosses and are particularly successful when expressing their creativity.  This is very compatible with being a Stampin' Up!® Independent Demonstrator!  If you have traits like a Dragon, let's chat about the possibilities of becoming a Demonstrator.  Give me a call at (707) 695-3571 or e-mail me at mary@3amstamper.com to find out more.  I look forward to hearing from you!

A Journal You'll Want to Write In

I love My Digital Studio (#118108 or downloadable Express #124483) for trying out ideas.  I'm making this journal design as a gift for a friend, but it would work just as well sent through the print services that are linked to the software (they do great work!).

How about taking this template an adapting it for yourself?  Take a picture or scan of your own version of this and e-mail it to me.  If you're a mailing list subscriber, also send a list of supplies used and enter my monthly contest!  You could win a $10 Gift Certificate!  Not a subscriber?  Fill in the box at right and you'll be added right away!

Holiday Page Template

I whipped out this Holiday Page Template while planning my Christmas Card design.  I just love the Forest Lodge Designer Series Paper (#124002), not to mention its Christmas Lodge (#123767, Wood-Mount; #123769, Clear-Mount) coordinating stamp set, and am so glad that you can get it both physically and digitally!
To make this digitally, you need My Digital Studio (#118108, or Express #124483) and these Digital Downloads:

• Regals Buttons Pack (#123417)
• Frostwood Lodge Designer Series Paper (#125609)
• Christmas Lodge Stamp Brush Set (#125611)
• Grosgrain Ribbon Add-On Pack (#125617)
• Deck the Halls Photocard Kit (#122176)

To make this traditionally, you can use:

• Stamps & Wheels: Christmas Lodge Stamp Set (#123767, Wood-Mount; #123769, Clear-Mount); Bells & Boughs Stamp Set (#120831, Wood-Mount; #121142, Clear-Mount)
• Card Stock & Paper: Forest Lodge Designer Series Paper (#124002); Garden Green (#102584), River Rock (#108640) & Whisper White (#100730) 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock
• Ink & Color: Early Espresso (#119670), Cherry Cobbler (#119669) & Garden Green (#102272) Classic Stampin' Pads
• Accessories & Tools: Early Espresso 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (#120931); Regals Designer Buttons (#119744); Stamp-a-ma-jig (#101049); Paper Snips (#103579); SNAIL Adhesive (#104332); Stampin' Dimensionals (#104430); Mini Glue Dots (#103683)

By the way, the Christmas Lodge Stamp Set and the Forest Lodge Designer Series Paper are only available until January 3, 2012, along with the rest of the items in the 2011 Holiday Mini Catalog.  To get yours now, click on the Order Online Button at right to browse and shop!

Photo Frame Slide Show with My Digital Studio

I've had my digital photo frame for several years now and it's about time I changed the pictures.  This year, instead of cramming it full of as many photos as I can, I'm making an album with My Digital Studio (#118108 or Express #124483)!

Once I have all my pages, I'll export the whole thing to .jpeg files and upload it to the photo frame.  Then I'll turn it on and enjoy!

For the list of Digital Downloads used and instructions to make this page, please e-mail me at mary@3amstamper.com and request Ryan Reindeer Page directions.

Extra Cash & Fun, Too!

Being a Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator is a great way to bring in some extra cash for your holiday expenses.  But you also can have fun with your fellow Demonstrators at events like my Downline Holiday Party.

We'll be having a buffet supper and optional gift exchange, plus we'll be watching one of the technique showcase videos from Convention 2011.  My party is open to Demonstrators in my downline (my recruits and their recruits), both past, present AND those who are interested in learning more about the business opportunity!  So you could come, too.  Just give me a call at (707) 542-3696 or e-mail me at mary@3amstamper.com!

By the way, I made my invitation with My Digital Studio (#118108 or My Digital Studio Express #124483) and the Jolly Bingo Bits Designer Card Template, included in the Bingo Card Stamp Brush Set Digital Download (#122182).

Holiday Photocard in a Snap

Want to get your Holiday Cards done in a snap?  Use My Digital Studio (#118108 or Express #124483) and one of the Photocard Templates to produce a beautiful card in seconds!  It'll probably take you longer to pick the photo!

I popped this one out to show you.  This is the Snowflake Flurry Trifold Card Designer Template (#125165).  The only change I made was to insert a block of Blushing Bride Card Stock (comes in the software) as a place holder for the photo.  Time elapsed: 22 seconds!  (See, I told you it'd take longer to pick the photo!!)

You can have this card printed through the software in whatever quantity you need.  It arrives in 7 to 10 days scored for easy folding and with the right size envelope!

Make a note to click my Order Online Button on Monday, November 21, and see the first goodies in Stampin' Up!®'s Online Extravaganza Sale - a little bird told me there might be free gifts when you download My Digital Studio Express!

In Honor of Our Veterans

For Veterans Past, Present & Future. Thinking of you with gratitude!

Sesame Street is 42!

Happy 42nd Anniversary to Sesame Street!  42 years ago today, Sesame Street premiered on public television!  The name star was Kermit the Frog, but he was soon joined in popularity by the adorable Big Bird, who quickly won the little people's hearts!
This card is my tribute to Big Bird and the entire cast & crew since 1969 - Happy Birthday & Thank You!!!

I had fun replicating Punch Art digitally with My Digital Studio (#118108).  For a sample I did of Kermit the Frog, click this link.  Muppets are absolutely terrific subjects for Punch Art - pick one and try it!  Then send me a photo or scan and I'll post it here (e-mail to mary@3amstamper.com).

Digital Scrapbooking Day Celebration Finale

Stampin' Up!® ends its Digital Scrapbooking Day Celebration today.  Be sure to visit MyDigitalStudio.net to get your free downloads!

If the site gets 5,000 new visitors, you get ANOTHER free download!  Be sure to go there today!

Digital Scrapbooking Day Weekend

As promised, I'm celebrating Digital Scrapbooking Day this whole weekend, right along with Stampin' Up!®
Since it's November, I'm giving you templates for Thanksgiving pages.  This one would be great for the family dinner table picture with individual photos or thoughts below.  Copy the page and edit the photo mats for a two-page layout with everybody at the table represented.

Tip for traditional scrapbook page: mount the smaller photos on a folded-over mat and put the individual's thoughts about Thanksgiving, family, etc. underneath.

Don't forget to get your free downloads from MyDigitalStudio.net!  You can pick whether you want them for My Digital Studio (#118108 or MDS Express #124483) or for another digital design program.

Digital Scrapbooking Day is Today

To celebrate Digital Scrapbooking Day, I put together a template from one of the FREE Digital Downloads you can get from Stampin' Up!® by visiting MyDigitalStudio.net!

This features the free Home for the Holidays Ensemble plus the extra Antique Brads Pack (#122164) and Christmas Cocoa II Kit (#120880) Digital Downloads.  The Downloads work with My Digital Studio (#118108) and the downloadable My Digital Studio Express (#124483), and with other programs that can use .png or .jpg picture file formats.  My Digital Studio/Express gives you the most flexibility and Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colors to use.

To order My Digital Studio and extra downloads, click the Order Online Button at the far right.  If you order My Digital Studio Express, you can download it immediately and get started in Digital Scrapbooking and other digital design!  And don't forget your free downloads-just go to MyDigitalStudio.net.

Digital Scrapbooking Day-Celebrate the Whole Weekend!

Digital Scrapbooking Day is tomorrow, November 5th, but Stampin' Up!® is celebrating starting now through Monday!  You can get free downloads for My Digital Studio (#118108 or Express #124483) by going to MyDigitalStudio.net!

This page was made with the free downloads (plus some extra Digital Downloads).  To get yours and see more information, click this link and celebrate Digital Scrapbooking Day with Stampin' Up!

Digital Scrapbooking Day Coming Next Week

News of the day: Stampin' Up!© is celebrating Digital Scrapbooking Day online between November 4th and 7th!  A whole weekend long!

You can join in at mydigitalstudio.net and receive FREE Digital Downloads!  I whipped out a page in the last few minutes since I got mine (I get to sample before it goes live!) to show you some of the Downloads you'll get.  They'll be available for PC or MAC versions of My Digital Studio (#118108 or downloadable Express #124483) and in a version that works with other desktop publishing programs.

Digital Scrapbooking Day is November 5, but our celebration will be going from November 4-7! The event will include free downloads, blog posts with exciting project ideas all weekend long, and the announcement of the 2011 My Digital Studio Contest winners.

Keep checking back here at www.3amstamper.com.  I'll keep you posted!

 

Swatchbook-for Those Model Poses

I've picked a swatchbook for my next album because I like to take pictures of my grandchildren in their Hallowe'en costumes... and they like to pose for me!

This is the cover of my swatchbook.  I'm making it in My Digital Studio (#118108 or downloadable Express #124483) with these additional Digital Downloads:

• Bitty Bat Punch (#122152)
• Dark & Dreary Stamp Brush Set (#127604)
• In Color Add-On Pack (#125187)
• Pick Your Poison Designer Series Paper (#125608)

When it's printed, it will have 13 double-sided pages (5-1/2" x 3-1/4") between 2 clear covers attached with a rivet in the corner.  This means I have 26 swatches to scrap, total.  Luckily, my grandkids give me plenty of poses!

You can also make a swatchbook from traditional materials.  I suggest a card stock base for the pages. For this one, I'd use Concord Crush 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock (#119792).  You can cut as many or as few 5-1/2" x 3-1/4" pages as you want and connect them with a binder ring or ribbon.  You can make the covers from chipboard (like On Board Sheets #114320) and easily punch a hole in one of the corners with a Crop-A-Dile (#108362).  The other materials that match or approximate the digital versions are:

• Dark & Dreary Stamp Set (#120837, Wood-Mount; #121151, Clear-Mount)
• Pick Your Poison Designer Series Paper (#124001)
• Peach Parfait 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon (#119264)
• In Color 2010-2012 Card Stock Assortment (#119797)
• Concord Crush Classic Stampin' Pad (#119785)
• Peach Parfait Classic Stampin' Pad (#119783)
• Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad (#101731)
• White Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109132)
• Heat Tool (#100005)

The Bitty Bat Punch & All Holidays Stamp Set are now retired, but you could draw a free-hand bat around your greeting (House of Haunts #111574 has a good one!) and cut it out.

I'll be putting pictures in both landscape and portrait orientations in my swatchbook.  The portrait view is great for the full-length costume pose!  What would you do with a swatchbook?  Please respond in comments below.

Spooky Hallowe'en Page

This spooky Hallowe'en page features the Peekaboo Frames Bigz L Die (#124587) for the Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (#113439).  I'll be putting close-ups of guess who (my grandkids, of course) in each frame!

For the background, I used the Spider Web Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (#120889) on a 5-1/4" x 4" piece of Basic Black 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock (#121045) and sprayed it with Smooch Spritz Vanilla Shimmer (#118772) and Silver Foil (#118771) to give it a soft silvery glow and highlight the web.  I cut a 5-1/4" x 4" piece of Pick Your Poison Designer Series Paper (#124001) for the upper corner because I liked the chandelier image.

The frames were cut from a 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" piece of Brushed Silver Card Stock (#100712).  This size fits perfectly on the Peekaboo Frames Die.  I filled the frames with Very Vanilla 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock (#101650) to mat the photos.  An easy way to either crop your photos to fit or cut out a mat is to trace the openings after you die-cut the frames, then cut them out with scissors.  The photos or mats will fit within the frame border and there's room for adhesive.

Other Supplies Used:  Concord Crush 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock (#119792), 8-1/2" x 8-1/2"; Peach Parfait 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock (#119794), scraps; Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock (#100730), scraps; Concord Crush Classic Stampin' Pad (#119785); Decorative Label Punch (#120907); Dark & Dreary Stamp Set (#120837, Wood-Mount; #121151, Clear-Mount); Wicked Cool Stamp Set (#118738, Wood-Mount; #120600, Clear-Mount); SNAIL Adhesive (#104332); Stampin' Dimensionals (#104430)

To order what you need to complete this project, click on the Order Online Button at the far right.

Template-Hallowe'en Party Invitation

I designed this template in My Digital Studio (#118108) to use for my Hallowe'en party invitations.  I'll be making them traditionally using the retired Cast-A-Spell Designer Series Paper (available as a Digital Download #118114) and the Dark & Dreary Stamp Set (also available as a Digital Download #127604).
This design also uses the In Color Add-On Pack (#125187) for the Peach Parfait Grosgrain Ribbon and Knot.  I love that you can create the complete invitation in just minutes with My Digital Studio!  You can export it as a JPEG file and e-mail it or print it out with another program.

Or, you can take advantage of the new Bulk Pricing in the Professional Print Services from My Digital Studio and get all your invitations printed, complete with envelopes, at a quantity discount!  Click the link to see the Bulk Pricing Chart.

Browse and shop for My Digital Studio products now by clicking this link and get started on your own designs (or copy mine!).  You'll have finished cards completely printed in just a few days!

My Digital Studio Contest Ending Soon

Don't forget to enter the My Digital Studio Contest offered by Stampin' Up!  You could win up to $400 in new Digital Downloads!

Click the link above to see the details.  Contest ends October 15th!

Don't have My Digital Studio (#118108), the Digital Papercrafting Solution yet?  You can download My Digital Studio Express (#124483) and get started right now!  Click this link to browse & shop!

Frightful Pumpkin Patch Page

One of the traditions of Fall is a visit to a Pumpkin Patch... getting ready to carve those Jack-O-Lanterns for Hallowe'en.

I used the Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper Digital Download (#123144) for My Digital Studio (#118108) to set the scrapbook page on a Hallowe'en mood.  It showcases my favorite Hallowe'en colors: Black, Orange & Purple.  In this case, the purple color is Concord Crush.

Try My Digital Studio and see how much fun you can have designing Hallowe'en pages, greeting cards, treat boxes... and more!  You can get started immediately with the downloadable My Digital Studio Express (#124483) along with the Designer Series Paper download by clicking the Order Online Button at the far right, then click on Digital Designing or click this link to go directly to the My Digital Studio Collection.

Spooky Hallowe'en Card-a Digital Design

I was working on a Hallowe'en scrapbook page when I realized I didn't have Pick Your Poison Designer Series Paper (#124001).  Luckily, I had just downloaded Pick Your Poison Designer Series Paper (#125608) for My Digital Studio (#118108, disc or #124483 My Digital Studio Express-Downloadable).

I printed out an 8-1/2" x 11" segment and a 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" segment of the pattern I wanted.  The paper designs will automatically size themselves for your project, but you need to add them as a layer, then select crop to capture the portion of the pattern you need.

While I was playing, I created this card idea to show off some of the newer Digital Downloads.  The words and spiders are from the Midnight Musings Stamp Brush Set (#127605) and the Concord Crush Grosgrain Ribbon is from the In Color Add-On Pack (#125187).

Check back in a day or so to see the scrapbook page I'm making with the print-outs.  You'll see it here, http://www.3amstamper.com!