My Digital Studio!

It's HERE!!!!!

I am just sooooooo excited for you all! This has been a long time waiting since Stampin' Up! announced that they would be producing a digital program. Well, the wait is finally over!

I've had my copy for a little while now,and I haven't had as much time to play as I would like to, but let me tell you that the little time I have had on it has been amazing! I was able to produce some pages for a friend form the photos that she sent through of her daughter's first day in pre-school in about 5 minutes! Really!

It comes complete with all of these fantastic pre-finished layouts, all ready to just drop your photos into. Then there are the hundreds of SU stamp images that it comes with. AND they have teamed up with professional printing companies to make sure that your colors are true to SU! so that you can easily make hybrid pages!

Yes - I am very excited!!!(You can tell because the !!! are getting more frenzied!!!) But wait - there's even more!!!! Host a workshop with a $400 total, and you can get if half price. That's only $40!!!! Amazing value!!!

Call me quick to book in so you can start creating your fabulous pages with MDS right away!!!

Hugs
Megan

12 weeks of Christmas - week 1

Can you believe that it's only 12 weeks until Christmas?

Stop freaking out now and get ready with me! For the next 12 weeks, I'll be posting a special Christmas project so that we can get ready together!

This is our first project - a sparkly card using our fantastic glitter. It uses the Medallion background stamp again, stamped on with Versamark and then had Stamp and Stick Powder sprinkled over it (the same way that you would use embossing powder)

When you use the Heat and Stick powder it becomes VERY sticky and then you can sprinkle the glitter over it. Heat the image again and the glitter settles into the glue and it stays put! No glitter trail wherever the card goes!!!

It's hard to see in this photo - but the glitter matches the Old Olive card stock perfectly!

Let me know if there is anything that I can help you with as we get ready for Christmas this year!

Hugs
Megan

Recipe:
Card stock: Old Olive, Whisper White, Real Red, Basic Black
Stamps: Medallion Background stamp, Punch Pals, Elegant Cheer
Ink: Versamark,Basic Black, Real Red
Accessories: Olive fine cosmos glitter,scalloped circle punch, 3/4" circle punch, Heat and Stick Powder

Black Medallion Birthday

I always find that it is so much harder to come up with male birthday cards. For some reason it is so much easier to come up with girly cards!

This one was from Friday's Fabulous Friday night cards. What? You missed it??? Let me know that you want to get on my mailing list to make sure that you don't miss the next one!

This one was very simple. It uses the new Night and Day Designer Series Paper (DSP) and the Medallion background stamp. It was embossed with black embossing powder and then three black brads were stuck in. Simple, simple, simple!

Give me a call or email me to place an order for the supplies to make this card. You'll never be stuck without a male card again!

Hugs
Megan

Recipe:
Stamps: Medallion Background stamp
Paper: Night and Day DSP, Whisper White Card stock
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Black embossing Powder, Black brads

Stamp-a-Stack

Wow - I can't believe that I've let a month go by without posting. Life gets so insanely hectic sometimes (I just KNOW that you understand that!!)

But on to today's post...

This Friday is my Christmas Stamp-a-Stack. This is one of the cards that we will be creating. It uses that fabulous Stamp set "Serene Snowflakes"from the (not so ) mini catalog. I am so in love with this stamp set - it's simply amazing and believe me when I tell you that you need it! It is item #115438 (to help you with ordering!!!!)

If you live in the SE Denver area, give me a call and book your place for Friday night - it is $25 for 15 cards (3 each of 5 designs) and starts at 7pm. 303 805 2344 or shoot me an email at megan@verhoevenfamily.us

I'm so looking forward to seeing everyone and having a ball!

hugs

Megan

Lovely collage

Here's another male card! I really loved the look that stamping over and over each other gives. I call it collage - but I've got no idea if that is the right term or not.

I used all of the images in the Lovely as a Tree stamp set and used different greens on the leaves. Matting the different elements created some space around them and makes it really easy on the eyes!

I stamped all of the images on the same piece of card stock, and then cut the paper. I punched out the sentiment and then put in some brads - and Bob's your uncle!

If you want to learn how to create this sort of 'collage' give me a call - I'd love to show you.

Hugs
Megan

Recipe:
Stamps: Lovely As A Tree, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Sahara Sand, Creamy Caramel, Handsome Hunter
Accessories: Gold brads, Punches

Male birthday

Isn't this paper gorgeous? It's some of the new Designer Series Paper in the new catalog - Nouveau Chic. It has 6 different double-sided papers in the pack - and all of them are totally yummy. You want this paper. Seriously, you do!

Anyway - I realized that I hardly ever create male themed cards, so it's always a mad dash to get one made when I need one. So, here is the finished product. Very simple, but I think that the DSP really makes it!

The focal image is from one of the sets that is in limbo (oops- I mean dormant!) so it is not in the current catty, but might or might not make it into the next one. But you can buy it right now. It's called Lexicon of Leaves, and it is one of my favorites (I love leaves!)

The easiest way to match the colors on any DSP is to have a look at the catalog. Big Tip: If you look right beneath the pictures of the paper (pages 160 - 163) there is a guide with the colors that are used in the paper. it makes matching them so, so easy. you really can't go wrong!

If you don't have your catalog yet, give me a call on 303 805 2344 so I get one out to you right away!

While I had the supplies out for this card, I made another one here on my Facebook page. Have a look and tell me what you think.

Hugs
Megan

Recipe:
Stamps: Lexicon of Leaves, Sincere Salutations
Paper: Nouveau Chic DSP, Sage Shadow, Going Gray, Basic Black, Very Vanilla
Ink: Sage Shadow, Going Gray
Accessories: Black Brads

Happy Birthday Renee!

Here's a card that I created for my sister-in-law's birthday.

Remember when I told you that as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I get great FREE stuff? Well, part of the great FREE stuff that I received this quarter was the fabulous Pretties Kit ($29.95, page 178 IBC) This was the first time that I had broken them out - and I'm a little mad at myself for not using them before! I LOVE them!! It's full of fabric flowers in differing sizes as well as some gorgeous little pearls and beads. Very fun.

On to the card! I used some of the In Colors - Crushed Curry and Rich Razzleberry. This may be my favourite colour combo to date! The stamped focal point image is the largest in the Razzle Dazzle stamp set, and I used the simple Rock and Roll technique.

This technique is so simple, but gives great results. You ink up the stamp in the regular manner (well - your style at least! I'm pretty firm with my stamps, so I give them a good smack down on the pad and then a bit of a twist! how do you ink up yours? I'd love to know!) Now comes the rock and roll part! You carefully roll the image so that the edges grab some of a darker colour. I think that it looks like you did something far harder than you actually did!

This is a great technique to show your friends at a workshop. I'd love to teach yours! Give me a call to book yours today on 303 805 2344.

The flower was inked using the same ink pads that I used to stamp the image. I used a sponge and coloured the outside of the petals and went around he flower two or three times until the colour seemed right to me. Then I went back with the Rich Razzleberry ink for the middle. A clear rhinestone brad from the Pretties kit finished off the flower. Big Tip: use a sponge to lightly place ink on the flowers and go back over them. The ink will dry in between the time it takes to get back around to the original petal, and you can use it immediately. If you put too much ink on at once (by placing the flower directly onto the ink pad, which is definitely an option) it will need to be placed aside and let to dry, and if you have a short attention span like me, you might move on and forget what you were doing with it!!

I'd love to see what you do with the flowers in the Pretties kit. What? You don't have any? You can order them from me or directly though my website here.

Hugs
Megan

Recipe:
Stamps: Razzle Dazzle, Curvy Verses
Paper: Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Black Versamark
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry Spotted Ribbon, Pretties Kit - medium flower and rhinestone brad, Cutter Kit (to distress the edges of the focal point), Sponges

Sponged Tulipe

Isn't this stunning? I am falling in love with my "En Francais" Background stamp again this week! And I just LOVE how this card turned out.

I stamped the background image in Versamark and then embossed it with white embossing powder. Then after I had cut out the Tulipe design out of scrap paper with the Big Shot, I used the 'leftover' as a mask and sponged Creamy Caramel with a sponge dauber over the background. Big Tip: Use some removable adhesive to keep it in place while you sponge.

The Tulipe design is a Stampin' Up! exclusive - you can only get that one from me folks!!! (well, or another SU! consultant!! But I'm your fave, right?!)

It looks like the writing in the background is stamped over the Tulipe design - cool, huh? The ink wont stick to any of the embossed image and that's how you get such a cool look. I used the same technique here on this card over on my Facebook page, (it's exclusive content for my Facebook fans!)

Hope you enjoyed this - but if you'd like to learn how to do it for yourself, give me a call and I'll book you in for your own personal class with some of your friends!

Hugs
Megan

Recipe:
Stamps: En Francais Background Stamp
Paper: Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Creamy Caramel
Accessories: Tulipe Big Shot Die, Gold Brads, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool

Medallion Sunset

Remember how I told you I loved this stamp? Well, this is another reason why!!!

I cased this from Michele Zindorff (who gives great tutorials on her blog), and this is the result. You can tell from the shine on the medallion that it is embossed, and that is how you can get such a great look.

The tree is embossed and then the back was rolled with the brayer, then the 'sun' is embossed with clear embossing powder over that. The rest of the card is sponged with different layers to get the sunset feel. isn't it gorgeous? And it's really not as hard as it looks - it just takes a little bit of practice (which I still need more of!)

So - if you would like to learn some great sponging tricks, book in a workshop with me and I'd be happy to teach you and your friends. And September is a Fabulous time to book one - Stampin' Up! is giving a sensational offer to their Hostesses in addition to the fabulous gift program they already have - you wont want to miss it! I look forward to your workshop soon!

Hugs
Megan

Recipe:
Stamps: Branch Out, Medallion Background stamp
Paper: Whisper White, Not Quite Navy, Basic Black
Ink: Versamark, Basic Black, Apricot Appeal, Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Gold Brads

Coral Medallion

I LOVE this new Medallion Background stamp! isn't it adorable?

I wanted a pretty plain background to see how the Texture Plates looked over stamping - and this is what happened! Cameo Coral is not my favourite colour at the best of times, but when I looked in my cupboard to see what colour had the most in it's little space, I realized I needed to use it. With some sponging to 'grunge' it up a bit, it doesn't look too bad!

So, I sponged the Medallion image on the Coral layer and then ran it through the Big Shot with the Stampin' Up! exclusive Texture plate, Perfect Details. Love that thing!(Feeling the love today??!!) After sponging the edges, that layer was pretty much done with.

The sentiment part just kept evolving! I love the sense of creating when those things happen. I wasn't liking it just layered, and didn't like it with the ribbon behind it, so i decided to use some brads to hold the ribbon around the edges of the large oval. The coral oval actually has the centre cut out. Big Tip: Punch out the smaller oval first and then you can centre the larger oval over the top of it so that it is perfectly centred.
Big Big Tip (actually probably the biggest when it comes to punches!): ALWAYS, always, always stamp your image before you punch it out! You really should trust me on this one - it is very hard to get those stamps centred on a punched out bit, even with the Stamp-a-ma-jig!

I threaded the ribbon through it and secured it with the brads before I adhered it to the Gray oval. And there it is! Now if you would like to learn some cool tricks with ribbons, give me a call to book your workshop today! 303 805 2344 Now that the kiddos are all back in school, you've got all the time in the world, right??? LOL!

Hugs
Megan

Recipe:
Stamps: Medallion Background Stamp, Elegant Thank You
Paper: Cameo Coral, Going Gray
Ink: Going Gray
Accessories: Small and Large Oval Punches, basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Silver Brads, Big Shot Perfect Details Texture Plate