Gretchen Barron

My Digital Studio Makes it Easy to Create Quick and Unique Christmas Cards!

Good morning, everyone and welcome to a new Utah Diva's International Color Challenge! This week's colors are inspired by this beautiful bracelet -- Certainly Celery, Concord Crush, So Saffron and Basic Gray (or Brushed Silver).

 

Now you might think these unlikely colors for a Christmas card, right? Unlikely, perhaps, but I think they work! I love to occasionally use some non-traditional colors on Christmas and Holiday items and I'll admit, I've never tried this combination before ... but I like it!

 

I created this card on My Digital Studio, Stampin' Up's! fabulous digital crafting software program. MDS makes it so easy to create quick and unique cards for any occasion. Especially great for Christmas cards because once you design them, you just print them out in multiples!  And here's some really great and exciting news! My Digital Studio is available until tonight at midnight for the unbelievable price of $39.98 -- that a full 50% off the regular price. If you've been on the fence about purchasing My Digital Studio, this is the time to do it! And it would make a GREAT Christmas gift for yourself or someone you love!

 
In additional to My Digital Studio, there are several popular downloads that are on sale as well as lots of other bundles and items. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIST OF DISCOUNTED PRODUCTS! But remember, just like Cinderella at the Ball, the sale ends tonight at midnight! You can shop 24-7 at my Online Stamping Store! If you need assistance or have questions, just let me know. I'm here to help you in whatever way I can!

Don't forget to check out the Color Challenge projects that the other Design Team Members have created! We hope you'll be inspired to play along with us this week!

That's it for now! Happy shopping, stamping, crafting, scrapbooking and Happy Tuesday!

New Sketch Challenge on Soul Scrappers

Hello everyone and welcome to a new Sketch Challenge over at Soul Scrappers!  If you don't know about this site, you really need to check it out. There are tons of challenges, inspiration, tips and ideas for your scrapbooking projects!

You can see the sketch on the left ...

And here's my inspiration layout! I just love doing heritage layouts. For one thing, I have an incredible and amazing stock of old family photos that have been digitized and when I transform these photos into scrapbook pages, I feel so privileged to be preserving these precious memories for generations to come.

Now, isn't this better than having them all thrown in a drawer (ahem ... MOM?)

I do hope you'll try your hand at this scrapbooking sketch. Make sure and tag it with "SC18" if posting it in a public forum.

 

I created my layout with My Digital Studio but if you're doing traditional scrapbooking, you might want to check out my DSP and Ribbon Samplers. It's not too late to place orders for the new ribbon and DSP stamplers from the BIG Idea Book & Catalog. I'm taking orders now -- supplies will be ordered each Friday so get your order in soon to make the deadline! More information can be found HERE.

 

Also, the Test Tube Gift Card Holders have been very popular and I continue to send out kits as quickly as I can put them together. Have you ordered yours yet?

 

I'm so glad you stopped by today and hope you come back soon! Happy Stamping and Scrapping! 

The Ladies Who Lunch and a New Scrapbooking Sketch Challenge!

Hello everyone! There's a new Scrapbooking Sketch Challenge this morning on Soul Scrappers-- SC12. This is a fun one with room for 4 photos and lots of journaling! I do hope you'll play along! If you're not familiar with Soul Scrappers, it's a fun and interactive (and free) Ning community of like-minded folks who love scrapbooking.

There are several challenges going on all the time and you have a fun two weeks to post your challenge projects, which is great for the procrastinators among us (myself included!).

Just click on the Soul Scrappers link above to join and make sure you mention my name in the comment line!

And here's my inspiration layout for this challenge! I had such fun doing this with My Digital Studio!I can't tell you how much this tool from Stampin' Up! has transformed my scrapbooking. I still love traditional scrapbooking, don't get me wrong, but My Digital Studio makes it so easy to put your pictures and words on the page. You can print out your layouts (either at home or professionally) and then embellish with ribbons, buttons, bows, brads and any number of other goodies to make Hybrid pages, knowing that the Stampin' Up! colors will remain true and that everything will coordinate. You can also quickly and easily design your layout on MDS and then if you want to do a totally traditional layout, you can more quickly put it together, using your MDS version as your guide! And of course if you simply want to leave your MDS creation totally digital, you can share it with family and friends by e-mail, on your blog, on your computer or TV screen or a digital photo frame! It's so much fun and is a great tool to help you with all kinds of paper crafting, not just scrapbooking!

For this layout, I used the Vintage Vogue Digital Download to embellish my photos. It certainly made for a quick, easy and fun layout! That's another great thing about My Digital Studio, from time to time, Stampin' Up! offers affordable download packages with some of the newest stamp images, papers and embellishments. And once you have them downloaded into MDS, you can use them to your hearts content, forever! You'll never need to replenish your supplies and order more -- you can just print out your favorite papers and images and use them over and over in your crafting! And if you order MDS from me, you've got me as your personal creative coach to help you learn the program, answer questions, and to lend you inspiration!

If you would like to order My Digital Studio for yourself or would like more information on this great crafting tool, e-mail me at gbarron56@comcast.net or go to my Online Ordering Site and click on "shop now" at the top of the page!

Look What You Can Do with My Digital Studio!

Good morning, everyone! Have you fallen in love with My Digital Studio yet? Well, I have! Stampin' Up! just came out with some new Digital Downloads that can be purchased for MDS and look what I did with them ...

This Digital Download is called Summer Splendor Designer Series Paper and it is just gorgeous! There are six different patterns in the download, each more beautiful than the other. Click to view the image as larger.

 

 

I reduced the size of the image and printed them out with 4 on sheets of Whisper White Cardstock. This is what it looked like when it came out of the printer. 

 

 

Update: I've had many people e-mail to ask how I reduced and printed these images. So, here is how I did it. I hope this helps those of you who are trying to make these beautiful cards!

 

• Don't add the image as a background paper to your MDS document. Insert a photo box, enlarge that box to one that is roughly 1/4 the size of the 8.5 x 11" page (landscape orientation).
• Save that as a JPG file
• Open up Microsoft Word or any other word processing or graphic design program.

Import the Jpg file to your new document.

Arrange the image on the page so that it goes all the way to the outside of the page.

Adjust the size and crop if necessary so that it is 1/4 of the page in size.

Once you have it the right size, copy and paste it 3 more times and position all 4 jpg images so that they fill the entire page (see above photo).

Then, you can print it!

I then cut them apart, layered them on coordinating cardstock colors, embellished (which is optional because they are so beautiful just as they are), stamped a sentiment and voila ... quick, easy and beautiful cards to share! For this first one, I used Elegant Eggplant and Orchid Opulence Cardstock and stamped the sentiment from Greetings Galore with Elegant Eggplant Ink.

This one uses Brilliant Blue and Bashful Blue Cardstock and I added some 5/8" Whisper White Organza Ribbon.

And this one uses Tangerine Tango cardstock (this is a previous In Color that is coming back as part of the Color Renovation in July)

The images are so bright and beautiful and print out so well on your home printer. Now, there's obviously a lot more you could do to embellish these beautiful papers, but I thought I would let them pretty much stand on their own.

Clean and simple ... perfect for summer!

Want to order some of the new Digital Downloads   or still needing to purchase My Digital Studio? Just contact me at gbarron56@comcast.net and I'll get you set up in no time! And another great thing about purchasing My Digital Studio -- you can contact me at any time if you have questions or need help with your creations!

My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up! ... it's a good thing!

Let's Go fly a Kite -- It's Easy with My Digital Studio!

Happy Monday Morning, everyone! I'm bringing you a brand new Sketch challenge this morning from Soul Scrappers! What's that? You don't yet know about Soul Scrappers? How could that be? Soul Scrappers is a growing online community of folks who are interested in scrapbooking their memories with an emphasis upon telling your story through journaling!

We've got a ton of resources available for you on Soul Scrappers, there's an online forum to use for help, support and just to get-to-know everyone, and there are several challenges each week to stir your creativity, jump-start your MoJo, and encourage you to learn new techniques and explore new ideas. This sketch challenge is just one of several that are on-going throughout the week. And one of the great things about Soul Scrappers Challenges -- you have two weeks to complete your project and upload it to the website.

So, if you're not already a member of the Soul Scrappers community, run, don't walk, to www.soul-scrappers.ning.com and sign up today. It's free and it's great!

Okay, now that my commercial is over, here's my page to go with today's new sketch. This page came together quickly and easily using My Digital Studio, the great new Scrapbooking and Crafting software from Stampin' Up!

I pulled the colors from the bright colors of the winged kite and the gorgeous blue sky of that April day. This page probably took less than 10 minutes to complete -- start to finish. That's how quick and easy MDS (My Digital Studio) is. All the colors on MDS coordinate perfectly with all the beautiful Stampin' Up! colors that we've come to know and love. And once you create a page in MDS, it's ready to view digitally, to print out on your own home printer, or to have professionally printed and sent to your home. It's oh, so cool!

For more information about My Digital Studio, or to have your questions answered, or if you want to purchase a copy of this great software for yourself, contact me at gbarron56@comcast.net.

That's it for today! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Putting Soul into Your Scrapbooking!

Hello everyone! I want to tell you about an exciting new project that I'm privileged to be part of ... The Soul Scrappers!

• Do you want to learn how to put more of yourself into your scrapbook pages?
• Do you want to learn how to express yourself better on the pages of your scrapbooks?
• Do you want to be part of a community of like-minded people who love to scrapbook and share ideas?
• Do you want to be challenged and motivated to put more of yourself in your pages?

Then I invite you to check out the new Soul Scrappers! Just click on their banner above to learn more and join! This is a brand new ning community begun by Erika Martin and as part of the Design Team, I can tell you we've got some exciting things planned for you. The fifteen Design Team members will be planning several challenges each week to help motivate and inspire you in your scrapbooking. Challenges will be in several different areas -- techniques, themes, digital, sketch and more. In addition, there are all kinds of tutorials, samples and advice to help you get started or to motivate you to keep going. There is truly something to inspire everyone here.

Here's my very first challenge project for Soul Scrappers! One of this week's challenges was to use the transparency feature in your digital scrapbooking! I created this page using My Digital Studio, Stampin' Up's! wonderful new solution to digital crafting of all kinds.

With MDS, this page went together quickly and easily! I used some of the new Sweet Pea Collection downloads. What fun!

I do hope you'll check out Soul Scrappers by clicking on their banner above. And if you have questions about scrapbooking or My Digital Studio, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to help you out!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you'll come back soon!

If you haven't yet, I invite you to check out my latest Kit and Tutorial offering -- the Whimsical Wings Gift Box and Mini Cards set! Perfect for Easter, Mother's Day, spring birthdays, showers and weddings, Whimsical Wings is a delight to create, give or keep for yourself!

Do you want to see what else is available to purchase on Inspiration in Action? Check out all the Tutorials and Kits that are currently available HERE!

My Digital Studio -- It's Here!

My Digital Studio is now available for customers to purchase! And believe me, you're going to LOVE it! Watch this quick video for a great introduction to this revolutionary new Digital Crafting Solution and check my blog often for more inspirational projects, ideas, tips and tricks.

Purchase The My Digital Studio software from me (either directly or through my ONLINE STORE - click on "shop now" at the top of the page) during the month of October and I will send you a FREE spool of 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon (15 yards -- your choice of 19 different colors) as my gift to you. Just e-mail your color choice to me after you place your order.

Host a workshop during October or November and you could receive 50% off the cost of My Digital Studio if your workshop order totals $400 or more -- how's that for a deal! E-mail me for more information or to book a workshop!

My Digital Studio is Available Tomorrow -- Special Offer!

The much-awaited release of My Digital Studio, Stampin' Ups! state-of-the-art Digital Crafting Software, will be avaliable for customer orders tomorrow, October 1st! You don't want to wait to purchase this fabulous new software. All of the exclusive Stampin' Up! Colors are included, including In Colors from the past two years; Dozens of the most popular stamp sets along with Simply Scrappin' Kits, ribbons, brads, hardware, punches, embellishments and more! If you were to purchase all the stamp sets separately that are included in this software package, you would spend more than $1000, and that's just for the stamped images. What can you do with My Digital Software? Obviously, it makes scrapbooking so simple and quick. Whether you want to use the pages as you design them on the screen or print them out and add your own embellishments and layers (Hybrid projects), this software will have you plowing through your back-logged photographs and turning them into works-of-art in no time. You can also design cards and other projects with MDS, as well as print out your own designer papers and embellishments to use on traditional projects. Since all the colors perfectly match Stampin' Up! colors, the possibilities are endless! The program is very user-friendly and easy to use. Within minutes of installing the software on your home computer, you can be creating beautiful projects like this Scrapbook page! Click HERE for even more project ideas! Plus, when you purchase from me, I will coach you and assist you in learning how to use the program for as long as you might have questions.

Purchase The My Digital Studio software from me (either directly or through my ONLINE STORE - click on "shop now" at the top of the page) during the month of October and I will send you a FREE spool of 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon (15 yards -- your choice of 19 different colors) as my gift to you. Just e-mail your color choice to me after you place your order.

Host a workshop during October or November and you could receive 50% off the cost of My Digital Studio if your workshop order totals $400 or more -- how's that for a deal!

Check my blog often for more updates on My Digital Studio and lots of inspiring projects that I plan to share with you! My Digital Studio definitely needs to be on YOUR wish list!

Reason #1 Why You Need My Digital Studio -- Hybrid Pages!

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone! Oh my goodness, have you been hearing some buzz about the new (soon-to-be-available) Stampin' Up! Digital Scrapbooking program call My Digital Studio? Well, let me tell you, my pre-order copy came yesterday (customers can order beginning October 1st). I didn't have time to play with it until my daughter was in bed. Once I had it installed on my computer, it took me less than 5 minutes to make this, my first page with the new program. It is so incredibly easy to use. There are dozens of pre-designed templates built into the program, and more will be available in the future as paid-downloads, that coordinate with Stampin' Up! products -- Simply Scrappin' Kits, Designer Series Papers, all the great Stampin' Up! colors (including In Colors and some retired In Colors), ribbons, brads, stamp sets, embellishments. And they all use the wonderful Stampin' Up! Colors that we've come to know and love. The program is very user friendly and intuitive. To make a quick page like I did, you simply select your template (the most difficult task is to choose -- there are so many available), and you click-to-select or drag-and-drop your digital photos (already stored on your computer) into the page. It's as simple as that. Now don't get me wrong, there is so much more that My Digital Studio can do, and I'll be bringing you many of those tips and ideas in the next few weeks as I explore and really learn the program. But for today, suffice it to say that if you do nothing but use the pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop your pictures in, you will be thrilled with My Digital Studio. Okay, I made this page last night but today I printed it out on my own printer (professional printing services will be available to use with My Digitial Studio as well), I took it to my studio and again, in less than ten minutes, I transformed the Digital Page to a Hybrid Page!

Here it is! What's a hybrid page, you ask? Well, with a Hybrid page, you simply print out your digital page and then you add embellishments and accents, just like you would do if you were creating a traditional scrapbook page. With a hybrid page, you begin with your printed framework, and you add to it, saving time and money. What's more, if you're creating duplicate pages for multiple scrapbooks, the time and savings factors are compounded! In less than ten minutes, I added a little Designer Series Paper (from the Sunny Day Simply Scrappin' Kit), some 5/8" Old Olive Grosgrain ribbon, a few punched-out hearts (attached with SNAIL and Stampin' Dimensionals), Rhinestone Brads, a punched flower, a button, and some glitter on the clouds. I mounted the printed page on Pixie Pink Textured Cardstock and then on another layer of Old Olive. The finished size is 8 3/8" square -- perfect for fitting in our 8 1/2" On Board Chipboard Album! Less than 10 Minutes!!! And look at how perfectly the color matches are! Of course, every printer and every brand of printer will print a little differently as far as color variations, but I'm very happy with the way the colors match all of our great embellishments, papers and ribbons. In fact, I couldn't be more thrilled. And doing the bulk of the work on the computer with My  Digital Studio saved me tons of time. Over time, this program will pay for itself as well. Have I convinced you yet? Well, keep checking back because I have so much more to share with you about My Digital Studio.

This fabulous new program will be available beginning October 1st. What's even more exciting is that if you have a workshop (or a catalog party) that totals at least $400 in October or November, you can receive My Digital Studio for 50% off retail (retail price: $79.95; promotional price: $39.97). Does anyone want to book a workshop? I will be glad to help you with that if you don't already have a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. If you do have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, my advise is to run (not walk) to your phone and get your workshop on her calendar today! My Digital Studio is sure to be a hit!

Gotta go now ... I need to play around with My Digital Studio some more and find some more tips and inspiration to bring you!

Blessings, Gretchen