Finest Simplicity

Home Decor is one of my favorite ways to use My Digital Studio! When I saw this cluster frame my head started spinning with ideas for a fun piece that could be use for Valentine's Day and after by simply changing out the frame, on the right, with a Picture!  Just another reason for a picture shoot :)

Once I got the cluster of banners done I grouped them to make the rest of the project easier to design. That got me thinking, two projects for the price of one...so I saved the group to use for later. Just another joy of creating with MDS!

Try it: The next time you create a project save just the focal point as a group. It's the perfect way to create a quick card, add it to a layout, or create a new piece of Home Decor in just a few minutes!

Right click on the grouped items > select group > Save group

Go to Insert on the toolbar > select Import Saved Group > select from the list of saved items

Now that was easy! 

I have sort of a fetish with dry erase boards so I quickly filled an 8 1/2 x 11 with another piece of Designer Paper from the

My Digital Class Finest Simplicity Kit - Digital Download

imported the flags to the top, spray painted a frame and printed my design. Voila...a second project quicker then you can create a home cooked meal for your family! *wink* 

Make all your digital projects pop by adding "real life products" on the top. I placed another row of hanging banners to the bottom of my 8 1/2 x 11 page (look closely to see them in the 2nd picture in this post). Just cut and use dimensionals on top of the frame for a quick hybrid action. 

BTW - don't you just love the brick Designer Paper in the Finest Simplicity Kit!!!! My NEW favorite download to pair with the recolor tool - woo hoo

-Mandy Grant, My Digital Studio Design Team

135912 My Digital Class Finest Simplicity Kit - Digital Download

129880 Decorative Overlays Stamp Brush Set - Digital Download

122158 Crochet Trim Ribbon Pack - Digital Download

127202 Fan Fair Photobook Template - Digital Download

122163 Vintage Trinkets Pack - Digital Download

Filled with Fun

As I started working on Christmas gifts for co-workers and neighbors every gift started with the same gift box but each became filled with different kinds of fun (based on how much I like them)! LOL 

Let's be honest we all spend more time on the people we love the most.

All three projects below use just one download, I loved the images in this Sony Soiree Ensemble but I used the recolor tool to make the colors look more like Christmas. It's always so fun to find new ways to use a download!

Box #1 was filled with cookie fun! 

These would be perfect for co-workers, bank tellers, and teachers (especially when your child has 7 of them).  

This was a quick and easy project -  I stamped the tree, the banner and added a photobox circle (see tip below) on an 8 1/2 x 11 page. Then, copied them three times each so I could print 3 boxes at once! 

Tip on the Christmas Tree Ring: Insert a photobox (sized to 3.25 inches) and change the shape to a circle so you can easily recolor the christmas tree paper. The Circle Collection Framelits fit perfectly around the inside 1 7/8" and outside 3 5/8" to create a ring for the window in the gift box to peek out!

Box #2 was filled with Handmade Happiness! 

Imagine your neighbor coming over with this cute box of tags, a roll of craft wrapping paper and some matching ribbon. You'd do a Happy Dance, right? You bet, because they would have made your holidays a little easier! That's the feeling I'm going for this year. Why don't you try it with me?! I created 6 tags with the same download I had already used on the box for an instant gift ensemble. 

Last but not least... 

Box #3 was a Labor of Love! (remember, I told you, I spend more time on the ones I love *wink*) This box was something that I knew my friends and family with little one would use. 

Since I had already made the box I continued with the Snowy Soiree Ensemble to create 24 mini envelopes filled with Holiday activities.

Tip: Anytime I want to see my "cut lines" on a Hybrid project I use the red guidelines. It also doesn't hurt to add them if you have objects that you want to center. Once I printed both pages with the 24 squares, I cut them and used the punch board to to make little envelopes (see pics below). 

 

I can just see those sweet little faces as they count down the Holidays with family fun activities, like making hot cocoa and a night time adventure filled with Christmas Ligts. The best part is the adults can put the activities in the envelope that will fit their schedule best!

I hope your Holidays are Filled with Fun as you create for the ones who are near and dear to your heart. 

Mandy Grant 

My Digital Studio Design Team

Snowy Soiree Ensemble (item # 135261)

http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=135261

Decorative Window Gift Box (item # 132146)

http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=132146

Circle Collection Framelits Dies (item # 130911)

http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=130911

Envelope Punch Board (item # 133774)

http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=133774

Frosted Finishes Embellishments (item # 132150)

http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=132150

I wanted to CELEBRATE....

every occasion with a magnetic HYBRID banner! This idea has been brewing in my head since I saw the build a banner kit from the Holiday mini catalog. I dreamed of making a gift that could be used all year round...well that took a little more planning than I originally thought :) LOL
Jenny Peterson (my dear friend) inspired me with this card and it came together quickly after that - thanks sweetie!

My vision came together and the YEAR ROUND Build A Banner was created!
With 28 Digitally Designed pieces this banner can say:
HAPPY - Birthday, Holidays, Thanksgiving
PEACE on earth
EASTER

SPOOKY

HELLO

BABY
LOVE you to infinity and beyond

and MANY more.......I've added a few of the images below to show you how easily it changes.

Harvest of Thanks and ABC-123 Sketch Alpha downloads worked perfectly to create the changeable letters for the banner! How fun is the "little letter" in the bottom.... and to add more HAPPY to this Hybrid project they cut out quick and easy with the Apothecary Accents Framelits. Whoo Hooo

LOVE....you to infinity and beyond

SPOOKY

BABY

This banner was just begging for an easy way to store all the pieces while not in use so below is the portfolio create to do just that! Inside the portfolio are 2 large cello bags folded in half to make 4 pockets! It's storage and packaging all in one - YAY!!!

These pockets hold the banner itself with all the design elements.... punched circles, ribbons, doilies, glimmer circles, and all 28 of the designed letter and holiday tags. Now I'm off to design a focal point that will add a WOW to the front of the portfolio!!!

While you're creating holiday gifts this season I encourage you to THINK HYBRID!

Digital Scrapbooking Days- Nobody's Business

Just three more days of Digital Deals and you don't want to miss them! 

Grab the downloads for 50% off 

• 11/6 Nobody's Business Photobook Template (Today is my featured post on MDS.net - see below :)
• 11/7 Autumn Traditions Kit
• 11/8 Afternoon Daydream Kit

Nobody's Business - WOW, what a BRIGHT, FUN, full on GRUNGE download! This was a must have just as soon as it was released. I knew with a teenage daughter I'd use it frequently. Although a while back, I was able to make a "lighter" page to celebrate our 18th anniversary. I was thrilled with how using the opacity bar set to 50% turned this page into a soft, pretty love story.

This next sample better reflects the bright, grunge characteristics that drew me to this download. My daughter Erika just had her 14th Birthday, together we created a DYI photo booth using a hula hoop, bright streamers, a few chalk board "air bubbles" and some oversized accents. Don't ya just love when a plan comes together....but when there's a download to capture it too, that's just sheer delight! 

 

I can't wait to see the samples you create with this download so please don't forget to share them! 

CLICK HERE to grab this download 50% off!!!

Happy Designing ~ Mandy

So, what are you still doing here? You're late for the party! 

POP POP FIZZ FIZZ...

Oh how great being a BUC it is....

I'm so sad that football season is over! It just flew by.
At the end of our last game the cheerleaders and football players exchange gifts. That means the MOTHERS had to create 31 football themed gifts, while the girls made signs to hang on the fence for each of the players. Thank goodness pinterest was there with this cute little slogan! The goodie bags were filled with Pop Rocks, Popcorn and CHEER soda. So I wanted a topper that looked like the crowd was cheering POP POP FIZZ FIZZ ..... Oh how great being a BUC it is!

I designed 4 to a page (seen below), cut them out so the football looked as if it popped off the page, then I glued them to the front of a real red tent topper. So much quicker then stamping 31 of these bad boys!!! They looked very professional with matching name tags on the sting bags, too.
See it up close on instagram

Downloads used: Ahoy Mate for the background and the flags - Game Day Football Stamp for the football. I used the freeform tool to add the color behind the football 

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Hybrid Designing!

Mandy 

MDS Design Team - what a delight!

I about fell on the floor when I was asked to join the MDS Design Team! And to be a part of these super talented ladies just makes me squeal - don't forget to check out the next two designers on Wednesday. I promise they are AMAZING!

If you want to check out my FULL REVEL please click HERE to see it on www.mydigitalstudio.net. I've given you just a little peek at my project.