MDS Mondays Sweet Boys Page

I'm going to try to do a post with an MDS project, or tutorial, every Monday, if I can.  
As I haven't mastered the art of video tutorials yet, this is heavy on photographs.

I realise there will be beginners who are new to MDS looking for information - I'm happy to help (not that I'm an expert myself, yet!).  I also highly recommend the training videos at mydigitalstudio.net .  I've found them really helpful.

Here's today's project:

 It's a CASE of my previous layout from here.

 I'll show you how I made it, step by step.

 Supply List MDS Downloads
Background
   Crumb cake textured card stock
Embellishments
    Designer Kits -A Split Second - grid; - flag (re-colored) 
   Designer Kits - Family Fun Photobook -- stitching 5
    Designer Kits - Afternoon Daydream  - button 2
    Antique Brads - brad 4
Stamps
    Designer Kits - Days to Remember overlay
    Designer Kits- Fan Fair - ruler,
   Designer Kit -Comfort Cafe - sweet,
Punches
    Basics/Scallop Circle Punch,
DSP
    Designer Series Paper - Designer Kits - A Split Second
 
       

1.  Start, as always, by opening MDS and clicking new project.  Choose Photobook and Individual pages.

 Then select 12 x 12 square,  pick Create Your Own, and choose a name to save your project.

And here is your blank canvas.  Let's get rid of the unsightly page bleed area shall we?

Just click on view in the menu bar, and click on either "Page bleed area'" or "Remove Page Bleed."  Both work, I don't know why.

Next go to the design centre on the right hand side, and click on Background papers, to see the drop down menu.

I decided to go with a textured crumb cake card stock.

  

So now my scrapbook page  has started.  I like the look of sponging around the outside, so I used an overlay (digital stamp).   Back to the Design Centre on the right, click Stamps to reveal the drop down menu.  Click Add Stamps to see a list of all the stamps you have.  

To help me find what I was after I typed "overlay" in the search box and scrolled through the results.

Once applied, it looked like this:

Very grungy, but I was after something more subtle.

That's better!

 I changed the colour of the stamp from the default black to Soft Suede by selecting Change Colour over in the Design Centre.

While I was in the stamp section of the design centre, I picked the ruler stamp from Fan Fair.  

I changed the colour to while, and changed the opacity to 50% because I wanted a "stamped off" look.

 Now to make the pretty DSP strips with the torn edges.  Start by clicking the "Photo" tab over in the Design Centre.  Yes, I said "photo."  You'll see why!

Stretch your photo box into a skinny rectangle, then go to the resource pallette on the left, click background papers, and select the one you like.  I picked DSP from the  A Split  Second kit.  Click and drag the DSP into the photo box.  To create the torn edge, you right click on the DSP, and select "Rip edges" from the menu.  

You'll get to pick which edge is torn, and how much.  Cool!

I did the same thing again with another strip of DSP, and made sure to add a drop shadow.

Then, I added two more photo boxes, and added my photographs.  I added a white mat, and a drop shadow to both.  

I added the flag embellishment (I recoloured it red), and placed a stamp (the word "sweet"), coloured white, and resized to fit inside it.  I also added some stitching there for texture.  The grid paper is another embellishment.

Then for the journalling!

I clicked on the "Freeform" button, and selected Line.  

I  made the line turn 90 degrees, then clicked "ok."

I then moved the line to where I wanted my text to go.  It looks black, but we can fix that later.

I opened a text box, typed my journalling, then selected the text and the line together and right clicked.  From the pop up menu I selected Attach to Shape.

To get rid of the black line, I made the opacity 0.  Magic!

All I needed to do then was to adjust my font and size, so it was exactly the way I wanted it.  

That's the page done, apart from a couple more embellishments to balance the page.

I do intend on figuring out how to use my video camera one day!  Maybe I should get my kids to teach me?

It wasn't until I typed this tutorial out that I realised there are actually quite a few techniques in here, and it might be a little complicated.  I'll try to stick to just one or two techniques in future!  Let me know if you'd like to know more about something I've written about here.  I might have glossed over something for the sake of brevity.

As always, if you'd like to download MDS as a free 30 day trial (or heck, why not just buy it!  You know you'll love it!)  you can get it from my online store HERE

Blackboard Technique

I love this technique!  It's really trendy right now, and so fun.  

Supplies:  Stamps:  Just Believe; Ink:  Whisper White Craft ink; Cardstock:  Basic Black, Confetti White (retired); Other:  Pool Party Ribbon (retired); white pencil, eraser, White Embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Stampamajig; sponge/dauber, paper piercer, piercing mat.

It is really easy!  You need to stamp with White Craft ink onto black or dark card stock.  Heat emboss with white embossing powder on the part you want to really emphasise. Sponge around the edges with white ink, and for the "chalky" patches you can either smear a little white ink with a dauber (be careful you don't get a perfect circle from the dauber) or sponge, or you can do some scribbling with a white pencil (raided from your child's pencil case - they never use them) and then erase so you leave a white smudge.

Tip:  Use the "dry ink" setting on your heat gun to dry the craft ink where you didn't heat emboss.  Otherwise it takes a while to set.

As always, you can purchase the supplies you need to make this card from me - drop me a line, or click here to go to my online store.  When you do online shopping it will ask you to make an account, and you will need to nominate me as your demonstrator to get preferred pricing.

Venue Change for Launch on 7th July

We had a change of venue for our launch - it will now be at the Banyo Bowls Club,  at 16  Froud Street, Banyo.

I hope you can make it!

Learning some cool tricks

I've been having fun learning some of the features of MDS - it really is a fabulous programme.

Here's my latest creation, made for an MDS Challenge group I've just joined:

Supply List:  DSP:  Love Letter;  Punches:  Half Circle; Embellishments:  Afternoon Daydream Designer Kit (Scallop embellishment (recoloured) and button); Stamps:  Vintage Overlays, Comfort Cafe Designer Kit.

I may fiddle with it a little more; I think it might need a little something.  The challenge was Wrapping Your Text - see how I made the text curve around the half circle, and turn the corner under the large photo?

I think I'll do a tutorial post showing how I made the page (and maybe changing it a little).

I learned the technique here:  Stamp With Heather

Fun, isn't it?

New Wood-Mount Stamp Cases

Have you heard?  

We are excited to introduce our new wood-mount stamp set packaging! These new cases are similar to our clear-mount boxes and fit perfectly on the shelf right next to them. They also have the images and stamp set name on the spine to make your search for the right set even easier. Empty cases will be available with the launch of the new catalogue on 1 July. That means you can transfer all your old sets to these new boxes!

New 2013-14 Annual Catalogue Launch

Come along and join the fun!  Make 8 cards, enjoy a delicious lunch, and have a fun and creative day out.  

I'd love to see you there!

PS:  We can cater for food allergies, gluten-free diets, etc.  Just let me know when you RSVP so we can accommodate your needs.

Hybrid card

What is a hybrid card?  Its a project that combines digital creating with traditional.

This is a card  front (from the Lemonade Stand Digital Disc) that I made in MDS, then printed at home.

I printed the main panel on Whisper White card stock, cut it out, then mounted it on Daffodil Delight, wrapped some Basic Gray ribbon around it, then added it to an Island Indigo card base.  I added little adhesive pearls to the flowers, too.

How easy would it be to have a handy stash of these around?  Quick, pretty, and very professional looking.  I actually printed four of these on one A4 page.  Whisper White is so thin it goes in my printer  at home easily.

You can get started with MDS today with a free trial from my on-line shop HERE.

What do you have to lose?

Pop Up Posies Card

Do you remember the Pop Up Posies tags I showed you recently?

 

Well, I made a pretty card with one!

Paper:  Calypso Coral, Pool Party, First Edition Speciality DSP, Print Poetry DSP Paper Stack, Pop Up Posies tag and flower
Ink:  Versamark ink, Crumb Cake ink
Stamps:  Oh, Hello
Other:  basics pearls, Pool Party embossing powder, heat gun, flower trim, 7/8" scallop circle punch

I love how versatile this kit is!