Happy Monday! If that's possible :)

IMPORTANT NOTE: IF YOU ARE A SENIOR
MEMBER OF MY FAMILY WHO HAS
ACCIDENTALLY STUMBLED UPON MY
BLOG, DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER!

!!CHRISTMAS PRESENT SPOILER ALERT!!
pssssshew! That was close!

The stamping that has been happening around here
this month has been primarily digital. . .

Do you have MDS? Do you have any idea
what that means?? LOL

My Digital Studio comes in various options,
but it is a digital design software using all
Stampin' Up! artwork and exclusive colors.

I am making calendars for Grandparents this year,
and did last year also. This year's gift comes with a
scrapbook to put last year's pages in :)

January's page:

I do not profess to be an MDS expert, as I am
just figuring everything out.

(I will tell you however, that digital art
from Stampin' Up is compatible with other
programs, and you can use non-SU artwork
with MDS! Go Crazy with it!)

I tend to like lots of color and contrast,
with minimal "fuss" so far. . .

And always, the primary focus is the picture
of my babies. . .because that's what they really
want to see anyway!! Or maybe that's just me?

February's page:

I made sure to do plenty of pages with both
girls, and each of them have a couple where
they are the focus. Especially their
birthday month. . . .

March page:

I plan to share all the pages. . .some are
better than others! One thing I will say is
that every time I use MDS I learn something new
and cool! I also have been scoping out:

mydigitalstudio.net

Here you will find lots of videos and tutorials,
digital pages, and inspiration for projects.

Next will be April/May/June!
There is a sneak peek on my facebook page
using one of my FAVORITE photos currently.
And if you haven't liked my facebook page yet?

As my baby girl would say:
"Pretty Please on a cherry on top!"

The Freaks are at it Again!

So excited to show you a couple fun things this month!

If you have just arrived here from the lovely Cindy Major's blog,
I'm sure you are still reeling from her creative talent!

If you are just arriving, click on the link at the bottom
of this post and you will make the rounds to some amazing projects
using 100% Stampin' Up products. As always!

To start, I made a little purse gift box:

You could easily hang this on a door handle also (my favorite)
as a surprise for your favorite friend or family member. . .

The focal point, as well as the box use my favorite:
Spice Cake Designer Series Paper

Plus lots of pearl bling!

This is the inside view. . .If you don't have a Simply Adorned
Charm and necklace I demand you get one immediately!

They are too gorgeous, and versatile, to pass up.

This one is going to pull double duty as a Wine Tag
for the lovely person who cooks me Thanksgiving dinner.

Any takers???

Looks like I will be wearing this one myself. :)

I'll break these projects down for you when you aren't
enjoying our lovely Freaky blog tour!

Head on over to Gretchen Barron's blog and be inspired!

Thanks for stopping by!

Everybody needs a buddy. . .

Hello, Lovelies!

As promised, I am here to show you my second little ghost
made from Stampin' Up's extra cute Owl Punch!

See? Isn't he a sweetie?

He wants to give you his heart <3

Or maybe he is just screaming in fear. . . .you be the judge!

I love to make these window cards. Have you ever made one?

In case you haven't, I plan to show you how I do it. . .but today

I am going to show you how I made this little guy's fun little self.


The one in the middle is from this project, and I explained how I made him
in this post. You really need to have seen that one to pick up at this point, so
if you haven't? Go do that now! Then hop back over here. . . .

Here we go for ghost #2:

At this point, you have already punched the owl body, and trimmed off his
poor little legs. . .but this time you will finish the bottom with the Curly Label Punch.

Try and center the little point if you can.

Now you need a second little owl from the Owl Punch. . .
because feet will become hands!

Trim up into the body to make some little arms. . .

Go ahead and punch yourself a little black heart-also from the Owl Punch.

At this point, I just put some tombo on the scrap, and dabbed a bit
on the back of his little hands. If you have little tweezers they are handy.

A piercing tool to put a bit of pressure on it for a second while the glue sets.
Again for the other side, please!

If you cut a tiny edge piece from your sheet of dimensionals,
it will be the perfect size for the back of his little heart.

I used my piercing tool so I could see what I was doing here. . .

The heart will be adhered, but his little arms need to be attached at the shoulder,
so a little glue on your piercing tool will place it in the right spot without much trouble.

Give it a pinch so it sticks well!

Awwwwww!

If his arms extend past his body, use your Paper Snips or
a hobby blade to remove the excess.

The sentiment (Grateful Greetings) is so perfect as
this little ghost is supposed to be scary but instead he is sweet :)

Okay, I'm done! LOL

I hope you like him, and that you make something fun.
Send me a link if you do!

As always, everything used is Stampin' Up.
Order anytime on my website, and let me know if you have any questions :)

Love. And a tutorial.

Thank you so much for visiting yesterday, and taking a spin around the
Controlfreak's blog tour! So much fun!

And for those of you who have taken the time
to say hello and leave me a comment?
I love you.
No really. It makes my day!

And I listen!
So, for the lovely lady who asked me. . ."Where is the follow me button???"
I added it. And now there are six people following me LOL!

For those six people?
I love you.

Honestly, I didn't even know there was such a thing available on my blog!
I have had my feedburner email subscription for ages now,
but I am unfamiliar with "followers".

Sounds very strange, but I will give it a try :)

And for those of you who follow me on feedburner?
I love you. Lots.

All that being said. . . Time for my first photo tutorial!

No, don't be afraid!

All you need are these punches and a bit of paper and glue!

Here we go.

Whisper white in the adorable Owl Punch, making sure you get the main body
and the two largest eye circles. . .

Here they are. Easy enough!

I know it seems cruel, but cut his legs off.

Okay, now with a random post-it note, hang on to the little guy,
and we will just trim off a bit of the extra bits . . . .He doesn't need them!

Okay, so hold him in the punch just so.
I tried to have the points of the scallops close to the
outer edge of the paper.

To give him a more finished look, as you can see here:

Plug his little eyes on with dimensionals, and give him a bit of a confused look :)

I used the fine tip of my Stampin' Write marker to do this.
If you keep them close together like that he looks a bit startled, right??

Love him.

His mouth is the smaller eye circle from the Owl Punch,
with Basic Black cardstock.

If you don't have any of these products, and you would like to?

Please contact me!

Also, You can order in the comfort of your flannel pjs (yay fall!)
on my website: www.robinlea.stampinup.net

Next up. . .I made this ghost a little buddy and I will introduce you!

Color Combo Links

In the process of cleaning up my computer files, I am coming across little tidbits of useful info. . .I have started a category called "SU Product tips" to keep them organized on my blog. There are only a couple in that category so far, but I use them all the time, so I thought I would share :)

Today's tip comes in the form of two websites. . .both are tools for color combinations using SU's exclusive color families and in colors. *Very* useful if you are brainstorming!!! Give them a try!

I will also put these on my sidebar, for easy access. . . Hope you find them useful:

*Scrapitude*

and

*SUColorQ*

Ribbon Originals Coordinating colors chart

Some more fun info on Stampin' Up! coordinating colors: Ribbon Originals!

BEACHFRONT

White – Rickrack
Sahara Sand - Zigzag
River Rock – Pleated
Very Vanilla – Gathered Grosgrain
Basic Gray – Velvet

DISTRICT

Pumpkin Pie – Stripe Grosgrain
White w/ Celery – Diagonal Stripe Woven Weave
Basic Gray w/white – Stripe Grosgrain
Blue Bayou/Sage Shadow – Checkered Weave
Sage Shadow – Grosgrain

FAIRY TALE

So Saffron – Jacquard Flower
Rose Red – Grosgrain w/ White Stitch
Certainly Celery – Woven Loop
Regal Rose – Gathered Grosgrain
Almost Amethyst – Grosgrain

JERSEY

Basic Black Grosgrain w/ White Stripe
Real Red – Twill w/ Zigzag
More Mustard/Wild Wasabi – Grosgrain
Brocade Blue – Wide Grosgrain w/Stripe
Wild Wasabi – Twill

SHERBET

So Saffron – Wide Grosgrain w/ Stripe
Groovy Guava – Woven Loop
Purely Pomegranate – w/ White Polka Dot
Mellow Moss – Velvet
Soft Sky/Very Vanilla – Elastic w/ Gather

THEATER

Always Artichoke – Grosgrain w/ Loop
Close to Cocoa – Velvet
Old Olive/River Rock – Reversible satin
Old Olive/ Vanilla – Elastic w/ Gather

Chocolate Chip – Satin w/ Border

Designer paper coordinating colors

08 Spring Summer Collection Designer Paper:

Azure: Brilliant Blue, Very Vanilla
Bali Breeze: Old Olive, Taken with Teal, Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie
Berry Bliss: Purely Pomegranate, Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa
Cutie Pie: Bashful Blue, Basic Black, Certainly Celery, Rose Red, So Saffron
East Coast Prep: Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard
Flowers for You: Certainly Celery, Lovely Lilac, Regal Rose, Tempting Turquoise
Fall Flowers: Old Olive, Really Rust, Soft Sky, Sahara Sand
Ginger Blossom: Ruby Red, River Rock, Cameo Coral, Groovy Guava
Jersey Shore: Wild Wasabi, Pumpkin Pie, Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue
Le Jardin: River Rock, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Bashful Blue
Notebook: Soft Sky, Kraft, Vanilla
Olive Press: Old Olive, Very Vanilla
Porcelain Prints: Blue Bayou, River Rock, Wild Wasabi
Spring Break: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky
Spring Fling: Certainly Celery, Sage Shadow, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron
Spring Silhouettes: Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery, Soft Sky, Very Vanilla

Western Sky: Ruby Red, River Rock, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky

08 Occasions Mini (release date March 1st):

Afternoon Tea: Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky, Groovy Guava, and Chocolate Chip
Summer Picnic: Real Red, Bashful Blue, Old Olive, and Pumpkin Pie

I figured, since I use this information all the time. . .you might want to have it also! Hope this helps with your project coordination. It helps when you are ordering also, if you would like accents to match your papers. Love SU no-brainer coordination!

If you have yet to receive your Occasions Mini, you will get it soon! (That is if you are on my current customer list of course :) If you do not get my mailings, and you are a current customer of mine, please let me know!

edited to add: The list of colors for SU! DP's is a guide, not an end all! ex: I happen to prefer Tempting Turquoise with Bali Breeze, rather than Taken with Teal. . .The list is a starting place. Get a sheet of paper out, and see what you think! I will get three or so out, and see what I like. . .maybe switch one out for a more preferred color. . .hth :)