MDS Monday: Blog Hop Follow up

I hope you enjoyed the Stampin' Addict's MDS Blog Hop this weekend.  I loved some of the out-of-box ways to use My Digital Studio.  If you missed it, all the sites are deep linked together so you can still see the five sites, just start here.  And if you've come back because I promised a GIVEAWAY, stay tuned!

My blog hop projects showcased the custom-size feature.  I showed how to do this on an MDS Monday in August with screen shots so I'm not going to go into detail about that today.  But I will tell you a little more about each project.

12"x16" Custom Size Project.  Digital Stamp Brushes: You're a Gem, Creative Elements and Pedaling Past.

The only thing that I did a little different on this one was the flourish around the "Key to my Heart" title.  I used the frame from Creative Elements and used the crop stamp feature to select just the left flourishy end of  frame.  Then I copied, pasted and mirrored it to give me the other end (three clicks was easier for me than inserting the stamp and cropping it again to get the right side, but you could do that as an alternative as well.  The rest of the project is fairly self explanatory.  I just uploaded it to the photo center at my local warehouse store and in 5-7 business days, I went and picked up the canvas.

 7"x10" Custom Size project.  Digital Stamp Brushes: Creative Elements, Frames with a Flourish and Elements of Style.  Non Digital Stampin' Up!: Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Antique Brads, Rhinestones. Other: Glossy Decopage Medium, Black Paint and Wood Block.

But my second project does have a story.  I actually first saw pictures of Temples adhered to wood block on pinterest.  I liked the idea and thought it would be fun to make some for Christmas gifts this year.  So when I was at the wood shop buying the owls and witches hat, I also picked up three 5"x7" wood blocks.  But there, they also had family pictures on the wood blocks and the ideas starting churning.  So the big DUH question is: WHY THE HECK DID I NOT BUY MORE BLOCKS? And not just 5"x7" but 8"x10" and 4"x6" too.

I kept thinking I'd get back to the store to buy more of these but with the store being about 30 miles away and gas being $3.80 for my SUV, I just couldn't justify the trip down there for a $3 piece of wood. In the mean time, I designed this 8"x10" to go on the wood and had it printed at a photo center:

Then I had the idea to go to my local hardware/lumber store to buy a wood board. I heard they would cut the wood for me if I asked nicely and paid for it of course.  I found one marked 2"x8" by 8 feet.  So I had it cut into 10" pieces and brought it home.  But this is where I probably should have asked for advice from my wood-working-hobbiest Father.  I had no idea that a 2"x8" is not even close to 8".  It is actually 7". The print I made did not fit the wood and I couldn't just cut an inch off because I didn't leave any wiggle room to trim it.  So I did have to recreate a print that was 7"x10" at the last minute to make this all work. (I might have been able to print at home, but I was a little concerned about applying anything over the top of a home-printed photo.)

To finish the block, I sanded it (and since you know I hate sanding, I cheated and broke out my finishing sander.  It might have been a bit of an over kill, but it worked and it saved my carpal tunnel).   I painted it black with regular acrylic craft paint and then used Glossy Mod Podge to adhere the photo to the wood.  I then applied two layers of Mod Podge to the top (allowing it to dry in between): one with the brush strokes running horizontally and the other with them running vertically.  This gave it a bit more of a "canvas" texture.  Next, I sprayed it with a sealer so that it would lose that "tacky" feeling you some times get with Mod Podge.  Finally, I added the ribbon and brads.  I thought about some other things, but they were all retired and I didn't want to feature anything on the blog hop that wasn't current.

I actually made three more of these featuring another photo for another Christmas present but I can't show you those yet since I want it to be a surprise.  But I will show them after they are received.

Now the reward for coming back today and sticking with me through this rambling post: THE GIVEAWAY!  I have a  One Big Sale-a-bration MDS Content CD to give away to one lucky blog reader.  Here is how to enter.  First of all, you must have a United States mailing address and be a google follower of my blog OR my facebook page.  So if you aren't already, click on the links on the left and become one.  Second, leave a comment here in the comment section.  (My blog allows for anonymous comments, but you have to leave an email or someway for me to get hold of you if you win).  Everyone who does that will get an entry.  To get additional entries, visit my online store and download the free downloads available for Digital Scrapbook Week, and/or your 30-day free trial of MDS2.  But hurry, because today is the last day for the free downloads.  (The 30-day trial offer is ongoing). Remember, you can use these downloads and the CD of content in other digital scrapbooking programs (even PhotoShop).  I will announce the winner on Friday this week so come back then.

One more note, I am going to discontinue MDS Monday as a regular weekly-feature on my blog.  I will continue to do the occasional MDS Monday post, but I am so far behind on my regular stamping projects to share, I want to focus on those as I prepare for my upcoming Christmas Stampin' Buffet and other holiday crafting.

Sell-A-Stamp Spooktacular & WICKED Wood Projects

Have you heard the news?  Stampin' Up! is doing something I have never seen them do: discounting all stamp sets 15% for one day only, Monday, October 29!  So get your wish lists out get them all at  fantastic savings!   You can shop online on Monday, or contact me by 8 p.m. that night if you are local and want to save on shipping.  But you won't want to miss out on this special!



And in case you missed my story last week about my wood projects, no, I haven't suddenly become a wood crafter.  And no, this will not become a regular feature on my blog.  In fact, while I still have some wood projects to finish, I won't be posting another one for while because I am a procrastinator and well, they are Christmas projects.  So I have weeks to get around to doing those.

But I promised to show you the Halloween projects I made at the same time as the Owls so here we go:

Current Stampin' Up!: Brights Glimmer Brad, Vintage Faceted Designer Button.  Retired Stampin' Up!: Cast-A-Spell Designer Series Paper, Black Jewel Flourish, 5/8" Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon, 1/4" Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain Ribbon. 

Current Stampin' Up!: Round Designer Ribbon Sliders, Elegant Eggplant Dotted Scallop Ribbon, 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Basic Black and Pumpkin Pie, Brights and Subtles Designer Buttons, 1/2" Striped Satin Ribbon, Vintage Brad.  Retired Stampin' Up!: Cast-A-Spell Designer Series Paper, 1/4 in grosgrain in Perfect Plum, Basic Black, Whisper White, and Old Olive.

If you saw my post about the Owls, then you know that I made these to "save some money," (ya, right!).    But they were a fabulous way to use up some of my stash that I've hoarded over the past five years. 

Also, Stampin' Up! will be celebrating Digital Scrapbooking Day all next week with free downloads and savings on Digital Scrapbooking Kits!  And I will be celebrating every day next week here on my blog, including a chance to win some a CD of downloads.  So be sure to come back and see what all the fuss is about!

Branching out into Wood Crafts -- Temporarily

Colors: More Mustard, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze.  Accessories: Spice Cake Buttons (retired), Autumn Spice Specialty Designer Series Paper, Regal Collection Buttons, Linen Thread. Some Images © Stampin' Up!

These owls and pumpkins have a story.  About a month ago, I was at a local boutique and noticed some really cool owls and other fall wood decorations that were for sale.  If you are a crafter, then you know what thought came next, right:

"Certainly I can make that for a lot cheaper than I can buy it for here." 

You know you've had that thought too, right?   Otherwise, why would you be looking at a stamping blog?

First stop on this journey was the local wood shop.  I use the term "local" loosely because it is 30 miles from my house, and gas for my SUV is $3.80 a gallon.  I may or may not have gone a little crazy while I was there.  (You'll just have to wait for a future update to judge if was a little or a lot crazy).  This store is full of fun shapes for every holiday and season imaginable as well as just general home decor. They sell everything you need right there to put these projects together: glue, paint, paper, embellishments, etc, etc.

But if you know me at all, you know I DO NOT need to buy any more paper or embellishments to finish a craft project.  I have PLENTY of those things.  And lots of it is retired so I can't just use it for classes and demonstrations.  So see, I am actually saving money by buying all these projects so I can use up what I already have.  (If you followed that logic, you may or may not need the same intervention I need.)

However, I did forget one very key thing: I HATE working on wood projects.  I don't mind the painting so much as the sanding.  Not only do I despise it, it aggravates my carpal tunnel in away that stamping just doesn't.   While I was working on these, I was nearly crippled for a week.

I was so happy to have them done though and they look really cute in my dining room.  I have some Halloween decorations I made at the same time that I will show here next week too. 

I have yet to add up how much these actually cost to make (especially if you consider all the other craft stores I went to to get the paint when I ran out and all the hours I put into them). I'm afraid it is a lot more than I would have spent at the local boutique (which really was local - about a mile from my house).   But I did use up some of my stash, so that counts for something.