Tag Archives: Christmas

December 2018 Wallpaper/Calendar is ready to download!

Dec 1, 2018
 
2018 - 12 - December - tinified
 
Yep! It's really here. December. And personally, I'm feeling pretty excited! Truth is, if you've been following me for a while you'll probably understand why it's been four years since I've had space in my life to participate in the festivities of the season. But although I'm still approaching this year's decorating season with a generous buffer of caution, I am at least thinking about putting up a tree this year, and even stringing some outside lights! It's been a long time since I've been able to even *contemplate* that kind of stuff, but I admit to feeling a bit hopeful that this – Just. Might. Be. The Year!
 
Oh! And would you be surprised to learn that the colors in this month's image are the colors I decorate with? I adore my fantasy sugarplum theme – on a white tree. Pure happiness! 🙂
My monthly desktop wallpaper background not only offers you a pretty seasonal picture to brighten your computer monitor, but also includes a handy monthly calendar and serves as a cheat sheet reference to websites you may want to know about and visit.  And it's even FREE to download and install, so please don't hesitate to share this page with your friends and family.
 
 
You'll probably want to consult your own computer operating system's installation instructions, but installing the background image on my Windows 10 system takes just 3 quick steps – and less than a minute. It's super-duper easy-peasy!
  1. I download and save the image to my computer - from the link just above that starts with "Click HERE". (NOT from the picture that appears at the top of this post!)  TIP:  To "download" the full-resolution image once it's open (from Google Drive where it's stored), I click on the downward-pointing arrow. THAT is what actually begins the download process to my computer.
  2. Once the file has been downloaded, named and saved to my computer's hard drive, I open it. 
  3. Then I right-click on the image and select "Set as" > "Set as Background"….. then right-click again and select "Set as" > "Set as Lock screen". And poof! That's all there is to it! (For convenience, I install this on both my desktop system as well as my laptop.)
And in case you may have an operating system OTHER than Windows 10, these tips may help with installation:
 
Finally, please keep in mind that the format of my monthly picture is designed for most modern-day 16:9 monitors (a common format for monitors and HD TV's since about 2009), oriented in landscape format. (1920 x 1080 pixels.) If you're working with an older monitor (one that is more square-ish in format), or your monitor is set up in portrait format, the picture will probably not work for you. Sorry 'bout that.

Snowflake Showcase – Last call

Nov 30, 2018

November's exclusive "Snowflake Showcase" has certainly been an amazing collection, hasn't it? So many beautiful snowflakes and versatile images – in both stamp sets and dies; I'm super-sad to see it coming to an end. But yep, today's its last day of availability; the curtain falls in just a few more hours.

In the meantime however, I thought I'd share some of the thank you cards I've been sending out recently. Featuring… well, what else, lol?!? Not only some of my favorite winter-time images, but some of my very favorite winter colors, too!

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Besides the "Snow is Glistening"  and "Kindness & Compassion" stamp sets, these cards feature "Layering Ovals" dies; Highland Heather, Gorgeous Grape and Coastal Cabana inks; Frost White Shimmer Paint; Clear Rhinestone Jewels; and Highland Heather, Gorgeous Grape, and Whisper White cardstocks (WW in both regular and thick). And of course, the Stamparatus helped place that "Thank you" image exactly where I wanted it… nice and bright!

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There are still a few remaining hours to claim all or part of this collection for yourself. If you're still debating, let me help. The answer is "Yes!" – because snowflakes of this classic art style will never look dated, they can be used solo or in conjunction with other images on almost any winter project, and look fabulous in pretty much any color. (Well, maybe not so much Real Red or Cajun Craze, come to think of it….. but YOU know what I mean, lol!) 

See what's still available from the Snowflake Showcase here!

MDS 2 to the rescue

Dec 13, 2012

Have I mentioned lately how much I love, love, LOVE MDS 2?  Because my living situation is still pretty much in limbo until I have a place of my own, it has been quite impossible to stamp…… which is, of course, the usual way I create cards & projects – and scratch that creativity itch.

But thankfully I've had MDS 2 to play with a bit in the meantime.  It's not a total substitute for actually getting hands in the ink, but has certainly been a lifesaver when I've needed to produce SOMETHING unique!

Take, for instance, the invitation I needed for this crazy Open House I'm doing today.  I'll be featuring products from the upcoming Stampin' Up! Spring Catalog & Sale-a-Bration, but the time and setting will be smack in the middle of the Christmas season – surrounded by Christmas decorations!  So I've dubbed it my "Scrambled-up Seasons" Open House, and had to come up with an appropriate – and obviously unique – invitation!  (I've invited my entire Whidbey Island-area customer  & downline-demonstrator mailing lists, so it was impractical to invite by snail-mailed or hand-stamped invitation anyway.)  So here's the invitation they received by email….

Open House invite-001
One of the new features of MDS 2 is that the program can choose coordinating colors for you.  I was facing a bit of a mental block as to color-selection (you know, what colors DO you do Christmas, Valentines, St. Patricks, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Graduation, and wedding in, anyway?)….. so I chose the "Surprise Me" feature, and it came up with 5 colors that went together nicely.  "Nope, not those", I thought of its first option, so I clicked again. And a few more times until it found just the right combo of 5 colors, and voila!, the color quandry was resolved!  Totally easy, and totally what I was looking for! 

Oh, in case you're wondering, the colors are Regal Rose, So Saffron, Island Indigo, Tempting Turquoise, and Wild Wasabi.

The frame in the center is actually an embellishment that initially came in bright green with red berries.  I knew the design was what I was looking for, but the color was definitely not.  So (once again, thanks to a new feature in MDS 2), I recolored it in a flash – to the Wild Wasabi I was using elsewhere.  And I'm pretty pleased with how the whole thing turned out.  (What do YOU think?  I'd love if you left me a comment!  Hint, hint…)

Ok, now off to frost those red velvet cupcakes….. and decide whether they'll get "Christmas" or "Spring" decorations on top!  Hmmm…… Christmas tree bulbs, or butterflies?  "Scrambled-up Seasons" sure leaves room for plenty of options!  😉

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Coasters Gift Set Classes – ready to schedule!

Oct 3, 2011

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FINALLY (!) – My long-awaited Coasters Gift Set Class is ready for its debut – and ready to schedule!  If you'd like to host one of these classes (yes, you'll get valuable hostess gifts based on the volume of supplies ordered for your guests' kits) let's reserve your date now.  Or if you'd just prefer to attend one of these classes hosted by someone else, please let me know so I can put you on a wait list to contact you again when I might have one in your area.   The basic info is below, but for further details don't hesitate to contact me and ask!

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To print your own (PDF) copy of the flyer below, click here Download Flyer – Coasters Gift Set

 

To print the supplies (and pricing) sheet (PDF), click here Download Coasters Class Order Form

 

 To view the color and patterns choices, look in your 2011/2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog (and Holiday Mini Catalog) if you have them; otherwise, head over to my online store and search by the product codes shown on the above supplies/pricing sheet.

Flyer---Coasters-Class-001-