Hooray for MDS Friday!!!! This week's challenge was Fall & Thanksgiving. I had just done a Thanksgiving layout not too long ago, so took advantage of the opportunity to make a Home Decor Piece!

When this download came out a couple of weeks ago (Grateful Hearts Thanksgiving Kit) I just fell in LOVE with the color combination and couldn't wait to use it.

For this Home Decor piece, I want to show you the BEAUTY of these kits!!!!!!!! I know a lot of you probably think "Gosh – I just don't have the time to design digitally" — well, with these kits… you don't HAVE to!

Here is a look at how this banner comes ready to go — it's a 3 page 8 1/2 x 11 template:

You could totally just print that and be done with it! But what I did this week, was use it as a starting point, and went in and added stamp brush images and embellishments to jazz it up. Here's what the banner ended up being:

I want this to be a really nice quality piece – so it's been sent off to Stampin' Up!'s professional printer with our NEW heavy weight individual page print option!!! I can't wait for it to come in so I can cut out the pennants, string them from some ribbon, and add it to the mantel!

Don't have My Digital Studio yet? The My Digital Studio Starter Kit is a FABULOUS option right now!!!! For $175 — you can get My Digital Studio along with ALL SORTS of other products up to about a $440 value!! Of that amount, you could choose to select $100 in Digital Downloads! It's a crazy awesome deal, you can learn more about it here – it's an awesome way to get into Digital Crafting!

I hope you're enjoying today's hop (or if you're just getting started that you're excited about checking out the rest of the projects!)

Happy Friday!!! It's MDS Blog Hop Day… Yippee!!!! Today's theme was Get Organized/Anything goes! So I thought I would just share a layout I did while I was away on the Founder's Trip last week, since I haven't had time to scrapbook anything since!

This is a Halloween Layout for my 2009 album:

(In addition to the My Digital Studio software and content that comes with it, I also used the following downloads:  My Sweet Pea DSP, Spooky Treats  Kit, Tasteful Trim Punch, Smitten Alphabet Punch, Decorative Label Punch, Neutrals Buttons, Brights Buttons, Baker's Twine Add On and Spooky Bingo Bits Stamp Brush Set)

CLICK HERE to view this week's NEW Downlaods(there's a DARLING new Party Kit!!!!)

Now "Hop" on over and see what digitally created things the other girls have done!

Today, I wanted to share with you just a couple of the Awesome Projects that are in store for you in October!

I hope that you're able to join us this Friday Night or Saturday Morning to join in on all of the fun!

If you missed the e-mail explaining what Stamp Shoppe is or didn't have a chance to watch the video announcement, Click Here to view this Video Announcement Now!

We'll also be making 3 different Christmas cards to start to get in the mood – here's a look at one of those 3 cards (at Card Shoppe, you'll make a total of SIX Cards for just $15 or FREE with a $20 Order!)

I also wanted to show you 1 of the 3 Scrapbook Pages that you'll make if you sign up to attend Scrapbook Shoppe (you can do this in addition to Card Shoppe or instead of Card Shoppe – the choice is yours, you only make what YOU want!) Scrapbook Shoppe is just $20 or FREE with a $25 Order!)

The other BIG BENEFIT of attending Stamp Shoppe is that Stamp Shoppe Attendees will be able to browse a seasonal display table that will be changed EVERY MONTH to feature even MORE great projects! We won't normally share a picture of this table online, but just this once so you can get an idea of what we're talking about, here's a look at the September Display that was Halloween themed! Our October Display with be Fall/Thanksgiving themed.

And here is a picture of some of the September Stamp Shoppe Attendees having a good time, learning some Big Shot tips & tricks!

I hope you can see that Stamp Shoppe is an event you WON'T want to miss! Don't forget to e-mail me to RSVP & save your spot at the table for October's Stamp Shoppe TODAY!

CLICK HERE for more information about Stamp Shoppe!

CLICK HERE to RSVP!

The first is our table setting – I used the Table Setting XL Die to die cut the name card tents at each of the places:

Then the next thing I did was make up these little Recipe Card Holders for my mom and sister-in-law…

ALY'S HELPFUL HINTS:

• Yes! This recipe card holder was fully constructed with Stampin' Up! Products! The base of the holder is an altered Decor Block from the Holiday Mini, the wire "post" is a Hat Pin from the Pretties Kit and the clip that holds the Recipe Card in place is a 1/2" Library Clip!
• Our Decor Blocks have a wonderfully smooth surface that makes DSP application easy – for a "weathered" look like I was going for here, burnish the DSP to the Blocks with a Sanding Block. For a sleek look (not shown here) trim the edges closely with a Hobby Blade.
• I used a girlie mini drill (he-he) with a 1/16" Drill Bit to get the Hat Pin in the block – I applied Crystal Effects around the edges to help it hold.
• The leaf was cut out with the Wood Sheets that we carry in the catalog, the Leaf Bigz Die and Big Shot Machine. The beauty of the Big Shot? It is so heavy duty you can cut through just about anything! Refer to this post for a listing of other materials the Big Shot will cut through.
• I died the leaf with Markers and an Aqua Painter.
• Pop Up Glue Dots is what held all of the clip components at the top together.
• Pair this Recipe Card Holder with the "From the Kitchen Of" stamp set for a fabulous gift presentation! This wonderful stamp set is part of the Gift Giving Guide and just one of the items that can be used towards your FREE Decor Element through January 4th!

WHAT TO ORDER:

Decor Elements Decor Blocks (116829), Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper (116769), From the Kitchen of Stamp Set (114964), Very Vanilla Cardstock (101650), Basic Brown Classic Ink (104315), Really Rust Stampin' Write Marker (100073), Creamy Caramel Stampin' Write Marker (100078), Taken with Teal Stampin' Write Marker (100068), Earth Elements Textured Cardstock (108697), Wood Sheets Texture Cuts (116309), Clips Assortment (112580), Pretties Kit (109114), Hemp Twine (100982), 3/4" Circle Punch (107217), Sanding Blocks (103301), Crystal Effects (101055), Pop Up Glue Dots (104183), Big Shot Die Cut Machine (113439) and Leaves #2 Die (113459)

TO ORDER STAMPIN' UP! PRODUCTS ONLINE 24/7 CLICK HERE!

Don't Forget!

• To take place your Online Holiday Extravaganza Order – select products up to 50% off! Click Here for more details, Click Here to place your order! – JUST ONE DAY LEFT!!!!
  
• To register for Aly's Stamping Christmas Party – Click Here! – JUST ONE DAY LEFT!!!!
• To schedule your Complementary Christmas Card Designing Appointment – Click Here!
• To place your qualifying order for a FREE Decor Element – Click Here!
• To order your December Card Kit of the Month – Click Here!

ALY'S HELPFUL HINTS:

• These pages are going to be for a "Hybrid" Album. A Hybrid Album is when you design your pages in My Digital Studio, have them printed on individual pages, not bound in an album (use our Professional Print Services for Best Results), and then add some actual accessories (the REAL thing) over top of the digital accessories.
• When importing accessory images for the purpose of Hybrid Scrapbooking, you don't want to re-size the images. They are automatically imported true to size, so they will line up with the real ones correctly. If you're not doing Hybrid Scrapbooking, feel free to re-size, just be careful of pixilating.
• When you want to replicate an area of a page, drag your mouse to select all of the images and then copy and paste. The example? I did the first page and created the circles and embellishments down the side. I wanted the same patterns/accents on my other page. Rather then repeating all of the steps, I grouped all of the embellishments together and pasted them onto the other page. A real time saver!

WHAT TO ORDER:

My Digital Studio (118108) and Cast-A-Spell Digital Download (118114)

Purchase My Digital Studio from me and receive 1 hour of one-on-one training. I'm My Digital Studio Certified and ready to answer your questions!

Speaking of Digital Scrapbooking, have you ordered all of the fabulous new Digital Downloads yet!? Click Here to see all that's available. 7 more were just released yesterday! Here's a peak at one of these downloads, the Christmas Cocoa II Kit:

TO ORDER STAMPIN' UP! PRODUCTS ONLINE 24/7 CLICK HERE!

Don't Forget!

COMING SOON: An Online Holiday Extravaganza beginning November 23th!! Select products up to 50% off!!!! Stay tuned!!!!

• To schedule your Complementary Christmas Card Designing Appointment – Click Here!
• To place your qualifying order for a FREE Decor Element – Click Here!
• To order your December Card Kit of the Month – Click Here!

I have received a lot of the Level 1 "Patterns Designer Series Paper Packs" and wanted to use up those papers, so the paper pack determined my color combo! I ended up having 3 different "looks" as I rotated through the background paper. The Ruby Red shown above and then the Really Rust and Mellow Moss shown below:

ALY'S HELPFUL HINTS:

• The wide grosgrain ribbon was tied uniquely by going up through a slot punch before being knotted. TIP: For trimming your ribbon ends at a "v", fold your ribbon in half and make 1 angled cut. Then when you unfold, you have your two cuts perfectly even!
• This big bold image can be a little bit stubborn to get a crisp image – try stamping on a tile or other rock solid surface.
• Earn this Designer Series Paper for FREE by hosting a workshop or placing an order totaling $150 or more!

WHAT TO ORDER:

Patterns Pack III (116234 – Hostess Exclusive!), Wandering Words Stamp Set (116507), Sahara Sand Cardstock (105328), Very Vanilla Cardstock (101650), Chocolate Chip Cardstock (102128), Chocolate Chip Classic Ink (100908), Really Rust Cardstock (100661), Mellow Moss Cardstock (102898), Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware (112454), Very Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon (109055), Horizontal Slot Punch (105089), 1/2" Cirlce Punch (104390), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Stampin' Up! Sizzix Big Shot Die Cut Machine (113439) and Leaves #2 Die (113459)

TO ORDER STAMPIN' UP! PRODUCTS ONLINE 24/7 CLICK HERE!

Don't Forget!

COMING SOON: An Online Holiday Extravaganza beginning November 23th!! Select products up to 50% off!!!! Stay tuned!!!!

• To schedule your Complementary Christmas Card Designing Appointment – Click Here!
• To place your qualifying order for a FREE Decor Element – Click Here!

ALY'S HELPFUL HINTS:

• Why is our Big Shot Die Cutting Machine the best on the market? Well, there are MANY reasons, but just one is it's versatility. It can cut through 50 different materials (see listing below)! Here, it was cut through a chipboard coaster at the same time it was cut through the Brushed Gold Cardstock. Perfect covered chipboard every time! No cutting, no line up hassle.
• Embossing gives this card an extra edge – and picks up the Gold Brad Accents beautifully!
• The "thanks" emblem is one of our Embosslit Dies – another thing the Big Shot can do – cut AND emboss all in one roll!
• To get two colors with this die is super easy! Just crank through both Whisper White and Dusty Durango cardstock, and then punch out the "thanks" sentiment with the Modern Label Punch (yes, it lines up perfectly! You've got to L-O-V-E Stampin' Up!'s coordination!) and layer it on top!
• Paper Piercing is no chore when you use the Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool – and those simple little dots add so much to your card!
• The word "give" is on a stamp with other images and words – how do you emboss just the one word? Color over the rubber with a VersaMarker just where you want the Embossing to be!

WHAT CAN THE STAMPIN' UP! SIZZIX BIG SHOT CUT THROUGH?

WHAT TO ORDER:

Stampin' Up! Sizzix Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Stampin' Up! Thanks Embosslit Die (115957), Stampin' Up! Alphabet Simple Letters Die Set (115960), Holiday Best Stamp Set (Hostess Exclusive – Book a Workshop or place an order totaling $150 or more!), Whisper White Cardstock (100730), Dusty Durango Cardstock (115321), Earth Elements Textured 12×12 Cardstock (108697), Brushed Gold Cardstock (102935), Cottage Wall Designer Paper (115671), Gold Brads (104337), Chocolate Chip 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (109051), Modern Label Punch (116630), Gold Embossing Powder (109129), Heat Tool (100005), VersaMarker (100901), Mat Pack (105826), Paper Piercer (116631), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive (110755) and Gold Elastic Cord (109867)

TO ORDER STAMPIN' UP! PRODUCTS ONLINE 24/7 CLICK HERE!

Don't Forget!

• To Sign Up for the FREE Class Night coming up on November 12th – Click Here!
• To Sign Up for the GRAND Christmas Card Class coming up on November 21st – Click Here!
• To schedule your Complementary Christmas Card Designing Appointment – Click Here!
• To place your qualifying order for a FREE Decor Element – Click Here!
• To Order your November Card Kit of the Month – Click Here!