My Digital Studio - Order YOURS, Tomorrow!

MY DIGITAL STUDIO is coming soon!

It is NOT a Digital Scrapbooking program..it is a Digital Paper Crafting Solution!


You can order your copy as of October 1st! You can create fun projects on your computer without having to cut your fingers or get ink on them! Of course, you can also add these pages to any scrapbook but the most amazing part is that you can also get pages PRINTED TO A BOOK to create a professional book to give to a loved one!

Imagine a custom created book of YOU, or your child! I think anyone would love to read a PERSONALIZED story!

I had fun creating these pages, so stay tuned to order your copy of the MY DIGITAL STUDIO!
(I hope this links to the video commercial....)



System Requirements
Prior to installing My Digital Studio, ensure that your computer meets the following technical specifications:
Windows:
Windows XP or Vista
Pentium 4, 1 GHz or better (1.6 GHz recommended) or comparable AMD processor
512 MB RAM available (1 GB or more recommended, 1 GB required for Windows Vista users)
16 MB Video RAM (64 MB recommended)
Available Hard Disk Space: 5 GB minimum
DVD-ROM Drive
Macintosh:
OS X 10.4.x or greater (with latest Java update)
G4 500 MHz or Faster (G5 1 GHz or better recommended)
512 MB RAM (1 GB or more recommended)
8 MB Video RAM (64 MB recommended)
Available Hard Disk Space: 5 GB minimum
DVD-ROM Drive
Other Requirements:
QuickTime Player version 7.1.0 or higher is required. (Available on the My Digital Studio disc 1 or at http://www.quicktime.com/.)
System Settings
Monitor Resolution: 1024 x 768 or higher (1152 x 864 or higher recommended)
Recommended Additional Equipment
CD or DVD Burner (Required for interactive album and DVD-Video output options)
Printer
Speakers
Digital Camera
Microphone
Digital Camcorder
Scanner

You can either order the program, or you can buy the (2) updates, so if you already have a scrapbook program on your computer, you can just add the images to the ones you already have on your computer! They will be adding more updates which you can purchase as time goes on!

You can order it via my website starting October 1st!

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
Stay tuned for specials!

How to Make a Halloween Card...

...without using any skeletons or ghosts or spooky stuff... ?

The sentiment is stamped using Champagne Shimmer paint on the stamp from the Teeny Tiny Wishes.

This is a Halloween card that uses fall/Halloween colors, but also has a Halloween sentiment. I used Pumpkin Pie Cardstock and Designer paper from Night & Day Designer Paper, and Basic Black Cardstock.

The center of the medallion is from Baroque Motif, punched with 1 3/8" circle punch and then framed in the scallop circle. The flower is from the Folded Flowers die. (the next to the largest size) I used a glue dot in the center and added pumpkin glitter from the SuperNova glitter Stacks

Sponged black ink around the petals of the flower

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
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Take better Photos!

Don't you wish you could take pictures like the ones you see in magazines, or at least in the scrapbook magazines, they show cute little children or pets...and YOU KNOW...your kids and pets look JUST as CUTE as the ones in the magazines??

Why don't your pictures look like theirs?

At a meeting we had this weekend, Wendy Randall shared how to BUILD BRIDGES with PHOTOS....and she had great tips to share in how your pictures can connect your past with your present..

These were some of the tips....

1. Take MORE photographs. Most professional photographers take MANY photos of an event. You will have more to choose from if you take a LOT!
2. GET Closer! Getting closer will help you find the soul of the item you're taking a photo of! (person, place or object!)
3. Focal Point - use the eyes or whatever your focus is, to be in the 1/3's of the picture
4. Rule of Thirds - Draw a grid (like a tic-tac-toe), and place the focal point at the line or where the line intersects. This will bring more interest in your picture
5. Turn OFF the FLASH! - The flash flattens out the image. The image will have more dimension if you turn off the flash
6. Where are your light sources. The best time of day is early morning or late afternoon. The light and shadows are better than in the middle of the day
7. Distractions - there is nothing worse than to take a photo and have a pole coming out of someone's head. Make sure when you look through your viewfinder that you see beyond your subjects so that you can remove that piece of trash or errant weed before you take the picture!
8. Pictures tell a story.
   

This was a flower taken at the funeral service that I went to. I had bright sunlight on it, but what I liked was that you could see the gravestone below. I know where I was when I took that picture, and even though most people don't take pictures at gravesides, with our family, we usually got our best family photos at the gravesides. All the family was there, and it was a way to remember our gathering. I took a lot of photos of the family that day, and I still need to work on my photography skills, I have fun taking pictures.......

Maybe take some of the above tips to help improve YOUR skills....

So, be sure to follow the tips...they do work!

ps. Sorry about all the crazy half postings this weekend, I think blogspot was doing some maintenence and so the blogger thing kept timing out on me, and I didn't realize it was publishing it to my blog....so apologies *grins*

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
Stay tuned for specials!

Silhouette Season's Greetings

Meeting at the Spaghetti Factory and demonstrations are what greets you after seeing these 3 familiar faces!







Of course, Richard has a great display of BAB (Build a Bears)












Barb Jackson demonstrating why she's so successful at her business!


My SAS class is today! This is one of the cards we're doing this weekend...simple and FAST!




This card reminds me of the 'typical' style that you get for Christmas...but can be personalized by your own touches!









The deer is from Nature Silhouettes, and the trees are from Lovely as a Tree both stamped in Basic Black.


The snow was created by using a torn mask and sponged just using printer paper. Tearing and masking is probably the best way to create a background or foreground, without spending money on "snow"!


Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
Stay tuned for specials!

Christmas is coming!

Christmas is coming...and although I am not singing Christmas caroles right now, I am thinking I better get ready before they swarm down upon me and I get caught not ready for it!!!

This is a set from the Holiday Mini Occasions Catalog, which is embossed in white ep, and white craft ink. The little "medallion" is stamped in Real Red and has the silver brad in the center of it. I also tinted it with crystal effects and red glitter, which didn't really work as well as I had hoped, so if my customers decide not to do it, that wouldn't hurt my feelings at all....lol

The flocked paper again from Christmas Cocoa and white cardstock along with the dotted red ribbon 'leaves' finish off the card!

Today, I am going to a Upline meeting, and I will try to post some photos of the event tomorrow!!!


Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
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Holiday Best

I saw a card on someone's blog and I can't remember who's blog it was....so I decided to adapt this one to fit this card. This uses the Friends 24-7 set. the flocked Red Paper (the thin red paper) has the same image as the fleur . It looks so awesome! I stamped it on Sahara Sand, (one of my favorite neutrals) and combined it with the stripes from the Designer paper package - Christmas Cocoa. You have to check it out on the Mini Occasions Catalog for the Holidays!

The stamp is from the hostess set, called HOLIDAY BEST.

The best thing is that you can get this set for FREE! with a party or order totalling 150.00!

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
Stay tuned for specials!

Christmas Medallion

Andrea Walford had this card on her blog, and it was so beautiful that I had to make it. I don't have the shimmery paint yet, but maybe it will come this week. I have been busy stamping and loving this stamp! I probably will be using it for my cards this year!


What are you going to do for YOUR Christmas cards??? The Ruby Red, and Soft Suede with the Vanilla Cardstock is so chic for Christmas, don't you think?


If you want to see how to assemble this, go to Andrea's blog and check it out!

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
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Back in the game!

GOSH! Did you miss me? I felt like I was just not alive for the few days! I have been stamping and busy, getting adjusted to my daughters schedule for school, practices (again - she's still disabled, but she can at least run and do strengthening exercises for Basketball). I have had 2 funerals to attend this last weekend, and work.....too.

This is the front of the card that we made (my downline) at the Coffee Bean Tea Leaf .

I also have been getting ready for my Stamp a Stack which I had to reschedule last Saturday to this Sunday!

I used the MEDALLION stamp... and Baroque Motif to create this card. The colors are Sahara Sand, and Close to Cocoa. Bella Bleu Designer paper finishes off the front of the card with a Chocolate Chip ribbon belly band.

The inside has a pop up tree which I showed in a previous blog entry...

Happy Stamping, and I will be back tomorrow!

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
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Reflections.....

Last night I was inspired to stamp a card, for a friend and patient that I found out last week had terminal cancer. I wasn't able to stamp a card for him before, because I think I was still in shock...but, last night, I finally was able to gather my thoughts and think of what to stamp for him.


I got this set, a little while ago, and originally I was thinking it was a good set for Harry Potter and for Twilight..(heh heh), but, I think it is a good set for reflection, and thought.

I stamped the tree and deer in Basic Black, and then brayered Certainly Celery and Soft Sueded over the white cardstock. I covered the whole cardstock in the brayered ink. I also added more in to intensify the color by rubbing the Celery ink over the white cardstock.

The image looked nice, but it was still missing something. I then decided to add white gel pen to the tree, deer and grass to highlight. Then, I decided to tear the edges, which really made the image POP! I stamped the grass from the INSPIRED by NATURE stamp set, in chocolate chip on Old Olive cardstock and added a strip of chocolate chip cardstock. It is then layered over Soft Suede.


Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
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Sharing Ideas

Downline Stamping at Coffee Bean Tea Leaf...
Stamping a fun pop up tree card at the coffee shop! We sat and stamped and it was fun to talk to some people there at the CBTL!


This is Bibiana stamping the center of her card..and she brought a little composition book that she stamped (you can sort of see it in the photo..sorry..I forgot to take a picture of it!)

____________________________________



This is Joyce's project. She made a note card enclosure that seals with a stamped punched circle. (she has the measurments on her card) You can then stamp a letter or flower on a sheet of sticky labels and then punch out the circle to seal your envelope!

_____________________________________


This is Ingrid, and she had beautiful cards that she stamped! We just brought some cards that we made to share with others....

Ingrid had some really pretty cards, and even though she said she cased ideas from other demos, they were all fresh ideas for us!!!

I think Ingrid said that she got this idea from Dawn.... :)

____________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
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More Digital Fun

I really have had fun with the My DIGITAL Studio program. The ease that this works is almost where you don't need to read the directions! Ok, well, if you're intimidated by new things, and need a visual, then I can at least show you how I worked it.

I did take a lot of photos whenever I could, and I usually take over 150 for a day event....so, I pick and choose what I can to make my pages work. This book, if I choose to print it, will be a book for the Summer of 2009!.

Since my daughter is graduating this year, I might try to do one that will commemorate her senior year. I can't wait to see what else Stampin' Up is going to come out with as far as templates and designs.

Can you see the possibilities with this program?

You don't have to do scrapbook pages, you can do calendars, cards, and other fun things. I can see trying to make a copy that will print on a t-shirt transfer to iron on to a shirt!

How cute will that be?

You can make a baby announcement to print on the tshirt for Grandma, or maybe even on Lazertrans to print onto tiles or other hard surfaces!

The possibilities are.......endless....even though this summer has come to an end...you can keep the summer alive with endless memories in print...

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
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Line it up!

To make even holes to punch, I used the top of the order form to mark them to punch. These holes are evenly spaced so it makes a great tool (and it is FREE!!!).
I mark the spaces that I want the holes to be punched, and I then punch the holes

Voila! This is what you will have after the holes have been punched, and the brads placed.

Even and ready to be placed on your card!!!

Today is the first day of School for our schools. I am ready to send my daughter off to school...and we were talking that this is her last first day of school for high school...sigh...where did the time go?

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
Stay tuned for specials!

Christmas Wishes - Holiday Shapes Movers & Shapers

I had a dream.....well, it is sort a start of a famous speech, but mine was a real dream. I dream about Stampin' Up! Cards. What will I create? What can I do for a class coming up this weekend or next weekend?

Well, this card came out of a dream, only to find when I woke up and started to put it together, I realized that the DOVE was going the wrong way to match with the set Gifts of Christmas!

DARN! What was wrong with my dream? But, the idea was there, and so I thought I better try something since I bought this die! So, I got out the stamp set, and stamped the dove, and played around with it, so the flowers would peek through the die and the words would show through as well.

When you open the card, this is what you'll see...

So, it wasn't what I had originally dreamed of, but it worked....

I would love to see what YOU create using this die.....send them to me at deekwlt@aol.com

I will post them on my blog..be sure to give me your name and a blog link so I can give you credit too!!!

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
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Balloon Sweet Centers - Up up and away....!

I saw this card on someone else's blog, but sorry, I can't remember whose blog it belongs to...but it was so sweet, that I needed to case it.
However, it is hard to line up the balloon under the punched circle..so I added a bow.


SO,....now this card looks like it could be for a baby...(boy?)...but it is very sweet....and I guess it could be just a nice card for a sweet friend too...or a sweet way to say "THANKS"

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
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My Digital Studio

I got my copy MY DIGITAL STUDIO!!!

It has been so much fun playing around with the digital scrapbook pages and the templates that are already in the program! It is very simple to start and to play with....

This template is called Summer Days and I used our trip to San Luis Obispo and other summer photos that I took......Simply done and sweet!

So, if you love to scrapbook, maybe you won't want to play with something like this, but you can print photos like this to put into your pages, that you further embellish with mats and accessories! The My Digital Studio will be coming your way, starting October 1st!

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
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Making the Pop up Butterfly

To Create the POP UP Butterfly





Cut out 2 butterfly wings using the Butterfly die

This is using the 1/2 butterfly die.
Be sure to cut the tab. (approx 1/2-3/4")










This is what you should have. (2 wings)













Score at 1/4" and then mark 1/4"
What you will be doing is cutting at 1/2" (the second 1/4" mark) and only cut 1/2 way. One side will be from the top, the other from the bottom







Be sure that you have them cut 1/2 way











These 2 pieces are now going to be interlocked together.









The 2 wings interlocked. The tab at the end is the one that gets attached to the card

Have fun!

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The New Mini Catalog is here!

I know that there has been a lot of discussion on other blogs, facebook and other electronic media on Stampin' Up! I have been a demo since 1995. There have been so many changes over the years with Stampin' Up! since I started back then.

I signed the New Demonstrator Agreement...and I will tell you why.

For the most part, I use Stampin' Up! strictly because I love the products. Do I wish they had EVERYTHING or MORE things? Sometimes, but sometimes, the phrase "More, is just...MORE".

We can't have everything, but the beauty is, that we have access to a lot of things with the advance of the Internet! That's a great way to shop! The New IDA has guidelines for the Internet, and they MAKE SENSE! Now, Stampin' Up! isn't telling demonstrators that they can't use products from other companies. They aren't telling demonstrators that they can't design for other companies. They are just telling us that we can't refer demonstrators to other companies. Doesn't that make sense?

So, I can't send you a link to another company like Michaels, or Nestabilities or something like that to get you to shop there. But, you're smart, you can figure out that you can shop there yourself.

There are people who react immediately to announcements without thinking things through. BUT when you look at what the underlying reasons are for making the announcements, then you understand that they had to make descisions for this. Can they change it? OF course they can change it! In fact, they already have changed it to soften it up and to clear up any miscommunications....

So, don't fret about stuff we can't control. Changes are good, for the most part, and this won't affect my blogging at all....I hope it won't affect your visits to my blog as well...

I just want you to know that i will be trying to follow their guidelines as closely as possible, and if I mess up, I hope you won't turn me into the Stampin' Up! Police....not that they will be looking at my blog that closely.

I did ask them about past postings where I linked you with other companies, and they said that it was fine, that they don't expect us to go back through the archives to fix them so that they will be in compliance.

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
Stay tuned for specials!

Butterfyl Pop Up Card

Happy Friday!!!!

I was sending links to pop up cards to another demonstrator, and found something that I thought was useful for our butterfly die! And so I gathered up my BIG SHOT and went to play..... Taking inspiration from Tea Party designer paper, I used the lovely lilac, apricot appeal, pumpkin pie, old olive and pretty in pink colors to make this card.

As you open this card, the butterfly opens the wings. I embossed them in the petals a plenty embossing folder, and then I glued glitter to some of the flowers. (not sure I like that but it does catch the light)

All dies are Stampin' Up!

Beautiful Butterfly (Bigz)

Blossom Party (originals)

Swirley (sizzlet)

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
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EEk a Treat! ...or trick!

I love this set...and the colors...but I saw a card on a WOW DVD that Stampin' Up! has on their Workshop Wows video. The crowd was WiLd over this card, and can you blame them? I decided that I wanted to do this card but in the new colors and papers and stamps! (oh, this was done in New Zealand or Australia at their Regionals)














The most amazing fun was the movement of this card when you open it up! The little pieces are held by the window plastic (acetate) that Stampin' Up! has in the catalog. I cut little strips, and added the little circles, scallop circles and stamped images!

The letters "BOO" were cut using the Billboard die and then layered on the 3/4", 1", 1 1/4" circle, 1 3/8" circle and the scallop circle punches.



They are all tucked in the folds, and as you open it up, they bounce!!!

Imagine the surprise of the recipient of this card!!!

isn't it "BOO-tiful" ???

School starts in a few days....I don't know about you, but I am not ready for my baby to start her last year in high school!!!

Thank you for visiting my blog!
All stamps, paper and inks used are © Stampin' Up!®
For more Stampin' Up!® information, go to www.stampinup.com or Order on my Website --> www.dianneshiozaki.stampinup.net
Join My Team! password: faithfulstamper
Stay tuned for specials!