Freebies & Card-making Tutorial

MyMemories Suite is perfect for making layouts, but it is also great for making DVDs of an entire album! With Christmas around the corner - why not consider making a DVD of your family album using MyMemories Suite! This is a great, inexpensive gift idea and it is perfect for family and friends who live far away!!

SAVE! $10 off MyMemories software. Use code STMMMS14390 to redeem it.

AND there's a $10 coupon IN the software for the MyMemories store. (It is in the software after it is installed)


Freebie 1 Page:
http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_1

Freebie 2 Preview Image (right-click to copy or save the picture):


Freebie 2 Page:
http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_2

Freebie 3 Preview Image (right-click to copy or save the picture):


Freebie 3 Page:
http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3

 TUTORIAL LINK:  Quick and Easy Card Making Using MyMemories Suite v3


 
SAVE! $10 off MyMemories software. Use code STMMMS14390 to redeem it.
AND there's a $10 coupon IN the software for the MyMemories store. (It is in the software after it is installed)

Make Your Own Labels for Baggies/Sandwich Bags

I quit buying Christmas gifts a few years back for my kids and parents. No, I'm not a Scrooge. My kids are grown and make their own money, parents buy anything they want or need. I do gift but I make the gifts and they are gifts of food.

To make the gifts even more personal, instead of wrapping the plastic bags of food in store bought wrapping paper I designed labels then stapled them to the the tops of the bags. The labels add a delightful touch and I have been told the gifts look as though they've been purchased from the store. You could even get the kids involved and have them draw the labels with markers or wax colors.

The regular sized sandwich bags require a 6 1/2 inch wide x 4 inch tall label. You can set the dimensions up in your word program. You can either use the clipart provided by your word program, buy clipart, trace a picture or go to the hobby store and buy stickers. Type the words Merry Christmas and/or label what is in the bag then add your art (or if you bought stickers add them after you've printed the label).

I sent cinnamon candy and pineapple muffins so each of my labels said either Homemade Cinnamon Candy or Homemade Pineapple Muffins. The labels don't have to be fancy. They can simply say what you want them to say with no art at all. Just pick a font and pick a color.

And remember personalized labels or wrappers don't have to be only for Christmas. They're also terrific for birthdays, anniversaries, births, showers and any holiday.

Need help? Have a question about how to do labels or wrappers, leave me a comment. Need clipart? I have some on my website. Just type in Miller's Wrapped Expression and you'll find many but I'm not done adding clipart as I create new pieces everyday. I can also draw most anything you need.

Do something extraordinary!

Recycle, Repurpose Items From Your Local Donation Store

Recycling and repurposing doesn't mean always mean finding things around your house to re-use. I have done curb-side shopping. This is literally finding something sitting on the curb that someone has discarded. I have found some great old wooden chairs that I brought home, and repainted and recovered.

But my favorite place to find items to recycle or repurpose is a local donation store. I visit it once a week or when I specifically need something. During one of my weekly visits, I found a beautiful Christmas table runner tucked away between blankets and towels. I felt I had won the lottery. It was in perfect shape; no tears, stains or snags. I immediately began searching for matching place mats and napkins. Although I didn't find place mats, I found four napkins in a deep emerald color perfectly matching the table runner. They too were flawless. I couldn't believe I had scored yet again and decided that such great finds should be gifted so I mailed them to my daughter who absolutely loved them.

This week, I went in search of a throw pillow at the donation store. I found several that would have been useful for my purpose and settled on one of them that was fully stuffed, not over used, torn or stained. It cost me one whole dollar. This will also be gifted once I am finished recovering it with scrap suede leather I have stored away.

After measuring the pillow I purchased and cutting the suede, I will trace an image of a wolf's face then -  using my wood burning tools - burn in pencil-like details on the smooth side of the suede. Once I'm done burning the image, it will look like a pencil drawing complete with shading and fur characteristics. Then I'll use either my old treadle sewing machine (I will have to buy a specific needle sharp enough to go through the leather) to sew the two pieces of suede into a pillow cover or quilt stitch them by hand.

The newly covered and recycled throw pillow will be a perfect Christmas gift for my parents whose home is decorated western style. And it will have cost under five dollars.