Studio J (Close To My Heart) Christmas Cards

I just wanted to share with you how I made our holiday Christmas cards this year using Studio J.  I really loved this idea and think making birthday invitations and personalized wedding, bridal or baby shower events would be just as much fun!

Here is a step by step on how I created our cards.

1.  Go to my website and set up a free account with Studio J. 

2.  Begin a "New Project" I titled mine Christmas Cards you can all yours whatever you want.

3.  You will be prompted to upload your photos.  You can add your family photos now or if you are like me and did not yet have your photo ready just select "upload photos later".  

4.  Select "create your own custom kit"  There are a lot of paper packs to choose from.  I used the Sparkle & Shine holiday pack for my cards.  Select "continue" 

5.  The next option is to select your choice of patterns and you will choose "No Limits"

(by the way this pattern is an excellent way to use any of your previously created pages on any digital program and have them printed out with Studio J.  You just upload your jpg files of your pages and then drop them into the "No Limits" pattern and order your prints.)

6.  Select your Kit Mix (they are all the same so just choose one and select continue)

Your screen will look like the photo below 

7.  Start creating your cards.  I designed 4x6 cards so that can send them as a post card.  You could design them at 4 x 5 1/2 to fit into a standard envelope as well.   I may change my mind and order some 4x6 envelopes as well I haven't decided yet.  For mine I created a 4x6 journal area under Text & Photo Areas.  Then I just copied and pasted to fill the page as shown below.   

8.  Go to "Paper" and select your choice to fill in each journal area.  Select "edit text" and then delete the text and hit the space bar.  Do this on all your journal areas.  In my cards I added a second journal area 

(3.75 x 5.75) filled in with black paper and distressed with white ink to give it a chalkboard look.   

9.  Then add your photo blocks.  I added mine as 3 x 5 photo.  Now I started to create the banner with My Stickease but after I got my photo and put it in they made me look like I had Mickey Ears so I changed it up to just have ornaments and then a plain "no frills card" to make my husband happy.  

10.  This is the easiest way I found to make them all the same.  I selected each area while holding down the Ctrl key on the keyboard.  Then I selected copy and paste from the top of the screen.  Then I used my arrow keys without clicking on the screen to move the card where I wanted it to go.  You can see that in the photo below.  The selected areas are surrounded by a blue line.  

11.  Add your text boxes as journal areas, select none at the bottom of the journal box for the color of your text box and move it around to fit your needs.  I created one for Merry Christmas and one for The Mindemann Family.  

12.  Edit your cards as necessary - add to card - approve your layout and order.  They will ship to your house in about a weeks time.  Then you cut them out and send them on their way!  

Here is one sheet of our cards with the ornaments

The other side I opted for no ornaments. 

Now I realize that it might be a little late for you to create cards (but maybe you are a last minute kind of person) but keep this in mind for next year or for other personalized cards you need to create.  

   Creatively Yours,

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Another Close To My Heart Studio J - My Girl is Three!

 

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My baby is three -t he time is flying by so fast!  I created this layout using Studio J to capture her personality and then wrote a bunch of different things she likes to say and do all over the pages.  I want to remember how she is now because those "favorites" will change as she grows.

Tutorial on how to recreate this look:

1. Open (or create a free account) Studio J here 
2. Select Notebook Paper Pack
3. Select Front & Center - In The Middle - kit mix 1
4. Rotate the left page three times
5. Delete buttons, ribbon, thread and brads (leave buttons on the right page)
6. Create journal area to cover the full 12x12, select paper fill and move back behind the photo
7. Place grey ribbon across the page under the photo and then along the sides of the photos on the right page
8. Select My Stickease - Large Accents for the flower border along the side of the left page - size to desired size, copy and paste - place along the full length of the page to create a border.  
9. Select My Stickease - Alphabet and create the title on the right page
10. Select My Stickease - Titles for "My Favorite Things" tag
11. Select My Stickease - Tags - select tag - size to desired size - add ribbon tab from embellishments
12. Select journal area - change background to none - type favorite things and add to tag
13. Select journal area - change background to none - type desired journal or phrase - place where desired - copy and paste several times adding more journal entries, phrases, quotes, etc.  

Thanks for stopping by!  Remember buy two Studio J layouts until the 15th and get one free from me :)  Must contact me after placing your order to get the code for free layout.  All layouts $5 until March 15th. 

Have a great day!  

 

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Create Professional Cover Photos with Studio J

Do you want a more professional looking facebook cover photo?  How about printing that professional looking cover photo and have it delivered to you home to take with you to Vendor Shows, Photo Shoots, and business fairs?

 I created this cover photo for KCM Studios (check out Kara's site and giveaway going on right now).  Kara takes the most precious photos of beautiful babies!

 How to create your own Facebook Cover photo with Studio J:

*Set up a FREE account here on Studio J
*Select your paper kit (any kit that you love - you can change the color of your paper kit to match your photos or favorite color) - this cover photo was created using the Buzz and Bumble paper kit.  I added Lagoon accents going off of the blanket in the photo at the top right on the right page.
*Select your kit mix - how many photos do you want to display?  You can always delete photo wells or turn them into journal spots.  What photos should you use?  Are you a consultant with a cosmetic company?  Use the latest make up and skin care photos - enter bullet points of the benefits of your product into a journal spot.  Are you a professional photographer?  Use your best photos - put specials and pricing in your journal spots.  The possibilities are endless!
*Add photos, title, delete or add buttons, metals, stickers, etc.
*Purchase your creation jpg file for only $2.95 or get the jpg file and printed 12x12 pages for $6.95 ($5 until March 15th).  Why do you want the printed pages?  Use them at Vendor shows or craft fairs to draw people to your stand!

Contact me to design your own professional cover photo for $20 (my cost plus time) if you do not want to make your own!

Have fun!  I can't wait to see what beautiful cover photos you create to display your product.

   

New To Scrapbooking?  Want to give a gift to someone who is just getting started?
Customize your own Close To My Heart starter kit for only $35!

 

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My Boys - Studio J digital love

Good morning - nothing here but a little bit of slush outside my window - they are saying snow heavy at times and I for one would like to see that happen!  We have not had much of anything this winter and I would enjoy a big snow.

Here is another Studio J layout I did of my boys using the Later Sk8r paper packet.  I love this kit mix - the colors are my favorite.  Enjoy!

Create your own here in Studio J following these steps:

• Start with the Later Sk8r paper pack
• Load Honeycomb pattern
• Kit Mix 2
• Change the grey hexagons to green patterned paper and the plaid hexagons to outdoor denim card stock (under paper - select pattern or cardstock and move to the shapes you want to change
• My Stickease -  tags - select first tag circle in top row and add in between the hexagon paper pieces as desired moving backward where necessary
• Delete all buttons, change ribbon color to grey, brads to outdoor denim, stitching to outdoor denim
• The strips of cardstock that run parallel to the ribbon I switched the colors making the photo mat also outdoor denim
• Delete the journal block - to to Text - journaling area - and create your own larger down the side, select white cardstock for the background and add journaling.  For the top of the journaling block I added two outdoor denim blue stitching lined (found under embellishments - stitching) and cropped down to the size I desired.  Add the various stickers (under My Stickease - large, medium and small accents adjusting size as necessary.
• To create the arrows.  My stickease - medium accents - select arrow second in the top row - rotate and place on the right page at the bottom.  Copy - paste - layer slightly behind - add outdoor denim blue stitching cropped to desired size (Embellishments - stitching).  Place one arrow on the top of the photo on the left page.  To create the blue background behind the arrow on the left page - text - journal area - create box slightly larger than the arrow - edit text hit space bar - change paper to lagoon - move backwards until behind photo and arrow.  Create a second journal area - size to small square - change paper to white - rotate box to make a diamond - place over the blue to create a ribbon look
• Title - text - title box - add and rotate for the MY - in existing title box I typed Boys - added a journal area for "You will always be" sizing and selecting type that I wanted 
• The date - under text - quick title tool - type date - resize as desired place where you want on the page.  Few small texts are throughout as well just added with journaling areas no background

Thanks for stopping by enjoy!  Have a great week and remember Studio J layouts are only $5 through March 15th and I'm offering buy two at that price and I'll give you one free :

 

New To Scrapbooking?  Want to give a gift to someone who is just getting started?
Customize your own Close To My Heart starter kit for only $35!

 

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My Reader - Studio J digital love

The more I use this program the more I love it!  Here is one of the newest creations I made over the weekend :)  My oldest is READING!  I'm so excited and proud of him - it is a bittersweet feeling because he is growing up but I love watching and listening to him read :)

   Do you want to try it for yourself?  It's FREE! Go to my website here Set up a FREE account or just play as a guest All layouts are $5 right now and include 2 pages :)  My special runs to March 15th - Buy two layouts get one free!   Have fun and come back soon to see some of the other layouts I created.   This layout is a little more involved and time consuming than most because I wanted it to look a certain way - to recreate this look see the tutorial below.   Tutorial and Details for this layout:

• Select Scholastic Paper Pack
• Select Kit Mix Card Trick
• Delete all embellishments (buttons, ribbon etc.), delete photo well on the right page (second photo well from the left) 
• Text - Journaling area - create box large enough to cover entire 12x12 page on both pages, put canvas grain paper into journal areas, edit text and hit space bar, right click on box and keep moving backward until all photo wells appear
• Text - Journaling area - create strips of box for the red paper on both top and bottom of both pages, edit text, hit space bar, change to red card stock
• Text - Journaling area - create box larger than first photo well on right page, fill with white card stock move backward to create polaroid look
• My Stickease - Tags - Fourth tag on the top row - drag to next to first photo well on right page and right click select move backward until it is behind your photo well - size to liking - add other tags and quotes as desired
• Place same photo at 130 scale in last two photo wells on the right page - line up to match
• Embellishments - Stitching - add stitching in Outdoor Denim to top of photo rows on right page
• Add Tags (under My Stickease), Stitched circles (under embellishments - stitching), brads (under embellishments - metals), buttons (under embellishments - buttons), and books (under My Stickease) where desired re-sizing as necessary.  To take the stickease across both pages just copy and paste - then line up to match opposite page
• To create journal area on the right page go to Text - Journaling area - create box size that you want - edit text - type journaling - select set background paper to velum and place on page where you want - rotating as desired.  Add staples found under Embellishments - Metals - Staple
• To create Title you will need several title and journal blocks.  I have a different box for each line so I could size, color and place them where I wanted.

Have fun and feel free to share your links to your creations here or on my facebook page :)  I'd love to see what you come up with!  

New To Scrapbooking?  Want to give a gift to someone who is just getting started?
Customize your own Close To My Heart starter kit for only $35!

 

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