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January 28, 2011

And the giveaway goes to...

Robin Orewiler!! She was comment #125 - Congrats, Robin!

Please email me your information at donna@donnadowney.com and we will send your prize out to you right away.

Thanks to all for the great comments, love reading your messages!

12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (22) | TrackBack (0)

January 27, 2011

Sponsor Spotlight & Giveaway: Niklin Designs

Introducing my newest Blog Sponsor: Nicole Lombardo! She is the Owner and Designer of niklindesigns1225.etsy.com, a great little shop full of custom die cuts and rhinestones. I’m really excited for you to meet her, I think you’ll love all of the creative possibilities you’ll find in her designs!

So my dear blog readers, I introduce you to Nicole Lombardo!

Nicole is a mother to her three, 4-legged boys and loves them like crazy. She is a graphic designer and has a big heart for art. Nicole is also a advid scrapbooker and card maker. She is who she is because of the people that love her and let her be the person that she is.

Nicole is also a graphic designer and has spent many hours sitting in front of her computer designing these designs. She went to school for graphic design and has worked in the field for over thirteen years and loves what she does. She hopes you all enjoy them as much as she does when using them.

Nicole has been running her etsy shop since 2007 and really loves what she does, being creative is the best part!! In her etsy shop she has a clearance section with scrolls marked down to $1.00 and once they go they are gone. She now offers Hot Fix rhinestone scrolls in the shop and can do custom made as well. Custom orders are always welcome.

And now for a special treat, Nicole is giving away a 45-piece collection of her designs valued at over $50 to one of my blog readers! Just comment this post and you’re entered to win! Good Luck!

Here is what you need to do to have a chance to win this awesome giveaway from Nicole.

1. Leave your comment by Friday morning 10am EST

2. To double your chances to win - just tweet, blog, or post on your facebook about this giveaway.

3. The winner will be announced on Friday afternoon!

04:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (157) | TrackBack (0)

January 26, 2011

inspiration wednesday + video

the best inspiration wednesday EVER! so easy, so fun and freeing.

(and not to mention 9" of wood...stamps that is, get your mind out of the gutter, lol!)

but really on a serious note i created these stamps to be painted in, with pencils, crayons, paint or even stamped onto fabrics! i am thrilled with the way they came out, unity does an amazing job!

now they are an investment but do it, you wont reqret it.

they are not consumable and will last forever!

here is how todays happiness happened!

supplies used:

04:05 PM in inspiration wednesdays | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBack (0)

January 25, 2011

And The Giveaway Goes To...

Post #54 - Debbie Rozenkranz!!

Congratulations on winning a spot in Celine's new online class, woohoo!

Please email me your information at donna@donnadowney.com and we will send your prize out to you right away.

11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

January 24, 2011

Sponsor Spotlight & Giveaway: Green Frog Studio

I have a Monday morning treat for for all you readers! My friend, Celine Navarro from The Green Frog Studio, is starting a NEW, online class! She created Colorful Designs especially for the scrapbooker who is looking for fresh designs and who loves color!!

Want more designs on your layouts? Afraid of colors? This workshop is for you! Join Celine on this new journey, a 2 month long class and become a design and color expert!

As an experienced scrapbook teacher traveling around the globe, Celine Navarro has seen so many scrappers AFRAID of colors and not knowing how to balance their creations. Colors are the skin of your feelings, emotions - get rid of this fear and pick your color palette!

Design itself is such a concept. It actually makes layout work...or not. Celine will teach you tricks, tips, and techniques so that you wont be scared of the blank page and that your style gets itself comfortable with design and colors.

For 35 euro (around $40), you'll get.....

Access to a private blog where you'll see the weekly classes posted on Wednesday
Tips and tricks on design once a week.
A sketch with each class
Color combos for you to scrapbook NEW colors
Celine's blogging feelings
Post about the DESIGN world
VIDEOS! you'll be able to laugh at Celine's accent :)
Access to a FLICKR gallery for you to upload your layouts.
TWO live CHATS
A complete list of supplies used for each workshop

And because Celine is such a mini-album lover, your last class within this workshop will be a mini-album class! She will be offering the possibility to order a class kit for this one.

Become an expert COLORFUL DESIGN SCRAPBOOKER!

For more info, check Celine Navarro's BLOG. You can follow Celine on Facebook and Twitter too!

SIGNUPS close on February 22 2011. BEGINNING OF THE WORKSHOP is February 23 2011. END OF THE WORKSHOP is April 23 2011. No refunds possible once purchase in donw! A PDF file will be sent to you once the class is over.

Just for my blog readers: Celine Navarro is offering a FREE spot in her class, beginning on Feb. 23rd! Just leave a comment here and you might be the lucky winner!!

Just leave your comment today and you will be entered to win a FREE spot in this class!

1. Leave your comment by Tuesday morning 10am EST

2. To double your chances to win - just tweet, blog, or post on your facebook about this giveaway.

3. The winner will be announced on Tuesday afternoon!

12:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (128) | TrackBack (0)

January 21, 2011

dd studios first open studio night!

what is open studio night?

basically a crop but for any and all crafts (not scrapbooking specific). tonight i open up my studio space for the first time and the ladies are going to get their craft on, get away from home, indulge in a little me time and possibly sip a little wine while eating some snacks!

we are basically FULL which is so cool! (2 spots open if you want to slip in last minute - call kandi at the studio 704.948.4627) the studio filled just as i imagined it with people that just want to play!

i thought i would do something fun so i made these 2 cute little tag demos to share tonight.

and as a surprise to my ladies that have been crafting with me all week in the studio, we changed the entire studio store around! almost nothing is where it was yesterday. i love the fact that i now have an entire STORE to reorganize! i'm sick, i know, lol!

kandi helped me in my madness yesterday afternoon as i put together ikea shelves and gayle (see pictured above) came in to really bring the reorganization and design home last night. she left at midnight! i was there till 1:30 am and have to go in early today to organize the studio space that i used as a catch all as i reorganized the store.

i will post pictures later tonight on my facebook of the redesign and fun!

happy friday!!!!!

01:34 PM in dd studios | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

January 19, 2011

inspiration wednesday + video

"she's a brick howssse"...lol!

all i wanted to do was use my brick stencil today and i had so much fun!

watch me play!

Untitled from donna downey on Vimeo.

supplies used:

inspiration journal
brick stencil
golden quinacridone crimson acrylic paint
neutral grey pan pastel
grey shade pan pastel
white elmers paint pen
alpha stickers - making memories
charcoal pencil
black india ink
pen + nib
book text
shipping tag
date stamp
gesso
black stazon
helmar quick dry
vintage photo distress ink
tiny attacher

all

Dont forget to check out my new line of stamps that are being released at CHA next week.

03:31 PM in inspiration wednesdays | Permalink | Comments (23) | TrackBack (0)

January 18, 2011

the SHE ART WORKSHOP...

The She Art Workshop is a 3 week e-course the begins February 28th

{and you are not going to want to miss it!}

In this workshop, the sensationally talented, Christy Tomlinson will teach you how to create unique and detailed girls, as seen in her art projects! she will also share with you how she creates her backgrounds, textures, and layering styles on canvases and other surfaces! You will walk away from this class feeling confident in creating your own personalized" She Art" projects as well as having learned new art techniques you can use in other mixed media projects!

The She Art Workshop begins February 28th. Registration starts today and ends February 27th!

The She Art Workshop is presented in three parts.

Week one: Get Down to Basics! she will show you all the in's and outs of how she creates her backgrounds including unique and thrifty item you can use use AND tricks and tips of using household objects for texture! She will also show you how to create simple dresses, faces and hair using paper, as well as tips for giving your girls a more "painted" look. You will finish it off with learning how to doodle to finish off your project.

Week two: All about the Layers! This week, you will get a little more creative and she will show you how to create layered clothing, how to personalize hair, and layering techniques for backgrounds. You will also add other items to our canvases (like birds, trees, houses, etc), to make a more complete look. Plus some creative writing tips for creating your own she words and phrases to fit the person you are painting it for.

Week Three: Making it yours! In this week She will show you how to create a girl based on a photo of YOU. You will use your picture as iinspiration to sketch and design a girl that represents who YOU are. When you are done, you will have a portrait that simply portrays how wonderful you are. She will also show you She Art projects that she did using other surfaces like tags, wood, bags, books, and more!

and the best part...

it is only $35

definitely go check it out!

09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

January 17, 2011

atlanta gift mart...

what an amazing 4 days in atlanta with the highlight being my new home decor/kitchen line with demdaco being center stage.

such a proud moment...bill and i even just sat back and watched store owners get excited and comment on my line

we should have it in the shop by mid february-ish

one of my other most favorite things about the gift mart is the eye candy. i am always asked where i get inspiration and i thought i would show you a little photo montage of what gets my motor running!

{i also bought a bunch of these different saying signs to sell in the shop}

not only did i window shop, i actuall shopped!

i bought a bunch of new lines for the shop that i just had to have, i know you are going to fall madly in love with them too. should be in over the next several weeks!

hope you find some inspiration in the visual pieces of my trip!

happy monday!

10:25 AM in inspiration, Travel | Permalink | Comments (24) | TrackBack (0)

January 12, 2011

inspiration wednesday + video

love it when inspiration spills over. this page might be my favorite process-wise. it just felt organic, simple and yet i still challenged myself to try something different.

watch how this weeks inspiration wednesday pages start to take shape!