Mini Book

I finally finished this little book that highlights photos from my youngest daughter's first seven months. I didn't journal in it much, just her age for each photo.

I actually printed these photos out three weeks ago, but never got around to putting it all together. Two weeks ago I found the paper I wanted to use and decided I should get working on it.

Another week went by before I measure and cut the paper. I cut it just slightly smaller than the book (which is 3x3), then sanded the edges just a bit to match the paper style.

When that was done it sat for another couple of days before I had time to get it all put together. I made a little list of stamps I could use, as well as the embellishments I had that I could use. The book won't close because of the bulk of the embellishements, but that it ok with me.

This is my little Clare, who is absolutely the most Irish/Lithuanian looking of my four. Blue eyes (for now), fair skin and hair; not at all like my first three and quite a surprise to have one like that! But she is such a dear and so happy. We love her dearly and she truly does make my heart melt.

info: book by Creative Imaginations, paper by My Mind's Eye and Die Cuts With a View, stamps by A Muse, rub-ons by 7 Gypsies, clip and chipboard heart by Making Memories, gems by A Muse and unknown, flowers by Prima and Doodlebug, ribbon from various manufacturers, pin by Boxer Scrapbooks.

So Far Behind!

I've hardly had time to check email this week. It has been crazy around here, trying to adjust to summer operating hours. Anyone else like that? Ugh. Anyhow, over on the A*MUSE A*PALOOZA blog there have been instructors schedules posted, including Reston's very own Melinda! Her classes sound like great fun, too. Jenn Shurkus up in my in-laws' neck of the woods also has lots planned. Fun for the East Coast!!! The challenge for this week has been to use ribbon on your cards. Who doesn't use ribbon? I haven't had time to partake in the challenges this week either. Hope you stampers out there have had time and participate - fun golf themed prize this week for the random winner. Go stamp! You have ribbon, don't you? :)

Marking an Anniversary

One year ago today, I discovered a talented stamper who had just started her own blog. She had a beautiful card using the A Muse fairy and had entered it in a contest sponsored by Jennifer Pebbles. She wanted people to post A Muse card designs (first prize), as well as leave a comment saying how much you loved A Muse stamps (second prize). This talented stamper won the first prize from Jennifer - notecards, t-shirt and "bling" from A Muse. Her name????? Can you guess???? A talented stamper. Hmmmm.... the one and only Emily, aka Scoopy. Check out her June 25 post and see one of her early blog cards. So, I've been keeping an eye on Emily's blog for a year now. Happy belated blog-iversary, Scoopy! Oh, yeah, the second prize was a black A Muse t-shirt. Guess who won that? ME! I've had my own little black A Muse tee for almost a year. I am grateful for having found endless inspiration from the talented stampers in blog-land. Happy stamping to you all :)

Another Arkansas Memory

A long time ago, visits to Arkansas in the summer meant playing softball in my grandparents' yard. We also called this ditchball because someone had to stand in the big ditch next to the highway to catch the ball. If you were lucky enough to hit it across the highway, it would end up in the cotton patch that was planted there. This would also happen at my Aunt Ozella's house, too, because the cotton patch WAS her yard! This card shows my cousins Matthew and Chris taking a little time off of farming to play ball. Matthew is the one in the "cotton patch" looking for the ball - do you see it at his feet? Chris was one of the few who could hit it across the highway when we were younger. These were very happy days for me :)

Sorry to have gone lax in the posts; my husband has been travelling a bit these last couple of weeks and things have been a bit hectic around here. I have also been getting swaps done and ready to mail. I am slowly getting to all of my projects :)

Card info: notecard, images and sentiment by A Muse, liquid applique, scallop punch, Prismacolor markers, mini gem ?

One more swap card

For A*MUSE A*PALOOZA, I ended up hosting two 4.25" card swaps. This is for the second swap. Everyone needs thank you notes, right? These are pretty simple, so hopefully anyone would be happy to use it. I hope to get to stamp a little bit tonight. I have an idea in my head, as well as a mini book and two summer reading list journals for my kids, Joey and Emma.

I was MIA again today, but that is because I took my oldest two children to Jamestown, VA today to see the Jamestown Settlement. This settlement came 13 years before the Pilgrims in Massachusetts, which my son finds as a disappointment because he loves his Dad so much for being from Marshfield, MA, which is about 20 minutes from Plymouth. I told him that in 13 years he can celebrate the 400th anniversary of Plymouth, but this year belongs to Virginians!

Card info: sentiment by A Muse, cardstock by Bazzill, patterned paper by Basic Grey, scallop scissors, stickles, Prismacolor markers, ribbon from my supply.

D.C. Summer Fun

Almost every evening of the week in Washington, D.C., there is something FREE to do with the whole family. When I was little, my parents would take us to the Jefferson Memorial where we could see military concerts every summer. Our favorites were Christmas in July and the Lollipop concerts. My brothers always liked the concerts that included precision drills by special units. Last Tuesday, my mom and I took my three oldest children to see the U.S. Army Twilight Tattoo on the grounds of the Washington Monument. We had a picnic and enjoyed the music of the U.S. Army Blues Band and members of Down Range, an Army singing group. These are very talented people who are usually recruited for their outstanding musical abilities. Anyhow, the precision drill team flings rifles fixed with bayonets up in the air and twirl these weapons all over the place. *In the picture above, the drill master is in the middle with about 20 bayonets in his face - do you see him?* If you are near D.C., tomorrow is the last of these for the summer. However, if you miss this, there are many other military concerts held on the west lawn of the Capitol most nights of the week. Take advantage, if you haven't already!!!

It's SWAP Maddness, I Tell 'Ya!

Here are two ATCs I've made for swaps. The first one is for the last ATC swap I hosted. I had decided that I would do something summery for this one. This paper just had fun colors and the pinwheel added more fun to the mix. I love to see pinwheels in action. This tote looks like it could just take off!
***If you are in this swap and you want this to be a surprise, ignore the following picture!****





card info: cardstock by Bazzill and my supply, patterned paper by Doodlebug, images and sentiment by A Muse, brads by Making Memories, Diamond Glaze, corner rounder and square punch.


This second ATC is for Sarah B's swap. I wanted to make her something that sparkled, hence, two colors of glitter. I had also seen this layout a few times in the SCS gallery for ATCs and I wanted to try it. I like the look, but I might work on it a little. I have had so much fun making ATCs. I hope that you readers were able to participate in a swap (card or ATC) to meet some other stampers out there.


**Sarah B, if you are reading this, don't look if you want a surprise***





Card info: cardstock by Bazzill and my supply, patterned paper by Deja Views, image and sentiment by A Muse, punch by Marvy Uchida, glitter by Making Memories and Art Institute, quickie glue pen, ribbon by Michaels.

Lots of winners announced

I have been so behind on posting winners and such. And I'm sure that you all have kept up with it, anyway. If you are a winner congratulations! You have won some fun goodies, too. Hope you have fun with all your winnings, too. I hope to be back with more later!

Where Have I Been?

Well, the weekend was a very busy one for me. I had time to stamp, but no time to post pictures! I promise to photograph my things to share soon. I wan to share this card today. Laura, if you read this, it is on its way to you so don't peek if you want a surprise :)
This card I made for my sister and her family who have moved to an aspiring apple farm in western Massachusetts. Since I don't have the barn stamp, I opted to draw apples on a tree. I can't honestly see my brother-in-law wearing overalls but, he is a farmer now, so maybe he'll get a pair at Christmas. I can''t wait to make a trip to see the farm, barn and pond. I know my chilren and nieces would have a great time exploring the farm and the land together. Cheers, Laura and David!



Card info: notecard, images and sentiment by A Muse, Prismacolor markers, punches by Marvy Uchida, ribbon by May Arts, black pen.

Baby card

This is a quick card I made for my cousin and his wife who just had a baby boy a few days ago (welcome Ethan!). I will be seeing them tomorrow so I plan to hand deliver it. I have made cards like this before. One was when I was the A Muse Guest Designer. You can see it here. However, the original design was for my baby daughter's birth announcements, which I made last October. You can see that here. Both times with the duck family, I masked one adult duck so I could add a second parent to the group. The scallop border is such a pretty accent image here, too. Add the vellum into the mix and it gives the card a very soft and classic look. Here is a close up of the scallop edge. I embossed with clear powder since it was stamped on vellum - that saves smearing and drying time!
card info: images by A Muse, cardstock by SEI and scrap supply, vellum and ribbon from my supply, scallop/oval punches, Prismacolor markers, embossing powder by Ranger.

More mini-cards - July celebrations

I had a productive night! These are a few that I made and I have a two more to share later today. It makes a lot of sense to have July as Grilling month. The only thing that I don't like about the grilling is having mosquitoes bothering me while being outside. I am a regular griller - dogs, burgers, chicken, fajitas, etc. My in-laws do pizza, though. I might try that out this year. Do you do unusual grilling?


July 20 is a busy day for me. It is not only Lollipop day, but also my husband AND my mom's birthdays. We usually do something all together and I make each of them a special dessert. I wounder if I can incorporate lollipops into the cheesecake my husband asks for each year? *I don't know if it is visible, but I added swirls to the brads to mimic the lollipop swirl.*


This is for my mom, as well as all the other gorgeous grandmothers out there. Back story: when my son was born, I asked my parents what they wanted to be called. They didn't really have any suggestions at first. When Joey started to babble, I told them to come up with something and we tried a few things. My mom said, "What about Gorgeous?" They mostly call her Yaya, but when they really want something from her, they call her Gorgeous Yaya :) So, when I saw this holiday I knew I had to make a mini card for it! However, I didn't know what I could use as a grandma stamp. What I ended up doing was stamping Hula Girl in black, then I took a q-tip and rolled it over the hair so it would pick up some of the dark ink. When I stamped it, it the color was a little dull and grandma needed to be gorgeous, so I colored over the hair with a Sakura stardust pen and voila! - a silver fox!
Card info: cardstock scraps, images by A Muse, brads by Making Memories, Prismacolor and Le Plume markers.

3 more silly mini-cards

I have to say that looking up the alternative holidays has been fun. The Washington Post puts out a calendar at the beginning of the year on the kids' page and we save it to look at all the funny days to celebrate. This was one my eldest daughter saw and said we HAD to celebrate it because there were three girls in the family. I made each of the girls to (slightly) resemble my girls. The youngest has very light hair, skin and eyes, like her daddy, and she is the only fair one in my bunch!

I am not embarrassed to say that I love candy corn. I know it is just terrible for me, but something about it is addictive and I crave it from mid-September through mid-November. My kids share the love of candy corn with me, but my husband does not. I will try to save our eating of candy corn to its special day this year (yeah, right!).



Well, I don't own a dog and I can't claim to be a "dog person" but I just wanted to use the sniffer doggie on a card! We have lots of dogs in our neighborhood and I colored this one to resemble a dog down the street. My kids will like knowing it is "dog day" and maybe we will go on a hunt to count all the dogs we see that day!

Card info:cardstock scraps, patterned paper by Chatterbox, images (except candy corn: Inkadinkadoo) by A Muse, Le Plume markers.

Two more silly days to celebrate

Are you ready for this celebration? If you are a fan of 80's music, you will want to mark August 10 on your calendars, put up your polo shirt collars and tease your hair. Get eyeliner and highlights! Cuff your pants and suck in your cheeks! It is National Duran Duran Appreciation Day!!!!! Of course, this holiday would be for me, not my kids :) I tried to make the rock star wearing a bit of eye makeup, but my fine point pen was not quite *fine* enough. I did make him wearing shiny leather pants, though (thanks to the Sakura glaze pen!). I think the Duran Duran guitarist was a Taylor, but I can't remember for sure - Andy? Anyone know? I forgot to look it up.




This is most definitely a day for my whole family. We love ice cream any way we can get it! We get the Ben and Jerry's free cone day on our calendars as soon as we find out (April) and our calendar just so happens to be from Turkey Hill Ice cream, so we get to check out all the yummy ice cream treats each and every day of the year! Maybe I can plan ahead and let the kids have yummy treats to put with their ice cream this year. Mine might be covered in brand new rubber, seeing as how July 15 is the last day of A*MUSE A*PALOOZA.


Card info: more cardstock scraps, images by A Muse, Sakura glaze pen, Le Plume markers, pop dots.

Mini-card series pt. 2

Another two cards today for you. The first is one I look forward to every year! Now that I have children that is. My son would come home from preschool with the graham cracker houses in December and i always thought those were cute, but I wanted something bigger and gingerbready. So we started doing our own. The kids have fun choosing the candies and other decorations and I have fun baking up the gingerbread. This is a fun holiday for us!

This little holiday is a good one for September and all things "Back to School." Correct punctuation usage is becoming obsolete, too. I think this one needs to be better recognized by everyone.

Card info: cardstock from my scrap supply, images and alphas by A Muse, computer generated sentiments.

Featured Sponsor of the Week

This week the spotlight is on Strano Designs, the makers of lovely ribbons for all your crafty needs. They are the makers of over 300 kinds of ribbons is so many sizes. These are really beautiful, too. I have some in my craft hole that I am using quite sparingly at the moment. The colors are vibrant and the ribbon is high quality! Check out their website to learn more and make a list of all the pretty ribbons you need!

Mini-cards Series

Now, some might think this is cheating a bit, but instead of making traditional cards to send out for the Design Challenge #8 - make a card to celebrate a non-traditional holiday - I decided to make mini-cards that would be used like place cards. I can keep a little stack of these in the kitchen (I think I'll paperclip these to the calendar) and on the specified day, put the min-card out on the table for my kids to see. What do you think? Is it cheating? Well, I think it is kinda cute :) This was inspired from my youth when kids used to ask if the brown cows were the ones that gave chocolate milk (remember that one?) Anyhow, I will be working on more of these for fun days that my kids will enjoy celebrating. Hopefully those will be silly enough to qualify for the challenge. Card info: cardstock from my scrap supply (it is endless!), images by A Muse, Prismacolor marker.

This is for WHITNEY (who asked if I have a trick to computer generate my sentiments) * * What I did to get the words on the cardstock was to make a document the size of a 4x6 index card. Then I made a text box and typed in my special holiday and date. Then I ran the smaller sized paper through the printer. When I computer-generate a card sentiment, I do the same thing, only I maintain the regular size paper. I usually run it through to print on scrap paper and hold up the size card behind it to see if placement is where I want it to be. This is not scientific or particularly tricky. It is trial and error. Also, I always save the document when I am done for future use and title it "4.25 card_lower_center" or "4.25 card_upper-right." This makes it easy to get the job done faster! Clear as mud, right?

Faux Fireworks

Inspired by the latest Card of the Week in the A Muse newsletter, I made this card. I've had this notecard since last year and haven't had any idea what to do with it. But I thought the starbursts looked a little bit like fireworks, so I just highlighted a few with Stickles and add Miss Liberty. Looking at it, I think I need better coverage with the glitter, so I may go back and fix it.
Card info: notecard, image and sentiment by A Muse, stickles, Prismacolor marker.

Did you get one yet?

Here is my t-shirt. I figured I would wear it today because I will be out and about with the kids today, even venturing to D.C. this evening for the US Army Band Twilight Tatoo. So, what the heck? A little promo for A Muse while I'm at it! These t-shirts, in case you are wondering, are "realistically" sized, meaning, these are not stretchy and tight t-shirts. Quite comfy, actually. There are a variety of colors, too, so you should be able to find one that you like. You've gotta have one if you are an A Muse fan!!!!

Challenge #8

"Get your sillies out" is the theme of this week's design challenge. Card makers are being challenged to make a card to celebrate a silly or wacky non-traditional "holiday". A few weeks ago I made a card for National Chocolate Chip Cookie day, so I think that is the kind of celebration they are talking about. I have a website bookmarked that is just for this, so I looked at it and will try to find some fun days to celebrate. Here's a good one, which just so happens to fall on the SAME week as A*MUSE A*OALOOZA: Nude Recreation Week! I would not participate in that one and I can't even image how I could make a card for it, although, admittedly, I DID think about it! *wink* Have fun with this one if you decide to participate.

Card for Swap 1 - sneak peek!

This is what I came up with last night - very late! I think that when making swap cards, simple designs are best. Mainly because you don't know what other people might like or dislike. I really wanted to use this patterned paper and wanted to make a card that will be needed. The only thing about this is that the chipboard flowers are all different in shape; however, the size and color remain the same. I hope that the people swapping will be happy with it!
Card info: Cardstock by Bazzill and my supply, patterned paper by My MInd's Eye, chipboard and glitter by Making Memories, image and sentiment by A Muse, quickie glue pen, ribbon from Michaels.

Rockin' Rock Star

I have to say that I really am glad to have this Rock Star dude. My son is seven and has been invited to many boys' birthday parties. Guess what always ends up on the card? My son calls me dude sometimes, too, so this sentiment is his favorite. This one will be going to a little guy on Friday. I accidentally dropped the VersaMark dew drop on the smaller image after using it and it left a line :( but I don't think the birthday boy will really notice, do you? The little bursts are just the "fun star" centers inked up. I thought it kind of looked like flashing lights you might see at a concert. I am off to work on my card swaps!
Card info: notecard, images and sentiment by A Muse, cardstock from my scrap supply, Prismacolor markers, Sakura stardust pen.

Muchas Gracias

Thanks to all who replied to the second card swap - I've sent you an email. And, for anyone out there who likes to plan ahead, I am thinking that once A*MUSE A*PALOOZA has come and we all have nice pretty stamps to love, I might host another ATC swap, just so I can see what you all bought!

Remembering My Manners...

...paid off! I had a few people (more than the first swap limit) contact me about participating in the 4.25 card swap. Now I just need one more person to organize a second card swap. Are you out there? Anyone? Pretty, pretty please? IF interested, please contact me and I will send out all the details ASAP. Thanks in advance :)

A Showcase Item

This is a little thing I made to hold (SHOWCASE) the ATCs from the first swap I hosted. I found it here after seeing a link for it on Allison's blog. It was quick to do, too. I think I will make a couple of more of these for future swaps! Here is a look inside (I used Velcro instead of the circular closures).
info: cardstock by Bazzill, alphas, patterned paper and images by A Muse, Velcro sticky back circles, red sticky tape, Prismacolor markers.

Scavenger Hunt winner...

Kaylyn Conover won the drawing for the scavenger hunt on the AP blog. Way to go, Kaylyn. Enjoy your HUGE prize :)

Pretty please?

I am still looking for two people to participate in my 4.25 card swap. Please see this post if you think you might be willing to join. I don't usually ask for help, but I would like to make a respectable showing in the AP Ambassador contest ;)

Where have I been?

I know I posted earlier today (AP duties called!), but no card until 11:30pm?!?!? Well, today was the last day of school and I ended up with a different schedule than I've been used to, so here I am. I did get to stamp tonight and I hope I will be able to stamp tomorrow night, as well. Do you want to see what I did?

I know that the glitter challenge is over, but I am still trying to work on this Essential Glue pad and getting the results I want. I only used it on the waves, though. The glitter on the tree was done with the quickie glue pen.
Card info: notecard, images and sentiment by A Muse, Essential glue pad, quickie glue pen, glitter by Making Memories and Art Institute, Pebbles, Inc shimmer chalks.



One more for you tonight. This one I made just for fun. I am sure I will have a birthday person to send it to sometime soon, so into the box of birthday cards it will go. I had a little trouble matching the greens with this one. One ink color was too bright, another too subtle. Oh well. I may try it with some other colors when I have time.


Card info: notecard, images and sentiment by A Muse, ribbon by May Arts, Stickles.

Don't forget!

Tonight is the deadline for the AP blog Scavenger Hunt. If you haven't answered your questions, do it soon. Here is the link for you to see the questions. Have fun!!!

And the winner is...

Emily for Design Challenge 7! She had a cute little card with a glitter car piled high with presents as the winning entry. Way to go Emily :)

Another featured store for Midwesterners

This weekend on the AP blog they added another featured store. This one is in Indiana and it is called Scrapbook Friend'z. Friends or frenzy?!?!?! Well, I'd be in a frenzy if I walked into the store and saw that wall of paper! Holy cow! Check it out here. If you are in or near Bloomington, I hope you make it to the store: lots of make and takes and prizes and a Friend'z stamping party!

A *little* bit of glitter for a *little* ATC

You could say a little goes a long way, huh? This time I used Stickles because I have more colors available to me in the glitter glue bottles. Stickles is also a little less messy to add to a card and a little cheaper (at least up-front costs). I made this (and 9 more) for a swap that MJ is hosting.


***MJ - don't look if you want it to be a surprise!***


I wanted fun summer colors and thought this paper would work. It reminds me of different flavors of sherbet. I am looking forward to making up the cards and ATCs for the swaps I am hosting. If you would like to sign up, please contact me (see link to the right side -->); I am still looking for a few more swappers and would love to "meet" more stampers. I will leave the swaps open through Monday night.

Ok, so on to the ATC:




info: image and sentiment by A Muse, patterned paper and brad by Making Memories, punches by Marvy Uchida, Prismacolor markers, liquid applique, Sakura stardust pen, Stickles, cardstock from my supply.

Happy Father's Day x 3

This is the card I made for my dad for Father's Day. He is the kind that always asked for peace and quiet for his special day. Did he ever get it? Not with five kids in his house and probably not today. We are headed over to see my parents, and other family members in a little while. I picture this as my dad taking a little bit of a break from all the yard and garden work he usually does, although, he doesn't have any chickens to watch - just deer and squirrels.

This is the card I made for the other dads in my family: my father-in-law, grandfather-in-law and brother-in-law. They are all golfers so I hope they will like it. My dad doesn't have much interest in golf, so I didn't bother to make one like this for him. I used the flag on top of the sandcastle for the pin and drew the rest. The sentiment was computer generated, too.
And these little masterpieces were made by my two oldest. Joey, age 7, made the one on the left. Everything was done by him except for a guideline circle and the stickles glitter on the middle devil guy - even the sentiment was his idea! The one on the right was done by Emma, age 5, who loves to use all the colors she can get her hands on, as well as glitter. I helped he with this one because she was trying to incorporate all the male images I have on the front. She inked each stamp and I stamped the images. She wanted the rock star in the middle so she could do the sentiments on either side. This morning she explained why daddy was like each one of the guys on the card. It was so cute! My husband loved the cards and said he has high hopes for future cards.

One more glittery card

I think that this fairy was one of my early A Muse purchases. I have three girls now, so I am sure that I will use this one many times for birthday invites or birthday cards (like this one). I tried to highlight some of the flowers below the fairy, as if she was sprinkling sparkly flowers down below.
Today my kids made my husband Father's Day cards with some of my rubber stamps. Guess what they used? ALL A Muse!!! I will try to share those tomorrow.
**I still have room in the swaps I am hosting. I will leave these open through Monday night. For those who have signed up, I will email you all shortly with more details!**
Card info: notecard, image and sentiment by A Muse, Prismacolor markers, Sakura stardust pen, quickie glue pen, glitter by Stampendous, stickles.

My First ATC Swap and More

Here is a look at the great ATCs that were made for the first ATC swap I hosted. You can see mine here. I was waiting to post until I was sure everyone had received their ATCs. I began a second swap that will be due soon, so there will be more to share sometime next week. I am having a lot of fun with the swaps and ATCs, so I think I am up for hosting again! I am going to try to organize two swaps this time. I am looking for ATC swappers and card swappers. Below are the details. PLEASE contact me if you would like to join. I am enjoying every one's creations so far :)

ATC Swap:
Make 8 ATCs, you would get back 8, including one of your own
2 or more layers
Must include at least 1 A Muse stamp (otherwise, no vendor restrictions)
At least one embellishment preferred, but not required
Swaps would be due to me by July 3 and I will swap back to you on July 4 (send out on July 5). If you would like to make it a summer themed card that would be great, too!
Please sign and number each of your swaps and put them in a zip-lock bag to protect them from inclimate weather. Your bag should be marked with your name. Also include a SASE + 1 additional stamp (it will be returned if not needed). No metered strips please.
1. Elena
2. Nancy P.
3. Tracy
4. Ericka
5. Stefanie
6. Liz
7. Penny
8. Damaris

****THIS SWAP IS CLOSED****


Card swap:
Make 6 4.25" square (A Muse classic size) cards. You'll receive 6 back, but not one of your own. Must include at least 1 A Muse stamp (otherwise, no vendor restrictions). There are no layer or embellishment requirements.
Swaps would be due to me by July 2 and I will swap back to you on July 4 (mail out on July 5).
Please put cards in a zip-lock bag to protect them from inclimate weather. Your bag should be marked with your name. Also include a SASE + 1 additional stamp (it will be returned if not needed). No metered strips please.
1. Elena
2. Nancy P.
3. Courtney
4. Liz
5. Ingrid
6. Sarah B.
7. Katie

****THIS SWAP IS CLOSED****

Again, please email me if you would like to join. I hope you have a wonderful weekend celebrating the fathers in your lives.

For you California Girls

The featured store this week is in the San Joaquin Valley of California. I've heard so much about how wonderful stamp stores are on the west coast and this one sounds like it would not disapoint. It defintely sounds like a papercrafter's idea of heaven with stamps, papers and embellishments. You can check out more about the store here. Do you live nearby?

I can't believe it!

This is my 100th post! I didn't intend to have so many posts in such a short time, but I have, thanks to A*MUSE A*PALOOZA. So this card goes out to everyone who has bothered to drop in to see my creations and, especially, to those who have left comments for me. I feel like I have made some stamping friends out there! This card is a little out of the ordinary for me, but I have been trying to use some materials I've had around for a while, like this flourish. It is always good to stretch the craft-bounds I have made for myself. I hope you all have a happy weekend and have time to stamp!
Card info: cardstock by Bazzill, patterned paper by Basic Grey, image and sentiment by A Muse, chipboard flourish by Fancy Pants, brads by ???, pop dots, scallop scissors.

Embrace the Space!

Here is one more card using LOTS of white space and no layers. Again, "efficient." Ok, I made up a set of these super simple cards to give to my son's teacher as an End-of-the-Year gift. I usually give teachers cards because I know that they can always use them. I know I always need thank you and birthday cards! On some I curved the sentiment over the top of the mug, others had it straight on the side. I add just a *little* bit of glitter to the polka dots so the cards didn't look too plain. Now I just need to package these up nicely and have the gift ready to go on Monday for the last day!
Card info: image and sentiment by A Muse, cardstock from my supply, Prismacolor marker, ribbon by Martha Stewart @ Michaels, quickie glue pen, glitter by Making Memories.

Quick gift tags

I have had these little magnetic snappy things for a few months. I received them as a "gift" for having a card published in Paper Trends magazine last year. Anyway, I didn't know what to do with these so I've just had them stuck in a drawer. The other day I sent Emma to school with the m&m jars in plain brown gift bags. "Hmmm, something is missing," I said. I went to make a gift tag, saw these in the tag drawer and thought, "I could cover these and wrap and snap them around the handles." These worked out well for last minute (at 6:30 am, no less). I trimmed the paper, ran it through the Xyron, adhered it to the snappy thing, stamped the with the sentiment and then the flower with Versamark and added shimmer chalks over the top with a complimentary color. I think that I will be using this idea for the remaining tags.

info: snappy tags and shimmer chalks by Pebbles, Inc., sentiment and image by A Muse, paper by Basic Grey, Xyron sticker maker.

Fun with Flamingos

Here is another birthday card based on the same layout as this card. Call me lazy if you want. I call it "efficient" because I don't always have time to come up with something completely new. It also is the same layout for the Flag Day card posted below. Say it with me, "efficient." I know I've used a lot of plain white cardstock as the base lately. It is because I am trying out different white cardstock to see which stamping surface I like best. Some is a little thin, some is a little slick, some is a wee bit glossy. If you have any suggestions on GOOD quality white cardstock, please post a comment for me. I would really appreciate your opinion! **The bird is covered in glitter and is very sparkly; too bad the picture doesn't show it.**
Card info: cardstock from my supply, images and sentiment by A Muse, Prismacolor markers, ribbon by Strano, glitter by Stampendous, quickie glue pen.

Happy Flag Day

I don't really have the occasion to make patriotic cards much, but I do love this Lady Liberty. I think that it is the only patriotic stamp I own! But, since it is Flag Day, I thought it appropriate to make a card featuring red, white and blue. This card I had messed up with a spill of water, so I changed the original intent by adding layers of papers and ribbon to cover up the original ink and slightly warped paper edge(can you find it?). Here is a better look at the sparkle I added to Miss Liberty.
Card info: cardstock from my supply, pretty little paper, image and twinkle sticker by A Muse, patterned paper from my scrap supply, ribbon from various manufacturers, pop dots, computer generated sentiment, Prismacolor marker, glitter by Stampendous, quickie glue pen.






Flag Day is also my wedding anniversary. My husband, David, and I have been married for 11 years! He is a wonderful husband who wholeheartedly supports me in everything I do, from grocery shopping to volunteering to trips with the family to my crafty desires. We share a love for our children, sports, fun times and each other. This is the card I gave him this morning. I usually show him all the cards I make, but this one has been hidden from him for about a week. I know he genuinely likes something when I hear a chuckle, and I heard one today :)

Card info: cardstock resources and ribbon unknown, images, twinkle sticker and sentiment by A Muse, safety pin by Making Memories, red paint and Prismacolor markers.

Look What the Early Bird Found!

Check this prize package
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You can win this by participating in the A*MUSE A*PALOOZA online scavenger hunt. Click here to read the questions. You need to have your answers submitted by Monday and they will pick a winner randomly from all the correct answers. Have fun and good luck!

Featured Sponsor - for punch lovers!

Marvy Uchida is the featured sponsor on the AP Blog this week, instead of a stamp store. If you love A Muse, you probably love Marvy Uchida punches! Those scallop ovals and squares and circles are a big hit with stampers and now there are even more shapes and sizes of scallop punches. Check out www.uchida.com to find out what other great products they manufacture for stampers, as well as paper crafters. I own many of the Le Plume markers which are great for coloring your rubber. They offer many other types of pens and markers - something for everyone!

A Glittery Blowout

I made this card mostly because I've been wanting to make a card with orange, blue and green. I saw these colors on an advertisement I received in the mail and thought these would be good for a summer birthday. I can never have too many birthday cards on hand, either. I used the Essential Glue Pad again, this time with Ultra Fine glitter and had better results. I think, however, that the sticky factor would be greater if the image has bolder lines or is solid. I haven't given up, just need to find more of the Ultra Fine glitter in colors I would use frequently. I made up a couple of other cards this evening, too, and hope to get around to sharing those after I can photograph them.
Card info: notecard, image and sentiment by A Muse, cardstock from my scrap supply/Bazzill, scallop/circle punches, pop dots, Essential glue pad, glitter by Art Institute Glitter, and ribbon from my supply.

Birthday Fun

Here we have the classic "lazy" card, i.e. I didn't feel like pulling out paper and matching it to markers or ribbon, so I opted for a no-layer card. I really like how it all worked out, especially the "have fun" that was highlighted on the sentiment close to the flamingos. The birds are colored in with two different colors of glitter (the middle bird was colored with marker before adding clear glitter). I may use this one for a birthday for a little girl down the street on Saturday.
Card info: images and sentiment by A Muse, cardstock from my supply, glitter by Stampendous and Making Memories, quickie glue pen, Prismacolor and Le Plume markers.

Winner Announced

The Secret Squares game is officially over and the winner was Erin. The last prize consisted of three cute, classic A Muse images: Henry, Lizzie and castle. Imagine all the fun Erin will have putting those images together! Congratulations to Erin.

Final Round of Secret Squares

There are a mere three contestants left on the AP blog's game of Secret Squares. They have until TONIGHT to make their guesses via e-mail. The A Muse Crew member holding the last prize was Becky and she had twinkle stickers in her hot little hands. Some one is going to be a very lucky and happy lady when Secret Squares is all done. The next fun game up will be a scavenger hunt! What fun :)

Checking Out the Competition, Part II

I figured that I'd follow the links from the AP Blog to peruse the blogs of some of the Ambassador Competition participants. There is a list of over 30 stampers, so I randomly chose a few. The first was Andrea. She has a cute card that she is trying to make "scratch and sniff." She likes to cut out images and mount these on the main images. What patience she has! Next I looked at Connie's blog. She has some really nice cards in her A Muse gallery - some look familiar; I think these were in A Muse Reader galleries! My favorite, though, was this cute Patch card. Next I checked out Kristina's blog. She has a great Noah's Ark card on there that she embossed. But my favorite was this Girl Power card - it reminded me of my oldest daughter, who LOVES pink. Now, Sarah B. (there are 4 Sarahs!) has a fun blog and she writes with a great enthusiasm! She has this little "truffle" card in her A Muse gallery that is so adorable. The final one of the night is Taylor, who has a HUGE following (her latest post has over 200 comments!) and I think is the favorite to win the Ambassador Competition (she has over *8* swaps going on - I can't compete with that!). She is on lots of Design teams and is so very young! I couldn't pick a favorite of her cards - these were all so beautiful. When you get the chance, check out these other blogs, if you haven't already done so. What great inspiration for everyone! I'll try to check out more when I have time.

Fun with glitter!

Here is my first glittery card. It didn't photograph very well - sorry. The splotches on the scallops of the oval are really the "tiny flower" covered with glitter. I used the Essential Glue Pad for this. I must say that you REALLY need to use *Ultra Fine Glitter* when using this glue pad. I used Making Memories scrapbooking glitter and it just doesn't work very well. If I had a pretty pink ultra fine glitter, it would have turned out as I had envisioned. I'll keep trying!
Card info: image and sentiment by A Muse, glitter by Making Memories, Essential Glue Pad, Quickie glue pen, scallop/oval punches, scallop scissors, eylet hole punch, cardstock from my supply, ribbon by Strano.