An Easy Holiday Photo Card

Recently, Linda asked members of the A Muse CT to share some ideas for holiday photo cards. I usually don't make a card that has a photo on it. Rather, I stick one inside a handmade card. I figured now was a good time to give it a try!

I found a photo from two years ago that was a good size for a 4-bar notecard. I'm one for making things as easy as possible and didn't want to have to cut cards or paper and have lots of bitty scraps. I did cut down the photo (it was wallet sized) a bit, so that the card layout would work. I think that as long as I didn't cut off any members of mi familia, it was alright to trim away. Then, the rest of the card came together easily.

Here is my tip for mass producing cards: work on one element of the card at a time because it allows you to get in a groove and focus on the particulars of each thing, i.e. like measurements, punching shapes, stamping ink in like colors, etc.

Be sure to keep checking the A Muse News blog for more holiday card inspiration!

Dreams Do Come True!

I had a few moments last night to just sit and stamp for fun, so I finally got around to putting an idea to paper! I was so happy to do something just because. I'm sure you all know the feeling.

So this idea came to me thanks to my youngest, who loves all things princess. I think that she would probably want to be a princess when she grows up, but, honestly, I hope she never tells me that. You can only imagine the eye rolling that would happen. Anyhow, she loves to have stories about princesses read to her, and we were reading one the other day. Based on the above design, can you guess what story we were reading? Everyone in my house knew, but I'm just curious if anyone else would know.

Anyone Know Where My Week Went?

Good heavens, it has been so long since I've had time to sit and write here. As is the same with so many other people, life gets in the way and people get busy. For me, it was kids and Halloween, while trying to keep them fed, watered, germ-free and happy. Now that Halloween is over, I have a week or two to lay low before another birthday, travel and Thanksgiving happen.

I thought I'd share a couple of photos of my kids in the Halloween costumes. I only had two costumes to sew this year and the other two just required a bit of handiwork on t-shirts.




My #3 was Handy Manny from Disney Channel fame, #2 was a cupcake with a cherry on top and #1 was Percy Jackson, a book character. #4 decided to be Miss Frownie Pants for this picture but I managed to get her to cooperate...



to show off her mermaid skirt that I sewed. She ended up wearing a bathing suit top over her white shirt when we went trick-or-treating, which looked much cuter than this tank top.


Amid all the craziness, I have had sometime to stamp. Mostly I have been working on my holiday cards. I am mostly finished with those, so I celebrated by making a card. It is challenging for me to make elegant cards, especially types like a sympathy card. I had seen on SCS a Clean and Simple challenge to make a sympathy card. I thought it would be good to go in a different direction from all of the glitter I had been using for holiday cards, so I got to work. Here is what I made.



I used a new MS border punch that embossed a scalloped line above the punched scallop. It is really difficult to photograph, so you'll just have to take my word for it. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Thursday!

card info: paprika, espresso shimmer papers, oak leaf flourish and sentiment by A Muse, white cardstock, MS border punch.