Sweets for the Sweet

Hey! Holy cow!  Two weeks have gone by so it is time for another A Muse Studio Challenge.  The theme is sweet treats, Valentine's style.  Okay, so I caught the Valentine's part of it, but somehow I missed the treat part.  In my house, if you want a treat you'd better be part feline because your options are Pounce in the can, Friskies funky shaped things, or some regular kibble catfood that I just tell you is a treat (and you fall for it).

Or, if you are me, you find twine to be an acceptable treat; in which case I have included a treat in my entry.  Indeed, there is no need to buy me a box of chocolates for Valentine's Day.  I will gladly settle for a box of twine.

For this card I finally got around to using the Sending my Love set that I got awhile ago.  It is totally cute and has fun images in it.  I am really liking how A Muse is embracing the color grapefruit lately, which is the color featured on this card.  I am a big fan of their hot bubblegum pink too, but sometimes you need a subtler pink.  I also like the grapefruit color paired with the different grays that A Muse has.  This one is called Seattle.  The twine through the button is Seattle gray as well.  I know you are saying, but the twine shown has white in it also; that can't be the same twine!  But it is!  I cut a small length off and separated the fibers so I could pull all the white ones out.  It was easy peasy!

The Fine Print: All the everythings by A Muse Studio. Stamp sets used "Sending my Love" and "At First Sight," inks used Memento black and grapfruit, cardstocks used Seattle gray and grapefruit chevron, heart trio dies used, image colored with Copic markers.

I've Been Up Stampin'!

In recent times I've been to three different Stampin' Up activities.   I thought I'd share a couple of the cards I made at them.  These are my two favorite, and the two I can easily locate.

This one was from an open house and it copies a sample in the new catalog, which is chock full of wonderful things that I MUST have!  Must have all the things!  I really like the different patterns on this card and how the page of text is sideways. I never thought to put words any other way than right side up.  This opens new doors for me!  Now, close the door, it is chilly outside.

This pretty card was made at a workshop. I really like this and as soon as I saw it thought it would make an excellent mother's day card.  The piece with "get well" on it is lightly tacked on it case I decide to change out the greeting.

Long before A Muse came into the picture I always thought that I would like to sell Stampin' Up.  However, in my town you can't swing a dead cat (or even an alive one) without hitting an SU demonstrator.  Of course, I would be my own best customer and probably not need anyone else, but that's another story.

The Fine Print: All the wonderful goodness by Stampin' Up with the possible exception of the page of text but definitely not the fringing scissors used on it.  And no, those weren't those fabulous scissors Martha has either.  They were from grandma and passed down through the generations, so we were only allowed to gaze upon their beauty, not actually touch them.

Bad Words: A Lesson in Dictionary Usage

Once when my little brother and I were small children, our mom and dad called us both into the dining room for "a talk."  Since our family never had discussions or  talked about anything important ever, we knew this was a seriously serious situation.  We entered the room filled with trepidation and anticipation.  Whatever could be so important to cause us to be called upon to this parental conference?

Our mother and father held forth a large red hardbound book.  "Kids," my father intoned, "This is an unabridged dictionary."

Little bro and I must have looked skeptical or perhaps confused because my father had to go on to explain, "That means it has all the words there are in it."

Yeah... little bro and I still weren't seeing why this meeting was called together.  I don't know about bro, but I knew dictionaries had words in them.  We had them at school.

My mother couldn't wait for us to connect the dots so she jumped in, "That means it has bad words in it too and under no circumstances do I want you to look up the bad words in this dictionary!"

My little brother and I looked at each other.  You could tell what the other was thinking, "Holy shit! You can look bad words up in the dictionary?!  Who would have thought?! Wow!  Can't wait to do that!"

Again, I don't know about him but I was smart enough to wait several days before conducting an audience with the dictionary.  Of course I rushed right to the F's to look up the mother of all bad words (at the time, I understand the C-word trumps the F-word these days).  And immediately I was disappointed.  The definition was not at all enlightening.    Not to be deterred I decided to look up another bad word, only I couldn't think of one.  Finally, under extreme pressure I looked up the word "shit" but since I already knew what that was it was really anticlimactic.  Thus ended my looking up bad words in the unabridged dictionary.

The Fine Print: More Club Scrap stuff from the "Big City" December 2012 kit. No dictionaries were destroyed in the making of this card but in reality I have two disheveled red unabridged dictionaries that would make awesome background papers.  I could be really crazy and use the pages with the bad words on them.

You Put the 'x' in Xenophobe

I haven't updated my blog for a week, which I'm sure is something I don't need to point out to you, but I felt I would anyway, because hey, words is words.

And right there is the reason I haven't posted in a week--because of words.  Or rather the lack of them. Oh sure, last week was the first week of school (where I work) so I was real busy answering all those dumb questions that people who've never worked the information line say don't exist.  Plus I was silly enough to take a class so I had this awful stuff called homework looming over my head (and three quizzes which is just immoral and wrong).  But despite all that it was not knowing what to say that caused me to not post.

It is also true that I haven't done much crafting lately but I still have a pile of stuff to share with you that I made over Christmas break, like the card above.  Somehow, though I thought I should add words to my blog instead of just pictures, but what to say beyond here is a card I made over Christmas break?  In fact, that is exactly what I said to my friend who complained about my lack of blogging.  Her answer was to write something funny.  I told her that I didn't know if I had funny things that would relate to the card in question.  Her reply was, "Who cares?!"  And indeed, who does care?  If it is you who wants the photo and the story to match then you will be sadly disappointed in this post.  If you are wild and free spirited then read on.

Once upon a time, possibly in the 80's, there was a very popular song by Kiss that went, "You put the 'x' in sex."  The song was playing on my car stereo as a male friend and I drove around.

"What does that even mean anyway?" my friend asked.  "You put the 'x' in sex?"

"Umm..." I answered, wondering where the joke of this question could be going.

"Why the 'x'?  Why not the 's' or the 'e'?  It could be like 'e' for excellent!"

"Or 's' for satisfactory?"

"Exactly!" my friend answered. "See! You get it.  Why 'x' in sex? That's just silly."  He was truly puzzled why anyone would sing about one of the letters in a word.

"Uh, you don't think it could be 'x' like x-rated, do you?" I queried.

"No.  That doesn't make any sense," responded my friend. " I think they've run out of topics to sing about and now just have to make shit up." And there the case was closed, never to be discussed again.

So sometimes when my life is going along just fine without any weirdness or hitches, I think to myself, "And just why do they care about the 'x' in sex?"   And then I laugh.

The Fine Print: Okay, so maybe not the best funny story, but it makes me laugh every time I think of it. My friend was so seriously puzzled over it.  In my world it ranks right up there with the meaning of the word "the." Cards made with Club Scrap stuff from the December "Big City" kit.

New to Me

Hey Friends, Followers and Freaks!
Guess what is back as of today?! That's right! The A Muse Studio Challenge Blog!  We are ringing in the new year with a new challenge that is about NEW STUFF.  The challenge is to break out with your newest stuff (even if it is old hat to the rest of us) and give it a whirl.  You can combine it with an old favorite technique

Here is my card using NEW STUFF.  There is lots of new A Muse Studio stuff on this card and it is all geared towards Valentine's Day.  The stamps are from a new Valentine's Day set called All For Love.  The card base is sprayed with one of their new Splash sprays in grapefruit, and one of the washi tapes in from their newest catalog.  I can't really say that I used an old favorite technique on this card except that it *IS* a card and that is my favorite thing to make.

Anyway, check out the challenge and join in if you can.  I know that prize winners can only from the US or APO addresses but don't let that stop you from joining in if you can.

The Fine Print: This will be mostly a rerun if you actually read the post, which I'm going out on a limb and assuming you did. All products from A Muse Studio, stamps from "All for Love" set, card base blush sprayed with grapefruit Splash spray, Seattle polka dot paper.

Something

Okay!  Okay, already!  I posted something!  It is more from that Simon Says Stamp kit.  You know, the one that inspires me to use birds called Music to My Ears.  That circular stain is part of the pattern on the paper that's not where I rested my drink.  Pinky promise!

I agreed to teach a make and take class in March for a zillion ladies (okay, maybe closer to 45) so I am thinking something along these lines with all the strips of papers cut like banners.  The class focus would be how to use up all the scrap strips of cool papers we all have lying around.  I got the idea from Crooked Stamper's Blog, in particular this post.  I made the above card before I came across this post, so I already learned the value of left over scraps as banners.

The Fine Print: Papers from Basic Grey "Serenade," stamp from Simon Says Stamp, twine from Doodlebug, birds on a wire punch from Martha Stewart.

Valentine Bird

Darn those lousy cats, anyway.  You give them one task, one little task, one little tiny quick task and they can't even complete it.  Well, here is the post that was supposed to go up yesterday but didn't.  Not, mind you, that there was any timely content of this post or anything, just I thought I was on top of it for once.

Here is the last card I am going to teach at a workshop this weekend.  Yes, I know--another bird card.  I CASed this idea from somewhere in blogland.  I like this card because the greeting can be substituted out for a more general greeting easily.  In fact, I've tucked one into the workshop kit in case people get tired of Valentine's cards (or perhaps they don't have multiple lovers).  The general greeting is "just a note."

See that lovely small grain gingham paper? That is going away as it is on A Muse's retiring list.  That makes me so sad as I love it so. I am torn about stocking up on a lot of it or not.  I won't be able to use it on A Muse projects once it goes away; however most of the things I make are not for A Muse-only projects.  On the flip side, there will probably be a new patterned paper (or two) that I will love just as well and that I will be able to use.  Perhaps I should save my pennies for that. 

Also, there is that little thing called hoarding.  See, if I get a bunch of it I may never use it because I'll know that is the last of it on the entire planet. That's quite intimidating, ya know!

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamp sets used "Life is a Song" (also retiring) and "Essential Sentiments" and "Polka Dot Patterns." Cardstocks used sugar and onyx gingham.  Cherry red stitched ribbon.

Whazzup?! WOYWW 188

Hello and Welcome to another edition of What's on Your Workdesk brought to us by the fah-bew-lous Julia from Across the Pond. 

So what is on my workdesk this cold and frozen Wednesday morning?

A cat!  What else would be on there?  I thought this picture was interesting because Charles almost looks like a real cat here.  He is still a pesky kitten although a large, pesky kitten.  He is so proud of his ability to jump and climb.

Above are what delights are hidden within the desk.  From left to right is the usual stash of stuff, then the A Muse Studio retiring list (eek), a snowflake stamp set, a new scrubber for a workshop, heart dies, loose sequins (well, they are in a bag but they aren't strung together), a Stampin' Up punch, something I don't know what it is, a pile of stuff in the works (including the last little bits of the kit I've been showing off),  my lovely large roll of May Arts natural twine, and the usual stash to the right of the desk..

This is a card I made that I will be teaching at a workshop this coming weekend.  It is inspired by a card in the A Muse Studio Valentine catalog.  I think my version is better than theirs, or at least it shows off more products.  The card base is sprayed with their ink spray that they call Splash. I decided I would pre-spray the card bases before the workshop so we don't end up dyeing my friend's furniture, carpet, and house grapefruit pink ('cuz I'm nice like that).

Here is another card we will be doing.  It is inspired by another consultant's card.  She had ribbon and button on her card, which made it look more complete but I opted to leave off due to bulk.

 Here are the rest of the kitties so they don't feel slighted.  Poppy and Jack are enjoying the heater and Dio was leaping off my desk chair trying to catch the camera strap.

The Fine Print: All card stuff by A Muse Studio.  Top card-blush card base sprayed with grapefruit splash, "All for Love" stamp set, spring and Valentine's Day washi tape, and gold sequins, inks used grapefruit and cocoa Memento. Bottom card-cherry gingham base, cherry, and cherry heartprint cardstock, "Tweet Heart" and "Essential Sentiments" stamp sets, heart die, Spellbinders oval and scallop oval dies, cherry ink, and Tombow markers.

Inspiring!

I hope this card inspires you. 

The Fine Print: Just more of the same stuff in a different way on a different day, stamps by Simon Says Stamps, sticker letters and patterned paper by Basic Grey "Serenade."

Bird Brain

Apparently when it comes to crafting I have birds on the brian.  I mean, just look at the past bunch of cards I've posted.

Then there is this one above, made with the bits and pieces of the never ending Music to My Ears kit (I've been calling it Serenade).  Plus, I made two sample cards for my upcoming A Muse workshop and they both had birds on them. I haven't photographed them yet, so you'll just have to be patient.

And here is another one from the Club Scrap stuff.  By the way, I've stuck a fork in that kit and called it done.  A friend asked me what I consider "done" and what that means.  I keep kit stuff all together in its box, bag or envelope until it is done and once that happens any left over bits get incorporated into my regular stash.  I keep the stuff together until then because it works together.  For Club Scrap stuff I get the greetings to go order and that comes with 15 card blanks and die cuts and embellishments. I consider a kit done once I've used up the blanks and the majority of the die cuts.  The kits also come with coordinating cardstock so often I leave the kit together until I use up some of that too (and the remainder of the die cuts).  Sometimes I'm not happy with the colors or something so I only make a few cards and then unkit everything.  The Simon Says Stamps kits are pretty much the same thing.  I consider them done once I've used up the majority of the papers and embellishments.   I often reuse their boxes to put new coordinating stuff in, so yeah, I rarely seem to downsize boxes.

The Fine Print: Top card--letter stickers and "Serenade" papers by Basic Grey, bird cage and bird die by Tim Holtz (Sizzix), scallop border and heart by A Muse Studio.  Bottom Card--card base, green fiber and bird stamp by Club Scrap "Birds of a Feather," oval dies by Spellbinders, textured paper from stash.

The Birds

I'm fresh out of words to share with you, but I do have some cards that I made over my holiday break.  Here they be.

The blue background is paper from my stash and I used twine to tie the tags onto the card.  I totally am in love with that roll of May's Art natural twine I bought on a whim.  I was leery of it because it is 4-billion yards or something but I am finding it to be my go-to twine over and over again (despite the nice, healthy stash of baker's twine I have).

The other cards were made with the left over parts and pieces I had from a Club Scrap kit.  The paper flowers and flowered brads were from my stash, as was the green ribbon.

By the way, these cards refuse to settle down and position themselves in this post as I want them to.  Darn things have a mind of their own.  Any second now they will probably flock and kill us all!

The Fine Print: Most everything from Club Scrap "Birds of a Feather" kit, blue patterned paper may be Magenta, twine by May's Arts, paper flowers by Prima.

I Must Be High-First WOYWW of the Year

First off, I figured I could join the nosy fun that is WOYWW today because it is the first day back to work and of course, it will be slow so I can visit desks at my leisure...  ...That's where the the being high part fits in.  It is the first day we're open after being closed for ELEVEN WHOLE DAYS.  School starts on the 14th, so obviously I was smoking something to think it would be a mellow day.

Here is my desk as of last night just before bedtime. Yes, I realize that it has been tidied up, but I still have those pesky kittens and I still have to roll the desktop down every night and when I'm away.  If you have been following my blog over the holidays then you know I have been making lots of cards.  To both the left and the right of the desk pad are the few little leftover bits from the Simon Says kit I have been playing with.  On the desk pad is an A Muse stamp set and a card I made.  I mentioned that I need to plan for a workshop so I've been doing that.

I came up with this card for the workshop, but then I hemmed and hawed over it. I wasn't sure if the ladies would appreciate having to cut out the cityscape or not.  I know I don't mind fussy cutting out things, especially things with straight lines, but I know others aren't so keen on it.

So then I came up with this version which has no cutting.  I think I sort of like this one better anyway.  What do you think?  Below is another card I came up with when playing around with my a|s stamps.  This one is just for my stash of sample cards, not one to make at the workshop. As you can see, it has a whole lot of cutting on it.

The Fine Print: All stamps and papers by A Muse Studio, "Love is in the Air" and "Love Conquers All" sets, bubblegum, sugar (white), latte, onyx, and bubblegum hearts cardstock, and cherry, latte, and Memento black inks used.

More Feathering Birds

Not that I can read a word that I am typing since I have two kittens dueling to the death in front of my monitor... I thought I'd share the remaining pink tri-fold cards and a few other odds and ends I made from this kit. 

So that is them.  The kit also had some large square cards to be made and I made a couple of them before deciding to cut the rest down to A2 size. I'm not really into square cards because they require extra postage. I know the crafting ladies in these parts always say to find a big rectangular envelope to put them, but unless the card is 5" x 5" square I don't really have any rectangular envelopes that will fit them.These ones are 5-3/4" square.

The kittens have moved to fighting behind the monitor now. I added some of my own background paper to these cards since I do like patterned paper.  I almost said that if I had any beef at all with Club Scrap stuff it is the lack of background papers, but heck, I've got those a'plenty, so I can just dig through my stash and find stuff that matches.

I need to switch gears from kit cards to A Muse Studio cards for a workshop this month.  I suppose I should whip up some spring and Valentine's cards for a gallery and come up with a few to make at the workshop.  Today feels like Sunday since it is back to work for me tomorrow.  I'm so confused on what day it is.

The Fine Print: All stuff from Club Scrap "Birds of a Feather" kit unless otherwise noted, paper flowers from Prima, brads and patterned papers from my stash.