Primary Colors

Sometimes when you aren't sure what to do you should stick to the basics, or in this case with primary colors.

I added a touch of jazz by using sparkly black bards for the centers of the flowers.

The Fine Print: Greeting stamp by Penny Back, flowers by Prima, sparkly brads and reverse pattern pater by unknown. The fancy funky bottom edge was hand cut by me.

Up, Up and Away

After those last few masculine cards I've shared I thought it was time to bring a little femininity into the picture with this sweet hot air balloon card.

The Fine Print: Balloon stamp by Close to My Heart, corner notch punch by Stampin' Up, shell organdy ribbon and hibiscus card base by A Muse Studio, and floral paper from my stash.

Dig It!

I joined an A Muse consultant swap and had so much fun. I really enjoyed it because well, swapping is fun and because we could only use A Muse Studio stuff.  It was good way to get ideas and sample cards from other creative minds.

This is the card I made.  The theme was to make a masculine card.  Some may say that this card is more appropriate to for a little boy but all men are little boys at heart.  Plus what man would turn down an opportunity to hop in a machine like this and take it for a spin?!

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps used--Loads of Fun. Cardstock used--Sugar, onyx, orange petite polka dots. Other products--classic circle dies and onyx twinkle stickers.

Dapper Dude

I wanted to make another sample card from A Muse Studio stuff, and I had a masculine card to make, and I needed to make a card with a hat for a "hat's off" swap.  So I decided to kill an entire flock of birds with one stone and made several of these cards.

I heat embossed the image.  Heat embossing makes me want to gnash my teeth as something always goes awry when I do it.  This time lots of errant flakes of embossing powder stuck randomly all over the striped piece.  I even "pounced" it with an anti-static bag first.  I just can't win for losing when it comes to heat embossing.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamp set used-Happy Father's Day. Cardstock used-Mermaid plain, Mermaid petite pinstripes, and onyx petite polka dot.

Rudolph Day in August

I'm so tickled with myself that I actually am playing along with Sarn's Rudolph Day challenge, where we are to make two Christmas cards and share them before the end of the month.

I made two of these cards.  That circular piece with the embossed dots was to emulate a starry sky, but I'm not sure if that comes across or not.  The card base is shimmery silver and the angel's wings have been colored with Wink of Stella so they are nice and shimmery as well.

Here's proof that I made two of them.  Isn't that funny how sometimes you tie a bow an they are nice and straight and other times you tie one and they insist on going all wonky!

Merry Christmas one and all!  Yeah, I know it is a bit early for that stuff but it's good to get the practice in!

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio except for the greeting by Hero Arts. Stamps used--Hark and Snowy Day Background. Cardstock used--shimmer silver, petite pinstripe navy, navy and sugar. Other products-white EP and elastic silver cording.

Back to School Time

Today is the first day of Fall Semester.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!

The Fine Print: Snoopy stamp by Stampabilities, number line by Hero Arts/Studio Calico, scallop border by A Muse Studio, fabulous back to school paper from The Paper Cut.  It's a huge pack, so apparently there is a lot of back to schoolness in my future (because after working at a school for 26 years I haven't had enough.)

Make Up Monday: Wild Flowers

Some more oldie but goodie kit cards!  This kit put me off when I got it because it seemed so dark and dreary so I didn't use a lot out of it. I've since come around and made a batch of cards that I really liked.

I added a bright paper flower and a flourish die to this one:

 Some fancy shiny fiber, edge distressing, and a dragonfly brad brought this one out of the doldrums:

 A light layer, more fancy fibers and a snazzy photo corner brought out the best in this one:

Hmmm.... Did you notice a similarity between that top card and this bottom card?!   Yep, proof that if it works, duplicate it!

The Fine Print: Most everything from Club Scrap "Wild Flowers" kit except for: purple paper flowers by Prima, flourish die by Cheery Lynn, dragonfly brad by Recollections, photo corner and circle punches by EK Success.

Just BEEcause

Recently a friend asked me if every card I made ended up on my blog.  I said no because I often forget to photograph things; or I make several of the same design so I'll show you one card, but not the others that are the exact same thing; or sometimes I go back and remake something from the past.

Other times I don't share things because they are a complete and utter copy job (CASEd).  Then I don't always fee comfortable sharing my card because it really isn't *my* card.  Sometimes I do because I'm still proud of it but that makes me nervous because I don't often remember who I copied.  One should give credit where credit is due.

That said I copied this card from Lyn Bernatovich, another A Muse consultant.  I brought the consultant sampler set, which had these stamps in it.  I wanted to make a sample card using it but was stumped for ideas so I copied hers because it is fabulous.

The Fine Print: CASE = Copy and Steal Everything.  All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps used-Bee Happy and Mini Blooms. Cardstock used-Sugar, papaya petite polka dots, grass, and bubblegum pink. Other products-Stardust shimmer spay and crystal clear jewel strickers.

What Goes Around

Isn't it interesting what becomes trendy in crafting on a smaller scale?  We do a lot of seasonal stuff so it makes sense when everyone switches gears towards Valentine's Day or Christmas.  But fish aren't a season, birds aren't a season, weather has no bounds...

Yet these themes have come up multiple times lately in my crafting groups.  Whenever that happens I do try to stretch my imagination and come up with different things for different groups.  However, sometimes the creative muse is taking a break or time is short so duplicate cards get made.

I made this card for a couple of bird themed swaps and a feathers swap.  I had fun making it as I wasn't sure where it was going except it would have a bird and some feathers on it.  I originally had some real feathers but they didn't go well with this card.  That and I hid them from myself.

The Fine Print: Bird stamp by Inkadinkado. Greeting by A Muse Studio "Essential Sentiments 2." Feather die by Simon Says Stamp.

Stampin' Up Stuff

I crashed a Stampin' Up workshop the other night.  Okay, I was invited because I had "the goods" to deliver and no, I'm not going to tell you what "the goods" are right now.  Maybe I'll never tell you and you'll forever wonder.... although that isn't my plan right now.

The Stampin' Up people let me play with their stuff and we made this fun card.  We even hired a professional seamstress to do the sewing.  We opted not to stamp a greeting on this card so that we could later add whatever was needed.  Those stripes are made with a stencil. The idea of stencils never really appealed to me but that was kind of fun (and easy!). Ut oh.

We also made this crazy bright card.  The funky bottom was cut with a die that we snugged around the card and then only cut part way.  It is a neat technique and now that I've actually done it maybe I'll try it again sometime.

The Fine Print: As far as I know, all the goods are by Stampin' Up. I know the "We'll be Friends" thing is from their digital downloads although there is a similar stamp.

Thanks Amiga!

In case you haven't been reading my blog the last couple of months, I'm quite enamored with the new A Muse Studio catalog. I really like the southwestern flair they've added with a few of their sets and their trendy "in" colors.

I like this bright happy mariachi man singing your praises and giving you thanks.  I made it to send to the ladies who attended my a|s workshop recently.  Many of them bought this set so now they have another idea of what to do with it.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps used-Hola Amigo, Fiesta, and Mod Backgrounds 1. Cardstock used-Margarita, habenero, grass, and sugar.  Inks used-margarita and Memento black.  Other products-lime organdy ribbon and onyx pearl sticker.

WOYWW: Mysterious Happenings

My desk is back to its usual boring tidiness today.  I have a few things stacked neatly on my desk and the sad thing about them is they've been there a couple of weeks now.  I plan to get to them "real soon."

Not that you can particularly see it in the photo above but my one tape dispenser (its part of the black pencil, scissor, etc. holder on top) is empty and the other one is tucked behind a pretty floral patterned box.  That's because someone has taken to eating the tape.  Isn't that just crazy?!  Who would eat tape? 

Who indeed?!

It wasn't me.  I was just checking to see if I could find the purr-petrator.

Check out What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday here!

The Fine Print: Nope, it was totally her.  I can't keep any tape out on the desk because she'll find it and start eating it.  She doesn't just chew it; she outright swallows it. You can't keep rolls of washi tape out either.  I'm bummed about the two tape dispensers on top.  They are there because I use them all the time.  Darn cat.

Going to the Dogs

Here's a cute little pink poodle that has been in my pending file so long that she should have been included in a Make Up Monday along the way.  But she wasn't.  But she's here now on Tizzy Tuesday, so life is wonderful!

The Fine Print: Heck, you think I remember? I think the stamp was by All Night Media. I remember it being one of those annoyingly-taller-than-the-rest-of-the-stamps stamp.

More Solstice Makeup Monday

I have some more of the Solstice kit cards that I shared last week.  Three of them are square, which is unusual for me, but that's what they gave me to play with.

The Fine Print: Most stuff by Club Scrap except the stuff that wasn't, of course.

Z is for ZOWIE!

Or perhaps Zoo.  That's it; that's the one I meant.  This week over at the Snarky Sisters of the Secret Snazzy Stamperhood or whatever they call themselves now the challenge is to get down with your badass wild self and embrace God's creatures.

I opted to use a cow for my zoo creature.  What do you mean you've never seen a cow in a zoo?  What kind of sad little life do you live that you've never been to a Petting Zoo??!??!  There's always one giant docile cow or Brahma bull patiently lying there eating corn from little kids' hands and thinking thoughts filled with homicidal rage.

So cows it is.  As you wonder the great cow pasture of life, may your days be full of wit and your shoes free from....

holes

The Fine Print: "Farm Fun" stamps by A Muse Studio (retired) and feces by Hawaii'an Baby, fence punch by Martha Stewart, green paper from my stash, and cloud paper by A Muse Studio (also retired).

Sympathetic Saturday

I made these cards a couple of weeks ago and just never got around to sharing them until now.  That's just how it works sometimes.  I will admit I nixed showing them earlier this week because well, it just didn't seem right.

I made this card CASing another a|s consultant's thank you card.  Hers was one layer without the pink but I thought it needed a little something more to it.  I suppose you wouldn't normally associate hot bubblegum pink with a sympathy card, but whoever said I was normal?

This one I made after being inspired by the above card. I really like the wild vine feel of all those sprigs I stamped.  I added in the flowers after making the vines.  I felt it needed a little something extra but didn't want to put little black pearls on it like above, so I just used a black marker to make small black dots.

I liked that card so much so I decided to make a similar one so I could use it as a sample for a|s workshops.  Except for after I made it I ended up sending to someone and I still don't have it as a sample. So stay tuned, you never know when I'll go and make a third version of this card!

The Fine Print: All products except sympathy greetings by A Muse Studio. Non-a|s stamps used-Stampin' Up and Eat Cake Graphics.  Stamps used-Mini Blooms and Big Words. Cardstock used-Sugar, Bubblegum Pink, Ocean Blue and Marigold. Inks Used-Bubblegum Pink, Fern, Marigold (new color!), Ocean, and Memento Black. Other products-Onyx pearls, butterfly trio die, and Copic multiliner pen (for the black dots).

When Skies are Gray

The skies are not particularly gray today, but it is monsoon season and subject to change at any moment.

Which means that at any moment, you could make me deliriously happy.  Or maybe just delirious.  Or maybe it isn't you at all, but because it is Friday and double payday (hubby and me).  Can't beat that with a stick.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio (yes, still).  Stamps used-Silver Lining. Cardstock used-Sugar, Kraft, and Winter Sky. Other products-Copics, Glitter, Corner Rounder, and Scallop Circle Die.

Cup of Java

I'm not a coffee drinker nor do I play one on TV but I'm in love with the coffee cup dies from A Muse Studio.  I made this card with them.

I really like the a|s polka dot paper but I felt this may be just a few too many polka dots for one card, so I made this card instead.

I felt this one was lacking in polka dots.  Ah.... it's so hard to get the correct polka dot ratio. Inside I used a coffee cup circular stain stamp.  I didn't photograph it but it looks cool. Just trust me on that!

The Fine Print: All Products by A Muse Studio. Stamps used-Perk Up and Rule the World (inside card). Cardstock used-Seattle plain and petite polka dot, onyx, pistaschio, kraft, Bermuda petite polka dot, cherry and sugar.  Other products-perk up and heart trio dies.

No. 271 Workdesk Wednesday

Happy Workdesk Wednesday to y'all.  Why don't you check out Julia's blog hop and see what your fellow crafters are up to today?  I'm sure they are up to something more exciting than me.

I tidied up before my photo shoot, but it wasn't to impress/depress you.  I was attempting to find a Lost Object (located and packed into the appropriate bag).  As you can see, I used the ever popular pile it up and shove to the left method.  Some items of note are the plastic baggie of embellishments on the left side of my desk (some day I promise I'll play with them!), the different patterns of patterned paper in the center of my desk, and the cats' tie (for formal events) to the right.

Here's a close up of the pile filled with cards in progress, cards that have been finished, and cards received from other people.  There's a fabulous sparkly "P" in the mix that I'm trying to come up with something fun to do with.  What would you do with it?

Here's a really nifty 3-D card my friend gave me (for surviving the month of June--something that needed surviving). It is so neat and will fold flat.  I'm going to take it to work so I can have it on my desk there. I'm afraid it would become a victim of cat chaos if I left it at home.  Speaking cats and chaos... no pictures of them today because they are all boycotting me in homage to Dio.  Dio has an ear infection so I have to hold him down and squirt goo in his ear twice a day.  Apparently we aren't friends anymore.

If you have time, think about trotting over to my August 10th post which has a comment for a chance to win thing going on.  Not many have visited yet.  I think we all took the day off.

The Fine Print: I got nuthin' today!  How sad.

Wheee!!!

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio. Stamps-Enjoy the Ride and Silver Lining. Cardstock-Violeta, marigold, sky, Seattle, and wasabi petite polka dot.  Other products-grass border and many flowers dies and onyx mini brads.

Make Up Monday

Let me throw some more cards from the Solstice kit at you today, because that's what I got.

I made these two large gatefold cards, which where kind of fun.  I'm not that into funky folds but Club Scrap loves to give them to you.  I modified the fold on the next one and chopped it down to an A2 size:

I think that is enough cards for you to ogle for one day, don't you?  I'd hate for you to over-do on a Monday.  You know it's better if you just ease into the week.

The Fine Print: Pretty much I already told you all of it.  The stuff is by Club Scrap from the Solstice kit, an oldie but a good.  Guest Columnist Dio has to to the vet today for his ears.  We'll see how that goes.

Every Day is a Holiday

No, seriously, every day is a holiday.  Look it up. Almost every day there is some sort of holiday or event happening.  I mean, sure it might be weird like "Celebrate Your Lack of Big Toe Day," but there is a holiday every day.

But on to more mainstream holidays, I have some Christmas cards to share to remind you about the Every Day is a Holiday event happening over at my A Muse Studio website.  We are having a 40% off sale on select holiday stamps (18 sets) and a couple of dies to get you in the holiday card making mood.

This is one of the sets that is on sale. I'm sad that it is going away because it has 4 greetings in this wonderful font, three bird silhouettes and this leafy branch die.  I like that the leafy branch isn't overly leafy so it gives you the feel of winter and isn't too busy to be used as a background stamp.

Once I got it out to play I couldn't stop myself and made a second card with it changing up the color scheme a little bit.  Below is another stamp set that is on the sale page.  I made a bunch of Christmas cards with it last year.  It has 4 of these swirly winged angels and 3 sayings.  It looks great with glitter accents.  I sprayed the main image with shimmery Stardust spray but you can't tell it from my photo.

Not all the stamp sets on sale are Christmas related.  About half of them are Halloween sets, there is a disco ball New Year's set and a Valentine's set featuring a city skyline as well. Comment on this post and tell me if you have started and/or finished your holiday cards yet this year and I'll enter you into a drawing for roll of cherry red chevron ribbon, great for Christmas card making.

I'll start first--I have not made a single Halloween or Thanksgiving card but I do have about 30 Christmas cards already made thanks to holiday-themed blog challenges.  You have until August 31 to comment.

The Fine Print: Thanks for listening to my commercial! All products by A Muse Studio. Stamps used-Christmas Joy and Cheer and Hark. Cardstock used-cherry, wasabi and Seattle petite polka dot, cherry and wasabi, and sugar. Inks used-Cherry, wasabi, and Memento black.  Other supplies-Medium scallop border die, cranberry pearl stickers, stardust finishing spray, and cherry silky crush ribbon.

Cattus Interruptus

To photograph my cards I set them up on top of whitish plastic bin next to my white wall where my true color desk lamp shines.  It is up alongside my desk and it is high enough that if I put the card on an easel I have a hard time getting a good angle of it.  That might be because I'm short or it might be because it is a bit up there. 

So I was trying to take a photo of several cards I made including this one, when along comes Cindy.  She walks along my desk, knocking things off left and right (mostly left) and proceeded to climb up the side of my desk to the place I had the card sitting. She knocked it flat and struck a pose.

She apparently felt I was taking a photo of the wrong thing!

The Fine Print:All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps used-Fiesta and Mini Blooms.  Cardstock used-Azul, Habenero, and Sugar. Inks used-Hibiscus, Azul, Marigold, Fern and Memento Black.  Other supplies-Sharpie and Ruler (to make the band across the front) and onyx mini brad.

It's Friday!

Well, thank goodness that it is Friday today.  Even with cancelling Tuesday this has been a terribly long week.   They say that time goes by faster as you get older but that's only true for the non-work time.

That weekend you are looking forward to?  It's probably almost over already.  Yep, there it goes.  It might be your beverage choice or it might be how time is slippery.  You decide.... once you sober up.

The Fine Print: All products used by A Muse Studio unless otherwise noted.  Stamps used-Hola Amigo. Cardstock used-margarita, azul, grape, papaya petite pinstripe, habenero and sugar.  Designer paper-Fiesta and unknown floral pattern.  Other supplies-medium scallop die, scallop and regular circle dies.  Second card by Helen R, who won this set from my July give-away.