Happy Halloween Folded Card

I made a ridiculous amount of Halloween cards this year, but my favoritest one is the one I made after my mom came to visit and I showed her what Iris Folding was about.

The Halloween themed folded papers, the shimmer bat and the glitter tape all combined together for a really cool card.  I liked it so much I made a second one.

I would have made more but as I said I had already made a huge amount of Halloween cards. Of course I could have gotten a jump on next year's cards... Here's hoping I remember this technique next year!

The Fine Print: Besides Iris Folding this card was motivated by the need to use up some of those shimmer bats of which I had a huge pile of, somehow I didn't want to carry those over to next year either.  Designer papers by DCWV, bat punch by Martha Stewart, glitter tape by Recollections, and greeting by A Muse Studio.

Extra Hardcore Spookiness!

Do you ever want to make an extra special card for someone because you are impressed with their stamping abilities so you want to make a card worthy of their talent level?  Yeah, I never do that either.  But if I did, I would have reserved this card for that:

The Fine Print: Wicked cool owl from a Tim Holtz set, designer paper by unknown, leaf dies by Spellbinders, web border die by Memory Box, and orange seam binding ribbon from my stash from when I was on that seam binding kick last year. *wink*wink*nudge*nudge* Yes, I did that.  The person I sent this too is very clever and combines all sorts of things into fabulous designs. I felt I had to raise the bar for her this time. i hope she doesn't hold me to that standard all the time. I'd crack under pressure.

Handsome Gray Cat Cards

I opted not to do Workdesk Wednesday today since my desk looks about the same as last week.  There is more room to play but higher piles along the edges. Funny how that is.

I have a couple more Halloween cards to share with you.  You know, since I haven't had any to share with you since yesterday.  These were made with left over parts from a card swap I joined last month.  I screwed up stamping the greeting on the same layer as the image so I fixed that boo-boo on these cards.

Since I used left over bits and extra spare parts to put these cards together I'm going to go join Di and Pals in the Snippets Playground.  It's been awhile since I stopped by.  Hopefully they will remember me.

The Fine Print: Male modeling for these handsome cat cards provided by Dio.  Stamps, web die and paper doily by A Muse Studio, bat punch by Martha Stewart and stickers (bottom card) by Penny Black.

Sweet Halloween Card

I have this retired Stampin' Up set of old fashioned looking little kids that I adore. I've not used this image from it before because I don't remember it for Halloween. That's because it is stored with the little kids stamps and not the Halloween ones.  Sometimes organization works against you.

The Fine Print: Stamp by Stampin' Up "Greeting Card Kids" set, ribbon by A Muse Studio, and shimmery designer paper given to me by the person I sent this card to (just to prove to her that I so use what she gives me).

Popped Up Spookiness!

Remember when I shared a fall step card with you that I made for a mail in swap? If not, you can click the link and check it out.  I received my return card this past week and it tickled me with its spookiness, its fun colors and most of all its design.

By Kevin Boyer

I am quite pleased with Kevin's card so I brought it along to my share with my big stamp club.  Of course they immediately asked for directions.

The Fine Print: Since this is the age of the Internet I know that the directions are out there somewhere....  If only we knew what to call this card design!  Well, I'll spare you the random naming and searching.  Go to Splitcoast Stampers and search for Free Standing Pop Up Box card. BTW, I suspect that most of the parts of Kevin's card are by Stampin' Up.

Squee! A Folded Tree

I wandered off to my big stamp club meeting pondering what Christmas cards I should make for this month's Rudolph Day where Sarn says we have to show off not one, but two holiday cards. I found the answer at the stamp club meeting.

This month's Mistress of Make 'n Take showed us how to paper fold a lovely Christmas tree.  She even gave us an embossed background to mount our tree on and sparkly star for the top.  It was a well-received project with everyone jumping in to try it and enjoying themselves doing so.

I took mine home and turned it into a full blown card, putting bling on my tree and a greeting in the corner.  I then turned about and made a winter scene one using a pre-printed card base.

This is a fun quick project.  Our Mistress of Make 'n Take assured us that this is not origami because origami is hard and this is not hard.  Those were just the words I needed to hear.  Those are my two Christmas cards for Rudolph Day.  Only one more to go before The Big Day.

The Fine Print: My hubby assured me this is origami.  He's not a paper crafter, what does he know? Designer papers by Hot Off the Press (first card) and Die Cuts With a View (bottom card), embossing folder by Stampin' Up, both greetings by A Muse Artstamps, and felt snowflake from my stash.

Coupla Cards

I thought I had made a second card with the teepee stamp set I mentioned yesterday but couldn't find it then but here it is now:

I wasn't thrilled with the background color I opted for on this card but I really liked how the paper piecing came out on the teepee.  Ah well, they can't all be winners.

I made this card around the same time since I had those arrow-looking stamps out.  They are surprisingly hard to stamp.  In hindsight I should have used antique brads in the corners instead of faintly brown (latte) pearls.  Ah, well....

The Fine Print:  Stamps and supplies from A Muse Studio except card base on the lower card.  Stamps--Home Sweet Home and To the Point; Cardsotck--Marigold, squash, eucalyptus, orange, wheat, currant, and kraft; inks--violeta, habenero, hibiscus, toffee, eucalyptus, currant and Memento black; Other products-Fiesta  patterned paper pack, thankful for you dies, and toffee twine.

How R U?!

Sometimes in life potentially racist and non-politically correct things happen.  Like this card and the stamp set it comes from.

I thought it was a nifty enough stamp set, sort of edgy and definitely different.  It fit in with the other few Santa Fe, New Mexico inspired stamps that A Muse put out.  I vaguely wondered if anyone would take offense to it but didn't really think it an issue.

That is until some of my fellow consultants started talking about how this set would would make great Thanksgiving cards.  I thought that was crossing a line.  I asked a card making workshop group what they thought and many felt like me that the set was okay but not for Thanksgiving and a couple of ladies thought it was outright racist and/or politically wrong.

All that happened before I owned the set. Now that I happen to have it, of course I had to make a card and send it to the biggest naysayer in the above group.  She knows I did it to put a smile on her face.  And yes, it really does say "R U?" on the inside.

The Fine Print: Full disclosure here--my grandmother is from the Stockbridge-Muncee tribe and the school I work at has the Aztec for a mascot. Only once in awhile does someone get their panties in a wad about it (the mascot, not my grandmother).  Stamps and supplies from A Muse Studio's fall/winter supplement.  Stamps--Home Sweet Home and To the Point; Cardsotck--Violeta and squash; inks--violeta, habenero, hibiscus and Memento black; Other products-tall letter dies and Fiest patterned paper pack.

Extra Fancy Easel Card

I like to do workshops with my friend Rachel because she isn't content to have us just make ordinary cards. Oh no, they have to be dynamic and different.  Some of them require some serious engineering.  Some of them just look difficult but are really are easy.

You can decide for yourself which one this is. What?  No seriously, if you have the dies and the directions this is a really easy one to make.  It just looks complicated.  That said I'm not going to make 50 of these to send out for Thanksgiving.

Here are couple more views of it.  The card is closed flat on the left and opened up on its easel on the right.

The Fine Print: Most everything by Stampin' Up except for card base die by Sizzix, fence die by Poppy Stamps/Memory Box and leaf punch unknown.  Stamps used--For All Things and Seasonally Scattered.  Dies used--Deco Labels, Ovals, and Apothecary Accents.

Workdesk Wednesday #281

Hi. I'm Dio, the cutest cat in the southwestern Americas.  My mom dozn't dew workdesks Wednesdays no more becuz she doz skewl instead, but now skewl is all done so we can dew workdesks together!  So dis is Werkdesk Wednesday that Julia doz. You kin read about it on dat clicky thing.

I no you like it!  This is bery messy desk with papers and cards and sizzors and inks and stamps and threads and bellishments and markers.  It is hard for me to jump up wif so much stuffs everywhere!

Look at dat! Ink write on the edge! Wot if I nock it off?  It wood be troubles!  Dems Halloween cards my mom shoud put them in the mails but she's lazies.  Dere is stamps and markers too and a new roll of threads called baking cords but you don't cook em. I spy orange candies, dew you see 'em?

Dis is me so you kan dew admiring!

Dis is a spooky pumpkin face made with Kristmas parts becuz dat's silly.  It comed from a swap. I wike swaps, you get cards in da mail! Andrea Blackwell made it.  She doz A Muz stamps too jist like my mom!

Da Fine Print: Dat's it for werkdesk Wednesday today and dat woz so much betters dan biology homewerks! Dat's too much big werds in dat.  I bisit yew now at yer blog and say hi.

Hey!

Hey Diddle Diddle!  I'm so excited that I'm about to pick up a fiddle and play along with this cat. Except for I'm not medicated enough to see cows jumping over the moon and dishes running away with spoons.  I did see a spork that was up to no good though.

The Fine Print: Nursery Rhyme stamp by Stampabilities, designer paper by DCWV, and ribbon from my stash.  I'm excited because my science class is over and I can have my life back, although I didn't really do much with it when I had it before, but at least it is all mine.

Blue Cornucopia

I don't have anything for Make Up Monday today.  I had planned for finish up the leftovers from the Club Scrap Lock and Key kit I've shared the past few Mondays but that I never got beyond this card...

 ...which I think is pretty snazzy if I do say so myself. All the papers are from the kit and I wanted to make a fall card with them.  I ended up fussy cutting the Tyalored Expressions cornucopia so that it wouldn't cover up so much of that scrumptious designer paper.  The ribbon is also from that kit and the spot of bling on the bow is a flat sparkly sticker.

The Fine Print: I already told you all the card details so I'm not sure what you are looking for down here? Maybe a knock knock joke?  Knock Knock.  Who's there? Orange.  Orange Who? Orange you glad you kept on reading?! Orange you glad I haven't quit my day job?!

Falling Leaves

I made this card for a falling leaves swap, but really my leaves are securely held in place with a brad so they best not be falling anywhere.

They refused to stick with liquid glue, double stick tape or even red line tape so they had to be tacked down with a brad.  The leaves are made from a kind of a strange plastic like stuff.  They were part of an autumn centerpiece on twisty wire.  I got to take some with me so I could play with the leaves.  That was a million zillion years ago so it is a good thing I finally used them, eh?

The Fine Print: Background stamping down with Rubber Stamp Tapestry peg stamps, Autumn greeting by Hero Arts, deckle edged scissors by Fiskars, and all that wonderful fall colored cardstock from my overly excessive fall cardstock stash.

Fall Step Card

I joined in a fall swap card with a group of people I've never swapped with before.  I often admire their work and aspire to be as talented as they are.  That means when I joined the swap I really had to work it to prove I was worthy of their company.  So I came up with this card:

Oh yeah, did I mention that they are big fans of Stampin' Up? It wasn't required to join the swap but I knew it would be looked upon favorably.  I had fun making this card and finding papers to coordinate.  I whipped it up one evening after work and homework so I didn't have time to over think it.  Anyway it was fun.

The Fine Print: Everything but the cardstock (from my stash) and little leaf punch (EK Success) by Stampin' Up, although retired. Probably.

Ball One!

I don't even know what that means, but I think it relates to baseball, as does this card.

This was a very timely workshop card suggestion that A Muse Studio put forth for last month. I say it was timely because I had to do a sports themed swap card.  I think it is kind of a fun idea.  Home plate is one of the fiesta banner dies.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps used--Play Ball and First in my Book; cardstock used--navy, cocoa, grass and sugar; other supplies--fiesta banner die, circle punch and navy baker's cording.

400 Bats and a Pumpkin Head

I met with my small stamp group last night and we had a great time checking out a nifty 3D project one of our members made.  We didn't actually create anything though.  That's okay, sometimes it is good to just talk about being creative not actually be creative.

That did remind me though, that I made a card the last time we got together and I haven't shared it yet.  I decided it was too much work to stamp and color so I used a chipboard figurine I had in my Halloween stash.

The orange rick rack is also from my stash where it has been languishing for years.  The punched bat is a new addition to my stash, him and his 399 friends.  See, that night one of the ladies needed some bats so I offered to punch her some.  So I sat there and punched. And punched.  And punched.  It was very therapeutic to punch like that so I punched some more. And more. And more.  In the end there was a huge mound of bats punched out of sparkly paper, so we all divvied it up and took some home.  We joked that we'd forget where we put them for the ride home.  I remembered and I used one.  Score one for me!

The Fine Print: Designer paper by DCWV, chipboard piece from K&C, bat punch by Martha, and orange rick rack from my stash.  Happy Haunting to you all! You are now on official Bat Watch to see how many more of these bats I use up.

It's Inchie Time

Last month my big stamp club had "inchies" for the card exchange topic.  I just kind of never gave it another thought until the night before the meeting.  Then I whipped this together.  I thought it was bright and cheery if nothing else.  Plus it gave me a chance to use one of those big black paper flowers I just had to have.  Luckily I have some equally big brads to go with it.

Below is the card I received in exchange.  The lady who made it was concerned it wasn't "inchie" enough,whatever that means.  It's perfect!  And it shows a lot more thought than my card.

The Fine Print: My card made with A Muse Studio paper, a DeNami greeting stamp, and unknown flower and brad (from the Crooked Stamper).  The other card is made with Club Scrap stuff.

For All You Neigh Sayers....

Quit yer whinnying! 

You really stirrup my emotions.  You need to rein it in some or else we'll think you're not stable. Hay, you know we're all just friends here.  You don't want to be the one that gives us night mares.  Well, it is pasture bedtime now but we simply mustang out together again sometime. Catch ya later, sugar cube.

The Fine Print: Stamp by Serendipity Stamps, designer paper by DCWV, ribbon by DeNami. I'm sorry about the horse puns, I knew I was gelding out of control but couldn't help myself.  

Manky Monday

I almost didn't put up a Make Up Monday post today because I'm feeling poorly.  Then I decided that was ridiculous because I've already got the pictures and all I have to is say:

Look! Cards!

 

 

The Fine Print: More from the Lock & Key kit from Club Scrap. I really like that blue combined with the copper.  That top card is water colored because I was feeling ambitious.

The Other White Meat

Yesterday I had a Donna Reed Wannabe showing off her fabulous dinner and making us all jealous that we can't function in heels and a skirt, let alone cook in them.  Today's post is all about the anti-Donna Reed.

.........You know, Donna Reed's evil twin, Darla Reed.......

The Fine Print: Because sometimes you just have to be irreverent and irrelevant and possibly even irresponsible.  All product by A Muse Studio, but I'm not sure they are willing to admit it.  Stamps used--Give Thanks Girl and Nine Lives (one of which was used during the making of this card); cardstock used--Fern, Orange, Slate, and Vanilla; other products used--Christmas 6x6 paper pack, orange stitched ribbon, tall alphabets dies and Copic makers.   

Knocking Out the Perfect Potroast

Hi! Donna Reed here to show you how to knock out the perfect potroast while wearing pearls and heels.

Or it's just me showing you the version of the Giving Thanks Lady that I'm going to teach at a workshop this weekend.  My original one had her in a black polka dotted dress but it was too hard to see the stamped lines (black on black) of her dress to cut out.  I also changed the three large pearls to a stamped leaf because I don't have enough large sized French Roast pearls to go around.  I might add a couple of itty bitty ones near the leaf to jazz it up a bit as I have plenty of those.  I didn't think of it last night when I made the card.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps used--Give Thanks Girl and Calendar Fun; Ccardstock used--French Roast, squash, cherry petite polka dot, and vanilla, Other products used--French Roast grosgrain ribbon and Copic markers R00 and YR21..

What Life's About

Remember the black and white iris fold card I shared with you recently?  You can revisit it HERE.  I mailed that card to my mom who is currently in town visiting.  She mentioned how she was really impressed with it and wondered how it was made.  Since I just happened to still have the pattern sitting on my desk I got it out and proceeded to show her just how it was made.  I used some origami paper strips that I had lying around and between the two of us we came up with this card.

So of course now my mom is going to rush right home and make a dozen or so of these cards for her Christmas card.  Or not.  Yeah, definitely I think it is the latter.  But that, friends, is what life is all about... making cards and having fun.

The Fine Print: There is a chance that greeting stamp is by Penny Black.  There is also a chance that I'm wrong.  The glittery piece in the middle is from DCWV and all the other stuff is from my stash.  You will note that life is not about biology homework.  My apologies in advance to any science teachers. 

It's Gray

It's spooky how much I love twine.  I have a whole drawer full of it and always find myself eyeing more. I don't think to use it as much as I should though.  It is a definitely one of those out-of-sight, out-of-mind things.  However I have cats and I can't really leave twine out on my desk or else it will get sullied.

It turns out that twine isn't safe in its drawer either though.  My drawer doesn't have handles but has a slot that you reach in and pull the drawer open with.  Or if you are a cat, you reach in and pull out some twine and strew it across the living room.  *sigh*

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps used-Haunted Mansion background and In the Shadows. Cardstock used-Pebble, Seattle, Onyx and Sugar.  Other supplies-Seattle baker's cording. I separated the fibers of a small piece of cording and used just the gray parts to tie my mini tag on with.

Are you accusing me of unauthorized twinery?!

More Fall Flowers

Have I mentioned in the last 10 minutes that I love fall?  Well, it is true.  We don't really do much fall here in Southern Arizona but we like to pretend that we do.  You can find fall themed products everywhere.  One of my favorites is the autumn bouquet.

The Fine Print: Lookie! Lookie! Lookie!  I finally got the L'il Inkers stitched rectangles die set! Finally! They were actually in stock for a change! How exciting! Are you jumping up and down like I am?  Why not?!??!?!?!  Stamp by Taylored Expressions; die by L'il Inkers (in case you missed it the first time); and designer paper by DCWV.

Mr. D's Modeling Career

Hi! My name is Dio and I be the guest columnist today to tell you about my new career.  It's bery exciting.

That Grumpy Cat, he's got nufing on me.  I'm a male model! It's becuz I'm so cute and handsome and get brushing and combing ebery day and bacuum cleanered once a week.  I'm bery lots cuter than my wittle sister.  Remember that, okay.  I'm also bery modest and sweet.  All da time!

Anyway, I modeled for my mom for this card and she said I did a bery good job and she wood recommend me to all her friends who need male models.  My rates are bery unreasonable.

The Fine Print: Pee Ess, that's my dad in the background he's jealous that I'm a model.  All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps-Nine Lives and Ghostly Greetings, cardstock-grape, lime, onyx, and sugar; other products-paper doily colored with orange splash, clear twinkle stickers, and bat trio die.

Make Up Monday: Lock, Stock, and Key

We resume Make Up Monday today where I show you some cards that have been languishing in my pending folder for far too long.  You'll notice that they tend to be Club Scrap cards. Well, no more dilly dallying--let's get to the cards, which have an offset fold this time.

The Fine Print: Yep, it's all from Club Scrap, the "Lock and Key" collection.  And that's all she wrote... I hope you are having a good Monday.

What's Black and White?

This card!

Remember when I shared THIS Iris Fold card with you?  Well, I made this one at the same time but I hadn't finished it off.  It was naked in the very middle and didn't have a border, greeting, butterfly, or card base. Now it does and it is perfect.  Iris Folding makes me happy!

The Fine Print: I'm happy! You should be happy too.  Be happy!  Because I said so!  Why are you still reading this? I've got nothing for you on the products that made this card.  They just exist.  Accept it.

Fall Florals

No A Muse commercials from me today (and there was much rejoicing).  However, I'm still in an A Muse-ing mood so you'll have to suffer through this autumn inspired floral card.  I feel that I've been neglecting my favorite season, so this card had to be made.

I channeled my inner Susan Itell and added a couple of random dot trios to my greeting.  It works well when you need to add a little something.  The flowers were paper pieced in orange and highlighted with Copic marker. I really love how it came out.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps used-Charming Gardeners and Essential Sentiments II; cardstock used-Orange, Fern, and Orange petite pinstripes; ink used-Fern and Memento black.