you're the best!

Another cute card from Carol's card night WAY back in March.  A few simple punches, a pen and a stamp! (sorry for the blurry photo)

stamp: A Muse "you're the best!"
ink: VersaFine onyx black
other: Copic pen

thinking of you

Another card we made at Carol's.

stamp: Savvy "thinking of you"
ink: some pale pink?
other: butterfly punch, Copic pink?

thank you

We received so many generous gifts and meals for our family and our new baby girl.  I wanted to make thank you's that were easy to reproduce.  I think I've posted a similar card before (I got the idea for the patterned crib mattress from one Roell girl or the other), but I switched this one up by folding a Memory Box card inside out to have white on the outside and a bunch of pink on the inside.  I learned that inside-out trick from Maureen.

 

stamp: A Muse crib; Papertrey Ink "thank you"

ink: VersaFine onyx black; Memento tuxedo black

other: Copic markers E44 & RV21

miss you

I have never used copics to create a graduated background so it was fun to play along with Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #58.  This card was a stretch for me because I'm not really an "orangey" color person.  But with the black flowers, I really like how it turned out.

stamp: Papertrey flowers & "miss you"

ink: VersaFine onyx black

other: Copics {Y11, Y21, Y17, YR04, YR68}

you are one of a kind!

My first card was so quick that I wanted to make another one for One Layer Wednesday 84.  I picked three different Copics for the pink gumballs, but with such small surface areas they look all look the same.

stamp: A Muse gumball machine & "you're one of a kind!"

ink: Memento tuxedo black

other: Copics {RV10, RV13, RV14, RV21}

hello

I have been falling in love with Laurie Wilison's chevron cards here and here and here and decided to try one of the adorable circle cards.

 

I think it's such a fun and fresh look!

stamp: A Muse chevron stripes, flower, & "hello"

ink: Memento tuxedo black; A Muse orange

other: circle punch, Copics (Y17, YG23, YR68, YR04)

{flower vase}

I wanted to play along with The Paper Dolls "Spring Bling" challenge.  I decided to pair it with Laura Bassen adorable cherry card layout.  It was a little hard to think of Spring today as it's been snowing off and on all day here in Seattle.  I'm ready for warmer weather though!

 

stamp: Memory Box flowers; A Muse chevron stripes
ink: Memento tuxedo black; A Muse sage & grass
other: scallop punch, hole punch, Copics (YG23, Y02, Y06, Y11), Memory Box jewel stickers canary yellow

thanks a latte

I haven't been able to craft very much lately and the new Papertrey Make It Monday challenge (freestyle coloring) seemed quick enough, so I jumped in.  I don't have as many copics as I would like, so my brown tones aren't what I would like, but it was fun to play along.

stamp: A Muse latte cup; Memory Box "thanks a latte"

ink: Memento rich cocoa; Impress chocolate

other: A Muse twinkle heart sticker

summer

I'm loving the heat we're having here in the northwest.  The kids and I have been able to log in lots of time at our community pool.  I just love it!  Here's something else a little refreshing.

stamp: Peddler's Pack citrus fruit; Savvy "happy summer"
ink: ColorBox marigold & canary
other: jewel sticker, Copic (chrome orange)

{blank flower vases}

I was inspired by the One Layer Wednesday Challenge: Make it Personal.  Often I just make cards that I like and I enjoy.  Then when I need a card I hunt through my stash and look for a card that best matches the person I need to give it to.  I make specific cards for birthdays, but typically I just create what I like.

For the challenge,  I decided to make a card for my mom.  I asked her to babysit the kids (last minute) tonight and not only did she say yes but asked "can they spend the night?"  Needless to say I owe her a big thank you.  My mom loves her garden, her flowers, and especially bringing those flowers inside to enjoy.  So here is a simple card with flowers for her kitchen.  I should really get some real flowers for her too!

stamp: Memory Box flower vases; Impress double stripe
ink: Memento tuxedo black; VersaFine onyx black
other: jewel stickers; Copics (cool shadow, aqua blue, wax white, new leaf, salad, buttercup yellow, golden yellow)

a|s blog hop

Welcome to the a·muse|studio blog hop with my  a·muse "cousins".   We are all lucky to have Krystie as our upline lady.  If you are joining the blog hop, you should have arrived from Karen Crisp's blog (My Paper Paradise). 


I love the  a·muse|studio twinkle sticker packets and wanted to play with some different shapes besides the circle (my go to twinkle sticker).  First up, is the twinkle sticker teardrop.

front

inside

This next card I used the twinkle sticker star.

front

inside

Finally the twinkle sticker heart.

front

peek-a-boo of the beans inside

Did you find it?  Oops, it's not there.  When I originally designed this card there was going to be a little twinkle heart in the circle on the latte cup.  Then my Seattle brain saw the circle and had to make it a Starbucks cup.  So no twinkle sticker on this card, but still fun a·muse|studio goodies.

thanks
stamp: A Muse chandelier, "thanks", & "you are amazing"
ink: A Muse ocean
other: A Muse twinkle stickers; Copic (process blue)


{blank birthday cake}
stamp: A Muse cake, stripes, & "birthday wishes"
ink: VersaFine onyx black
other: A Muse twinkle stickers, circle punch


how ya' bean?
stamp: A Muse latte cup, mini circle, beans, & "how ya' bean?"
ink: A Muse fern & french roast; VersaFine onyx black
other: circle punches, Copic multiliner


It's time for a prize!!
Become a "follower" and leave a comment for a chance to win one package of  a·muse|studio twinkle stickers (I'll even include the heart strip even though I forgot to use it).


Now you are off to Lesa Wolfe's blog (The Paper Pundit).



Here is a complete list in case you get lost along the way:
Kathy Hatzke
Karen Crisp
Kari Bell   you are here!
Lesa Wolfe
Lisa Wakabayashi
Lisa Chapman
Veronica Zalis
Ida P. Krause
Lianna Vigil
Kristen Watson

pirate party

These are the invitations for my son's 5th birthday party.  He is super excited to have some pirate fun!  Here goes nothing.  We're bound to have a busy day.

(front)

(inside top half)

(inside bottom half)

stamp: Stampin' Up! pirate, treasure chest, x marks the spot trail, & anchor with "you arrr invited"

ink: Memento tuxedo black; VersaFine onyx black; Brilliance rocket red; Papertrey Ink tea die duo; A Muse french roast

other: Copic markers, Papertrey Ink die cut

{blank school}

Okay last inchie card (at least for now).  Once I made the pirate card, I had to try it with the a·muse|studio school days set.  I definitely like the overall look of the pirate card better, but this was fun.

stamp: A Muse bus, school, pencil

ink: Memento Tuxedo black

other: Copics (Yellow, Buttercup Yellow, Pale Yellow, Cool Gray No.1, Sand, Sepia, Lipstick Red, Golden Yellow), Copic multiliner


Now back to your regularly scheduled (non-inchie) cards.

{blank pirate}

I decided to try the inchies with the a·muse|studio buried treasure set.  I love the little peek-a-boo's that inchies provide.

stamp: A Muse pirate, ship, & treasure
ink: Memento Tuxedo black
other: Copics (Light Suntain, Bareley Beige, Sand, Sepia, Lipstick Red, Golden Yellow, Canary Yellow, Colorless Blender)

hello.

More inchie goodness, thanks to a·muse|studio!

stamp: A Muse tree, kite, clouds, & "hello"

ink: Memento tuxedo black; VersaFine onyx black

other: Copics (sand, flesh, barely beige, light suntan, sepia, new leaf, holiday blue, aqua blue, cool shadow, colorless blender), Copic multiliner

with sympathy

This card by Jennifer Rzasa was so clean and simple but the color scheme was different than what I normally turn to, so I wanted to try it out.  You know me, I have to add some bling.  What do you "always" add to your cards/projects?

stamp: A Muse flower & "with sympathy"
ink: A Muse french roast
other: A Muse twinkle stickers, Copic marker

you're the best!

With the medical issues that I had, I was a tad behind on Teacher Appreciation Week.  I finally got around to making these for the kids' teachers and putting together little treat bags for them.  I wanted something simple because I had to make 7 cards.  Yes, seven teachers for two kids in preschool.  Well, technically five teachers and two preschool administrators (got to give them thanks too).  We just love them so much!

stamp: a muse chalkboard, pencil, "abc...", & "you're the best!"

ink: Memento tuxedo black; VersaFine onyx black; Brilliance rocket red

other: Copic markers, twinkle stickers

happy day

After I finished a card the other day, I saw this bird scrap sitting in my scrap container.  I immediately had to get to work. This is what I came up with:

Do you ever have a scrap that you can't think of anything to do with it, and then a few hours/days/weeks later you see it and know exactly how to use it and wonder how you were so stumped before?

stamp: Memory Box bird; Papertrey Ink flourishes & "happy day"

ink: VersaFine onyx black; ColorBox white

other: twine, Memory Box pearl stickers, Copic Marker

a|s consultants blog hop

Time for another blog hop!  Yesterday's hop involved my a·muse|studio upline "cousins" (if you're here for that and came from Veronica's blog scroll down to the next post).   We are all lucky to have Krystie as our upline lady.

Today's hop includes a variety of a|s consultants who connected through the online forum.  You should have arrived here from Kelly's blog, if not you can start it all at Samantha's blog.  She will have the complete list of all the blogs in case there is a glitch along the way.  Just follow the blog path; there are lots of prizes to be won, so leave some comment love!!

Enough nitty gritty.

The theme this month is "congratulations".  When you think of the school days, "congrats" probably isn't the fist thing that comes to mind, but there are lots of people and occasions that deserve congratulating. Some people to consider: teachers, principals, office staff, students, college grads, tutors, and teacher aides.  Occasions for congratulating (but are certainly not limited to): finishing a school year, finishing state testing, passing National Boards, graduating, not losing a kid on a field trip (you think I'm joking, but I used to teach), completing a school performance/play, and sadly in my area keeping your teaching position when schools are closing.

This next card is just a fun, girlie congratulations.  Maybe for a newly announced pregnancy (there seem to be LOTS of my friends sharing that great news right now), a new job, a new home, or anything else you can dream up for those amazing women in your life (or men who like pink and birds).

This last card is a little more masculine.  We have a dear friend who was just made partner at his firm and we wanted to congratulate him.  We are so proud of him!!

What sort of congratulating do you have going on in your neck of the woods?

Wait, one more thing!  Want a little treat?  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win a prize (6 die cut birds (3 of each) and 1 yard of stitched bubblegum ribbon, so you can recreate the congratulations bird card).

okay, now you're off to Carla's blog, Paper Pastorale

congrats

stamp: a·muse|studio bus, chalkboard, ruler, & "congrats" (I used the "congratulations" stamp very carefully)

ink: VersaMark; VersaFine onyx black; Memento tuxedo black

other: white embossing powder, Copic Markers

congratulations

stamp: a·muse|studio branch, birds, & "congratulations"

ink: A Muse bubblegum & grass

other: bubblegum stitched ribbon, bird die cuts


you're the best
stamp: a·muse|studio dress shirt & "you're the best"
ink: VersaFine onyx black

a|s blog hop

Welcome to the a·muse|studio blog hop with my a muse "cousins".   We are all lucky to have Krystie as our upline lady.


If you are joining the blog hop, you should have arrived from Veronica's blog.  If not, you can start all the blog hopping fun at Krystie's blog.  She has a complete list of all the stops in case there's a glitch along the way. There are a few prizes involved and not too many blog hop stops, so why not?!  (The more blogs you comment on, the better your chances of winning a|s goodies.)  Even if you don't have time to comment, you'll get to see a variety of a|s inspired cards.




My kids were invited to another pirate party, this time it was for a little girl.  I was so excited, that I immediately created this card.  I've made a few pirate cards lately and the best way to get an aged map (that I've discovered) is to stamp your images on kraft paper, ink the edges, distress the edges, and crinkle it up. I thought a paper bag would work well but I like the look of the kraft much better.  I've also burnt the edges before but all the ashes can get quite messy.  Have you ever made a map/old scroll paper?  What do you like to do?

front

inside

This next card I wanted something for a tween or a teen.  A bit older with some attitude, yet still playful.

Thanks so much for stopping by!   I'm participating in another a·muse|studio blog hop tomorrow, "follow" me and come on back to see the goodness!

Wait, one more thing!  Want a little treat?  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win a prize (a small sampling of a·muse|studio flowers).

happy birthday matey!
stamp: A Muse buried treasure set

ink: VersaFine onyx black; Memento tuxedo black; A Muse french roast

other: twinkle stickers, Copic markers


you rock my world
stamp: A Muse background, guitar, & "you rock my world"
ink: VersaFine onyx black
other: Copic Markers, washi tape, twinkle stickers


Complete list of blog hop (in other words make sure you commented on each blog for many chances to win prizes):
Krystie Hersch
Kathy Hatzke
Kelly Spivey 
Lianna Vigil
Lisa Wakabayashi
Lesa Wolfe
Veronica Zalis
Kari Bell-- YOU ARE HERE!!


Congratulations!  You made it through the hop (if not go on back to Krystie's blog).  We hope we inspired you to create some fun projects!