Summer Swap Card

Cardbase, stamps, ribbon - A Muse; Inks - Memento; Copics; Stickles; 3M Foam Tape

Recently I signed up for the Summer Swap over in the A Muse Lounge. I'm still not sure if I'm truly signed up as my name has yet to be added to the list. I did however, make my cards (had the idea rolling around in my head and got tired of it pinging at my left eyeball). Do you see that tiny Santa hat?? THAT is absolutely my favorite stamp of the new holiday release - I LOVE it!!! You just watch - I'll be making EVERYONE a Santa!!!

Definitely "A Muse" style in design - simple and clean..............and while I love simple and clean, I feel almost compelled to do a spot of layering.....I think the foam tape was my crutch this time but it works!

Look Familiar?

Cardbase - Memory Box: Stamps - Hero Arts; Inks - Memento & CTMH: Metallic CS & Sheer Ribbon - CTMH; Marvy oval punches; Stickles

I confess - I may have posted this card earlier.....MUCH earlier - so much earlier that I've become confused as to whether or not I've posted it before. And of course that makes me realize that I must get some sort of a handle on my blog photos. Ah well, I'll work on that later.

I was too lazy to look for any other flourishes (because I think I have about a billion of them), so I used what was in this clear set from Hero Arts - I liked how it turned out (almost looks like I MEANT to do that). Fast and easy card (waaay easy to make multiples), but with the metallic CS, Stickles and ribbon it's quite appropriate for the happy occasion!!

Ocean Traffic

Orca & Submarine stamp - A Muse: Sentiment - Hero Arts; Ink - Memento; Copics; Spicas; Silver Gel Pen; Assorted blue CS scraps; Fiskars giant scallop edgers; sponge; Cloud Template - CTMH (retired)

When I took Julie's Fabulous Folds Class - I fell in love with the orca. I had already told myself that I would NOT be getting the stamp because really, how many repeat marine life stamps do I need - AND a wood-mounted stamp at that??? You can see how long my convictions last (about 20 minutes in the store). But I'm happy that I got him - he's cute.....and look, he loves to jump (do Orcas do a lot of wave jumping???). I think he and the submarine might just play leap frog when nobody is watching (ok - I know I'm not the only one who thinks the stamps have their own lives when I walk away....right????!!!!).

Fancy Floral Thanks

Cardbase - Memory Box: All stamps - Hero Arts; Ink - Memento; Copics, Spicas & Stickles; Ribbon - A Muse; Gemstones.....???

I've known some stamping people for a VERY long time.....about a week ago, Heidi and I were lucky enough to be invited to a special stamping treat by someone that we've known for over 15 YEARS - boy does time fly when you're stamping. I wanted to send our stamping friend a special thank you sooooooo - no joke - I spent HOURS on this card (at least 3 episodes of "Deadliest Catch and a couple of "Burn Notice"). So ok, I didn't make just one card......I made TWO!!!

Of course the coloring is what took the longest (but I did get to use my newest Copic acquisition - all of those subtle pastels.....sigh.....). I think you can see the Spica overlay on the flowers? While the card doesn't look as if I spent hours on it - I'm happy with the results.

Portrait of a Couch

Cardbase - Memory Box; Couch, Oval shadow, sentiment & ribbon: A Muse; Vine "wallpaper" stamp & B&T paper - CTMH; Memento, Colorbox Chalk & Versafine Inks; Copics & Spicas & Memento Markers

I love it when all of the colors come together so well. This is just a fun little "thinking of you card" that's been humming in the back of my brain for a while. I like that it's not too Foo-Foo-La-La, but it's still a bit feminine. I'm not usually a girlie-girl....but I do like a little softness in my cards when I know the recipient is female. I'm definitely a "less is more" type of card-maker. That's probably why Heidi and I make a such a good card-making team. She is DEFINITELY a "much more is waaaaay better" type!!!

Well-read Gnome

Stamps - Stampin' Up; Cardstock, mini-brad and B&T - CTMH; Inks - Memento & Colorbox Chalks; Copics; Marvy Punch; Ribbon from the Paper Garden

I'm about Gnomed-out....for now. They're so much fun to color but they are a LOT of work. And now that I have a bunch of new A Muse stamps and paper (and apparently the attention span of gnat) it's off to play with the A Muse stuff for a good long while.

I've got some ideas whipping around in my head right now that are just SCREAMING to get out - better get a move on!!

Peaceful Vine

Stamps - Stampendous; Ink - Memento; Koh-I-Noor Woodless Colour Pencils

Pretty simple card........although simplistic in design, shading the leaves with the color (oops, the coloUr) pencils took a bit of time. In all, I used 3 greens and a very light yellow. The stamp set is clear so it was VERY easy to add smaller vines and leaves to create the length of vine I wanted.

Morning Blahs

Cardbase & stamps - Memory Box: B&T paper - ....I don't remember; textured CS Liquid Glass & ribbon - CTMH; Ink - Memento; Copics, Spicas; Heart Brad - Making Memories

Love these Penguins!! I remember using these pink sponge curlers (they always used to leave a dent in my hair!!). The Polka-dots on her robe were done by using the Copic blender and just touching the tip of the bullet point to the already-colored area. Very neat trick and one that I don't remember often enough!

I've got to go and grab a bit of a nap.....tonight several of us going to see the first show of "Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince". I tell you, I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve - I KNOW I need to have a little rest before the show (at 12:01am on the 15th)....BUT I'm just soooo esssciiiiited, I can hardly stand it............aaaarrrrrggggghhhhh.........midnight can't come soon enough!!!!

Pretty In Pink

Cardbase, B&T and Liquid Glass - CTMH; Stamp - Hero Arts; Memento Ink; Copics & Spicas; Silver Gel Pen; Marvy Punch

Wanted something a tad bit different and why not mess up the whole area for writing while I'm at it?? This card is for someone who just doesn't have a lot to say....OR....writes really tiny. Different types of folds or shapes - I like to "stir things up" every once in a while.

SPOT-On

Full Card...

Close-up of all of the "spotty" goodness....

of the "spots'...All Stamps, Cardbase & ribbon - A Muse; Inks - Memento, CTMH & Versafine; Copics & Spicas; Circle Punches - Stampin' Up & EK Success: Cloud Stencel - CTMH

For AMAP's Challenge #4 the inspiration word was....SPOT.....immediately I thought of a dog and then I switched over to ladybugs which then had me tumbling along to mushrooms and of course I took a little mental detour and thought of the "spot"-light technique and POOF!! the card was designed. My biggest problem has been trying to get time to sit down and actually stamp.

Oh, I've been busy stamping all right......2 days of classes with Julie Ebersole was fantastically fun. My favorite class was the Fabulous Folds - ideas started pinging away before I could get the cards done in class..........so much fun!!! And then of course there are all of the cool new holiday stamps for AMAP itself. So many new designs and HELLLLLLOOOOooooo, several new pine trees, a truck for Bella AND my absolute MOST favorite stamp - the mini Santa hat - LOVE that one. I can slap that thing on so many things - EVERYONE and EVERYTHING can be Santa.

Whew - I'm pretty tuckered.....but there's no rest for the wicked.......a new Make & Take everyday this week - using the NEW stamps from AMAP.....plus I'm sure I'll fit some time in to use some of the new goodies that I've purchased.......YIKES.......speaking of which - I'll wrap up the rambling for now - I'm off to stamp!!

Singing from the Treetops

Stamps - CTMH (bird - Hero Arts); B&T and CS - CTMH; Inks - Mementos; Scalloped scissors; button & twine - Papertrey Ink; Copics & Spicas

Had some B&T paper left over and as I'm trying to use things up while they're out, I decided to make a few 4bar cards. I like the neutral colors and the button & twine give this card enough uuuumphffff to hold its own.

Party Hat

Cardbase - Memory Box; Stamp - Hero Arts; B&T - CTMH; Memento Ink; Copics; Spicas; Marvy circle punch; Brad - Making Memories; Ribbon - Michaels???

Pretty colorful, eh? Ahhhh a bit too colorful now that it's done. Hmmm, well it's bright and cheerful - that's about all I can say............

Fishing Lessons

Stamps - There She Goes; Miscellaneous B&T paper; Inks - Memento & Chalk Inks; Copics, Spicas, silver gel pen.

The rest of the sentiment says: teach a man to fish and he spends all day drinking beer (or something like that). I thought it was of kind of funny, especially with the image stamp....wonder now if this is how "fish tales" started???

A Stack of Twilight Goodness

Front of card

Close-up of the stack of goodness

All Stamps, CS (unless otherwise noted), cardbase & ribbon - A Muse; Ink - Memento; Copics, Spicas, Marvy Tombow; textured CS (for table legs) & liquid glass - CTMH.

My first card (there are 3 of them) for the AMAP Challenge #3 (inspired by Twilight). Of course I've launched myself in the novel/series "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer...and whoa did I come up with a pack of ideas (and speaking of packs.....A Muse needs at least one wolf stamp.....), unfortunately time constraints and lack of appropriate stamps is cutting off my creative juices. But it's been fun coming up with some "Twilight"-inspired card ideas. I've made copious notes so as time permits (and stamp designs become available), I'll be able to whip out another dozen cards like nobody's business!!

Twilight Trinket of Love

Front of Card

Close-up of Bella's "bracelet"

Stamps, Cardbase, ribbon - A Muse; Inks - Memento & Versamark; Platinum Embossing powder; Spica; Heart Gem; Stardream CS; Marvy Punch

In my first AMAP Challenge #3, I hint that A Muse needs some sort of "wolf" stamp.....had I had a wolf stamp, I could have made a proper bracelet for Bella. But I have to work with the supplies available to me. So here's the diamond heart "charm" that Edward gives to Bella.....naturally it doesn't sparkle nearly like a diamond would - but you get the point!!

I think the sentiment stamp has been discontinued....but I LOVE IT......and use it often because, well because it says it all quite simply.

Fast Food - Twilight Style

Card Front

Close-up of "Eddie"

Close-up of.....aaahhhh...hhhhmmmm.....dinner???!!!

CS & Stamps - A Muse; Inks - Memento & Chalk Ins; Copics; Spicas; Marvy punch

Ok, my third and final card for AMAP's Challenge #3. This one is admittedly, slightly sick - and technically for all of those BOOK-Twilight fans, this card is incorrect on so many levels....but I work with what I have and this is it!! It's a fun card to do and since I am a fan of Twilight, it IS fun to poke a bit of fun at the movie too.

The trickiest part of the card.......making the deer "run"........I had to perform a bit of surgery on the clear stamp, position the legs from a "standing" position to a "leaping/running" position and I had to stamp FAST (because those legs wanted to stand!). I hope A Muse comes out with a true pine tree (or a grove of pine trees) because I didn't like the looks of any of the trees I had. And no knock on A Muse - generally the variety of trees can meet nearly every stamping need I have - just not when I need a forest of pines.

Freedom Rings

Stamps, inks, markers & metallic CS - CTMH; B&T - Doodlebug; Stardream CS; Stickles; Star brad - Making Memories

I can do this quick and easy type of "coloring" for this stamp and another CTMH stamp...just one swish of color and another swipe of another color and WHAM - you're done!!! More of that stinkin' cute Doodlebug paper and the Stardream CS really adds to the whole festivities feel. Kind of cool how you can create the whole thing by mixing and matching - even when you're limited stamp-wise.

Wishing you ALL a wonderful (and safe!!) 4th of July!!!

Circled Stars

Stamp & B&T paper - ???; Stardream CS; Star Brads - Making Memories; Inks - CTMH

Another way simple & easy card and LOOK - there's actually some stamping done on the front of the card!! What can I say - I work with what I have available and with my financial resources being quite limited, I need to make do with what I've got in my stash. Next year, I'm hoping to splurge on more 4th of July themed stamps, but until then I think simple will work!

Lots of Stripes & Stars

CS, Metallic CS, Stamp & Ink - CTMH; B&T - ???; Star Die cut - QuicKutz

I was pretty thrilled when I found this paper - I already had the card idea....just needed to find the paper since I really didn't want to do all of that stamping. I really like the stitching detail on this B&T paper. I don't have a huge variety of 4th of July stamps, but I'm finding that I've got quite a collection of appropriately themed B&T paper.

Stars & stripes forever...

Glittered July 4th

B&T and CS papers, markers - CTMH; Stamp - Hero Arts; Stickles; Deckle Edgers - Fiskars

Oldie but goodie!! Another 4bar card. Since I can get 4 of them from one sheet of 12 x 12 CS, these are really economical when I need to do mass production.