Crab Surfers

CB - Memory Box; Textured CS - CTMH; Surfboard, Crab, sentiment stamps - A Muse; Sun - Hero Arts; Memento & Colorbox Chalk Inks; Copics; Stickles; Marvy circle punch

While I'm not a surfer by ANY stretch of the imagination, I do like this cool "flames" surfboard. It's fun to color and waaaaay easy to cut out. I tore the textured CS to look more like sand and I made the little crabs "pop" by decorating them with Stickles (hmmmm, wonder if they're Decorator Crabs???......). Some Stickles on the flames make the board look cool too. And what's a sun without some delicious "sunny" yellow Stickles??? Gotta love those Stickles!!

Sympathy in Blue

CB - Memory Box; B&T, ribbon, CS & ink - CTMH; Stamp - Stampendous

I let the B&T paper do most of the work.....since a panel of the B&T is the majority of the card, the ribbon and some layered textured CS was all that was needed to finish the card. One thing that worked best - wrapping the ribbon around the card, adhering it and then using just a short bit of ribbon to tie the knot and then adhering that to to the flat ribbon (used a mini glue-dot since you could nearly build a house with them......they really stick!!).

Skully Thanks!

B&T - CTMH; Stamps: Xmas tree & "thanks" - Hero Arts, Skull - Inkadinkadoo; Ribbon - A Muse; Memento Inks; Copics; Stickles & Spicas; Fiskars Scissors

Creepella's Thank You cards..................from Christmas. Yes, after unpacking more containers in my stamp room, we found them (again). She's finally sent them off. I guess it's never too late to say Thank You......it just varies on the "tacky-level".

Kind of a dark card, or funny - depends how you look at it and if you know us......then, well then it all makes sense.....sort of!!

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............