FTL80 - A Muse Damask

Sometimes the simplest cards are the most striking! A Muse shimmer paper and art glitter make for a perfect couple -

The layout came from Clean & Simple Stamping's FTL80. You can really see the shimmer from an angle - beautiful. Did you notice how the stamp matches the paper?!! Another perfect couple!

Stamps - A Muse 9-8551C Love & Joy, 2-4138E Damask Solid

Ink - Momento Dye ink in Tuxedo Black and Ladybug

Paper - A Muse Apple Red Shimmer Couture Damask Paper

Accessories - Art Glitter, Tsukineko Glue Pad

Kraft Monograms

Finally got to get together with my stampy friends the other day - We used to stamp together quite often but now life seems to be conspiring against our crafty time. This is part of what I made - Want to see how quick and easy you can whip out a dozen of these?
These cards are 4b sized (3 1/2" x 5"). To make a template I cut a green piece of paper to the same size as the card's cover and used a rectangle Nestabilities die to cut out an opening.

I stamped the swirl design through the window with white kraft ink.

I like the look but it needed something to ground the white design since it is so loose and flowy.

I put the template back over and traced with a white pen.

Ahhh. Just the look I was going after - The monogram is from A Muse (Classic Alpha Set - clear stamps) and if you look closely you'll see a leaf stamped directly behind the monogram to cut down the white just a bit (A Muse 6-4167D Leaf Frond).

Hope the recipient (my SIL) likes them or I may have to change my name!!! Have a great weekend!

One of a Kind Monster

This is just the sort of card that would be a good "I love you" card for a child (or a monster - you pick). Using a stamp positioner again - I rarely use blue in my cards so I thought I'd jump out of the box and try a little something different.

Lots of pretty A Muse papers used here including two shades of the Shimmer Couture paper. Doesn't the blue gingham paper add a cute touch? I have two sons so I've always had a special place in my heart for the Monster Duo stamp!

Stamps - A Muse 2-3077D Monster Duo, 9-8431B One of a Kind

Ink - Momento Dye Ink in Tuxedo Black and Bahama Blue

Paper - A Muse Shimmer Couture Solid - Mango and Ocean, A Muse Petite Blue Gingham

Accessories - A Muse Orange Polka-dot Ribbon, EK Success edge punch, Copic markers

Delicious Day - Apple

This is a card I made for the Moxie Fab World: Olympics of Stamping challenge. I've been meaning to make a card with the pairing of the A Muse apple and this sentiment for the longest time. Picture it with me - you are in the produce department of your local grocery looking at the fruit and there it is - the biggest, juiciest, shiny Red Delicious Apple sitting there calling your name.
I stamped the red apple first and then used my stamp positioner to stamp all the green apples around it. This process is goes much quicker than you might think. After stamping, Koh-i-Noor pencils brought the red apple to life!! TIP: After applying the red ink to your stamp, wipe the ink from the stem/leaf area before stamping - makes it much easier to color with your pencils afterward since you won't be coloring over so much red.
The stamp positioner was invaluable again when it came time to stamp the sentiment. I really, really like this card!! I think it turned out even better than I had imagined! WHOO HOO - yeah me!! I hope you have a Delicious Day too!!
Stamps - A Muse 3-4159C Solid Apple, 9-8590B Delicious Day
Ink - Momento Dye ink in Tuxedo Black, Ladybug and Pear Tart
Paper - PTI cardstock in Pure Poppy & Ripe Avocado
Accessories - Koh-i-noor pencils, Fiskars edge punch

A Muse Zinnias - Tuesday Trigger

This cheery card was inspired by the Tuesday Trigger challenge on the Moxie Fab World blog. The background is stamped with the Solid and Open Zinnia stamps from A Muse. All that yellow made me think warm, sunny days - hence the sentiment.
We are currently getting a dusting of snow - I'm tired of getting cold. Here's the deal though - this summer we will be making fall/winter cards talking about how tired we are of being hot!
Stamps - A Muse 2-4133E Open Zinnia, 2-4134G Solid Zinnia, 8-8562B A Warm hello
Ink - Adirondack pigment ink in Snowcap, SU! Barely Banana and Yoyo Yellow
Paper - Black, white and kraft cardstock
Accessories - SU! twill ribbon, adhesive pearls, Fiskars border punch, corner punch

FTL79 - Purple Hello -

A couple months ago I was in a "Copic" kinda mood and stamped/colored several images (this stamp is from SU! but I can't remember which set - for some unknown reason they have been put in a box with the wrong label - AARRGGHH!) Another day I was in a "Nestabilities" kinda mood and cut/embossed the colored images. Yesterday I was in a "5 minute card" kinda mood. The FTL79 from Clean & Simple Stamping was just the ticket to whip out a super cute/quick card!! The sentiment (picked up in Seattle a few years back) is from Art Impressions - patterned paper from A Muse.

Have a Fan-tastic Day!!

This card is for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge - 57. This paper is from a pad purchased at Target a couple of years ago - it is sticker paper which makes layers like this a really quick snap to put together - The horizontal lines are repeated by using Tim Holtz Fragments over the fan stamp. Maybe a little too busy but I was wanting to play with the fragments, so there! :-P
Don't ya just love the fan/sentiment combo from A Muse? Makes for a kinda masculine card (if you ignore the bow). If you look closely at the above picture you can see the profiles of the fragments. An extra layer on the inside was needed to reinforce this "front heavy" card (plus really makes you look like you worked really hard)!
Have a Fan-tastic Day!

GS26 - Home is Where Your Mom Is

This card is for the Get Sketchy 26 Card Challenge. Here's a funny story for you - I recently used up an entire old book for some cards/classes that I held. Last night when I made this card I was on a desperate search for a page from an old book to stamp on. Not just any old book will do - I don't want to worry about any unsuitable words showing up on my creations - Corey has an old book that frankly if I hadn't asked him and just ripped a page out he would have been none the wiser but I did ask. This book is called The Concert Companion published in 1947. I sweetly asked Corey if he would spare a few pages - he told me some composers that he is not that enamored with so I ripped out a page and went my merry way - you should have seen his face! Shocked, appalled, aghast, dumbfounded, overwhelmed, thunderstruck - well, you get the picture. He could not contemplate ripping a page out of a perfectly good book - hee hee - I'll have to rip another page out in front of him tonight - I can picture it now - "Tell me I'm the best wife in the world or I'll rip more pages from your book!" (insert me laughing maniacally here)
It is hard to see the shimmer but the background is stamped with my new VersaMark Dazzle watermark stamp pad in Champagne. The flower stamp is from SU! and was colored with Perfect Pearls. Finishing touches include chocolate pearls and sentiment (9-8558B) from A Muse.
We had so much fun stamping on Wednesday - Apparently I am still in love with these papers because I used them in making this card too -

Tuesday Trigger - Moxie Fab World

Look at this fun, "Spring-y" card!! I made it for the Tuesday Trigger challenge on the Moxie Fab World blog - These bright colors are definitely a stretch for me - I used my Slice, punches, and even the paper crimper.
There are some signs of spring in my yard - now if only it would stop snowing!! Sentiment and patterned papers are by A Muse.

Fifth Avenue thanks - ftl78

These two cards were made for the Clean & Simple FLT78 - I am having so much fun with these weekly layouts - wish I'd stumbled across them sooner. Layouts seem to be my biggest weakness so a jumpstart in that area really gets my "craft" on! ;)

The paper comes from my new La Creme matstack from Hobby Lobby. See all the lovely black brocade on the patterned paper - that is flocking!! Makes it pretty to see and fun to touch!

The flowers are from the SU! Fifth Avenue Florals stamp set. I did some coloring with my copics and then to add texture to the medallions a Sakura Glaze pen was run over all the edges. Adds a subtle sheen and a fun "wow" factor.

Of course when your card is made of black cardstock you need to add a writing area to the inside. Another piece of flocked paper snazzes it up a bit. The Big Thanks (9-8616C) sentiment from A Muse is the perfect finishing touch.

If you haven't already be sure and check out Clean & Simple stamping. Tell them I sent ya - Not that it would made any difference but it might be fun, right? - "eh, Michelle who??!!"

Pretty in Pink -

Look at my new, lovely Hero Arts stamp I picked up at The Corner Crop in Evansville last week. One of the trends in stamping that I love is the red rubber cling stamp. It enables you to keep the clean crisp images you get from rubber with better storage ability since you don't have to deal with the bulky wooden blocks.

This particular stamp is BIG - about 4" square - I don't have an acrylic mount that big - wait a minute, Yes I do!! Using a Cuttlebug plate works just fine -

I really enjoy distressing the edges of stamped images with my Inkssentials Foam Tool and Distress Ink. You could never sponge an ink as dark as Frayed Burlap this smoothly without the foam tool -

Layered with white onto a kraft base - just a touch of polka-dot brown ribbon and a sentiment by A Muse (9-8246B Thinking of you hand) and it is done - Super quick and easy - I'm thinking I need to make this card in red and orange too!

Beautiful Birds -

Here is a closer look at two of the cards we will be making in the Beautiful Birds Tote Bag with Cards class next week. This particular card seems to be the favorite of most people who see the set -
The following card is my favorite! I love the ribbon (came from the fabric department of Hobby Lobby and it is elastic - go figure), the texture from the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder and the staples (Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher).

There is still room in class - just send me an e-mail to register - msmathey@gmail.com

Happy Anniversary -

Today is my brother Jay's and SIL Laura's 20th anniversary! WOW - time sure flies by quickly. I won't say that it seems like yesterday that they got married but it sure doesn't seem like two decades ago - I added some aging, brushes and effects with Photoshop to the photo. Sparkles courtesy of Art Glitter on Scor-tape. Kept it simple so that the picture would be the main focus -
Happy Anniversary, Jay & Laura - We Love You!!

CAS52 - Astro Flower

This is the CAS52 Challenge from Splitcoaststampers this week. I reused some paper ribbon from a past project.
Sure enough - when I stamped the sentiment disaster struck! What to do?! Quickly I cut a new strip of 3/4" x 5 1/2" white paper and stamped the sentiment perfectly (isn't that how it always goes?) - I glued it right over the offending portion of the card and all was well - no one will ever know the difference unless you tell them!
I wish all my mistakes were as easy to fix as this one was!
Stamps - A Muse 2-4089C Astro Flower, 9-8596B Thanks for all you do
Ink - Momento Dye Ink in Black Tuxedo, Rose Bud, Grape Jelly, Bahama Blue
Paper - Assorted A Muse Couture Shimmer Papers
Accessories - A Muse Palm Grosgrain Stitched Ribbon, Art Institute Glitter

PTI - Paint by Numbers Challenge

Have you been enjoying all the peeks at the MANY new PaperTrey Ink product lines? WOW - there is not enough money in my wallet for all I want (SIGH - never is). These are the colors I ended up with for the "paint" by number challenge since my online name, msmathey, starts with "M".I used my two Papertrey stamp sets - Spiral Bouquet and Life. To make this challenge even easier, the sketch (with measurements) is provided too - Link in and play - I need to fold my laundry now and feed the family - Real life is calling. . . .

FTL77 - Debossed/Embossed Flowers

I had so much fun doing the Clean & Simple Stamping FTL76 last week that I wanted to play again! This week's sketch (FTL77) shows an image stamped on the right side of the card. Instead of stamping I decided to use my SU! Manhattan Flower folder. I've been a big fan of letterpress printing lately so I used the flowers "pushed in"/debossed on this card.

The second card has the flowers "pushed out"/embossed. There was no room for the sentiment so I cheated on the sketch by putting the sentiment (A Muse 3-872B) at the top - and since I was already cheating I decided to round the corners. The patterned ribbon is from Making Memories (Hillary from the Noteworthy collection) and the patterned paper is from Dream Street Papers (Chamomile from the Carma Collection).

Simple and quick!! Which do you prefer - embossed or debossed??

Wishing you. . .Love & Joy

I had so much fun doing the A Muse Lounge Challenge #13 - A Colorful Challenge the other day that I decided to try another one - this combo is Black/Slate and White.
Sparkling up the Chrysanthemum stamp is easily accomplished with a Glue Pad, Stamp-a-ma-jig and Art Institute Glitter -
Round opposing corners with a Crop-a-dile Corner Chomper - 110 lb. cardstock is too heavy for a regular corner punch (note to self - buy a new corner punch since you broke yours!) A Muse Shimmer Paper, A Muse Black Pearls and gray/black ribbon complete this simple look.
Stamps - A Muse Chrysanthemum Solid (2-4166J), Coral (6-4171J), Love & Joy (9-8551C)
Ink - Momento Dye Ink in Tuxedo Black and London Fog
Paper - A Muse Shimmer Couture Solid - Onyx
Accessories - A Muse Pretty Pearls - Black, Art Institute Glitter

Have a Delicious Day!

This card features two challenges - The new A Muse Lounge Challenge #13 - A Colorful Challenge and the FTL 76 layout from Clean & Simple Stamping. I will admit that the color challenge part was much harder for me - Papaya, Orange Crush and Sky Blue are not three colors I'd ever think to put together - but that's what makes it a challenge, right? There are three color combos to choose from -

Can you see the shimmer from the new A Muse paper?? I used a Sakura Glaze pen on the ice cream to sparkle it up a tad - The swirls came from my favorite Cuttlebug Folder - D'Vine Swirl. Coloring the ice cream yellow made me think about Culver's custard!! Don't you love that custard? YUMM!!!

Stamps - A Muse 2-7166C Swirly Cone, 9-8590B mw Delicious day

Ink - Momento Dye Ink in Tuxedo Black

Paper - A Muse Petite Gingham Orange, A Muse Shimmer Couture Solid - Robin's Egg Blue

Accessories - A Muse Sheer Papaya Ribbon, Copic Markers