FTL96 - Zva Butterfly Flock

Wait until you check out the gallery at the Clean and Simple Stamping blog for this sketch - FTL96. It is a simple sketch but there are SO many beautiful interpretations of it - so inspiring!

I used the last of my painted paper - I only have a few scraps left now - I need to make a date with my old book paper/Claudine Hellmuth paint and make another mess soon!! These gorgeous stamps are from A Muse; the pearls are Zva. TIP: Use your stamp positioner to ink selected butterflies to fill in empty spaces around your main image.

CPS173/Embellish - Duckies

This elegant baby card is based on Card Positioning Systems Sketch 173 and the Embellish Color Challenge/Baby Theme. I used my new Basic Grey Cappella 6x6 paper pad. The darling yellow gingham paper and the sentiment are from A Muse. The duck punch is from The Paper Source. BTW - this is the 4th day in a row that I've used my new EKSuccess Border punch! Do you think I like it?!

PDCC#35 - Weathered chairs

I based this card on the color challenge found below - The Play Date Cafe Challenge - 35.

I was struck by the weather-beaten look of those old chairs and the wood behind them. Looks way cool in a picture - maybe not so cool if they were in your backyard - I keep thinking "paint splinters" - plus, metal chairs get super HOT in the summer. . . YOUCH!!

I punched a hole in the cardfront so the metal flower is actually on the inside of the card - fun way to add some dimension. After taping the strips of colored cardstock together, I ran them through the Cuttlebug with one of my new Tim Holtz embossing folders and then randomly inked the top with PTI Vintage Cream and Tie Dye inks. Love the worn look it gives! Sentiment is from A Muse.

Finished off with my EKSuccess border punch - can you believe how the "hills and valleys" perfectly matched the strips of paper?! That was a serendipitous moment! Hope you have had a great weekend!

Moxie Fab - Halt! It's a Halter!

Time for another Tuesday Trigger Challenge from Moxie Fab World. This week's trigger is based on the halter below from Anthropologie -What stood out to me were the colors (black, red, yellow), the creamy background of the mannequin and the newsprint font on the white flowers.

Here are some of the products I used - A Muse stamp for the "you are" sentiment, Martha Stewart punch for the crown, Technique Tuesday Poppy stamps, Cosmo Cricket tiny type stickers, etc.

I used the sketch from 2S4Y - Kazan's Sketch #55. To have a little fun I made this card have a top flap that opens upward while the card front opens downward (is that a word?)

Do you dig the banner? Julie Ebersole did a tutorial on how to make one on her Cuppa Time with Julie A Muse video for this month. You can thank me later for the link once you've made one of your own! Fun and easy!!

Leaf Frond Masculine Congrats -

Mom popped by yesterday and needed a couple masculine graduation cards - When you keep the layout simple and use great stamps/paper you can construct two fabulous cards in no time flat!! I used the new Leaf frond II stamp from A Muse stamped in Momento Sahara Sand with a PTI sentiment on top. Roughing up the edges with a Tim Holtz Paper Distresser enhances the masculine look -

Lots of us find masculine cards to be intimidating but kraft paper seems rugged to me. Besides, once this card is opened, is the recipient going to look past the fact that he sees Ben Franklin smirking at him to analyze card construction??!! I thought not!

This manly paper is from my Basic Grey Archaic 6x6" paper pad - Using an EKSuccess Border Punch to shorten the front of the card allows a little patterned paper to be put on the inside - fun touch! I can't decide which one I love the most!

Everything's Rosy!

Last night was a great night at the Doodlebug!! Twelve ladies stamped, scored, embossed, laughed and talked their way through class! Can't wait to do it again - My next two classes are listed on the left - Did you know that if you book both classes on Saturday, August 21 I'll cut $5 from the price?

Look at my pile of stash that I brought home last night - Can't wait to start crafting with it - In fact, I already made two quick graduation cards that my mom needed this AM using the new punch - I'll get those up as soon as I can - I have a graduation party to attend on Saturday and I promised a big platter of baked yummies - I made butterscotch brownies and now I need to go to the grocery to pick up more staples to make 4 other kinds of bar cookies. Sure smells good in my house!!

GS43 - Pink Thanks

Did you know that today is National Pink Day? Neither did I until I read it on the Paper Crafts Connection blog - As a kid, I loved pink!! As an adult my passion for pink has definitely cooled and I use pink in very small doses - I am more of a brown/green kinda gal now! Nothing like a great shade of brown/beige/tan to knock my socks off!! Hence my love of kraft paper that shows up quite frequently on this blog.

This card, based on Get Sketchy - GS43 sketch, is a PINK card to me although the pink is limited to the buttons and and some patterned paper (these patterned papers are My Mind's Eye and The Paper Studio that I picked up at Hobby Lobby). The buttons and silk ribbon come from PTI. Sentiment and Pink Juliette background paper are from A Muse. What is your favorite color? I don't just love brown and green - I also have a thing for black too! (I'm quite the exciting individual!!)

BTW - I made Top 5 at Get Sketchy last week! WHOO HOO!

CAS95 - Wish you were here. . .

This card is based on the sketch by Clean and Simple Stamping - CAS95. It features yet another crocheted flower - the center is made from the Foliage embellishments from Tim Holtz and a crystal brad. Since the flower adds so much weight to the top of the card I added grounding with the old book paper, ribbon and the Cuttlebug embossing to the bottom of the card. Those combined elements make your eye see the "whole" card instead of just being drawn to the flower - (that's what I think anyway - and you can't change my mind! so there!)

BTW - when I am using old book paper I scan the page for any "spooky/inappropriate" words that I don't want to show up on my card but I don't pay that close of attention. Look close in the left hand corner and you will see "muddy" and "slimy" - it cracks me up when words like that show up!! Obviously, it doesn't take a lot to make me laugh - - -

The sentiment and polka-dot ribbon are from A Muse.

A Muse Bicycles

OKAY - I'll say it! Isn't this a stinkin' cute card?!! I need to be riding my bike but it is SO hot right now that we've been having heat advisories every single day!! Even the dog refuses to go outside. . .

Here's a quick pic of some of the items used on this card - A Muse stamps and paper, Momento and SU! inks, edge punch and some twine. . . plus the handy, dandy Stamp-a-ma-jig!

Love the font that is in the A Muse Vintage clear stamp set - kinda funky and typewritten. This card was made for 3 challenges! Moxie Fab World - I Want to Ride My Bicycle, Wplus9 Design Studio, LLC - Color Cue Challenge and Paper Crafts Go-to Sketch Challenge #4 - WHEW - I need a nap after this creative burst of energy!

My favorite part is when I showed this card to my husband he asked, "Where did you find that bicycle paper?" I STAMPED IT!!!

Sneak Peek - Everything's Rosy class

We are home from Wisconsin - had a great/quick trip and now there is a mountain of laundry calling to me but I wanted to pop in a give you a sneak peek of two of the 5 cards we will be making Wednesday evening at the Doodlebug in Jasper! Soft shades of blue and green will be complimented by fun techniques, gorgeous florals and all new designs with A Muse's Everything's Rosy release!!

It isn't too late to give Hannah and Melanie a call and get registered! See ya on Wednesday~

Card Patterns Sketch 68 - Butterfly Kiss

I am posting from the wilds of Wisconsin - We are in Plover (Hi, Dawn - we are pretty close to your neck of the woods - wish I had time to drop by!) for a graduation party and I thought I'd post this card based on CardPatterns Sketch 68 even though the sketch is officially over - I've been SO busy that I've not had time to do anything on the computer - My favorite part of this card is how the sentiment is stamped in Staz-On ink directly onto the Martha Stewart ribbon!

The A Muse butterfly stamp is inked with some coral pigment ink from Stampin' Up! and then kissed with my A Muse Coral stamp then edged with a bit of Close to Cocoa. After stamping a dose of glitter adds a little dash of fun. Isn't this color combo pretty? It is based upon the Embellish Color Challenge of Coral, Brown and Yellow.

CPS171 - Masculine Gingham

Yesterday I took great liberties with the sketch I was interpreting - today I made the sketch as literal as you possibly can!! When I saw this week's Card Positioning Sketches CPS171 with its "argyle diamonds", I immediately thought masculine and and A Muse's petite gingham perfectly fit the look I was after -

The sentiment is made with more of my Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type stickers - I bought them in 5 different colors!

Get Sketchy #42 - Hi Friend

Another handmade crocheted flower - this one has a K&Company fabric brad in the center and leaves created from the SU! Bird punch.

The flower is layered onto a Martha Stewart Die-cut lace tag (think teeny tiny doily) - they come 12 to a package (4 each of 3 designs). The patterned paper is from my old stash of "Archaic" Basic Grey paper (one of the most beautiful collections ever - wouldn't you agree, Kim? tee hee) and the sentiment is from A Muse.

Sometimes I see cards that people made from a certain sketch and I look and I look and I have the hardest time "seeing it". Well, I took great liberties with this sketch from Get Sketchy so the same may be said of me this week - sometimes you get creating and you don't know what way things will turn out in the end. BTW - this French Roast A Muse 4b card base is perfect for this kind of card since it has a white color base - Simply punch the decorative edge and you are done.

Moxie Fab - You're Cool!

Summer is in full swing! We were gone all weekend and will be gone next weekend too - I got home in time to put together one quick card based on this week's Moxie Fab Blog's Tuesday Trigger.

This picture of popsicles is the trigger! Don't you love how the photographer captured them right at the time when they are frosty/on the verge of melting! Makes me want to go out to the freezer and get one but then I'd have to get out of bed where I'm typing this blogpost and I am too lazy (time to tell the truth!!)

Anyway - using A Muse Shimmer Solid Couture papers gives this card that same shimmery, frosty glow!! The scalloped circle behind the COOL sentiment is punched from wood veneer paper which reminds me of the popsicle sticks - One thing I know for sure is that my 8-year old will be eating a popsicle at some point tomorrow!

P.S. - One of my cards made it onto the Challenge Gallery of CARDS blog - Cool!

CPS170 - Hey You!!

This fun card is based on CPS170 from the Card Positioning Systems blog. Those flowers are so cute!! Want to know which stamps/markers I used to make them? NONE - This is more of the decorative tape that you can get from A Muse! Super fast card when you run a strip of tape, add a touch of cardstock top and bottom and then add a chipboard sentiment (Cosmo Cricket - Paul Bunyan) on vellum. I chose vellum so you could still see the great flowers underneath. I'm lovin' the tape!

Card Patterns Sketch 67 - Vintage Birds

Today's card is based on sketch 67 from the Card Patterns blog. Instead of stamping I printed out a vintage picture of birds that I got from the The Graphics Fairy - If you haven't already discovered the wonders of The Graphics Fairy, I suggest you go there now and be prepared to stay awhile - there are endless pics to delight you!!
There's lots of dimension and texture on this card and a touch of shimmer too courtesy of A Muse Robin's Egg Shimmer Couture paper. The colors I chose (white, light blue and light kraft - with a bonus if you added birds) are part of a challenge too - Lucy's Cards - Challenge 11: Colour. I love it when I can combine two challenges into one card!

Fun with A Muse Decorative Tape!!

Did you realize that A Muse is carrying decorative tape? I made this fun damask card with it -
Just as cute in kraft, huh? Do you see the tape? You don't?? Look more closely -
It comes on a spool like packing tape (see it in the bottom middle picture). It is clear so whatever paper you put it on shows through the tape - I put a strip down the middle - one on each side and then turned it over and burnished it on securely and trimmed the sides with my scissors. This is sticky tape so my Tim Holtz nonstick craft mat was an invaluable tool! Literally within a couple minutes I had both 4b cardfronts covered in the tape which is so fun and shiny! I added some homemade flower embellishments (the white one is made from crepe paper, the other from vintage music paper) and stamped my A Muse sentiment onto wood veneer paper.
These are SO striking and EASY to make!! I love how the earthy tones of the wood contrast with the shiny tape. Really chic but homey at the same time!! These are really simple but "simple" can be the hardest thing to achieve sometimes. I am just tickled with how they turned out - now I need to make them in color. . .pink, aqua, green. . . . or with a monogram. . . . or on the outside of an envelope. . . .

Crocheted JUGS challenge

I couldn't resist this name for the blog post - made ya look, right? hee hee This card is based on the Just Us Girls Sketch Challenge 36 (JUGS36). Kinda rustic and country looking with the crocheted flowers, metal leaves and woodgrain paper. I stamped the A Muse Wild Rose Branch with Rosebud ink on kraft paper and added the sentiment with PTI's Vintage Cream ink. The floral paper makes this card eligible for the CARDS challenge - Cards Featuring Floral Paper.
I'm having fun making these flowers - I'm off to find some new patterns - -

Moxie Fab - Wedding Bouquet

Time for another Moxie Fab Trigger - this one is taken from the wedding picture below - I made my own loose interpretation of the wedding bouquet - the mr and mrs is stamped with A Muse clear alphabet stamps - the ribbon is A Muse too!

We have a Blog Candy winner!!

First off I'd like to thank all of you for your nice comments over the past several days! I am so excited about being one of the winners of the Stamping Royalty contest. I had 53 comments - I've never even had 20 comments before so 53 was WOW!!!

True Random Number Generator
Min:1
Max:53
Result:
35
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Terrie said...
Congratulations -- what an honour and a tiara too! I can't wait for that issue as I remember the submittal process was a few months ago. You rock!
June 2, 2010 6:53 PM

Terrie - drop me a quick e-mail (msmathey@gmail.com) with your address and I'll mail your "A Muse candy" right out to you!! Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

FTL93 - Handmade "Primas"

This card is based on the sketch by Clean and Simple Stamping's FTL93. It is probably too busy to be "clean and simple" since there is no white space but it is simple so I'm at least 1/2 way there! Do you like those flowers?! Here is a frugal way to make them to match any cardstock you want!!

First off - when is the last time you saw so many luscious brown brads in one place?!! I think I may have sighed out loud over all this lovely brown goodness so I had to have it. Underneath, you will see a sprig of cheap-o silk flowers - the kind you can pick up for about $1. Yank a couple blossoms off (I colored the top bloom with a pink Copic marker but it is hard to tell in the pic) and add a brad in the middle -

and you end up with your own homemade Prima flowers for WAY less money. Which actually leaves me money to increase my stash of brown accessories - a girl can't have too much brown, right? Patterned paper is by My Mind's Eye, sentiment is by A Muse.