CPS161 - Catching Butterflies

This card was made with the CPS161 sketch from Card Positioning Systems. I haven't used this stamp in a long time - It is a Karen Stolper American Art stamp. My son Connor hates that her head is so tiny and her legs are so long! I used paper (yet again) from my Basic Grey Offbeat 6x6 pad.
I doodled the edge of the stamped panel with a fine-tipped pen, colored with Copics and then glittered it up - If I were to do this again I think a more vibrant coloring would show better through the glitter. Won't be long until the butterflies will be out!!

GS#32 - Life's Simple Pleasures

This card was made for the GS#32 sketch from the Get Sketchy blog. Time to make another fun flower. This time I left out the very middle piece of the rose and added stamens in the center. You can purchase tons of these for less than $2 in the wedding section at Hobby Lobby.

Do you see the beautiful gleam? The flower and sentiment are made with A Muse shimmer paper. So rich and gorgeous! I paired up the glamorous paper with my fun Offbeat Basic Grey 6x6 paperpad (Can you tell that I love this pad? I keep grabbing it - love all the papers in it!!) - cut out the circles with my Nestabilities.

I love how the same flower can take a totally different look with your choice of layout and patterned papers. Click for the flower tutorial.

Our dog saw a rabbit in the backyard today - rest assured the rabbit got away but Lily got SO muddy - Mud from her head to her feet plus her belly - the only part that wasn't muddy was the middle of her back! BLECH!!

Woodgrain Poppies

I decided that it was time to dig out my hunk of basswood and stamp some Hero Arts poppies on it! The veneer is thin enough to cut with my papertrimmer and Mr. Corner Chomper worked wonders on it!! Didn't even flinch when I told him that he was gonna chomp wood!! The PTI sentiment is stamped on vellum and attached to the wood with my Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher (another favorite tool of mine). Shimmer paper and pearls from A Muse added a splash of color. Got a question for you - I tried on these shoes today and wonder if any of you have them. They felt really good in the store but they are kinda "Frankenstein monster-y" - are they worth the money?? I need better shoes to wear when I am walking the dog -

Simply Scent-sational

Don't you wish all skunks were as "fragrant" as this one?! The ones that live in A Muse-ville are!! Mr. Skunk was stamped on latte cardstock and brightened with a gel pen. The same gel pen added some fun faux stitching around the watermelon layer.

The Mini flower was stamped with an assortment of Momento dye inks and then finished off with A Muse Lime twinkle stickers. Do you like this fun FTL84 layout from Clean & Simple Stamping? Be sure and check out all the other inspiring ideas from the Muses of A Muse!
Stamps - A Muse 2-3093C Skunk, 8-8424C Scent-sational day, 6-4129A Mini flower

Ink - Momento Dye inks

Paper - A Muse Latte, Chiffon Green, Watermelon, Fern and Grass Green Petite Gingham

Accessories - A Muse Polka Dot White Sheer ribbon, A Muse Lime Twinkle stickers, White gel pan, EK Success Embossed Curve border punch

Spring is in the Air -

Spring IS in the air! I keep hearing lawnmowers and smelling freshly cut grass - one of my most favorite scents!! The flowers and trees are starting to bloom and the birds are singing and building their nests - Look at the happy little gingham bird here!! She's singing a happy tune because she is surrounded by TWO new papers by A Muse. I can't wait to see all the creations with that cloud paper!!! The bottom paper is called toffee.

This CPS160 layout is just right for a teeny, tiny little stamp. A plethora of punched scallops reflects the cloud silhouettes. This card is an unusual size - 3 1/2" x 7". Good thing that the new A Muse papers are all 8 1/2" x 11" - makes it possible to cut to whatever size you desire! Hope you sing a happy tune today - - -

Stamps - A Muse 2-4078A Tiny bird, 8-8532B Hello

Ink - Momento dye ink in Tuxedo Black

Paper - A Muse Cloud, Toffee, Blue Petite Gingham and Sage Green Juliette papers, white and kraft cardstock

Accessories - A Muse sheer white polka-dot ribbon, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, SU! scalloped circle punch, EKSuccess scalloped scallop edge punch, corner chomper, Copic markers, fine tip black marker (to make musical note)

Woodland Friends

In keeping with the Woodland Critters theme we have a couple of "nutty" friends here. Do you see the new A Muse paper?? There are, in fact, two new papers here - the background paper is Apricot and the woodgrain is the new Birch color! I was trying to think of a new way to use the woodgrain paper and decided to make a park bench. (You did get that that was a bench, right?!) Do you know how to mirror a stamp like I did with the two squirrels? All you need to do is stamp your image onto a solid stamp (the big block background stamp is perfect for this) and then onto your paper. Use the remaining ink on the squirrel stamp to create the other little critter. Fun, huh? Be sure and check to see what the other Muses did with the new paper!
Stamps - A Muse 2-3099C Squirrel, 9-8233B Hi friend, 3-5019G Big Block
Ink - Momento Dye ink in Tuxedo Black
Paper - A Muse Apricot, Fern, Chiffon Green and Birch Woodgrain

Woodland Critters - Crawling Critters

How cute is that little caterpillar making his way to the mushrooms? Make sure you check out all the inspiring ideas for using these adorable Woodland Critters from A Muse! Do you see the new Watermelon paper? Such a great color plus it is 8 1/2" x 11" paper so you can cut it to whatever size you want! How versatile!
The sketch came from Card Patterns Weekly Card Sketch #57. Here's a quick tip for coloring the mushrooms (I stole it from HRR Julie!) Color in the complete mushroom caps and then go back and color the spots white with a gel pen. Much easier than trying to avoid coloring them in - Stamps - A Muse 2-4122D Mushroom Trio, 7-4072B Caterpillar, 9-8457B A little note HC

Ink - Momento Dye ink in Tuxedo Black

Paper - A Muse Fern, Watermelon, Green Madeira

Accessories - A Muse Lime twinkle stickers, A Muse Lime polka-dot ribbon, Copic markers, Nestabilities, Corner Chomper