FTL131 - Just saying Hello

This card is based on Clean & Simple's layout for the week - I started out with totally good intentions but look - when all was said and done - not so clean and simple.

I used some fun new toys on this card - Check out the STELLA ROSE paper and doily stamps - so cute!!  The sentiment, pearls and diecut butterflies are from A Muse Studio. 

The Parisian edge punch from EKSuccess was probably the part that totally threw the CAS right out the window - couldn't possibly be the busy patterned paper coupled with doily stamps could it??!!

PDCC72

This card is based on the current Play Date Cafe color challenge (PDCC72). I like to do challenges because it is the only way that I would ever put colors like this together. This definitely isn't one of my favorite color combos but it forced me to stretch (maybe a little too much).

All products used in this card are from A Muse Studio (Just Because and Marvelous Marigolds stamp sets)!! Notice the liberal application of one of my favorite new A Muse products - Stardust Finishing Spray!! Love that stuff - a few squirts and what a huge difference!

Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger - Oh So Lovely

Time for another Tuesday Trigger!  I painted this cardfront using some of the techniques that I've picked up in Christy Tomlinson's She Art workshop -

Those flowers are so fresh and spring-y!  It got to nearly 70 degrees today - my trees are starting to bud!  Won't be long now until it will be time to enjoy the flowers (and mow the lawn).

The sentiment is from A Muse Studio's stamp set called Hand Scripted.  I was so excited to see this set- I love the look of a handwritten font mixed with type.  This set will be seeing a lot of ink!

Baby Card -

Mom needed a baby card for a shower this weekend so I dabbled in pink again.  Can you tell that the baby is going to be a girl?  They originally thought the baby was a boy and had the nursery ready but then found out otherwise!  That had to have been a big surprise!

The heart was cut with my Nestabilities dies and was made from white cardstock covered in A Muse|Studio Washi tape and Martha Stewart glitter.  Quick, fun and one of a kind!

In no time flat you can decorate your envelope with a couple strips of tape!

Mom and I ran to Books a Million today - I was flabbergasted to realize that I have projects published in three magazines right now!  WHOO HOO!!

OLW44 - Marta's Pinterest Inspires

This week's One Layer Wednesday Challenge (OLW44) is to be inspired by a pin from one of Marta Dansie's Pinterest Inspiration Boards.  If you haven't been on Pinterest before - be warned - you may not look up again for several hours and your children will need to be picked up from school, your laundry will not be folded, the floor will remain unswept and your eyes will be weary (not that that has happened to me - I am far too responsible to fritter time away on the computer).

Anyhoo - this poster caught my eye as a worthy candidate for a One Layer Wednesday interpretation.  The A Muse|Studio Tool-rific stamp set was just right to mimic this look.  Doesn't that orange pop against the A|S Bermuda paper?  Part of the sentiment was embossed in white to complete the card.

Today's handy tip - Don't have an acrylic block big enough to stamp an entire cardfront?  Just use your Cuttlebug's C plate!  Look closely and you'll see another trick - just a bit of Washi tape can easily hold your cardstock and prevent slipping when you stamp - a trick from none other than HRR Julie!  BTW - My A Muse catalogs are due to arrive tomorrow - if you can't wait to see all the wonderful A Muse goodness and want me to ship one to you just e-mail me at msmathey@gmail.com

CAS109 - Tickle your Funny Bone

This week's Clean and Simple Challenge on Splitcoaststampers is - Tickle Your Funny Bone.  There are two ways to interpret these dogs (depending on how long they've been together in  their doggie relationship).  Suppose these dogs have only been in love for a short while -

Scenario 1 -

Girl dog - "I Love You"
Boy dog - "I love you too because you are one hot dog!" (get it - hot dog? I'll wait 'til it sinks in . . .)
BUT - if these dogs have been together for some time (for the sake of argument I'll say 20 years because that's how long Corey and I have been married) the story may go more like this -

Scenario 2 -

Girl dog (named Michelle for demonstration purposes only) - "I Love You"

Boy dog (named Corey) - "I love you too - I'm hungry - I wish I had a hotdog!"

Now tell me - which scenario seems more likely??!!

All stamps, paper, twine (the whole shebang) comes from A Muse Studio!!  I have a thing for the little dogs - I made the card above - how cute is it to see a dog on a Vespa?!!  This is one of my cards that made it into the A Muse catalog!!  All it takes is a stamp positioner for your dog to go riding down the road - If you are interested in ordering this stamp set or some dies, etc. just contact me at msmathey@gmail.com

She Art - Art Journal Page -

Do you ever watch old Monty Python shows?  Remember when John Cleese would say, "Now for something completely different!" - That is exactly how I feel about my blogpost for today!  Have you ever, I mean ever, seen me do anything even remotely close to this?!

I have been taking Christy Tomlinson's She Art Workshop and I LOVE it!!  So many layers using so many products - paint, Mod Podge, patterned papers, rub-ons, glitter, old book paper, ink, Stickles, markers, doilies, stamps, computer text. . . (mom, now you know why my hands had orange paint on them today!)

If you had told me that I had this in me I'd have never believed it!  Christy actually made me feel like an artist!!  I definitely won't be tapping into this side of me everyday - it is kinda (really) messy.  Kinda of like when Bruce Banner turns into the Hulk!

The males in my family aren't sure what to make of this - My oldest said she looks "sparkly and fat" - but, of course, we know he has no taste at all!  BTW - this started as a lined piece of paper in a composition notebook - never would've guessed that would ya?