Get Wool Soon Dad

Thinkin' of my Dad...

My dad had major back surgery on Wednesday morning. The surgery went well...but he's having a hard time with the pain. I really wish I lived closer so I could just "be there." I made this card and sent it off to him. He loves getting stuff made by his favorite daughter.....of course I'm his only daughter! LOL ;)



Dad has a HUGE sense of humor...so the Sheep stamp set from The Saltbox Studio worked perfect. And...since he has sheep at his house...it was double-perfect! You can see a pic of my dad HERE. "LOVE YA DAD XXOO"

Recipe:
Stamps - A Muse Art Stamps The Saltbox Studio Sheep Set
Paper - SU Ivory CS & Naturals Kraft CS; Bazzill Textured CS; Deja Views 2-sided paper The Sharon Ann Timeless Collection Plaid/Dark Brown Batik
Ink - A Muse Art Stamps Black Dye
Misc - Prismacolor Pencils PC938 White, PC947 Dark Umber, PC908 Dark Green; Gamsol OMS; CTMH Fibers Winter Classics; EK Success Heart Punch; SU Paper Piercing Guide, Edge Distressor Tool, Dimensionals

Got Scraps?

I'm Scrap-Happy!

For some reason...I have a hard time tossing perfectly good little pieces of paper in the trash. Even little tiny pieces that I'm sure most paper crafters toss and never look back. OH MY!! I'll dive right in there and grab 'em up & save 'em for later! Quick little story. I took a class at my local scrapbook store...and cause I was one of the last to leave...I went rootin' through the trash and gathered up a bunch of wonderful scraps from our project! ha ha ha! Can you imagine! I know...that was probably kinda tacky....but HELLO!! I USE those scraps! Yep...I sure do :) Like this card -- all from scraps except for the card base.



I took a scrap of the brown dotted paper (from A Muse) and punched the scalloped edge on it. When I finished punching...a long skinny piece was left behind. If ya ever used the scalloped border punches -- you know what I'm talkin' about. That's what I stuck across the bottom of my card. I think that's a pretty cute scrappy card if I do say so myself. BTW - that little piece of ribbon on the top -- it's a piece of scrap ribbon :)

Recipe:
Stamps - A Muse Artstamps Icecream, You Make Life Sweet
Paper - A Muse Artstamps White CS, Kitchen Brown CS; SU Soft Sky CS & Pink Designer Paper
Ink - Tsukineko Memento Rich Cocoa
Misc - Copic Markers, SU Scalloped Border Punch; Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Adhesive, Chunky Crystal Glitter; SU Ribbon; Dimensionals

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge

Pokin' Some Fun!

Do you realize this is the LAST Monday of January!!! WHERE did this month go so fast?! WOW! I've been busy stamping like crazy these days. I made 16 cards in the last 2 days!! I even cleaned my craft room (kinda had ta after makin' all them cards!) AND organized my scraps of cardstock! Yay Me! ha ha ha ha Well alllllrighty then....lets get to this weeks House Mouse Challenge!

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #22 - Paper Piercing

This weeks challenge is to have some kind of paper piercing on your card. If you don't have a paper piercer, you can use a needle or pin. Any place, any amount - and any House Mouse image, colors, and theme! For all the challenge details and to see creations by the Design Team - click HERE.

This House Mouse stamp is adorable!! I borrowed it from my mom...but I might not ever return it! ha ha ha! Just kiddin' mom! ;) Check out all the paper piercing around that outer layer. That's a lot of piercing...but went really quick & easy using my Stampin'UP Paper Piercing Mat Pack. HTH!!


The House Mouse stamp is called Baby Blocks and features Muzzy, Monica, Amanda & Mudpie. The scalloped rectangle was made with my Stamin'UP! Scalloped Border Punch. Isn't that patterned paper with the dusty pink & river rock cardstock to die for!! Perfect with the ivory cardstock & flowers. Is that like a vintage look?? What would you call it??

I love that little mouse in the nutshell!! If you click on the closeup pic...you can see where I used white acrylic paint and a really really tiny paintbrush to color the flowers on the blanket. And the middle of the flower I lightly dotted with my Pink Copic Multiliner SP Pen.



Now it's your turn....get out your paper piercer and start pokin' some fun!! LOL!! Happy Stamping all you House Mouse Lovers!!

Recipe:
Stamps - House-Mouse Designs Baby Blocks
Paper - K & Company LLC Hannah Pink Paper; Bazzill Cardstock; SU River Rock Cardstock; Papertrey Ink Ivory Cardstock
Ink - Tsukineko Versafine Black
Misc. - Prismacolor Pencils; Gamsol OMS; White Acrylic Paint; CTMH Paper Flowers; Misc Brad, EK Success Small Corner Rounder; SU Scallop Border Punch; SU Paper Piercing Mat; Copic Multiliner SP Pink 0.3; Dimensionals
House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge Blog HERE
House-Mouse Designs Official Website HERE.
Tips on how you can easily color the House-Mouse Stamp Images HERE

D-I-Y

Draw It Yourself

Have you seen Marianne Walkers Blog I Like Markers? Marianne is the Product Specialist for Copic Markers. Her blog is FULL of awesome info. She has tons of stuff on her blog for EVERYONE. Even if ya don't have Copics...you can still get lots of awesome info & ideas. I read all her articles. Do I remember it all? Heck no!! But...I can always go back and read it again :)

Marianne has a new label on her blog called Draw It Yourself - DIY. Read the post about it HERE. FUN STUFF!

Here's something I whipped out for my DIY. NO WAY!! I DREW THAT!!!! ha ha ha ha It was SO EASY! I love to doodle...I love to make cards...TADA!! Fast & Easy....Clean & Simple. Doesn't get any better than that now does it!



The sentiment is a stamp from A Muse. You didn't think "I" wrote that did ya??!! No WAY! I colored over the hearts with Red Spica Glitter Pen...then covered them with Crystal Lacquer.

Check out THIS post on Marianne's blog to see how to doodle like I did on my card. These are the Copics I used:

Soooo...are ya ready to doodle? Give it a try...it's fun!!

Recipe

Stamps - A Muse Artstamps Happy Valentine's Day MA

Paper - Neenah Classic Crest Solar White CS; Bazzill Black; SU Wild Wasabi CS

Ink - Tsukineko Black

Misc - Copic Markers E33 Sand, R39 Garnet, G94 Grayish Olive, 0 Colorless Blender, Spica Red Glitter Pen, Multiliner SP 0.2 Black; SU Scalloped Border Punch; Sakura Crystal Lacquer; Misc Ribbon & Dimensionals

Celebrate!

Yep...another Challenge

I decided to do Courtney's challenge this week. Sometimes ya just gotta play...right!! hee hee hee. Go check out Courtney's blog HERE to see all the details for her challenge.

This was a SUPER easy card. I colored over the top of Celebrate! with a Black Spica Glitter Pen. LUV the sparkle from those Spica Pens!! The clear round bubble stickers over the top of the images on the bottom actually stick up a little. They look really cool IRL.

Recipe:
Stamps - SU Party Hearty; All Year Cheer II
Paper - SU
Ink - SU Real Red; Ancient Page Coal Black
Misc - Copic Spica Black Glitter Pen, JoAnn SrapEssentials Large Circle Bubbles; Misc Ribbon, Sticky Dots, Red Sticky Strip (to adhere ribbon); EK Success 1" Circle Punch and 3/4" Circle Punch

....a little old place where we can get together

Love Shack...Baby Love Shack

Man I'm lovin' my new A Muse stamps :) I find myself "looking" for any excuse to use them...and this weeks Card Sketch Challenge (SC212) over at Splitcoaststampers looked like a good excuse :)



The Love Shack is stamped...colored...cut...and attached with dimensionals. The Secret Admirer sentiment I used the masking technique to stamp 1/2 at a time so I could make it fit just right on the mini oval punch. Anybody remember the Magic Matter tool?? I used the small disk to make the black oval mat around the sentiment. Works really slick.

Check out all the new A Muse stamps HERE. You're gonna love 'em all!

And....there's a little old place where....WE CAN GET TOGETHER........it's called The A Muse Lounge. Have ya been there yet? If not - come on over! You can get there from HERE.

BTW...did ya notice I got a watermark on there??? Don't know how I managed to figure that out...but somehow today I did!! YES!! Git-er-done!!

Recipe:
Stamps - A Muse Artstamps Love Shack, Secret Admirer
Paper - A Muse Artstamps White CS; Swiss Red Notecard; Kitchen Grass CS; Bazzill Black
Ink - A Muse Artstamps Black Dye
Misc - Copic Markers R35 Coral, RV10 Pale Pink, W2 Warm Gray No. 2, YG03 Yellow Green, ) Colorless Blender; A Muse Artstamps Twinkle Stickers; SU Oval Punch; Fiskars Treading Water Border Punch & 1/8" hand held circle punch; Magic Matter; Misc Dimensionals

Saltbox Color Challenge

More Colors for Monday!!

Have ya ever seen Saltbox Studio images??? They're super SUPER DUPER CUTE! Saltbox Stamps are sold by A Muse Artstamps. You've GOT to check out all the sets......click HERE if ya dare! ha ha ha

So...are ya ready for ANOTHER challenge? Today the Saltbox Studio Design Team has a Color Challenge to use Swiss Red and Cabana Blue with any Saltbox Studio images.

I used 2 of my Saltbox sets to make 2 cards! Totally having fun with these. My first card uses the Sheep set along with the Sheep Sayings set. I also used the A Muse Waves stamp. I used a scrap from a Cabana Blue Notecard for the strip. Can't really see...but I used my Clear Glaze pen on top of the waves. OH...and those little stars are Twinkle Stickers from A Muse! Well...whatcha think? How did that sheep get out there anyway??! LOL

On my second card, all the stamps are from the Sheep set. I stamped stars all over the cardbase. A scrap piece of a Swiss Red notecard for the red layer and to cut out stamped stars. The Darker piece of blue CS is Stampin'UP Baja Breeze. Matches wonderful! And....more little Twinkle Stickers...love that bling!

Now....go check out all the awesome creations by the other A Muse creative team gals that made samples for this challenge as well:

Lexi

Elena

Jen A

Mary rose

Geeta

Emily

Rhonda

Novell

Sherry

Recipe:

Stamps - A Muse Artstamps Saltbox Studio Sheep Set & Sheep Sayings; Waves

Paper - A Muse Artstamps Cabana Blue & Swiss Red Notecard; White CS, SU Baja Breeze CS

Ink - A Muse Artstamps Black Dye

Misc - Copic Markers BG72 BG000 E33 E21 W1 & 0 (card 1), BG72 R27 W2 BG10 G94 (card 2); Prismacolor White Pencil; A Muse Artstamps Twinkle Stickers; Dimensionals; Sakura Clear Glaze Pen; SU Oval Punches; Marvy Uchida Scallop Oval & Oval Punches; Black Micron Pen

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge

Today is FULL of Colors!

Well...it's Monday...and ya know what that means......HOUSE MOUSE CHALLENGE TIME!!

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #21 - Colour Challenge
This weeks challenge is to use the following colors:

Cameo Coral (a slight peachy pink)
Old Olive (a rich olive green)
Night of Navy (navy blue in its finest!)

These are Stampin'Up! colors, but you can use ANY brand that matches. You can also use any neutrals to color your Mousies, Hoppers, or Gruffies! (gray, brown, white or vanilla), but please have some of all three challenge colors on your card somewhere. We also have a sponsor this week...and ya know what that means.....A PRIZE!!!! For challenge & prize details...and to see all the colorful creations by the Design Team - click HERE.

I used a Gruffies image for my card that Emma stamped and sent to me. WAY CUTE!! Thanks Emma :)

I got all glitter happy on this card :) Really sparkly IRL!! You can't really see it...but I used a clear glaze pen on Gruffies nose.
The card base is embossed with a Cuttlebug Embossing folder. Main image layers are attached to the base on dimensionals. Coloring done with Prismacolor Pencils & Gamsol.
Recipe:
Stamps - House-Mouse Designs Gruffies Party Preparations; A Muse Artstamps Tag Time Clear Set
Paper - SU Old Olive, Cameo Coral, Night of Navy Cardstock
Ink - Clearsnap Colorbox Chalk Dark Moss
Misc. - Prismacolor Pencils & Gamsol; Sakura Clear Glaze Pen; Ultrafine Crystal Glitter; Glue Pen; Cuttlebug Happy Birthday Embossing Folder; SU Ribbon; Misc Eyelets; Dimensionals, Fiskars 1/16" & 1/8" Hand Held Hole Punchers
House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge Blog HERE
House-Mouse Designs Official Website HERE.
Tips on how you can easily color the House-Mouse Stamp Images HERE

Emalie is Almost 1!!

I had to share a few pics of my grandaughter Emalie. She is turning 1 on Sunday.

HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!! GIT-ER-DONE!!!!

A Blast from the Past

You might remember some of these pics....I get such a kick out of her and the funny faces she makes! Also...that HAIR!! Enjoy :)

Newborn Baby Emalie

Her eyes tell all! ha ha ha ha ha

Now that there's funny...I don't care WHO YA ARE!


Do you remember this one? It's a Hair Thing! hee hee hee


wooohooo!!!! Happy drool!!

Hope that made ya laugh a little :)

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge

My First Ever ATC!

This weeks challenge is easy-cheesy......well.....maybe not....for me that is! (more about that at the end of my post)

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #20 - ATC

This weeks challenge is to make an Artist Trading Card, otherwise known as an ATC. ATC's are little cards, similar to a baseball card. Measurements must be 2.5" x 3.5" (64 x 89 mm), either vertical (portrait) or horizontal (landscape) orientation. Anything goes on this project as long as it features at least one House Mouse or Friends image -- and measures 2.5" x 3.5". For all the challenge details and creations by the Design Team - click HERE.

Here's my first ever ATC

Since an ATC is so small, I was able to create this with all scraps! WAY COOL! Thing is...I could probably make 100's of ATC's from my box of scraps! LOL Do YOU have piles of scraps? Come on...confess...I'm not the only one who saves little strips & pieces of paper...am I?!

This stamp is called Poppin Good Birthday and features Mudpie & Muzzy. I colored with my Copic markers this time around. Like I mentioned...I used scraps of paper & cardstock. The base is a piece of white cs that had been embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. The brown layers are Bazzill cardstock. The blue strip is a piece of Designer Patterned paper from Stampin'UP! I added a little sparkle to the flames and on the popcorn with my Spica Clear Glitter Pen.

I love the image...but want to throw the stamp out the window! Yep...it's one of those that I had to stamp like 15 times to get a good impression. And it's NOT because I can't stamp...it's because the stamp is bad! ARRRGHH That is so frustrating. It's the first time I've used it - and I was determined to use THIS stamp for my ATC. The top and bottom edges of the rubber are like curved down...and I had to press really hard to get it to catch all the edges. EVEN with a stamping mat under it...it STILL wasn't working. So I tried rocking the stamp - worked OK - but you stampers know it's NOT the way we stamp! HO-HUM :( ANYWAYS...now that I vented about that darn stamp.... LOL

Have a wonderful week everyone!!

For more info about ATCs, click HERE.
For an ATC cutting guide, click HERE.

Recipe:

Stamps - House-Mouse Designs Poppin Good Birthday; SU Fancy Flexible Phrases

Paper - A Muse Art Stamps White, Bazzill Brown, SU Designer Paper

Ink - A Muse Art Stamps Black Dye

Misc. - Copic Markers; Copic Spica Clear Glitter Pen; Misc Brads; Dimensionals; Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge Blog HERE

House-Mouse Designs Official Website HERE.

Tips on how you can easily color the House-Mouse Stamp Images HERE

Today's the day!!!

New A Muse Stamps!!! New A Muse Lounge & Design Studio!!!

Wellllll.....today is an exciting day!!!! I'm jumpin' up & down!! (oops! spilled my coffee! ha ha ha ha.)

It's Release Day for the NEW A MUSE Valentine Sweet Shoppe stamps!! You can see all the new goodies HERE.

AND -- there's a new public forum & design studio. It's called the A Muse Lounge -- you can find it HERE & then click on the a muse lounge under the scallop line.

House Mouse Challenge Update

The mice & their friends are still resting.

Are you looking for the next House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge? Welllll....we have decided to wait one more week....and then get back to it.

This means that if you haven't managed to find time to join in our last challenge (see details HERE)- you now have an extra week to do so. :) And remember...there is a prize!!

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge Blog HERE.

House-Mouse Designs Official Website HERE.

A Muse Sneak Peek #2

Another NEW YUMMY A Muse Stamp

Have you seen the Sneak Peeks for the new A Muse Stamps coming out? Welllll......here's another one :)



I used the new Icecream stamp on this card along with one of the current sentiments Sweet Friend MA.

I created layers of by stamping the image 2 extra times - cut out the 3 scoops one 1 and the bottom 2 scoops for the other. I just LOVE how this looks! And...check out the Cotton Candy Stickles! The glass has just a hint of BG10 (Copic Cool Shadow Marker) for shading -- and then I colored Clear Spica Glitter Pen all over it - THEN - blended it around to a smooth finish with the Copic Colorless Blender.



I sanded the edges of the cardstock (I luv doing that!). Just a little paper piercing along the bottom edge of the Ivory CS strip really add to the look. And of course a little 'bling' on the top a bright pink Twinkle Sticker from A Muse.

(all stamps, cardstock & sticker from A Muse)

A Muse Sneak Peek

Guess WHAT...

...some SWEET NEW A Muse stamps are getting ready to be released!

All I can say is you are gonna LOVE LOVE LOVE these new stamps being released on the 7th at midnight EST. Until then....here's a little sneak peek for ya ;)

Check out the new Love Birds and Love Birds sentiment stamps! Da' bomb!!



Aren't those heart wings just the cutest EVER! And the sentiment...perfect with the little heart on the word love! Did you notice the one bird...it's leg is up! Now that's a bird in LOVE! LOL!!

I HAD TO show you a close up...cause I used fun flock on the wings :)

I'm sure you will find lots of other sneaks on the other A Muse Crew blogs. OH...another thing...if you live in my area -- this is one of the cards we will be making at my Love is in the Air class at Stamp Works on the 8th. Gonna be fun!

(All stamps, note card & ribbon from A Muse Artstamps)