A Happy Muse

 

Another quick post today!  I couldn't resist playing along with this week's Muse Challenge again this week!  Marion Vagg's card is a beauty!  Just look at it...

I envisioned bolder, rainbow colors for my card and this is what I finally ended up with:

I added some clear sparkle to the HAPPY with my Wink of Stella brush marker to make it stand out just a little bit more against the bold colors.  Secretly, I'm pretty sure I was supposed to layer a couple more die cut HAPPY's under the one I attached to the card, but I still like it this way!  I framed the main panel with black and then popped up the layered panels with foam dots.  Three red gemstones were added as embellishments.

It's cold, windy and grey here this week, so I'm keeping busy indoors!  We had a big ole pot of chili earlier in the week and that tasted so good!  It's one of our favorite winter meals.  I do believe I've upgraded to a 2-cup-per-day status on the coffee consumption chart.  Chocolate consumption usually follows suit, so I need to be making longer appointments with the treadmill!

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday!

Friday Tree Muse

 

Needing some craft time today, I played along with the challenge over at Muse Card Club.  I love a good CAS card and Therese Calvird's card caught my eye!  Sadly, she will be leaving the Muse team by the end of the month.

Here is my take on her card:

Stamps:  Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps (Christmas Trees Clear Set, Christmas Goodwill)

I loved the simple layout of her card and the festive gemstones.  I did fussy cut the tree on my version to add a little dimension, but kept the rest of the design pretty similar.

 

I will be linking this up with the current CASology FESTIVE challenge too, of course (*wink*)!

I am also linking this up with the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge:  Seeing Stars.

We're supposed to get our first measurable snowfall this weekend, so I made sure we're stocked with hot chocolate, marshmallows and coffee.  You know, the important things to have on hand for a snowy day!  The kids are antsy as ever!

Have a great weekend!

Triple the Muse

 

It's been a while since I've participated in the Muse Challenge.  When I discovered Michele is Guest Muse this week, I just had to make it a point to play along!  She's a one-of-a-kind, pun-loving gal and always so kind leaving supportive comments out in blogland!

She has challenged us to take a single sheet of designer paper and make not one, but three cards with it.  The cards must each be a different design, but similar in theme!  Seeing that I have a paper stash that my children will probably inherit when I'm gone (I'll never use it all myself!), I went digging to find something appropriate (& modern).  Since Michele used a holiday/wintry theme, I decided to choose something similar.  My Mind's Eye papers are some of my favorites and that is what I used.

Here are the cards she created for inspiration:

I noticed she used die cuts and absolutely no stamps, so I tried to do the same!

Here is what I created with the paper I selected:

Here's a look at each individual card:

I used a simple Memory Box window die for this card and attached a piece of the designer paper to the back to make it look like it is snowing outside.  This layered piece was then attached to the card base with foam dots.  I punched some tiny snowflakes with a Martha Stewart border punch, adhered each snowflake to the card base and then applied a little sparkle with a Wink of Stella brush marker.

For this card, I simply layered a piece of the designer paper on a piece of white cardstock and then added a portion of a die cut country scene (another Memory Box die) to the bottom.  I popped up the panel with foam dots for dimension and added three clear gemstones of varying sizes to three of the snowflakes.

For my third card, I die cut a snowflake (Uniko Studio) from a piece of the designer paper and popped it up on a stitched die cut panel (Mama Elephant).  I popped up the stitched panel with foam dots and then added a single clear gemstone to the center of the snowflake.

Three simple cards.  My favorite?!  The lonely snowflake.  I've had my fill of snowy thoughts for a few days.  It's off to finish Halloween things now!

Have a fantastic Thursday!

Happy Independence Day!

Today we're celebrating Independence Day here in the United States.  This has always been my favorite holiday.  Even though I missed out on the fireworks last night (DD goes to bed long before they start...), I could still hear them off in the distance.  Today is the official holiday, so we're spending the day as a family before my parents arrive for the weekend!

I had to make another patriotic card and found inspiration for the layout over at the Muse Card Club challenge.  This week's muse is Jennifer Wills, one of the sweetest, most selfless women I know!  She's been visiting my blog for a very long time now and I love her comments and support!  Plus, she's a part of the CASology design team!  Seeing her work, it's no wonder one of her cards is the inspiration for this week's challenge.

I loved that she created a scene within a circle and used simple layers to add dimension!  Her card is a beach scene, but I created a little 4th of July fireworks scene since that's what was on my mind!

This is me in years gone by, enjoying the fireworks display.  In a few more years, it will be DD.  The fireworks image is actually a flower from SU's retired Betsy's Blossoms set!  I'd had the thought before that I should use it for fireworks, but never did.  I guess this year it was time to give it a go!  I'm absolutely loving Mama Elephant stamps and dies right now!  Their recent new release about did me in!

I am also joining in the Anything Goes challenge over at The Pink Elephant

We'll be digging out the sparklers here at home this evening.  DD has to celebrate earlier than the rest of us since she's too little to really enjoy the after dark festivities.  At least she doesn't mind her mother dressing her up for a little bit!

Have a fabulous Friday!

Mama Elephant In My Heart set	Mama Elephants Landscape Trio Dies	Nestabilities - Circle Dies	Paper Trey White Cardstock	Tuxedo Black Ink (Memento)
Encore Ink - silver	SU Ink - Pacific Point	SU Ink - Real Red

InLinkz.com

A Happy Muse

 

Well, what do you know?!  I found some creative time this morning!  Trying to give myself a little direction, I decided to visit some of the card challenges that I've neglected the last few months and, after going back and forth between them all (& discovering Dynamic Duos is shutting down), finally settled on Muse Challenge #70.  We're to use Vicki Dutcher's pretty card as inspiration:

What inspired me was that lovely green color, the clean lines and the big, happy sentiments.  Here's my take...CASified even more, of course:

Stamps:  Uniko Studio (All Occasion Sentiments #2)
Die:  Lawn Fawn (Stitched Party Banner)

I used a banner die from Lawn Fawn to frame a single, bold sentiment.  The colored stripe behind the banner is masked.  Sequins were my embellishment of choice and even though they look blue in this photo, they are actually a light turquoise just like the ink I used!  (I only had time to play with ink, not to perfect the photo!)

Life is definitely happening around here!  DD decided to be a grump this week.  Not sure if it's the beginning of another round of teething or just a developmental milestone coming on.  Time will tell!

One more day of school for the older two and then we head on into summer fun!  Ideas are beginning to be voiced and we're making tentative plans!  I'm looking forward to simply ditching the school routines for a few weeks!  I know we'll be ready to have them back by the end of the summer, but for now, strict schedules will become much more flexible!

Have a fabulous Friday!

Ah-mazing

 

A quick card for this week's Muse Challenge before weekend activities begin around here!  Therese Calvird is our muse and here is her card:

I really like the diagonal movement on her card and the simple sentiment on the middle portion, so I created a clean and simple card with elements similarly placed.

Stamps:  CAS-ual Fridays, Simon Says Stamps (you)

I used gold sequin stars rather than snowflakes and added a tiny dot of black Stickles to the center of each one.

It's on into "Fun Friday" here at our house! DS3 has been asking to make cake pops, so we'll be making a supply run and stopping by the library for some weekend reading materials! It's looking like rain may be coming our way for the entire weekend, so best to be at least a little prepared, especially with the whole family being home together! Sunshine is ours today and I'm going to soak it up as much as possible before it fades!

Have a fantastic Friday!

For Your A-Muse-ment

Friday.  Why is it that these days I actually prefer the fresh start of a Monday rather than the finished sound Friday brings with it?  Perhaps it's because I look back, aware of all I didn't get done!  If only I didn't have a tendency to make my to do list so long!  Note to self:  Some things really can wait!

I came across a quote by one of my favorite authors this week and find it rather fitting for my particular time of life right now.  It just makes me smile!

If things start happening,

don't worry,

don't stew,

just go right along

and you'll start happening too.

-Dr. Seuss

DD has been perfecting her role as a cat napper now that those newborn days have passed.  I'm doing things in increments.  She sleeps.  I work on this or that.  She wakes up.  I soothe her.  She returns to sleep.  I continue to work on that or this.  Repeat this all day long.

I'm sharing a clean and simple card today that was created in such a way and hope it will at least provide entertainment for your day!

Stamps:  Paper Trey
Paper:  Paper Trey cardstock (white)
Ink:  Memento (Tuxedo Black)
Accessories:  Copic markers, SU circle punch, Stickles (clear), foam dots

I played along with this week's Muse Challenge which features a card by Laurie Willison for inspiration.  I went with the nautical theme and the colors of her card.

I simply punched a circle out of a strip of white cardstock, stamped the image and sentiment and then colored the image with Copic markers.  I adhered the strip of cardstock over the colored image and applied a thin line of Stickles around the edge of the "porthole."

Another beautiful day is ours today!  Being Friday, I usually throw a little extra fun into the after school hours for the boys.  Today, I'm thinking a trip to Dairy Queen for their "Buy one Blizzard, get one for 99 cents." offer sounds tempting!  Summer weather won't be here forever, right?!

Have a fantastic Friday!

Blue Muse

It's a thundering, grass soaking Friday for us today! The blue skies of yesterday have disappeared and, in their place, grey storm clouds are traveling by leaving evidence of their visit on the many different surfaces of our landscape.  A good day for indoor activites...such as card making!

I wanted to play along with the Muse Challenge again this week when I saw the beautiful blues in the inpirational card photo!  Blue just happens to be my favorite color!

Creator:  Marion Vagg

 I drew inspiration from the banner and the ombre technique that was used.

Stamps:  Paper Smooches (Design Motifs), Simon Says Stamp (You set)
Paper:  Paper Trey cardstock (white)
Ink:  SU (Night of Navy, Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise), Memento (Tuxedo Black)
Accessories:  SU marker (Basic Black)

I wanted to keep things one layer just like the card muse, so resisted adding anything extra after creating the main design!  I also drew a thin black line to create a line similar to the one on the lower portion of the banner in the original muse card.

We're headed to the local library to pick up some reading material for the day and upcoming weekend!  DS1 is such a bookworm now and DS2 appears to be following in his footsteps!  Add in some homemade shaved ice treats and fresh baked cookies and we'll be set for a fun Friday!

Enjoy your weekend!