Let your creativity grow!

Aloha!

Here's another card idea for our Hawaiian card making class... my friend Betty caught my big error.. our card making class is for Friday June 10am-12pm and 6pm-8pm.  I don't know where my head was when I posted the last class date!  Anyway.. here's another fun card.  I had my cousin Trisha help me put this one together on Saturday at the store.  It's so fun and very hawaiian.. especially with the spam stamp!  enjoy!

  I used the A Muse sentiment Fun in the Sun, spam can by viva las vegas, tropical drink by Cat's pajama's and the pinable by A Muse.  Doesn't think make you want to catch a wave?

Are you ready for the summer?

With June right around the corner and the kids beginning to finish up the school year, I can't help but reflect on summer vacations and relaxing on the beach in Hawaii!  Of course it's all in my mind but it never hurts to dream right?  :) 

Fond memories along with the beauty of Hawaii are the inspiration behind the Star flower, Sand castle, and surfboards samples...everyone loves Hawaii and these creations will let your friends know just how special they are when you share the magic of the islands through your creations!

This Friday we have our hawaiian card making class from 10am-6pm and the class repeats from4pm-6pm.  We hope you can join us!

This card was made with stamp by impression obsession.  The star flower is stamped in ladybug red by memento and I punched out a vellum scalloped rectangle and then stamped aloha by American Art stamps.  So pretty!

This next card is stamped in sand by memento for a background.  I just stamped all different beach images randomly on brown paper and then stippled everything.  All stamps by A Muse art stamps

This last card is stamped with the surfboard background by Judikins.  Crab is by A Muse art stamps and the sentiment by Memory box.  We will have three more cards posted this week for a total of 6 card designs. 

Summer is here!

My son has always loved "bubbles" and people who know me, know that I probably have all bubble machines known to man, Miles breaks them so easily, we haven't found that perfect machine that's indestructible.  So the best way to blow bubbles is the old fashioned way with the wand inside the plastic bottle.  I had these laying around my store and thought it would be pretty to decorate them with our pretty handmade papers from the wall.  It's a great way to have fun during the 4th of July, the last day of school, celebrating summer at the park or at home, for a birthday party favor, even for a wedding (instead of throwing  birdseed at the bride and groom).

From the top angle you cna see I stamped the tops of the bottles in different images.  The stamps are all by A Muse, Savy, Memory box co and the cat's pajamas.  I used A Muse ribbons to tie around the neck.

These are so fun.. and guess what!  You can make one too! Come to our make and take next Friday.  We have our last Friday of the month make and take and we'll give you all of the dimensions and punches to make one of these fun favors.  11:30am-1:30pm.

Ahoy Mate! Arrrrhhhh!

"Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me"...you're all familiar with Disney's Pirates of the Carribean...tomorrow (Sunday, May 18th) we have a class to demonstrate cards with a pirate theme...Paper Garden Style!  :)  We still have some room, so call the store if you're interested!

Who said pirate cards couldn't be cute and girlie-girl...whatever your preference, these samples simply prove the beauty of creating your very own cards allows you to do whatever your heart desires!

This first card is made with stamps by Tim Holtz... and a clear pirate stamp set by printworks.  I used some new ribbon we got from france.  It's chocolate ribbon with dk chocolate polka dots.  It really makes the card colors come out.  We have the ribbon in several different colors and all are yummy!  The cardstock is stardream opal, I used all colorbox chalk ink pads and they really work well with the stardream line and it dries nicely too!  This card reminds me of the movie Pirates of the Caribbean with Johnny Depp.

This next card is made with stamps by Just Johanna and more clear set stamps by Printworks.  I used graphite black stardream paper, pink and white cardstock and layered the images to make a girly girl card.

This next card is made with Azalea and black stardream papers.  I stamped a fun skull and flower pattern from Judikins onto white cardstock and punched it out with our heart punches.  I then randomly stamped the small skull by the cat's pajama's and groovy flower by rubber soul in staz-on cotton white ink and I stamped the bigger skull from Memory box and cut it out.  I gave the skull a pink gemstone to give the eye some bling.  so fun.  Ribbon is by A Muse art stamps.

This next card is stamped with the skull and cross bones by Tim Holtz, I blinged it up with the new glitters by Martha Stewat.  We carry all of the colors and they are so fun to use with the glue pens.  The sentiment is by A Muse art stamps and the background stamp is by the Cat's Pajamas.

This next card is my favorite. I ruffed all of the edges using Tim Holtz paper distresser and dipped it in the color box chalk dark brown ink pad.  I then stamped the skull and inked in my favorite uniball white pigment ink pen.  Have you got yours?  I bought like 500 of them so they're always in our store available.  I hoarded 10 of these for myself.  I know.. I'm weird...but they are really the best pen ever.  It comes in gold, silver, red, blue and black and they really show up nicely on dark papers.  The white, silver and gold are must have's especially because you don't have to shake the pens to get out the ink.. it's an even flow pigment pen.

This is a look at the card from another view.  You can see I stamped a fun map on the side with a trail.  I used an anchor stamp by B-line designs and the sentiment inside is by A Muse art stamps. This last card is with some fun layering techniques and of course glitter.  I used the martha stewart garnet glitters on the sides of the card after distressing it.  I stamped two pirates by the cat's pajamas using staz on cotton white ink then stamped a pirate ship by memory box and stamped it again and punched just the crossbones out.  I then took some red gemstones and placed them over the eyes to give it that yo ho ho matey!  enjoy!

Cupcake Cards...so sweet you just want to gobble them up!

We're having so much fun creating cupcake cards we can hardly wait for class tomorrow morning from 10 til noon!  Whether you create notecards or invitations the opportunities are endless and who doesn't love a SWEET cupcake!

Best thing about these cupcakes...these creations are 100% fat free!  :)  You can have as many as you'd like!

This first card is made with the new cupcake builder clear stamp set by stampendous.  I used the martha stewart lace punch with this for the edging.

This next card is made with the new memory box damask stamp and savvy stamps birthday set.

This card was made with the big oval punch to make a big lantern, I used savvy stamps new branch and A Muse art stamps clear cupcake with the sentiment "you're invited" to make a fun summer invitation.

This fun card is actually a gift card holder.  I just stamped the cupcake by Just Johanna and cut it out, when you lift the flap of the card, there's a gift card inside.

Here's what it looks like inside.  This is a gift card from my friend Kathy, everyone who knows me -- well.. I love fresh choice.  My family and I go there at least once a week!!!  Miles' loves to eat their pasta and ice cream!

  This card is one of my favorites. It's actually made by mistake.  I was just playing around with different punches and came across this one.  I used the big oversized distressed background stamp by Impress and stamped it on green, I then stamped a flourish and cupcake by Hero Arts and put a epoxy square sticker on top.  I then punched a butterfly and some daisys in the corner and used the small martha stewart tag punch for the word "sweetie" -- so pretty!

And last but not least, this card was made by my husband Ken.  It's a cupcake card that is actually an invitation.  The flap comes up.  It's so cute!  He used decorative cardstock by memory box and for the cup, he cut out a strip of lavendar stardream and then put it through the crimper to come up with this.  Then punched a circle for the cherry on top!  Yummy.  By the way, Ken will be teaching three different classes in July, August, and September.  Our newsletter will be available in the store and on line on June 1st!  Don't forget, we still have openings for Julie Ebersole's classes during Amuseapalooza in July!  So many fun things, so little time!

Let the lists begin !

Don't you just love writing lists!  Ken teases me about the "honey do" lists I share with him all the time so I figured I may as well create a cute one!  Not only is this little project quick and simple...everyone loves it! 

I started with an 8.5 x 11 notepad and cut it into two pads measuring 4 1/8" by 11".  I covered each pad with an 8.5" x 11" basic cream colored cardstock and scored it 4 1/8" of an in from each side leaving a 1/4" in the center of the sheet to accommodate the thickness of the notepad.  I then applied A Muse kitchen notecard paper 3 7/8" x 10 3/4" to the front and back of the cover and embellished accordingly.

I just love these decorative notepads...they fit nicely in my handbag and I even keep one near the phone for messages and grocery lists.  Create a custom one for you or share them with your friends and family...just in time for Mother's Day!  ;)

This is the outside.

  This is the inside!  enjoy!

Make and Take Tuesday!

There's another cool free make and take on Tuesday from 11:30am-1:30pm.. and I totally forgot to bring home what we'll be making!!!  I'll make sure i bring it home for Ken to take some pictures because it is quite fabulous!  Hope you can join us.  Don't forget to buy your teacher something extra special this week!  It's teacher appreciation week and many of us don't appreciate them enough.. I mean teachers are thee best!!!  Thank you for putting up with all of us and especially the teachers who will soon be teaching my son... I feel for you!  hahahahahaha!

If you have time this week!  Please join us for our Asian card class!  We have a Friday am  and pm class and a Saturday evening class.  Spots are still available.  Here are 6 of the cards we'll be making! 

  This first card is made with Judkins bamboo stamp.  I just randomly stamped it in color box chalk olive pastel.  I then used the new Kodomo "Mon" stamps and used three different ones to punched out the blossoms.

This next card is a cherry blossom wood set from Hero Arts.  I used one for a background and one for the cream cardstock and then I stamped it again and punched out only the cherry blossom and raised it.  I then used the trio asian set by Hero Arts and stamped the cherry blossom twig in the corners.  Sentiment by Savvy stamps.

This next card is one of my favorites.  I used 4 different stamps by Kodomo and punched out a square and rolled it in orchid pastel ink to give it some color on the edges.  I then drew my own "t" (using a ruler) and stamped the 4 images inside.  For the background, I used a cherry blossom by Kodomo in a soft green.

This next card is also using the "Mon" clear set by Kodomo.  I randomly stamped two different blossoms using the new memento ink pads.  So pretty!  I then punched a flower out of vellum and punched out another flower using the new martha stewart punches we have at the store and put a big pink gemstone in the middle.  The sentiment is by A Muse art stamps.

Here's another spring-like card using some new papers by Basic Grey.  Have you seen our new collection?  wow.. we have 50 new papers and they are all so beautiful!  I stamped random cherry blossom by impress all over the side of the card.  Then punched out a scallop square frame-- first I punched out the blue scallop square and then I lined it up using the purple scallop square frame.  So pretty!  Ek Success has a cherry blossom punch and I used that for the corner of the frame.  Cherry blossom inside the frame is by Kodomo.

This last card is made by one of my all time favorites.  It's a cherry blossom sprig by Judikins.  I stamped it upright and punched out a vase.  I then layered two different green cardstocks to make it look a little contemporary.  The beading on the sides is cinnamon glitter glue.