Paper Trufflez

A Muse News: Monogram Frames Galore

via amusenews.typepad.com

So fun--the samples I made with the Monogram Frames Set I designed are up on the AMN blog today! Check 'em all out!

oh *SNAP*!!!

I was lamenting that I did not have a BIG gingerbread man stamp for this idea I had floating around, when I realized I could cut one out with my Slice!  Heh, heh, heh!

Makes for a great *snarky* holiday card, eh?! *chortle*

Stamp credits: "Bite me!" by A Muse Artstamps
Ink:  Fluid Chalk in French Roast by Clearsnap
Patterned Paper (SU!, retired, don't recall the name)
Grosgrain Ribbon (craft supply)
Prisma Glitter, Ultra-fine Multi
Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder
Uniball Signo White Gel Pen
EK Success Oval Punch
Making Memories Slice Design Card:  Mistletoe
Fiskars Simple Sentiment Border Punch
Corner Chomper (Rounder) by WR Memory Keepers
Martha Stewart Peppermint Candy Punch

Krafty Clear Holiday

OK.  Pleased.with.self.  I luuurrrve how this turned out!  I'm talkin' LUUUURRRVE!!!  I'm on a red, chocolate and white/cream kick for the holidays it seems.  I used Ultrafine (a.k.a. Detail or "fine grind") White detail embossing powder--I just seem to get a smoother finish when I use this instead of regular grind white.

What I would give for Chocolate Swiss Dot paper!  But, I got none, so had to fake it with my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing folder and some A Muse French Roast (it's white core, so when you sand it, the white pops thru.  YAY!).

Combined Nina's Floral Snowflake and my  Mini Flake on the acetate (Grafix Clear Craft Plastic .007) and rounded the corners so nobody gets hurt--that stuff can be sharp on the corners if you don't.  

Why is it, for me, a shipping tag is simply not a shipping tag without a reinforcer 'round the hole?  I think it's cuz I'm "particular".  *chuckle*

I'm in this mood where all I wanna do is Christmas crafty stuff.  What is up with 'dat?!

Been blaring Christmas tunes via Pandora for days now . . .

Have a great weekend!

Stamp Credits:  Elegant Tree, Floral Snowflake, Mini Flake by A Muse Artstamps
Acetate by Grafix
Oatmeal Card Stock (a slightly lighter toned kraft) --ETA, at Lori's inquiry: 
It is Speckletone Oatmeal, 80 lb. Cover weight Card Stock.  It is recycled and acid-free, too.  Made by Astro Converters; I got it at a Paper Zone store. It's nice stuff!  It's on the smoother side, stamps nicely, kinda "toasty" in hue.  It doesn't have "flecks", but, you can see it has recycled fibers.  I likes it quite muchly!

Ink:  Staz-On Cotton White, Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate, Versamark by Tsukineko
White Detail Embossing Powder by SU!
Corner Round Chomper, and Angled Tag Chomper by WR Memory Keepers
Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder
Fiskars Simple Sentiment (plain scallop.  why don't they just call it a plain scallop???) border punch
Chocolate Satin Ribbon (craft store supply)
Uniball Signo White Gel Pen

Our cups did runneth over . . . a bit . . . *chinkle*

Under the gun, so this is short & sweet, but just had to share it!  During my parents' visit, Hayley came over and I drug out GOBS of holiday stamps--old favorites, new favorites--and crafty goods to make cards and tags with, and we were ROLLING because *this* was the design we fell in love with and made piles of!  

Sentiment is by A Muse (and in Linda's own handwriting, no less!), and the punch is that fan-tas-malicious embossed mug by Martha Stewart!  I had reservations about it, but, DANG, it is CUTE to the max! *grin*

Laters! 

Peaceful Wishes

Been juggling a lot and had no time to create--this was a recent class design that I just loved. Wish you could see the gorgeous shimmer of the White Shimmer Couture paper, used to create the snowbank--it is so stunning IRL.

Every once in a great while a stag will saunter through our yard--they're quite regal looking and always make me catch my breath!  I have yet to catch one on film, tho.  LOL! 

BTW, if you're gonna be out and about on Black Friday, be sure to hit the A Muse shop in Seattle--I just got the newsletter and was drooling over all the great goods pictured!  Lolly!

All stamp images by A Muse

Flaky Flake . . .

Ok, alright, already!  So it's not the most ingenious title for a card, but, criminy, it is what it is--a mica flake covered snowflake.  

Moving on . . .

I fell head over heels in love with this maroon woodgrain paper from the Eskimo Kisses collection by Basic Grey.  I'm not really into pre-distressed papers all that much, except for Basic Grey--I just love their papers and love that they produce their collections in scaled down versions, 6x6" pads, that work fab for card-makers!  YAY!

In the Winter Snows Glitter Tri-Pack by Martha Stewart, there is a bottle of "Snow Glitter" (more like mica flakes) which I figured I'd try--really?  I only wanted the coarse grind clear glitter (totally reminds me of those coarse sugar crystals they sprinkle onto yummy bakery goods), but apparently, that specific corase grind glitter is not available all by it's onesie, so I had to buy the 3-pack to get the one. Boo. 

Figured I'd try out the flakes here on the die cut snowflake.  They are rather cool, but, I think I prefer 'em as shaker card filler or sumpin' along those lines.

Stamp Credits:  "Think Snow" by A Muse Artstamps
French Roast 4 Bar Note Card by A Muse
Fern Sheer Ribbon by A Muse
Patterned Paper from Eskimo Kisses Collection by Basic Grey
Snowflake Die, Cuttlebug/Provo Craft
Snow Glitter by Martha Stewart
Inks:  Memento Rich Cocoa, Sahara Sand by Tsukineko
Button by Making Memories
Scrapper's Floss in White by Karen Foster (I can't stand nekked buttons)
Scallop Border Punch by Fiskars
Tiny Tag Punch by Martha Stewart

Believe, in Silver & Gold

The recent snowman tag card I shared the other day sparked another design--this one turned out to be an OLC (One Layer Card), and I love that, doncha' know! *wink*

Stamped the letters first, then the stars.  I free-handed the little dotted swirlies with a gold Spica pen.  Originally, I didn't plan to put glitter along the bottom edge, but the balance was a smidge off as I'd stamped the letters just a tad too high.  So, I ran some 1/8" Scor-Tape along the bottom edge and applied some of that luxurious Martha Stewart Glitter in White Gold.  Oh, YUM!

This turned out so sophisticated, I could hardly believe my luck! (arms wrapped 'round self, chortling)

Tips:

Tying bows with such narrow cording can be very tricksy without a third hand.  Clamp the center of the first part of your bow with cross-lock (a.k.a. reverse action) tweezers.  These tweezers tighten and clamp when you release, but to open them you must squeeze them.  This will free your hands to finish tying the loops of your bow without it slackening mid way through.

To keep the bow from coming undone, as can often happen with cording like this, apply a small drop of crystal lacquer, such as JudiKins Diamond Glaze or Ranger Glossy Accents, to the center; it will dry clear and keep the cord from slipping out of the nice bow ya' just made.

 

Stamp Credits:  Fancy Alphabet (clear set), Tiny Star by A Muse Artstamps
White card stock, cut and scored to create 3.5 x 5" card
Ink:  Encore Silver, Brilliance Galaxy Gold by Tsukineko
Scor-Tape (1/8" width) by Scor-Pal
White Gold Ultrafine Glitter by Martha Stewart
Silver cording by May Arts