Paper Trufflez

Paper Trufflez: Snow Place Like Home!

Link: Paper Trufflez: Snow Place Like Home!.

Alana asked me to spill the beans on the oatmeal card stock I used in that design!

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!

Mmmmmm.  I also had a recent card stock find when I was teaching down in Sacramento, at The Paper Garden Boutique:

Stephanie carries the highly sought after Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb. card stock!  AWESOME weight, smooth surface, nice bright white!  I was so excited, I bought 3 packages to bring home with me!  LOL!

Oh, the *madness* when one finds good paper . . . "wicked" good paper, as my buddy Shurkus always sezzzzzzzz . . .

Snow Place Like Home!

I know today's the "dreaded": but, mebbe some eye candy will brighten the day! *wink*

Isn't this fun?! I've been playing a little bit with oatmeal card stock--I'm finding I like it better than kraft, because it's lighter and a little "warmer" in tone.  This coloring effect was achieved using a gift from a dear friend:  Faber Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils

They're a fantastic pastel (chalk) pencil--the colors lay down fabulously--and you can blend them out!  They're wonderful for accuracy in tight spots due to the pencil format and, I'm having a ball experimenting with 'em!  And, I can already tell I'm gonna have to go see if I can buy a single white pencil (OK, not just one, but, 2--you know me!  I buy in two-sies cuz ya' never knows when ya' might mess yer dress cuz ya' ran out! I just *hate* when that happens!), because it's gonna get used a LOT for highlighting, and whatnot!

Missy Ballance's Hippie Snow Chick is so STINKIN' CUTE!!!--I'm a sucker for snow men (I have a collection), and I adore daisies, so, gee, she's right up my alley!  LOL!  I had to pair her up with last year's igloo, and  "There's snow place like home"--could NOT resist!  This sentiment is from the new Holiday GreetingsII clear set, so I could curve it around on the block to match the curve of the igloo!  COOL!

I also used Copics on this piece--I bought some of those Paper Frills in white, and then custom tinted them to match my project using the chisel tip on my Copic Crimson! WAAAAAAAAY!!!

Well, I have a full day (and evening) of work ahead of me, finishing up for tomorrow's online class with the Peace & Cheer Kit, so I bettah gitter done!

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Supplies & Materials used:
All Stamps, Note Card, Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon by A Muse Artstamps
Ink:  Brilliance Graphite Black, Moonlight White
Coloring Tools:  Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils; Copic Marker:  Crimson
Other:  Paper Frills by Doodlebug Designs

A Good Day in Frog's Life . . .

I absolutely *LOVE* these mushroom!  They are one of m' new faves!  This design so CRACKED me!  Gee--a lotta things seem to crack me, don't they?!  ROTFLMBO!  Aaaah, well.

Can't tell in the pic, but the 'shrooms were glitterfied on their spots and underbellies with Prisma Glitter.

I know what you're saying . . . " 'Dat Julie has done gone and lost her marbles!"  *chortle*   Well, lack of sleep will do that to ya'.  But, look at FROG!  Isn't he hysterical?!  I mean, can you imagine anything more pleasurable in a frog's day than feasting on flies?  I drew those!  And, his long tongue snatchin' 'em outta' the air!  BRILLIANT  I AM!!!     (insert lots of chortling and bouncing!)

I was so jazzed to see some of you post  that I'll have the pleasure of workin' with you in class at The Paper Garden Boutique on Sunday/Monday!  YAY!  Can't wait to meet some of you for the first time IRL!

Are ya' havin' good times playin' the  A Muse-a-Palooza challenges and joinin' in the silly contests?  It sure has been a lot of fun for all of us A Muse Creative Team Members to see so many of you participating, and enjoying yourselves!  (oops, startin' to bounce again!  Criminitly!)

Well, I better bounce my way down to the airport!  Sunny Sacramento, here I come!  WOO HOOOOO!!!

And, HAAAAAAYYYYYY (No, it's not just for horses!)  Keep your eyes peeled on the A muse-a-Palooza blog--something wicked fun comes that way on Monday!  Heh, heh, heh! *snarf*

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All stamps, note cards, papers, and ribbon used by A Muse Artstamps
Ink: Briliance Graphite Black
Coloring Tools:  Copic Markers in Grass Green, Salad Green, Crimson, Sand, Cool Shadow
Other:  Black Mini Brad, Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Prisma Glitter

Happy Birthday, USA!

Lady Liberty shows off the red, white & blue, in this festive salute to our country's birthday!

I love making little banners like this for sentiments on my cards.  I usually prefer to leave a clean edge, but, in this case, the banner would have been swallowed up by the bold red and white striped pattern in the background, so I took a chance and DTP'd yellow to the edges of the banner to see if that would "pop" it and that seemed to work great!  This design was also my first time using my new Martha Stewart Scallop Border punch, and, man, is that thing SUH-WEEET!

This just cracked me!  I had to create a design featuring the Patriotic Hat, and I was inspired by a completely non-patriotic design Erika had done that featured a "parade" using Celebration Kids and some of the A Muse animals following along behind the boy, and it occurred to me that the hat would fit, albeit somewhat "over-sized" on his head.

I thought it would be fun to have Piggy, watching curbside, with a Sparkler in his tail!  I swirled around some Spica Twinklette in yellow to "spark" up the Sparkler--too fun!

I've literally been hunkered down prepping for my classes that begin Sunday down at The Paper Garden Boutique--fly out to Sacramento tomorrow night!  WOO HOOOOOOO!!!

But, meantime, I'm up to the gills in paper, paper, paper, and packing class kits!  LOL!

I love prepping.  I love prepping.  I love prepping.

OK, honestly?  I don't.  I just figure if I repeat that enough times, that maybe, one day, it will be true . . .

Say whaaaat??? 

  *chuckle*

Have a Happy and SAFE 4th of July Holiday! 

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All stamp images, papers and Twinkle Stickers (rhinestone) used in these samples are by A Muse Artstamps
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black, Mediterranean Blue
Coloring Tools:  Copic Markers B34 Manganese Blue, R11 Pale Cherry Pink, E13 Light Suntan, E33 Sand, Y24 Pale Sepia, RV29 Crimson, BG10 Cool Shadow
Ribbon:  Papaya Stitched Grosgrain by A Muse
Other:  Martha Stewart Scallop Border Punch

A Little Note!

Gallery Submissions Link:  AP08SKETCH2

I was quickly grabbing paper scraps off my work surface in the studio to file away (I'm a wretch about saving paper scraps; it's a disease, I think . . . . . . ) when I noticed just how gaaaaaw-jus these paper colors looked TOGETHER!

Hmmmmmmm . . . and my Stitched Garden set was still laying on the desk from the cherry design of the other day . . .

Hmmmmmm . . .

And, gee, Tisha's 2nd sketch looks like it would work well with the birdie . . .

Hmmmmmmm . . .

And, I could practice my colored pencil skills . . . and maybe do a little paper piecing--just a little!

Hmmmmmmmmm . . . Tish used some bling on her sample . . . I could put some bling--a whole row!

Internal struggle:                   

  "A whole row?  What, are you crazy?! That's an awful lotta bling!"
"Oh, good grief!  You have a row of the blue leftover from that last class, sitting in that little bag all by its onesie.  QUIT HOARDING IT!!!"

  "Alright, alright, already!  I'll use HALF a row . . .   Sheesh!" ....................   

Supplies & Materials:
Stamps: Stitched Garden Set by A Muse Artstamps
Paper: Madeira Blue 4 Bar Note Card, Cabana Blue, Fern, French Blue, Madeira Green Papers by A Muse Artstamps
Ink:  Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink in Dark Brown, Olive Pastel
Coloring Tools:  Koh-I-Noor Colored Pencils
Ribbon:  Lime Peel Stitched Grosgrain by A Muse Artstamps
Other:  Mini Dot Twinkle Stickers by A Muse Artstamps, Marvy Giga Scallop Square Punch

SWEET!

Challenge:  AP08OUTBOX, AP08TAYLOR

Oh, this was too much stinkin' fun!  A loooong time ago I once used this stamp to make cherries and when I got to thinking about Elena's and Taylor's challenges, it hit me I could do both using this one idea! 

To get the "bling" incorporated on this "out of the box" idea, I used Simple Stick (sticky embossing powder)--that stuff ROCKS; hands down the best I have ever used.  Has the finest grind, and doesn't clump in the storage jar, etc.  If you're not familiar with Simple Stick, this special embossing powder is used to apply glitter, flocking and foil to a stamped image.  It's fairly simple to use--if you've ever done thermal embossing, you already know what to do!

Work on scratch paper, of course, so you can collect the excess and funnel it back into the jar for future use (this stuff last a looooong time).

1. After stamping your image with a pigment type ink or Versamark Watermark Ink, apply Simple Stick over the top
   
2. The trick with this EP is to remember that it's a little more "sensitive" than regular EP; don't come in quite so close with your heat tool at first--come in just close enough to watch the powder turn from granular to shiny and "wet" looking, and then back off quickly.
3. You can come back in to hit any areas that still appear granular, if needed.  If you over-heat it, it will harden prematurely and lose all tack.  Note:  Most embossing powders will burn right off the paper, if they are overheated, heated too closely, or too long.
4. Apply glitter, and rub/work gently into the image.
5. Re-heat again gently, to lock in the glitter.

And, that's all she wrote!  Simple Stick is clear, so it can be applied over any colored pigment ink.  This works fabulous with either solid images OR detailed/outline images!  Love this stuff!

Now, I have the sugary sweetest cherries, doncha think?!  Of course, the cherry panel was beggin' for scallops, so I whipped out my Nestabilities Scallop Square Die to create that layer.  Yummy, no?!  I love Bing Cherries and can almost NEVER pass by a road-side stand that has some for sale!

Hope your day is sweet!

Supplies & Materials
Stamps:  Dot bl, Stitched Garden Set, Polka Dot Alphabet Lowercase Sm., all by A Muse Artstamps
Paper:  White Card Stock, Kitchen Green Card Stock, Red Card Stock
Ink:  Colorbox Fluid Chalk in Lime Pastel; Versmagic Red Magic Chalk Ink
Other: Simple Stick (sticky embossing powder by A Muse Artstamps), Prisma Ultrafine Glitter, Nestabilities Scallop Square Die (Spellbinders), Making Memories Ribbon Slot Punch Attachments & Instant Eyelet Setter), Red Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon by A Muse, Lime Green Gingham (source unknown)

E-Learn

Link:  My Creative Classroom

YAY!  Just finished and posted my article on our A Muse-a-Palooza Sponsor, My Creative Classroom!

I'm so excited to be teaching the free online class that comes with the A Muse-a-Palooza 08 Stamp Kit--WOO HOOOOOOOO!!!

I've had to keep my nose to the grindstone for the last week, ink a-FLYIN'!!!  I've created 18 designs for my 3 Make It Merry and 12 designs for Simply Sensational and Happy Mail classes in Sacramento, in a few weeks. 

Do you have any idea what AGONY it is to keep these designs under wraps until class???  I'm WICKED IMPATIENT, and when I get excited I bounce, and it's *so* hard to bounce all by m'self--I wanna bounce with somebody!!!     Hah!!!  (I'm actually singing that to the tune of Whitney Houston's, "I wanna dance with somebody!" --FOR REAL!!!)

Meantime, I totally fell off my chair over Erika's Lighthouse design on Oldies But Goodies!!!  She totally inspired me to spend some time making this yesterday:

A very sweet SCSer RAK'd me some of these Skittle thingies, and my first design attempt using these had not turned out, but, I'm stoked this 2nd one did!  WOO HOOOOOOOO!!!  I had to dig around and find one small enough to fit over Tiny Crab--this is a clear one, that I colored the back side of with my Copic Marker--doesn't he look like a Hermit Crab packing his house around???!!!  *chuckle*

I practiced my colored pencil work ala Lisa Spangler, one of my all-time great stampy heroines, too! 

O M G! I just realized this also meets Elena's Out of the Box Challenge!!!  Did you notice my use of the waves stamp? 
  You bet there's some *deep* CHORTLING goin' on around here!!!  HAH!  Cuz I iz BRILLIANT!!!

See all the fun and ingenious A Muse-a-Palooza Challenge Chasers entries here:  AP08Outbox

So, . . . it took 18 (EIGHTEEN!!!) hours to type up all the information for all five classes! 

My bad arm has really taken a beating from all the typing, so I'm gonna have to rest it for a bit . . .  The hubs took me out for a very much needed break, and dinner, downtown last night, and treated me to some red appletinis--now I must say that while tasty, they still don't compare to my favorite, the green sour appletini. At any rate, the two I had were more like having the equivalent of four (yes, 4 . . . !)   Holy Mother of Pearl!

Have fan•stamp•magorical weekend! 

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Stamp Images:  Lighthouse, Waves, Sandcastle, Tiny Crab, Solid Scallop Circle, "Sending you sunshine" (featured inside the card) by A Muse Artstamps
Paper:  Cabana Blue Band Notes by A Muse, Natural Ivory Card Stock
Ink:  Colorbox Fluid Chalk in Dark Brown; Colorbox Pigment Ink in Daffodil, Papaya Cream, Robin's Egg Blue
Coloring Tools:  Koh-I-Noor Colored Pencils (scroll down)
Other:  Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Prisma Ultrafine Glitter (multi-iridescent), Copic Marker R29 Lipstick Red, Decorative Plastic Accents (Michael's)

Unexpected!

Link: Paper Crafts Mother's Day Challenge.

Submitted my Mother's Day Design on a whim, and was surprised to get an email from the folks at PC!  Fun!

Paper Trufflez: A-MUSE-A-PALOOZA: Challenge 1 - Color Combo!

Link: Paper Trufflez: A-MUSE-A-PALOOZA: Challenge 1 - Color Combo!.

SCS Keyword:  AP08Color

  Hey, Mikey!  I likey!  I wasn't sure at first, as I laid all the papers down together, but, then I looked at my Copics, and decided to pull in some French Roast paper to mat the focal for added "ooph".

Tiny Butterfly is actually a solid image, but, after stamping her in Wisteria, I traced around her with a fine tip black marker, and then did the flutter trail behind.  I recently got the Willow marker and it's a wonderful muted green to use with these other colors--very tranquil.

I was determined to use the mushrooms in this--I just love those things!  They are so stinkin' C•U•T•E!!!  I *always* wanna do the mushrooms in RED, so I had to force myself to color them brown.

I didn't stamp a sentiment on it, but, I think I'll stamp "hi, friend" inside it, cuz that's one of my favorite sentiments, and I think it would be sweet  with this design.

Hope you get to stamp happy today!

Stamps:  Tiny Bird, Mushrooms, Tiny Butterfly by A Muse Artstamps
Paper:  French Roast, Cabana Blue, Kitchen Chocolate papers, Passion Note Card by A Muse
Ink:  Brilliance Graphite Black by Tsukineko, Colorbox Fluid Chalk Wisteria by Clearsnap
Ribbon: Cabana Blue Stitched Grosgrain by A Muse
Coloring Tools:  Copic Markers in Cool Shadow, Frost Blue, Honey, Willow, Cream
Other:  Quickie Glue Pen by Sakura, Ultrafine Prisma Glitter, Slit Punch by SU! (to create scalloped edge)

So, what would happen?

Click HERE to see what Lisa did.          Click HERE to see what Julie did.

Thank you, Lisa!  It was *uber* FUN!