Paper Trufflez

No, I am not a runner.

The Boston Marathon, version 1 and 2

Images:  Runner Girl*, Large Dot, "Way To Go" {Clear Sports Set}, Brownstone (A Muse Artstamps)
Paper:  Lime Peel Band Note Card (A Muse)
Ink:  Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Colorbox Fluid Chalk in Yellow Citron (Clearsnap)
Coloring Tools:  Alcohol Markers in Skin White, Phthalo Blue, Cream, Caramel, Burnt Sienna, Sand, Honey, Orange (Copic)
Embellishment: Black Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (A Muse)

*sneak peek:  coming 04.01.08
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Typically, I don't engage in anything that makes me break a sweat.  I know I should.  Exercise is good.  Being in shape is good.  And, I am *so* not.  Not in shape, and not good.  Bwah ha haaaaaaaaaa!!!

This design was inspired by a friend of mine who aspired to run in the Boston Marathon.  She did it! I was amazed!  She trained for months--amazing dedication and stamina!

But, when I consider just taking a walk, I usually mean sitting.  With coffee . . .  possibly muffins.

Anyhoo, after I completed it, I thought it didn't really look like "The Boston Marathon", UKWIM?  So, I masked off the runner's legs, and stamped the brownstone.  For some reason, even tho I have never been to Boston myself, I imagine there are brownstones lining the streets, going down the hillside, etc. . . . Are there?

Then, I snagged a fine point black marker and hand-detailed the numbers on their shirts.  Now, it seems more like THE Boston Marathon.

Whaddya' think?  Yay or nay?

Mother's Day . . . "Freestyle"?

Happy Mother's Day:

Images:  "Happy Mother's Day"*, Bracket Frame {from Clear Bracket Set*} (A Muse)
Papers:  Madeira 4 Bar Note Card in Green, Blue Raspberry Tinplate Paper (A Muse), scrap grid paper
Ink:  Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink in Dark Brown (Clearsnap)
Embellishments:  Felt Flowers (Stampin' Up!),  Crystal Brad (Making Memories), Mini Dot Twinkle Stickers (A  Muse)
Tools: Scallop Decorative Scissors (Fiskars)

*Sneak Peek, coming 03/31/08 or 04/01/08
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I think I like it . . .   This was *so* hard for me!  I must admit, I'm really not a big fan of "freestyle" scrapbooking and card making.  It depends on how it's done, I guess, as to whether not I find it appealing???  There are a few people (like my favorite scrapper, Pebbles, whose work I study intently, and try to emulate, but never can quite seem to do what she does, the way she does it!) who seem to have a true gift for it, and I admire how they can pull together an eclectic mix of things that just wouldn't seem to go together (at least, IMHO, they don't seem to), and somehow, pull it off effectively, and make me think, "WOW!  I *really* like that, and I *never* would have thought to put this and that together in this way!"

This is one of my  "baby steps" at freestyle.  Technically, I don't know if it even could be classified as such, but, what the heck!  I'm pattin' myself on the back that I've given it a try. *chuckle*

A sweet friend had sent me these gaaaaaw-jus felt flowers, as she knew I'd wanted to try doing more with felt, and I thought they would work well on this design. (Patty, I finally quit petting them and actually used them!  Thank you! *smooch*  I know--I'm such a wretch!  DANG--those things are plush!)
It nearly KILLED me to layer three of 'em together--  But, I was livin' high off yesterday's extravagance, so I figured, once again, WTH!  ROTFLMBO!!!!!!!

I love this bracket frame in the coming Clear Bracket Set--it's just always been a frame shape that I gravitate towards, and I gotta laff that I always stamp it onto white/cream.  I decided to be bold and adventurous; this time, I stamped it right onto patterned paper.  I even resisted the urge to stamp something inside the frame!  Hey, I done tol' ya': I am tryin' to be un-conventional!  So ya' best brace yerself!  *chortle* 

I had this little scrap of grid paper that I thought would be fun to incorporate, instead of just plain white paper.  I think it added a little bit more interest because it is unexpected . . . I wanted to give extra emphasis to that pretty pink color, so I added the trio of Twinkle stickers to the right; seemed to balance the design nicely.

Yes, I do think I likey . . .

Just for fun--SNEAK PEEK MADNESS!

If basketball has March Madness, I figure we stampin' chicks are entitled to a rubbah SNEAK PEEK MADNESS!  ROTFLMBO!

If you'd like to see what the A Muse chick-lettes have been dreamin' up with the coming April release (04/01/08), just take a quick click trip:

Adelina
The Beckster! (Sorry, Becks.  Had to do it!)
Elena
Scoopy
Erika (Her silly sneak peek is gonna bust you up, I swear!  Too funny!)
Geeta
Heather
Jen Moczan
Melinda
Melissa
Michelle C.
Tisha
Novell

Oh, yeah, SAVED BY THE CROWN!!!

Birthday Queen

Images:  Tiara*, "Queen for the day!"* , "Have the funnest birthday ever!" (A Muse)

Paper:  Fairy Dust Square Note Card, Harlequin Pretty Little Paper (A Muse), Brushed Silver Metallic (Cardenon StarDream)

Ink:  Brilliance StarLite Silver, Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)

Tools:  Extra Jumbo Scallop Circle Punch (Marvy Uchida), 1 1/8" Circle Punch (EK Success)

Embellishments:  Micro Dot & Mini Dot Twinkle Stickers (A Muse)

Other:  Silver Detail Embossing Powder, Foam Mounting Tape

*Sneak Peek, coming 04/01/08
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ACK!  Taylor had a birthday party to go to directly after school.

"I felt the need, the need for SPEED!" --Maverick & Goose, Top Gun

I love the lines in that movie.  Dave and I know pretty much every single one by heart!

THREE stamps!  That's all it took to whip this baby together!  I was SMOKIN' HOT in the studio this mornin', 10 minutes before he had to fly out the door to snag the bus to school! 

Oh, you know it's comin' . . .  uh huh, j'est wait for it . . .

I AM BRILLIANT!!!   

I went all out for Taylor's classmate, Mariah.  I mean, do I ever bling it on quite that much???!!!   This is me we're talkin' 'bout!  The resident hoarder.  But, in this case, it worked faboo!  (arms wrapped around self, chortling gleefully!)

I am LOVIN' IT!!!

So, how's your Friday goin'? Hope it's splendiferous!  *wink*

Life is Good (Sneak Peek!)

Life Is GOOD!

Images: Rain, "Life is good", Dotted Lines Bkgrd., Seaweed, Tiny Daisy (A Muse Artstamps)

Paper:  Kitchen Collection Yellow 4 Bar Note Card, Cabana Blue Solid, Kiwi Tinplate, French Roast Solid Papers (A Muse)

Ink:  Colorbox Fluid Chalk in Dark Brown, Orange, Citrus Yellow (Clearsnap), Colorbox Pigment Ink in Robin's Egg, Moss (Clearsnap)

Coloring Tools:  Spica Twinkle Pens in Yellow, Orange and Melon (Copic)

Ribbon:  Orange Stitched Grosgrain (A Muse)

Other:  Clear Glaze Pen (Sakura), 1" Square Punch (EK Success), Decorative Mini Scallop Scissors (Provo), Larger Scallop Scissors (Retired SU!), Micro Dot Twinkle Stickers (A Muse), Foam Mounting Tape, Post It Notes (for masking)

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Life really is good!  So, are you livin' good?  Mmmm mmmm mmmmmm!  I was livin' good when I was stamping today--I had this idea in my head for the rain (we get a lot of that out here in the PNW, altho, not nearly as much as SE Alaska does, to be sure . . . ) and "Life is good" (both coming Mar. 31st.   . . . or Apr. 1st . . .  I forget which . . .No worries--it would only be a one day difference, eh?! *snarf*!).

Anyhoo, I'm feelin' a bit smug that I finally got the idea in my head down onto paper.  Took me only about, oh . . . 4 tries!  ROTFLMBO!

It's all about the process, baby!

This is a variation on a color combo I'd used on a previous Easter design.  I just really liked it--earth-toned, but, in a very subtle kinda way.  I highlighted the raindrops with the Clear Glaze Pen, and the flowers and "sprouts" (seaweed) were outlined quickly with the Spica Twinkle Pens.

And, then, I got to "doodlin' " . . . *chuckle*  Oh, a little stroke here, and a few dots there, and I 'bout wrecked it, goin' too far.  But, I think it turned out alright!  I likey!

I stamped today!!!  Yay for me! (arms wrapped around self, *grin*)

Cupcakes & Clear Frames (Sneak Peek!)

Cupcake Framed

Images:  Cupcake, Frames {Flower Border Clear Set, coming soon}, "Hey, cupcake" ( A Muse)
Patterned Paper:  Gracen Collection (Making Memories)
Ink:  Colorbox Fluid Chalk in Warm Red (Clearsnap), Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko)
Coloring Tools:  Koh-i-Noor Colored Pencils, Alcohol Markers in Sand, Light Pink, Light Rouge, Cool Grey No. 1 (Copic)
Ribbon: 1/2" Red Gingham (American Crafts)
Other:  Stickles Christmas Red Glitter Glue (Ranger Industries), Foam Mounting Tape
Tools:  Decorative Edge Scissors (Retired SU!)
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Ugh. I didn't realize how badly I'd photographed it until I'd already sent the card off.   This was another of the designs I created for the quickie how-to Copic article (coming Summer issue) I did for Stampington/Stamper's Sampler

Anyhoo, it has the largest of A Muse's cupcake images, and features a Sneak Peek of a coming new clear set, called Floral Borders.  I think it's gonna be an awful lot of fun to combine in different ways--there are a variety of different sized frames in the set--these are the two smallest of that one.  The larger ones in the set will be great for framing photos or for journaling in on scrapbook layouts!

Good golly, I'm chuckling because I can't remember if I actually trimmed out and 3D mounted the cupcake to the frame, or if I just stamped it directly on that piece, and then shaded around it to LOOK 3D!  ROTFL!

Aaaah, well.  No matter!   IRL the card is magnificent!  *chuckling*