playing catch-up + some exciting {news!}

Hey everybody!

I'm trying to keep the words to a minimum on this post, but please **be sure to read all the way to the bottom for some exciting news!!**

I've got a handful of projects to share with you tonight - things that have just been sitting on my shelf waiting to be photographed and posted :)

First up...

So, it's a week late, but this is my attempt at Tiffany Johnson's Sketchy Sunday TG012. This was a hard sketch for me! It was adorable in my head, but I can't decide how I feel about the actual card.

This one was made with Cosmo Cricket's new Upcycle line and a super adorable Whiff of Joy stamp. And the sentiment (I forget where it's from) is so cute - it says "You'll always be my friend... you know too much!" Love it!

And last but not least...

I made this one using some of the new Papertrey Ink yummies from the last release. A dear friend of mine is in graduate school right now studying to be a nurse practitioner. It's been really stressful and a lot of work for her. We don't talk or see each other as much as I'd like, but I've been thinking a lot about her lately and wanted to send her a cheery treat for her to find in her mailbox. Hence the bright colors. I also made some of her fave yo-yo flowers out of some fabric another friend brought back from Africa and glued them onto a barrette.

I used the PTI button card die stamped with Hero Arts' Friends Definition stamp for the backing. The barrette itself is very curved - much more than any other barrette I've seen! - so it warps the card quite a bit, but it's still a cute and easy packaging option.

So that's what I've been up to lately. Now, are you ready for the exciting news?!?!! I'm sure many of you are familiar with a company called A Muse Art Stamps. Well, they've renamed their company and are joining the direct home sales market. They are now A Muse Studio, and their stamps are just as adorable as ever, but now you can only order them from a Creative Consultant. And guess what? I am one! :) I'm so excited to be starting on this journey with an amazing company. And I've got grand things planned for my blog, including a video tutorial series! (I'm so excited about all the awesome ideas going through my head... my sleep schedule is really suffering! LOL) The A Muse Studio button at the top of my sidebar will take you directly to my webstore, where you can order stamps, cardstocks, inks, and more, or book a party 24/7! Webstores won't be available until April 1st, though, so in the meantime, I hope you'll click on the picture of the awesome Catalog and Inspiration Guide and take a look at everything they have to offer! I'll be back on the first with a super-cute celebratory video tutorial. And then be sure to check out my new friend Samantha Kania's blog on April 2nd (that's this Saturday) - She'll be kicking off a blog hop with lots of ideas from Creative Consultants all over the country!

So, friends, I hope you had a great weekend! I look forward to sharing A Muse Studio with you!

Luau Invitations

Hello and Happy Friday!

Just a quick post tonight to share the invitations I made for my former boss's daughter's 5th birthday party. It's a Hawaiian theme - so cute! :)

I used almost exclusively Papertrey Ink products on these. This was a great excuse to *finally* purchase Dawn McVey's fantastic Aloha stamp set. I used Hawaiian Shores cardstock and ribbon, Orange Zest and Hibiscus Burst ribbons, and the closest coordinating Copics in my stash. My hubby helped me print the details on the cards. You can't really see it in the photo, but I also used Hero Arts's amazing Envelope Background stamp on the fronts of the cards.

Have a great weekend, folks! :)

{little one}

Lawn Fawn's new Plus One stamp set has to be my favorite new stamp set in a long time. I have loved random things with cute little smiley faces ever since elementary school classrooms decorated in Carson-Dellosa products! :) The images are so clever and I love how all the sentiments are separate and can be combined into so many different options.

(Sorry about the weird angles here. I got the light just right on my bookshelf and I didn't notice how weird the angle looked!)

I litterally cannot get over how much I love this image! I mean, come on! It's a bun in an oven! Seriously! The instant I saw this stamp, I knew I wanted to color the oven 1950s retro turquoise, and now I'm not sure I'll ever color it any other way! :) Plus, I really like unexpected color combos for baby cards (cutesy works well when combined with sophisticated), and I just happened to have Copic markers that matched this My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose papers. (That doesn't happen very often!)

This one's a little more "traditional" for a baby card, and very simple. I love how the button looks, but it's super dimensional and not really mail-friendly. Love the ribbon from a recent Studio Calico kit - totally inspired the gender-neutral yellow theme.

Funny coincidence: I've gotten really into making rag quilts recently (via this amazingly simple tutorial) - I call it cheating because it's so not quilting. I made one using pre-cut, pre-coordinated Minkee fabric (feels like an expensive stuffed animal!) and then I made another one (turned out way bigger than I expected!) out of flannel my mom had been saving from when she made my jammies when I was little. This technique lends itself so well to baby quilts (crib quilts or "tummy time" mats), and now I've got the cards to go with... Now if only I knew someone who was having a baby! :)

Thanks for stopping by!