Thursday, March 31, 2011

a|s Website Goes Live Tonight and Consultant Blog Hop Starts April 2



Website goes live tonight at 12am pst (3am est)
You can access it at https://www.amusestudio.com/AmusingInk.  You will be able to view catalog, get ideas and order online.  Orders will ship directly to you.  I am also available to provide workshops where you and your friends can come together and make some projects.  You as the host can earn free product.

 a|s Consultant Blog Hop
Tune in to my blog on April 2 for an A Muse Studio Creative Consultant Blog Hop.  At midnight on April 2, I will update my blog with a|s projects and offer a some blog candy for visiting my blog and commenting.  The blog hop will start here.  Find out more when you tune in on April 2 at 12:01 am.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

A Muse Studio Cards....Finally

My A Muse Studio (a|s)  Starter Kit arrived on Monday.  So I was finally able to make some cards using A Muse Studio Products.  What better way to start off then by making thank you cards for all the wonderful friends, family and coworkers who provided words of comfort when my father passed.

For this project I was looking for a card that is mail friendly.  For me that really isn't that hard since most of my cards are pretty flat.  I do like to add a little button or bling here and there and the occasional ribbon or jute.  This time i challenged myself to make a single layer card.  I was almost successful.  In the end i did add some black rhinestones and pearls to help balance the card. I didn't get too crazy with the size of them so the cards should be fine for mailing.

In the starter kit, I received four (4) Sampler Sets that have various stamps for the many stamp sets offered by a|s.  The images I chose from the Sampler Sets are from the Beautiful Botanicals, Mad for Plaids and Friend to Friend stamps sets. For color I was going for a subtle but cheerful color.  Sky and Papaya fit the bill.  Papaya is going to be one of my favorite colors.  The ink gives great stamp coverage and dries very quickly. For the bling I used some pearls and rhinestones. I had black pearls but since I did not have black rhinestones, I took my black (100) Copic and colored them.  Another great benefit of Copic Markers, you can buy only clear rhinestones and white pearls and color match them to your project.  Works perfectly.

Now you are probably wondering about the cardstock.  At first when I flipped through the colors on my sample ring, I thought I wasn't going to like the weight of it. Then i pulled out a full size sheet and was shocked at the actual weight.  I think is great and will be using it especially for colored card base since it is white on the reverse.  This eliminates the need to line the inside of the card with a lighter color.  I only had 2 sheets of the white a|s cardstock and since I needed to make 15 cards (may need more), I pulled from my stash. 

See how the stamp image is on the reverse of the stamp?  This makes it easy to see the orientation of your stamps.  The stamps come ready to use right out of the case, no need to apply image labels. Just stick to your acrylic block, ink and stamp.



Supplies:
Paper: Stampers Select (Papertrey Ink-PTI)
Stamps: Beautiful Botanicals, Mad for Plaids and Friend to Friend (A Muse Studio, a|s)
Ink: Papaya and Sky (a|s), Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: pearls and rhinestones, Black 100 Copic

Monday, March 28, 2011

Make It Monday #7

I'm getting in at the tail end of this weeks PTI Make It Monday Challenge.  The task this week is to add color to non-neutral cardstock.  So no white, cream or kraft.  I decided to use Lemon Tart (PTI) and color it with Copics.  The image I chose is from Birthday Bakery (SU!).  I layered the completed images on top of Pure Poppy Distressed Dots patterned paper framed in Aqua Mist.  The sentiment is from So Happy For You (SU!).  I added a sentiment inside also from Birthday Bakery.

Supplies:
Paper:  Aqua Mist, Lemon Tart, Distressed Dots and Stampers Select (PTI)
Stamps: Birthday Bakery (SU!), So Happy For You (SU!)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: Jute and buttons (PTI), Copics

Sunday, March 27, 2011

A Tribute...

My blog is and will continue to be 99.9% craft related.  There will be very few exceptions.  This post is an exception.  From my previous post you may know that my dad recently passed away.  For his Memorial Service, I put together a video slide show with thanks to family and friends who sent lots of pictures.  My dad played the electric bass and most of the music he played was jazz.  The two songs we selected for the video are songs that we know he enjoyed and that gave the slide show a happy feeling. They are Breezin' by George Benson and Morning Dance by Spyro Gyra.  This was my first time making a movie of any kind.  I first started by using Picasa and after a night of frustration, I started to use Windows Live Movie Maker.  Picasa is great for a basics.  Although I am definitely a novice i ended up needing more control over the pics and music and i couldn't get that with Picasa.

I hope you enjoy it.  I know I'll be watching it again and again.


(Click on the video and it will take you to it in my Picasa Album.  I didn't want to put it on You Tube and the upload to blogger was taking a long time with no indication that it was actually working)

When i first started putting this video together i was only going to use pictures my immediate family had.  I'm glad that I decided to ask more family and friends for pictures.  Just about every picture of my dad prior to my birth is a picture I had never seen until the creation of this video.  They made for many laughs during a time that could have easily been filled with sadness and crying.  There was still plenty of crying but we did have some great times looking at the pictures.  My dad was great.  I miss him a lot.

Few more days until my A Muse Studio website is LIVE

My A Muse Studio website will go live on April 1.  Only a few days to go.  My starter kit will be here on Monday.  Yay!!! I would have had it last week, but since I was out of town i won't get it until Monday.  I'm excited.  Since I'm new to the A Muse product line, my posts up to now have been A Muse free.  Soon that will change and you will see even more variety.  Keep checking in and check out the catalog while you wait  :)

Here are some oldies but goodies

About a year ago is when i first discovered PaperTrey Ink (PTI).  These cards of one of the first two cards I made.  They were both pretty simple.

The first is using Masculine Motifs.  I used Melon Berry and Terracotta Tile as a color combo.I was just messing around with my 1 3/4" circle and 2" scallop punches. At the time I did this, i didn't have any of the cool impression plates that I now have.  Looking back it may have been nice to impress the card front...hindsight is 20/20.  I kept it simple.



My second card for today is made from Everyday Button Bits (PTI).  I love using buttons so this set is right up my alley.  This color combo is River Rock (SU!) and Melon Mambo (PTI).  I colored the bike and added rays to the "sun" using Copics (have it mentioned how much i LOVE Copics)


It has been a super long day so i'm keeping this post short.  I'll be back soon with more cards.

I'm Back

I've been away from my blog for a couple of weeks.  I went home to see my dad because his health was rapidly declining and we were planning to baptize my youngest son while my dad was still with us but while i was there he passed away the morning of the baptism.  It was quite a shock to us because we all knew he was sick but didn't expect him to decline so quickly.  I'm so glad I had a a great relationship with him.  My sons loved him and he loved them back.  We have such great memories with him..fishing on his boat, visiting Orlando and Disney World, riding with him on his lawnmower, eating lollipops, flying kites....

I spent the last two weeks with my mom.  It was great being home and with her.  I love you, mom.  I took some images and my Copics with me, but never pulled them out.

I'll now update my blog with some cards i had previously done.  I hope you enjoy.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Mojo Monday 181

My new blog friend Keva pointed me to some card challenges to try.  One of those was Mojo Monday.  This week is challenge #181.


I had an idea come to mine when i first saw the sketch but it didn't come together the way I had pictured it.   I changed my approached.  Instead of throwing it out, i took my Top Note die from SU! and reused a portion of it.  Here is my final card.  I have to admit that i really like the color combo.



Supplies:
Paper:  Stampers Select, Lemon Tart, Aqua Mist, Dark Chocolate (PTI), Distressed Dots (PTI), 72&Sunny (WRMK)
Stamps: Signature Greetings (PTI)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Chamomile Tea Dye (PTI)
Other: Ribbon (PTI), Buttons (PTI), Top Note Die (SU!), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Black Hemp (CTMH)

Enjoy the Ride

I really like the Enjoy the Ride stamp set from Papertreyink. Here are two quick and simple cards i made using this set. 

For the first card, I used Distressed Stripes and A Little Bit of Argyle with Versamark to make some patterned paper for the background.  I added some jewel brads for the headlights.


For the second card i wanted to use some more feminine colors.  This time i used buttons for the headlights.

Supplies:
Card 1
Paper:  River Rock and Wild Wasabi (SU!), Stampers Select (PTI)
Stamps: Enjoy the Ride (PTI), A Little Bit of Argyle (PTI)
Ink: PurePoppy (PTI), Black (SU!)
Other:Jute and jewel brads
 
Card 2
Paper: Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush and Stampers Select (PTI)
Stamps: Enjoy the Ride (PTI), Birthday Bash Sentiments (PTI)
Ink: Black (SU!), Summer Sunrise (PTI), Berry Sorbet (PTI)
Other: Buttons (PTI), Ribbon (SU!), Scallop Oval Punch and Oval Punch (SU!)

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Cards with Copics

Today I'm sharing two cards colored using Copic markers.  I LOVE Copic markers.  I found out about Copics last year and am quickly accumulating more and more markers.  I have about half Ciao and half Sketch.   I was never into coloring images, but now I really find it relaxing and a great stress reliever.

My first card uses a Hero Arts Stamp that i ran out and bought as soon as I started collecting Copics.





I used an atyou Spica pen to add some glitter.

The second card uses a stamp from My Favorite Things.  I just love the innocence of the girl in the image.  This explains why the collection is called Pure Innocence.




Supplies:
Paper:  Pure Poppy and Stampers Select (PT), Bazzil and unknown
Stamps: hero Arts and SU!
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: Copics, Clear atyou Spica
Card 2
Paper: Kraft, Pure Poppy and Stampers Select (PT), Bazzil
Stamps: Pure Innocence (MFT), Delight in Everything (CTMH)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), White Daisy (CTMH)
Other: Copics

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Clean & Simple Fall to Layout 130

This card was done for the Clean & Simple layout 130.  The patterned paper I picked up last year at my LSS Wiggles & Giggles.  I loved the colors but never found a way to use it.  When i saw this challenge, I thought it would be perfect to use.  The sketch uses one button, but I decided to string three buttons onto the twine.  I like how it turned out and will definitely use the technique again.  For the label I used a part from the Papertrey Ink Banner Borders die.




Using the same components I also made another card but using a different sentiment and banner from the Banner Border die.

Supplies:
Paper: Stampers Select, Dark Chocolate and Aqua Mist (Papertrey Ink-PTI)
Patterned Paper: Sunny (We R Memory Keepers)
Stamps: So Happy For You (SU!)
Ink: Dark Chocolate (PTI)
Other: Banner Borders die, Buttons and Jute (PTI)

Father's Day Card

Here is a card I made for Father's Day.  At the time I was making a retirement card for someone at work and decided to make another one but as a Father's Day card.  I stamped the background woodgrain in Versamark and heat embossed in black.  I love how it turned out.  This card was inspired by a card by Maile Belles.




Supplies:
Paper: Stampers Select, Kraft and Enchanted Evening (Papertrey Ink-PTI)
Ribbon: Terracotta Tile (PTI)
Stamps: Masculine Motifs, Woodgrain and For The Graduate (PTI)
Ink: Orange Zest, Terracotta Tile, Dark Chocolate (PTI), Tuxedo Black (Memento) and Versamark
Other: Mat Stack 1 die (PTI), 1 3/4" Punch (EK Success), Buttons (PTI), Embosing Powder

Quick and Easy Birthday Cards

Yesterday we had a birthday party to attend so I made a super fast birthday card.  I didn't get the chance to take a decent picture so I decided to make a similar card to photo. It is a little different but uses the same colors.  These two cards were inspired by this card from Jessica Witty.  I simplified mine a bit.


I also did a second card that is more gender neutral



Supplies:
Card 1
Paper: Stampers Select, Hibiscus Burst and Raspberry Fizz (Papertrey Ink-PTI)
Ribbon: Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Stamps: Big Birthday Wishes and Birthday Bash Sentiments (PTI)
Ink: Smokey Shadow (PTI))
Other: By The Numbers die (PTI)


Card 2
Paper: Stampers Select, Pure Poppy and Aqua Mist (Papertrey Ink-PTI)
Ribbon: Pure Poppy (PTI)
Stamps: Big Birthday Wishes and Birthday Bash Sentiments (PTI)
Ink: Smokey Shadow (PTI), Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: By The Numbers die (PTI), Crystal Effects (SU!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

A Muse Studio Has Arrived


Contact me: AmusingInk@gmail.com

A Muse Studio is Live!!


A Muse Studio offers awesome products for card making, scrapbooking and other papercrafting.  The catalog offers great inspiration with items that showcase my clean and simple style.  You can order products from me, through a workshop, and coming soon through my personal A Muse Studio Website!

The A Muse Studio Catalog & Inspiration Guide is now online for you to browse.   The Inspriation Book is available for purchase.  Contact me to order a copy.  Email at AmusingInk@gmail.com or call at 860.249.1281.

How would you like to become an A Muse Studio Creative Consultant.  I would love to have you join my team and be a part of this exciting experience.  To join my team go to www.amusestudio.com and click "join our team".  Once you have completed the process, please let me know so I can notify A Muse Studio to add you to my team. 

My First Post

Welcome to my blog.  I hope you will enjoy the paper craft projects that I will share.  Starting a blog has been something I’ve been thinking of doing for quite some time.   Today my husband told me that I should take pictures of my creations so I decided that this would be a great place and time to share.   

Thank you for visiting my blog.