Fun Friday

Here it is! After being quite inconsistent about blogging, I have made 3 entries today. Whew! If only I could keep up with it every or every other day.

Fun Friday is Friday the 13th. Don't know about you, but I have always enjoyed Friday the 13th, and I am not talking about the movie (gruesome).

Because it is supposed to be a day of bad luck, I have always enjoyed going out of my way to make it a good day. In years past, my best friend, Brandy, and I would find wonderful ways to be silly and enjoy the day. As adolescents, we danced around the apartment to Rick James' "SuperFreak", feeling so cool. Oh. We WERE cool. Wink. Wink. Okay. We just liked to think it; but, that is part of the fun of being young. AHHH...memories...

Approaching my daughter's first and my fortieth birthday in December, I am becoming nostalgic and reflective. For those of you who have already hit that 40 mark, did it affect you this way? Did it affect you at all?

I am nostalgic for days like those with Brandy. Or, my other bestest friend, Michelle, and I watching the movie, "Jude", for our New Year's Eve celebration. If you have seen, "Jude", you know this is an 'interesting' way to bring in the New Year. Or, riding around the U-District with Ted and Ryan, while listening to Jane's Addiction. That was before Ted and I were married, or even a couple. Or, so many other wonderful moments in my life.

Today is 'Fun Friday'. It is Friday the 13th. I am nearing 40 and feeling nostalgic. It is time to enjoy this day, and create more moments for which to be nostalgic. Today's fun will be with my husband and daughter. They are the ones who will be filling my 'memory box' in the future, along with my wonderful new friends and neighbors in New Hampshire.

This 'Fun Friday', I wish you all a day of luck...NOT, the superstitious BAD luck of this Friday the 13th. Take a moment, reflect, enjoy, and make some more fun times to reflect on:)

AMuse Addicts Get-Together 2009 @ The Paper Tree

What a great time to be had when crafting with AMuse Addicts. They are fun people! It was wonderful getting together and crafting with everyone for this event at The Paper Tree. It has now been a few months, and I am finally posting about it.

I missed the get-together at Ink About It, so I was happy to be able to make it to this one.

So many wonderful cards were made that day.

Here is my contribution to that day...

*AMuse stamps and cardstock
*Memento Ink
*Stardust glitter pen
**There was a little, orange AMuse ribbon at the top...fell off mine...oops!

I continue to enjoy finding ways to use the Poppy stamp. Isn't it pretty?

Unity Coffee Stamps AND Birthday Card

I love Unity Stamps! Great quality and Great Look! Here, I used their coffee stamps, from one of the monthly kits, to make a friend's birthday card. With the stamps being so cute, I was able to make a simple, quick card at the last minute!

*Unity Stamps
*DCWV glitter paper and pre-cut card
*Brilliance black ink with Ranger embossing powder for both image and sentiment
*Spellbinders Circle dies
*Stampin' Up! Pen...to highlight words
*AMuse ribbon
*bling...???

By the way, I always liked Spellbinders, though I had only one set until recently. I now have a second set--the circles. I am seriously loving these dies! They work perfectly in my Big Kick! I can't wait to get more. The NH Scrapbook Cabin is having a 'buy 1, get 2nd 1/2 off' of Spellbinder Dies for their Black Friday Sale. You know where I will be, in addition to picking up a sweet deal at the 40% off (early AM) at Talk/Paper/Scissors. I am sure that The Paper Tree and other NH stamp and scrapbooking stores will have something going on also...can't wait to find out! Wait! Am I not supposed to be checking out places like Toys R Us first? Isn't that what a mommy should do? Hmmm...well, she already has tons of toys, and the family will be here for the holidays. I am pretty sure they will be getting her some very cool stuff:) Anyway, I would rather shop for clothes for her! Sylvia is too cute to dress:)

Angel ATC AND Scraps/Leftovers

Here is an Angel theme ATC created for the Thursday morning ATC Swap at The NH Scrapbook Cabin. My goal was to use ONLY product already in my scrap area, and make it monochromatic.

ATC Base: Tim Holtz Grunge Board
Inchie: Bazzill chipboard
DC: DCWV
Pearls: Basic Grey Opaline
Ribbon: Offray
Stamps: Hampton Art And Stampin Around
Inks: Stampin' Up!, VersaColor, & Ranger Alcohol Ink
Pen: Stardust clear glitter

Grunge Board is inked with Pink Sherbert and Silver Additive Alcohol Inks. Isn't this a cool effect?

The mini book is created with a stamp. Used is a Stampin Around background stamp of 4 blocks. After stamping, I cut it in half, using 2/4 blocks to fold into the mini book.

The inside of the mini book can be stamped with a sentiment, or personalized with a short, handwritten note.

I am happy with the results, though it is completely different from my original idea. Isn't that how it works?

In what ways have you used your Grunge Board and alcohol inks?

AMuse Swap: Christmas Theme

Above is one of two cards I created for the last AMuse by-mail card swap. I love that little dog!

*DCWV White pre-cut card
*AMuse stamps: both snowflakes and dog
*AMuse bling...on dog's nose
*Brilliance Ink, Ranger Embossing Powder on green glitter paper
*Ribbon??? Don't remember...

I really like the effect of embossing on glitter paper!


Below is the other card created for the swap. I love that classic Christmas Tree. Just perfect!

*AMuse Card, stamps, bling, and ribbon
*American Traditional Christmas paper
*Copic marker on Christmas present
*Stardust Glitter pen on tree

The Meeting of Unity AND AMuse

Unity and AMuse are among my favorite stamp companies who continually produce quality and creative/adorable stamps. Here they meet, on this card for my friend's daughter's third birthday this Summer.

Ice Cream Cone: Unity Stamps
Sentiment and polka dot cardstock: Amuse Art Stamps
Lavender cardstock: Bazzill
Gems: Martha Stewart Crafts
Inks: VersaFine and Ranger
Ribbon/DP/Pink CS: Oops...again, I forgot!


Have you used Unity and AMuse together? If not, give it a try when you get a chance. They complement each other interestingly. If you have already introduced them to each other, would you like to share?

What are your favorite stamp companies and why?

Unity Stamp AND The Color Purple Card Swap

Cardstock: Prism, Bazzill
Paper: Basic Grey
Stamp: Unity
Ink: Memento
Pens: Copic Markers
Ribbon: ??? Oops! Forgot!

This card was made for a splitcoaststamper card swap themed, "The Color Purple". The color purple is one of my favorite, along with pink. I found this Basic Grey patterned paper to be irresistible. And, how about that pink Prism cardstock!? It is one of my new favorites for cardmaking. Perfect, delicate texture and works well with ink and pens.

Have you used this Basic Grey paper? If yes, please share....It is just the prettiest paper. I would love it as a bedspread. Or...hmmm...should I admit???? Wallpaper. And not desktop wallpaper. I am talking wallpaper for a bedroom. Wouldn't that be a little piece of purple heaven?

Have you used Prism cardstock? What do you prefer for cardstock? I like: Bazzill, Prism, Core'dinations, AMuse, and Neenah. I am always on the lookout for good cardstock.

Now...go find some purple paper, ink, ribbon, etc...and create!

Coffee Card Kit & Amuse Bumper Card

Here is a card I made using pieces that I assembled for a SplitcoasStampers 'Coffee' themed card kit swap. I also used it to send for one of the monthly AMuse bumper cards.

What I enjoyed about making this card, is that I used randomly assembled items, without pre-planning their use. This forced me to stretch my creativity; and, as Tim Gunn would say, "Make it Work!".

Stamps, card, ribbon: AMuse
Large photo corner: Hiedi Swapp
Ink: Ranger Ink
DP: I forgot! Uh oh!

What do you think?

Have you any coffee themed cards to share?

How about coffee, in general? Like it?

Me? Glad you asked:) I love it! One of my preferred roasters is Raven's Brew. It is an Alasakan based company that my husband and I discovered while on our honeymoon cruise to Alaska. Their various roasts boast names like, "Resurection Blend" and "3 - Peckered Billy Goat". Not for the faint of heart, nor the faint of humor!

Well, I am off to enjoy some strong coffee!

And, remember, don't forget to take time to smell the coffee!

AMuse Celebration Kids Acrylic Stamp Set

I am pleased and extremely glad that I purchased this versatile set. I have now used it for two kids birthday cards, and I know it will be used for making many more.

This card was for my neighbor friend's sons' first birthday.

I don't remember the brand of paper or chipboard embellishments. Memento Ink and Copic markers used for stamped images.

More of the Panda!

I love this little Panda. Here it is used on some cards for the AMuse Bumper Cards Group. Paper, Stamp and sticker are all AMuse. Gems by Basic Grey. Pink ribbon generic and blue ribbon is AMuse. Ink is Memento.

Asian Theme ATC

Here is an ATC I created for a SplitcoastStamper 'Asian' themed ATC swap. I didn't have much in the way of Asian style stamps, so I chose to use the Sakura flower and Panda stamp by AMuse. Other stamps are Hero Arts. I stamped the Panda onto felt with Ranger Ink. The green background paper is textured and stamped with a Hero Arts acrylic bamboo stamp. The red bazzil paper is stamped with the AMuse Sakura stamped and then painted over with Gesso. This makes the paper glossy and very flexible. The inchie is chipboard painted with Ranger white acrylic paint dabber, followed by the AMuse Sakura stamp in Memento's Ladybug red. It is then edged with the Ladybug red. Green Gem by Martha Stewart Crafts. Lace was just something I had around.

Still not sure how I feel about this compostion, though I like the color combination. What do you think?

No matter what....this Panda stamp is adorable!