*it's the little things that matter*

Heather, over at One Little Spark, posted a new weekly challenge called *Share Your Spark Friday*. Catchy, isn't it? Today's challenge is to "make something (anything!) warm and sunny with yellow being the predominant color". I *love* A Muse's new yellow kitchen notes, so I was thrilled to play along! I made this scalloped mini card using my Marvy giga punch. Wouldn't it be cute attached to the top of a little gift bag?

A big hug to those of you who made my day by playing along with my first challenge. If you haven't had a chance to play, there's still plenty of time! Be sure to leave a link to your card along with your comment so I can see that fabulous handwriting of yours!
------------------------------
A Muse papers and sentiment. Elzybells image. Stampin' Up scalloped circle punch. Marvy punches. Ribbon Trends orange gingham ribbon. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers.

*up for a challenge?*

I'm not especially thrilled with my handwriting. It's not very neat; it's definitely not uniform; and it rarely comes out the way I want it to. And let's face it... A Muse has so many original and fabulously cute handwritten sentiments that a stamper really doesn't *need* to use their own handwriting! But sometimes it's fun to try something different... to step out of your comfort zone. Are you up for a challenge? How about handwriting your sentiment instead of stamping it? If you'd like to play along, be sure to post a comment with a link to your card. I'd love to see what you create! And I know some of you stampers have way better handwriting than I do!
------------------------------

Notecards and papers by A Muse. Images by Elzybells. Marvy punches. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers, multiliner pen, and Spica glitter pens. Stampin' Up sanding block.

*oh baby!*

The new Elzybells images aren't just for spring. Those sweet little chicks are perfect for baby cards! This particular image is called Daisy Canopy, and I paired it up with an A Muse sentiment. "Oh baby!" has been around a while, but I still love it. The font is so stinkin' cute, and I love how the dot for the exclamation point is actually a tiny little swirl! How cute is that?
------------------------------
Elzybells NA image. A Muse sentiment, notecard, and papers. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Prismacolor markers. Copic markers and Spica glitter pens. Marvy punches. Stampin' Up sanding block. Ribbon Trends orange gingham ribbon. Provo Craft Floral Fantasy embossing folder.

*welcome to the flock*

Yesterday, I was digging through a few boxes I have stored away in an upstairs closet and found these little cuties in a 6x6 paper pack by Lasting Impressions. When you're looking to make a quick card, paper packs are definitely the way to go! They take all the guesswork out of matching papers. When I came across the blue polka dot paper I knew it would make the perfect sky. And as I flipped a few more pages, I found these darling little rows of flowers and knew they would make the perfect field for my Saltbox Studio sheep. Two amazingly talented stampers, Novell and Lexi, made the cutest cards with the baby sheep jumping the over the fence... an idea I was too dense to come up with on my own! So I thought, "How about baby sheep jumping over the fence to graze alongside mama sheep in a dreamy field of flowers?"
------------------------------
Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Stampin' Up kraft cardstock, very vanilla cardstock, and sanding block. Patterned papers by Lasting Impressions. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Ribbon Trends brown gingham ribbon. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers.

*you warm my heart*

Here's a vintage card I made this afternoon with my Winter Wonders set by The Saltbox Studio. It's my favorite set, and for the last few weeks it has been sadly neglected. I thought I would do the little snow lady up "vintage style"... so with a few stitches, just the right papers, an old button, some gingham ribbon, a little sanding, and a lot of creamy carmel ink... I came up with this very vintage card that "warms my heart".

Please don't look too closely at my stitching. It's been a long time since I've pulled out my sewing machine, and I'm afraid I need a whole lot of practice!

I know many of you are curious about the next Saltbox release. The *planned* release date is April 10th, with *sneak peeks* beginning on the 5th. I just got a preview of the new sets yesterday, and I'm so excited! They are absolutely darling! You're gonna love 'em!
-------------------------------
Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Stampin' Up sanding block, creamy carmel ink, and very vanilla cardstock. Making Memories "Vintage Hip" patterned papers. Ribbon Trends gingham ribbon. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Button by Tres Jolie.

*best bunnies* and *happy for you*

Yesterday, Linda posted a picture of the new window display at A Muse. You can see it here. I was thrilled that two of my cards were chosen to be part of the display. I don't always get to *see* how my designs are used, so seeing these really makes my heart happy! If you scroll down through the pictures you can see close-ups of the darling paper flowers created by the fabulously talented Nina. Those little flowers make my heart happy too!

Both cards feature goodies from the A Muse spring release. The new kitchen notes and ribbons come in the *yummiest* colors, and the images are versatile and easy to use for lots of different occasions. "Best bunnies" would be perfect to send to a dear friend, and "happy for you" would make a darling Kindergarten graduation card.
------------------------------
A Muse notecards, papers, ribbon, twinkle stickers, images, and sentiments. Marvy punches. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Stampin' Up sanding block.

*i'm so ready for spring!*

It has been such a long and harsh winter here in the Midwest. Cold and dreary days like today make me so anxious for spring! I made this bright and cheery Elzybells card this morning thinking it would lift my spirits a bit and bring on spring. Well, it did make me feel better... but spring's still not here!

My daughter, Livi, and I spent yesterday afternoon in my stamping room. She was busy making cards for the Kids' Gallery over at The Saltbox Studio. She is so excited, and I can't wait until the gallery is up so she can see her very own little "masterpieces" on the computer. While she was stamping her little heart out, I was cutting out stamps. Livi loves to help me peel the paper off the back so I can attach them to the blocks. I wish I got such a kick out of cutting them out. I was happy that the Sale-A-Bration sets came die-cut. I will be even happier if some day all of Stampin' Up sets come pre-cut. A girl can only hope.
------------------------------
Elzybells image. A Muse notecard, papers, and sentiment. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and Spica glitter pens. Stampin' Up sanding block.

*it's today, it's today!!!*

If you've been waitin' to see the new A Muse spring release, the wait is over! Linda posted links to all the new goodies here. Wait 'til you see it! It's nothing short of *amazing*... so head on over and check it out!

*new A Muse rubber stamps (think lots of sweet bunnies and chicks!)

*fun new clear sets (sushi and nature... they're a *hoot*!)

*new Elzybells rubber stamps (you're gonna love those darling little chicks!)

*new kitchen notes (6 fabulous new colors!)

*and new grosgrain stitched ribbon (11 yummy colors!)

------------------------------

A Muse notecard, papers, ribbon, images and sentiment. Marvy punches. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and multi-liner pen. Pink Lemonade Fresh Ink.

*sneak peek* - another Elzybells chick

I couldn't resist sharing another Elzybells card today. This is one of my favorite new images... so I just *had* to share it twice! These are the same colors I used yesterday... orange crush, papaya, and cabana blue... but I added in a little popsicle pink. Don't ya just love the names of A Muse colors?
------------------------------
A Muse notecard, papers, ribbon, and sentiment. Image by ElzybellsNA. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Marvy scalloped circle punch. Paper Source mini scalloped circle punch. EK Success circle punch. Stampin' Up sanding block. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Pop dots.

*sneak peek* - meet the Elzybells chick

I made something a little different for today's *sneak peek*... a tag card with three panels. It takes a little more time to make, but the end results are worth it. It makes me want to *bounce* right along with the "spring chick" on the middle panel! The first image is called "mini chick bee". Her long stick legs just crack me up! The last image is called "spring blooms", and there's a little ladybug sittin' on top of the daisy. How sweet! I'm crazy about this color combination... and look at those fabulous ribbon colors. They're orange crush, papaya, and cabana blue, and they're perfect for spring.
-------------------------------
A Muse notecards, sentiment, and ribbon. Elzybells chick images. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Marvy mini scalloped rectangle punch and scalloped circle punch. Stampin' Up sanding block. Heidi Swapp edge distressor. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Flower brads from Oriental Trading Company.

*sneak peek* - sending you sunshine

Hang on to your hats, girlfriends, because the next A Muse release is gonna blow you away! The spring release is scheduled for February 19th... and this time there's way more than stamps! There are new 4-bar notecards in 6 fabulous spring-y colors... and new ribbon... grosgrain stitched ribbon... in 11 new colors!!!

My first *sneak peek* is MB bunny flower. Isn't she the sweetest little floppy-earred bunny you've ever seen? She has a little heart on her sweater and a flower tucked behind her ear. I used a *snippet* of the new yellow kitchen notes for the sun. It's the most beautiful buttery yellow, and I absolutely love 'em! And, of course, I had to add a little tutu pink ribbon. It's the most gorgeous shade of pink and one of my favorites in the collection.

The rest of the A Muse gang will be sharing sneak peeks too, so be sure to check out their blogs. I've linked them over on the right. And come back tomorrow. I've got a sweet Elzybells project to show ya!
------------------------------
A Muse notecard, papers, ribbon, images and sentiment. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Spica glitter pens. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Stampin' Up sanding block. Cuttlebug Perfectly Paisley embossing folder. Pop dots.

*another baby card*

I *love* Beth's marker tutorials over at The Saltbox Sampler. I am so intrigued at how an artist's mind works... how they "see" things, and how they translate what they "see" to paper. The whole process amazes me, so today I thought I would try some of Beth's tip. I re-created the sheep card I posted yesterday and incorporated a few of Beth's suggestions. I tried giving "movement" to the image by using background color. I love the look of the background color, but I wasn't so successful at the "movement" part. I'm going to have to work on that one. I also tried adding colored pencil, and in the close-up below you can see how I used a brown pencil around the sheep, moon, and stars.

My attempt falls sadly short of the amazing samples Beth created on her blog, but it was fun trying something new... and you can't learn something new unless you try, right?

A Muse *sneak peeks* are coming tomorrow!!!
------------------------------
Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Stampin' Up very vanilla cardstock, creamy carmel ink, scalloped punch, and sanding block. MME, Anna Griffin, and K&Co patterned papers. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Spica glitter pens. Brown colored pencil. Ribbon Trends brown gingham ribbon. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Grass deco scissors from Michaels. Cuttlebug Perfectly Paisley embossing folder.

*baby cards*

I *love* making baby cards... and it just so happens that I've got two baby showers to go to this month. I made both cards with the same layout, the only difference is one card is laid out horizontally with the crease at the top, and the other card is laid out vertically with the crease to the side. Both cards were made for baby boys, but they would work just as well work for baby girls. For the top card, I used images from the Sheep set by The Saltbox Studio. For the card below, I used a retired Stampin' Up set called Say Something Mice. I dug through my paper stash again and found some more fabulous papers by My Mind's Eye. These are double-sided which takes all the work out of finding papers that match. The brown paper on the sheep card is by K&Company... another of my favorite companies for a touch of vintage.

Beth is adding something new to The Saltbox Studio website...a Kid's Gallery! If your little one likes to stamp with you, submit a little piece of their work, and Beth will gladly add it in the gallery that will posted on the website soon!
------------------------------

*Welcome to the Flock*: Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. K&Co and MME patterned papers. Ribbon Trends gingham ribbon. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Spica glitter pens. Stampin' Up very vanilla cardstock and sanding block. Heidi Swapp edge distressor. Cuttlebug Perfectly Paisley embossing folder.

*Sweet Baby*: Stampin' Up very vanilla cardstock, sanding block, and image. MME patterned papers. Ribbon Trends gingham ribbon. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Spica glitter pens. Heidi Swapp edge distressor. Cuttlebug Perfectly Paisley embossing folder.

*something old, something new...*

Today I decided that it would be fun to make something with a mixture of old and new. I dug through my paper stash and found these wonderful coordinating papers by My Mind's Eye. It's one of my favorite companies for vintage and shabby papers. I dug through my stack of stamps and found this neglected little mouse in a Stampin' Up set called Say Something Mice. It's long been retired, but the little mice in it are just sooooo sweet, and since I've been playing with all The Saltbox Studio stamps so much lately, I've kind of developed a *thing* for mice. ;) Do you notice anything *new*? I just got 5 of the new Cuttlebug embossing folders. I pre-ordered them way back in October, and they finally came this week! They were definitely worth the wait. They make this card so sweet, and they add the perfect amount of texture and dimension. I tried adding a few stitches with my machine, but that was somewhat of a disaster. I think the layers were just too thick. So I ditched that idea and came up with this... a simple top-fold card with a little pocket on the front... perfect for adding a short message or tucking in a gift card or some cash.

A Muse and Elzybells *sneak peeks* are coming later this week...so be sure to stop back! You don't wanna miss it!
------------------------------
Stampin' Up very vanilla cardstock , Say Something Mice stamp set, and sanding block. My Mind's Eye designer papers. Floral fantasy and swiss dots Cuttlebug embossing folders. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Flower punch for Target dollar bin. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Spica glitter pens.

*thanks, i wooly appreciated that.*

Yesterday's sweet little gift bag was so fun to make, I had to try another one! This time I used stamps from The Saltbox Studio. I picked an image I haven't used before... this darling little mouse hiding behind a ball of yarn. The sentiment and mouse are from the Sheep Sayings set. The tiny heart stamped across the top of the bag is from the Winter Wonders set. I love how well all the sets work together. It makes it so easy to whip up a project in no time!

Beth has started another marker tutorial over at The Saltbox Sampler, so be sure to stop over and check it out.
------------------------------
Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. A Muse notecard, papers, and treat bag template. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Sakura stardust gel pen. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Basic Grey sanding file. Fresh Ink Pink Lemonade pigment ink pad. Stampin' Up kraft cardstock. Paper crimper.

*to a sweet friend*

How fun is this? A sweet little bag that's the perfect size for a handful of chocolates or a set of matching mini notecards. It's made with an A Muse 4 bar notecard, and it only took me a few minutes to put together! You'll find the template in today's issue of the A Muse Weekly. If you don't already get the newsletter, you can sign up for it here. I haven't used this little ladybug stamp in quite a while, and I just love her paired up with the *sweet friend* sentiment. Why not pull out a stamp you haven't used lately? You might be surprised at what's hidden in your stash!

Be sure to stop back again tomorrow. I've got another sweet little gift bag to share with you.

------------------------------

A Muse notecard, papers, template, sentiment and images. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Marvy scalloped oval punch. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Paper crimper.

*sweet and simple*

Here's a sweet and simple baby card I made using The Saltbox Studio's new "Sheep" set. If you've been looking for the perfect all-occasion set, this is the one for you! It includes the cutest sentiments for baby, thank you, and get well cards; and the images work with any style.... country, primitive, simple, classic, whimsical, and shabby. Be sure to visit the gallery over at The Saltbox Studio for more inspiring ideas from the design team.

And be sure to check back here tomorrow. I've got a fun little A Muse project I can't wait to share with you!

------------------------------

Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Notecard and papers by A Muse. Marvy punches. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Sakura stardust gel pen.

*snow day*

We're getting a blizzard here today. The weatherman predicted close to 12 inches, and for once he's right! My boys are thrilled! They love waking up to what every kid dreams of hearing: "There's no school! It's a snow day!" So to celebrate, I whipped up this little card, because every snow day deserves a banner, don't you think?

If you'd like to warm up a bit... bop on over to The Saltbox Sampler to take a peek at one of my more *cozy, comfy* creations! And while you're there, you'll see the face behind the amazing talent at The Saltbox Studio!

------------------------------
Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Cardstock and white craft ink by Stampin' Up. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Island Fresh Ink. Spica Glitter Pens and Copic Markers. Sakura stardust gel pen. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Heidi Swapp edge distressor.

*kindness matters*

I've been sharing lots of cards from The Saltbox Studio with you, but it just dawned on me that I've completely neglected the "February Banner" set. It's made to coordinate with "A Banner Year", but it works just as well on its own. Here in the midwest, its common to see front porches and gardens decorated with a banner to celebrate the seasons, and now you can decorate your cards in much the same way. There will be a new companion set for every month of the year, so no matter what the season is, you'll have something fresh and fun to create with!
------------------------------
Image and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Notecard and papers by A Muse. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Stampin' Up sanding block. Ribbon Trends orange gingham ribbon.

*just for you*

I have a little *surprise* package I'm going to be sending one of my online stamping friends, and I whipped up this little card today to send with it. Don't those muffins look good enough to eat?

Be sure to stop by The Saltbox Sampler. Beth has another marker/colored pencil tutorial she will be sharing soon. You don't wanna miss it!
------------------------------
Image and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. A Muse notecard and papers. Stampin' Up sanding block. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Orange stickles.

*HOO loves you*

These owls crack me up! I used a black asterix reverse notecard to create a little "love scene" under the stars, and I turned it into a pocket card by simply adhering the bottom and right edges. This really is an easy card to make. Don't ya just love cards that look like you put lots of time into making them when really they only took a few minutes?
------------------------------
A Muse notecard, papers, image, and sentiment. Ribbon Trends orange gingham ribbon. Stampin' Up sanding block. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Copic markers.

*my cup of tea*

The other day my daughter asked if she could invite all her little friends over for a tea party. Wouldn't it be fun to have a little tea party for a bunch of little girls? And wouldn't this make a fun invitation? I created the table cloth with a red madeira notecard and a scalloped edge I cut from a piece of cream cardstock. For the table legs, I cut long skinny rectangles from a bark notecard. Then I took a blue tin plate notecard, snipped the edges of the short sides, ruffled them up with my finger, and viola ... the rug! I stamped the tea cup, colored it with copic markers, cut it out, and adhered it to the table with a pop dot. For the final step, I added the sentiment above the table, covered it with a clear scalloped oval sticker, and centered a brad on the top. This card can be seen in the "inspiring ideas" section of this week's A Muse Weekly.
------------------------------
Notecard, papers, image, sentiment, and clear sticker by A Muse. Stampin' Up crystal effects and sanding block. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Making Memories brad.

*cuckoo for you!*

When I'm working on an assignment, there's always one card in the batch that quickly becomes my favorite. This is one of those cards, and I'm glad I can finally share it with you. I used one of my favorite color combinations... blue and brown. The shade of blue on the A Muse 4 bar note cards is wonderful! My favorite shade of brown comes on the A Muse bark notecard. I always have a supply of these on hand because I use them all the time! They are a staple. They have such a warm and toasty feel to them, and they are great for when you need an accent color and can't seem to find any other color that works. I added a few more of my favorites... polka dots (you know how much I *adore* polka dots!); some scallops (there is just something so sweet about scallops!); and gingham ribbon (I *love* gingham ribbon!) Oh...and one last thing. The MB Little Bird is currently my favorite A Muse image! I just love that little bird, and I stamped her repeatedly to get lots and lots of sweet little birds and a fun background for my card. (I'm wondering how many times I've used the words love and favorite in this post. Probably too many!)
------------------------------
A Muse notecard, papers, images, and sentiment. Ribbon Trends gingham ribbon. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Stampin' Up sanding block. Brilliance Graphite Black pigment ink. ColorBox Chestnut Roan Fluid Chalk Ink. Copic markers.

*one week anniversary!*

It's already been a week since The Saltbox Studio officially launched their new line of stamps, and I'm excited to have been a tiny part of their successful beginning. Another release is already in the works...and I guarantee you it will be FABULOUS! Today's the last day of Beth's marker tutorial, plus there's one last contest for this release... so be sure to head on over to The Saltbox Sampler for a few marker tips and a chance to win a free set of stamps. The very first issue of The Saltbox Studio Peek of the Week was emailed yesterday, and Beth introduced a fun *new* idea... stamping on canvas. Beth is truly an amazing artist, and she shares her talent, creativity, and inspiration in her incredible newsletter. So if you haven't signed up, what are you waiting for?

Here's a few things you don't want to miss from The Saltbox Studio Designers:
*Elena has a special Gift Card Series she's sharing this week. Be
sure to check out her quick, simple and FUN card ideas!
*Lexi came up with the idea of *stacking* the sheep. You've gotta
see this!
*Mary Rose has a card is featured in the Peek of the Week...
one more reason to sign up!
*Kelly regularly participates in the weekly challenges over at
Splitcoast Stampers. She creates most of her challenge cards
with stamps from The Saltbox Studio, and this girl will *wow*
you with her designs!

Have a great Friday...and I hope you find a little time to stamp!