*hi, friend.*

This week has somehow gotten away from me, but I managed to sneak in a little stamping time last night. Before I *found* stamping, gardening was my hobby... so when I'm in a bit of a stamping slump, I always seem to find inspiration in my garden themed stamps.

I recently added A Muse's garden bench and dotted oval to my collection, and I couldn't stand the thought of them just sitting there un-inked any longer! I included a few of my favorites... the wheelbarrow, butterfly, hydrangea, and songbird to create a sweet little scene that would make a perfect card for any friend, especially a gardener.

The countdown to A*Muse*A*Palooza begins next week with fun contests, online challenges, sneak peeks, and more! Be sure to visit the A*Muse*A*Palooza blog for details. You don't want to miss out on all the fun!
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Notecard, papers, stamps, sentiment, and ribbon by A Muse. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear glitter pen. Stampin' Up markers and sanding block. Marvy scalloped oval punch. Stickles.

*teacher thank you*

Yesterday, before heading outside to spend a long day working in my flower gardens, I sat down to make a thank you card for my son's teacher. I realize that this is not your "run of the mill" teacher appreciation card, but then again, my son's 4th grade teacher is not your "run of the mill" teacher. He's cool and fun, and there's not a kid in the school who doesn't absolutely adore him! He *loves* science, so Boris, A Muse's mad scientist, along with his jars of spiders and lizards, makes a perfect thank you card for Mr. Edkin! And it just so happens that this card qualifies for Heather's Share Your Spark Friday's challenge to make a card using at least 7 different things! I don't get to play along with her fun challenges as often as I'd like to, so I'm thrilled to get the chance to play this week!

Do you have A Muse's Personal Stationery Set? If you don't, you NEED it! The little black tacks, the numbers along the edge, and the dotted line are all from the set, and they helped me to create the look of a Mad Scientist's journal! How fun is that?
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Notecard, ivory cardstock, Boris, Ingredients (jar of bugs, etc...), Personal Stationery Set, and Lowercase Polka Dot Alphabet by A Muse. Number 2 (in the e=mc2 equation) by Brenda Walton. Black cardstock, sanding block, Creamy Carmel Classic Ink, and office punch by Stampin' Up. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and spica glitter pens. Pop Dots.

*an elegant thank you*

It's a beautiful, sunny day here... so much nicer than yesterday's rain and 45 degree weather! Today, I thought I'd share with you an elegant little number I created using some of my favorite A Muse clear sets. The swirly photo corners are from the circle frames set. I cut them out of ivory cardstock and put them up on pop dots. The stems are from the nature set, and the flowers are from the sushi set. I added a bit of sparkle to the flower centers with fruit punch stickles. It's my favorite color! Those sweet little butterflies fluttering among the blooms are from the oval frames set. This is one of those cards that just sort of came together as I went, and since I didn't really plan ahead for a place to put the sentiment, I stamped it right on top of the flower garden. I really needed something to make the garden pop, and layering it on a piece of black cardstock seemed to do the trick! I randomly stamped some blooms along the right edge of the notecard and then added some texture with my swiss dots embossing folder. I added a pink bow for the final finishing touch.

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A Muse papers, ribbon, images, and sentiment. Perfect plumeria and tea leaves VersaMagic chalk ink. Memento rhubarb stalk dew drop ink. VersaFine onyx black ink. Fruit punch stickles. Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder. Stampin' Up black cardstock and sanding block. Heidi Swapp edge distressor. Pop dots.

*happy anniversary, a muse!*

Put your party hats on... because today is A Muse's seventh anniversary! To celebrate, the A Muse gang is sharing their favorite 7's.

My 7 favorite stamps:
1. three cups
2. flower shop
3. Seattle girl
4. wheelbarrow
5. hydrangea
6. baby penguin
7. party chick

7 things I *love* about A Muse:
1. The team {Linda, the girls at the shop, the designers, and the instructors}: I'm thrilled to be part of this amazing group of talented ladies!
2. A Muse sentiments: They're the best on the market!
3. A Muse kitchen notes: The colors... the polka dots... the full-size sheets! They make my heart happy!
4. A Muse stitched grosgrain ribbon: Tutu pink and popsicle pink are my favorite colors!
5. A Muse small polka dot alphabet: It's my favorite alphabet EVER!
6. A Muse window displays made by the fabulously talented Nina Seven!
7. A Muse images: They're original; they're so stinkin' cute; and they're FUN!

ETA: As part of the celebration, Linda is giving away SEVEN prizes to SEVEN lucky winners! If you leave a comment over at A Muse News, you could win this fabulous prize package:

1. an A Muse wood-mounted stamp
2. a package of A Muse notecards
3. 4 yards of A Muse ribbon (one color/style)
4. a package of A Muse twinkle stickers
5. a package of A Muse clear stickers
6. a package of A Muse assorted 8 1/2" x 11" papers
7. a jar of A Muse Simple Stick powder

So be sure to stop by A Muse News to wish Linda and the Seattle gang a happy anniversary!
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Notecard, papers, images, sentiment, and ribbon by A Muse. Cuttlebug embossing folder. Stampin' Up sanding block and scalloped punch. Heidi Swapp edge distressor. Memento rhubarb stalk and bamboo leaves dew drop inks. EK Success circle punches.

*graduation cards*

Here's a fun card I made after digging through my basket of scraps and my collection of studio g stamps. I love finding ways to use up the scraps that I couldn't bear to throw away and the stamps that I just had to have but have never found the time to use! This card is going to our friends' daughter who is graduating from high school. A group of us went together to get her a wii, and I can't wait to see her open it!

I needed another graduation card, so while I had everything out I figured I might as well get it done. I was inspired by this card I spotted over at SCS by gobuckeyes.

It's a beautiful day here, and I'm hoping to find a little time this afternoon to plant some flowers and soak up some sunshine. Thanks for stopping by!

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Studio g dollar stamps. Graduation cap and diploma by Stampendous. Numbers by Brenda Walton. Cardstock, sanding block, and white craft ink by Stampin' Up. Cuttlebug embossing folder. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and spica glitter pens. Rhubarb stalk Momento Dew Drop. Basic Grey and DCWV patterned papers. Pop dots.

*anniversary card*

Our friends, Tom and Cindy, are celebrating their 25th anniversary this month, and we're attending a little get-together in their honor tonight. This is the card I made for them. Cindy loves purple, so I think she'll like it. Purple is a color I don't use very often, but I may just have to work on that!
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Lily and Milo clear stamps. Stampin' Up cardstock and white craft ink. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and spica glitter pens. Cuttlebug paisley embossing folder. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. RibbonTrends purple gingham ribbon. Pop dots.

*a little note*

Here's a card I made in honor of the bird that serenades us every morning just outside our bedroom window. My husband, The King of Nicknames, calls this bird "Rusty Teeter-Totter". That poor bird either has a sore throat or he just can't carry a tune, because the name fits him to a tee! He sounds just like an old creaky teeter-totter. I have to laugh every time I hear him, and I'm not sure which is funnier... the nickname or the poor bird!

I made this card using the Stitched Garden clear set from A Muse. I 've been dying to get my hands on this set for quite some time, so I was thrilled when it showed up in my mailbox last week along with some glorious new sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" A Muse patterned cardstock. A good mail day just makes me so happy!
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A Muse notecard, papers, ribbon, images, and sentiment. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear glitter pen. Stampin' Up sanding block, circle punch, and scalloped punch. VersaMagic Pink Petunia Chalk Ink. Pop Dots.

*a peek inside baby's room* - Part 2

Today, I thought I would share with you a "boyish" version of the card I posted on Monday. I wanted to use the same basic idea, so I simply replaced the flowers on the curtains with teddy bears, added some blue strips of polka dotted paper, and then tied up the curtain with linen thread. I also added a blue brad at the top of the mobile.

Tami, one of A Muse's fabulously talented instructors, has finally joined the blogging world! When you get a minute, why not stop by and give her a hearty welcome! ;)
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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio (Mama Mouse and More set). A Muse notecard and papers. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear spica glitter pen. Making Memories brad. Stampin' Up linen thread and sanding block. ColorBox creamy brown fluid chalk ink.

*a peek inside baby's room* - Part 1

Several of the teachers at my son's school just had babies, so I took a few minutes today to make some much-needed baby cards. Mama Mouse and More is really an ESSENTIAL set. It has so many cute images, and many of them are versatile and can be used for more than just baby cards. I was hoping to create the look of peeking into a baby girl's room to see a delicate scalloped curtain at the window and a mobile of little baby animals hanging over the crib.

It's a beautiful day here, and after I visit my chiropractor for a much-needed adjustment, I plan on taking a walk and soaking up some glorious sunshine! I hope it's sunny and warm in your neck of the woods!
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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. A Muse notecard, papers, and ribbon. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Pretty Petunia and Perfect Plumeria VersaMagic chalk ink. Fruit Punch Stickles. Marvy scalloped rectangle punch. Stampin' Up linen thread and sanding block. Pop dots.

*Mama Mouse's garden*

I can't believe how quickly time flies, and how this week has gotten away from me. I've been busy with field trips and some unexpected health issues with my son, and I'm afraid that the craziness of it all has pretty much zapped me of my last ounce of creativity! But things are starting to slow down a bit, and yesterday afternoon I was actually feeling "crafty" again! I've been dying to ink up Mama Mouse, who just happens to be one of my very favorite Saltbox Studio images, and give her a little break from baby mouse so she could enjoy the afternoon in her beautiful flower garden. Mama Mouse is soaking up some sunshine while she admires her lovely flowers and shares a bag of birdseed with her new garden friend.
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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Kraft cardstock, white craft ink, and sanding block by Stampin' Up. A Muse cream cardstock and patterned papers. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and multiliner black pen. VersaMagic perfect plumeria, pink petunia, and pretty petunia chalk inks. Fruit punch, orange, and lavendar stickles. Making Memories cheeky board clip. Pop dots.