*i like you berry much*

I found a little time over the weekend to use my new Odd Bird Planet stamps. I became "acquainted" with Johanna (owner of Just Johanna's Odd Bird Planet) over at 2peas when I was very new to stamping. She would leave the sweetest comments on my cards, and being such a newbie to stamping, I was tickled pink to think that someone noticed me and actually liked my work! Recently, I visited her online store and fell in love with her unique, whimsical stamps. Before I knew it, 2 owls, a hot air balloon, a submarine, 2 little houses, an absolutely adorable strawberry hat, a moon, and a few other stamps were in my shopping cart and on their way to my mailbox! Imagine that!

I knew A Muse's "i like you berry much" would be the perfect sentiment for this card, and I love how it fit right inside the balloon. I created a strawberry using the ever-so-darling strawberry hat, and used it again to turn "Al" (the owl) into a bit more feminine version. I used a scalloped oval punch to make clouds, and then I created my own background paper using the lacy oval A Muse stamp (one of my favorites!), the strawberry hat, and a copic marker to make little rows of polka dots.

The count down to A*Muse*A*Palooza is in its final week! There are lots of games and challenges yet to come, so be sure to head on over to the A*Muse*A*Palooza blog to join in the fun! You might even win some fabulous A Muse goodies!
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A Muse notecard, papers, "i love you berry much" sentiment, and lacy oval stamp. Odd Bird Planet owl, hot air balloon, and strawberry hat. Marvy scalloped oval punch. Silician blue Fresh Ink. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Memento rhubarb stalk dew drop ink. Copic markers and clear spica glitter pen. MayArts pink gingham ribbon. Pop Dots.

*hi, girlfriend!* - AP Pocket Card Challenge

Here's my card for Geeta's Pocket Card Challenge. If you'd like to play along, be sure to check out all the details here. Geeta's got a couple of cute samples over at her blog to spark your creativity. I love how she used the Martha Stewart scalloped border punch on the little folded flap. I love her idea so much that I decided to "borrow" it! It's been a while since I've used the A Muse chick, and I thought it would be awfully sweet of her to pick a bouquet of flowers for her very best friend.

There are lots of games and challenges still ahead and lots of great prizes to win, so be sure to visit the A*Muse*A*Palooza blog to join in all the fun!

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A Muse notecard, papers, ribbon, images, and sentiment. Marvy scalloped punch. Martha Stewart border punch. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers, clear spica glitter pen, and black multi-liner pen. Decorative scissors (grass) from Michaels. Lavendar stickles. Celery (green) Fresh Ink. Making Memories cheeky board clip.

*thank you* - Another AP Sketch Challenge

I had so much fun playing along with Tisha's sketch challenge yesterday, that I just had to make another card using the classic square sketch! I decided to use A Muse's flower cart, an oldie but most definitely a goodie!

This week's *Mystery Hostess* is the fabulous Geeta Suggs, 3rd place winner in last year's A*Muse*A*Palooza Ambassodor Contest and now an extremely talented A Muse instructor. She has a fun pocket card challenge going on over at her blog, so be sure to check it out! To say that I *love* pocket cards is an understatement, so I'm gonna try to squeeze in a little stamping time this afternoon to play along.

I'm off to take my son to the doctor for a check-up and some booster shots; then I'm making a quick stop at WalMart (that's wishful thinking!); and if all goes well, I'll have a little time to spare for stamping. Hope you can sneak in a little stamping time yourself!
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A Muse notecard, papers, image, sentiment, and ribbon. Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder. Marvy punches. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers, spica glitter pens, and black multi-liner pen. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Stampin' Up sanding block. Fruit Punch and Lavendar stickles.

*special delivery* - AP Sketch Challenge

Today is usually my cleaning day, but I thought I'd break away from my dull, domestic duties to play along with the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza challenge. It's a sketch challenge, and it's hosted by the incredibly talented Tisha. There's a sketch for the classic A Muse square notecard and one for the new 4-bar size. So you've got two options and two fun reasons to play! (I actually have 3 reasons to play... the third being to avoid cleaning!) I decided to try the 4-bar sketch. I thought this card would make a super cute birth announcement, but it would also be perfect for a kids' card or baby card.

There are lots of games and challenges going on over at the A*Muse*A*Palooza blog. Have you entered your guesses in the Designer Match Game yet? There's still plenty of time to play... and maybe it will get you out of some cleaning! ;)
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A Muse notecard, papers, images, and ribbon. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers, clear spica glitter pen, and black multi-liner pen. Stampin' Up sanding block and Crystal Effects. Pop dots. Glue dots.

*have a hoppy day!*

I had a little time yesterday afternoon to stamp just for fun, so I pulled out a few of my neglected A Muse stamps. I've had this cute little bunny for quite some time now but have never used it, (((gasp))) and I can't remember when I used the wagon last... so I figured it was high time I put them in the spotlight. I wanted Hoppy to be a girlie bunny, so I gave her a pair of sparkly pink sunglasses. Once again, I created one of my favorite things... a garden scene! Hoppy is spending the morning out in her garden picking flowers. There's so many beautiful blooms that she needs her wagon to haul them all home!

A Muse has some great sentiments, and I was able to combine two of them to create "have a HOPPY day!" I'm thinking I must have had Elena's *Out of the Box* challenge in the back of my mind when I made this! ;)
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A Muse notecard, paper, images, sentiments, and ribbon. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. PrismaColor markers, black multi-liner pen, and clear spica glitter pen. Stampin' Up markers and sanding block. Scalloped punch by PaperSource. Harvest (yellow) Fresh Ink. Pop Dots.

*I've got another CLUE!!!*

If you're blog hoppin' in search of more clues to the A Muse Clue game that's going on over at the A*Muse*A*Palooza blog, you've come to the right place! Remember, this clue is NOT one of the right answers!

*feel better soon* - AP Twinkle Time Challenge

Taylor is this week's Mystery Hostess for an A*Muse*A*Palooza Challenge called Twinkle Time. It's all about bling, and you can read up on all the details here. I made this get well card for the challenge. It's hard to see in the photo, but I used my clear spica glitter pen to add a little sparkle to the balloon and the hand-drawn flowers, and I used my yellow spica glitter pen to add sparkle to the sun. Lastly, I added fruit punch stickles to the flower centers. You can never have too much bling! It's a fun challenge, so be sure to play along! You might even win a fabulous prize from A Muse!
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Notecard, papers, image, and sentiment by A Muse. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Harvest (yellow) Fresh Ink pigment ink. Copic markers, multi-liner pen, and spica glitter pens. Fruit punch stickles. Pop dots.

*friends make life blossom* - AP Out of the Box Challenge

Elena is hosting this week's A*Muse*A*Palooza Challenge. It's called Out of the Box... and it's all about looking at your stamps in a fresh new way. I took the shower gifts stamp, which is an antique bathtub full of little presents that's normally used for baby or bridal shower cards, and turned it into a funky garden tub brimming over with sweet little flowers! I used the lacy oval stamp to create a fancy rug for under the tub, and it worked out to be the perfect spot for my sentiment.

Thanks so much to all of you who were so sweet and left such nice comments about my blog's new look. Sara has an incredible eye for detail, and I'm delighted with how everything turned out! Did you notice my new watermark? Sara did that, too!

I hope you find some time to join in this week's A*Muse*A*Palooza festivities. Be sure to play along for a chance to win a fabulous prize from A Muse!

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Notecard, papers, ribbon, sentiment, and images by A Muse. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear spica glitter pen. Pink Petunia VersaMagic chalk ink. Pop Dots.

*I've got a CLUE!!!*

If you're playing the A Muse Clue game that's going on over at the A*Muse*A*Palooza blog, I've got a little clue for ya! This clue is NOT one of the correct answers... but it will help you narrow down your choices. You can find more clues by checking out the other Creative Team members' blogs!

oh baby - A*Muse*A*Palooza Ambassador Challenge

I've been anxious to play along with Amy Rysavy's *Mystery Hostess* layout challenge, and I finally found a little stamping time this afternoon. One of my friends just found out she's expecting, so this will be a fun card to give her. It's too early to know whether she's having a boy or a girl, but this card works for both!
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A Muse images, oh baby background stamp, notecard, and papers. Brilliance graphite black and pearlescent chocolate pigment ink. Copic markers, multi-liner pen, and clear spica glitter pen. Crystal Effects, and sanding block by Stampin' Up. Marvy scalloped circle punch. Baby rattle punch from Michaels dollar bin. Pop Dots.

a fun new look

So... whatcha think? Notice anything different? (((wink, wink))) I've been working with Sara Williams, and let me tell you... she is AMAZING! She has the most incredible ideas, and I swear this girl can *see* what you're thinking! Not only is she talented... she's wonderful to work with!
She designed the banner, the background papers, all the cute headings, those sweet little flowers that show up next to the title of each post I make... and my new signature line! Isn't it the cutest thing EVER? I really am excited beyond words! It turned out way better than I could ever have imagined, and all the credit goes to Sara! I just threw in an idea or two, picked out the colors, decided on the fonts, and offered up a suggestion once in a while. Sara is the one with the "vision", and she turned it into reality. So if you need a blog makeover, be sure to head over to Tweaks & Designs by Sara. Take a peek at some of her amazing work! She can give your blog a fresh new look in no time!

*just for you* gift bag

My daughter, Livi, and I ran across the cutest little shop the other day, so we took a few minutes to stop and take a peek inside. Livi found a bracelet that she wanted to buy for her grandma, and since grandma always does such nice things for us, I figured it was our turn to do something nice for grandma. The sales lady tucked the bracelet inside a little draw-string bag, but knowing how much my mom loves chickens and how perfect these three little chicks are since there's one little girl chick and two little boy chicks... and grandma has 3 little grandbaby chicks... one girl and two boys... I just had to make a special little gift bag with these 3 little chicks to hold our little surprise for grandma. I love these inexpensive kraft bags I found at WalMart. They're simple to decorate and perfect for gift-giving.

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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Real red cardstock, linen thread, and white craft ink by Stampin' Up. Yellow polka dot paper by ProvoCraft. Green polka dot paper by Anna Griffin. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Grass deco scissors from Michaels. Yellow citrus ColorBox chalk ink. VersaMagic tea leaves fluid chalk ink. RibbonTrends gingham ribbon. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Kraft bag from WalMart.

*baby chick*

Did you see Lexi's baby card using the new *Hen and Chicks* set? It's so cute, and Lexi's right... the adorable little chicks are PERFECT for baby cards! I know you're dying to get your hands on a set, so I'm going to make it easy for ya. Just click here, and you can have one it's way to your house in no time!

Every so often, my camera gives me fits, and I have a terrible time getting a good picture. It took me way longer to photograph this card than it did to make it! I must have taken a hundred pictures, and after all those tries, you'd think I would have gotten at least one good one! Maybe it's time for a new camera!
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Hen and Chicks set by The Saltbox Studio. A Muse notecard, papers, and polka dot alphabet. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear spica glitter pen. Yellow Citrus ColorBox fluid chalk ink. Pretty Petunia VersaMagic chalk ink. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. RibbonTrends gingham ribbon. Pop Dots.

*thank you* - AP inspiration challenge

The next Designer's Challenge is up over at the A*Muse*A*Palooza blog. This week's challenge is hosted by the fun and fabulous Jenn Shurkus. It's an inspiration challenge, and she chose this Vera Bradley print to spark your creativity. Be sure to visit the A*Muse*A*Palooza blog for all the details... and remember, even if you registered last year, you have to register again this year to be eligible to win the awesome prizes!

So on with my challenge card. I've used this layout before to create window scenes, but it's amazing how different it looks with different colors and different stamps. For some reason, this card reminds me of a Tweetie cartoon. The little bird looks nothing like Tweetie, and I'm not even sure if Granny had flowered wallpaper in her house! I just remember Tweetie sitting so innocently in her birdcage, and that mean old cat, Sylvester, up to no good, forever trying to sneak by Granny in hopes of eating Tweetie for lunch!

I'm having lots of fun playing along with the A*Muse*A*Palooza challenges. I hope you find a little time this week to play along yourself. Who knows... you could be the next winner!
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Notecard, images, sentiment, and ribbon by A Muse. Black and real red cardstock, white craft ink, slot punch, and sanding block by Stampin' Up. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. VersaMagic red magic chalk ink. Copic markers and spica glitter pens. Pop Dots.

*mother hen gone polka dots!!!* - SNEAK PEEK!

I hope you're up for one more polka dotted hen! Here's another card I made using the oh-so-cute Hens and Chicks set. Today Mama Hen and her little chick are soaking up some sunshine out on the farm... pecking at some corn and doing whatever it is that chickens do all day.

I'm excited to be the *special guest* over at Elzybells NA. If you've got an extra minute or two, hop on over to take a peek at my featured card.
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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. A Muse notecard, polka dotted papers, and ribbon. Stampin' Up black cardstock and sanding block. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Pop Dots.

*a little note* - AP Color Combo Challenge

I'm excited to finally have found a few minutes today to play along with the first A*Muse*A*Palooza design challenge hosted by Geeta. It's a color challenge using cabana blue, purple passion, and chocolate kitchen. I would have never thought to put those colors together, but I am so doin' a little happy dance because I love it! Did you see how I stamped the "a" from the "a little note" sentiment onto the tulip? It made the sentiment a bit more interesting and made me do the happy dance again!

I also made a few discoveries:

1. The *sky blue light* Prismacolor marker is a perfect match to A Muse's cabana blue notecard.

2. Copic's *lilac* is a perfect match to A Muse's purple passion notecard.

I hope you find some time to play along too... and be sure to put on your dancin' shoes!

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Notecard, papers, images, and sentiment by A Muse. Brilliance pearlescent chocolate pigment ink. Copic and Prismacolor markers. Pop Dots. Ribbon unknown, although I think it might be American Crafts.

*mother hen* - another SNEAK PEEK!

I'm back bright and early with another peek of the new Hen and Chicks set soon to be released by The Saltbox Studio. I seem to have a hard time coloring the hen without adding polka dots, and you can bet I'd be adding polka dots to that chick if I thought I could pull it off! Oh well... I'm quite happy with a solid yellow chick, and I've come to the realization that you can't have polka dotted everything!
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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Red gingham paper by Crafty Secrets. Notecard and other papers by A Muse. Brilliance graphite black and pearlescent chocolate pigment ink. Copic markers and spica glitter pens. Stampin' Up sanding block. Orange gingham ribbon by RibbonTrends.

*farm chick* - SNEAK PEEK!

Here's a sneak peek of the new Hen and Chicks set by The Saltbox Studio scheduled for release on June 10th. I guess you could say I have a thing for chickens. They remind me of my grandma's house out in the country and the rooster she called Chick Chick. I don't know how many times that mean old bird cornered us kids out in the backyard... or how many times we had to call Grandma to come save us! They also remind me of my mom's kitchen which is decorated with her never-ending collection of hens and roosters. As a kid I couldn't figure out for the life of me why anyone would want to collect chickens of all things, but it's funny how the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and now I have a beloved collection of chickens in my kitchen too!

When I pulled out the red gingham paper and the old advertisement, I couldn't help but think of a restaurant here in the Midwest called The Iowa Machine Shed. It's decorated with old tractors and such, and the waitors all wear straw hats and bib overalls with red bandanas hanging out of their back pockets. The tables are covered with red checkered tablecloths, and the walls are full of old tin advertisements and antique farming tools.

I really wanted this card to have a country flair. I wanted it to take me back to my childhood visits to grandma's house and to all those chickens in my mom's kitchen... and I think I nailed it! (((wink)))

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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Notecard, ivory cardstock, and yellow patterned paper by A Muse. Red gingham paper and old advertisement by Crafty Secrets. Black cardstock, punches, and sanding block by Stampin' Up. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers, spica glitter pens, and multiliner pen. Pop dots. Ribbon by JoAnn's Craft Essentials.