*homespun*

If you frequently visit A Muse News, you probably know that every Thursday is Saltbox Studio's day in the spotlight. This week, my *homespun mittens* card was featured. I love these mittens almost as much as I love all the Saltbox snow people. And best of all, they're versatile and can be used for almost any occasion. Gotta love that! It's a beatiful, sunny, 40 degree day here in Iowa! Hope it's warm and cozy in your neck of the woods!

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Notecard, papers, and ribbon by A Muse. Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. EK Success circle punch. Scalloped punch by Paper Source. Copic markers.

While I still had my Winter Wonders set out, I couldn't resist inking up this cute snowman. He's another one of my favorites from the set. Have you tried watercoloring with chalk inks and a blender pen? This is my first time, and I love the results! I'm a huge chalk ink fan anyway, and now I have another reason to use them.
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A Muse notecard, papers, sentiment, and snowflake image. Snowman (from Winter Wonders set) by Saltbox Studio. Stampin' Up blender pen, only orange marker, sanding block, chocolate ribbon, and sanding block. Chestnut roan ColorBox fluid chalk ink. Island (blue) Fresh Ink. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors.

*thanks snow much*

Here's a simple thank you card I made this morning for one of my daughters teachers. She's been helping Livi the past few months with her reading skills, and Livi has made such a big improvement that she graduated yesterday from her program! Livi is so proud of her accomplishment, but her little heart is broken because now she doesn't get to go to Mrs. Allison's room anymore. I wanted to make sure Mrs. Allison knows how much we appreciate all she has done for Livi and how special of a teacher she is.

I haven't used my favorite Saltbox Studio set, Winter Wonders, in a while. I absolutely adore this sweet little snow girl, and I think she's even sweeter dressed in orange and pink! (((wink)))

Earlier this week, I stepped down from my position on the Saltbox Studio Design Team. I will definitely miss it and the incredibly talented women that I had the privilege of working with. You'll still be seeing my Saltbox creations from time to time, and you can bet I'll be keeping up with their new releases!
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Notecard, papers, snowflake image, and sentiment by A Muse. Snow girl by Saltbox Studio (WInter Wonders set). Timber brown stazon ink. Stampin' Up markers, blender pen, pink pirouette classic ink, sanding block, and dimensionals. Chestnut Roan ColorBox fluid chalk ink. Ribbon unknown.

*think snow*

It's been a while since I've inked up my Saltbox Studio stamps, so when I sat down to sneak in a little stamping this morning, I reached for my Winter Wonders set. This oh-so-sweet snowgirl is one of my favorite Saltbox images, and she's positively precious paired up with A Muse's chubby bird! (Try saying that three times fast!)

My friend and fellow A Muse designer, Novell, hooked me up with a boatload of the new Martha Stewart punches. I've had them for several weeks now, and I finally had the chance to use the picket fence one today. It's one of my favorites, and it's perfect for a vintage flair! Speaking of Novell... did you see her vintage snowman card? Her coloring is amazing, and I swear that snowman looks like it could walk right off the page!

It's starting to look a lot like winter here in Iowa, and before long my kids will be outside throwing snowballs and making snowmen. It makes me cold just thinking about it. A nice warm cup of coffee sounds pretty good right now. ;)
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A Muse notecard, chubby bird, and think snow sentiment. Saltbox Studio Winter Wonders clear stamp set. Stampin' Up sanding block, linen thread, kraft cardstock, white craft ink, and creamy carmel classic ink. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear spica glitter pen. Prismacolor white colored pencil. Martha Stewart picket fence punch. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. Gingham ribbon by Bobbin Ribbon. Button unknown.

*share your harvest*

The Saltbox Studio just released *NINE* new stamps sets on Monday. Kids Table is a super cute mini set that includes the ear of corn and "share your harvest" sentiment you see in today's card. Marabelle thinks that Farmer McDonald needs a gentle reminder to be a bit more generous with his bumper corn crop! ;)

Hurry on over to the A Muse News blog for *two* chances to win a free stamp from the new release!
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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Notecard and papers by A Muse. Marvy punches. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear spica glitter pen. Stampin' Up sanding block.

*snowmouse's mittens* - SNEAK PEEK!

I'm back today with a fun winter scene I created using one of The Saltbox Studio's original sets called Winter Wonders and a new mini set called Brrr. It looks as though little mouse remembered the buttons and the scarf for his snowmouse, but he forgot the mittens. And everyone knows that a snowmouse needs a cozy pair of mittens... so little mouse is scurrying home to fetch them! This set and EIGHT others will be available for purchase Monday on the A Muse website. Be sure to check the A Muse blog for more inspiring ideas!

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A Muse cardstock. Kraft paper for pocket insert. Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Sicilian Blue Fresh Ink. Copic markers and black multiliner pen. Stampin' Up linen thread, white craft ink, and sanding block. Heidi Swapp edge distressor. Button and ribbon source unknown.

*vintage baby* - SNEAK PEEK!!!

On October 6th, The Saltbox Studio will be releasing *NINE* new fall and winter sets! If you look "outside the box", you just might find some clever ways of using these seasonal sets beyond the seasons. For today's sneak peek, I thought I'd give you an example to get your creative juices flowing. This darling little sheep comes from the new Church Mice Christmas Pageant set, but I colored him blue, drew him a wagon, and turned him into a vintage pull toy... perfect for a baby boy card! And you could easily turn "him" into "her" with a little bit of pink!

My little Livi has been home from school for the past couple of days with a fever and a miserable cold, so I'm not sure if I'll have another sneak peek for you before release day. But the rest of the team has been hard at work with some ideas that are sure to *WOW* you! Be sure to check out their fabulous creations! You won't be disappointed!
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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Papers by A Muse. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Punches by Marvy. Fiskars mini scalloped scissors. MayArts ribbon. Stampin' Up creamy carmel ink and sanding block.

*painted pumpkin* - SNEAK PEEK!!!

Fall is here, and Beth couldn't have picked a better time to release her amazing new fall and winter sets! For today's sneak peek, I decided to feature this charming pumpkin image. I thought I would try something new, so I dug out my box of craft paints and painted the background. I love that it's not perfect. It's dabbed and swiped and streaked, and that just adds to it's charmingly vintage feel, as does the crocheted lace and old brown button. I discovered that markers do not work well over paint, so I stamped another stem and leaf onto cardstock, colored them in, and then pop dotted them on top. Be sure to stop back tomorrow for another vintage sneak peek!

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A Muse notecard, paper, and sentiment. Tall pumpkin from Pumpkin Oak set by The Saltbox Studio. Paints by Making Memories. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Crocheted lace and button source unknown. Linen thread and sanding block by Stampin' Up.

*shrinky dinks snowman*

This morning I dug out a package of shrinky dinks that I picked up at Michaels a few weeks ago, and all I can say is SHRINKY DINKS ARE AWESOME!!! I can't get over how they shrink down to this darling little miniature size! After I admired my tiny little snowman , I ran upstairs to share my excitement with my husband. Well, he wasn't quite as excited as I was, but even he thought it was pretty cool.

This snowman is from the Winter Wonders set by The Saltbox Studio. It's one of my favorite sets, and you can bet I'll be shrinkin' every single snowman!
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Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. A Muse papers. Marvy scalloped punches. Stampin' Up linen thread, circle punch, and Riding Hood Red classic ink. Stazon Black ink. Copic markers.

*moooving*

I can't believe it's Friday already. We've been busy with back-to-school shopping, so I haven't had much time for stamping. Here's a card you might have seen over at The Saltbox Sampler earlier this week.

I've got a busy day ahead of me... lots of housework to get caught up on and yardwork that needs to be done. I'm afraid I won't be stamping again today. Maybe tomorrow.
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A Muse notecard, papers, and ribbon. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Marvy scalloped oval punches.

*a single sunflower*

Here's a cheery little number I made this morning just for Beth. She happened to mention on her blog last week that she'd like to see a card with a single sunflower. Her amazing new Simplicity set contains three different sunflower images, and it was hard picking just one... but I somehow managed and came up with this simple yet sweet design.
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A Muse notecard and papers. Image and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear spica glitter pen. Martha Stewart border punch. May Arts red gingham ribbon.

*homespun*

The Saltbox Studio has just released some of the cutest primitive/country images, and I picked out a few of my favorites for this card. I love the new sunflowers. They're so bright and cheery, and they're Miss Daisy's favorite flower. (Miss Daisy is the cow... that's what I call her anyway.) The "homespun" sentiment is from a launch set called Deck the House Companion. I love the font, and I'm hoping to see it used for more sentiments in upcoming releases.

There are some exciting things going on behind the scenes at A Muse. The newly remodeled blog went live July 27th, and today you'll see the newly designed A Muse Newsletter. It's going to be a surprise for me as well, and I can't wait to see it! If you aren't a subscriber, you can sign up here.
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A Muse notecard and papers. Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear spica glitter pen. Stampin' Up linen thread, sanding block, hole punch, and basic brown classic ink.

*you're such a ham*

The Saltbox Studio released 5 new sets yesterday, and if you haven't seen them yet (((gasp))), you can view them here. I *heart* this pig from the new Farm Friends set, and I really like A Muse's brown vintage paper and matching sheer ribbon paired up with a blue tinplate notecard. I will definitely be using this combination again!

There's a contest going on over at The Saltbox Sampler, so be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win the new Summer Banner set! And while you're at it, be sure to check out the new look at A Muse News!
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A Muse notecard, papers, and ribbon. Image and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and black multi-liner pen. Stampin' Up sanding block. Heidi Swapp edge distressor.

*howdy* - another sneak peek!

I've had this idea in my head for a while now, and I'm tickled that I was actually able to translate it onto paper! The new Farm Friends set is quickly becoming my favorite, and I love these cute farm animals stacked on top of one another! I like to use lots of patterns, and for this design I mixed one of A Muse's new vintage notecards with a piece of red madiera cardstock, and I love the combination! I used my copic markers to create some additional patterns. I started out with garnet polka dots, which was a great finishing touch to the sentiment, but I went a few steps further on the right edge of the card and used a black multi-liner pen to draw a circle around the garnet polka dot. Then I finished it off by outlining the black circle in olive.

The next Saltbox Studio release is scheduled for Monday, July 28th, and I can't wait for you to see all the sets! They are darling... and you're gonna want 'em all!
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A Muse notecard, patterned paper, and ribbon. Images and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Stampin' Up black cardstock, circle punch, sanding block, and classic inks. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers, clear spica glitter pen, and black multi-liner pen. Scalloped punch by PaperSource. Pop Dots.

*live simply* - sneak peek!!!

It's Day 3 of *sneak peeks*, and today I'm sharing some of the new primitive/folk art images that will be released on Monday. I'm excited that a saltbox is finally available, and for those of you who have been waiting for a truly primitive set, you're gonna love Saltbox Greetings! I mixed things up a bit on this one and pulled images from a few different sets, plus the dotted oval background stamp made by A Muse. The willow tree and saltbox can be found in the Saltbox Greetings set; the folk star is in the new Barn Banner set; and the "live simply" sentiment is from the Deck the House Companion set, a past release. Once again, I've used one of A Muse's new vintage notecards. I can't seem to get enough of them! I just *love* the pattern and the yummy colors!

Beth will be sharing one of my cards over at The Saltbox Sampler today, so be sure to stop by for a peek! The other girls on the Saltbox team have been busy sharing peeks on their blogs too, and you don't want to miss 'em!
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A Muse notecard, papers, and dotted oval background. Saltbox, folk star, willow, and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. VersaMagic tea leaves chalk ink. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers and clear spica glitter pen. Marvy scalloped oval punch. White sharpie poster paint pen. Pop Dots.

*simplify* - sneak peek!!!

Today I'm givin' you a peek at two new Saltbox Studio sets... Saltbox Greetings and Simplicity. Both sets are primitive in style, and the images and sentiments are incredible! I love the new willow tree. It can be used to create a primitive scene, or it can stand easily on it's own like I've used it here.

This is one of my favorite color combinations ever, and I was tickled to discover that Baja Breeze (one of Stampin' Up's new "in colors") matches perfectly with A Muse's new blue vintage notecards! I just slid the edges across the inkpad, and it really made the vintage layer stand out. This is a super simple layout, which is exactly what I was going for... especially since the sentiment is "simplify".

Beth has another sneak peek up over at The Saltbox Sampler, so be sure to check it out!
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A Muse notecard and papers. Image and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. VersaMagic tea leaves chalk ink. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers. Stampin' Up circle punch, scalloped circle punch, scalloped border punch, sanding block, crystal effects, and baja breeze classic ink. Making Memories brads.

*welcome* - sneak peek!

I couldn't bear the thought of not having a sneak peek for you today, so even though I've been out of town for a few days, I managed to squeeze in a little stamping time so I'd have some eye candy to share! This card showcases two new sets by The Saltbox Studio... Farm Friends and Saltbox Greetings. I'm a bit partial to Mr. Rooster. I have a thing for roosters, and I think he's adorable, especially his checkered tummy! I also love the "welcome" sentiment and that you can color it in to match your card. A Muse's new vintage notecards are fabulous! I used one on this card to create a farmhouse country feel. Be sure to stop by The Saltbox Sampler for another fun sneak peek!

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A Muse kitchen notecard, red vintage paper, and black sheer ribbon. Image and sentiment by The Saltbox Studio. Brilliance graphite black pigment ink. Copic markers, black multi-liner pen, and clear spica glitter pen. Stampin' Up scalloped circlepunch, 1 1/2" circle punch, sanding block, black cardstock, and riding hood red classic ink. Pop dots.

*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.

*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.