Nuts about You

It looks like an ornament punch...but it's many things actually. Tonight, with a slight modification, it becomes an acorn for my *nuts about you* card.

--Sarah

Martha's Blue Glittered and Pearled Pumpkins

Years ago, Martha Stewart poured some pretty blue glitter on a foam pumpkin and created a whole new kind of elegant fall magic. At least in my mind. :) I seriously fell into deep like with glittered pumpkins and have never looked back.

The A Muse Lounge Challenge for the month of October is to stamp out whatever October means to you...for me, nothing says October more than blue glittered pumpkins. (Try not to read too much into that.)

So here's my card for the A Muse challenge. Stamps are A Muse and the metallic lustre inks are by Colorbox--the cat eye collection. Those are the handiest little things.

Happy fall!

Scenic ROUTE Cardage

Scenic Route Class today...this is one of the cards we made.

It's a very simple process...just use the 7 Gypsies self-inking stamp to create the squares on a variety of papers. Cut the squares out and attach to the card in a random fashion.

Finished card is 6x6.

Happy Weekend.

ADS that inspire and 2 Cards.

I have these two advertisements hanging on my desk. I am enthralled with this color scheme at the moment. The Liz ad makes me want to redecorate my bedroom--I already have the chocolate walls, but the linens are lacking. Look at the texture pattern on the duvet cover. And the sheets. I'm cutting leaves out of a Scenic Route paper that look very similar. :)

The Larson-Juhl ad makes me want to be artistic. See the frames. I am so doing this. :)
_________________________________

In other news, I'm totally on a card roll. See! The birthday card is another of the items from that Karen Foster "I Love Bugs" sticker sheet.

Yakety YAK YAK YAK

I've acquired several new sets of clear stamps lately and last night I finally got them into CD cases. Being organized always feels so good. :)

Did you know that acrylic stamps are not actually acrylic stamps? The stamps are made of photopolymer. It's the blocks that are acrylic. Kinda like altering isn't really altering...

I have a quick card project on the Scrap'n Memories blog.

• Did you read the Sweet Pickles Books as a child? I found one of them--Yakety Yak Yak Yak--at The Salvation Army for 39 cents last week and boy, did it take me back. I know some adults who could stand a good reading of this book. :) Especially in the age of cell-phone stupidity.

Last re-run on the card

Last one...promise. It's night time so I had to scan. Balloons painted with crystal glitter paint. The "I love you" charm is actually on the inside of the card--there's a hole punched thru the front so it can be seen.

I'm stopping now.

Moving on to the big daisy.

But a tidbit of advice...when all else fails paint it with glitter!

The Card Again

Here's my upgraded version of the card from last week's make and take.

{I adore those label stickers by Lil Davis. Wish I had more. I should probably make some of these myself...it wouldn't be hard.}

Supplies:

• Quickutz Revolution balloon die
• Quickutz Nesting Squares die
• Black pen and black ink
• Label stickers from Lil Davis
• ruler and corner rounder
• Daisy Bucket Stamp
• ribbon
• cardstock

I have in my hot little hands the new *Sugar coated Adhesive Chipboard Alpha* from Doodlebug Designs in the famous beetle black...oh man. Glittery black letters just in time for pumpkin decorating!!

In other news, I'm sharing a tip for frugal scrapbooking. Do with it as you will. :)

Instead of spending $3 on a package of band-name pop-dots, make your own. A sheet of fun foam at a craft store will run you less than 50 cents. Apply tape adhesive to both sides as needed. *POOF* Pop dots in any size you want. For almost nothing.

Alternatively, one could also use layers of leftover chipboard.

Later.

Have you ever ripped a photo?

So you know that I have an intense love for tearing paper, right?

Including photo paper.

Torn photos...what a criminal act.

:)

Say a prayer for me on Monday, if you can--I'm going to the dentist. Before discovering sedation dentistry, I was tormented by the dentist. Now, it's downgraded to a just a necessary evil. With sedation, I take a pill the night before and two pills the morning of and sleep like a baby. No running back and forth for multiple appointments, no hairy anxiety, no pain. Come home and sleep it off for about twelve hours. I remember nothing. It's the only way to go, if you ask me.

Joal's home. (Those are two very sweet words.) He went to Dallas this week to record a training DVD for his company. I've been ribbing him about being a movie star...ahhh, yes, a man of many talents I am married to. LOL!

Happy World Card Making Day!

What's your favorite kind of chocolate?

PS I can't figure out what is making my blog posts be so sporadically spaced. I'm working on it.

Superman Stamps! of the Postage Variety!

Postage stamps may very well be the world's most overlooked pieces of every day art. I ran across this sheet of postage stamps commemorating the DC Comics last year quite by accident and knew in an instant they would be perfect embellishments for cards and layouts.

With a little image altering--enlarging and printing on kraft paper-- this is what I came up with.

Directions are at MBI, if you are interested.

Check out the USPS website for more possibilities!

The 2Peas writing prompt for the day is to name 3 things that are on your desk that shouldn't be there. Easy breezy.

1-PVC pipe fittings (confiscated from someone who thought they should be thrown at his brother)
2-half a dozen CDs...because we all knowthat CDs should be put away promptlyinto the CD closet. (snort)
3-a partial glass of Diet Coke. Which wouldn't be bad but it's been here for 2 days. I think I'm going to go take care of that now. LOL!

May all your mail be artful and all your bugs be ladies!

Happy Wednesday!

PS I also have a post on variety (using the same supplies in 7 different ways--7 cards) at MBI here.

Hither and Yawn

I'm bored. Hence the title.

Been on a card streak today using stamps. Posted a few to 2Peas and a few to Memory Book Inspirations. If you are of a mind to, MBI could use some new participants. Things are kinda quiet there. It's a nice place to hang out--a little less intimidating than 2Peas. I am semi-in-charge of the card makers board there. I have new stuff to post there tonight, if you like simple card making.

Couple of random thoughts:

1. Why do stores not take advantage of the ease of blogs? Especially scrapbook stores? I totally don't get this. Marketing 101. Basic information. It's so easy. If you have a scrapbook store (or a stamp store), please get a blog. I promise--you will not regret it. And your customers will think you are the coolest.

2. I hate the tv show--The Bachelor. Hate actually may not be a strong enough term. And yet, it's like a bad wreck...I can't not be curious about it. The premise is sub-stupid. Andy is not even worthy (do they really think he's perfect?) and the women are portrayed as anywhere from desperate to insane. I could go on for days about all the ways this show is stupid and conceptually idiotic, but I won't. Suffice it to say I have seen a total of maybe 30 minutes this season and that's too much. But I'm still curious. Why is that?

3. Geoff Moore--the man unknowingly responsible for Joal and I being together--has a new album out called Speak to Me. On it he did a remake of the recent Brad Paisley tune "When I Get Where I'm Going" that is totally stellar. And I usually hate re-makes. Brad Paisley's version is recorded with Dolly Parton. I like Brad Paisley--I think he may actually one of the most talented writers in country music right now and I liked his version ofthis song. Then I heard Geoff's. Geoff Moore recorded it with Watermark wife, Christy Nockels. Good stuff! Worthy of full price...which if you know my husband, is saying something. :) Unfortunately, it appears I may have to go to Canada to see him in concert any time soon.

4. Do you read Angela Daniels' blog? I do and I love it. She and some friends have a series of PDF classes on Color that I found very helpful. Check it out.

5. Another of our Nashville stores is closing. Paper Moon--the only thing on the west side for paper crafters announcedSaturday it will be closed by the end of the month. I went in on Saturday afternoon and felt so sad. I relaly don't like shopping closing sales. It just feels so icky...like customers are taking undue advantage of the owner's misfortune. I guess the owners generally want to sell all their stuff but it just feels creepy to me. While the discount would be nice, I can't go back. I hate the gloom. I don't know. I'm somewhat over-sensitive in some things related to entrepreneurship.

6. I enjoy reading Heidi Swapp's blog...I do. I just wish she would use a paragraph break every now and then. Seriously. Of course, some people probably wish I would learn to spell...so, I can't have everything I want. I know. :)

7. Lastly, it appears that barring the Army changing his orders at the last minute, my Army brother Andy will be deployed to Afghanistan on/around 5/22. I can't comment because I don't know what to say.

May all your donuts not fall on the ground and
may your children always wipe their feet at the door.

Is that too much to hope for? Happy Tuesday!