Putting the February Spotlight into Action

One thing I love about the Studio Spotlight is the way it can inspire me to create outside my comfort zone. For this month, I took the featured  color combination to create this bright, nature-themed card.  I also used the Woodgrain background stamp (10% off until Feb. 29, 2012). See all the Spotlight specials here. Would I have paired Lido with Bermuda on my own? Probably not, but I have to admit it makes quite a stunning palette!

See my original card inspiration here. You can also find the inspiration card (along with MANY more) by following my Pinterest board here.

All products from A Muse Studio:

• Stamp: Woodgrain, Essential Sentiments, Avian Notes, Sushi & Wasabi (retired: available until Feb. 29, 2012)
• Cardstock: Bermuda, Lido, Kraft
• Ink: Eucalyptus, Lido, Slate
• Embellishment: Bermuda buttons, Bermuda satin ribbon, Vanilla twine

A Muse Studio Challenge Blog: Winter Wonderland

After spending the last few weeks packing and moving to a new house, I have been absent from the A Muse Studio Challenge Blog and The Neatery too.  I decided to take some ME time and create some holiday creations, since we’re almost all settled in now.  The challenge for ASCB this week is anything holiday, so I have a gift card holder to share this time. Apologies for the yucky photo quality. When it gets dark so early, I am finding myself lighting challenged!

And on the inside…

For variety, I made a couple extra squares that you could use in lieu of the snowflake on the front.  I am loving the dove + “comfort & joy.”  Just lovely.  I’ll be creating these at several workshops this week!

All products from A Muse Studio:

• Stamp: Nordic Noel, Mini Holiday Messages
• Cardstock: Sugar, Sky, Latte Woodgrain
• Ink: Eucalyptus, Winter Sky
• Embellishment: Sugar Organdy Polka Dot, Sky Pearl Stickers

Holly Berry Vine

A Muse Studio is offering an amazing hostess bonus this month!  You can read more about the details here.

The reward includes Holly Berry Vine stamp, so today I wanted to share some other projects using that set.  If you’ve got more examples, link them in the comments below!

A Muse Studio Holiday Tag Kit

From A Muse Studio Design Team

From Papercrafts Magazine's Nov/Dec 2011 issue

Tutorial: Two Sheets = Four Cards

I know that math might not sound right, but I have put together a tutorial using 2 sheets of A Muse Studio cardstock to get 4 unique cards.  You can see examples that I created using Nordic Noel with a little help from Essential Sentiments.

The tutorial, including all the measurements you need is my gift to you when you subscribe to my newsletter. By signing up, you’ll receive monthly information regarding A Muse Studio spotlight specials, technique videos, and special tips and it’s all FREE for you!

Click Here to Sign Up

Crop-A-Dile

When I found this video from Creating Keepsakes, I KNEW I had to do a post with it.  This embossing idea feels like pure genius!  Of course, I love my Crop-A-Dile for setting eyelets and hole punching, and adding embossing makes it even more multipurpose.

I used it to pop the polka dots for my Halloween ATC that I created for an upcoming swap with A Muse Studio consultants.  Love it!

World Card Making Day Blog Hop

I am so excited to be part of the World Card Making Day Blog Hop featuring A Muse Studio consultants! It’s a great day to showcase a card that I think works for anyone.  Even guys can handle a little glitter, because every rock star deserves a little sparkle! What I love about WCMD is that it is a great opportunity to send cards just because.  No holiday, no birthday, no occasion at all.  Just a simple card to let someone know you are thinking about him and you think he ROCKS!

All products from A Muse Studio:

• Stamp: Rock Star, Harlequin background (you can barely see it stamped on the cranberry)
• Cardstock: Cranberry, Sugar, Ocean, Onyx
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Cranberry
• Embellishments:  Diamond Glitter

Thanks for stopping by the Neatery for World Card Making Day!  Hop on over to Veronica’s blog at lk2thestarz.blogspot.com.  And when you get through the whole hop, I hope you are inspired to make your own cards on this special day!

In case you get lost, here’s a list of all our Blog Hop Participants…

You are here: http://theneatery.wordpress.com

Veronica Zalis: http://lk2thestarz.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Corson: www.scripptyscraps.blogspot.com

Karen Crisp: www.papernstamps.blogspot.com

Jeanette Cloyd: www.smoreamusement.blogspot.com

Sherri Thacker: www.sherri-iloveflipflops.blogspot.com

Seleise Barrett: www.amethystcat.blogspot.com

Pamela Fredrickson: www.attemptedcreativity.blogspot.com

Carissa Fulkerson: www.carissascottage.blogspot.com

Melissa Roell: www.totogal62.blogspot.com

Angela Schellenburg: www.gypsypaperie.blogspot.com

Lisa Chapman: www.piesafepapergoods.blogspot.com

Heather Scott: www.oz-somestamps.com

Suzanne Dahlberg: www.thecardyard.blogspot.com

Dana Vincent: www.danasamazed.blogspot.com

Julie Dylingowski: www.simplyimpressed.blogspot.com

Twine Time

Another Monday and another challenge on the A Muse Studio Challenge Blog! This time it’s all about twine!  I’ve been in love with using rustic materials for crafting for a long time.  I used to used twine from the hardware store on projects and for decorating!  I still use it as part of my holiday house decorations! Now that twine is a hot craft item, you can get it in colors. A Muse Studio offers several colors, including cherry that you see in today’s card.

All products from A Muse Studio:

• Stamp: A Christmas Carol
• Cardstock: Cranberry, Sugar, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Toffee (for antiqued shading)
• Embellishments:  Cherry Twine, Cranberry Buttons, Assorted Copics

It’s MY challenge week!

Come visit the A Muse Studio Challenge Blog for *my* very own challenge this week – create your own embellishments!  It features this cards:

If you’ve never made a rolled ribbon flower before, here is a video from Beate at Splitcoast Stampers for one just like you see on my card.  I used our Super Sticky tape as the base, while the video shows you some other options for adhesive.

If you think you’d like to give making your own embellishments a try, remember to link it up to the challenge blog before Sunday night.  One lucky winner will get a roll of A Muse Studio satin ribbon!

Ribbon Challenge

Tobey has set this week’s challenge for ribbon. As soon as I saw that, I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do.  We’ve discussed my love (err…obsession) with Pinterest before and that’s exactly where I had this little ribbon beauty waiting to be made!

A Muse Studio has such beautiful ribbon that it was harder to pick the ribbon than it was to actually put the card together!  So go find some ribbon and check out the other super star designers’ work on the A Muse Studio Challenge Blog. Remember to link up your creation by Sunday night for a chance to win!

All products from A Muse Studio:

• Stamp: Friend to Friend
• Cardstock: Apricot, Sugar
• Ink: Orange
• Embellishments: Orange Grosgrain, Sugar Organdy Polka Dot, Orange Satin Ribbon

Facebook Challenge

A Muse Studio has been doing weekly challenges on Facebook. Have you been following along?  This is the first week I actually got something made before the deadline (Sunday night, BTW) and I couldn’t wait to share it!

This week’s challenge was to use the Holiday Catalog cover card as your layout.  Here’s the cover (click on it to go to my webstore if you feel like shopping).

Today I get to celebrate my new niece who will arrive in October at my sister-in-law’s baby shower, so I decided this was the perfect layout for a shower card!  What do you think?

You’ve still got time to join the challenge and you could win the Naughty or Nice stamp set used to make the inspiration card on the catalog cover.

All products from A Muse Studio:

• Stamp: Sleepy Sighs
• Cardstock: Apricot, Watermelon
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Grass
• Embellishments: Sugar Organdy Polka Dot Ribbon, Pearl Stickers, Assorted Copics