CraftyEngineer

amuse-bouche - Winter Scene!

So sorry I haven't been able to play along in this week's amuse-bouche! I've been busy teaching AP classes around Texas though. Two more classes today... YAY! It's my birthday today and I can't wait to be around stamping people all day! So fun!

This is one of my cards from my Holiday Classics class that I taught this week here. I *love* this stamp. It's called Winter Scene and it is a cling stamp. A Muse released several cling stamps for AP 2010. I think they are awesome! Love everything about them, especially the clean images. They ink up wonderfully!

The winter scene is white embossed on A Muse's navy cardstock.  A Muse now has MANY colors of solid white core 8.5x11 cardstock (not to mention the BEST pattern cardstock around!). YIPPEE. I love that. Now I can make whatever size cards I want!

Supplies:

A Muse winter scene, let heaven and nature sing images; navy 8.5x11

Marvy Giga Scalloped Circle, White Detail Embossing Powder, Colorbox Frost White Pigment Ink, Memento Paris Dusk Ink

Have a great day!

amuse-bouche - snow fun!

WOHOO! It's mid-week of A*Muse*A*Palooza (AP) 2010! I hope you've been checking out the A Muse News blog and the rest of the Creative Team for some wonderful amuse-bouche (sampling of this year's AP 2010 images!). I've been busy prepping for more AP classes this week. I'll be at Memory Depot in Austin tomorrow night (Thursday) and also Saturday - it's my birthday Saturday - hope you can join me for fun stamping time!

The AP 2010 images are available exclusively at participating AP stores around the country.

Okay, on to the card already... well, I quickly made this card because this image is the image that I'm going to use for my holiday cards this year. I think. :) I'm all about snowflakes. And this one is perfect.

It was really hard to get the photo on this one but hopefully you can see well enough. It's a clear card with the images stamped in white stazon. The inside has a strip of Sky Blue paper (love that A Muse has so many colors in 8.5x11 now!) to put a handwritten message.

Hope your summer is going well. I don't want mind to end. :)

All images, cardstock and ribbon by A Muse Artstamps

Day 2 of A*Muse*A*Palooza

Yesterday was another full day of stamping over at Memory Depot, here in Austin! This round of AP, I decided to teach some classes where we make some stuff that not only give inspiration but also can be used... I'm all about making stuff to give away... as you all well know... :)

It was fun to see old friends, meet some new ones. Special thanks to those ladies from Dallas and Houston... thanks so much for making the drive!

The first class was Tag, You're It where we made 36 tags for the upcoming holiday season!

   

And then the 2nd class was "It's all in the PRESENTation" where we made gifts and boxes and such things. My favorite things, of course!

    

And then the mad rush for the stamps...

Day 1 of A*Muse*A*Palooza 2009

WOWEE!! It's Day one of AP 2009 around here. I taught two classes at Memory Depot today. So glad the ladies joined me today - we sat inside in the A/C and enjoyed some nice cool air!

Here are some pics of the ladies working so hard in the first class: DIY Holiday Cards

   

And here are some from the 2nd class: An A Muse Holiday Squash Book

 

  

So fun! Can't wait until tomorrow!

A*Muse*A*Palooza starts tomorrow!!

I'm so excited! A*Muse*A*Palooza 2009 starts tomorrow! Want to get out of this crazy heat wave and make something crafty? Think Cool. Think A/C. :) Think of it as Christmas in July! Join me at one of these classes. Call the store, if you are interested!

A*MUSE*A*PALOOZA 2009

AUSTIN

DIY Holiday Cards - A Muse Style
Friday, July 10th, 2009 10am-12pm
Memory Depot, Austin, TX (512) 326-8045
Do you send out your own holiday cards? This class will give you 6 simple and fun ideas, including photo cards, that you can mass produce in no time flat. We will use the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps. After this class, you will be able to get your holiday cards done early! Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

An A Muse Holiday Squash Book
Friday, July 11th, 2009 1pm-3pm
Memory Depot, Austin, TX (512) 326-8045
Are you a scrapper? This class is for stampers and scrappers alike. We'll make a squash book using the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps. At the end of the class, you will have a squash book ready to put pictures in or gift it as a gift to someone else! Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

Tag - You're it!
Saturday, July 11th, 2009 10am-12pm
Memory Depot, Austin, TX (512) 326-8045
Tags make the perfect present complete. In this class, we'll make 30 tags, 5 each of 6 different designs using the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps. We'll use different tools to make tags of all shapes and sizes. Your tags will be ready to put on that perfect gift! Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

It's all in the PRESENTation
Saturday, July 11th, 2009 1pm-3pm
Memory Depot, Austin, TX (512) 326-8045
Do you give treats to coworkers, book club friends, neighbors, your child's school friends, teachers, etc? Looking for ideas for small gifts, treats, and pretty packaging, too? This is the class for you! We'll do 6 projects using the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps to inspire you to make Simple and Cute gifts for this Holiday Season. Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

SAN ANTONIO
DIY Holiday Cards - A Muse Style
Thursday, July 16th, 2009 6:30-8:30pm
Stamp Antonio Arts, San Antonio, TX (210) 342-6217
Do you send out your own holiday cards? This class will give you 6 simple and fun ideas, including photo cards, that you can mass produce in no time flat. We will use the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps. After this class, you will be able to get your holiday cards done early! Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

An A Muse Holiday Squash Book
Friday, July 17th, 2009 11am-1pm
Stamp Antonio Arts, San Antonio, TX (210) 342-6217
Are you a scrapper? This class is for stampers and scrappers alike. We'll make a squash book using the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps. At the end of the class, you will have a squash book ready to put pictures in or gift it as a gift to someone else! Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

Tag - You're it!
Friday, July 17th, 2009 1:30pm-3:30pm
Stamp Antonio Arts, San Antonio, TX (210) 342-6217
Tags make the perfect present complete. In this class, we'll make 30 tags, 5 each of 6 different designs using the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps. We'll use different tools to make tags of all shapes and sizes. Your tags will be ready to put on that perfect gift! Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

DIY Holiday Cards - A Muse Style
Saturday, July 18th, 2009 10a-12p
Stamp Antonio Arts, San Antonio, TX (210) 342-6217
Do you send out your own holiday cards? This class will give you 6 simple and fun ideas, including photo cards, that you can mass produce in no time flat. We will use the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps. After this class, you will be able to get your holiday cards done early! Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

It's all in the PRESENTation
Saturday, July 18th, 2009 12:30pm-2:30pm
Stamp Antonio Arts, San Antonio, TX (210) 342-6217
Do you give treats to coworkers, book club friends, neighbors, your child's school friends, teachers, etc? Looking for ideas for small gifts, treats, and pretty packaging, too? This is the class for you! We'll do 6 projects using the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps to inspire you to make Simple and Cute gifts for this Holiday Season. Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

Tag - You're it!
Saturday, July 18th, 2009 3pm-5pm
Stamp Antonio Arts, San Antonio, TX (210) 342-6217

Tags make the perfect present complete. In this class, we'll make 30 tags, 5 each of 6 different designs using the latest A*Muse*A*Palooza images from A Muse Artstamps. We'll use different tools to make tags of all shapes and sizes. Your tags will be ready to put on that perfect gift! Basic Kit Needed: Detail Scissors, Adhesive, and a Pencil

Hope to see you soon!

I spotted him!!!

Check out where Eddie was seen! He's been traveling EVERYWHERE lately. Have you figured out where he's been on the A Muse News Blog? Be sure to play - prizes! ;)

San Antonio... did you see this?

RE: http://stampantonio.blogspot.com/2009/06/ahhh-nouncing.html

Fun, fun, fun!

AP 3rd round ends tonight - do you know who's hiding something?

RE: http://amusenews.typepad.com/a_muse_news/2009/06/secret-squares-round-3.html

Time for Round 3! Have you played? There are prized involved. Go, play. Now! This round open until midnight tonight PST!

AP 1st round ENDS tonight - have you played yet?

RE: SECRET SQUARES GAME

A*MUSE*A*PALOOZA ...

Have you played yet? Ends tonight (Tues, Midnight Pacific time!). GO VOTE NOW...

PROUD mom!!!

So, you've probably heard me whining about how neither of my boys like to do art... well, Kindergarten changed my eldest! THANK YOU to those special teachers out there! ;) Remember this post?

My son turned 6 in June and my mother gave him, yet SOME MORE art stuff. I was thinking what a waste of money BUT my son has used all the things she's given him. WOHOO. Then came the dreaded thank you cards. I was going to cheat this year and do the fill-in-the-blank ones that you can print at the Family Fun website. But I asked him what he wanted to do... know what he said? "Mom, (when did I lose the "my" from Mommy????) I'd like to stamp some thank yous". REALLY????? OMG!!! OK!!! So, off he went. Now, getting him to actually write in them was a different task for a different day. But in the end they were mailed off and the world was in balance again.

So, that got me thinking... Hmmm... I really want to encourage this stamping behavior. I asked the powers-to-be about having a kid contest for AP or sometime. Wouldn't that be fun? He could make a card and other kids around the globe could make cards and they could all be put online (the cards, not the kids ;)) and boy wouldn't that ahem, boost his ego? So, the powers agreed and this week's AP challenge is for Kids to make cards AND/OR to make kid themed cards.

Here's his card.... (btw... he's asked me EVERY day for 3 weeks if his card is on the internet yet...Oy vey!)... Now, to be fair... I did cut the paper (I have scary paper cutters and those really shouldn't be used by children)... but that's ALL I did. he was SO thrilled that he got to use my good stuff.

Here are the details of the challenge:

• Get out your stamps and let your kids create the cards!  No kids? Then create a kids-themed card!
• The card must feature at least one (1) A Muse stamp image
• Upload your child's card and/or yours to your gallery on Splitcoaststampers.com, taking care to include the keyword AP08KIDS1 (for your child's card) or AP08KIDS2 (for yours) in the photo description or keyword box.
• When you're finished, copy the url/link of your upload and post it in the comments area of this post by midnight, SATURDAY July 19th. (One day earlier than usual.) 

Aren't you impressed? Okay, well, you should be... this is the boy that when in preschool, I never got any artwork to take home. The teacher would say "Yeah, he didn't want to do it". Ho hum. But look at him now!

He's a BIT obsessed with the twinkle stickers. He thinks they are the same thing that Indian ladies (Indian = from India .... like my family) wear on their forehead. They are not, in fact.... but who am I to stop him :)