Pickle Post #44 - Christmas in July!

Hi friends! Happy Tuesday to you!

Today I created a Christmas card in July for the current challenge over at the A Muse Studio Challenge Blog! This is to celebrate the new Christmas catalog full of holiday stuff that will be available on August 1 - I will have a link in my sidebar when you can sneak a peek at the new goodies!

There's still a week left to enter your crafty Christmas creations to win some A Muse Studio goodies! So I hope you will come on over and join us! Here is what I created for the challenge.

My 'Christmas in July' Card:

I love the traditional stuff for Christmas - red, green and kraft are perfect. The buttons and twine give that old fashioned Christmas feel. Just simple happy holiday wishes - a reminder of home and family! Even if it is 99 degrees and I am in a tank top and shorts, which is cool July weather for us LOL! Arizona is not the place you think of when you think of Christmas - even in December when it's dry and cold, it sure isn't the North Pole!

Stuff I Used (all A Muse Studio products):
Stamps - Say It With Style
Cardstock - Kraft, Candy Cane Stripe, Evergreen
Ink - Cherry, Evergreen
Other Stuff - Toffee Twine, Cherry Buttons

I hope this gives you a little pre-holiday spirit to get a jump start on your Christmas cards and crafty creations!

 

Pickle Post #42 - A Muse Studio Challenge - Hot Diggity DAD!

TO VIEW MY BLOG CANDY - CLICK HERE. Check it out - there's crafty fun stuff to be WON!

Hi there! How are you today, friends? :)

I am a little behind on my post for the current A Muse Studio Challenge, but I always say better late than never! The challenge theme is Father's Day. I have said before that masculine cards are NOT my forte', but I like the challenge. It makes it that much harder because my dad is not the easiest to create for. I aim for humor when I create for Dad and I thought my card turned out rather cute... *ahem* FUN. :) Here is what I created!

My Father's Day Card:

So my dad is a 'grill king' - this is what I call all men who master the art of the grill! He is not a hot dog eater, but 'Here's To The Burger King' isn't an A Muse sentiment YET. :) Still - isn't it fun? Gotta love the ketchup red and mustard yellow chevrons! I stamped this on kraft because it is eternally masculine AND I didn't have to color the hot dog buns. There is a method to my madness. :) The yellow pennant seemed to fit in perfectly. Since A Muse doesn't have 'Dad' as a sentiment, I took another stamp that said Happy BirthDAy and used the letters to create it as well as the exclamation point. Ah, the art of crafty improv!

Here is the inside of the card:

See the beer foam? That's Le Pouf, a dimensional 'paint' that puffs when you heat it! LOVE that stuff - great for Santa hats and snow on Christmas cards, too! :)

Stuff I Used (All A Muse Studio Products):
Stamps - Hey, Man!, Say It With Style, Birthday Greetings (letters used for DAD)
Cardstock - Kraft,Buttercup, Cherry
Ink - Papaya, Cherry, Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics - hot dogs Y17, R24 beer E33, E37
Other Stuff - Cupcake Toppers Dies, Le Pouf Dimensional Paint

I hope you will enter your Father's Day creations into the challenge - you don't have to use A Muse products, but if you do, you get two entries per link! So come on over and join in the fun for your chance to win some A Muse goodies of your very own!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I really appreciate you being here! :)

Pickle Post #38 - My Sentiments Exactly

Hi there! Time flies when you are busy... and always behind. :)
It's been a while since I posted and I am taking advantage of the long weekend to catch up!

This week, I am the hostess for the current challenge at the AMuse Studio Challenge Blog. My theme is Let's Get Sentimental and use a sentiment as the focal point for your card or creation. I hope you will join us over at the Challenge Blog - you now have two weeks to enter your creations and if you use AMuse Studio products, each entry gives you two chances to win! Please come on over and join us!

So we all know I am very challenged when it comes to creating simple stuff - my creative brain wants to add more rather than less. :) I am actively practicing the 'less is more' mantra and I hope you enjoy what I created.

My 'Miss You' Card:

Sweet and super simple! I used my favorite polka dotted paper and kept it neutral so my sentiment would stand out. I love my new AMuse Studio dies so I had to use them. Since I can't just leave simple alone, I added a glittered heart with a sparkly rhinestone heart. My creative brain told me to do it LOL! I really love the way it turned out!

Stuff I Used (All AMuse Studio Products): 
Stamps - Say It With Style, Calendar Fun
Cardstock - Sugar, Cranberry, Black & White Petite Polka Dot
Ink - Onyx, Versamark
Other Stuff - Vintage Dies 2, Cranberry Glitter, Clear Heart Twinkle Sticker, Clear Embossing Powder, Simple Stick Powder 

I have a couple other cards I created with this theme in mind - I will share those over the next week.
I still have that surprise I promised coming up soon - my Blog Birthday is just around the corner! :)

If you are in the U.S., I hope you are enjoying your long Memorial Day weekend! 
As always, I appreciate your sweet comments and thank you for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #37 - An AMuse challenge to 'die' for & a Retro Sketch too!

Hi friends! Another crazy week and time got away from me!

It's time for another challenge at the AMuse Studio Challenge Blog!  You have two weeks to enter your creations and you don't have to use AMuse products to enter, but if you do use AMuse, you get two chances to win per entry! We would LOVE to see your stuff and give you some goodies, so come on over and join us!

This week, our challenge theme is to use die cuts in your creations. I LOVE my AMuse dies! They cut so cleanly and there are so many fun choices! Here's what I created for this challenge:

Well, can you tell I love purple? :) So does my mom and I think she will love her Mother's Day card! My die cuts - the felt butterflies and the label. I stamped and embossed the strip across the card with one of our new background stamps - such a fun circle pattern! I can never quite capture the beauty and sparkle of stuff on my card with my little Kodak...I am looking for a new digital camera with better zoom capabilities!  I am thinking about a hybrid. Any suggestions? :)

Here's the inside - simple and pretty. I like room to write inside my cards. I LOVE these new butterfly stamps from AMuse - you will see more of these on future creations!

Stuff I Used (All AMuse Studio Products):
Stamps - Say It With Style, Mod Backgrounds 2, Vintage Labels, Papillon
Cardstock - Amethyst, Grape
Ink - Amethyst, Grape, Versamark
Dies - Vintage Labels, Butterflies Trio
Other Stuff - Heather Felt, Clear Twinkle Stickers (rhinestones and teardrops), White Embossing Powder

Sketchy Inspiration - Retro Sketches # 9 (I just LOVE what those talented girls come up with!)

More to come SOON...I have been promising a fun surprise and I think I will save it for my Blog Birthday ... 38 days and counting! Where does the time go??? :)

Thank you for stopping by!

Pickle Post #36 - Thanks Again!

Hi there! Sorry to be absent again. Just when I think I am back on track - so many things happen!

My internet was giving me fits for almost 3 weeks! Every afternoon from around 1-5 p.m., I had no service at all. That's the time I have available to do anything online, so I was not too happy! We finally got a tech out to fix it and I hope it stays fixed.

I am now battling a sinus infection (OH SO FUN) and I am just so tired. BLECK. :(
But I am working through it and playing catch up. 

And it's time for a new round of challenges over at the AMuse Studio Challenge Blog!
I am now design team coordinator and co-administrator of the blog - what a learning experience! :) We have 5 new team members, new crafty stuff to inspire you - and prizes just waiting for you! We also have a new format - we are now doing challenges bi-weekly to give more time to enter your crafty goodness. Come on over and join in! I would love to see YOU win some AMuse goodies to play with!

The theme of the April 16 challenge is Thank You Thank You Thank You! :)

Here is what I created for the challenge:

 

Isn't this AMuse stamp set fabulous? It makes me smile! I got my layout inspiration from the latest Retro Sketches challenge - I love the sketchy inspiration there! I was feeling summer coming on - it's supposed to be 100 degrees here in Arizona by Sunday, so I used sunny yellows and greens. And you know how I love polka dots. :) So I added the green polka dotted paper. Big surprise there LOL!

Stuff I Used (All AMuse Studio products):
Stamps - 'Tini Time
Cardstock - Sugar, Grass, Buttercup, Grass Polka Dot
Ink - Grass, Buttercup, Memento Tuxedo Black
Other Stuff - Scallop Border Dies

Retro Sketches Challenge #7

More fun stuff to follow...sooner than later this time!  :) Thanks for stopping by!

Pickle Post #35 - Thankful for You!

Hi there and happy Tuesday...well it may be Wednesday before you get this. :)

I was so darn busy last week that I got a little behind. I wasn't feeling great over the weekend, but I am getting back on track and feeling better so I have to get my posts up!

Thank you all for your support in light of my lengthy absence and my re-entry into the blogging world of crafty goodness! :) There are so many of you out there I truly consider my friends even though we haven't met in real life. I am so grateful for your creative inspiration and your sweet comments that give me a much needed boost!

In support of the AMuse Studio Challenge Blog, I created a card for this week's challenge. If you haven't joined us in a challenge, please do so! We would love to see what you create and give away some fun AMuse goodies - hopefully to YOU.

Here is the inspiration for this week's challenge:

Lovely colors, layers, florals, scallops...so much inspiration to choose from. :)

Here is what I created for the challenge:

I wanted my card to be simple to bring focus to the AMuse shimmer cardstock I used - I LOVE IT.  It is one of my favorite 'go to's' at the moment! I tried so many angles to photograph the sheen of it but it is so much prettier in person! I love blues and browns together so I worked with those colors. I am drawn to the stitching, scallops and florals in the picture. That inspired the rest of the card. The polka dotted flowers are another favorite of mine. They just make me happy. :)

Stuff I Used (All AMuse Studio Products):
Stamps - 'Life is a Song'
Cardstock - Sugar & French Roast Shimmer, Bermuda Polka Dot
Ink - French Roast
Dies - Flowers 2, Scallop Borders, Spellbinders Scalloped Rectangles
Other Stuff - Bermuda Buttons, French Roast Stitched Ribbon, Clear Embossing Powder

AND I still have a fun surprise in store...I have to get that post put together to share with you.
I am eternally behind LOL! :) Stay tuned...

Thanks for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #34 - Where in the world is Mrs. Pickle?...and an AMuse Challenge!

Hi there! I have missed you, my crafty friends! HOW ARE YOU?!

I guess the bigger question is how am I? It's been a LONG time since I last posted. Life has been crazy hectic! Work, lack of sleep, family stuff and schedule changes all took their toll on me...I truly lost my mojo. :(

No matter what I did to rekindle my creative energy, projects just sat on my craft desk - half done, sad, forlorn, gathering dust. Seriously I was just in no mood to make or finish anything.

Then I sustained a workout injury to my leg and hip right in December that wouldn't allow me to sit or stand or even lay down for lengthy periods of time without major pain. Try crafting while in pain and lacking mojo...no fun!

I am just about back to 100% and I am finally getting back on track! To all of you who handle chronic illness, full time (or even very busy part time) jobs and family obligations and still post your creativity to your blog on a regular basis - I salute you! :)

My goal is to keep posting at least twice a week. I am working on some new projects to post, but today I am going to share what I created for the weekly AMuse Studio Challenge! I am this week's hostess and my theme is 'Bloom Where You Are Planted' - to create something with flowers. Use flower stamps, paper, felt - whatever puts you in the mood for Spring! Come and join us over at the challenge blog for a chance to win some free AMuse goodies! :)

Here is what I created - it is in honor of YOU, all of my crafty friends who still love me! :)

My flowers are created using blue satin ribbon that I twisted and glued onto big glue dots. I accented them with ivory pearls and stamped leaves. That fabulous blue chevron ribbon is new from AMuse - LOVE IT. The white face of the card is embossed with a diamond pattern and placed onto blue shimmer cardstock, which is GORGEOUS in person but so hard to capture with my little Kodak camera. You can kind of see the shimmer at the top of the card. The sentiment is stamped with black pigment ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.

Stuff I Used (all AMuse Studio products):
Stamps-True Blue Friend, Leaves Trio
Cardstock-Sugar, Bermuda Shimmer
Ink-Onyx and Grass pigment ink
Other Stuff-Harlequin/Woodgrain Embossing Plate, Bermuda Satin Ribbon and Chevron Ribbon, Ivory Pretty Pearls 
  
Thank you for stopping by to visit after such a LONG LONG time. :) 
I am so happy to be back and blogging! I will have more stuff to post and a fun surprise to share by week's end - so stay tuned!

Pickle Post #33 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge

Hi there! Happy Monday! It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog! 

This week's challenge is hosted by ME. Hooray! :) It's my first time hosting an AMuse challenge and I am SO excited! My challenge is to create a Thanksgiving card or a holiday themed thank you card. It's that time of year again  - I hope you will get into the holiday spirit, get creative and enter the challenge this week for a chance to win these AMuse Studio goodies!

Who doesn't love free goodies? So please enter your creations! You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week.

Here is what I created for the challenge:

Since we generally don't have leaves changing color here in autumn in Arizona, I decided to create some for my card. :) I used pigment ink in fall colors on sponge daubers to create the colorful leaves. The leaves by the sentiment are embossed with satin pearl embossing powder. I chose cardstock in fall colors to pull the card together. Brown stitched ribbon and pearls add the finishing touches.

Stuff I Used (all AMuse Studio products):
Stamps - 'Autumn Beauty'
Cardstock - Cherry, Vanilla, Latte
Ink - Latte, French Roast, Papaya, Sage, Fern, Evergreen, Orange, Cherry
Other Stuff - Satin Pearl Embossing Powder, French Roast Stitched Ribbon, Chocolate Pearls

I am thankful you stopped by today - I hope you will join me over at the AMuse Challenge Blog this week!

Pickle Post #32 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge

Hi there! It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog!

This week's challenge, hosted by our very own Carla, is to dry emboss on your project.
Easy peasy, right? So I hope you get creative and enter the challenge this week for a chance to win AMuse Studio goodies! Who doesn't love free goodies? No tricks, just treats! So please enter your creations!

You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them used in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge - it's a colorful twist on Halloween! :)

My 'Pick of the Patch' Card: 

This card was planned to be part of last week's AMuse color challenge, but it just wasn't coming together right. Maybe I needed to get closer to Halloween to have the right inspiration! :) The pumpkins and sentiment tag are stamped with pigment ink. The faces are embossed with white embossing powder. The pearls on the tag are colored with Copics. The card base is embossed with a nifty impression plate that is two sided - diamond pattern on one side, woodgrain on the other. Double the fun!

Stuff I Used (All AMuse Studio Products): 
Stamps - 'Happy Jacks', 'Mad for Plaids' (zig zag border)
Cardstock - Vanilla, Kraft
Ink - Bubblegum, French Roast, Grass
Other Stuff - Harl/Woodgrain Impression Plate, White Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink, Pearls, Copic Marker E59

Thanks for stopping by today! Leave some love for the team on the challenge blog too!

Pickle Post #28 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge!

Hi there! Happy Monday! It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog!

This week's challenge, hosted by our very own Sherry, is to use stamps to create a custom background.
Easy peasy, right? So get creative and enter the challenge this week for a chance to win AMuse Studio goodies! Who doesn't love free goodies? So please enter your creations!

You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge.

My 'Autumn Blessings' Card:

I wanted to create something simple but elegant for this challenge. I embossed the french roast card base with a woodgrain embossing plate. I used Versamark Ink and latte pigment ink to emboss the leaves on latte cardstock. To make them pearly, I used Satin Pearl embossing powder. The sentiment was stamped with french roast pigment ink. I used vanilla twill ribbon to finish my card. I think it's rather pretty! :)

Stuff I Used (all AMuse products):
Stamps - 'Autumn Beauty'
Cardstock - French Roast, Latte
Ink - French Roast Pigment Ink,Versamark
Other Fun Stuff - Woodgrain Embossing Plate, Satin Pearl embossing powder, Vanilla twill ribbon

We are gaining lots of support and fabulous followers on the challenge blog - we would love for YOU to come join the fun this week! Thanks for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #25 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge!

Hi there! Happy Monday!

It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog! This week's challenge, hosted by our very own Pamela, is to use twine on your creations. Easy peasy, right? So get creative and enter the challenge this week for a chance to win some AMuse Studio goodies! The more the merrier, I always say!

You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge.

My 'Love You to the Core' Card:

My little apple card is sweet and super simple. :) I carefully inked my apple and sentiment with Grass, Cherry and French Roast pigment ink - it's one stamp, so thank goodness for baby wipes! I used Nesties to cut my circle base and oval layers. I layered the ovals on the circle and then glued Cherry Bakers Twine around the edge and tied a bow at the bottom. The finishing touch - a heart shaped twinkle sticker in the center of the apple - you know how I love bling! :) 

Stuff I Used (all AMuse Studio products): 
Stamps - 'Love Conquers All'
Cardstock - Vanilla, Latte Woodgrain
Ink - Grass, Cherry, French Roast
Nesties - Classic Circles & Ovals
Other Stuff - Cherry Bakers Twine, Heart Twinkle Stickers, Crystal Clear Glaze (as glue for the twine)

We are gaining lots of support and fabulous followers on the challenge blog - we need YOU to come join the fun this week! Thanks for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #24 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge!

Hi there! Happy Monday!

It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog! This week's challenge hosted by our very own Amber is to create your own embellishments for your creations. Some suggestions - color your own pearls, flowers or ribbon, create ribbon flowers, etc.

You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. I hope you will enter the challenge this week for a chance to win some AMuse goodies! Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge.

My 'Joy' Card:

It's still a bit too hot in Arizona to feel like it's fall. A little hard to be in holiday card mode, but I decided to create a Christmas card in the nice cool air conditioning. :) I used a maple wooden tag as my DIY embellishment. I applied a base of sugar pigment ink and blended in winter sky (light blue) pigment ink. Then I stamped 'joy' and the holly with blackberry, currant and sage inks. After it dried, I added some diamond glitter to the holly berries using my handy dandy Quickie Glue pen. I embossed the 'from our home to yours' sentiment, then cut out the card base and top layer with my circle Nesties. Pearls added to the scalloped edges finish off the card.

Stuff I Used (All AMuse Studio Products): 
Stamps: 'Mini Holiday Messages', 'Nordic Noel'
Cardstock: Currant, Fern
Ink: Sugar, Winter Sky, Currant, Blackberry, Fern
Nesties: Circles, Scalloped Circles
Other Stuff: 2" Maple Wooden Tags, White Embossing Powder, Creative Candy (Pretty Pearls), Diamond Glitter, Quickie Glue

I can't wait to see what you create! Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #21 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge - Get Out Your Ribbon!

Hi there! Long time, no posts! Hope you missed me! ;)

I was away on vacation celebrating my wedding anniversary with my wonderful hubby (more on that in an upcoming post) and now I am playing creative catch up. So let's get to it!

It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog! This week's challenge hosted by our very own Tobey is Ribbons A Plenty - just use some ribbon on your creations and enter them into our challenge! Remember you don't have to use AMuse products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge.

My 'You're a Hoot' Card:

I used the AMuse stamp set 'Owl's Well'- whoooo doesn't LOVE owls? :) I stamped the owls onto various colors of cardstock, colored them with Copics and paper pieced them. The owl at the center of attention was stamped on white cardstock that was stamped with yellow polka dots. Then I did some paper piecing with orange and white gingham cardstock. I created a branch with leaves using stitched ribbon and attached it to the card with double sided adhesive tape. I lined up our feathered friends on the branch and popped them up with 3D foam adhesive.

Stuff I Used (all AMuse Studio Products):
Stamps - Owl's Well, Polka Dot Patterns
Cardstock - Sugar, Vanilla, Latte, Sky, French Roast, Orange/White Gingham
Copics - E57, YR09
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, Buttercup & French Roast
Other Stuff - Lime & French Roast Stitched Ribbon, 1/4" Super Stick Double Sided Tape, 3D Foam Adhesive, Quickie Glue pen

I hope you will play along this week for a chance to win some AMuse goodies! Thanks for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #19 - AMuse Challenge Blog - Join us for some fun & prizes!

Hi there!

I am so busy with preparations for my anniversary trip over the Labor Day weekend and my creative stuff has been pushed aside a little bit! Today I do have exciting news to share with you! :)

I am honored to be on the design team with an amazing group of AMuse Studio Consultants who have created our very own challenge blog! There is so much talent and inspiration we have to share and some nifty prizes, too! We would LOVE it if you use AMuse products in your creations, but you don't have to! Please follow us on the challenge blog and participate in the weekly fun! Your creative support would be appreciated!

For this week's challenge, our challenge hostess Tami provided this photo inspiration:

There is so much you can use from this photo - color, prints, shapes, stripes - endless possibilities! Here is what I did with it!

My AMuse 'Thanks a Bunch' Card:

 

I used the color combo (which I LOVE) to create my card along with the floral prints and butterflies. The sentiment and butterfly were embossed in white - so pretty on that vibrant orange cardstock! The sunflowers were inked with light yellow, apricot and orange pigment ink using sponge daubers. The leaves were inked with yellow green and fern green pigment ink and fussy cut. Such a bright summery card! 

Stuff I Used (all AMuse Studio products):
Stamps - Graphic Sunflower, Snail & Co, Kindred Spirits
Cardstock - Sugar, Sky, Orange
Ink - Lemon Whip, Apricot, Orange, Wasabi, Fern
Other Stuff - White Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink

Thanks so much for stopping by - I hope you will join us! I can't wait to see what you create!