I've been baking again

This past weekend, our middle school's 7th & 8th grade choir, orchestra, and band groups travelled to Idaho to perform in the Music in the Parks program at Silverwood Theme Park. The kids did a fantastic job, earning excellent and superior scores in every category they competed in. The 8th grade symphonic band took best band in their category over all middle and high schools at the competition. The entire music department (over 200 kids!) took the Esprit de Corps award based on overall behavior, performance, and attitude. What an accomplishment!

While the kids work really hard themselves, none of this would have been possible without the dedication, effort, and commitment of time given by our fabulous music directors. So, to thank them for all they do, I made these fun sugar cookies and gifted them in these decorated boxes.

The cookies are a little rough since it was my first time playing with these designs. I'll do a better job next time. But, I knew they would still appreciate the thought behind the gift.

For the box, I just used a candy box, then taped it shut with some washi tape from my stash. I think it might be from Pink Paislee. Then, I just cut some strips of Onyx amuse cardstock to create the music bar, cut the treble clef with my Making Memories Slice machine, and used a Quickutz Harvest 4x8 alphabet for the 'thank you' using amuse Cobalt blue cardstock. And, of course, it HAD to be finished off with some pretty, clear Twinkle dots.

Making Memories Slice

I've upgraded and am selling my Making Memories Slice machine for $50 (+shipping if you aren't local).

Your purchase would include:

green Slice machine

6x6 glass cutting mat

NIP adhesive w/foam applicator brush

power cord

user manual

blade turning tool

Basics 1 cartridge

Also selling a NIP extra Fall/Back to School cartridge for $12 (+shipping if you aren't local). SOLD

Let me know if you're interested!!

See you next season!!

Well, basketball season for my oldest son is coming to a close. We have our last game this weekend as well as our end of season party to recognize the players, coaches, and parents for all their hard work. Of course, I volunteered to make the coach's cards...one for the coach, one for the assistant coach. I found some REALLY OLD patterned paper in my stash that I thought looked pretty perfect for the job. It was also an opportunity to use up my stash of Stampin Up More Mustard paper. I used the Making Memories Slice Sports cartridge to cut out the silhouette of the player, then used a circle punch to punch out a basketball from some textured paper (also really old!). The stamps are from the CTMH set, Shootin Hoops.

This past Saturday's game was incredible! The other team was challenging, and really, they outplayed us. However, at the last second of the game one of our players was fouled taking a shot. We were behind by 2 and needed these foul shots. They cleared the floor and while all eyes were on him, our player sunk 'em both to tie the game!! Whew! He's my hero for the week.

Home Sweet Home

Paper: Brown Paper Bag, black

Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket Early Bird line, Basic Grey Lemonade line

Sentiment: A Muse Artstamps

Tools: Martha Stewart Lattice Border Punch, Red Liquid Pearls

I've been working on designs for my next 'Fun With The Slice' class at Lasting Memories. We've had a few schedule changes but it's now settled for Friday, Feb 19th. We'll be focusing on the 'Home Sweet Home' cartridge. Remember, if you purchase the highlighted cartridge and sign up for the class at the same time you'll save 25% off the cartridge price! I actually borrowed the store's cartridge to create these card samples and I've decided I need to buy one for myself. This cartridge is too much fun!!! I've hardly scraped the surface! Hope you can join me!!

Just sayin' hello (again!)

Todays card meets both Geeta's 'use it multiple ways' challenge and Glenda's 'Random Amusing Challenge' of the week. Glenda created a layout challenge so I thought I'd play along. I was gonna try and be all clever and turn the card on its side or something but decided the original sketch actually worked just fine for me. Why mess with a good thing, right? If you want to play along with Glenda's challenge, just click the link I provided above and follow the instructions provided on her post.

Someone left a comment on my blog looking for instructions on how to change the Slice setting from 'cut' to 'draw/emboss.' I created a little tutorial for this but am having trouble uploading it to Blogger. I think I have to download a program that will help me and just haven't had the chance to do that yet. I think my file is a little big and I don't know how to shrink it. In the meantime, go to your 'Settings' as if you were going to home your blade. Use your double arrow keys at the bottom and hit it until you see 'Cutting Mode'. Use your single arrow button to change the mode to your desired setting. Once you see your desired mode on the screen, just go back to the menu button and proceed as you normally would. Easy Peasy, Mac n Cheesy.

Now I'm off to the little league fields for a work party.

Classes

Come join me tomorrow for my 'Sea of Love' class at Stampin-in-the-Rain. Above is just an example of the fun cards we'll be making. This one is an interactive card....like the viewfinder card idea. I call it a spinner card cuz it spins! Whee! Call the store directly to reserve your spot (425 408-9050). If you can't make this one, I've got another one on the 31st with a different theme that's just as much fun.

Slice class rescheduled!!

My January Slice class has been rescheduled for January 29th at Lasting Memories in Lynnwood. We'll make this adorable (if I do say so myself!) 3-panel wall hanging using the Vintage Findings cartridge. If you don't already have this cartridge you can get it for 25% off when you purchase it and sign up for the class at the same time. I can't tell you how much I love this cartridge!! Not only are the images fun but the font is FABULOUS!!!! The full sample is hanging up in the store if you want to see it.

Hope to see you there!!

Slice Embossing Picture Tutorial

Today's picture tutorial is for the Making Memories Slice Embossing Tips. My Slice setting is at 'draw/emboss'.

^ First you must remove the cutting unit and replace it with the embossing tip unit. I selected the finest embossing tip.


^ Here's what it looks like with the embossing tip in it.


^ Place your Slice in the far left corner of your patterned paper with the side you want raised, face down. This is double sided American Crafts patterned paper with solid brown on the other side. Placing your Slice in the far left corner will make it easy to line things back up when you are ready to cut. *** You must use the embossing mat ***


^ Select your image under a 'normal' cutting setting.


^ This is what you get on the backside. Cute little gingerbread man from the Mistletoe cartridge.


^ Remove your embossing unit and replace it with your cutting unit. No need to overtighten! I just twisted the tool until it was hand-tight, then turned it counter-clockwise 2 notches for my blade depth. That's the one that seems to work for my machine. Don't forget to change your Slice setting back to 'cut'


^ I meant to take this pic while it said 'SHADOW' but I had already hit select. Anyway, realign your patterned paper on your cutting mat; place your Slice in the far left corner! Select 'SHADOW' and push 'SELECT' to make your cut.


^ This is what you get when you cut it out!


^ Using a fine sanding block, lay the block flat against your diecut and lightly sand the raised image.



^ And Voila! Here is your cute little embossed gingerbread man.


Hope you enjoyed today's tutorial. Now you all run out and buy yourselves some embossing tips.

Favorites

There's still a lot of action happening over at the A Muse News Blog during the Anniversary celebration. There are some adorable blinkies you can add to your blog and there's a fabulous card created by Jill that's posted today. Be sure to head on over! It's been so fun to see the winners. Will you be next??

I'm not sharing any old stamps with you today but I'm sharing some of my favorites. The clear Trees 1 and Trees 2 sets are definite must haves for any A Muse collection. The sentiments are great and the trees are so fun. Tiny Bird also just happens to coordinate quite nicely. 

My cousin's daughter is also having a birthday soon. I created this fun journal for her using the Making Memories Just Chillin girls line as well as my Slice. The letters spelling her name, though, are painted American Crafts Thickers. Those things are awesome! My LSS was out of the lime green ones so I bought the plain chipboard and painted them. What do you think? Perfect for a 12yr old? 

I'm the Slice Queen!

Hey, look! I'm the local Slice Queen! You want to take this class. You know you do. 

Two favorite things

Tonight is my first 'Fun with the Slice' class over at Lasting Memories. I have FULL class and even squeezed one extra person in. I am overwhelmed with the fantastic response and am so excited to get started! I have really been having lots of fun with my Slice and want everyone to love their Slice, too. As with any new machine there are a few glitches but most can be resolved by some basic troubleshooting. Do you have a Slice that you haven't played with yet? Let me recommend you start with a machine that has been fully charged overnight. The one hour recommendation in the booklet is really not good enough. 

To show you how much fun I'm having with my Slice I thought I'd show you a card I made the other day. I combined two very favorite things...my Slice and A Muse!!!! How could you go wrong with those two? Oh, and throw in some October Afternoon paper and you definitely have a sure thing going on! 

Don't forget, I have a Winter Greetings A Muse class over at Stampin-In-The-Rain next week and a Valentine class coming up shortly after that. You won't want to miss these! Hope to see you there!

Have a great weekend!

A Fond Farewell to 2008

It's been a fun year but I must say I'm looking forward to 2009. I'm happy to be leaving the snow behind (yay for 40 degree temps!). My Christmas decorations have already been put away, thanks to needing the space for a Pottery Barn find for my living room on the day after Christmas. Score!

One of the new adventures I'm jumping into for 2009 is my Fun with the Slice classes at Lasting Memories in Lynnwood, WA. I'm so excited to be a part of this fabulous store that I've been shopping at since they opened at least 10 years ago. My first class will be on Friday, Jan 9th from 6-8pm. Each month we will be highlighting a cartridge from the Making Memories Slice machine. There is a pre-requisite to taking my class, however. You can contact the store directly for details. If you are local and have a new Slice machine, come join me! See my sidebar for store contact info.

No need to fret, A Muse fans, because I'm not leaving you behind! I've got my first 2009 class samples already up at Stampin-In-The-Rain. We'll be making some fun Winter Greetings on Tues, Jan 13th from 6-8pm. I'll also be holding a fun Valentine class on Sunday, Jan 18th from 2-4pm but I can't show those samples yet. Sneak peeks of the new Sweet Shop release coming soon! Here's a sample of the Winter Greetings class. Again, see my side bar for store contact info.

Lastly, I'm still having fun with some new rubber from The Greeting Farm (aka Pink Poison). I picked up some fabulous paper at Lasting Memories and knew they'd be perfect with these stamps! Marie has set up a brand new gallery so be sure to check it out!

That's it for me today! I hope you all have a safe and happy new year!

Making Memories Slice Card

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, well all you Americans anyway, and got lots of Christmas shopping done. I shopped for 13hours on Black Friday! Can you believe that? Started at 5am at the local Fred Meyer, headed off to Target from there. Went home to drop some purchases off, then headed to the shopping mall. Went back home, off to Costco with the family. My friend, Amy, called me and wanted to hit the outlet mall so off I went there until 6pm. I got some shopping for my kids out of the way and managed to find some good deals for me, too. Two for them, one for me. Two for them, one for me. Yup, that's how my shopping went. LOL






Starting in January, I will be teaching classes at my LSS using the Making Memories Slice machine. Don't worry! I'll still be teaching my A Muse classes! The classes at Lasting Memories will be non-stamping and strictly teaching projects using the Slice machine. In order to get myself in gear, I've pulled my Slice out and made a few projects with it. One of those projects is this Christmas card. I used the owl from the Back to School cartridge, and the HoHoHo and Santa hat from the FaLaLa cartridge. The polka dot paper is from American Crafts while the notecard is from A Muse. You can't tell in the photo but I glittered up the white faux fur on the Santa hat so it's nice and sparkly. I'm not a huge die cut machine fan but I gotta say, I am really liking this little Slice machine. I hope they come out with lots of other cartridges for it.

Over on the A Muse News blog, they've started sharing some little Advent boxes that members of the Creative Team recently created. You've got a little while before you see my box but keep an eye on the blog daily as they'll post each day's box until Christmas.