Cheers to you!

Baseball games, school events, and travel have taken up my month of May, leaving me little time to craft. It's a good thing I planned my June 5th classes early or I'd be scrambling about now. I thought it might be fun to show you a masculine card since Father's Day is coming soon and who knows, maybe you have a male birthday coming up that you need a card for.

I made this card using a recessed window technique. I used a square Nestability die on the onyx cardstock to create the window and layered some sugar cardstock behind it. All that was layered onto a wheat card base. Next, I created a mask for the hotdog image, then stamped the hotdog on some scrap cardstock, then masked it and stamped the beer mug. The images were then colored with Copics, cut out, and adhered to the window with dimensionals. The sentiment was stamped with a sugar pigment pad then embossed with white EP (embossing powder).

all supplies from a*muse | studio

An easy peasy male card without ribbons or frilly things!

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.

Hey, Man!

all supplies from a☻muse | studio

I wanted to post about my upcoming "Hey, Man!" class last week, but Blogger was not cooperating. Boo!!! So glad it is working now! I've got 5 fun projects lined up for this class and one of them is bound to fit the guy in your life. Samples are already at the A Muse shop so be sure to stop by and check them out! Sign up soon as space is limited.

You see that golf themed project in the above picture? Well, the picture below is what the inside of that project looks like. I had to borrow these golf tees for props since my own husband doesn't golf but I know this project will still come in handy for other males I know who do golf. Super cool, huh?!

Con-grad-ulations!!

Paper: a muse | studio Onyx, Sugar cardstock

Ink: a muse | studio Onyx, Blackberry

Silver brad: a muse | studio

Gold cord: unknown source

Stamps: con-grad-ulations cling set

My buddy, Jill, is super busy with some other things so she asked me to be a guest designer for her blog today. I thought I'd share this fun graduation card. Various versions of this card can be found on the internet but I wanted to keep it clean and simple. Cuz that's the way I like it. Uh huh, uh huh. (picture disco dancing emoticon here)

• To create this card, cut Onyx cardstock to 4.25 x 9.75". Score at 5.5"
• With the long side across the top, make a small pencil mark at 2 1/8" to the left and right of the score line.
• Repeat this step on the other side.
• With the short side at the top, make a diagonal score line from the top left pencil mark to the bottom right pencil mark.
• Make a diagonal score line from the top right pencil mark to the bottom left pencil mark.
• With the short side still at the top, mark the center with a small pencil mark (again at 2 1/8")
• Trim off the left and right corners to create a point in the center by using the center mark as a guide and cutting to the top left and top right score marks.
• Fold the center section in. This creates your grad cap.
• Create a tassle using embroidery floss or cording.
• Mark the center of the grad cap and attach the tassle with a brad. I use a paper piercer to make the hole.
• Cut another piece of paper to 2 7/8" square.
• Stamp your sentiment (I used school colors) and cap image, then adhere to the inside of the card so it covers your brad.

See? Fun!! Thanks for allowing me to be your guest, Jill!!

Coffee Happy Hour

All supplies from a●muse | studio

Paper: French Roast, Cherry, Sugar

Ink: Bubblegum, Cherry, French Roast, Memento Tuxedo Black

Cherry button, twine

Stamps: Cup of Good Wishes, Mad for Plaids

Copics

Did you know Starbucks currently has a Frappucino Happy Hour going on? Every day through the 15th of May from 3-5pm, Frappucinos are half off! I must say, I've been enjoying it almost daily. I stick with a tall to help keep the calorie count down a bit. So, here's to you... a cup of good wishes!

Please, someone send the sunshine!!

all supplies from a●muse | studio. Purchase here

It's been so beautiful the past few days here in the PNW but today, I woke up to gray skies. Booo!!!!!! Please, someone send the sunshine!!! I need it back! We have been so water logged over here we still have a lot of drying out to do. Yesterday, someone told me we had more snow in the mountains on May 1 than we did on April 1. That's crazy! Sure is beautiful to look at the snow covered mountains on a beautiful sunny day, though. Yup, that's why I need the sun back. To enjoy the scenery.

Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger

Hullabaloo Polka Dot Steel Blue Fabric from Moda

via www.moxiefabworld.com

I actually had a chance to participate in the Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger Challenge, thanks to it being a two week challenge this time. For some reason the trigger image inspired me to want to make a baby card with a circus elephant but I didn't have any stamps of circus elephants! So, I made do with a birthday card instead. Always in need of birthday cards, right?!

all supplies from a●muse | studio, which you can purchase here

I stamped the medium polka dot from the Polka Dot Patterns set using a●muse | studio's Slate pigment ink across the bottom of the Winter Sky notecard base. Then, I stamped the word 'celebrate' using Onyx pigment ink. On a piece of scrap paper I stamped and colored (with Copics) the slice of birthday cake image from the A Very Merry Un-Birthday set, then cut it out and adhered it with a pop-dot. Lastly, I used the banner die to cut a banner, then hand cut little triangles using various patterned cardstock. Fun, don't you think?!