Thursday, July 26, 2007

Time for a Little Monkey Business!



So, I just realized I haven't written on here in a while. Whoops! To make it up to you, let me show you what I've been working on. Here are some cupcakes I made to celebrate a co-worker passing probation. I made the toppers using a stamp I got when I was in Japan a few years ago, just before the Year of the Monkey. Aren't they cute? There are actually three monkeys on the stamp, but I masked them off and did the two end ones. I think these cupcakes (and the matching card) were pretty cute. Yummy too! Enjoy!




Sunday, July 15, 2007

One More for the Road

So, here is my last card for Amuseapalooza. It's been a fun ride, and I've really enjoyed the opportunity to play. Thanks Amuse!

With a Bow on It. . .

Here's one that would fall into several categories in the Amuseapalooza challenges: use of ribbon, black ink, new stamp, punch, you name it. I have a feeling that "You're cool" will also come in very useful in the future. Enjoy!

What's Missing?

Okay, so I feel like something is missing on this card. What is it? A mat, perhaps? This one might just be subject to some re-designing.


Useful for All Occasions

So, I think this card would be useful for almost any occasion. After all, who doesn't love a bear holding balloons?

I Love Simple!

And I love the new "Let's Chat!" sentiment too. It's going to go great with my chair and lamp, my phone, etc. etc. etc. Can you tell I'm excited about it? Enjoy!

Keepin' It Simple

Hi there!

Here's another simple card. I am totally getting in touch with my margarita-drinkin' self tonight. Love that stamp! Sentiment by the Cat's Pajamas. Enjoy!


A Scene (or A Different Use of New Stamps)


So, I was wracking my brain trying to come up with an new use for my new stamp Edward when it occurred to me that he might need a home. After all, where do snowmen go at night? So, I gave him a home. The chair and lamp are courtesy of Amuse, the tree by Penny Black.


I Just Couldn't Stay Away!

So, after writing up my review of the Amuseapalooza event in Sunnyvale, I decided I couldn't let the week get away from me without seeing the new Amuse stamps one more time. This time, I drove two hours in the OTHER direction, north to Sacramento. The Paper Garden was where Linda had held court on Monday and Tuesday, but I couldn't deal with the thought of fighting the traffic to get there, so I chose Sunnyvale.







Well, when I arrived, I realized what an amazing opportunity I had missed out on. The store was super-cute, and full of brilliant ideas and cards. There were Amuse stamps on every rack, and
even some of the ones I had seen on the Amuseapalooza blog.





The owner, Stephanie, was behind the counter, and she was really nice and friendly. It sounds like the party Monday was quite the scene. As part of the Amuseapalooza week of fun at Paper Garden, there was a make-and-take, which was sweet.


And of course I ended up with more Amuse stamps. After all, how would I enter the last few challenges without them, right?! (Just don't tell my husband!)



In short, I had a wonderful time at the Paper Garden, and I look forward to going back there for more Amuse stamps.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Amuse Mania Hits the San Francisco Bay Area!

On Monday, July 9, I attended my local Amuseapalooza event in Sunnyvale, CA hosted by Stamp On Over. Stamp On Over is a very unique rubber stamp store in that it is actually in a craft mall, Cranberry Hill Mercantile.



After the two hour drive from where I live, I was ecstatic to see the signs posted on the door:


We had arrived in heaven! The stamps were out and man, were they cute! It was hard not to put them all in my basket. In between my attempts to scour the racks for my favorites, there were a ton of desserts to nibble on, from cakes to fruit. However, the chocolate fountain was the star of the dessert table. There were marshmallows and strawberries to dip in the chocolate, and it was absolutely delicious!




About half an hour after the party began, the make-and-take tables started up. There were three projects to do, and they were all very different. Kudos to the staff of Stamp on Over for coming up with stamping projects that weren't cards, for a bit of variety! The first project I did was an adorable purse. It used the Amuse Pinwheel as its closure and the sentiment "A Treat for You," and it held a single chocolate candy.



The next project I did was a mini candy cup. It involved a bit of origami, but I thought it was a very inventive way to package small treats. I'll definitely keep it in mind at Christmas. Check out the directions they so neatly posted for us to refer to! (The finished product is in the bottom right corner.)


Finally, there was a beautiful lunch pail project. Because it was so popular, they had to do a waiting list, so we ended up taking the supplies home and making it. It was gorgeous nonetheless!



All in all, I could not have been happier. The make-and-takes were interesting, the mood light and fun, and it was just great to get together with other Amuse enthusiasts to celebrate the new release. Thank you to the ladies at Stamp on Over for a great event!

A Non-Stamping Post


For a friend's bridal shower, I had a very distinct vision in my head of the gift tag's sentiment. Only problem was, I have never seen salt and pepper shaker stamps. So, what did I do? I drew them! Here's my bad attempt at drawing salt and pepper shakers. What do you think?

Pocket Card


Here's a pocket card I did for another Amuseapalooza challenge. The pirate image on the outside of the pocket is Cat's Pajamas, but the sand castle and the "hello!" stamp are both Amuse. Enjoy!

Friday, July 13, 2007

New Stamps!


Here is a card I made using new stamps from Amuse. Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Here's Another Pair


So, I guess I'm really rolling now! Here is my second entry for the Amuseapalooza challenge. This one uses Amuse's cake slice, which I just love. Although it's simple, I also like the way the cards turned out. So much so, that I made more than one. You never can have too many basic birthday cards! Enjoy!

Wow!


So, it seems that Amuseapalooza has jumpstarted my creative drive. I'm all about stamping right now! The latest challenge is all about simple, and I'm down for it. This card was made using a Whale of a Punch tag, Amuse stamps, and May Arts ribbon. Enjoy!


Monday, July 9, 2007



After being away from stamping for a while due to wedding planning, going to Amuseapalooza today totally inspired me. Although it's last minute, here's my submission for today's challenge, 9 stamps on a card. Using the 9 dot card totally made sense to me, and the animal clear stamps fit the bill. I think this would be a great card from a group to an individual, maybe someone moving or a birthday. Enjoy!