July Blog Hop

Welcome to my A Muse team's July Blog Hop! You should have arrived here from Lama Tales Don't you just love what Lianna did with her shell card?

My card this time around is a baby girl card - I realized that I had all these baby boy cards ready for the next baby boy born in my circle, but no girl cards! Maybe it's the fact that I have two boys myself, I don't know, but it was fun to put together something super girlie and feminine (um, totally me!).

All products used in this card are from A Muse Studio...even the ribbon this time around. (: I chose a mod color combination, with the pink and orange, and kept it simple with the sweet pink crib and sentiment, "welcome, little one."

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My blog is last on the hop, but feel free to start again at the beginning at Kathy's blog: Bits and Pieces...the soft, subtle colors she used for her coastal themed card are just gorgeous!

Let Freedom Ring!

Last weekend, my neighbor introduced me to her son, who is in the service and is home from Iraq for a couple of weeks.  The proud look on her face, and his upright stance and confident smile made me reflect on the freedoms that are mine that I sometimes take for granted.  I often pray for the men and women that are serving in our armed forces, but meeting someone face to face who has made a conscious decision to fight for my freedom is inspiring.  


Have you heard of the butterfly effect?  The theory that the flapping of a single butterfly's wings can set in motion a series of events that could lead to a meteorological event as large as a hurricane?  There have been movies, especially those involving time travel, that reference this theory.  And I've heard this term used to cite how a single person can effect huge, mind-boggling change in his own life, the lives of others, the eventuality of a cause.  


I was thinking how living in the country that I do, with the freedoms that I have, allows me to set in motion changes that many do not have the opportunity to make.  I can be that butterfly because of the freedom I have here in the United States.  And that freedom survives and thrives because of people, like my neighbor's son, who make their lives about protecting it.  

An appropriate day to post this, I was inspired to make this card for him, and wondered if any of you out there would be inspired to make cards to thank our service men and women who are currently serving our country and protecting our freedom.  If you are, I'd love to hear from you - comment, post your card, and link it here so we can see!  Thank you...  

Look What I Made With A Muse Spotlight Stamps & Paper!

I was trying to come up with something fun for my guests to create at my A Muse Studio kick-off event on Saturday (at my place - stamp camp style) using the June/July Spotlight stamps and paper.  And these two cards are what I came up with!

All (but the vanilla) paper is from the "Seaglass" specialty pack and the stamps are all from the "Life's a Breeze" stamp set.  

Twine is Divine Twine from The Baker's Confections (which, by the way, is AWESOME to work with - the shop, not the twine...although, the twine is awesome too)!

A Muse Studio Spotlight

The June spotlight is NOW available at the A Muse Studio Spotlight.  What does this mean?  It means savings for you!  There are several stamp sets on sale from now until July 15th - a full 10% off.  In keeping with summertime fun, the sets available are all beach-y themed (love them!)...PLUS, there is a special assortment of paper A Muse put together called "Seaglass" and includes all the soothing colors of the beach.  Check it out!  (Be warned, though: it might just make you want a beach vacation...I know I do now.)
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Father's Day is JUST Around the Corner

This post is dual purpose - first, I'm entering this card into Mark's Finest Papers Blog challenge #59...for a Father's Day card.  This is my first sale on Etsy (and my subsequent 3 thereafter!), so I thought it might be fun to enter into the challenge.  


Second, I wanted to make an offer on my Father's Day cards offered at my Etsy shop - Father's Day is next Sunday, and time is running short to get those Father's Day cards out to Dad.  So, if you've got a personal message you'd like for me to include in your card, I can type and print it out (or handwrite it, if you like), and include it in your card.  It can then be sent directly to Dad, and your shipping will be free!  Start shopping at Branch and Sky today and I'll get your card(s) in the mail tomorrow.  


Happy shopping!  


(BTW - All stamps used in the above card are from A Muse Studio.)

My First Blog Hop!

OK, so here it is...the first time I've participated in a blog hop!  You should have arrived here from Kari Cards (don't you love her style???) or you may start at the beginning of the blog here - http://cleanandsimplecards.com/.  

My card is made with all A Muse Studio products, save the organdy ribbon (I'm realizing now that A Muse Studio ribbon has got to be next on my purchase list - it's so adorable, and I'd like to have some of each kind to demo at my classes).  

Stamps - beautiful botanicals (p. 26), loving memories (p. 10)
Paper - sugar, blackberry, heather (p. 86-87)
Ink - blackberry (p. 86)
Embellishments - large A Muse sugar pearl stickers (p. 93) and white organdy ribbon (A Muse's sugar organdy ribbon is found on p. 94), dimensionals
Tools - Big shot (p. 103), labels set dies (p. 98)


I used the queen anne's lace from the beautiful botanicals set, stamping it 3 times, without re-inking.  This was stamped on sugar paper - I then cut the flowers into a 2.75" x 4.25" card and matted it against blackberry paper.  Tied the white organdy ribbon around it and affixed it to the A2 card (sugar), placing it close to the upper left hand corner.  I then cut the label using my dies and Big Shot, and stamped the "with deepest sympathy" sentiment on it.  I attached the label using 3D foam adhesive in the lower right hand corner.  For a finishing touch, I used the pearl stickers - another first for me.  Love how delicate they look and how they draw the eye upwards.  Inside is blank.  I really enjoyed digging into all my A Muse Studio products...I think I may do this card as a demo for my open house the end of the month.


Next up on the blog hop...check out Ronnie's card at "So Many Stamps, So Little Time".  What a sweet little scene she made using all stamps from the A Muse Studio starter kit!

Check out Perfectly Pretty's Great Blog Giveaway!

Fun blog to check out anyway and Carly is giving away a Shabby Apple lighthouse dress...head on over to Perfectly Pretty and check it out!