one little spark ...

share your spark fridays ...

Happy 4th of July!  And welcome to this special holiday edition of share your spark fridays!

Before I tell you what I have in store for you this week, I want to thank everyone who shared their spark last week by creating something in red, white, and blue!  And ... a big welcome to those participating for the first time!  Thank you all!

Gina
Holly
Tracy
Geeta
Pat
Christine
Emily
Michele
Jen
Dawn
Rachel (who submitted two!)

Every week there's such fun stuff and lots of inspiration.  Be sure to check 'em out!

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Now on to this week's spark!

Create something using patterned paper!

There are SO many fun options for this one!  Here's what I made ...

In addition to using patterned paper on the bottom of the orange notecard, I also used a scrap to paper piece the cushions on the chairs.

Now it's your turn!  I'm looking forward to seeing what you create this week using patterned paper!  And don't forget to share your spark by leaving a comment on this post with a link to your creations!  Happy Stamping!

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a*muse stamps used ...
chair line
just because

paper ...
a*muse orange notecard
basic grey

embeliishment ...
a*muse black stitched grosgrain ribbon

ink ...
real black versacraft pigment ink

 

 

late day spark ...

I haven't forgotten, but it will be late today! Happy 4th!

the a*muse magic keyword game ...

You guys are cracking me up with your comments on the A Muse Magic Keyword Games over on the A*MUSE*A*PALOOZA blog!  I'm glad you're enjoying the game!

(If you don't know what I'm talking about you can check it out on the A*MUSE*A*PALOOZA Blog!)

congratulations ...

It dawned on me this morning that I've been a bit MIA this week ...  I've been working on some A Muse stuff that I can't quite show you yet (but so worth the wait) and preparing for a visit from the in-laws.  So yeah, lots of house cleaning that was neglected in June.  *laugh*

But I still wanted to share something with you ... this congratualtions card!  I was going for an all-purpose congrats card.  New job, new house, nearly anything you want to offer congratulations for.  And it's on an orange A Muse notecard.  My favorite! 

Check out the gold Twinkle Stickers in the center of the flowers!  I really like doing that.  Adds just that little something extra! 

Hope you guys are enjoying a less busy week than I seem to be having!  *wink*

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a*muse stamps used ...
wheelbarrow
congratulations

paper ...
a*muse kitchen collection notecard in orange
a*muse white cardstock
black cardstock [from my scrap stash]

ink ...
real black versacraft pigment ink

copic original markers used ...
e37 sepia
b41 powder blue
y13 lemon yellow
yr16 apricot

share your spark fridays ...

Happy Friday, all!  And welcome to another installment of share your spark fridays!

Before I get to this week's spark, I want to thank everyone who shared their spark last week by making a card using only a sentiment!

Sheila
Pat
Tracy
Gina
Holly
Tisha

Be sure to check out the links and leave 'em a little blog love!  *smile*

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Now on to this week's spark!  This time of year I get really excited about summer and July's patriotic holiday fun.  So this week's spark is to ...

Create something using a red, white, and blue color palette!

It could be 4th of July, summer ... anything red, white, and blue!

The starry background I used here is one of my all-time favorite A Muse stamps.  I use it for tons of different occassions and with lots of different stamps!

As you can see a little better here, Lady Liberty is cut out and slightly overlaps the night sky.   The larger stars also have a wee bit of glitter (added with a glue pen).  The final touch is a bit of bling on her torch!

Now it's your turn!  I'm looking forward to seeing your red, white, and blue masterpieces!  And don't forget to share your spark by leaving a comment on this post with a link to your creations!  Happy Stamping!

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a*muse stamps used ...
lady liberty
starry night
"thank you" ma

paper ...
a*muse swiss red notecard
a*muse white cardstock
a scrap of black from my stash

embellishment ...
a*muse creative candy twinkle sticker
glitter

ink ...
real black versacraft pigment ink
paris dusk memento dye ink

life is good ...

This is one of my all-time favorite card creations!  I really like the look of the lime green and blue together!  And the sparkly waves!  It was also a recent A Muse card of the week (from the A Muse newsletter).

 

just because ...

Back to crafty goodness today!   Today I'm stamping AND cleaning my crafty space!  Jinkies ... what a job that's gonna' be.  *laugh*

After the coloring the water blue, I added shimmer with a Quickie Glue Pen and glitter!

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a*muse stamps used ...
tiny bird
birdbath
just because

paper ...
a*muse bluebird notecard
a*muse white cardstock
black scrap from stash

embellishment ...
a*muse black stitched grosgrain
super fine glitter

copic original markers used ...
b34 manganese blue
w2 warm grey number 2
y13 lemon yellow

photos from europe - part two ...

I think this is some kind of record: 14 days worth of photos edited in three days.  Whoo hoo!  I've added the rest of the photos to the photos of europe album on the right.  If you looked through them after yesterday's post, click here to pick up where yesterday's left off! 

Our last day in Italy was spent on islands in the Venetian lagoon.  On Murano we saw cool glass sculptures and a million and one shops selling jewelry made from glass beads the island is known for.  Then onto Burano, all by boat, where we walked the entire island photographing the colorful houses.  

The next day we drove from Venice to to Colmar, France where we were booked into one of the "most romantic hotels in France."  (Thanks, Dave!)  *laugh*  It's also where we got a severe case of the giggles and feared explusion from the tiny, quiet hamlet. 

Our trip comes to a close with a few hours in Strasbourg, France.  We ate, visited the HUGE cathedral in  this photo, and shopped for chocolate and lemon candies.

 
And that's all folks!  I hope you've enjoyed the photos!   

photos from europe - part one ...

Have I mentioned how happy I am to be home? 

Europe is a wonderful, amazing place - and I miss living there more than I can probably express, but even though it still FEELS like home, it isn't.  And despite the fun Michelle and I had, the cool things we saw, and the opportunity to get back to shooting in Europe again ... getting home to Dave and the kitty is pretty spectacular.  *smile*

But I've been excited to share photos from the trip with you too! 

We spent a VERY long day near my old digs in Germany.  Saw a small castle ruin, ran errands in some local shops, and ate in one of my favorite restaurants.  And then we crashed.  Hard. 

 
We had a great time in Paris (and discovered that we're apparently VERY appealing to little old French men).  We saw D Day Celebrations under the Arc de Triomphe, had dinner on the Champs d'Elysees (that we barely touched because we were so tired), shopped for cookware in Les Halles, went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, wandered the Latin Quarter, had a picnic lunch under the Eiffel Tower, and sat for hours near Les Invalides eating cheese and bread and people watching. 

 
The drive from the French Alps into Italy and on to Rome was nothing short of spectacular in the scenery department (when we weren't in a tunnel).  We had a super breakfast stop in a little Alpine town and then were on to Italy ...

... where we drove along beautiful coastlines!  Even saw the leaning tower of Pisa before the day ended.

Rome was a little tough to wrap my brain around.  I mean ... we went to the Vatican, sat in the Sistine Chapel,  walked through Roman ruins, and spent an hour or so in the Colosseum.  It's almost too much to to comprehend.  The history  The art.  Amazing.  Navigating the city is another thing altogether.  It's a nightmare.  And it nearly got the best of us.  *laugh*

And then ... Venice.  Such a weird, wonderful place.  We had an adorable apartment with a door onto the Grand Canal where we sat and waved to boats.  It rained and we walked in it.  Consumed large amounts of gelato and diavolo pizza (spicy pepperoni).  Met a group of twenty-somethings who told us we were cool for old people. Michelle let flying rats crawl on her in St. Mark's Square.  We bought sweatshirts because it was cold.  And ate at Harry's Bar.

And this is where part one ends ...

Two weeks provides for a LOT of photos!  There were so many I wanted to share that I've set up a little album over there on the right - photos from europe.  It includes photos through our first night in Venice right now.  I'll post part two in the next day or two (more photos from Italy and France).

Hope you enjoy!

share your spark fridays ...

Hello again!  Share your spark fridays took an unexpected hiatus while I was away (the posts I'd scheduled before leaving didn't go off as planned).  I know I'm not the only one about to pull their hair out over Typepad's ongoing issues, so let's get on with the fun stuff!

Before I get to this week's spark, I want to thank everyone who shared their spark for the last challenge by creating cards with a circular element!

Hev
Holly
Jen
Kim
Tracy
Sheila
Pat
Lee Anne
Kathy

Be sure to check out their designs!  Lots of fun stuff!

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Now on to this week's spark!  Which is ...

Design a card where the only stamping done is a sentiment!

Here's what I came up with ...

Easy peasy!  Now it's your turn!  I can't wait to see what you create this week!  Don't forget to share your spark by leaving a comment on this post with a link to your creations!

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a*muse stamps used ...
"a little note" from stitched garden set

paper ...
a*muse orange crush notecard
a*muse pink kitchen collection notecard (scrap)
a*muse papaya notecard (scrap)

embellishments ...
a*muse lime peel grosgrain stitched ribbon

ink ...
real black versacraft pigment ink