one little spark ...

share your spark fridays ...

Happy Friday and Happy Halloween (again)!  It's my favorite day of the year.  Ah.  *laugh* 

Before we get to the spark (which is also an A Muse sneak peek!), I wanted to thank everyone who shared their spark two weeks ago by using their stamps in an "out of the box" way!

Tinla
Tracy
Laura
Nicole

Cute and clever!  Be sure to check 'em out!

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Today's spark, in honor of October 31st, is to ...

Make something using numbers!

If you've been reading the ol' blog here for a while, you probably know I love A Muse's Birthday Builders set (used on this card).  I think numbers are such a versatile thing to have in your stampin' arsenal.  So I was REALLY excited to see the new set, Cupcake Builders, would have it's own set of smaller numbers!  You knew I'd make something with "31" today, didn't you?  *wink*

 
So easy, so fun!  The new set has lots of cupcake wrappers and icing ... not to mention lots to decorate the cupcakes with!  I love it!  And see those numbers?  I'm really excited about those!

  
And one last touch on top of the flag ... the tiny pumpkin!  Makes a perfect finial, dontcha' think?

Now it's your turn!  I'm really looking forward to seeing what you guys make using numbers this week!  And don't forget to share your spark by leaving a comment on this post with a link to what you create!

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a*muse stamps used ...
cupcake builders set (available online November 3rd)
tiny pumpkin
happy halloween dl

paper ...
a*muse kitchen black 4 bar notecard
a*muse orange crush solid notecard (orange layer)
a*muse vintage orange 4 bar notecard

ink ...
memento tuxedo black

embellishment ...
a*muse orange crush grosgrain stitched ribbon
glitter

happy halloween ...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
 It's the MOST wonderful tiiiime ... of the year!

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Check back shortly for share your spark fridays AND an A Muse sneak peek!

more october daily ...

I wanted to share a bit more of my October album with you today!  But first ...  
... a pic of Dave and I taken a couple of days ago in Old Saybrook, CT.  We stopped here 14 years ago on our honeymoon.  And today is our 14th wedding anniversary.  Crazy.  I can't believe it's been that long - seems like yesterday.

On to the October Daily!

Day 2 ...
 

This is the back of the day 2 page.  The spider web "button" is covering the back of the number on the other side.  I'm really likin' how the different pages and elements show through the clear bits!  

Day 3 ... this was a flash card I cut to fit the book.  

I sized my photo to the size of the flashcard, added a journaling tag, and day three was done!  

Day 4 envelope ...  

I have two photos, back to back, inside the envelope.  

I did the journaling right on the photo before I printed it. 

Day 5 ... 

  
And the day 5 photo ... journaled on the photo before printing on this one too!  I'm really liking it!

Also ... check out Victoria's book!  She's making great progress on hers as well!  Lara, Mom ... haven't seen pics of your books in a while!  *wink* 

I'll share more of the October Daily soon!  In the meantime, Ali Edward's has started posting about her December Daily for this year!  It's gorgeous!  be sure to check it out!  This has been a surprisingly easy way to scrapbook!

greetings from philadelphia ...

... where I'm stranded in the airport waiting on the weather to clear (and hoping that my already delayed flight isn't canceled).

I've been at home 24 hours since the 10th of October and am starting to really look forward to my own bed.  At least for a few days.  And then I hit the road again!  I'm headin' back to ...

 
A Muse! Should be tons of fun! 

I've got a lot to share once I'm home!  Visits to The Paper Tree in Manchester, NH and Colorful Creations in Hyannis!  Not to mention tons of photos from the pumpkin fest (which was just way too cool), Salem, MA, and Disney.  AND ... photos of my October Daily book!  It's shaping up nicely! 

Talk to you soon!

 

i've been a bad, bad blogger ...

 
I'm still on the road - tonight I'm in New Hampshire.  And what's all that in the photo behind Dave and I?  A GIANT tower of Jack-o-Lanterns at the Keene Pumpkin Festival.  O.M.G.  A little slice of heaven for me.  (And that wasn't even the half of 'em!) 

So last night I'm sittin' with Jen and Lara (yep, got to meet Jen - yay!) and I realize ... I haven't posted my spark.  Ugh.  By that time it was late.  Like - 10PM or so late.  And I wasn't gonna' be back to Lara's house until even later.  Thus, the absence of spark-ness yesterday - which I apologize for.  BUT ... I will be HOME (home sweet home!) soon and I'll catch right back up by this Friday!

More photos to come in the next week!

one little spark - the shop ...

I've been teaching at Mom's the past few days and finally have photos to share!

How cute are these?  Mom made candy wrappers with the shop logo ... 

Shelves with Halloween and Christmas stamps ...

Cute samples on mini pedestals.  Just like the ones I have on my mantel at home ... 

It's fun to see some of my cards on display!  

  

More A Muse cuteness ...  

  
Gotta' love Boris ...

I've been having a good time in the shop, teaching, and meeting lots of new folks!  I'll be here again Monday, so if you're in the area stop by and say hello! 

just saying hello ...

I was back in the air today, winging my way to Mom's.  Bumpy, bumpy flight.  Ick.  Hate that.  Folks always seemed surprised to hear that with all the traveling I do, that I hate to fly.  Seriously.  I detest it!  And when air travel gets bouncy and bumpy like it did today - makes me wonder why I ever subject myself to it.  *laugh*  But ... onto the cards!

It's rare when I make a card that isn't stamped, but I'd been at a crop and had seen someone using ths owl die (by Quickutz) to make cards with and fell in love!   Cutting the owl was easy peasy, placed it on patterned paper from Scenic Route, and stamped the cute A Muse greeting! 

I get my first in person look at Mom's new shop tomorrow!  You know I'll be taking pics!  Will share those soon!

Have a great day!  

  

home sweet home ...

Blog-interruptus-because-of-vacation is now over.  *laugh*

Photo taken with my phone somewhere between Florida and Colorado ... 

Got home from Florida late last night.  Disney was great and Ella was a cutie - she was at such a great age for the trip!  Towards the end of the trip her stuffed animals started telling us that they wanted to live at Disney World.  (I guess she was none too happy when John and Emily had the "we're not moving here, we're just on vacation" talk with her about mid-week).  *laugh*  I took a bunch of photos and will share some soon.

I was supposed to fly out to Mom's today, but one of my eyes is giving me a bit of trouble and is swollen and icky, so I adjusted my flight to leave tomorrow. 

I guess that means I should get back to the laundry, the re-packing, and class prep!  And ... if you emailed over the last week, I'm just now starting to catch up, but you should be hearing from me soon!

hello again ...

Ella has now, twice, said that her favorite thing about Disney World is ... everything.  *grin*

Since I last checked in Ella has proven to be a dare-devil.  She's 4 and loves all the "big people" rides she's been tall enough to go on : especially Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (for the non-Disney folks out there - it's a roller coaster).  We've ridden that one twice now and I see more in our future.  *smile*  Although, I think what she really likes about it is being able to scream!  *laugh*

I've been taking lots of photos and will share more when I have more time!  Hope you guys are having a great week too!

 

saying hello ...

Greetings from Florida!

 

It's great to see John, Emily, and Ella.  We haven't seen them for nearly three months since their move (which is the longest we've gone without seeing 'em for the past 5 years or so, I think).  We stayed up WAY too late last night jabbering.

Ella is 4 and the perfect age for a Disney trip!  We'd gone to Disneyland Paris with her a couple of times, which was great, but there's something about this trip - she's more aware and stuff makes her so darn happy.

Dave and John ... well, they're just fun guys.  And funny.  Today, they made "Elsie faces" for photos AND hula'd with Ella in front of a crowd of people.  I have video.  Will share.  *laugh*

It's hot.  We're beat.  =)

More soon!