back to the drawing board

 
[larger image is right here.]

 

i found a new-to-me monthly challenge to participate in - the a muse lounge challenges. this month is all about holidays in july - so here's my holiday card. the around the town buildings are my favorite stamps by a muse - i think i have all of them now. and speaking of a muse - i was very lucky a few weekends ago. i went to a stamp store in ct to check out the new a muse stamps. i bought a couple, of course, and my name was put into a drawing for a prize package from a muse. and guess what - yep, i won (:

cardstock: bazzill [kraft], doodlebug designs [ladybug/sugar coated];  stamp: a muse [toy shop/wood mounted]; ink: tsukineko [tuxedo black/memento dye ink]; markers: copic [r27, y11, y13, g07, n0, n2, n7/sketch]; tool: fiskars [apron lace/border punch]; font: two peas in a bucket [plain jane].

 

saturday was all about shopping in midtown. started off at eden gallery and bought one of dganit blechner's canvas prints. i really wanted the mona lisa one that i had seen earlier in the week, but of course it was gone by the time i came back to get it. so i had to settle for einstein. then a quick stop at tiffany's, on to tourneau for a new watch for drk, and then kate's for me. as for today, it was a bronx zoo sort of day.

cardstock: neenah [classic solar white];  stamp: shinzi katoh [new york stamp set]; ink: tsukineko [tuxedo black/memento dye ink]; markers: copic [b06 & e25/sketch]; other: [machine stitching].

 

cardstock: bazzill [kraft]; paper: pink paislee [green/bayberry cottage 6x6 paper pad], [scraps of polka dot papers], [old dictionary page]; stamp: studio calico [buttons/clear]; ink: tsukineko [tuxedo black/memento dye ink]; tools: r memory keepers [crop-a-dile corner chomper], creative memories [circle punches], stampin' up [star punch] other: [buttons, hemp cord, machine stitching].

 

i have a drawer, actually it's one of these trays, and it sits under my scrap table. this tray is beginning to overflow with random bits left over from other projects, and i just can't bring myself to throw out these random bits.  therefore, i have decided that this tray must be empty by the end of summer break. that leaves me about 6 more weeks to make as many cards as possible out of these random thingies. this mini-card here - it's about 2.5"x4" - i put together during the first five minutes of true blood the other night. i consider it a sin to multi-task during true blood, so i threw this one together as quick as i possibly could.

cardstock: bazzill [white/canvas texture, kraft]; paper: sassafras lass [piccadilly/pocket full of rosies collection], [green tissue paper]; stamps: hero arts [vertical clouds/wood mounted]; ink: tsukineko  [pearlescent sky blue/brilliance pigment ink]; paper accent: american crafts [orange butterfly]; wire: darice [20-gauge copper wire]; embroidery floss: dmc [brown].

 

the 3 winners of the huge prize have been posted here -- be sure to check and see if you are 1 of the 3. and purple onion designs is having an anniversary sale. 25% off all stamps through next monday. both stamps i used today are pod stamps -- the butterfly & the round scallop ledger.

cardstock: bazzill [mystique/grasscloth texture]; paper: scraps; stamps: purple onion designs [vintage butterfly set & round scallop ledger]; markers: copic [rv23, 25 & 29/sketch]; ink: [tuxedo black/memento dye ink]; chipboard: bazzill [circle/bazzill chips]; wire: darice [20-gauge copper wire]; punch: stampin' up [scallop circle] other: [clear rhinestone & machine stitching].

[click here to see my card a bit bigger.]

 

it's a blog hop: paper crafts magazine style -- or rather card style. the card i made especially for today is an example of clean lines, white space and a simple treatment of text which all = a clean & graphic style. and lucky for you, 17 more mystery card makers are participating in today's card style blog hop -- so lots more inspiration in all 4 card styles to be had. the card style logo down below will take you to the next mystery blog in the card style hop.

my card style: so obviously clean & graphic is one of my go-to styles, but i'm not exclusive -- i flirt with fun & cute as well. when i started planning my cards for this issue i took a step back to really think about my style -- i came to the conclusion i'm a bit clean & graphic and a bit fun & cute all mixed together. so as i was putting my cards together i really had to focus on each style being sure to keep the clean & graphic cards graphicy and the fun & cute cards cutesy.

and now the next mystery blog: find more card style inspiration by clicking on the card style logo  --> but, before you go...

comment to win: tell me -- does your card style fall nicely into one of the four styles featured in card style? or are you a combination of two or more styles? or do you have a style all your own? paper crafts magazine is giving away a prize package (valued at at over $350 and can be seen here and here) to 3 lucky people who leave a comment on any of the 18 mystery blogs, the paper crafts connection blog, and/or the moxie fab world blog. add it up and you have up to 20 chances to be one of the 3 winners. all comments must be posted by the end of the day sunday, july 18th and the winners will be announced on the paper crafts connection blog and the moxie fab world blog on tuesday, july 20th. good luck!!

 

cardstock: neenah [classic solar white], bazzill [sunflowers medium & desert coral medium/prismatics texture, evening surf/grass cloth texture]; paper: studio calico [flyer found inside my package]; stamps: unity stamp company [flowers/together we bloom], hampton art [thank you sentiment/studio g clear stamp]; ink: ranger ink [jet black/archival ink]; brads: queen & company [black/mini brads].

 

i've been waiting for like 6 months to see this special issue magazine. if you haven't had a chance to visit the paper crafts connection blog or the moxie fab world blog this week well you should soon. both blogs are discussing this special issue and giving away free copies, and there are challenges, with prizes, for each card style. i was lucky enough to have cards chosen for both the fun & cute style along with the clean & graphic style. one of my clean & graphic cards was shown on the moxie fab world blog yesterday - check it out here. so today i've decided to show off my favorite fun & cute card that appears in card style. if you haven't  yet stumbled upon this special issue at your local bookstore you can buy it online here. and don't forget to play along with the challenges!! [ps: ellie email me your address and i'll send you the chipboard words.]