one little spark ...

ella: the wrap-up ...

It's been a busy week.  Keeping up with a 4 yeard old is no small task - especially for those who don't do it on a day-to-day basis. 

• We played in the sprinkler and had picnics.
• We played mini golf - Ella talked about it for two days.
• We went to Build-a-Bear: welcomed Theodore Fluffington III into her stuffed animal menagerie (she named him "Teddy" - Dave and I added the rest).
• We watched a few cartoons. (I did not enjoy this as much as Ella.)
• We did NOT have popsicles for breakfast (though she asked EVERY morning).
• We tried to explain why lying was bad - harder than I would have imagined to put it in terms she would understand.
• We took photos (she has her own little camera, though she was more interested in mine this time).
• We had ice cream from "the good place" twice. 
• We drove through Garden of the Gods in the evening to see animals - lots of big deer.

After nearly a week, her folks will be back later today ... and I'm gonna' do NOTHING the rest of the night.  *laugh*

i'm gonna' be a little mia ...

I'm gonna' be a little MIA for the next few days.  John and Emily are house hunting in California and we've been babysitting Ella. 

I'll be back in a few days!  Thursday at the latest!

Have a great week!

share your spark fridays ...

Happy Friday!  And welcome to another edition of share your spark fridays!

Before we get to this week's spark, I want to thank everyone who shared their spark last week AND got a head start on their holiday crafting!

Jen D
Sarah
Jennie
Tracy
Jane (and also here)
Sheila
Kim
Lee Anne
Jen
Pat
smilynstef
Holly
Lori
Pamela
Michelle
Tisha

Be sure to check out the links!  Lots of holiday inspiration!

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Now on to this week's spark!

Create something monochromatic!

Many of you may have seen, even made, this card during a*muse*a*palooza!  It was my favorite design so I  was pretty excited it was being shared with you as a make and take!  This week I'm pulling it out to illustrate a monochromatic design! 

You could very easily paper piece the bird, but in the interest of "easy" and "time saving" I stamped it over the Madiera background (and quite liked the pattern peeping through on the dove).   A little bit of glitter and ... voila!  Easy peasy monochromatic Christmas card! 

Now it's your turn!  I'm looking forward to seeing your monochromatic creations!   And don't forget to share your spark by leaving a comment on this post with a link to what you make!

into the wind two ...

Wanted to share a homey thing today.  I'm finally getting around to hanging some of our artwork and this is one of my favorites.  It's called Into the Wind 2 and was done by Nina Seven (a Seattle-based artist that also happens to be the illustrator for lots of those A Muse stamps we love so well)! 

I love it SO much.

It's part painting and part paper collage ... the detail is spectacular.  I hung it last night and decided that I couldn't wait until the morning to take pics.  (Ok, Dave REALLY hung it - I just told him where.)  

The photos don't do it justice! 

Check out Nina's blog (and her websites linked from it - her coffee cards are too stinkin's cute)!

bringing the jets to me ...

Hee hee ... here you have my tribute to Bastille Day - A Muse style!  Lots of fun stamps on this one: a bit of clear, a bit of wood, and lots of glitter!  Not to mention a wee bit of masking and cutting!

Ok, it's true, the jets don't fly over the Eiffel Tower (at least not that I've seen), but in the absence of an Arc stamp I think you get the idea!  *laugh*

Happy Bastille Day! 

And have I mentioned I have the best husband in the whole wide world?  He sends me a message from work to say he's coming home for lunch today.  This is what he does ...


He plans a picnic with all our favorite food munchies from France.  Roasted chicken (look familiar, Michelle? *wink*), fizzy lemonade, cheese, a baguette, and quiche!  He knew I was sorely missing a picnic on the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower this year.   The only thing missing was the Eiffel Tower (and about 10,000 other people).

But wait ...
 
He even brought the Eiffel Tower!  (How he got that out of my guest room without my seeing is BEYOND me!  *laugh*)  After nearly 15 years of marraige he's still the sweetest guy I know. *smile*

i have a bone to pick ...

... with the Associated Press and Reuters.  More on that in a sec.

Happy Bastille Day! 

Today is one of my favorite days of the year:
14 July. 
Bastille Day. 
Fête Nationale. 
Quatorze Juillet.  (Also my SCS handle.  *wink*)

Whatever you want to call it - it's pretty darn awesome.  (If you're not quite sure what it's all about you can go here.  Wiki knows all.) 

Today is the first day in many years that I have not been in France on 14 July (I know, woe is me, I can hear you all now *wink*).  And that's where my beef with news agencies around the world comes in.  Where are the photos of the jets flying over the Arc de Triomphe!?  I've searched.  I've even searched the French sites.  Nothing.  I want to see the jets flying over the Arc!  Gah!  I need a picture!  Where are they, I say?!  (I'll be searching off and on all day, you know?)

When Michelle and I were in Paris last month  we were hanging out on a wall near Les Invalides with Boris - having a bit o' cheese and bread.  (That Boris, he can pack it away.)   We hear loud noises, we look up, and it's the jets flying over.  Streaming blue, white, and red!  The jets!  In June!  I was convinced it was just for me, you know, since I couldn't be there for the 14th this year.  *wink*    (Michelle!  The JETS flew over!)

This is what they look like.  Not that day with Boris - it happened too fast to take a photo -  but one year ago today.

Everyone has their "things" - now you know one of mine.

I'll be back later with crafty stuff! 

PS - This is how my husband summed up this post: "The associated press is naughty.  I love France."  (And you'd really need to see the little dance and hand gestures he did to animate it to FULLY appreciate the humor, I guess.)  *laugh*

ETA: Ok, now I'm happy.  Associated Press - you and I can be friends again.

share your spark fridays ...

Happy Friday!  And welcome to the a*muse*a*palooza 2008 edition of share your spark fridays!  The a*muse team has been counting down to a*muse*a*palooza for weeks and it's finally here: have you seen all the new image sneak peeks on their blogs?  Found all the new images yet?  If not, check out your local stampin' and scrappin' place!

Before I get to this week's spark,  I want to thank everyone who shared their spark last week by making something with patterned paper! 

smilynstef
Rachel
Pat 
Geeta
Tracy
Michelle
Sheila
Holly
Lori

Be sure to check out what everyone created last week!  Lots of fun stuff!

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Now on to this week's spark!

With a*muse*a*palooza in full swing, I've gotten excited about Christmas.  And July is the time that I start thinking that I SHOULD be working ahead to get Christmas cards and tags completed so I'm not running around like a chicken with it's head cut off come December (doesn't always happen though).  So that's what I'm challenging you to do this week ...

Get ahead of the game and make something now for those winter holidays in December!

With all the inspiration floating around from a*muse*a*palooza you could get started on your holiday cards (making even one is a start!), make an ornament, make handmade gift tags, labels for homemade goodies you plan to give ... so many options!

Here's what I did ...

I got started on my gift tags (and it could just as easily be used as an ornament)! 

The dove is one of my favorite stamps from the new release (another sneak for ya') and one of my favorite ways to use it is paired with the Madeira stamp. 

I stamped and cut the dove out, placing it over the Madeira stamp, and added glitter. 

There are so many possibilities with this simple, punched layout. (And it may look familiar to some of you, as it was the base layout for a mini book I did last winter!  So stinkin' versatile!)

Now it's your turn!  I'm looking forward to seeing who takes me up on this challenge to get a little ahead of the game for the holidays this year!   And 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 ...
dove
madiera

paper ...
a*muse madeira notecard in blue
a*muse white cardstock

embellishments ...
a*muse clear creative candy
superfine glitter

ink ...
staz-on jet black
color box cat eye chalk ink in ice blue

tools used ...
marvy purple scalloped circle punch
marvy blue circle punch

a*muse*a*palooza is here ...

And that means it's also time for a*muse*a*palooza sneak peeks! 

Be sure to check out the blogs of the other A Muse team members as I'm sure you'll find even more sneeks of the new images! 

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!