Stubborn Muse

Can one accuse one's muse of being stubborn?  Of not showing up when you need it?  I'm about to make that accusation, because I struggle with my ideas not happening until well into the evening.  That keeps me up late writing my blog and I'm sure it doesn't help that I need sleep when I'm writing it.  Those muses need to stop their eternal little round dances there and pay attention to my creative needs!

That was the case yesterday.  Mind you, I didn't get started until late afternoon anyway, and we took a break to go out to dinner, but still!!

I just got the new Circle Card Thinlits die and I really wanted to play with it.  I grabbed some Bermuda Bay cardstock and got started.

• I'm still in love with the colours in the Eastern Elegance Design Series Paper, which is what I used on today's project:  Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry with Whisper White.
• I used several stamp sets to make this card:  Papaya Collage for the butterfly and embellishment he's mounted on; A Dozen Thoughts, for the sentiment on this page...

• ...and Chalk Talk for the sentiment on the other side, as well as The Open Sea for the globe image.
• Those cute little chevron arrows come from one of the several thinlits that come with the basic card template.  The Scallop Circle is also one of the accompanying thinlits.

Here's how they work:

        

Aren't they cool?  I'm currently awaiting the Label version, which was back ordered but is now on it's way!

Okay, here's the card in 3D - sort of :

You've got to give these a try!  We've always made these "Swing Cards", but it always used to take at least ten minutes to get the basic card base cut properly and now it takes seconds!

Hope my muse was able to help you today if yours was MIA!

Stamps:  Papaya Collage (w132055; c126612); A Dozen Thoughts (w131056; c131059); The Open Sea (w128454; c123032) and Chalk Talk (w130631; c130634)
Paper:  Eastern Elegance DSP (130131); Bermuda Bay (131197), Crushed Curry (131199) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Bermuda Bay (131171) and  Crushed Curry (131173)
Tools:  Circle Card Thinlits (133480), 1 3/4" Circle Punch (119850), Extra-Large Oval Punch (119859)

Chalk Talk Bundle

Circle Card Thinlits

Eastern Elegance DSP

Papaya Collage Stamp Set

The Open Sea Stamp Set

A Dozen Thoughts Stamp Set

1 3/4" Circle Punch

Before the Snow Flies

Travelling can be fun, but there is so much preparation sometimes, that it can get tiring as well.  We want to head out soon on one more expedition to the north before the snow flies, to see our youngest grandbaby and our daughter and son-in-law.  They live about 11 hours north of us, and it won't be long until the temperature drops and the snow packs in for the winter, so it's now or never - or at least until late spring.

You'll get a taste of life in a small northern town by reading her blog:  Honey Nutbrown's.

I've been working hard to prepare for workshops and classes when I get back and I came up with one design to use for our November Technique Nights.  This month the theme is Fancy Fold cards, and I am planning to do an Easel Card, a Gate-Fold Card and this one:  A Swing Card.

I know, I know, it doesn't look much different, but see it in action:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, it was lots of fun to make using the Ornament Keepsakes stamp set and the Holiday Ornaments framelits.  I also used some of the Candlelight Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper!  It's sooo pretty.  And, of course you know that, during October, if you purchase this stamp set along with the Candlelight Christmas paper, that you will receive a FREE Festive Paper Piercing Pack, with templates for all these framelits and much more.  You need to use a special order code for this bundle, so let me know if you are interested. 

 

And NOW would be a great time to book a party during November.  My November time is quickly filling up, but there are going to be some special reasons why you'll want to book in November.  Just sayin'!  Wink, wink!

 

And finally, you should seriously consider joining my Stampin' Up team for the Christmas season.  Imagine getting all the Stampin' Up products you love at a 20% discount!  How about getting a sneak peek at all the new catalogue products before everyone else and a chance to pre-order the same products?  How about being independent and owning your own business in the fast-growing hobby and craft sector and representing a savvy but caring company with a heart for its demonstrators?  You can have all this and more for just $125!  And what's great is that you can pick any products from the current catalogues to a value of $155 to make up your Starter Kit and Stampin' Up with throw in $70 of business supplies for free!  Whether you are looking to start a profitable and fun home business, or just hobby craft for a discount, look into this wonderful opportunity here.

 

Stamps:  Ornament Keepsakes (w128048; c128051); Seasonal Sayings (w128006; c128009); Christmas Deer (w128144; c128146)

Paper:  Candlelight Christmas Specialty DSP (126901); Early Espresso (119686), Real Red (102482) and Very Vanilla (101650) cardstock

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Real Red (126949) and Early Espresso (126974)

Accessories: 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Real Red (119251); Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246)

Tools: Big Shot Die Cutting Machine (113439); Scallop Circle Bigz die (113468); Holiday Ornaments Framelits (127816) or bundled with the Ornament Keepsakes stamp set (w129949; c129950)

 

Special October Christmas Gift order codes are found here.