Armed Forces Day 2010

Tomorrow, May 15 2010, is Armed Forces Day. President Harry Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service to our country. Armed Forces Day was announced on August 31, 1949 by Louis Johnson, then Secretary of Defense. This replaced separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force Days. It also stemmed from the unification of all of the Armed Forces branches of service under one department - the Department of Defense. If you know a service member, or if you had members of your families who are currently serving or have served, please think of them tomorrow and if possible, thank them for their service and sacrifice to keep us safe. Without regard to current politics, our current armed forces are volunteers, and many have made the supreme sacrifice of their lives in service to our country. I believe they deserve our deepest gratitude and our prayers for a safe return, whenever that might be.

Challenge #3 - Fave Flower

I'd have to say my fave AMuse flower is...the poppy. No, it's the chrysanthemum. Wait, no it's the poppy. Ok, it's a tie, so for this challenge I picked the poppy. Black and white Petite Gingham cardstock for the base, then I layered the poppy on red and black cardstock from scrap stash. Added a piece of striped twill, but not sure if it might be too much for this card. The poppy was colored with Copics. I didn't add a sentiment yet but I think this card would be good for birthday, thinking of you, or other cards.

A Muse Challenge #2 - Repeat It

I'm feeling much better about this now and I think I like how this card turned out. It's a little iffy on the rules - I didn't exactly use an AMuse image, but I did use AMuse paper and an Amuse sentiment. The "repeat" is the 3 butterflies. Moss card base, stamped Hero Arts Long Stemmed Poppies with Memento Cottage Ivy ink. Used a large Martha Butterfly punch for 3 butterflies - one in yellow polka dot, one in Chiffon Pink, and one in Robins Egg Blue (all paper by AMuse). Added the Happy Spring sentiment and a bit of green bling to accent that. The butterflies were attached to the card using 1/8" sookwang tape. This one qualifies for a 5MQ stamp of approval. Easy, easy, easy to assemble!

Challenge #1 - Cupcake Party

Here's my card for the 1st challenge. Not too pleased with it. I may do another one later and see if I can make it better. Anyway, used a popsicle pink notecard and mounted "cupcakes" on it as if you are viewing them from above. Used Robins Egg Blue, Chiffon Pink, and Moss notecards to make the cakes. Cut them out with a small Marvy scalloped circle punch and bent the scallops just a bit to give them some accents on the edges. Added Amuse stamps using a Versamark pad and white and yellow Zing embossing powder. I just had to add some bling to I decorated the green ones with some green rhinestones that I had in my stash. Not too inspiring, I know, but I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I started out tonight. Enjoy.

Happy Easter, Everyone!

It's Easter Sunday. A time for reflections and for new beginnings. May each of you have a blessed day as we celebrate this time.

Lupinus Texensis - The Texas Bluebonnet, our State Flower. It's also spring here in the Hill Country and our roads are coming alive with color. It's bluebonnet season to start, then the other wildflowers will join in to make a colorful patchwork along our roadsides. It was such nice weather yesterday that the hubby took the Harley out for a ride while I went into town to run errands and visit the LSS. I couldn't resist snapping a couple of pix along the way.

I tried a new project!

I tries something new this weekend. I used Glimmer Mist and Ranger Distress Ink to make a small album. I'd been wanting to try this for sometime now and decided this was the time to dive right in. I'd used Glimmer Mist before but not on anything more than flowers and an occasional card. I have to say this project was fun. I used a Nature packet of chip tiles by Tattered Angels for the basic book. I distressed each page using a sponge dauber (I couldn't find my fat brush! Guess that means I will have to go shopping! Again! LOL!) then spritzed away with Coffee Shop and Wheatfields Glimmer Mist. Added some Prisma flowers with large brads for the centers. I had white brads, but added color with my Copics to match the color scheme on the book. I think some nice sepia reprints of old family pictures will complete the project. Let me know what you think if my first attempt at this technique. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Unfortunately it's back to work tomorrow and playtime will come to an end for a few days.

A Muse Colorful Challenge

After getting the Chrysanthemum stamp at yesterday’s A Muse class, I knew I would have to use it for this challenge. When I dove into my paper drawer, I discovered I was out of my Papaya note cards, but I did have the required Sky Blue and Orange Crush colors on hand. I substituted some S-U So Saffron paper for the Papaya, Also added a bit of the orange petite gingham paper for some texture and a strip of S-U ribbon for contrast. Chrysanthemum colored using Copics ( YG25, Y15, YR65, BG10). A Muse sentiment stamped with Memento Potter’s Clay ink.



After making the Chrysanthemum card, I found I liked the color combo so much I decided to make a second card. I used a Martha Steward punch for the flowers, with buttons by Li’l Davis Designs for the centers. The scalloped edge punch is S-U. Sentiment by A Muse, of course!