A Muse News

amuse-bouche: By Moonlight

Well, after 4 fabulous days of Halloween amuse-bouche we've reached the last day!  But what a fun last day it is ...

Two sentiments paired together on dfferent patterned papers add such a fun touch, along with our new Slate notecard!  (And "If you dare" is portion of our new "Open if you Dare" sentiment!)  They work together so well with our new teenager, Bella!  Hmm ... what do you think she's waiting at her window for?  Or is it a "who?"

Yeah, I bet it's Edward too!  And ... I also bet there are a lot of significant others out there who'd appreciate a card like this one!  *laugh* 

Hee hee ... I *love* the way this sentiment has been altered to fit the card!  Removing "chocolate" and replacing it with a handwritten "twilight!"  It's adorable paired with our new Truck!

 

More Slate and Lime pairings on this spooky card!  Something tells me our new Wolf doesn't like bats ...

Looks like Bella and Edward make a nice pair, don'tcha' think?  Use 'em together to create fun cards like these, or on their own as fabulous cards for teens!  The possibilities really are endless!

Thank YOU for joining us for this week of Halloween amuse-bouche!  It's been a blast!  Products from our new release are available in stores now (and will be available online tomorrow, September 2)!

 

 

Closed for Labor Day

Please note that our retail store and distribution center will be closed on Monday, September 7th for Labor Day. 

amuse-bouche: Halloween Hint of Lime

Today's amuse-bouche are all about lime - our new Lime Polka Dot Ribbon, that is!

Our new Lime and Orange Twinkle Stickers make for perfect "candy" in our Pumpkin Basket! 

  
I've always loved how our lime papers, notecards, and ribbon work so well with so many different colors.  And it's especially true for Halloween!  The Lime Polka Dot Ribbon is just fabulous paired with our new Blackberry notecards!

 
I love using just a wee bit of lime for a punch of color!  Perfect alongside our new Paprika and Slate notecards too!

We're getting closer and closer to release day!  But we're not finished yet!  Be sure to drop by tomorrow to see what we have up our sleeves!  You won't want to miss it!

Products from our Halloween release are available in your local shops now (and will be available at www.amuseartstamps.com on September 2nd)!

 

amuse-bouche: Halloween Sweet Tooth

Pull up a chair, sit back with a cuppa', and enjoy a wee bit of sweet Halloween inspiration with today's amuse-bouche!  Do you have a Halloween sweet tooth?  *grin*

Our new Pumpkin Basket really pops against a Slate notecard background!  Elena added a few of the new Orange and Black Twinkle Stickers too!

I am really excited about our new Candy Corn stamp!  Elena used it to create this really fun background, but it also works wonderfully as a focal image!  Sweet!

And another exciting new product to unveil: Blackberry notecards!  It's such a lovely deep purple! 

 

I hope you've enjoyed a look at more of our spooky-sweet Halloween goodies!  They've all been so cute so far, but ... there's still more to come!  

Products from our Halloween release are available in your local shops now (and will be available at www.amuseartstamps.com on September 2nd)!
 
See you back here tomorrow for even more Halloween fun!

amuse-bouche: Classic Halloween Style

Today's amuse-bouche are all about classic Halloween style! 

Yesterday you got a glimpse of the new Orange Polka Dot Ribbon - today, you guessed it - Black Polka Dot Ribbon is on the way too! 

Orange and black are classic Halloween colors ... so what goes better with our new Slate Notecard than our new Paprika notecard!  That's right!  A brand new shade of orange!  And ... don't you LOVE the spooky new tree?  I really like how Lexi added some of our new Orange Twinkle stickers in the branches!  Such a fun touch!

I know I'm counting down the days until Halloween!  How about you? 

Looks like Lexi will be watching the days with this cute countdown calendar!

 
Another look at our new Paprika notecard and Black Polka Dot Ribbon paired with this fabulous new pumpkin and yet another awesome sentiment!  (Have I mentioned how much I love the new sentiments today?  *wink*)  But have you spotted anything else?  Look closely!  That's right!  Lime Twinkle Stickers!  Lexi's added just a few under the sentiment!

Products from our Halloween release will be showing up in your local shops soon!  (And will be available at www.amuseartstamps.com on September 2nd!)

Around Town - September Classes

The A Muse Instructor Team has some fun September classes coming up! Instructors who are teaching in September are noted by a green marker on this map.  Just click on the marker to see the instructor who is teaching in your area along with a link to their class schedule.   Click and drag the map to reposition it as desired or use the arrow buttons.  To see all the instructors in your area, you will need to ZOOM in for a closer look!  Use the "+" and "-" buttons to zoom in or out. 

View A Muse Instructors in a larger map

Instructors not teaching in September have purple markers, but keep an eye on them for classes in future months!  Please note that this map is not intended to provide directions. The markers denote only the state and general area where each instructor typically teaches.  Click on the "View A Muse Instructors in a larger map" link just below the map to see it larger. 

 

amuse-bouche: Li'l Spooks

A "real" amuse-bouche is designed to give you a little tasty morsel before your meal and make your mouth happy!  OUR amuse-bouche is sorta' the same: something to give you a little taste of what's to come ...

And what's on the way?  I know you've been looking forward to it!  My favorite release of the year: Halloween! 

There are so many things I love about this release, and near the top of the list are the sentiments!  I'm tellin' ya' - they'll all just blow ya' away!  Some are spooky, some are cute, and others, well ... you'll just have to stay tuned!  I also *love* the black and white approach Emily took with this design!  Don't you think it's striking?!

I nearly jumped for joy over the new Orange Polka Dot Ribbon!  Now, it's true, I'm a lover of all things orange, but just look at it?!  It's SO cute!  *laugh*   It was the perfect finishing touch on Emily's card!

 
A little "out of the box" thinking!  Emily created a fun, Halloween-themed project sheet for her Li'l Spook! 

 
And ... last but not least, have you noticed the subtle touches of grey on the other cards?  That's right!  It's a new notecard color! Slate is a dark, smoky grey, perfect for Halloween (and so much more)!

Products from our Halloween release will be showing up in your local shops soon!  (And will be available at www.amuseartstamps.com on September 2nd!)

Guest Designer Winners!

Thank you so much for the wonderful comments on Melissa Oseran's Guest Designer series! 

We randomly chose three names to receive Melissa's prize picks... Congratulations to:

* Lara who posted August 7, 2009 at 4:49pm

* Stephanie Jones who posted August 9, 2009 at 2:14pm

* Denise T who posted August 14, 2009 at 4:43am

If you three would kindly email me your mailing address and we'll send your goodies out to you!

 

Psssst! Got Class? ;^)

If you:

• are experienced at teaching rubber-stamping classes in retail stores

• are located within 1-2 hours travel distance to rubber stamp/scrapbook stores

• personable, and customer-service oriented

• possess strong stamping skills

• have a knack for showcasing our product line through teachable projects

Well, by golly, we just might be a good fit for each other! 

We've got an Instructor Team Call goin' on, with a deadline of September 25, 2009.  Check out all the specifics at:

A Muse Instructor Team Call 2009

You can download the application form from that page.  Please read and follow the instructions very carefully for submitting your application. 

If you're unsure whether or not retail stores in your area are already covered by an A Muse Certified Instructor, shoot me an email at julie@amuseartstamps.com with the name of the store(s) in question. We don't have exclusive territories, but, we do prefer not to overlap areas as much as possible.

Due to the high volume of applications received, direct replies and requests for further interview will be issued only to applications that meet the pre-screening qualifications.  Thank you for understanding.

Melissa Oseran - week 4

This month has flown by and it's already time to share the last of Melissa's guest designer cards.  It has been such a pleasure sharing Melissa's clean & simple designs with you and I hope you've enjoyed them!  Most of her guest designer cards featured our adorable new Mandy's World girls, but when I saw these last three cards - I thought it would be fun to feature them together.  Melissa used some of our fabulous new word stamps cleverly combined with other A Muse images! 

Mmmmm.... sparkly sprinkles!  I love how Melissa added a layer of Kitchen brown to the edge of the card to tie-in with the circle layer.

 

Delicious indeed!  Very simple but cool effect - Melissa highlighted the milkshake glass with a light grey marker to give it a glass appearance.  Then used Liquid Applique for the whipped cream and twinkle stickers for the cherries!  And I love that she inked "delicious" in red! 

Ok, one last design for you... one of my favorites in her whole set.....

 

Bwahaha!!!  Did ya get it?  Took me a sec when I first saw it... This was me:  "hmmm - now why do these two go together - his tail isn't even wagging...  OH! Oooo - what's shakin' BACON (duh) - very clever!"  LOL!!  So cute with the pink gingham and twinkles too!

Big thanks to Melissa for sharing her clean, clever, and cool designs - we hope you enjoyed them!    

Be sure to leave a comment on this post to enter Melissa's drawing for a chance to win:

*  Ice Cream girl stamp
*  4-Bar Kitchen Chocolate Notecards 

We'll announce the winners this Thursday - August 27th!

A pleasant surprise!

Did you miss me?  I have been on vacation with my family at our cottage in Quebec the past few weeks.  I am truly grateful to have a great team that can manage just fine without me.  Despite the crummy weather, we had a great time.  Some of the highlights:

• Picking up Hailey after a month-long stay at the National Ballet School of Canada! Same country but still over 7 hours drive.
• All-day canoe trip with friends down the Rouge River- the kids loved going through the rapids even though most of the canoes tipped!
• Makenna won a trophy for highest aggregate in her age group at the annual regatta   
• Hailey learned how to slalom ski 
• Bella mastered diving  
• And LOTS of great times with our Bark Lake friends and family  

It's always hard to leave, but fun to get back to work too.  I have almost 1,000 pictures to sort through so I'll post some highlights in the coming days. I am actually still in Quebec staying with my mom She has had some new health issues arise that require my assistance.  My DH and the girls are back in Seattle gearing up for the start of school next week.

During my vacation, we received some EXCITING news... a "Best of Local Business" award from the US Commerce Association!   Woo hoo!

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

This is certainly an honor and we are very proud.  Thank you to the nominating committee for this special recognition!!

I'll be back soon with some fun photos and some cards to share!

~Linda 

Guest Designer Melissa Oseran - week 3

More Melissa goodness coming your way today!  But first, we have a few more words from Melissa to share with you:

Biggest challenge -  Thinking outside of the box---sometimes I feel like my cards are always the same and therefore a bit boring.  I want to add more “things”---but I’m not really confident doing so.
First stamp -  I can’t exactly remember my very very first, but my first A Muse stamp was the Large Shower gifts stamp---& I still use it all the time!
Can’t live without – Family & friends….oh, and my I pod. :)
Favorite product - Copics, glue pen and my Rototrim Paper Cutter.
Climate –  Fall, Fall, Fall.  60-65 degrees with either sun or no sun---I’m a total Seattle girl---the rain & grey skies don’t bug me AT ALL.  (I know, I know, people think I’m weird)
Last purchase -  Brown boots & clothes for Keaton. ;)
Passion – PAPER!!!!
Food -  Yes please.  :)  I could eat tacos everyday---but I also love pretty much everything my husband cooks!
The future – is fun to dream about….but I try and take it one day at a time. :)
Time of day – Night time….both before sleep and during.

I am totally there with Melissa on climate - Fall is my favorite time of year too!  And now, let's check out more of Melissa's adorable Mandy's World designs!     

 

Melissa's color combo on this birthday card is so fun and fresh - orange, pink, and green!  And the group of twinkle stickers adds a special touch!

 
Melissa added tiny dots to the bottom of this card to give the ocean a sand floor - very clever!  And the Mermaid is so cute with a few little crab friends!

  

I love the clean simplicity of this one.  A few scallops for the clouds and Melissa paper-pieced the balloons!  Fun and relaxing at the same time!  Then on the inside, Melissa hand-lettered the word "wheeee"!

We have one more week of Melissa's designs to share with you next week.  The last group is a little different from those we've shared so far, so you won't want to miss them!  And remember to leave a comment here for Melissa (one only please, per guest designer article) to enter your name into the drawing!  

Guest Designer Melissa Oseran - week 2

Today we have more of Melissa's clean designs featuring our new Mandy's World stamps!  But first, we thought you'd like to get to know her a little better, so here are her thoughts in response to our word association questionaire: 

• Stamping -   is a creative release---I’m not a good artist, so to be able to color in amazing images and combine my favorite goodies (glitter, ribbon, twinkles) with coloring----well, it’s a dream come true.
• Style – Simple, simple, simple!  When I try to get to complicated---it gets all mucked up! J
• Inspiration – The amazing A Muse design team---honestly, I am constantly saying "Holy Cow!", when I see their work.  I also love to try and pull color trends & design trends from home decorating ideas.
• Color -  Favorite color is orange---though I seem to use blues and greens the most when stamping.
• Work space -  Goes back and forth from a total explosion to really picked up and tidy.  I used to have my very own office outside of the house for my business but have moved back home---I think I do much better thinking without the home distractions! J
• Perfect day - My favorite coffee shop with a few magazines, a pedicure and giving Keaton a bath and rocking to sleep.  OR----any day I can spend walking in NY is pretty darn perfect. J
• First job – Flower shop!
• Wildest dream -  To own my own stationery and card shop----with a little bit of candy too. J
• Ink -  LOVING Memento---but also love Colorbox Chalks & Versacolor.
• Family -  David (Husband)  Keaton ( son, 6 months) and Hobart (a Wheaton Terrier). 
• Beverage – Coffee, French 75’s and Margaritas! J  I should drink more water-but hey, the others are way more fun!

And now, on to the cards!

  

This first card is a perfect example of Melissa's sweet and simple style.  I love the clean layout and happy colors!  Of course you know I love the new ice cream girl because she has scoops (hee,hee)!  Melissa colored them to be strawberry, chocolate, and mint chocolate chip - mmmm!  She also did something tricky by popping up a few scoops on foam tape to make them really stand out - which you can see a little better in the closeup below! 

 

 

Who wouldn't love to receive this card when they are feeling under the weather?   Cheery colors and the heart twinkle stickers give it a special touch.  And I love that Melissa has a layer of blue petite gingham paper in there to help frame the design - I'm gonna have to try that soon!

 

The new hula girl is just so adorable and Melissa's simple design here really showcases her well.  Melissa closely trimmed her and the little coconut beverage and then popped them up on foam tape!  And the skinny oval bl provides the perfect patch of sand!  Sooo cute!   

I hope you are enjoying Melissa's designs!  We have plenty more to share with you, so I'll be back next week with more goodies!  And remember to leave a comment here for Melissa (one only please, per guest designer article) to enter your name into the drawing. 

 

Guest Designer Melissa Oseran!

 

Melissa Oseran

I am excited to present our featured guest designer this month - Melissa Oseran!  You may know Melissa from the clean designs she showcases on her blog Create my joy. I had the pleasure of meeting Melissa at the A Muse shop during my first trip to Seattle and loved seeing her beautiful designs from her custom invitation business!  To get things started, I'll let her introduce herself:   

Hello!!  My name is Melissa and I am HONORED to be the guest designer this month.  I was born and raised in Seattle----and though I often have dreams of living someplace else, I'm pretty sure that if I did, I would never have had the great pleasure of working with Linda and the A Muse team....so staying put proved to be a great thing! :)

I've been stamping for around 6 years and was hooked after my first class!  I love to play with colors and ribbons and pens-and of course paper!  I just had a baby boy in January, which had me taking a little time out from stamping...but I've got the itch back and I intend to get back in full force!

I hope you enjoy the cards to come....  :) 

Melissa created some *adorable* designs for you featuring our new Mandy's World stamps and I will be sharing them each week during August! 

Be sure to leave a comment on this, and on each of the coming Guest Designer posts featuring Melissa's designs!  (one comment per post please) Your name will be entered in a drawing for her stamp and note card picks:

*  Ice Cream girl (new!)
*  4-Bar Kitchen Chocolate Notecards

This week, I'm going to whet your appetite with one of my favorites of Melissa's designs - bubble girl!

 

I *love* that Melissa stamped the super dot circle in the background and then outlined it in glitter to make bubbles!  So clever and it is sooo pretty in person!  And the new polka dot ribbon ties in with the bubbles perfectly!  It's difficult to capture the glitter sparkle on camera, but here is a closeup just for fun - the little bubbles are glittered too and this color combo is so cute! 

 

I'll be back next week with a little more about Melissa along with more of her adorable designs!  I can hardly wait to share them with you - lots of stamping goodness yet to come - so stay tuned! 

 

Back to School & Mandy's World - Available Now!

Today's the day!  If you don't have a local shop nearby, you can find the new Back to School AND Mandy's World  releases at www.amuseartstamps.com right now!

And before we wrap up another super fun, super inspiring week of amuse-bouche I want to leave you with a few more tidbits from our design team!  Today, it's all about the "teen scene" ...

 
Eeeep!  How cool is it that Julie opened up one of the Lockers!  SO stinking clever!  And the red star Twinkle Stickers are a perfect touch!

 
I know a lot of you have been waiting on her ... Rockin' Girl!

 
And this book Erika created with her is so stinkin' fun!

 
Rockin' Girl and Rock Star = a match made in rock-n-roll heaven!  (Or, at least, really cool rubber stamp heaven!  *Hee hee*)

 
And check out the notebook Julie made!  Notice that cord?

 
Here's a close-up of the clever way she attached it!  Brilliant, I tell ya'!  (And so cute!)

 
I love that Erika "decorate" the Lockers!  Just too fun!  And notice the new Papaya Polka Dot ribbon!  It adds such a fun, subtle pop!

It's always SO much fun to share the amuse-bouche with you leading up to release day!  I hope you found as much inspiration in them as I did!  Kudos to the fabulous Muses!  And ... if you haven't already visited your local shop, both the Back to School AND Mandy's World releases are available at www.amuseartstamps.com today!

See ya' next time!

amuse-bouche - High School Sports

Our Back to School release wouldn't be complete without a few sports-related goodies!

 
This clever creation from Emily gives you a peek at our new Football Player AND a peek at another new clear set: Sports Words! 

The Football Collage really pops on our new Blueberry notecard! 

 
Elena used a number of sentiments from the Sports Words set to create this fun piece of "patterned paper" to pair with the Football Collage!

 
The Cheerleader works well on her own or in a group - and in any color!  And check out the new Swiss Red Polka Dot ribbon Emily used as an accent!  Love it!

 
Emily added this super fun touch to a bottle of water! 

 
More fun with theSports Words set!  The large star is a part of that set too!

 
Elena made this adorable tag: perfect for storing your game tickets, attached to a lanyard, a backpack, or housing an address label on your luggage when you travel to the big game! 

Both wood mounted and clear sets from the Back to Release are available in your local shops now! (And at www.amuseartstamps.com on August 5th!) 

amuse-bouche - More from Mandy's World!

Mandy's World fun continues today with another batch of super cute cards and projects!  (And be sure to check out the post about the talented artist who created these adorable stamps here!)

I've been pretty excited to share today's Mandy's World amuse-bouche with you!  They're all so stinkin' cute!  I especially love the paper-pieced gingham dress Lexi put Ice Cream Girl in!

Paired with our Clouds stamp, Balloon Girl takes flight!

 
How cute is this!?  Lexi created a deck of cards with Birthday Girl and Petite Gingham cardstock!  I nearly flipped when I saw it!  SO clever and SO cute!

 
Another simply adorable way to use Balloon Girl! 

 
I adore that Lexi "wrapped" this card like a present!  Birthdays are the best!  Especially with Birthday Girl!  I also LOVE that she created her own patterned notecard with Petite Gingham cardstock!

Doctor Girl delivers a perfectly adorable prescription!

Novell's Birthday Girl card is so simple and so striking!

 
Katie used Birthday Girl and Petite Gingham cardstock to create one of the cutest birthday treats ever!

 
Ice Cream Girl looks so happy paired with Papaya & Orange notecards!

Oh my goodness, the cuteness!  The inspiration!  Mandy's World is such a fun place to be, dontcha' think?  These little cuties are available in your local shops now (and will be available at www.amuseartstamps.com on August 5!)

More about Mandy's World!

We are excited about our brand new line of stamps - Mandy's World!  We thought you'd enjoy getting to know the talented artist behind Mandy's World - our very own Amanda Breeden! 

 

Tell us a little about yourself. 

"I’m 21 years old and I’ve lived in Seattle practically my entire life and I LOVE it here! Rain and all! I’m engaged to my boyfriend of 4 years who I met working at Arby’s!  I love the outdoors and anything and everything craft related."

 

When did you start stamping and how did you find A Muse?

"I actually began stamping when I started working at A Muse back in January 2008. When I was younger I would always make my parents stop at stamp stores so I could stare at all stamps, but I was never old enough to fork out the cash to actually use them."

 

How did you get started drawing Mandy's World?

"I’ve been drawing ever since I was a little, little girl and I was always really good at drawing cartoon people."

What are some of your sources for inspiration - do you have anyone in mind when you're drawing?

"My drawings from when I was younger actually look pretty similar to the Mandy’s World girls. I would always doodle pictures of my friends doing a bunch of different things. For Mandy’s World I tried to think of different things people would want to make cards for and came up with a huge list! Then I just started sketching."

 

Which girl in this release is your favorite?

"I’ve been using the Mermaid girl a lot because she goes great with so many of the other A Muse images! It’s so much fun pairing her all of the new summer stamps!"

 

And here are a few of Amanda's cards using her new stamps!  Total cuteness and do you see a girl we haven't shown you yet?  Stay tuned for more sneak peeks of Amanda's adorable Mandy's World stamps!

   

amuse-bouche - Teacher Appreciation!

Today's amuse-bouche cards and projects are all about showing a little love for the teachers in our lives!

 
I can't imagine any teacher (or anyone else!) who wouldn't be thrilled to get a little note written in this adorable card from Julie!  And ... look closely!  Not only can you catch a glimpse of a ruler from the new School Time clear set, but there's Papaya Polka Dot Ribbon too!  Wheee!

 
Emily created a perfect "chalkboard" with a black Copic marker and the new Wood Frame stamp!  Not to mention lots of other new A Muse goodies: Swiss Red Polka ribbon, School Lined cardstock, and a Papaya notecard!

 
Another handy gift any teacher is sure to love ... made with the alphabet stamp from the new School Time clear set! 

The School Time set is a perfect match with the rest of the Back to School release!  For this "thank you" note and clip I've paired the A+ from the School Time set with a new wood mounted sentiment!

   
And stamping them on the new School Lined cardstock adds just the right touch!

 
Emily highlights the School Time set in this striking card!  The red apple really pops on the Black Kitchen notecard and new Papaya Polka Dot ribbon finishes it with flair!

I'll be back tomorrow with another peek at what's new from A Muse!  And remember ... the Back to School release and Mandy's World are available in your local shops now! 

amuse-bouche - Introducing Mandy's World!

As if our Back to School release wasn't exciting enough on it's own, I'm SO excited to introduce you to a BRAND NEW line of stamps from A Muse ... Mandy's World!

What's Shakin'?  This adorable little Hawaiian Girl, that's what! 

I absolutely love the way Katie created bubbles with different sized Twinkle Stickers in clear!  The perfect accent for the FIN-TASTIC Mermaid Girl!

And how sweet is she?! Becky's signature soft coloring of Bubble Girl, paired with our new Papaya notecard, is a perfect fit!

 
Another adorable card made with the Hawaiian Girl!  And have you been noticing all the new sentiments?  SO fun!

Becky created this Tic Tac Toe game with Hawaiian Girl and Mermaid Girl!

 
Mermaid Girl makes the perfect summer cover girl for BEcky's do-it-yourself coloring book!

Bubble Girl is back in brights!  An Orange Gingham sun over clouds adds that perfect touch to make this card "pop!"

An adorable party favor or gift!  Bubble Girl and Orange Gingham cardstock add an extra special touch!

It's a Bubble Girl Birthday!

 
Lexi used our Scalloped Line stamp in such a clever way here - as water!  I love it paired with Mermaid Girl!

We'll be sharing more about this brand new line of stamps, exclusive to A Muse, and the talented artist behind Mandy's World soon!  (Available now in your local shops!)