What's the Hoopla About?

You'll just have to wait until August 1st to find out the whole deal, but here are a few "sneak peaks" of all the excitement that is coming SOON!

This catalog covers the rest of the year in holidays! And there are so many new fun products in addition to the stamp sets. Okay, just a few days now . . .I can't wait!

Happy Stamping!
Christina

Pink & Green

I had a request for a set of pink and green thinking of you cards for my Dean to send to her sorority sisters (their colors). I took the opportunity to try out some things I hadn't done in a while, including use up some scraps (important since I don't DO pink, so this was a bit of a challenge). I've done more pink cards this year than in the last decade combined, I think! ;-)

July is always such a busy month for me as I travel to conference for work and vacation for my wedding anniversary, so I am glad I was able to get these (a set of 5, actually) delivered!

I also got copies of the Holiday Hoopla catalog (contact me if you'd like a copy -- all the Hoopla begins August 1st with a lot of great new sets and some GREAT hostess rewards!), some CUTE hostess rewards sets and placed an order with both SU! and CTMH -- so August should be a more crafty month!

Happy Stamping!
Christina

British Invasion Thank You Card

A little late, but as promised, the card I sent off to thank a new customer. As soon as summer slows down I want to create more variety with this set. I know I can "practice" on my in-laws (they are always up to receiving a card). But, you know Holiday Hoopla is just around the corner and I'll have a new pile of things to play with, so . . . it might be awhile before you see the fruits of THAT. I already have ideas for the Holiday Hoopla sets that I have gotten a sneak peak of. I MUST HAVE all of the autumn sets, paper, dies and Splash (wait until you see what that is!), and am trying to decide which of the Halloween and Christmas sets to make a workshop out of. I stamp very few Christmas cards for personal use, but only because I am blessed with so many friends and family that I'd never get them done in time! A workshop is the perfect excuse to design a couple of cards and make samples -- which I can then send off to those that must have something more than a photo card (although they get that as well, so they can see how much my son has grown in the last year!)

All supplies: A|Muse Studio
British Invasion, cherry cardstock, slate stitched grosgrain ribbon and various A|S inks

I am off to Kissimmee on Saturday for conference, after dropping my son off for a 3 week class at KU last Sunday, and so am not getting a lot of crafting time in of late, but have a few cards that simply must be made and stuck in the mail this month, so I'll try to share as I go.

Happy Stamping!
Christina

Owl Miss You

I took my son to college this week! He's taking a 3 week class, with other incoming 8th graders, at University of Kansas (Lawrence) as part of the Duke Talent Identification Program. He was willing to fly in as an "unaccompanied minor" -- meaning he is fine on his own and didn't see the need for me to waste my time getting him there. I explained that I wasn't going for him, but so I could see the campus and meet his roommates. I sent a note before leaving Kansas City, and am sending his first "care package" -- the 2 books he requested from his bookshelf, and of course a hand-stamped card:

Stampin' Up Owl & Bird punches, wood-grain washi tape, and  sentiment from  The {stamps} of Life

He'll probably use the card as a bookmark, but at least he'll know his mom misses him! The daily schedule is really packed, but he's texted with his dad and with me a couple of times, so we know he's having a blast and enjoying learning more about computer programming (and life on a college campus)!

Happy stamping!
Christina

July Spotlight: Olympic Party

The new spotlight is up and there are some fantastic projects to share as we celebrate the Red, White and Blue!

For the month of July, you can save 10% on the stamp sets used to create these fabulous projects!

British Invasion
Keep Calm
Big Celebrations
Darling Dots Background
On Broadway Alphabet

I must confess, British Invasion is the set that hooked me on A|Muse -- My husband was born in London and although my in-laws have been in the states 30+ years they might as well have just come over. The accent is still strong! My husband has lost most of his, but it's pretty obvious when he's been talking to his family -- since it seems to well up from a hidden spot. And he'll use phrases that leave me scratching my head, such as "happy as Larry!" which is apparently a reference to Lazareth. Um, yeah.

And, for a limited time, order the special Team USA cardstock assortment pack - an easy way to get the look showcased in this month's spotlight.

Team USA Assortment Pack contains four sheets each of: Navy, Sky, Cherry, Pebble, Vanilla
Tomorrow I'll post a photo of the thank you card that went out in today's mail for a catalog party order -- I used 2 of this month's spotlight sets, and 2 of the paper colors (without even trying -- that's how well they go together!)

Happy Stamping!
Christina

Blog Hop: Christmas in July

In case you haven't heard by now, Holiday Hoopla begins NEXT MONTH! To wit, the theme for this month's blog hop is Christmas in July. I will admit this was a challenge for me -- I just joined A|Muse Studio as a consultant in March, so don't have a single Christmas-themed set! But one of the things I love, love, love about A|Muse Studio is the focus on simplicity, so I pulled out what I have and have made a simple, yet elegant Christmas card. I have to admit the distressing of the music background and the gold embossing are the details that really pull this off.

All supplies A|Muse Studio: that's the ticket & sheet music background (stamps), vanilla & cherry (cardstock), vintage labels 1 (die: cut and embossed), tuxedo black (ink), and gold (embossing powder)

If you are participating in the blog hop, you should have come from Pamela Frederickson's blog and if not, then you should start from the beginning with Samantha's blog until you come to my blog.And now I invite you to continue on to Angela Kelly's blog. 

In case you haven't seen all the other fabulous projects in this blog hop, here is the complete list:

Samantha Kania www.kania-amusestudio.blogspot.com
Karen Crisp www.papernstamps.blogspot.com
Melinda Fisher www.stampwithmindy.blogspot.com
Tami Grandi www.journeyoflifetamijo.blogspot.com
Pamela Fredrickson www.attemptedcreativity.blogspot.com
Christina Seeger www.morethanalittlerandom.blogspot.com (you are here)
Angela Kelley www.angelakelley.blogspot.com
Kristine Vicente www.checkerberrylane.wordpress.com

I hope this taste of Christmas gets you as excited about Holiday Hoopla as I am! But maybe it's just living in Texas that gets me so excited about seasons other than summer . . .

Happy stamping!
Christina