What happens when two friends who are designers for two different companies swap stamps + blogs?

Let’s find out!

I’m off to the A Muse blog, so take it awaaaaaay, Julie…!

Hello! It has been *so* much fun designing these special cards using Hero Arts stamps!

This fun “designer swap” between Hero Arts and A Muse sprouted over the idea of each of us guest designing for the other–I’ve been a tremendous Lisa Spangler groupie (I’m always teasing her that I’m a friendly “stalker”) for quite some time, so it has been a great thrill for me to work so closely with her on this!

Here’s a little background about me:

Rubber stamping caught my interest over 14 years ago, when a cousin would send beautiful hand-made cards to our family. Once I understood she “made it herself” using rubber stamps, I had to get in on the action, too–it’s been a happy addiction ever since!

For the past 11 years, I’ve had a blast demonstrating and teaching the art of rubber stamping, in addition to doing concept design work. Today, I work from my home on Whidbey Island, WA as A Muse Artstamps Creative Teams Director.

My husband of nearly 24 years has grown accustomed, with good humor, to my ever-growing collection of rubber stamps. We have a daughter, 18, headed for college next fall, and a son, 12, whose Little League schedule keeps us hoppin’!

Warmest thanks to Lisa, and to Hero Arts! Good times!

Thank YOU Julie! It was so fun doing this with you and A Muse!

Now, I’m back to tell you all about Julie’s cards. Just look at all these fabulous creations that Julie did featuring CIRCLES, starting with a monogram card using the Sparkle Clear Little Letter J — of course!

See how Julie put the Pearl Accents in the corners — brilliant!

Next up is a truly amazing card, featuring the Amazing and Layering Circles Design Accent stamps

I love how she used the new Mixed Summer Gemstones to underline “amazing” and the colors — gotta love the Summer Notecards! Aren’t the Layering Circles effective stamped in black?

Next we have one of my favorite message stamps, Seize the Cupcake, along with one of my favorite border sets, Clear Design Dots and Lines!

Look closely at the candle in the “seize the cupcake” and the frosting — is this girl good or what?

Next is another card featuring the Clear Design Dots and Lines and the Layering Circles — what yummy colors.

And, check out the Clear Card Button fits perfectly over the “happy wishes” from the Clear Design Thinking of You Messages set!

Next we have a card featuring the Sweet Bird. Love how Julie used the Sparkle Gem Heart – isn’t it sweet?

And now for a soft, gentle card using the Dandelion. Love the background created with those Layering Circles, too.

Next are two cards that both feature the Silhouette Corner that Shari used in her water mist video last week

Isn’t it great how you can get so many different looks with that stamp, just by changing the colors?

Now for a simple, dramatic “hi!” — love the Small Dot Line Border stamped down the side

And the Black Gemstones for flower centers

Finally, here’s yet another clever use of the Layering Circles Design Accents set — Julie used one of the circles to create a sun!

I love the little embossed flowers in the background and the border that Julie drew, too! The “you make me smile” message is from the Clear Design Thinking of You Messages set. The Summer Art Flowers and Summer Card Buttons really make it pop!

Julie, YOU and your happy cards make me smile! I had so much fun doing the “Designer Swap” with you!

Now I think it’s time we spread MORE smiles with a GIVEAWAY!

The giveaway includes the Layering Circles Design Accent set that Julie used, a Card Art Write-in Bird Kit (since it works so well with the Layering Circles!), a package of Summer Art Buttons and a package of Cantaloupe Notecards! YUM!

To win, just post a comment below with something that makes you SMILE! I’ll leave this open until Monday morning when the winner will be announced.

If you’d like to see the cards that I stamped, just click on over to the A Muse Blog HERE! Pssst, I hear there’s a giveaway there, too!

Don’t forget, you have until Sunday at 11:59 PM PST to submit your Circle Challenge entry to the Hero Arts Flicker Group. Hope we inspired you to create an entry!

Until tomorrow,

Filed under: circle

This entry was posted on Friday, May 30th, 2008 at 3:03 am and is filed under Fun Fridays. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.