Waltzingmouse Stamps "Tag, You're it!" Challenge

Claire Brennan is offering up a most excellent prize at Waltzingmouse Stamps...100 pounds of stamps, hee!  Just kidding, she is offering up a gift certificate worth 100 (insert fancy L pounds currency symbol here) to a random player of her "Tag, You're It" Challenge!  My currency converter said that's close to 160.00 US dollars! 

The challenge is easy...make an elegant and beautiful Christmas tag!  You get a bonus prize of 25 more pounds worth of stamps if you use Waltzingmouse Stamps on your card, too!

I have been so wanting to play along, and finally got a chance when two little girls of mine (tired from all of the Halloween festivities so far) fell asleep "almost" early!

Here is my tag:

I used the snowflake images from WMS "Sewing Box: Christmas" set, and the house from "Sewing Box: Hugs" .  I paper-pieced it with SEI snowflake paper on the roof, and kraft paper (and PTI's Woodgrain Impression plate) for the house.  The wreath and the sentiment are from Papertrey Ink's Believe set. 

The paper in the background is that new REAL wood paper by Creative Imaginations.  It's the coolest stuff ever, and I am going to be heading back to Michael's where it was on sale the other day!  I chose "Thin Cherry".  Also used lots of Crystal Snow by Stampendous, and colored my windows to look "glowy" with some yellow markers.  Okay, my card is more "folksy" than elegant...so that's why I topped it off with cream satin ribbon.  Nothing says fancy like satin ribbon (though my gingham ribbon was SO mad at me for that)!

Thanks so much for visiting!  I hope to get one more tag done before the challenge deadline of November 6th...need to double my chances for Claire's generous prize!

Edited to add:  The final count of entries was 164 tags!  You must click on that link to see them all, they are amazing!  After the grand prize drawing, Claire generously chose 6 "Tag Spot Winners" for tags that "tickled" her fancy.  I am so thrilled to say that this tag was one of the 6 that tickled her, heee!  Claire Brennan is one of my stamping idols, so this is like winning the lotto to me!!  Thanks so much, Claire!

Papertrey Blog Hop!

This month's theme for the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop is to make a card or project celebrating a winter holiday!  Since PTI showcased Christmas for 10 days in October, Nichole Heady asked participants to make a card featuring a holiday that is celebrated by another culture or in a different country.

Happy Chinese New Year!
A time for new beginnings, giving thanks, and reunions with family and friends.  Chinese New Year begins at the second New Moon after winter solstice.  This typically corresponds with a day between January 21st -February 19th on the solar calendar.  The holiday lasts 15 days, and each day is distinguished with a different activity, such as visiting relatives or eating special foods.

I bought my daughters Eva and Claire a darling book called "My First Chinese New Year" by Karen Katz when they were little.  The book is torn and tattered because they loved reading it so much.  This inspired me to head to Google to find out more about this holiday!  To my surprise, it represents "Turning over a New Leaf" which just happens to be a stamp set from Papertrey Ink!

Here is my card.  The meaning of each part of the card is listed below:

The red signifies the Red Lai.  These are red envelopes given to children with money or gold coins inside for good luck.

The white leaves are from the PTI set "Turning a New Leaf"

Used PTI's Guide Lines stamp set on the bottom to signify Spring Couplets.  These are expressions of good wishes for the family in the coming New Year.  They are written in black ink on red paper.

Used orange rhinestones to signify tangerines, oranges, and pomelos, foods typically eaten on Chinese New Year.  Orange signifies "wealth", and tangerines signify "good luck".  The reason these fruits came to represent these things is because of a language "pun".  These pairs of words in Chinese have the same sounds (tangerine/good luck, orange/wealth).

Kept the design clean and simple.  It is tradition to clean the house and "sweep away the bad luck from last year, so the family is ready to welcome good luck in the New Year."  This holiday, more than any other, stresses family ties.  On Chinese New Year's Eve there is a dinner gathering which is among the most important family gatherings of the year.

Lastly, I used the Best of Luck sentiment from PTI's Faux Ribbon set.  To wish Good Luck in the coming year.

I so enjoyed making this card and learning somthing new!  I can't wait to see everyone's creations!  Thanks for stopping by!

Gotta love the jars!

Back to the jars!  Got my new order from Papertrey Ink on Monday and had to wait this long to play!  Used Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers again.  This time, on a case of the Featured Stamper's card...this week it's LynniePoo aka Lynnette!  Here is Lynnette's card.

Here is mine:

Stamped jar in black, then stamped candy in Versamark ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder.  Colored in the candy using red marker.  Stamped sentiment using the "ho ho ho" from Tiny Treats Christmas.  Used PTI's Fresh Linen cardstock...like Kraft Lite, hee!

Can't believe I got this one done without a smudge.  Lynnette's gallery is full of clean and simple 1-layer cards...SO HARD to make!  I did pretty well except for the tag and the lid which are just teeny mini layers...so I really don't think they count against my 1-layer wonder, right?!  :)

Let it snow...man!

For this week's Queen for the Day at Splitcoaststampers...Morningsun47 (aka Linda)!  I cased this card by Linda, who was casing a former Queen....Sallie!  So this is a "case of a case" kinda card! 
(P.S. In "case" you didn't know..."Case" means "Copy and Share Everything!")

Linda's card

Sallie's card

Kept Linda's overall theme, layout, and elements (because they were so GOOD!)...just changed the colors a bit and the images.  I used Papertrey Ink's new Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers snowman and sentiment, sooo much fun!

You know when you do something, and then say "Nooo, why did I do that?" (and you say this out loud...and when you are by yourself!)  The snowflake punches down the side were showing through, but I thought they needed to sparkle.  So I colored them with a Stardust pen and they turned silver and disappeared, eek!  Mr. Frosty also was looking like Mr. Pink because I painted him with Opal Shimmerz, but luckily it faded and he was back to his sparkling snowy self! 

Loved looking through Linda's gallery!  Her cards are so pretty, and she is always so generous with her comments on other people's cards!  Enjoy your reign as Queen, Linda!!

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #19

Getting one in under the wire for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge this week...

who wouldn't want to win Claire's Rescue Remedies set?!

Here is this week's sketch...

And here is my card for this week...though it says "stamp here"...I ended up stamping "here", "there", and "everywhere" with snowflakes from WMS Sewing Box: Christmas!

Used a glue pen and traced the snowflakes, then coated them with Crystal Snow by Stampendous.  Also used PTI's new blue...Blueberry Sky!  This picture in the terrible night-lighting in my kitchen is not doing the color justice!

Waltzingmouse Autumn Blog Waltz!

It's time for another Friends of Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Waltz! 

The theme for October is Autumn Harvest!

I chose the wreath, leaves and sentiment from WMS Peace and Plenty set.  Colored the wreath with watercolor markers then coated the whole thing with Crystal Snow glitter by Stampendous.  Also used images from Very Vintage Labels One. 

I got that lace trim from JoAnn's the other day, and can't seem to make a card without it!  So proud of myself because I only got 1 yard, and I am actually USING it!  Might even use it up, eek!

Thanks so much for stopping by...so excited to see the beautiful autumn colors on this waltz!

A Single Snowflake

Tonight was "Virtual Stamp Night" (VSN) at Splitcoast...and the theme for tonight, and for the weekend event on November 12 & 13th is "On Cloud Nine".  Pam (bailmac) posted the sweetest challenge.  You were to make a card inspired by this quote:

Ever felt an angel's breath in the gentle breeze?  A teardrop in the falling rain?  Heard a whisper amongst the rustle of leaves?  Or been kissed by a lone snowflake?  Nature is an angel's favorite hiding place."
~Carrie Latet

I HAD to use my Earth Angel set by Waltzingmouse Stamps:

I love the thought of an angel kissing a snowflake and sending it down to land on someone's cheek!  So sweet, might have to frame this quote for the girls' room. 

Also used WMS Pic-Nic Patterns and some White Opal Liquid Pearls for the bottom portion, and a sentiment from PTI's Holiday Button Bits.  My snowflake is the cutest little button somebody sent me when I was a hostess for a past VSN...like maybe 2 years ago!  Sometimes you gotta save stuff for JUST the right occasion!

Don't stop 'til you get enough!

Sometimes you just love a stamp set...and you can't stop using it!  That's how I feel about PTI's "A Wreath for All Seasons"...here is my card for last week's "CAS" (Clean and Simple) Challenge at SCS...to use this sweet sketch by Cookiebaker!  A super quick card with pretty glittered paper and another jingle bell, and another Christmas card DONE!

Happy World Card-Making Day!

That's what today is!  PaperCrafts Magazine "invented" this special day 3 years ago to encourage card makers to get a head start on the holidays and to spread the joy of homemade cards around!  Today I participated in 2 things, and first up is...

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #17!  Here is my card:

Used PTI's Leaf Prints.  When I was done stamping the leaves, I stamped Cornish Heritage Farms' Canvas Backgrounder over the top in wheat ink ( a good trick learned from Nichole Heady!).  Then added sentiment from WMS Peace and Plenty, soooo love that font!

I also went to a stamping event here in Rochester today...the 3rd Annual Flower City Gathering.  Laurie Patinode and company organized a fabulous morning and afternoon of stamping.  There were "shoebox" projects for much of the morning...you bring a card and all of the items to make it (in a shoebox, hee!)  and set it up at your table.  Then you move around the table to each station and do everyones' projects.  Here is the card that I brought to share:

Used PTI's A Wreath for All Seasons, Woodgrain Impression Plate, Mat Stack 3, gingham ribbon, and a mini jingle bell!  Everyone made beautiful cards at my table, and it was really fun to go around and use everyone else's "stuff"! 

Hope you found some time to get inky today!  There are some challenges posted today at Splitcoaststampers.  Splitcoaststampers is partnering with the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center for a month long card drive to benefit those affected by breast cancer.  Find them all here:

Hope You Can Cling To Challenge Forum