The 12 Kits of Holidays!

Keeping secrets is hard :).  But today is the day that I get to announce that I am a new member of the fun blog group called "The 12 Kits of Holidays" (formerly known as The 12 Kits of Christmas...but like Prince did in the 90's, they got a new name)!  Tracey McNeely and I are joining the crew.  I was lucky enough to be a guest last November with Jeanne Jachna's kit and now I get to play each month this year, yippee!  Sadly, that means 2 members are leaving :(  Hoping that Cathy and Suzanne still visit.  I will miss getting the chance to work with them!

Each month one member sends out a kit of all kinds of papercrafting supplies including stamped images and sentiments, die cuts, patterned papers and embellishments to each of the participants.  Then after being thoroughly spoiled and inspired, we get to make some cards for the upcoming holidays to share!

This month our theme is Valentine's Day and our kit is sponsored by JOYCE!

I was so in love with the colors and patterned paper from the moment I ripped open my padded envelope!  I decided to use of of my favorite things in the kit right away-the mini envelope die cuts from WPlus9's Love Notes die set...

One of the things I am finding is that getting this box of coordinating new supplies makes you think of ways to freshen up your own older supplies.  I made a card long ago with the little snail from PTI's Baby Button Bits delivering mail and had to try it again with these sweet die cut envelopes.  I will say that by getting a sample of various products, my wishlist is growing longer.  I found myself saying "Oh I want to order THAT and THAT" after finishing my cards...the mini envelope and L'il Inkers Instant Camera dies are first on my list!

Arrows are IN right now and this sheet of paper from the My Mind's Eye Lucky in Love Collection caught my eye...

I glittered up some letters in this sentiment from WPlus9's Love You More set using a glue pen, and then added matching arrows and an embellished heart from the Waltzingmouse Stamps Sweethearts set.

Thought it was time to add a little CAS design into the mix.  This sheet of paper was my favorite of the bunch and it made me think of My Heart from Waltzingmouse Stamps.

I stamped the heart and added some Liquid Pearls.  Cut the sentiment that Joyce sent us from WPlus9's Love You More set and it fit inside perfectly!

My last projects are some little seed packets.  First a fancy one...love that tree from PTI's Love and Marriage set...and how cool that Joyce stamped it in Hawaiian Shores ink!  Why do I always stamp mine in green?!  Added the seed packet frame image and sentiments from Waltzingmouse Stamps Vintage Garden-Seed Packet set.

And one with a bit simpler style.  I layered the mini heart blooms from Stampin Up's Valentine Defined set with a bigger heart from PTI's Heart Prints.  There's another sweet sentiment from the Waltzingmouse Stamps Vintage Garden-Seed Packet set.

I thought these would make good Valentines for the girls to give to their teachers.  I was thinking of putting Forget Me Not seeds inside.  Added a place for them to write notes on the back...

Can you believe that after all of these projects, I STILL have a ton of stuff left over from Joyce's kit...except for the paper.  I gobbled that right up :)  I will say that I am learning.  It's so hard to use all of the pretty new things and I tend to hoard them a bit.  I still have a TON of stuff left over from Jeanne's kit last November!

I can hardly wait for next month!  Until then, off you go to visit the 11 other blogs featuring projects with Joyce's fun Valentine's Day kit!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Joyce

Renee

Tracey

Sharron

Marybeth

Jeanne

Christina

Amy

Kim

Kara

Jessica

Supplies:
Snail card:
Stamps:  Baby Button Bits & Vintage Picnic, Papertrey Ink
Paper:  My Mind's Eye Lucky in Love, PTI white, Pure Poppy, Aqua Mist, Sweet Blush & Hawaiian Shores
Ink:  SU Real Red, Memento Black
Other:  L'il Inkers Instant Camera die, PTI Heart border die, May Arts Chevron twill ribbon, WPlus9 Love Notes dies, My Favorite Things Chevron die, Sizzix embossing folder, PTI Pure Poppy buttons, heart button, twine

Arrow card:
Stamps: Love You More, WPlus9 & Sweethearts, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  My Mind's Eye Lucky in Love, PTI White & Hawaiian Shores
Ink:  A Muse Studio Cherry, PTI Pure Poppy & Fresh Snow
Other:  Spellbinders Standard Square Nestabilities, Queen & Co. Twisted Twine, Doodlebug Lily White Sugar Coating glitter, paper flower, button

Hearts and Doilies card:
Stamps:  Love You More, WPlus9 & My Heart, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  My Mind's Eye Lucky in Love, PTI white & Sweet Blush
Ink:  SU Real Red, A Muse Studio Eucalyptus
Other:  Spellbinders Tear Drop Circle and Standard Circle Nestabilities, White Opal Liquid Pearls, corner rounder punch

Tree Seed Packet:
Stamps:  Love & Marriage, Papertrey Ink & Vintage Garden-Seed Packet, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  My Mind's Eye Lucky in Love, PTI White & Hibiscus Burst
Ink: PTI Hawaiian Shores, SU Real Red, 
Other:  PTI Seed Packet and Buttoned Up #2 dies, Spellbinders Labels 4 Nestabilities, Basic Grey flower button, Queen & Co. Twisted twine, pearl

Heart Flowers Seed Packet:
Stamps:  Valentine Defined, Stampin Up, Heart Prints, Papertrey Ink & Vintage Garden Seed Packet, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI White, My Mind's Eye Love Me
Ink:  Fresh Ink in Pool, SU Real Red, Memento Tuxedo Black
Other:  PTI Seed Packet die, L'il Inkers Stitched Rectangle die, rhinestones

Chalk (not Chai) Tea Latte

I could not wait to play along with Claire's new Monday Morning Make hosted from her blog Waltzingmouse Makes!  This week she issued a technique challenge...the chalkboard technique!  I decided to try Betsy Veldman's version with Ocean Tides cardstock to make a retro green chalkboard.

I pulled out the Afternoon Tea and Afternoon Tea Sentiments sets from Waltzingmouse Stamps to make a card reminiscent of those cool cafe menus!

I shaded the edges with some Tim Holtz Peacock Feathers Distress Ink (that's fun to type!)  The background papers are from My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline "Howdy Doody" Collection.

Laurie Jones mentioned on her chalkboard technique entry that the trickiest part is overstamping the image with the white ink.. and I agree!  It can turn really blurry if you don't get in close enough which can make for a woozy sentiment!  This time I used a Prismacolor white pencil to added shadow detail and it helped a bit.  I did add Fresh Snow ink with a sponger around the inside of the card for chalk dust.  The pretty scroll image framing the sentiment is from Very Vintage Labels No. 4.

You still have time to play along!  Upload your creation using some Waltzingmouse Stamps and the chalkboard technique to the Mr. Linky set on Claire's blog by Monday morning January 28th at 2:00 PM GMT (that's 9:00 AM EST).  Can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve this Monday!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Afternoon Tea, Afternoon Tea Sentiments, Very Vintage Labels No. 4, all Waltzingmouse Stamps

Paper:  My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline "Howdy Doody" Collection, PTI Ocean Tides and white cardstock

Ink:  VersaMark, PTI Fresh Snow, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Peacock Feathers

Other:  Filagree Fine Detail white embossing powder, Prismacolor White pencil, paper flower, pearl

Papertrey Ink January Blog Hop

This month the Papertrey Ink blog hop's theme is to use black backgrounds!  This was the most difficult theme for me in quite a while.  I tend to use lots of Vintage Cream and Kraft and this month pushed me out of my comfort zone and into the depths of my PTI closet to find some old treasures to use for my card.

I ran out of True Black cardstock (gasp...nothing but scraps!) but found a new pack of Smokey Shadow to use.  I paired it with the daisy from Friends 'Til the End and a sentiment from Script Sentiments.

Whoa...grey, pink, white?  Rhinestones?  A modern design?  Told you it was out of my comfort zone!  I even broke out the Copic markers that are so neatly arranged on a new shelf that I got for my birthday.  Now I need to put them to USE more often!!

To fancy up my dark background, I impressed the paper with the Woodgrain Impression plate and then misted it with some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in "Glacier Ice."  The sentiment is heat embossed with fine detail white powder.

Note to self...it may be a good idea to invest in the Friends 'Til the End dies :)  I fussy cut my daisy and added some Sakura Stardust glitter pen details and a rhinestone.

I must try this modern look again some time...just not soon, hee!  Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Friends 'Til the End and Script Sentiments, Papertrey Ink
Paper:  PTI Smokey Shadow and White
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMark, Copic markers
Other:  PTI Woodgrain Impression Plate, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Glacier Ice, Filagree Fine Detail embossing powder in white, Sakura Stardust glitter pen, rhinestones

Waltzingmouse Stamps January Blog Party...and Moxie Fab news!

Welcome to the first blog party of 2013...and it just so happens it's on a day that Waltzingmouse Stamps gained the Moxie Fab stamp of approval from Cath Edvalson!  Be sure to stop by Moxie Fab World today to comment for a chance to win FIVE Waltzingmouse stamp sets!  Today Cath is showcasing...

Appleblossom Seeds

My Heart

My Island

Woodenheart Alphabet

Woodgrain

Some of these sets are shipping from the USA (once CHA is over :)).  You can read about all of the sets that Claire is currently able to ship from the USA HERE!  It just so happens that these are some of my faves!  I know, I know, I say that quite a bit, but can't help it if it's true!  I used some of them on my blog party cards today.  

This month's theme is "Love."  Don't worry if you haven't made your card yet.  You have until tomorrow (Friday, January 18th at 1:30 PM EST) to upload your creation with the theme to Claire's Mr. Linky set on her blog HERE!

Up first was a card I made after a little Pinterest browsing.  I saw this sweater and was inspired to make a Valentine card using the unique textures and color scheme.

Floral Neck Sweater with Lace Heart Patch from ChicNova

Here is my card...

I used the heart from My Heart and the sweater background from Faux Fun.  The lacy detail is the Vintage Christmas Backgrounder stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with white powder on vellum paper.  The sentiment is from Sweethearts.

I used a recent crafty purchase that is so much fun...Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in "Guilded Gold"!  I misted the kraft paper with it before stamping and embossing the heart.  The little leaves that show through are shimmery delicious!  I added some gold Liquid Pearls to match.  The embossed vellum looks so much like lace to me!

Oh you KNOW I couldn't let this party pass without using Earth Angel!

I made a little garden scene using a picket fence die cut and the vine from My Heart.  Added some sweet flowers and leafy stems from Pic-Nic Patterns, and hearts and a sentiment from Earth Angel.

Kept out that Glimmer Mist!  I sprayed another kraft piece for her dress (and wings) and then stamped it with a stripe (in kraft ink) from Nordic Winter.  Added some white stripes with a colored pencil.  She's like a little angelic golden bumblebee fluttering about!

I'll leave you with a sweet picture that my daughter Claire (age 7) made after seeing me make my angel card, a girl after her mother's heart...

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Be sure to stop over to Claire's blog to read about blog party prizes and some other special announcements!  I am looking forward to so many fun things this year at Waltzingmouse Stamps!

Supplies:

Sweater card:

Stamps:  My Heart, Faux Fun, Vintage Christmas Backgrounder, Sweethearts, all Waltzingmouse Stamps

Paper:  PTI Kraft & Vintage Cream cardstock, A Muse Studio vellum

Ink:  VersaMark, Fresh Ink in Harvest, PTI Fresh Snow & Kraft inks

Other:  Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Guilded Gold, Liquid Pearls in Gold Pearl, Filagree Fine Detail white embossing powder, Spellbinders Fancy Tags Nestabilities, yellow twine

Angel card:

Stamps:  Earth Angel, My Heart, Nordic Winter & Pic-Nic Patterns, all Waltzingmouse Stamps

Paper:  PTI Pure Poppy, Vintage Cream & Kraft cardstock

Ink:  PTI Kraft, Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMark, Stampin Up Real Red, AMuse Studio Wheat & Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress ink

Other:  Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Guilded Gold, Prismacolor white pencil, PTI picket fence die, Filagree Fine Detail white embossing powder, Liquid Pearls in Ruby Red, Diamond Stickles, red twine

Build a Snowman!

It's time for another Sunday with the Challenge Chicks!  This month's hostess is Jeanne Streiff and she chose the theme of SNOWMEN!

I built my snowman with hexagons, hexagons, and a few more...hexagons!!

I used a Basic Grey Sizzix die called "Snowman and Stocking" that I got on Black Friday last year...at 75% off!  He's just been sitting in my closet waiting for a day like today (and he didn't even melt yet :)!)  I must admit that I have never die cut so many pieces in my life...and just for one card?  But it was a runaway train that I could not stop, eek!

I placed a frame cut with  Papertrey Ink's Hexagon Cover Plate over the top of the snowman piece, then stamped the little hexagon die cuts with the coordinating Happy Hexagons stamp set in neutral colors.

I made a little felt rose with My Favorite Things Mini Rolled Rose Die-Namics die and added a gingham scarf (is there any other pattern??) and some pearls for his eyes and buttons.  The hat looked plain so I thought some glittery snow was in order!

The background with stamped with the new Waltzingmouse Stamps set Woodgrain.  It coordinates with the Spellbinders Hexagon Nestabilities!  As a finishing touch, I stamped a snowflake from Nordic Winter in VersaMark and heat embossed it with white powder.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's In the Meadow set and it's embossed on vellum.

We would love for you to play along, too!  Upload your creations to Splitcoaststampers using the keyword CHXJAN13.  Or you could post a project to your blog and link it to our Facebook page HERE!

Join us next month on Sunday, February 3rd for a challenge hosted by Kelli Hull...but until then, visit these chicks' blogs for some more snowman FUN!

Anna Wight

Diane Zechman

Jeanne Streiff

Kelli Hull

Lydia Fiedler

Vickie Garrett

Supplies:
Stamps:  Happy Hexagons and In the Meadow from Papertrey Ink, Woodgrain and Nordic Winter from Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI cardstock in Rustic White, Vintage Cream, Soft Stone, Smokey Shadow, and Kraft and A Muse Studio Vellum
Ink:  Fresh Ink in Birch, Provincial Gray, & Slate, A Muse Studio Latte, Stampin Up Cherry Cobbler, VersaMark
Other:  Sizzix/Basic Grey "Snowman and Stocking" die, My Favorite Things Mini Rolled Rose die, Papertrey Ink Hexagon Cover Plate, Spellbinders Hexagon Nestabilities, Martha Stewart snowflake punch, Filagree White Detail embossing powder, Doodlebug Lily White Sugar glitter, Benzie Bazaar felt (etsy.com), pearls, gingham ribbon, twine

Waltzingmouse Secret Santa Card Exchange

Time for the big reveal!  Cathy Weber organized the second annual Secret Santa Holiday Card Exchange in the Waltzingmouse Stamps forum.  My card was delivered via Royal Mail from my secret pal Tara Cardwell (aka Craftilicious)!!  It just happens to be in my favorite Christmas card color scheme which is red, kraft, and cream...and it has a delicious Western flair!

The holly leaves and background are embossed using two different patterns.  Little blingy berries decorate the holly and the sentiment...and there's even candy cane striped ribbon, yeehaw!

Tara used an awesome sentiment from Yonder Star cut out with a Labels 3 Nestie!  This card looked so lovely sitting on the shelf in my kitchen that just happens to have red accents in it.  It was a perfect fit, thanks SO much, Tara!

As for me, I had one of my favorite Christmas cards tucked away in a card box.  It was from the month that A Cottage Christmas was released.  I tend to keep favorites indefinitely, which is SO not in the spirit of Christmas giving!  I must have been keeping it for something special...so when I found out that I had sweet Lee Erwee as my secret card recipient off it flew all the way to South Africa!!
(I am hoping it made it there since I tucked it in a small padded envelope rather than a regular one...maybe I should have put a Valentine's sentiment on the inside, eek!!)

I can't wait to participate again next year!  It's always so lovely to open the mailbox and see a puffy little envelope filled with a friend's creative heart :)