Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Waltzingmouse Stamps February Release Preview, Day 3

Ohh today is the day that we have all been waiting for!  It's finally time to reveal the new stamp designer for Waltzingmouse Stamps, eeek!  The anticipation has been killing me, so I can't even imagine what it was like for the new designer!

Drum roll, please....

Her first set is absolutely fabulous!!  It's called Heirloom Patterns, and it will be releasing along with 8 other sets from Claire on Wednesday, February 29th!  Today we are featuring projects with Heirloom Patterns, as well as a wonderful new set called Compact Sentiments.


I couldn't think of a better sentiment to choose for Anya on her big day!  It's tucked inside one of the Ovals-Classic Frames.  I paired the rose from Roses in Bloom with the absolutely spectacular cane print from Heirloom Patterns.  I had to laugh yesterday when I visited Anya's blog and saw that she stamped her cane print on light green paper with green ink, heeee!  I must have been reading her mind :)  


I colored the rose with Copic markers and popped up some of the layers with dimenisionals.  The center is colored with my trusty Sakura Stardust glitter pen.  That wonderful little pen really makes things shimmer!

Heirloom Patterns is perfect for so many styles.  While I thought my rose card was modern, I wanted to use the set for a more vintage look...


Both the houndstooth and the striped pattern are from Heirloom Patterns.  The tea cup from Afternoon Tea Sentiments is stamped on patterned paper and I added a sentiment from the set, as well.

I couldn't stop without checking to see if I could do cute with such a chic (ha!..see below) set....and why yes, you CAN!


The chick from L'il Buddies was stamped with the reverse dotted pattern from Gingham & Co.  He is paired with the houndstooth print from Heirloom Patterns, cut with a grass die from A Muse Studio.  LOVE this sentiment from Compact Sentiments, it's so...Claire!  The Chicken Wire background will make an excellent companion for not only the rooster from French Country, but all of the L'il Buddies critters, too!

Congratulations, Anya!  I can't wait to see what the DT has made today, so come along with me....


Supplies:

Happy for You card:  
Stamps:  Heirloom Patterns, Compact Sentiments, Ovals-Classic Frames, Roses in Bloom, all Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI Spring Moss, white
Ink:  Fresh Ink in Basil, VersaFine Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
Other:  Sakura Stardust glitter pen, Spellbinders Standard Ovals Small Nestabilities, Fern satin ribbon from A Muse Studio

Tea Cup card:
Stamps:  Heirloom Patterns, Afternoon Tea Sentiments, all Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI Vintage Cream, Lost and Found "Market Street" Collection by My Mind's Eye
Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, A Muse Studio Pistachio and Latte, Fresh Ink in Pink Lemonade, Antique Linen Distress ink, Copic marker
Other:  Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Stain, rhinestone, lace, thin ribbon, paper flowers from A Muse Studio

Wee Baby tag:
Stamps:  Heirloom Patterns, Chicken Wire, Compact Sentiments, L'il Buddies, Gingham & Co., all Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI White
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Fresh Ink in Chamomille and Pear, A Muse Studio Winter Sky ink, orange marker
Other:   grass die from A Muse Studio, twine, button, PTI Tag Sale die

Monday, February 27, 2012

Waltzingmouse Stamps February Release Preview, Day 2

Back for another preview for Waltzingmouse Stamps!  Claire will be releasing 9 new sets on Wednesday, February 29th!  Today we are featuring projects with two of the new sets... Florentine Frippery and Nordic Spring!


Florentine Frippery is a set full of delicate scrolls and unique sentiments that are so sweet like this one ..."Verily I thank thee."  :)  I stamped and cut my frame image with a standard square nestie, then cut a larger window into the patterned paper. The papers are from the My Mind's Eye "Blush" Collection.


I stamped the heart in pink ink, and then traced the scrolls with my Sakura Stardust glitter pen to make them shimmer.  The outside frame is heat embossed with silver powder.  I can just imagine the sweet creations that all of you out in blogland will make with this set!!

Next up is the very sweet cousin of Nordic Winter...it's Nordic Spring!  Claire was one step ahead of all of us, and created this one before we even had to ask!


Such sweet images in this set...the tulips really make me smile!  This strip is one image, but I was able to ink up the stems and flowers separately with those mini VersaMagic inks.  Then I went back and added the blue heart separately.  The bluebirds are stamped on a nestie label 10 that I stamped with the coordinating image from the previously- released set Very Vintage Labels No. 10.  The sentiment is from Spring Baskets.  Oh, and I  finally squeaked some gingham onto a project!

Speaking of gingham, I made one last little tag with Nordic Spring because I always seem to need one!


I stamped the little flower image 3 times and then pieced it together so that the flower, leaves, and vase were different colors.  The bottom is stamped with WMS Gingham & Co.. in a really delicious ink called "Toffee" from A Muse Studio.  Used the petite scalloped circle and standard circle nesties for the top and adhered them to a PTI Tag Sale #5 die cut.  A few vintage buttons from my stash, and that's a wrap until tomorrow!

Ready to see more of these fabulous sets?  
Check out the rest of the awesome projects the DT has for you today:


Supplies:


Verily I Love You:
Stamps:  Florentine Frippery, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI Vintage Cream cs, Lost and Found "Blush" Collection by My Mind's Eye
Ink:  Versamark, VersaColor Raspberrry
Other:  Spellbinders Classic Squares Small Nestabilities,  silver embossing powder and Blush satin ribbon both from A Muse Studio, Sakura Stardust glitter pen, pearl

Bluebird card:
Stamps:  Nordic Spring, Very Vintage Labels No. 10, Spring Baskets, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI White, Sweet Blush
Ink:  VersaMagic inks in Aloe Vera, Sea Breeze, and Pixie Dust, and Fresh Ink in Slate
Other:  Spellbinders Labels 10 Nestabilities, pink buttons, embroidery floss, gingham ribbon


Nordic Flower Tag:
Stamps:  Nordic Spring, Gingham & Co., Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI Vintage Cream
Ink:  A Muse Studio ink in Toffee, SU Cherry Cobbler, VersaMagic Tea Leaves
Other:  PTI Tag Sale #5 die, Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Circles Large Nestabilities, Standard Circles Small Nestabilities, twine, buttons, mini pearl

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Waltzingmouse Stamps February Release Preview, Day 1


And a good morning it IS, something to really crow about, heee!  Today is the first day of the previews for the Waltzingmouse Stamps February Release, and we are showcasing 3 of Claire's wonderful new sets:  French Country, Chicken Wire, and Make Your Mark!  These sets, along with SIX other ones, will be released on Wednesday, February 29th!

My first card features the rooster and a sentiment from French Country, and one of the Chicken Wire background strips.  I masked off the rectangle frame from the previously-released Frame-It set to make a little scene.  Kind of reminds me of an old-fashioned label, don't you think?  A button sunshine to finish it off (shout out to Lori Tecler who always places hers so perfectly :)


I couldn't resist getting folksy, and thought back to the wonderful woven basket tutorial by Brenda Quintana.  I have used it twice before, and it's really fun to make!  I stamped patterns from French Country onto the horizontal strips.  Used the Fleur de lis from the set to make the border around the top.  Added a little tag using a certain shape that will be revealed later this week!  There's that rooster again...he's my newest favorite image!

For my finale, I decided to use the images in a more elegant fashion to make an "Anniversaire" card!


This card was made solely with images from French Country!


First, I stamped a background with smaller images from the set and colored them with Copic markers.  Added a label image that just so happens to fit the new Spellbinders Labels 25 Nestabilities!  My nesties didn't arrive quite yet, but fussy cutting did the trick!  Stamped a sentiment from French Country inside, along with 2 little border images from the previously released, Ovals-Classic Frames.


I used the Guide Lines Impression Plate from PTI, and stamped the fleur de lis from French Country inside the diamonds.  Added a big bow made out of bias tape.


Couldn't leave without showing a glimpse of the BACK!  Stamped with one of the wonderful new images from Make Your Mark!

I think there are a few other ladies that are just as excitied as I am today!  So off you go on a trip through the French Countryside (and you don't even need to buy a plane ticket!)
See you back here tomorrow for Day 2!


Supplies:

Good Morning card:
Stamps:  French Country, Chicken Wire,  Frame-It, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI Vintage Cream and Kraft
Ink:  SU Cherry Cobbler, VersaMagic Night Sky, Fresh Ink in Chocolate, Antique Linen Distress ink, PTI Vintage Cream ink
Other:  yellow button and embroidery floss

Basket:
Stamps:  French Country, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI Vintage Cream
Ink:  SU Cherry Cobbler and Not Quite Navy, Antique Linen Distress ink
Other:  PTI Kraft twill ribbon, eyelet, twine

Bon Anniversaire card:
Stamps:  French Country, Make Your Mark, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI Vintage Cream
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI Pure Poppy, A Muse Studio Winter Sky, Antique Linen and Pumice Stone Distress inks, Copic markers
Other:  bias tape, heart pin, PTI Guide Lines Impression Plate, A Muse Studio cranberry pearls, corner rounder punch

Monday, February 20, 2012

A Special Award

Helen Berry, one of my favorite stampers, happened to award ME with a special title last week!  I was so thrilled to get such a nice blog award from a person with a style that I admire so much!  I have had my eye on her blog since way back when I started participating in blog hops.  I would always stop and stare and wonder, "Who is this girl with the sweetest style and a last name to match :)"

The title of the award is...


Liebster' is German for 'dearest'.  The award is a 'share-the-love' arrangement, given to inspirational bloggers with less than 200 followers. 

Here's the to-do list of any Liebster award recipient:

Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
Reveal your five blogger picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
Copy and paste the award on your blog (see above)
Hope that those you award forward it to their favourite bloggers


Here are my five favourite blogs (in no particular order) with less than 200 followers (based solely on google followers).


It was very VERY difficult to narrow this down to five!  


1.  Kara of "KandRdesigns"
2.  Terri of "Life with Terri"
3. Mary Rose of "Mary Rose's Cafe"
4. Sharron of "On Papillon's Wings"
5. Jen Adcock of "Only Love is Real! Papercrafts"

Okay, so I have a special entry for Ms. Laurie Jones!  She does not have a blog yet and she needs to start one, heeee.   You can find her beautiful gallery at Waltzingmouse Stamps HERE.  Now, Laurie...you have a blog award to post for your very first entry!

Thanks again Helen for your lovely gesture!

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Easter Egg Sketch

Another lovely from Jen Cuthbertson for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge Blog!  


Oh yes, after yesterday's wonderful Blog Party, spring stayed on my mind!  Since Spring Baskets was sitting out on my table, I jumped at the chance to use it again!


Turned the sketch so that I could make those circles into Easter eggs!  I used patterned paper from October Afternoon's "Sidewalks" collection to paper-piece the eggs and make my little scene.  I masked off the sentiment so that I could extend it across the top.  ((Secret:  I got a little ink splotch by the word "hunt", so I stamped over it with a bee!))  Also made some grass and a rick rack border using A Muse Studio dies.

Upload your creation with this sketch HERE by next Friday, February 24th.  Be sure to include at least one Waltzingmouse Stamps image on your project to be eligible to be the randomly-selected player who will win a WMS stamp set of choice.

DON'T FORGET....sneak peeks of this month's release are beginning on Claire's blog TODAY!  You may have seen the first one in the monthly newsletter, so you know you won't want to miss out on the second one!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Spring Baskets, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI Vintage Cream, October Afternoon "Sidewalks" Collection
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Other:  A Muse Studio's grass and rick rack dies, Stickles, Divine Twine in yellow, dimensionals

Friday, February 17, 2012

Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party!

It's the 17th, that means time for another Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party!  The theme this month is "Looking Forward to Spring"!  

Remember to add your project link to Claire's blog HERE!  The festivities begin there according to your location, as indicated below: 


UK - 6:30 p.m. 17th Feb  
USA (New York) 1:30 p.m. 17th Feb 
Australia (Queensland) - 4:30 a.m. 18th Feb 
Canada (Alberta) - 11:30 a.m. 17th Feb
Malaysia - 2:30 a.m. 18th Feb - 12:00 p.m 
Norway - 7:30 p.m. 17th Feb

The blog party linky will remain open for 24 hours so that everyone on both sides of the globe can participate!!! - so closing times will be exactly 24 hours after the times posted above!

I chose a clean and simple design with LOTS of gingham!  (Okay, maybe the fussy cutting part wasn't quite as simple as I imagined, hee!)


I stamped the rectangle frame from Frame-It in pink ink, and then made a little swag of flowers to scatter around the border using an image (and sentiment) from Spring Baskets.


I paper-pieced the flowers with gingham paper from A Muse Studio. Some bouquets are lying flat and others are popped up with dimensionals.

Will be back to hop later to catch some of that fresh spring air!  
Thanks for stopping by today :)

Supplies:
Stamps:  Spring Baskets, Frame-It, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  A Muse Studio Gingham papers and Sage cardstock, PTI white
Ink:  Memento Black, A Muse Studio Bubblegum
Other:  dimensionals

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

I'll Take "Interactive Cards" for $500, Alex

Ha, feeling punchy here, but just had to try the interactive card challenge at Papertrey Ink today... for the chance to win a $500 gift certificate and a set of the new interactive dies and the stamp sets introduced today!

I made a card very similar to this one, seen HERE.(My "go-to" interactive design, as they are not my forte)!  It was a hit for my niece's birthday, so decided to make another one to have on hand.


This card is like a PTI Die Bonanza!  Used the Seed Packet die for the pocket, and tucked a button card inside.  On top, I made felt flowers with Beautiful Blooms II #2 and the Buttoned Up button dies.  The Tiny Tag is stamped with a sentiment from Tranquility Trilogy.  Where is the interactive part?



Going up!


The button card was stamped with a pattern from Background Basics:  Retro on the bottom, a sentiment from Script Sentiments, and then Waltzingmouse Stamps "happy birthday" from Say It Loud added underneath.

Such a fun card to make...and to give!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Tranquility Trilogy, Background Basics: Retro, Script Sentiments from Papertrey Ink, and Say It Loud, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  PTI Vintage Cream, Aqua Mist, White, October Afternoon Sidewalks Collection, miscellaneous paper scraps for buttons
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black & A Muse Studio Orange and Ocean
Dies: all from PTI:  Button Card, Seed Packet, Buttoned Up #1 & #2, Beautiful Blooms II #2, Large Scalloped Border, Tiny Tags
Other:  PTI felt in Harvest Gold, Vintage Cream, Simply Chartreuse; Lemon Tart and Aqua Mist buttons, twine, gingham ribbon, cotton fabric