Blow Some Sunshine!

Well, once again, it's been a few days since I've been stamping -  I'm trying to keep a little balance in my life - so that's where I've been.  But, of course, the various challenges out in blog land keep calling me back!

Today I have answered two challenge calls:

First up is a card I made for the PTI Make It Monday -  Dawn McVey showed us how to blow drops of ink from reinkers across the card to make some funky designs!  This is also for the CAS-ology Cue Card - Care.  My sympathy sentiment is from Everyday Classics (a special set I got from PTI for ordering way too many stamp sets one year!) and I used SU colors of Soft Sky and Barely Banana reinkers.   I have to say -  I 'blew' about 4 trials before getting a design I liked!

My next card was created using the Less is More Sketch.  I used this wonderful embossed edge Tag Die from PTI that I just purchased - along with these wonderful summertime stamps from Waltzingmouse.  The sentiment is cut with Spellbinders Ribbon Banners.

I hope you'll stop by tomorrow - I'll have a Something Old - Something New post for Creations by AR - using an older template in a new way - I think you'll like it!!

Sympathy Card
Stamps:  Papertrey Ink - Everyday Classics
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black,  reinkers Barely Banana and Soft Sky - SU
Accessories:  plastic drinking straw.

Sunshine Card:
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - My Island
Paper:  White, Harvest Gold - PTI
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress - Mustard Seed and Frayed Burlap
Accessories:  Tag Sale Die #3 - PTI, Ribbon Banners Die - Spellbinders, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop.

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop - A Tilted Point of View

Today, for the first time in quite a while, I'm excited to be participating in the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop!

 

This month the challenge is to feature something tilted and since the Watercolor Wonder stamp set just came to live with me - I thought I'd use those stamps on my card - stamping them in a 'tilted' pattern behind a die cut Gothic Arch - sort of like a modern art interpretation of a  stained glass window!  The sentiment is from Handwritten Notes.

I stamped the images in Versamark and colored them with Perfect Pearls -which just happens to be the Make It Monday Challenge. (See Nicole's great Perfect Pearls tutorial here.) Now these colors are shimmery red, green, blue and purple and they are REALLY sparkly IRL - for the life of me I could not get a good picture of it. (not to mention I was taking the photos at 11 pm!)

Here is a 'tilted' close up that hopefully shows you the color and shine a little better.

 So that's it for me -  let's go check out all of the 'tilted' cards linked up over on Nicole's blog!

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink - Watercolor Wonder, Handwritten Notes
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories:  Perfect Pearls - Forever Red, Forever Green, Forever Blue, Forever Violet, foam tape, Small Gothic Arch - Poppystamps

A-Ok Anniversary and a Cameo Thank You.

Happy Sunday everyone - just got back from an invigorating walk with Kent - it's a gorgeously sunny day here in MA today - the sky is clear blue without a cloud in sight!  The temp is hovering around 50 degrees though so we still needed a light jacket!   We seem to have spring for a day here and there - then the temps drop again.  But the trees are budding and all the spring bulbs are growing so it's all good!

I have two cards to share today - this first one was made for the One Layer Wednesday Challenge - A-Ok - to use elements on your card that begin with A.   I used the words Amour and Anniversary and I used the color Aqua Blue.  My stamps are all from Waltzingmouse.

When I was creating this design - I stamped it first on a white panel to try it out. I liked it so I made another card with more layers on it using that panel.  Just a slightly different look - framing it in black and then a blue card base.

 

My second card was created for the Little Red Wagon Challenge -  to use a cameo.  I was inspired by a photo I found on Pinterest 

And here is the card I created.  My stamps are all Waltzingmouse.  I embossed the images in black on the die cut egg and layered it over the embossed black panel with foam tape.  I added a clear heart rhinestone to the decorative branch.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Anniversary card:

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - ornate frame and Amour from Paris Nouveau, Anniversary Wishes from Big Day Additions, heart from Oven Fresh Gingerbread Joy.

Paper:  White,  second version also has True Black - PTI, Taken with Teal - SU

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Tumbled Glass

Thanking You Cameo:

Stamps:   Waltzingmouse - Cameo Creations, Cameo to Go

Paper:  white, true black - PTI

Ink: Versamark

Accessories:  black embossing powder, heat gun, egg die - Spellbinders, foam tape, heart rhinestone - Michaels,  Square Lattice Embossing folder - SU

Hello Hyacinth!

I learned a new technique with this card today -  I found out about it on the Less is More Challenge.  which is a CASE challenge this week.  You'll find JJ Boltons tutorial for the technique here.  Basically -  you stamp an image (or group of images) on your card base - then you stamp it again on a separate panel - die cut a word out of the panel and adhere the letters over the original stamping matching up the inkings.

First I made this card -  die cutting the word 'garden' and layering it over the stamped panel.  I also layered a die cut grass cut out of some mulberry paper along the bottom of the panel.  I rounded the corners and layered it to a white card base.

Here's a close up so you can see how I matched up the letters with the original stamping.  The letters show up a little better on lighter stampings -  see how you can see them more clearly on the pink and they sort of get lost on the darker purple?

So - then I realized this was a little too involved to be considered CAS for the Less is More challenge - so I created a simpler version..  For this card I just stamped one of the hyacinths in pink and green (the pink photographed so lightly - I must have taken 10 pics of it before finally settling on this - which is STILL very light looking - sorry!)

 And here is a close up of the letters layered over the image.  I think this technique works best with some of the letters extending past the stampings  so they are white - it seems to help your eye see the word!

This card is also for these challenges:

SCS Inspitation Challenge -  My Deco Web Store

This was my inspiration from the site.

Addicted to CAS - code word - Flower.

We here in MA (and across the US) are SO thankful that the Marathon Bomber was apprehended yesterday.  He was found hiding in a covered boat in someones backyard.  He apparently was severely injured and is currently in critical condition in a hospital.  He is just 19 -  and I can't help but feel so very sorry for him and glad he was taken alive.  You wonder what in his life led him and his brother to do what they did.  I hope we are able to find out in the coming months.  My prayers are with all involved -  those who lost their lives from this tragedy, those who are maimed for life as a result of injuries, and the families as well.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Vintage Garden Flowers.
Paper:  White - PTI,  green mulberry paper.
Ink:  Memento - Angel Pink, Bamboo Leaves, Sweet Plum
Accessories:  Block Alphabet Dies - PTI, foam tape, fresh grass die - MFT

WMS April Release DT Blog Waltz!

Well friends -  we've finally made it to the April Waltzingmouse Release Day!  The three new sets - My Kind of Guy, Nordic Baby and Man of the Hour -  are now available for purchase!  And as is our tradition - the Design Team is having a blog waltz    You should start the waltz at Claire's Blog -  if you arrived here from  Sandie's blog you are in the right place!

Today I've made another project using Man of the Hour.  

 

This is a tribute to my dad - who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on the 2nd day of January 1981 when he was only 66 - just 1 year after he retired (he had the flu and it turned into viral pneunomia and he was gone in a week).  I was 28 and my son (who my dad adored being the first grandchild) was just 3 years old and I so regret that Josh (and I) didn't have more time with him. He was a kind, loving, Christian man whose family was everything to him.   He was a professional artist and loved photography as well - I like to think I got my 'creative' gene from him!

I used a photo I had of him when he and my mother were visiting the Grand Canyon the summer before he died - he has his camera in hand here - I scanned the photo onto my computer and then printed it in sepia ink.

 

 I made my card a chalkboard card - white embossing two of the sentiments from this set on black card stock.  I attached the card to an easel back that I cut out of grungeboard using a Tim Holtz die.  I stamped the woodgrain background , from the Dec release, on the grungeboard as well as on the kraft card base

 

 I scribble-colored over some of the words with Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils.

 

 It just so happened that a friend at church  this past Sunday asked me if I had a baby girl card she could purchase from me for a baby shower she was going to.  So home I went and made this card for her using Nordic Baby!  I used Circle and Lacey Circle Nestabilities to frame the cute Mary Janes.  I tied some sheer pink Swiss Dots ribbon around the panel (Swiss dots are SO baby girl don't you think?!)

 

I colored inside the shoes with a pink Copic as if they were lined in pink satin.  I also colored inside the word BABY.  I added little pink heart rhinestones as buttons on the shoes. This card is a larger 5" x 5" size as I knew Jeanne was giving the card - not mailing it!

Next on the Waltz list is the lovely Laurie!

Don't forget to leave comments at each stop - a random comment from all of the DT's blogs will be chosen to win a Waltzingmouse stamp set of choice!  You have until April 21st at 6:59 am EST to leave a comment.  The winner will be posted on Claire's blog on Tuesday April 23rd.

Thank you so much for stopping by today -  I hope I have inspired you with my projects using these wonderful new stamps this week!  I appreciate all of the comments that have been left.

The Greatest Gift:
Stamps:  Man of the Hour , Woodgrain Background - Waltzingmouse
Paper:  Kraft, True Black, Rustic Cream - PTI, grungeboard - Tim Holtz Ideology
Ink:  Versamark, Ranger Distress - Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy
Accessories:  Scor Tape, foam tape, white embossing powder, hot gun, small easel die - Tim Holtz Alterations, photo printed from computer on rustic cream in Sepia ink, Prismacolor Watercolor pencils, Labels 8 Spellbinders
Welcome Baby:
Stamps: Nordic Baby
Paper:  White, Hibiscus Burst, PTI, DP Bittersweet Paper Pad - Basic Grey
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  foam tape, Circle and Lacey Circle Nestabilities, Copic - RV21, heart rhinestones -Amuse, lacey punch - Martha Stewart, dotted swiss ribbon - May Arts. 

WMS April Sneak Peek Day 3 - Man of the Hour

Welcome to the 3rd and final day of the Waltzingmouse Sneak Peeks!  Tomorrow the Design Team will be having our release day blog waltz and all of the new sets will be available for purchase - do you have your wish list made yet??! 

Today we are creating inspiration with a wonderful 14 sentiment set called Man of the Hour honoring all the dads - for Father's Day, birthdays or just celebrating that man in our lives!

For my first project,  I made a poster style card front, again using a photo of my sweet little grand niece, Mila, (see yesterday's post if you missed it!) this time she's with her adoring dad, Greg. 

Sweet Mila definitely has her dad wrapped around her little finger (as well as the rest of our family!)

I attached the card to an easel back that I cut out of grungeboard using a Tim Holtz die. It's a great way to display this 'thickish' creation and it will fold flat for mailing if necessary.

I  wanted to participate in today's Friends of WMS Blog Party as well - and the subject this month is Spring Flowers -  hopefully the felt flowers qualify!  Come along to the party with us!  See all the details on the WMS blog here

I used Romantic Rectangles and Floral Doily Motifs for the die cuts on this.

And next up -  I used Claire's fun little Fairy House Box Template (free in the WMS shop!) that I cut with my Silhouette Cameo to make a cute little gift box for The Best Dad Ever for his Birthday!

 The Best Dad and Happy Birthday sentiments are from Man of the Hour -  I stamped and cut out the door  from the cottage in A Cottage Home set - I added a little brad for the door knob.

 

Wouldn't this sentiment make Dad feel like he was really loved?!!

I die cut the Happy Birthday Banner with Lacey Pennants and the sentiment with Labels 22.
And here's a quick view with the top off so you can see the little box you can slip some treats into!

Now it's time to shuffle off to see all the other DT projects!

  Anya Schrier
 Becca Feeken
 Belinda Chang Langner
 Clare Buswell
 Edna Morrisedie
 Iwona Palamountain
 Jean Martin
 Jeanne Jachna
Jen Cuthbertson
 Jennifer Holmes
 Julia Aston - ME!
Karin Åkesdotter
 Kelly Schirmer
Kim Duran
 Laurie Schmidlin
 Lynn Mercurio
 Renee Lynch
Sandie Dunne
 Sarah Martina Parker
 Teresa Kline
 Tosha Leyendekker
 Claire Brennan  - owner/designer

See you tomorrow at 2 pm EST for the DT April Release Blog Waltz - when you could win some WMS stamps!

Small Fingers:
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse -Man of the Hour (available 4/18/13)
Paper:  White, true black, raspberry Fizz - PTI, Basic Grey - SU
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress Worn Lipstick.
Accessories:  foam tape, scor tape, heart rhinestones - Amuse, felt flowers - Pebbles, grunge board - Tim Holtz Ideology, romantic Rectangles and Floral doily motifs - Spellbinders. Small easel die - Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations, photo.  
The Best Dad Ever House
Stamps:  Watlzingmouse - Man of the Hour (available 4/18/13), A Cottage Home
Paper:  Rustic White, Canyon Clay - PTI, DP Crate Paper Seaweed Collection
Ink:  Versafine Vintage Sepia, Ranger Distress Shabby Shutters
Accessories:  Fairy House Box Template - Waltzingmouse, brad - Imaginisce, Scor Tape, Labels 22 and Nested Pennants - Nestabilities, foam tape, toothpick, Silhouette Cameo.

Creations by AR - Enchanted Lantern - April Template New Release DT Blog Hop

 (Note:  if you are looking for my WMS sneak peek please click here:)

Welcome to the Creations by AR Design Team April Release Blog hop!   Adela has created a beautiful Enchanted Lantern Template that is available for you to purchase and download today!   See the details on how you could win this template below.

I've got lots of pictures of my lantern to show you today.  I am SO happy with the way this came out - just like I envisioned it in my mind's eye! (it doesn't always work out that way!)

I used the open panel piece for my lantern - Adela includes 3 options with her template.  I wanted to use pictures in the 'glass' areas of the lantern - so I sized some photos to fit (1.5" wide, 2.25" high) and printed them on vellum paper in sepia ink so light would show through them.

I used brushed silver card stock for my lantern.  After I put the pieces together I wanted to give my lantern a weathered look so I sponged over the silver with Ranger Distress Stain in Forest Moss.  Then I brushed the surfaces with Ranger Crackle Paint in Frayed Burlap.

Above you can see the battery tea light I placed inside and you can see how I taped the vellum picture panels on the inside - just a piece of Scotch tape at the top and bottom of the photo panels to hold them in place.  I used a piece of silver floral wire I had in my stash for the handle.

I thought you might like to see the 3 separate pieces Adela designed to create this sweet  lantern.  They fit together wonderfully.  All of her templates come in 3 forms - PDF to print and cut out, SVG and  DXF to use with cutting machines (like the Silhouette Cameo which is what I use)

The pictures are of my adorable little grandnephew, James - who will be 2 in May

 Here you can get an idea of how the tea light glows through the vellum

Now - lets go check out the lanterns of the other Design Team members!  Leave a comment at each blog for a chance to win ! (see below)

Adela

Amy
Jak
Julia  Me!
Lisa
Lori
Lyn
Sue K
Sue M

PRIZE Details:

What you can win -  the Enchanted Lantern Template

HOW TO WIN:

• Leave comments on each DT blog

• AR Facebook:

• AR Paper Craft Planet Group:


 Comments accepted until Friday, April 19 (12:00 noon EST)

One random winner will be announced April 20th at   Creations by AR Blog:


Lantern:
Paper:  brushed silver card stock, vellum  - Stampin Up
Accessories:  Forest Moss Ranger Distress Stain,  Frayed Burlap Ranger Crackle Paint, florest wire - Joann's, Enchanted Lantern Template - Creations by AR, Scotch Tape, ScorTape, photo computer printed in Sepia ink on vellum paper, battery tea light, Silhouette Cameo.

WMS April Sneak Peek Day 2 - Nordic Baby

(Note:  Please click here if you are looking for my Creations by AR new Template posting.)

Welcome to Day 2 of the Waltzingmouse April Release Sneak Peeks.  Today we're showing you a sweet mini  set called Nordic Baby featuring 3 sentiments (Sweet, Baby and Welcome), 2 design elements and a cute little pair of Mary Jane shoes!   

 

Since I have a sweet little 7 month old grandniece, Mila (pronounced Mee-la) - it was very easy for me to create with this set.  I decided to try my hand at a little mixed media project and I created an 8"x8" scrapbook page.

First I mixed some white and blush acrylic paints and brushed it across my white card stock panel to soften the glare of the white. I placed my photo on the panel and added the patterned paper strips and felt buttons - moving them around until I was happy with the placement.  I marked where I put everything and then I stamped the grid and circles from an older release, Off Beat Backgrounds, several times on the panel, not inking the entire stamp so there were gaps in the stamping.

Mila's Mary Janes are actually stitched into her little white tights - but I knew this was the perfect picture of her to use with the sweet Mary Janes stamp!  I stamped "Mila" with letters from December's release, the Woodenheart Alphabet.

I think my niece Katie will love this page of her sweet little daughter!

Now let's see what cute projects the rest of the Design Team has to share with us today!

Anya Schrier
 Becca Feeken
 Belinda Chang Langner
 Clare Buswell
 Edna Morrisedie
 Iwona Palamountain
 Jean Martin
 Jeanne Jachna
Jen Cuthbertson
 Jennifer Holmes
 Julia Aston - ME!
Karin Åkesdotter
 Kelly Schirmer
Kim Duran
 Laurie Schmidlin
 Lynn Mercurio
 Renee Lynch
Sandie Dunne
 Sarah Martina Parker
 Teresa Kline
 Tosha Leyendekker
 Claire Brennan  - owner/designer

Advance Notice!!! 

1) The Friends of WMS Blog party is April 17th the theme is Spring flowers. We hope you'll join in - All the details can be found HERE!


2)  On Friday 4/19 there will be a Waltzingmouse Stamps Flower Show Hop featuring 12 talented guest designers - there will be a grand prize of 5 stamp sets awarded to a lucky crafter who participates in a CASE competition.  All the details will be on Claire's WMS blog on the 19th.


I hope you'll stop by again tomorrow for the 3rd and final day of the Sneak Peeks!

Sweet Baby Mila Page:
Stamps:  Nordic Baby - Waltzingmouse (available 4/18/13), Off Beat Backgrounds, Woodenheart Alphabet
Paper:  White, Enchanted Evening, EP Textstyle Bitty Dot Basics - PTI
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress Chipped Sapphire and Barn Door.
Accessories:  Heart rhinestones - Michaels, glue dots, foam brush, acrylic paints - white and blush, felt buttons - Taylored Expressions, satin ribbon -May Arts, photo, lace from my stash, circle Nestabilities..

WMS April Sneak Peek - Day 1 - My Kind of Guy

Welcome to the first day of Sneak Peeks for the Waltzingmouse  April Release coming up on Thursday 4/18/13.  Today we are showcasing a wonderfully 'British flavor' masculine set called My Kind of Guy. This set is packed with 23 stamps - including sentiments, images and design elements -  I'll show you a few of them here!

For my first project I made a fun card using two of the design strip stamps,  the monocled face image and two of the sentiments.  I adhered a crystal rhinestone inside the monocle for just a touch of shimmer!

I slipped a tag inside the kraft envelope but you could also slip in a gift card!

I stamped another sentiment and the small derby hat from this set on the tag.

The design stamp I used on my card base above made me think of a crown - so I made these fun wraps for these giant corn muffins I purchased at Stop and Shop.  (I didn't want to use frosted cupcakes as I knew I'd get the frosting all over the wraps and my fingers!)  These whopper muffins are 600 calories each!!  The crown is stamped on an 11" strip just to give you an idea of how big they are!

I stamped several of the sentiments from this set on kraft card stock, punched them with the SU Keytag punch and adhered them on the 'crowns' with foam tape.  I gold embossed the crown above on black card stock

 This one is gold embossed on kraft card stock.

And this one is stamped in black ink on kraft card stock.  Don't you love the sentiments?!

So - there are my projects for today -  Hope to see you tomorrow for Day 2 of the WMS sneak peeks!

Now let's check out what the rest of the Design Team has created using this wonderful masculine set!

Anya Schrier

 Becca Feeken

 Belinda Chang Langner

 Clare Buswell

 Edna Morrisedie

 Iwona Palamountain

 Jean Martin

 Jeanne Jachna

Jen Cuthbertson

 Jennifer Holmes

 Julia Aston - ME!

Karin Åkesdotter

 Kelly Schirmer

Kim Duran

 Laurie Schmidlin

 Lynn Mercurio

 Renee Lynch

Sandie Dunne

 Sarah Martina Parker

 Teresa Kline

 Tosha Leyendekker

 Claire Brennan  - owner/designer

Jolly Well Done Card:

Stamps:  My Kind of Guy - Waltzingmouse (available 4/18/13)

Paper:  Kraft, true black - PTI

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories:  Mini brown bag - Canvas Home Basics, tag - Sizzix Die Tag Set, Twine - Waltzingmouse, rhinestone - Creative Charms.

Muffin Crowns:

Stamps:  My Kind of Guy - Waltzingmouse (available 4/18/13)

Paper:  Kraft, true black - PTI

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark

Accessories:  Gold embossing powder,  hot gun, foam dots, Scor Tape, staples and stapler, key tag punch - SU,