Waltzingmouse February Release! - Day 1

Welcome to the Waltzingmouse February Release -  The Design Team will be showing you 3 new stamp sets and 5 fun dies over the next 4 days -  but Claire has a twist for this release -  ALL the new products are available to purchase today over at the WMS web store! 
ETA:  sorry I jumped the gun on my start time for this post -  all new items will be available at 1 pm EST - as well as the links to the other DT - oops!

Today the Design Team is showing you the Special Lady stamp set along with the Mother, Pretty Circle and Hello dies.

First up -  I made a Mother's Day card, using the negative piece that's left when you use the beautiful new Circle die.  I cut the Circle die from the center of a 4"x5 1/4" piece of white card stock - removed the center piece and was left with this beautiful lacey circle frame! 

I laid the vintage lady stamp on the card base then placed my circle frame over it to center the image.  I removed the frame, lifted the stamp half way up from the bottom and made a light dot with a pencil on the card base where the center of the hat brim was.  Then I stamped the image, lining up the rim with the dot,  erased the pencil dot and layered the frame over the card base using foam dots - and VOILA!  perfectly centered and framed!  Then I simply stamped one of the sentiments from the set  along the bottom and added 3 Winter Blend sequins to the card.

I used another sentiment from the set on the inside of the card - Claire always uses such delicious fonts on her sentiments!

Claire is also releasing a lovely Mother Die

 To create the background panel - I sprayed Ranger Distress Spray Stains in Peacock Feather and Spiced Marmalade onto my craft mat - then I sprayed water over the stains and dragged my white card stock panel through them until I had the panel covered with stains. I let some of it drip down and then I dried it with my heat tool. I flicked water over the panel with my fingers to create water spots and dried it again with my heat tool.

I adhered the die cut over the panel with a glue pen, stamped the sentiment from Special Lady beneath the die cut and added Rhinestones to several points on the die cut.
I stamped another sentiment and a swirly from Special Lady on the inside of my card.

For my final creation today, I used the inside piece of the Pretty Circle Die cut - cutting it in white and Canyon Clay so I could use two colors - the outside rim cuts through so you have the option of using a different color.  I layered the new Hello Die over the circle and patterned paper banner strips.

I used the Colors and Sketch from The Challenge #25 for this card.

Check out the rest of the Design Team for more inspiration using these new stamps and dies!

Anya Schrier
Becca Feeken
Jeanne Jachna
Julia Aston - Me!
Laurie Schmidlin
Lynn Mercurio
Sandie Dunne
Tosha Leyendekker
Claire Brennan - Owner/Designer

Please stop by tomorrow for Day 2 of the WMS release - the Design Team will be highlighting the fun super hero stamp set and die called Kaboom!

Mother's Day Greetings
Stamps:  Special Lady - Waltzingmouse
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Wendy Vecchi Archival Tea Rose, Archival Jet Black
Accessories:  Circle Die - Waltzingmouse, Winter Blend Sequins - Avery Elle, foam dots.

Mother, For You
Stamps:  Special Lady - Waltzingmouse
Paper:  White, True Black PTI
Ink:  Archival Jet Black
Accessories:  Mother Die - Waltzingmouse, Rhinestones - Kaiser, Ranger Distress Spray Stains Peacock Feathers and Spiced Marmalade, Glue Pen

Hello
Paper:  White, Canyon Clay, Simply Chartreuse - PTI, DP - Simple Stories - Baby Steps
Accessories:  Circle Die, Hello Die - Waltzingmouse, Sentiment Strip die - MFT, Rhinestones - Kaiser.

Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

Today I'm excited to be participating in the Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop -  you'll find all the Hop Information at the Coffee loving card makers Blog.

I decided to make a tag that I can use when I'm gifting some coffee or even a Gift Card to Dunkins or Starbucks to someone.  And I used a brandy new cup die from Tim Holtz called Fresh Brewed. 

I first dabbed the manilla tag with Tattered Rose Distress Stain - then I used Picket Fence Distress Paint with Tim's Splatters Stencil - and finally sponged Tim's Lattice Work stencil with Tattered Rose Distress Ink.  I die cut the cup out of white card stock then embossed the pieces  with Frantage Shabby Pink and Shabby White embossing powders and layered the pieces with foam dots.    

The Thanks a Latte is from the set Coffee Keeper from Art Impressions.  I stapled a piece of Idea-ology Film Strip Ribbon to the side adding words using made from Idea-ology Label Letters.  To finish it off I scattered Metallic Sequins around the tag and looped a piece of pink wrinkled seam tape through the hole.

I'm also linking my tag to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Think Pink.

Details of the Spring Lovers Blog Hop from Amy

Starts:  Friday, February 27th @ 6:00 am pacific
Ends:  Friday, March 6th @ 11:55 pm pacific

Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog:  http://coffeelovingcardmakers.com/
Super Sponsor post:  http://bit.ly/1EfUnCz
Flash Sponsor post:  http://bit.ly/17Ivy58

General blog hop details:

• prizes:  eligibility is based on link up.  You must link up a newly created spring-y themed coffee, tea and/or cocoa project to be part of the random draw. (PLEASE no back linking)
• Some blogs as part of the hop will be giving away separate prizes, please make note of their own details regarding eligibility.

It's all about having fun and sharing our mutual passions of paper crafting, coffee, tea and/or the love of cocoa!

Stamps:  Coffee Keeper - Art Impressions
Paper:  White, True Black - PTI, manilla tag
Ink:  Versamark, Archival Jet Black, Ranger Distress Tattered Rose
Accessoreis:  Idea-ology - Film Strip Ribbon, Label Letters, Tiny Attacher, Tim Holtz Stencils - Splatters and Lattice Work, Frantage Embossing Powders - Shabby Pink and Shabby White - Stampendous, pink wrinkled seam tape from stash, Metallic Sequins - My Craft Spot, Fresh Brewed die - Sizzix/Tim Holtz, Scotch Quick Dry adhesive, foam dots.

Fusion Challenge - Feb 26 - Bow Tie

Welcome to the next Fusion Challenge - today we have some wonderful pastel colors to inspire us - I know I'm DONE with winter - having one snow storm after another here in MA this month with piles of snow over 6 feet everywhere!

I was inspired by the patterned bow ties - and immediately thought of my Small Bow Die from Lil Inker Designs.  I made a masculine birthday card - using a frame stamp from My Kind of Guy by Waltzingmouse and a Handwritten Sentiment from Tim Holtz.

Here's what I stamped on the inside - using stamps from the same sets I used on the front.  I also added two strips of the DP I used for the bow tie on the front.

How will you be inspired this fortnight??  Bowties, colors, stars, sketch??!!  Can't wait to see the creation you link up! You'll find inspiration from all of the Design Team - plus all the details of the challenge and Mr Linky - over at the Fusion Blog.

Stamps:  My Kind of Guy - Waltzingmouse, Hand Written Sentiments - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous
Paper:  White, Simply Chartreuse, DP Distressed Dots - PTI
Ink:  Wendy Vecchi Archival Fern Green,  Archival Jet Black
Accessories:  Bow Die Small - Lil Inker Designs, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive.

A Vintage Journey - Destination Inspiration - Can You Feel It?

I'm posting my very first A Vintage Journey Destination Inspiration post today so I hope you will drop by there!!  I titled my post "Can You Feel It" - as I am exploring using felt with different Tim Holtz products (inks, stains, dies, paints).
Here's a peek at the 3 projects I made using felt.
 

I decorated  a 4" x 6"  Burlap Panel with Spray Stain and Embossing paste.  I adhered my felt pine cones and branches around the edges and  added Letter Press words that I embossed.

I decorated an 8" x 4 1/4" felt purse that I purchased at Joann's, using tan felt, the Winter Wonder Die, Lattice Work and Dot Fade Stencils, Peacock Feathers Distress Spray Stain and Picket Fence Distress Paint.

My 3rd project is a 5" x 7" burlap bag.  I used Tim's Frayed Fabric Technique for the base of this project - found on page 66 of Compendium of Curiosities Vol III - the Ornate Frame die, an old Sizzix Heart die, Heart Charm, Ring Fastener, Arrow, Stripes Stencil and Picket Fence Spray Stain.

Please stop by my post at the A Vintage Journey blog for lots more photos and tutorials showing my experimentation with felt! 

And don't forget the AVJ Special Numbers challenge going on right now!

Party at the Nest

Isn't this a fun sentiment to pair with these bandit birds?

The birds actually are for Halloween - the wood mounted stamp from Inkadinkadoo has "Happy Halloween" under the birds - but I just inked up the birdies for this card.  The sentiment is also Inkadinkadoo - from a clear set called Bird Assortment (gifted to me by my friend, Anne,  when she was cleaning up her stamp room  - thanks Anne!). Inside I stamped "Happy Birthday You Old Bird" (!)

I made this card for the  Addicted to Cas challenge - Code Word MASK

and Seize the Birthday - I'm going with the Anything Goes option.

Stamps:  Inkadinkadoo
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Wendy Vecchi Archival Cornflower Blue, Archival Jet Black

This Calls for a Celebration!

Well -  we're stuck inside with a little blizzard happening outside - AGAIN!  So I went over to Split Coast Stampers for some crafty inspiration!   Today is the Featured Stamper challenge, so I took a stroll through Cathy's (corysnana1) gallery.  I was inspired by the 2nd card I came to in her gallery Light Bulb Moment  and created this card with some Wendy Vecchi Stamp sets - A Passion for Art and Say it With Art.

I used Cathy's colors and card design - with different stamps, stenciling the background with Wendy Vecchi's Check Mate Stencil rather than using an embossed frame and a stamped cut out edge along the bottom instead of DP.  The white piece is cut with Tim's Cameo Frame die but I cut off the right side to better fit the card!

 I embossed the metal flower pieces from Idea-ology Foliage with Wendy's Orange Blossom and Buttercup embossing powders and inks, layered them and attached it to the ladies hair where there was a stamped flower. I colored her face with Copics and added a Tiny Twinkle earring.   I LOVE the rippled curtain stamp I used here along the bottom!

I'd also like to remind you that the Mixed Media Card Challenge is still open until Feb 25th-

I'm also linking my card to Addicted to Stamps -  Anything Goes

Here are a couple of photos of how it looks outside our house today.  This is our driveway from the side door.

Our 2 cats are indoor cats - but Boo was curious to see what this white stuff was -  she reached out her paw and put it in the snow - and quickly pulled it back shaking it off!

Here's our deck and back door from the downstairs bathroom window!  We have been shoveling a narrow path from this door across the backyard to the bird

feeders but it's all filled in again!

 Here's our shed and the bird feeders are to the right between the two small trees.  We have a heated birdbath out there as well - the birds have been happy for that this snowy winter!

This is all you can see of our 4ft fence on the side of the house.  That's a street between the 2 trees!

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Stamps: Say It With Art, A Passion for Art - Wendy Vecchi/Stampers Anonymous
Paper: white - PTI
Paper Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Ink: Wendy Vecchi Archival Watering Can, Orange Blossom and Buttercup, Archival Jet Black
Accessories: Wendy Vecchi Embossing powders Orange Blossom and Buttercup, Cameo frame die - Tim Holtz, Idea-ology Foliage, tiny twinkles - Taylored Expressions, enamel dots - home made, foam dots, Copics: E35, R29, E00, R20, foam dots, Glossy accents,

Waltzingmouse Team Talk Post - Baby Girl

Today I'm posting over at the Waltzingmouse Team Talk Blog -  here's a snippet of the Baby Girl Gift Tag I made -  To see my tag in all it's glory - please hop on over to the Team Talk Blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

WMS Stamps Used:
Vintage Baby Shower
Little Darlings Images
Little Darling Sentiments

WMS Dies Used:
Stitched Tag
Vintage Baby Shower Dies

Fusion Challenge - Feb 12 - Orange, Teal and Brown

The weeks are just flying by!  I can't believe it's time for another Fusion Challenge but here we are!

This fortnight - I was inspired by the colors - Orange, Teal and Brown.  I've been trying to use all of the new things I purchase (and then tuck away and forget I bought )  So today I made my card using the Text Block Party Time die from Papertrey Ink.  As you can see - it's all you need to make a super fun birthday card!  With these colors - it makes a perfect card for the guys in our lives.

I hope you'll join us for the Fusion Challenge - what inspires you -  the photo, colors or the sketch??  Or will you get so creative you'll be able to do a FUSION and include it all???  Can't wait to see what you link up.  Check out all the details on the Fusion Blog.

Is anyone else totally sick of winter??!!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Paper:  White, Canyon Clay, Tropical Teal, Dark Chocolate - PTI

Accessories:  Text Block Party Time Die - PTI, Metallic Sequins - My Craft Spot, Glue Pen, Glossy Accents.

Tim Holtz Feb 2015 Tag

ETA:   I just found out that Tim chose my Valentine Treat Bags as Valentine Blogworthy!!  See his post here (I'm the last one on the list - although my last name is mistyped) I am SO excited and honored to have been chosen!

Here is Tim's Tag for February

After several aborted attempts trying to use ephemera pieces -  I finally got a tag done - but ended up using several different pieces from Paper Stash/Seasonal instead of pieces of ephemera (which is vellum and I found it to curl and crack with the Glue and Seal).

Otherwise, I followed Tim's tutorial pretty closely so you can check it out on his blog if you are interested in 'how to'  - I used a die cut felt cupid instead of a heart.  I used my new craft sewing machine that Kent got me for Christmas so you may see a little more stitching from me on future posts!

I added some Chit Chat Stickers and angled my arrow.  This was the first time I've used the  Mini Metal Corners - they're pretty cool!  There's some rubbing on of Picket Fence Distress Paint on both metal pieces and tag, some outlining with a Black Distress Marker and rubbing with my finger, and a little sewing!

I'm finally back to work tomorrow after two days out because of snow -  catching a ride with a co-worker who drives in - as the subway system still isn't back up to full service with all the snow and freezing weather!  We have someone coming to the house tomorrow to hopefully get some of the snow and ice off the roof - we're getting ice dams and some leakage around some windows - Ugh!  and more snow coming Thursday AND Sunday!

Baby Tags

I'm home from work today with another snow storm - I commute on the subway and service was not reliable today and I didn't want to get stuck half way in or out!  We've had over 6" over night (on top of a previous 3 feet)  and expect 6" more by tomorrow - so in between snow shoveling I did a little stamping!  I made a couple of sweet little baby gift tags using the Sweet Cheeks stamp and die sets from PTI.

One for a boy - using Tag Sale #8 die

and one for a girl  using Tag Sale #2 die

Aren't these the sweetest??!!

I'm entering my tag in the following challenges:

Tag You're It

Today's Papertrey Ink Challenge -  Spring into action and use a set you haven't inked up yet

I used the Sweet Cheeks set from PTI that I purchased several months ago and hadn't made anything with it (until today!)

Loads of Love Tag:

Stamps:  Sweet Cheeks - PTI

Paper:  White, DP Bitty Star Basics - PTI

Ink:  Hawaiian Shores - PTI, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories:  Tag Sale #8 Die and Sweet Cheeks dies - PTI, foam dots, Glossy Accents, Caribbean Blend Sequins - Avery Elle, Ocean Twine - The Twinery.

Sweet Cheeks Tag:

Stamps:  Sweet Cheeks - PTI

Paper:  White, DP Bitty Star Basics - PTI

Ink:  Hibiscus Burst - PTI, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories:  Tag Sale #2 Die and Sweet Cheeks Dies - PTI, foam dots, Glossy Accents, Sugar Blend Sequins - Avery Elle, washi tape - Michaels, Pink Sorbet Twine - the Twinery

A Foxy Birthday

My stamping friend Anne's husband has a birthday on Valentine's Day -  so I like to send him a card so his birthday doesn't get lost amongst all the heart cards!!  I recently got a fun stamp set from PTI along with dies called Love You to Pieces - Fox.  You can actually make a 3 D fox with it (see bottom of post) - but today, I used the little fox stamp and die to make my masculine birthday card.

Here's a close up of the cute fox - with his black bow tie and little heart all popped up on foam dots.

My sketch was inspired by CAS(e) this Sketch

and my colors and patterns were inspired by Curtain Call

and it's a b'day card - so I'm also linking to Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

And in case you are interested -   here's how the 3D fox looks using the Love You to Pieces - Fox Stamps and dies.  SO cute!   I made several for Valentine's so mounted him/her to a die cut heart.

We had another 5" of snow today - and are supposed to get up to 7" more by Tuesday - at least it's the light fluffy stuff - so it doesn't give us a heart attack to shovel it - the piles keep getting higher and higher!  We can no longer see our 4 foot fence out front!

Stamps:  Fox, Heart and bow tie from Love You to Pieces: Fox - PTI, Happy Birthday from Party Animal - Avery Elle.
Paper:  White, True Black - PTI, DP Christmas Home - Teresa Collins, Sn@p - Simple Stories
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Pure Poppy - PTI
Accessories:  Love You to Pieces die set - PTI, foam tape.

February Make Art Challenge - Hearts

I'm so excited!  Wendy Vecchi's 2nd Make Art Challenge has posted -  this month we are to use Hearts.  I had pre-ordered some of Wendy's new stamps, stencils and inks/embossing powders and some of it arrived a few days ago - whoo hoo!!   So I was able to use them on my Hearts project.  And I'm SO pleased with how it came out.

I'll take you through a few steps of how I put this all together and what products I used.  I started with a little black plastic frame.  My stamping friend, Anya, had cleaned up her craft room recently and she sent me a big box of things she didn't think she would ever use - and one of the things in the box was this sweet little frame -  it's from Michaels - so it was probably in the $1.00 aisle - who knew you could make something stunning with it!!?!?  It measures about 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" and the back has an easel on it so it stands up.  I took the back off so I could work on the frame without getting the back all messy!

I inked the frame with Wendy's brandy-new Tea Rose ink using a Ranger mini blending tool - I just kind of pushed the sponge into the frame since it is all carved out - not worrying if some spots didn't get the ink as I wanted some of the black to still show through anyway.  I poured the Tea Rose Embossing powder all over the frame - then pulled it out and tapped it just a bit - then heated it with my heat tool.

Then I measured the inside square and cut a square of white card stock about 1/8th of an inch larger than the opening.  I stamped Wendy's new Old Wood Floor background using Tree Branch ink and then stenciled over it with the new Vintage Quilt stencil using Tea Rose Ink.  I sponged the edges with the Tea Rose and then stamped the sentiment from A  Passion for Art with Jet Black Ink. (I won this beautiful stamp set on Wendy's blog a week ago - I was the lucky random commenter!)

I adhered the stamped piece to the back of the frame using ScorTape and then adhered a black plastic button that I first embossed using Tree Branch Ink and Tree Branch  Embossing powder (I made three of these hearts a few weeks ago, using one for this project).  I added a little sprinkle of Tea Rose Embossing powder to the heart and hit it with my heat tool just to make it 'match' the colors of the project a little better!  Look how wonderful the embossing on the frame and the heart looks!

To finish the project - I re-attached the back to the frameusing ScorTape and it stands up nice and sturdy!

I think I'll give this to Kent for Valentines Day  - along with a chocolate heart (!)  He does appreciate the things I make but the candy will sweeten the deal!

I hope you will join us in Wendy Vecchi's fun challenge.  You will find all the details at the Make Art Blog - you have until 2/26 to link up your project and you must use at least one Wency Vecchi product on your creation.  This month, a random winner will win a $25 gift certificate to The Funkie Junkie.

Hope you are all having a great weekend - we are having snow both days and Monday - with possibly 6" - 12" of new snow - to add to the 2 feet we got last week -  UGH!!

Stamps:  A Passion for Art, Old Wood Floor - Wendy Vecchi Studio 490/Stampers Anonymous
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Archival Jet Black,  Wendy Vecchi Archival Tea Rose and Tree Branch.
Accessories:  Wendy Vecchi Tea Rose and Tree Branch Embossing Powders - Ranger,  black plastic frame - Michaels, black plastic heart button from my stash, foam dots, ScorTape, Vintage Quilt Stencil - Wendy Vecchi Studio 490.