WMS Saturday Sketch - Get Well!

I'm so excited!  Today's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge is a based on a card I previously made:

and here's my new card using the sketch

I used 4 WMS stamp sets to create this card -  Playful Pinwheels, Vintage Labels 25, Heirloom Patterns and Compact Sentiments 2.

We'd love to have you join in on our Sketch Challenge - you can find all the details here.  You could win a free WMS stamp set!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Heirloom Patterns, Vintage Labels #25, Playful Pinwheels, Compact Sentiments 2

Paper:  White, Royal Velvet - PTI

Ink:  Memento Grape Jelly, Archival Black

Accessories: foam tape, Labels 25 Nestabilities, rhinestones - Kaiser

WMS August Blog Party - Happy Birthday!

It's the 17th of the month which means it's time for the WMS August Blog Party - whoo hoo!!  This month's theme is Birthdays and we always need a spare Birthday card right?!

I used this week's WMS sketch for my card.

We hope you'll join along in our August Blog Party - you can find all the details and link up your card here.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Compact Sentiments

Paper:  white - PTI, Certainly Celery - SU, DP Vintage Vogue PinkPaislee

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories:  Wrinkled Seam Tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop, foam tape, rhinestones - Kaiser Craft.

A Winner and a Boo!

First a little bit of business -   I'm happy to announce the winning comment left on my Creations by AR blog Thursday post here 

my winner is Ginny -  comment #39  chosen by Random.org: 

  Ginny said...

Cute card set. Your organizers are so pretty.

July 26, 2012 1:36 PM

Ginny -  please  email Adela at creationsbyar@sbcglobal.net with your choice of template - the organizer or the scalloped cards bag.

And now - onto the card that I made for today's Saturday Waltzingmouse Sketch which is based on a card that DT member Belinda made.

And here's my card.

I'm flying right past summer into Halloween with my sketch card today!   I created the birch tree background by sponging over a stencil called Aspen Trees.  The scallop tags are Spellbinders and the stars and boo stamp are from Midnight Feast.  I used Ranger Distress Iced Spruce Ink - I love how it looks - spooky dark but not too dark!  I tied wrinkled seam tape and Glitter Eyelash Yarn through the top of the tags.

If you'd like to play along with this cool WMS sketch this week - you'll find all the details and the place to link up your card here.  You could win a Waltzingmouse stamp set!

And don't forget to check out my post below -  you can leave a comment there for more chances to win until Sun 7/29 11:59 pm EST !

I'm also entering this card in the Twisted Tuesday Challenge -  this week it's to have a tree on your card and the twist is to have a knotted ribbon. - I knotted my ribbons through the hole in the tag!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Midnight Feast

Paper:  White, Smokey Shadow - PTI

Ink:  Ranger Distress Iced Spruce

Accessories:  foam tape, cropadile, Aspen Trees Stencil - The Crafters Workshop, scalloped tags - Spellbinders, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop, Glitter Eyelash yarn - Martha Stewart (Michaels)

100th Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge!

Wow - can you believe today is the 100th Waltzingmouse Sketch??!!  and it's a great little sketch - check it out! (with new colors even! - thank you Anya!)

I turned the sketch on it's side and used a sweet photo of my dear Grand Nephew, James.  I made the card for his first birthday which was May 27th but we are celebrating it on June 9th.  James is wearing his new helmet that he got along with a carriage that attaches to his Dad's bike so they can go riding together.  He is sitting on the box that the carriage came in with his PJ's and new helmet on -  this pic just CRACKS me up every time I see it!

I used stamps from several WMS sets on this card -  the checkerboard stamp is from Off Beat Backgrounds, the banner outline is from Bitty Banners, (these fit in the Nestability Banner dies - but I just cut this out by hand!) the #1 and ALREADY are from Free Spirit Sentiments and the circle stamping is from Faux Fun Circles.  The frame is die cut with Romantic Rectangles Nestabilities.  I popped the banner and circle up with foam tape.  And now I'm ALREADY for James 1st Birthday Party!

Here's James getting strapped in for his ride on the bike path with Dad!

We hope you'll join us making a card with the 100th WMS sketch -  check it out on the WMS Sketch Challenge blog. 

There are extra prizes for this special 100th sketch - and someone will be chosen as guest design for a month!!

This Sat and Sun - I'm at the Stamping Show in West Springfield, MA held at the Big E -  I'm working the Rubbernecker booth -  if you're in the area I hope you'll come by - I'd love to meet you!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Off Beat Backgrounds, Faux Fun Circles, Free Spirit Sentiments, Bitty Banners.

Paper:  White, Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening - PTI

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories:  foam tape, Romantic Rectangle Nestabilities, circle punches - EK Success.

With Sympathy - My Friend

I was the color hostess this week for the color challenge over at Split Coast and I chose 3 neutrals to play with - white, grey and sand - I know - sounds bland - but I like the quiet of neutrals once in a while and I think we can do a lot with it - don't you??!!

I was inspired by a picture I saw in a magazine of some lovely curtains of grey and white wide horizontal stripes against a sand colored wall - and my color choices were chosen!

I made a sympathy card with my colors - using wide stripes of white and grey and accents of sand - with the scallop strip, the banner and the Memory Box Amana Circle die cut.  My stamps are Waltzingmouse - Bitty Banners and Celtic Heritage.

I used the Saturday Waltzingmouse Sketch for my card. Isn't this a fun sketch?

So what do you think of my 'all neutral colors' card??  Check out all the neutral color cards in the SCS color gallery this week!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Celtic Heritage &; Bitty Banners

Paper: white - PTI, Basic Grey & Sahara Sand - SU

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Sahara Sand - SU

Accessories: foam tape, springtime background texture weave embossing folder - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, Amana Circle die - Memory Box, pewter pearls - Basic Grey, scallop punch - SU, 1" circle punch, lacey circle and nested pennants Nestabilities.

WMS Christmas Card Challenge for April - Birds and Trees

Lynn has the Waltzingmouse April Christmas Card Challenge up in the WMS Forum.  Her challenge for us this month is Birds and Trees.

And I used the April 7th WMS Sketch for my card -  turning the sketch upside down - using trees instead of banners!

For those of you who sometimes ask how I did one thing or another - I thought I'd show step by step pictures on how I created my card.  First I traced around one side of an oval Nestability with a light pencil line on the bottom of my card to guide where I'd stamp the trees from the WMS set Teeny Trees.  (be sure to use a good artist eraser when you erase the pencil mark so you don't leave any marks)

Then I die cut the oval out of a piece of Eclipse Tape to use as a mask.

I placed the mask over the area I wanted to keep white and then sponged over the rest of the card starting at the outside edges and moving in towards the center in a circular motion using the Inkssentials blending tool and Ranger Distress Ink.

When you remove the mask - you have a snowy white hillside!

I placed the panel inside my Swiss Dots Embossing Folder and ran it through my Cuttlebug.

And now we have 'snow' in the sky!

For the final steps -  I stamped the sentiment on white, die cut it with a Spellbinders Ribbon Banner sponging the edges before taking it out of the die.

Here's how it looks all sponged - leaving it lighter in the center.

And when you remove it from the die - you  have a lovely white edge!

I adhered the image panel directly to the white card base and layered the sentiment banner above it using foam tape.

I was really  happy with how this came out -  it went from vision to card exactly how I thought it would  - sometimes it doesn't work out that way!

I hope you'll join us in the WMS forum for the Christmas challenge each month!  You'll be glad you did when November rolls around and you have all your cards made!!

Thanks for coming by today!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Teeny Trees

Paper:  white - Papertrey Ink

Ink:  Archival Ink - Coffee, Memento Lady Bug, Cottage Ivy and Bamboo Leaves, Ranger Distress Weathered Wood.

Accessories:  Oval Nestabilities, Eclipse Tape, blending tool & non-stick craft mat - Inkssentials, foam tape, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder - Provo Craft,  ribbon banners - Spellbinders.

Waltzingmouse Sneak Peek Day #3 - How to Make an Heirloom

Hey stampers!  I'm so glad you are back for the WMS February Release Day #3 sneak peek!  Today we have a very special set to share - one that was designed by our VERY OWN Anya Schrier!  Anya, who is the queen of backgrounds, has created a wonderful background set called Heirloom Patterns.

We are also showing a terrific new sentiment set called Compact Sentiments (we can NEVER have enough sentiments - right ladies?!)

First I want to share a pretty little muslin bag that I stamped with two of the background patterns in Heirloom Patterns.  A diamond pattern and a dotted line pattern - I hope can you see them on this close up?

I made these funky little flowers out of a strip of felt and two Memory Box Dies -  Fringe Border and Tender Leaves. 

Here's a quick pic of how I made these -  die cut the fringe border (I use a metal shim in my Cuttlebug sandwich when I'm cutting through thick material)  Adhere a piece of ScorTape on the bottom of the fringe.  Stick a toothpick on one end and roll it up -  that's it!! (remove the toothpick carefully when you're done!)

When I stamp on material -  I place a foam sheet under it -  in this case I cut the foam to slightly smaller than the 5" x 6" size of the muslin bag and slipped it inside.  This cushions when you stamp on the material so you get a good image It also protects the back side in case the ink you use bleeds through.. Stamping on muslin does tend to come out lighter than stamping on paper.  Here's my bag as I was working on it with the foam tucked inside.

I adhered the flowers to my bag with glue dots -  none of my million containers of glue said you could use it on cloth (!!??) so I'm trying the glue dots and will also check out Michaels for a cloth glue for the future!!  I'm going to throw this bag around a little to 'factory test' whether the flowers stay on!!!!  LOL!!

Here's the bag flattened out so you can see the patterns.

And here it is filled with goodies - like these Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mints -  which aren't going to last much longer than it takes me to type this post (!!!)  They are sitting on a glassine bag that I would have put them in to go inside the bag to give to someone....

Ok - now we move on to  3 cards I made with these wonderful sets.

 I used the herringbone background from Heirloom Patterns on the first two of my cards today -  I stamped it in black for this wedding card - using the wedding sentiment from Compact Sentiments.  I cut the sentiment with Labels 20 Nestabilities, adhered it over the herringbone pattern with foam tape and then added graduated black pearls on each side.  I adhered the panel onto my card base with foam tape.  Clean and elegant, don't you think?

For my second card - I used the cut out piece left when I die cut my sentiment above!  First I stamped the herringbone pattern in blue ink on the blue card base (so it's rather subtle), then layered the white die cut negative (that I embossed with Swiss Dots) over the card base after tying the wrinkled seam tape around it.

 Here's the back of my card where I stamped yet another of the fun 'handmade' stamps from the Make Your Mark set!  There's that cute waltzing mouse again!!

And for my 3rd card today I again used the dotted lines background stamp from Heirloom Patterns as well as some stamps from Paris Nouveau - one of the sets we'll be sneak peeking tomorrow!   All of the sets in this release work together so well!

I thought this background stamp gave the idea of the streets around the Eiffel Tower.(I found this photo on line!)

I cut out and popped up the tower and added Tiny Twinkles to the sentiment, the pinacle of the tower and the sprig.  I sponged all the edges with Antique Linen. I layered it to a piece of plum card stock that matched the inkings but it looks black in the pic (?!)

AND - I used this week's WMS Sketch for my card !

Phew!   One last time - we're off to check out what the rest of the Waltzingmouse Design Team  has to inspire us with!

Tomorrow we'll have Sneak Peeks of two more sets during our WMS Blog Waltz and ALL of the sets will be available for purchase at Waltzingmouse Stamps - hope you have your 'got to have it' list ready!  

The Waltz starts a little later so Claire has time to set up the store -  my post will go live Wednesday at 2 pm EST.

Anya Schrier
Becca Feeken
Belinda Chang Langner
Clare Buswell
Julia Aston - you are here!
Jennifer Holmes
Kelly Schirmer
Laurie Schmidlin
Lynn Mercurio
Mona Pendleton
Sandie Dunne
Sarah Martina Parker
Tosha Leyendekker
Claire Brennan (Owner)

Floral Muslin Bag:
 Stamps:  all stamps available 2/29 - Waltzingmouse - Heirloom Patterns, Compact Sentiments
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tangelo & Cantelope
Accessories:  Tender Leaves, Fringe Border - Memory Box Dies, green felt - Michaels, Orange & Red Felt - Ellen Hutson, Scor Tape, Glue Dots, Canvas Muslin Bag - Pouch Mart.com.

Wedding card:

Stamps:  all stamps available 2/29 - Waltzingmouse - Heirloom Patterns, Compact Sentiments

Paper:  White - PTI

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black

Accessories - foam tape, black pearls - Amuse, Labels 20 Nestabilities.

Baby Card:  

Stamps: all stamps available 2/29 - Waltzingmouse - Heirloom Patterns, Compact Sentiments, Make Your Mark

Paper:  White, Spring Rain - PTI

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Summer Sky

Accessories:  Jewels - Bazzill Basics, Labels 20 Nestabilities (negative cut out), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder - Provo Craft, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop.

Paris Card:
Stamps: all stamps are available 2/29/12 - Waltzingmouse - Heirloom Patterns, Paris Nouveau
Paper:  white, Plum Pudding - PTI
Ink:  Memento London Fog & Sweet Plum, Ranger Distress Antique Linen
Accessories:  Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions, foam tape.

Waltzingmouse Saturday Sketch - Roses of Sympathy

Can it be Saturday again already??  AND a long weekend here in the US with Columbus Day on Monday??!!   I have so much stamping to do for various deadlines -  but I HAVE to take some time to go off and do something with DH Kent -  everything in moderation - right?!

So I have a card for the Waltzingmouse Sketch to share with you today -   here is Claire's sketch:

It's a great one isn't it??! 

And here is a sympathy card I created using the sketch.  Purple seems to be a good card for sympathy - not too bright and cheery and not too somber - don't you think?

I used one of the text background stamps from Text it on the purple panel.  The lovely roses and leaves are from Roses in Bloom - and the sentiment is from Frame It.  I popped up the roses panel with foam tape so the leaves are under the panel.  Everything is stamped with Imperial Purple ink accept for the sentiment which is black.

How about joining us in the sketch challenge this week - you could win a WMS stamp set of choice!  Check it all out on the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge Blog.

And don't forget - the WMS Design team will be starting Previews of the October Release on Wed October 12th so I hope you'll stop by to see what wonderful Christmas designs Claire has created for us!!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Text It, Roses in Bloom, Frame It.

Paper:  White, Ripe Avocado, Plum Pudding - PTI

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Imperial Purple

Accessories: Foam tape, yellow Stickles.

WMS Saturday Sketch Challenge - No Peeking!

Hurray!  The weekend has arrived!  -  I had a long hard week at work and I'm so happy that Saturday is finally here.

And that also means it's time for the Waltzingmouse Sketch  -  what more could you ask for!?!  Claire has a really fun ornament/tag sketch for us today -  and that's just what I created.  It  could be an ornament or a gift tag -  or a gift tag that can be used as an ornament after the gift is opened?!?!

I used some new toys in creating my ornament/tag today -  I just got these  2011 Heirloom Ornament dies from Spellbinders - as well as this Spiral Blooms One die that I used for my larger flower. I made the flower with some pretty paper from Basic Grey called Out of Print - it actually has snow flakes on it!  The smaller felt flower was made with a die from MFT.

I used stamps from Victorian Fripperie, Off Beat Backgrounds and Around Christmastime directly on the ornament shape and added a jumbo eyelet to tie my hanging ribbon through.

I cut the ornament again from this pretty piece of patterned paper and adhered it to the back of the tag so the back looks finished off.

Let's see what this simple sketch inspires you to create!   Link it up over at the WMS Sketch Challenge Blog and you could win a free WMS stamp set!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Victorian Fripperie, Off Beat Backgrounds, sentiment from Around Christmas Time.

Paper:  Spring Raing - PTI, DP Basic Grey Out of Print.

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Sage Shadow - SU, Ranger Distress Weathered Wood.

Accessories:  Cropadile, Jumbo Eyelet - SU, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, Spiral Blossom One & 2011 Ornaments - Spellbinders, felt - Michaels, rhinestones - Kaiser and Michaels, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop.

Waltzingmouse Saturday Sketch - With Sympathy

Wow - it's been a while since I've done the Waltzingmouse Sketch challenge - did you miss me??!! 

Well -  here's the wonderful sketch - designed by the Head Mouse-tress herself! ( ie - Claire!)

I needed some sympathy cards for my stash and I thought this sketch would work nicely.

I used one of the background stamps from Pic Nic Patterns and the sentiment is from Frame It.  I made the felt flower by cutting a circle into a spiral and rolling it up starting at the outside.  This will make it a little bulky to mail -  so you could use a button or flat flower if that is of concern.

I hope you'll join us this week and link your sketch card over at the WMS Sketch blog - you could win a Waltzingmouse Stamp set!

We're getting rain all weekend here in New England - so there just may be a lot of stamping going on in my craft room!   

and don't forget to check over on the WMS blog to see if you won during our DT Blog waltz last week!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Pic Nic Patterns & Frame It
Paper:  Lavender Moon, Plum Pudding, White - PTI
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black & Sweet Plum
Accessories:  Scotch quick dry adhesive, glue dots, circle and Lacey Circle Nestabilities, white felt - Michaels, rhinestone - Kaiser

Waltzingmouse Saturday Sketch - All Hearts Come Home

It's the last Saturday of my vacation (boo hoo!!) but on the bright side - there's another WMS Sketch for us to play with!  Mischief Maker Kelly was the designer again this week!  Whoo hoo Kelly!  Here's her fabulous sketch!  This could be easy or this could be difficult!! - which is it for you??!!

I interpreted it pretty literally today and I made it a Christmas card with a paper flower on it for two of the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges going on over at Split Coast this week!

I actually love how this came out with all the blues and touches of white that I used.  The pretty die cut lacey edges are from something I won from Paper Crafts Magazine last year - they come already precut in 6 inch lengths by Bazzill Basic Papers!  They are different from each other but kind of matchey matchey don't you think?!

I used stamps from several WMS stamp sets on my card - the star and sentiment are from Seasons of Love, the dotted background is from Off Beat Backgrounds, the flower grid background is from Pic-Nic Patterns and the music background (behind the heart - see it?!) is from  Musical Backgrounds.

I stamped the heart on white card stock, cut it with a Heart Nestability sponged it with Weathered Wood before taking it out of the die then layered it to a piece of blue card stock die cut with a scallop heart Nestability.  I also sponged the edges of all the panels with Weathered Wood.

I didn't tape down the inside edges of the angled panels so it creates a pocket that I slipped the heart into -  the receiver can remove it and use it as an ornament or decoration if they choose.

We also have an exciting announcement this week!   We have two wonderful new Mischief Makers for the sketch challenges -  two very talented and creative ladies - please welcome  Iwona Palamountain and Kim Duran!

You can check out all this week's sketch challenge information over at the Waltzingmouse Sketch Blog , and please join along in making a card.  You could win a free WMS stamp set or be chosen as a Top Mouse for the week!!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Seasons of Love, Pic-Nic Patterns, Off Beat Backgrounds, Musical Backgrounds
Paper:  White,  Spring Rain - PTI, Tempting Turquoise - SU
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress - Stormy Sky, Weathered Wood
Accessories:  sticky pearls - Michaels, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop, Die cut lacey edges - Bazzill Basics Papers, glue dots, Scotch Quick Dry adhesive,  flower die - MFT, Heart and scallop heart Nestabilities, cropadile.

Waltzingmouse Saturday Sketch - Get Well Soon with the Balm of Friendship!

It's Saturday and time, once again, for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge!!   This week, Mischief Maker, Kelly designed our fun sketch!  Isn't this cool?!!

and here's my tag card:

I used Teeny Trees to create my little framed scene - I used the oval shaped tree to make my rolling hills!  I stamped the background panel with the negative dots and one of the gingham stamps from Gingham + Co.  The circles along the bottom are from Rescue Remedies.

Here's the tag removed from the envelope - The label and circles are from Rescue Remedies and the little bird and leaf are from Teeny Trees.   I'm thinking this would be used as a bookmark by the receiver of this get well card -  and a book would be the perfect gift to go along with this card!

I hope you'll join us in making a card for the WMS sketch challenge this week!  You can check out all the details over at the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge Blog.


Please stop by again on Monday - the WMS Design Team will be having the August SOAP - Stamp of Approval Parade - that will run August 1 - August 4  - where we will all be inspiring you with projects created using the WMS July release stamps!
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Teeny Trees, Rescue Remedies, Gingham & Co.
Paper:  Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate - PTi
Ink:  Memento - Rich Cocoa, Bamboo Leaves, Cottage Ivy, Pear Tart, Bahama Blue; Ranger Distress - Antique Linen, Crushed Olive.
Accessories:  Chipboard frame - Tattered Angels, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop, tiny twinkles - Taylored Expressions, glue pen, green library pocket - Bazzill Basic Papers, Labels 4 Nestability, cropadile, shipping tag - Staples.

Saturday Waltzingmouse Sketch - A Basket of Balloons!

It's an especially nice Saturday for me - first - I've started a two week vacation - whoo hoo!   and second - it's time for the WMS Sketch Challenge!

I was the designer of the sketch again this week - I hope you find it inspiring!

I took a few liberties with my own sketch (!)  using sentiments in the center instead of rectangles.  My original plan (in my head) was to have 4 baskets along the bottom - but they didn't fit - so this design evolved!  My card is 3" x 5 1/2" so it will fit in a regular A2 envelope.

And see my balloons??  they are actually eggs from the Spring Baskets set that I stamped upside down!  The string knots are from Bitty Banners - I drew the long strings with a fine marker - the basket and Birthday Wishes are from Bountiful Basket Additions, the Bravo! and Hurrah! are from Fancy Phrases. 

I left everything clean and simple - no coloring, bling or ribbon so this could be sent to a guy or a gal!

I hope you will join us by making a card using my sketch this week - you can check it all out at the WMS Sketch Challenge Blog.  You could be chosen a top mouse or win a WMS stamp set!  Winners are announced on Saturday's along with the new sketch for the week.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Fancy Phrases, Spring Baskets, Bitty Banners, Bountiful Basket Additions.
Paper:  White - PTI, 2 shades of orange Bazzill.
Ink:  Memento Potters Clay & Rich Cocoa.
Accessories:  large oval punch - SU, foam tape, brown Micron 01 pen.