Friends of WMS Blog Waltz - Shabby Chic!

Welcome to this month's Friend's of Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Waltz. The theme for today is shabby chic/vintage. It all starts at the WMS Forum in the Playroom.

Now Shabby Chic is not my forte - I knew I had to use lots of pearls, pastel colors, ribbons and sponging! I think I got them all in on my little box today!

I covered the box with October Afternoon DP's (after sponging!) I adhered lace around the edge of the cover (after sponging!). I made my little rolled flower and leaves out of mulberry paper (yes, after sponging!). I used 3 different WMS stamp sets on my box - Very Vintage Labels No. 10, Victorian Frippery and Fancy Phrases.

So how'd I do with the shabby chic thing??? I think I'm getting the hang of it!

My shabby chic box is quite COLORFUL don't you think?!

Public Service Announcement: Of course there will be prizes!!! One of the Blog Waltz participants will be randomly selected to win a stamp set of choice.

We'll also have a bit of a game going on in the August Blog Waltz Chat thread... a bit different this month...and one of the waltzers who plays will be randomly selected to win a stamp set of choice!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Very Vintage Labels No. 10, Victorian Frippery, Fancy Phrases.

Paper: White - PTI, Mulberry Paper, DP October Afternoon - The Thrift Shop/Needs Paint & Still in Box

Ink: Ranger Distress - Tea Dye, Stormy Sky

Accessories: Sizzlets die Lots of Tags No 1 - SU, Zva Crystals, sticky pearls, May Arts Silk Ribbon - Stamp Simply Ribbon Shop, 1 3/8" circle punch, lace - May Arts Ellen Hutson LLC, chipwood box - Michaels, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, Scor Tape, foam dimensionals. Inksentials sponge and applicator - Ranger, Labels 10 and Labesl 3 Nestabilities.

Shabby Reflections

I 've been seeing several cards in blog land inspired by the Shabby Tea Room Reflections challenge and decided I'd like to play along too! I have not been one to do the shabby chic but I've been making a few cards in this style lately and I'm becoming more comfortable with it. Here's the lovely picture we are to be inspired by:

And here's the card I created. I used Taylored Expressions Friday sketch

What makes this Shabby chic? Sponged edges with tea dye ink, crinkled ribbon, lace, stick pin, buttons and bling! Am I right??!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Fancy Phrases

Paper: Vintage Cream - PTI, Silver - unknown, DP October Afternoon/thrift shop/still in Box

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Tea Dye.

Accessories: Foam dimensionals, scor tape, little gems - Michaels, wrinkle ribbon - www.prairiebirdboutique.etsy.com, butons - Making Memories Sabrina, narrow silk ribbo - PTI, lace - Ellen Hutson LLC, jewel pin - Marks Finest Papers, sizzix sizzlets die lots of tags label 1 - SU, sponge and applicator Inkssentials Ranger.

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge & The Free Template Challenge

Please scroll down to my post below this to see my Speedy The Cats Friends Challenge card - Think Flowers!

I have two projects to share with you today - My Saturday Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge card and a project using one of Claire's free templates (see the challenge here). First - the sketch - this one is fun and easy don't you think!?
For some reason, as soon as I saw the big circle I thought of this wonderful Winnie the Witch stamp from last year's WMS set Halloween Party!

I stamped two other images from this set for the small circles. I embossed the card with the spider web embossing folder and painted over it with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist/Icicle (which I just got in the mail and used without really knowing what to do with it!?!) It gives the whole background a 'glimmer'!

I used circle and pinking circle Nestabilities - sponging the images before taking them out of the dies. Then I sponged over the white edges with Milled Lavender ink to soften the whiteness but not cover it completely. All the circles are popped up on foam dimensionals. Finally, I added tiny gems here and there for a little sparkle!

So waltz on over to the WMS Sketch Blog and find out what the Mischief Makers have created this week for our inspiration! Then make up your own card using the sketch and link it there - you could be a Top Mouse next week!! And don't forget to check out my template project below!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Halloween Party

Paper: Smokey Shadow, white - PTI, Elegant Eggplant - SU

Ink: Ranger Distress - Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: Circle and pinking circle nestabilities, Sponge & blender tool - Inkssentials Ranger, Crystal stickers - Michaels, Glimmer Glaze Tattered Angels - Icicle, Spider web embossing folder.

Here's my Halloween Treat Pouch using one of the free templates over at the Waltzingmouse Store - there are several free ones there so be sure to check them out! Make one of them and link it here by Sunday 8/15!!

We have a Harvest Fair at my church every October and I make crafts to sell at it - these fun treat pouches will be one of my projects! I have these fun gummy spider candies to put inside. I used stamps from Halloween Party, Midnight Feast and Off Beat Backgrounds. I cut the sentiment with a Labels 13 Nestability.

Thanks for stopping by today! What's up for your weekend?

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Halloween Party, Midnight Feast, Off Beat Backgrounds.

Paper: Vintage Cream, Plum Pudding - PTI

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Ink - Dusty Concord, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey

Accessories - Labels 13 Nestabilities, basket shred, gummy spider - Oriental Trading, Scor Tape, foam dimensionals.

Speedy the Cats' Friends Challenge #16 - Think Flowers!

Welcome to Speedy the Cats Friends challenge #16! This week Joanne G challenged us to 'Think Flowers'!

The stamps, card stock, ribbon and Ranger inks are all from Marks' Finest Papers. The stamps are from two MFP sets - the branch with the bird and the flower are from Tweet Blessings and the sentiment is from Apples and Camellia.

I used Mercy's Tuesday sketch for my card today.

How will you use flowers on a card this week!?! Come on over to Marks Finest Papers Blog and link your card there. You could win an MFP stamp set!! There will be a winner for every 50 entries!

If you load your card on Split Coast please use Speedys Friends in your keywords.

Thanks so much for dropping by today! I hope you're weekend is full of fun (and stamping!)!!

Stamps: Marks Finest Papers - Tweet Blessings, Apples & Camellia
Paper: White, Kraft - MFP, DP Basic Grey Paper Pad -
Ink: Ranger Distress - Dusty Concord, Bundled Sage, Worn Lipstick
Accessories: Large gems - Michaels, tiny gems - Taylored Expressions, foam dimensionals, sponge and applicator Inksentials/Ranger, Quickie glue pen.

Sing in the Rain

I made this card for Monday's Clean And Simple Challenge over on Split Coast - Garden Theme.

I stamped my silhouette flower image from the Floral Silhouette Set by Rubbernecker Stamps and cut it out with a circle nestability. Then I sponged it with 3 colors before removing it from the die. I used my Ranger Inkssentials Blending Tool for this applying each color ink in a circular motion from the outside edge in. I use my Ranger Non Stick Craft Sheet under my project - that helps the sponge glide smoothly onto the card stock.

I adhered the circle to the card with foam dimensionals, added a little bling and stamped the sentiment in the corner. The sentiment is actually part of a longer verse from a set called Petite Word Set # 2000 - I just inked up the words I wanted and stamped it in the corner here.

Clean and Simple!
Stamps: Rubbernecker Stamps - Floral Silhouette Set #467, Petite Word Set #2000
Paper: Vintage Cream - PTI
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress/Bundled Sage, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey
Accessories: circle nestabilities, sponge & Applicator Inksentials Ranger

I promised to share a few pictures from my vacation travels a few weeks ago.

First I have some from Lake Winnepesaukee, NH where my girlfriend has a cottage right on the lake. This is the view from a side window in their lovely front den. (there are windows around the whole room looking out at the lake)

This is one of the cottages outbuildings - it has a bedroom with it's own bathroom and a little kitchenette. Kent and I used it to store our stuff and change into our bathing suits. The main cottage has 2 bedrooms plus sleep sofas in the den and one in the diningroom.

This pic was taken when we were out for a ride in their motorboat - looking back to their cottage - the light section in the middle is the front den and the building up to the right is the little outbuilding we used. (as shown above!)

And here's Rob and DH Kent chatting on the deck.

On another day - we went to Plum Island - a beach and reserve on the coast near Newburyport, MA, USA. There are several areas you can hike through. This pic below was taken at the end of the 'Dunes Walk'. Here we see the sand dunes and the Atlantic ocean as well as a little lobster boat right there in the middle of the picture (can you see it?!)

Here are some steps along the way on the "Marsh Walk".

And an outlook stop along the walk.

There is also a canal section where we saw the most wild life of the day - a white heron, a blue heron, a beaver bringing leafy branches into his beaver dam, several different sea birds and geese. Here are about 15 geese walking from one inlet - over the walkway to another inlet on the other side! They were all lined up and waiting for quite some time until no one was on the walkway. It was funny to watch!

So there's just a little taste of my 'day trip' vacation - I'll be taking another one in early September!

Fun Alert: check out the fun challenge going on at Waltzingmouse - make a project using one of the free templates Claire has at the store - check out all the deets here !!!! come join the fun! You have to post by Sunday 8/15!

MFP New Release Blog Hop - Day 3 - Regal & Proud

Welcome to Day 3 of Mark's Finest Papers Design Team New Release Blog Hop! Today we are all highlighting the wonderful new set - Regal & Proud.Isn't this eagle's head stunning!? I stamped the wonderful hillside silouette stamp on a Top Note die cut and then sponged it with blue and green. All the panels are popped up on foam dimensionals.

Now for all the details on how you can win:

Mark's Finest Papers' Design Teams are celebrating our NEWEST STAMP RELEASE with a Blog Hop. Our very talented Design Teams have created exciting paper crafts for your inspiration. With the addition of New Design Team members to inspire you, this is going to be a really fun-packed Hop!

We have 4 New Stamp Sets Released today: Tweet Blessings, Flourished Sea Creatures, Regal & Proud, and Owl Be Here. For your convenience, all 4 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!

For your chance to win BLOG CANDY, (a set that will be released NEXT month), visit and comment on each of the following design team members' blogs on August 10, 11, 12, and 13, 2010.

On Saturday, (August 14, 2010), a winner will be chosen FOR EACH DAY from those participants who visited all the blogs listed for that day. (There will be four different winners, one winner for each day.)

THAT MEANS IF YOU MISS A DAY, YOU STILL HAVE OTHER CHANCES TO WIN! And, you can go back and comment on each day's blogs, as the winners will be chosen Saturday morning!

So hop off to these blogs and leave a comment at each one for a chance to win!

August Guest Designer- Wendy

Nancyruth
Lois
Vicky
Jeanne
Anne
Debbie
Peggysue
Faith

Susan

Judi

Connie

Emily

Karen

Patty

Roxie

Vicki

Julia - ME!

Liz
Claudine
Joanne T
Dawn

Lynn
Mark’s Finest Papers

Stamps: MFP - Regal & Proud

Paper: White - PTI

Ink: Ranger Distress Tumbled Glass, Chipped Sapphire, Rundled Sage, Memento Tuxedo Black.

Accessories: Top note die - SU, Lots of Tags Label 1 - SU, tiny gems - Taylored Expressions, ribbon - MFP, foam dimensionals, Copics - BG10, Y17, Y21, Inksentials - Sponge & Applicator Ranger.

MFP New Release Blog Hop - Day 1 - Tweet Blessings

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers' Design team Blog hop for the August Release! Today we are highlighting Tweet Blessings.

Kent and I love to go hiking and bird watching and I needed a little notebook to record where we go and what birds we see. This new stamp set is perfect for my project.

I started with a 3 1/4" x 4 1/2" Composition Notebook. I cut panels to fit the covers, stamped on them and attached them to the notebook. Before adhereing the front cover - I made a book mark by ataching the hummingbird charm to 10" of gold cord with a knot. I taped the end on the front cover before attaching the piece of stamped designer paper so it comes out at the top and loops into the notebook.

I did a little stamping on the inside covers and on the pages.
And here's the back.

I used my Brother P-Touch Label Maker for the "Bird Sightings" title on my little notebook.

And now for all the deets about our blog hop - be sure to read how you can win new MFP Stamps!

Mark's Finest Papers' Design Teams are celebrating our NEWEST STAMP RELEASE with a Blog Hop. Our very talented Design Teams have created exciting paper crafts for your inspiration. With the addition of New Design Team members to inspire you, this is going to be a really fun-packed Hop!

We have 4 New Stamp Sets Released today: Tweet Blessings, Flourished Sea Creatures, Regal & Proud, and Owl Be Here. For your convenience, all 4 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!

For your chance to win BLOG CANDY, (a set that will be released NEXT month), visit and comment on each of the following design team members' blogs on August 10, 11, 12, and 13, 2010.

On Saturday, (August 14, 2010), a winner will be chosen FOR EACH DAY from those participants who visited all the blogs listed for that day. (There will be four different winners, one winner for each day.)

THAT MEANS IF YOU MISS A DAY, YOU STILL HAVE OTHER CHANCES WIN! And, you can go back and comment on each day's blogs, as the winners will be chosen Saturday morning!

August Guest Designer- Wendy

Nancyruth

Lois
Vicky

Jeanne

Anne
Debbie
Peggysue
Faith

Susan

Judi

Connie

Emily

Karen

Patty

Roxie

Vicki

Julia - Me!

Liz
Claudine
Joanne T
Mark’s Finest Papers

Stamps: MFP - Tweet Blessings

Paper: White - MFP, DP Dream Street Papers/Sam-Change is Good

Ink: Ranger Distress - Bundled Sage, Stormy Sky, Tea Dye, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: Composition book, pink Zutter 1/2" corner rounder, gold cord - MFP, Hummingbird charm - MFP, Sponge and applicator - Ranger, Brother P-Touch Label Maker, scor tape.