Waltzingmouse Stamps November Friends Blog Waltz

This is my card for the November Waltzingmouse Stamps Friends Blog Waltz, where the theme is Christmas.  I used one of my favourite stamps, St Nicholas from their Nutcracker Sweet set.  Aiming to make a clean and simple card I stamped the image with Versamark and heat embossed it silver.  The peace sentiment and tiny snowflakes are from the same stamp set.  To make the dove I used a stamp from the Text It set, heat embossed with a shimmery blue powder on white card then and ran it through the Cuttlebug with a Sizzix die.  I cut a second dove from pale blue vellum, layered both together and attached them to the top of my card using foam pads.  I used a pale blue Sakura gel pen to colour in a couple of sections of the image and finished the card off with 3 clear and 2 blue faux gems.

Cupcake Card WMSC #22

This card is for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 22.  I have used stamps from their Holiday labels 14, Frame-It and Asian Gardens sets.  I used Nestabilities labels 14 dies to emboss the middle of my white card base and to cut the two pink tags, and added some brown ribbon and 3 pink flowers.

Burgundy Colour Splash - PDCC 53

I made this card for the latest Play Date Cafe challenge (black & white with a touch of  burgundy).   The lady is an unmounted red rubber stamp but I have no idea which brand!  The sentiment stamp and frame are both by Waltzingmouse Stamps.  Added extras are black & white staples and 2 daisies and a brad for my splash of burgundy.

Art, Heart & Healing

I was blog hopping at the weekend and came across a link to link to a wonderful site called Willowing & Artist Friends, where Tam is running an amazing free 4 week online art workshop.  As I have been thinking about starting an art journal for some time but never seem to do anything about it (other than thinking) the week one project really captured my imagination (create a front facing portrait over a double page journal spread).  So, after much deliberation, should I, could I? etc. I took the plunge and had a go after watching Tam's video tutorial.  I am not as disatisfied with my first attempt as I thought I would be and it has inspired me to keep trying safe in the knowledge that there is no right or wrong way to create art and a portrait does not have to look 'real.'  Unfotunately this was painted (and stamped) onto a piece of watercolour paper with acrylics and shimmer inks as opposed to an art journal, as although I did intend buying one earlier in the week, I've hurt my back and been stuck in the house for a couple of days.  The paints I used have been languishing in a drawer unused for a few years and I'm glad I finally opened them.  

Bird & Blooms

Here is my latest card which I am entering into two challenges, Waltzingmouse Sketch #20 and The Play Date Cafe #52 first year anniversary.    I stamped flowers from Waltzingmouse Stamps Sewing Box Hugs set using Adirondack orange and watermelon inks, and added some extra colour Hot Pink and Apricot Promarkers.  The bird is from the same set stamped in black onto a piece of yellow card (stamped twice to cut out and 3D).  I used various small stamps from the Walzingmouse Stamps Teeny Tree set to decorate the bird using the same pink and orange inks as before and fixed it with foam tape onto a Nestie Label 14 cut from a scrap of pink dotty patterned paper.  I finished the card off with pink and organge organza ribbon and a small tag which I think was free in a craft magazine.  The yellow and orange flowers are by Petaloo.

Swan Birthday Card - Three Muses Things with Wings Challenge

I am entering this birthday card into The Three Muses Things with Wings challenge.  It was fun to make though it turned my hands blue...very blue!  The lovely swan is by Clarity Stamps, heat embossed silver and the sentiment uses 3 stamps by Waltzingmouse (from the Text It, Holiday Labels 14 and Teeny Trees sets)The background was created with Adirondack Denim dye ink, a brayer and sponge and the stars are just dots of glue sprinkled with various fine glitters.  I added a large dark blue blow, blue gems and metal charms to finish off this large card.

PDCC51

I haven't had much time to craft this past week but as I had a couple of cards to make I thought I

would take the opportunity to use the colours in the latest Play Date Cafe challenge (51) as I really like this combination.  The frame and sentiment stamps are by Waltzing Mouse (Holiday labels and Asian Gardens Additions).  The labels co-ordinate perfectly with Spellbinders labels 14 which are the focus of my card.  The beige cardstock is from the Coredinations Gemstones pad and the mint green paper is by My Minds Eye.  The small label and letter J were coloured with Promarkers and I finished the card off with 3 pale blue rhinestons, matching ribbon and a wired organza flower, not a great picture I'm afraid as its a scan.  This is actually a Christening card and I am now wondering if it's too plain!



Blooms

This card is for two challenges - Play Date Cafe 50 and Waltzing Mouse Sketch 18.

The centrepiece is a square of white card embossed with the Craft Concept Bloom folder, coloured with shimmer paints and cut out with Nesties (labels 15).  The sentiment stamp is from Waltzing Mouse's Say it with Style set and the flowers on the right were made with one of Inkadinkadoo's lovely clear mini stamps (fancy flower).  I have used various papers here by K and Company, My Minds Eye and Hot off the Press.

Harriet Card - WMS Freebie - Card Competition

I made this card with Waltzingmouse Stamps' digital freebie for a competition to celebrate world cardmaking day which was last Saturday so I am rather late!  This little lady is called Harriet and I thoroughly enjoyed colouring  her in with Promarkers to add to my Christmas card along with a couple of embellishments and pretty paper and vellum.

PDCC49

This is my card for The Play Date Cafe Sketch Challenge #49 and although I didn't think I would like the colour combination initially I think they go together well and will probably use these shades again.  All the stamps are from Waltzingmouse's Homespun Hugs set and the inks are Memento black and Promarkers.  As far as embellishments are concerned, I was going to stick a couple of buttons on the flower centres but in the end I settled for Ranger Matte Accents and a length of co-ordinating ricrac ribbon.

Birthday Bulldog

This card is for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge # 17.  The background was made with 2 circular stamps from Waltzingmouse Stamps Teeny Trees set, so they are actually treetops but I thought they would make a nice pattern heat embossed white on red card.  The best wishes stamp is from WMS Asian Gardens Additions set and the bulldog and paw print stamps are by Inkadinkadoo.

Pink Christmas - Waltzing Mouse Sketch Challenge 16

As I enjoyed using this week's sketch I decided to make another card for Waltzing Mouse's Sketch Challenge 16.  The tree and sentiment/image stamps are from the Nutcracker Sweet set and the background is from Asian Garden additions.  I couldn't quite get the light right in my photos but the colour is mainly bright pink on white as I used Adirondack Watermelon ink for the background and embossed the images on bright pink vellum in white, though the centre tree is on a paler pink vellum to give a bit of a contrast.  I added a few score lines and matching pink ricrac ribbon to finish off this simple card.

Anniversary Card for WMSC 16

This is my card for the latest Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge (#16).   I used a sentiment from the Say it with Style set and stamped onto a length of brown and blue ribbon and then rolled the ends in to create a scroll effect.  The 3 flowers and 2 hearts on the right of my card are from the same stamp set and the tiny bird is from the Teeny Trees set.  The gorgeous papers are GCD Studio Ella Blue (it wasn't easy to cut into them but I managed it).  I finished the card off with teal blue organza ribbon and 3 co-ordinating mesh flowers. 

Time ATC Set

Today I made a set of 4 ATCs which I am entering into three challenges:

PDCC48 (deep purple, lime green and grey)

Rainbow Lady's Challenge 120 - Tick Tock (big-time, part-time, show time and tea time)

Crafty Ann's Challenge #24 (anything but a card, i.e. ATCs)

I don't normally make ATCs, in fact I have probably made less than a dozen ever but thought I would have a change.  I used Stazon purple ink throughout, green card, green Stazon, green and grey Promarkers, purple Stickles and Ranger matte accents.  The large clock face stamps are Paper Artsy, the lady with a cuppa and pocket watch are by Tanda Stamps, the zig zags and flourish behind the word 'show' are stamps by HOTP, the skyscrapers are Rollagraph and I can't recall where the Can Can girls are from.

Chinese Lanterns

Here is my card for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #15.  I stamped the lanterns from the WMS Asian Gardens Additions set straight onto my white card blank using two shades of ink from the Kaleidacolor Royal Satin rainbow ink pad (the tops are stamped with Versafine purple).  I used the same stamp for the sentiment over a white embossed greeting and blossom from WMS Asian Gardens and cut it out with a Nestie Label 8 which was then matted onto a slightly larger white label.  The backing paper, which was inked around the edges, is Eastern Promise by Dovecraft, as is the ribbon with Chinese characters.  I was going to draw the lantern strings freehand but bottled it and used slivers of backing paper instead!

Feathers

I made this card on Monday for Rainbow Lady's Challenge 119 "Feathers."  I have only just got around to taking a photo of this as I am still unsure about it (I think I may have overdone the distressing).   I used Stampin Up and Rollograph stamps, Versafine Sepia, TH Distress Ink Corduroy, various shades of Colorbox Queue, Pink Petticoat dots paper, Nestabilities labels 15 and large eyelets.  I finished off the card by threading a length of string through the eyelets and a couple of feathers through the punched holes on the smallest label.  I don't think my mind is on crafting this week as I am off to hospital later today to have the plaster cast removed from my foot, which is good and I can have a nice soak in the bath, but I think the X Rays will confirm the osteotomy hasn't worked...we will see!

Ride a White Swan

This is my creation for The Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC47.  I decided to go digital for a change (not sure why as it takes me forever!) and this is the result.  I started with a photo of a swan I took earlier in the year during a dog walk and it reminded me of a song by Marc Bolan and T Rex (my favourite band of the 70s).  The pretty gothic gal is from a digital image sheet by Itkupilli (love that hat) who also does some very colourful designs.  Speaking of colour, I do like the combination in this week's challenge and found the photo and PDCC team's creations particularly inspiring.  I have other ideas which I may just try out too.

September Bog Waltz - Friends of Waltzingmouse Stamps - Halloween

Here is my entry for the Friends of Waltzingmouse Stamps September Waltz, where the theme is, as you can see, Halloween!  I have spent hours trying to photograph my card and although not entirely happy with this particular photo, it is the best of the bunch. 

Unfortunately, I don't have any of the WM Halloween stamp sets so I had to improvise.  I used the tree from the Asian Gardens set as the main image, stamped with brown ink onto a brayered landscape background.  I created the lined effect on the tree trunk by pressing the inked up stamp onto the Cuttlebug branches folder, then heat embossed the image with clear powder.  

As I don't have a bat stamp either, I made the bat by turning the owls ears/head feather die cut upside down and adding a punched cat head!  (maybe I should have stuck the decapitated cat on there somehow as it is Halloween after all?)  The haunted house stamp at the bottom of my card is from the Waltzing Mouse Blessed by You set.  I just drew a little ghost, cut him out and added him to the roof.

The skull was made by adapting the owl die cut (bought the die at a craft show last year and only just used it) then shading with Promarkers, the pumpkin was hand drawn and cut out of a card scrap, as was the bloodshot eyeball and witches hat.  The letters on the tag were made with Cuttlebug alphabet dies and I cut a simple shape from foam to make my spider.    His body was covered with brown eyelash fibre to make him nice and hairy and his legs are inked raffia. 

The tag is hanging from a Tim Holtz swivel clasp and the leaves and candy corn papers are by DCWV.  I think that's everything described...oh, I also used two sets of nestabilities and the large label behind the tree was run through the branches embossing folder to add texture. 

Dance of Butterfly - Sweet Pea Stampers

This card is for the latest Sweet Pea Stampers challenge, which is the above sketch by Pascale.  I stamped

Ching-Chou Kuik's Dance of Butterfly on watercolour paper and coloured the image with Promarkers before adding the odd touch of glitter, glaze and gold liquid pearl.   My background is made up of blue and green Coredinations card embossed with various Cuttlebug folders. The embossed sentiment is matted onto a piece of card from the DCWV glitter stack.  The faux ribbons are scraps of pale blue embossed vellum and I finished it all off with various embellishments, including beads, gems (and a starfish as I wanted to create a watery theme). 

Black & White Blooms with a hint of Pink

I am entering this card into two challenges - The Play Date Cafe #46 (black & white with a splash of pink, copper or gold) and Waltzingmouse Sketch challenge #14.    

I tried very hard to get a decent photograph of this card but failed miserably, they all looked off white or pixelated so this rather blurry scan will have to do.  I have used a variety of Waltzing Mouse stamps here, the large and small blooms are from the Chrysanthemum set, the sentiment is from Blessed by You and the narrow strip separating the two backing papers I made uses the border stamp from the Say it with Style set. The scallop egde was made with a Martha Stewart punch and I threaded a length of  cerise pink organza ribbon through as one of my splashes of pink.  The black, white and pink flower die cut was made by my friend Beverley who runs the Chop o Holics card club.  I enjoyed making this card and am quite pleased with the result as I think a touch of another colour adds something to the monotone look.

Willow Tree

This is the first of two cards I have made for the Waltzingmouse sketch challenge #14.  I have used the lovely willow tree stamp from their Blessed by You set as the focal point.  It was stamped in black Versafine ink onto a background I made by brayering lettuce and denim Adirondack dye inks onto a piece of plain cardstock.  The flower and sentiments stamps are from the WM Asian Gardens set and the paper is by Hot off the Press.

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #13

I made this card for tbe Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #13 with 3 stamps from their Say it With Style set.   After stamping the just a note sentiment and frame I used a Nestie label 4 die to cut out, ran the shape through the Cuttlebug with the birds and swirls embossing folder and inked the raised sections with Ranger Stormy Sky distress ink.  The edges of my card base were embossed with the CB dots border folder.  The large flower was made using a Sizzix Bigz die and matted onto a Nestie label 2 mat.  The papers are Pink Petticoat and K&Co Addison.

Bright Birthday

I made this card just because I felt like going a bit mad with colour so not sure who the recipient will be, though they may need sunspecs!  The chrysanthemum stamps are from Waltzingmouse Big Blooms set and the sentiment is also by WMS.  I used Ranger inks for the flowers and also the stippled background.  It took forever to make the woven mat from strips of coredinations card as it kept falling apart but I got there in the end.  I finished my card off by adding a strip of teal coloured die cut felt, matching organza bow, red ricrac, orange buttons and a fabric covered brad.

Myth & Magic

This is my card for the I love Promarkers challenge #30 Myth & Magic.  The card is pink in real life but not quite as intense as my photo for some reason.  For example the 3 little hearts are irridescent and quite delicately coloured in reality.  I love fairy stamps and this Bubbles Fairy is no exception.  After colouring her in with my Promarkers I added a touch of stickles to her wings and the bubbles, plus gold Perfect Pearls to the flower centres on the cup. I finished the card off by punching a fancy edge and adding a couple of punched daisies, ribbon and buttons.