Waltzingmouse Blog Waltz - August 2010

This month's waltz theme was Vintage or Shabby Chic. I tried to go for the latter. What do you think?

The flower is made by punching scallops from a sheet of apricot coloured vellum. A homemade brad fills the center.

The stamped label is from the Rescue Remedies set from Waltzingmouse Stamps, and the lacy border underneath is from the Faux Fun set. For details on the Waltz, please visit: The Friends of Waltzingmouse Stamps blog waltz post.

The pleated ribbon makes it qualify for Sharon's Stamp Simply Challenge #153. You can check out  that challenge on Sharon's No Time To Stamp Blog.

WMSC 9

I wasn't really feeling the flowers theme in this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge No. 9, so instead I went for a slightly medieval influenced motif. The sketch provided was:

I took some pebbly textured silver yogurt lids and backed them with cardstock, then ran them through my Cuttlebug to die cut and emboss. Then I pounced them with Wild Plum and Cranberry Adirondack Alcohol Inks and hot-fixed Swarovski crystals. 

A number of Waltzingmouse Stamps (the frame, the sentiment, and an isolated part of the Victorian Frippery Border for the corner motifs) complete the card. 

31 Years of Wedded Bliss

Here's the card I gave my DH this a.m.

The quote inside (not shown) is a Quietfire sentiment: The secret to happiness is a good sense of humour and a bad memory. I think it is apropos!

WMSC8 & August Christmas Challenge

I don't know where the time goes but I am sad that I cannot take part in more of the weekly Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenges. Here is my very loose response to the eighth of these challenges:

You might have to use your imagination to see how the above has anything to do with this sketch:

This card is one of six that I made this week for Sylvia's Christmas Card Challenge for the month of August. My husband wants to know who this person is that has replaced his wife, who normally is frantically stamping Christmas cards between Christmas and New Year's to mail belatedly.


Why not get a jump on your holiday cards and play along and then post to Sylvia's blog here? 

WMS July Waltz

Yes, it is that time again, the monthly waltz around the blogosphere with Waltzingmouse Stamps fans. The theme this month is blue and green. I let the paper do the work for me this time and opted for something pretty simple.

I added a little royal purple cardstock to go with the Versafine Imperial Purple Ink that I used to stamp the image and sentiment. Six kiwi green Swarovski crystals set off the Spellbinders Fancy Tag die cut.

I am always trying to capture the sparkle of those gems on camera! To find out more about the blog waltz and where to find all the amazing posts by other WMS fans, (and a chance to win a prize!) please visit the WMS blog post that reveals all!

Christmas Angels

Once again I am participating in Sylvia's Christmas Card Challenge and this month the theme is angels. These two vintage cuties are from an umounted stamp sheet I bought many years ago from Lazarwerx Studios. I stamped them on glossy cardstock in brown archival ink to keep the image outline crisp, then watercoloured them in pastel tones to keep the softness (if that makes any sense!).

I made six of these cards with various backgrounds. The sentiment is from A Muse Stamps and the Spellbinders Fancy Tag is lightly bowed in the middle to give a bit of dimension. The postal mark is an old Rubber Stampede stamp. The peanut gallery (my DH) thought the angels should have been mounted straight on, but I like my angels on angle!

Black Magic With a White Twist Technique

Sometimes cards take a long time to come together. I try to make cards with the recipient in mind, and sometimes that is tough. When learning a new technique, that can take awhile, too. Recently I came across this technique tutorial on Karen Barber's blog, Black Magic With a White Twist, and tried my hand at it. Please go look at Karen's beautiful work - mine is not representative (yet)!

I tried three different stamps with this technique, which is stamping with white pigment ink on dark cardstock and then colouring over top with pencil crayons. Karen's twist is to add little white pin dots to the design with a gel pen.

I think I overdid the dots on that last one! That flourish looks like it has a case of measles. I have only managed to make one of the samples into a card:

I am enjoying this technique and want to try it with other stamps. Karen's blog is full of inspiring samples and I hope practice makes perfect! Stamps: Scene - Stampin' Up!, Sentiment and frame - Waltzingmouse Stamps. Accessories: Spellbinders Labels Ten; White Versamagic Pigment Ink; Prismacolours.