WMS February Release - Day 1

Well hello there! I am so excited to be bringing you the first day of the countdown to the Waltzingmouse Stamps February Release. This month, nine new sets will be released. The sets will be available for sale in the WMS webstore on Wednesday, February 29th. Claire, as well as each of the Design Team members, will be sharing previews of the new sets each day until the release, so I hope you will stop back to see what we have going on. Let's get started!

Today we are peeking three sets. Let me introduce you to French Country:

French Country is a beautifully illustrated 6" by 8" set containing background building images, focal points, sentiments, and all the yummy little goodies Claire squeezes into her sets. One of the first things to jump out at me about this set was the gorgeous tapestry border, which I used to create the center strip on my card.

A close up of the label included in the set (which coordinates with Labels 25) and some of the other elements. The color combination of burgundy and mustard feels so rich and rustic and I think it compliments the images so well!

My next card uses some of the smaller line images in the set to create a colorful patterned background.

I started by stamping a few of the different floral motifs from French Country onto a square of cardstock with Memento Ink. Then I went in with my Copic markers and colored the images. When the coloring was complete, I added some sparkly highlights with Spica glitter pens. Wanting to keep the rest of the card simple, I added a strip of cardstock on which I had heat embossed my sentiment. I know that this technique isn't a favorite of everyone, but I truly enjoy creating my own patterns and am quite pleased with the richness of this background. I think that a combination of these same images would look beautiful stamped in a monochrome color palette or embossed in white. Something to try!

My final card for today features French Country combined with a wonderful complimentary set, Chicken Wire.

Chicken Wire is such a fun little set, containing two scales of a chicken wire pattern. While it plays really well with the delightful little rooster image from French Country, it really looks great with lots of other things as well!

I started this card by stamping the woodgrain pattern from Way Out West onto kraft cardstock. Then I heat embossed the large chicken wire pattern in white right on top of the woodgrain. Some white ink streaked along the top and edges of this panel helped to create a weathered look. I think its so cozy.

Here is a close up of my little rooster. I stamped him twice, the first time in brown ink. The second time, I inked the entire stamp up in yellow and used a red ink pad to add some red to his head. I trimmed his head out and added it to the brown body. A white gel pen helps to define his eye. I layered some other elements onto the card including a strip of blue stamped with a harlequin pattern (more on this set later in the release), an embossed piece of rust cardstock to help pull the colors together, and my sentiment. LOVE it!

Completing the card is the highly awaited set Make Your Mark.

Its the waltzing mouse!

Make Your Mark is a 4" by 6" set containing a variety of images scaled to perfectly finish the back of your cards. I know this has been an often requested set, and Claire combined a great mix of images to allow you to share your designs, label items with prices, or express your WMS pride.

This will be great - I know I am super excited about being able to recognize Waltzingmouse as my source for these amazing images!

So that's what I have for today! Here is the list of the rest of the Design Team members sharing previews today:

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

I can't wait to hear what you think so far! I just love hearing all your feedback on the new sets. I'll see you back here tomorrow, ok?

Anya

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Recipe
Souhaits Sinceres (Sincere Wishes)
STAMPS: French Country (available February 29th) - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Scarlet Jewel, Rustic Cream - Papertrey Ink; More Mustard - Stampin' Up!
INK: Currant - Amuse|Studio; More Mustard, Early Espresso - Stampin' Up!; Walnut Stain Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Petite Oval Small - Spellbinders Paper Arts; Sewing Machine - Janome; Vintage button

Je t'aime (I love you)
STAMPS: French Country (available February 29th) - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Groovy Guava, Riding Hood Red - Stampin' Up!; Vintage Cream - Papertrey Ink
INK: Rich Cocoa Memento - Tsukineko; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Copic Markers, Spica Glitter pens - Imagination International; Detail Gold Embossing Powder - Stewart Superior

Good Morning
STAMPS: French Country, Chicken Wire, Heirloom Patterns (available February 29th), Way Out West - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, Really Rust - Stampin' Up!; Rustic White - Papertrey Ink
INK: Crumb Cake, Close to Cocoa, More Mustard, Real Red, Baja Breeze, Whisper White - Stampin' Up!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Detail White Embossing Powder - Stampendous; Textile Embossing Folder - ProvoCraft; Sewing Machine - Janome