Waltzingmouse Top 12

Hi there!

Today I am popping in to share some of my favorite Waltzingmouse creations from the past year. A lot of stampers have been sharing this same sort of countdown over the past few weeks and Jeanne posted here on the WMS forum about doing a top 12 of 2012. I thought it would be a fun way for me to get inspired, seeing some of my favorite creations. As you probably know, I haven't exactly been whipping out the cards!

So here are my Top 12 favorite Waltzingmouse Stamps cards of 2012:

Using Asian Gardens and Asian Gardens Additions.

Using Chicken Wire and French Country.

Using Nordic Spring, Heirloom Patterns, and Compact Sentiments.

Using French Country, Heirloom Patterns, Paris Nouveau, and Compact Sentiments.

Using Half Pint Heroes.

Using Chicken Wire, L'il Buddies, and Compact Sentiments Part Two.

Using Way Out West and Back in the Saddle.

Using My Island.

Using Playful Pinwheels and Candy Jar.

Using Vintage Garden - Seed Packet and Vintage Garden - Flowers.

Using Nordic Winter, Festive Foliage, and Compliments of the Season Two.

Using Bright Season, Cabin Plaid Backgrounder, Festive Foliage, and Season of Love - Tags.

So that's it! It was tough to narrow it down to only 12, and while I was looking through my photos came across many more that I loved. I hope you'll stop back tomorrow when I share my Top 12 favorite Wplus9 cards!

Have a great day!

Play Date Cafe Challenge #164

Hello, my friends and happy Thursday!

All of a sudden its been a little busy around here! I am here today to bring you this week's Play Date Cafe Challenge. I am sure you wouldn't be surprised to hear me tell you that I love this week's color story!

The colors are Cadet Blue, Chartreuse, and Leather (I love that pillow!).

Here is the card I created using those fabulous colors.

I used the Stitched Sentiments stamp set and dies from Papertrey Ink to create this card. I like the way the colors look with this design, and am especially fond of those little berries on the branches!

This is a bold and fun color combination - I hope you will join us! You can link up your creation over at The Play Date Cafe Blog. You have through Tuesday, January 15th to play along. While you're there, you can check out the Cup of the Week prize from our fabulous challenge sponsor, Simon Says Stamp!

Thank you for sponsoring us this week, Simon Says Stamp!

Have a super day!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Stitched Sentiments - PTI; Woodgrain Silhouettes - Wplus9
CARDSTOCK: Creamy Caramel, Kiwi Kiss - SU!; Oatmeal - Wplus9
PATTERNED PAPER: For the Record 2 - Echo Park Paper Co.
INK: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Creamy Caramel - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Stitched Sentiments Die, Linen and Canvas Impression Plate - PTI

January Cloud9 Blog Hop

Hello again! Welcome to the January Cloud9 Blog Hop!

This is my second post of the day, for my Serendipity Stamps Design Team Challenge, please scroll down or click here.

Ok! Here is this month's inspiration photo, another amazing pick from Suzanne:

I loved it! The color combination of kraft, cream, and silver is just so yummy - one of my new favorites. I took some very literal inspiration from the photo, and created this card:

I followed this tutorial for creating faceted stars from the Damask Love blog. I die cut some of Wplus9's Clear Cut Stackers: Stars from silver Glitter paper and layered them on a bit of corrugated cardboard. The sentiment is from the Label Layers 4 set and was stamped on the large Banner Trio Die.

I am so glad that you've stopped by to see me today, I hope you'll play along with this month's Cloud9 Blog Hop with the chance to win fabulous Wplus9 prizes! You have until 10 am on January 12th to link up with us over on the Cloud9 Blog.

Also be sure to check out the amazing creations from the rest of the inspiration team:

Suzanne Dahlberg
Gayatri Murali
Christina MacLaren

as well as this month's special guest designer:

Iwona Palamountain

Have a great day!


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Recipe
STAMPS: Label Layers 4 - Wplus9
CARDSTOCK: Oatmeal - Wplus9; Silver Glitter - SU!; Corrugated Cardboard
INK: Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries; Onyx Black Versafine - Tsukineko
OTHER: Clear Cut Stackers: Stars, Banner Trio Die - Wplus9

Serendipity Stamps Blog Challenge #3

Good morning!

Today I am very excited to be once again joining the Serendipity Stamps Design Team. It is a fabulous group of ladies and I am so glad to be a part of it. I'm starting off my term with the first Design Team challenge of 2013, to create something with a heart.

I hope you've heard about the Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog, where the DT shares their samples for this bi-monthly challenge and also gives you the chance to play along (for a prize, too!) I hope you will join us, all you need is at least one Serendipity image and a project that follows the theme!

Here is what I created for our 'Have a Heart' challenge:

I used the Valentine Postoid (184E) and Will You Be Mine (1079D) stamps on my card. I stamped the postoid twice, coloring and layering one image on top of the second. I used the small hole punch on my Crop-o-dile to punch out the postage border so I didn't have to fussy cut the whole thing. I also added some other lovey embellishments... a fancy doily, foil heart paper that I've been hoarding forever, and lots of pink. It was a joy to create with these images again!

I hope you'll take the chance to join in the challenge. Stop over to the Challenge Blog for all the details and to see the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the Design Team:

Cathy Weber

Helen Berry

Jeanne Jachna

Jenny Gropp

Marybeth Lopez

Miriam Napier

Pauline Pollington

...and be sure to grab our badge!

AND (this is the last thing, I promise ;) Serendipity's sale this week is buy any three items, get your fourth free. The sale runs through January 16!

Have a great day!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Valentine Postoid (184E), Will You Be Mine (1079D) - Serendipity Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Berry Sorbet, Linen Vellum - PTI; Oatmeal - Wplus9
PATTERNED PAPER: Organic Poppy - Bo Bunny; Smitten Mini Hearts Foil Paper - K&Company
INK: Rich Cocoa Memento - Tsukineko; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Copic Markers; French Pastry Doily Die - Cheery Lynn Designs; Dark Chocolate Button - PTI

Waltzingmouse Secret Santa Card Exchange

Hello and Happy Friday!

This December was the second annual Waltzingmouse Stamps Secret Santa Card Exchange. Cathy Weber tirelessly organizes this fantastic event, and I so enjoy being a part of it. Supplied with the contact information for a Secret Santa, you make a holiday card and send it - its that simple!

This year, Charmaine Stack was my Secret Santa, and I received this stunning card from her!

I love the rich hues of blue that she used on this! The shading adds so much dimension to the design, and I particularly love the shaded label. She also included the sweetest little note and tucked a little gift inside that will soon find a home in my studio. I loved it all, Charmaine! The images she used are from the Yonder Star set, and it has inspired me to pull that one out, along with the Yonder Star Backgrounder and see what kind of non-holiday design I can come up with.

Melissa Ladd was my Secret Santa, and this is the card that I sent to her:

I have seen lots of pretty lanterns around the holidays, but particularly loved this one.

As you can see, this really provided a lot of inspiration for my card. I used the Bright Season set along with Festive Foliage and the Cabin Plaid Backgrounder. I loved putting this together for Melissa.

This was such a great event, Cathy, and I just love that you pull it all together for us! Next year we hope you will join us, too!

Have a great day!

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Lantern Card Recipe
STAMPS: Bright Season, Festive Foliage, Cabin Plaid Backgrounder, Season of Love - Tags - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Crumb Cake - SU!; Oatmeal - Wplus9
INK: Cranberry Crisp, Handsome Hunter, Close to Cocoa, Crumb Cake - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Sewing Machine - Janome; Star Dust Stickles - Ranger Industries

Play Date Cafe Challenge #163

Hi there!

I hope your holidays were wonderful. I took a bit of a break, slowed down a bit, enjoyed time at home with my husband and family. But here we are in 2013, and today I am back to sharing the weekly Play Date Cafe Challenge. This week's colors are fresh and fun - we have tangerine, sky blue, and champagne. Love the color story.. but I always do, Jax does an amazing job!

Here is the card that I created:

Love how this came together! I had a chance to use some new crafty supplies, the fabulous Quite Like You stamp set from Wplus9 and the Feathers die from Lifestyle Crafts on this card. Good stuff!

I hope you will join us for this week's challenge! You can link up your creation over at The Play Date Cafe Blog. You have through Tuesday, January 8th to play along. While you're there, you can check out the Cup of the Week prize from the Play Date Cafe prize vault!

So glad to see you here today - now that the holiday whirlwind has passed and I've had some time to settle in to my new role at my job, I promise I will make more of an effort to be a better blogger! I so appreciate you sticking by me, though. Take care!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Quite Like You - Wplus9
CARDSTOCK: Oatmeal - Wplus9; Soft Sky, Blush Blossom - SU!; Linen Vellum - PTI
PATTERNED PAPER: Country Garden - Bo Bunny
INK: Tangerine Tango - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Chicken Wire Impression Plate, Aqua Mist Button - PTI; French Pastry Doily Die - Cheery Lynn Designs; Feathers Die - Lifestyle Crafts; Sewing machine - Janome

Play Date Cafe Challenge #162

Hi there! It certainly is a busy time of year, isn't it? I hope you are all having a chance to enjoy the season. I have been doing my best.

Today I am here to share this week's Play Date Cafe Challenge. This week we have another beautiful holiday combination: gold, teal, mint, and lavender.

This week we were sponsored by Jenni Bowlin Studios who sent us some fabulous stamps to work with.

I used the Writer clear stamp and created this card:

I used strips of cardstock to add some color blocking to my card. I made sure to incorporate some glitter for the gold! I stamped the stamp right over my cardstock strips then added the word hello, assembled with Thickers. This stamp was fun to use, you could have it writing just about anything!

This is another great holiday color combination - I hope you will join us! This challenge will be open for two weeks, so hopefully you will be able to squeeze something in amongst all your holiday merry-making! You can link up your creation over at The Play Date Cafe Blog. You have through Tuesday, January 1st to play along. While you're there, you can check out the Cup of the Week prize from our fabulous challenge sponsor, Jenni Bowlin Studios!

Thank you for sponsoring us this week, Jenni Bowlin Studios!

Have a super day and a very happy holiday if I don't see you before then!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Writer - Jenni Bowlin Studios
CARDSTOCK: Oatmeal - Wplus9; Sage Shadow, Taken With Teal, Wisteria Wonder - SU!
INK: Onyx Black Versafine - Tsukineko
OTHER: Antique Gold Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Thickers - American Crafts

Play Date Cafe Challenge #161

Hiya!

Welcome to this week's Play Date Cafe Challenge. This week we have a favorite holiday trio of mine: evergreen, gumdrop, and candy cane red.

And here is the card that I created:

I used one of my all-time favorite Waltzingmouse sets, Candy Jar Christmas Fillers on this card. I combined it with the complimentary Jar Fillers - Jam Packed for the lid image.

This is a great holiday color combination - I hope you will join us! You can link up your creation over at The Play Date Cafe Blog. You have through Tuesday, December 18th to play along. While you're there, you can check out the Cup of the Week prize from our fabulous challenge sponsor, Simon Says Stamp!

Thank you for sponsoring us this week, Simon Says Stamp!

Have a super day!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Candy Jar Christmas Fillers, Jar Fillers - Jam Packed - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Rustic White - PTI; Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Regal Rose - SU!
INK: Tuxedo Black Memento - Imagine Crafts; Wild Wasabi - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger
OTHER: Eyelet Lace, Pinking Shears Border Die - PTI; Copic Markers - Imagination International; Star Dust Stickles - Ranger; Sewing machine - Janome

Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog

Hi there - how is your week going?

I have some fun news to share with you .. Serendipity Stamps has just started a Challenge Blog! The bi-monthly Design Team challenges are being opened up to all of us for the chance to join in and maybe win some great Serendipity goodies! You have two weeks to complete the challenge, so there's plenty of time to squeeze it in.

The first challenge is to create a honeycomb or accordion embellishment for your project - check out this gorgeous example from Cathy Weber:

Isn't that so lovely?

The only challenge requirements are that you use at least one Serendipity Stamps image on your project. Pretty simple! And if you don't have any Serendipity Stamps, let me direct you the Serendipity store for a little shopping!

The current challenge will remain open for a few more days, I would really love if you would visit the challenge blog, check it out, see the amazing DT inspiration for this first challenge and join in!   Hope to see you there!

Have a great day!

December Cloud9 Blog Hop

Hello Wplus9 fans!

Welcome to the December Cloud9 Blog Hop! We have a big month for you - Suzanne has picked two fabulous photos to inspire you and we have three amazing guest designers joining us!

We are so lucky to have Amy Kolling, Maureen Merritt, and Kim Singdahlsen sharing their creations with us this month. These ladies are fabulous!

Here are the inspiration photos for this month:

I loved the second photo, with all the different items arranged so beautifully. I took inspiration from their placement along with the patterns and pops of red to create this card:

I so enjoyed pulling together all the different elements to use on this card. In addition to some patterned paper, a few buttons, a wooden snowflake and some washi tape, I used images from Folk Art Flurries, Mehndi Medallions, Spring Tags, Fair Isle Backgrounds, and Christmas Wishes. I love spreading all the stamp sets out and picking out bits and pieces from each to combine.

And now I have another holiday card to add to the stack. Its a good thing!

I am so glad that you've stopped by to see me today, I hope you'll play along with this month's Cloud9 Blog Hop with the chance to win fabulous Wplus9 prizes! You have until 10 am on December 12th to link up with us over on the Cloud9 Blog.

Also be sure to check out the amazing creations from the rest of the inspiration team:

Suzanne Dahlberg
Gayatri Murali
Christina MacLaren

as well as our three special guest designers:

Amy Kolling
Maureen Merritt
Kim Singdahlsen

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Recipe
STAMPS: Folk Art Flurries, Mehndi Medallions, Spring Tags, Fair Isle Backgrounds, and Christmas Wishes - Wplus9 Design Studio
CARDSTOCK: Real Red - SU!; Kraft, Oatmeal - Wplus9
PATTERNED PAPER: Christmas Plaid - Hot Off the Press (JoAnn Fabrics Stores)
INK: Latte - Amuse|Studio; Real Red - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger
OTHER: Kraft Buttons - PTI; Wood Snowflake - Maya Road; Wonderland Paper Tape - Martha Stewart Crafts; Sewing Machine - Janome