Mischief Makers--Delightful Dangle

Serious CANDY alert... don't forget that you can win a stamp set of your choice by simply playing along with these weekly challenges... and if you haven't already do check out the release week peaks for Waltzingmouse Stamps, importantly there is a truck load of FREE STAMPAGE available just for leaving comments, good luck, it would be lovely to win win win these stamps, I know!

I was rather excited with the request for a dangling bit with this week's Waltzingmouse Stamps Sketch Challenge, such good fun and you get to use chunky bits!!

I built the dangler out of Prima flowers, which are spaced with pearls on a piece of fancy and fine mesh ribbon, I love that these flowers are double sided, so you can use them in free flowing projects and see colour from every angle!

The scallops are all cut from the one paper pack, I have bought them together by using the same stamp on each of the scallop peaks.  The BG paper on the LHS was already muted, but now even more so with the text stamping and a good dash of ink.

The sentiment tab was built from 3 different stamps, one to frame the left, the sentiment and the same little scroll stamp I used on the scallops to make the fancy end, seemed right to have a sentiment and it hung quite nicely there...

Will you go "all-a-floral" this week?

What's in it?
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps: Text It, Fancy Phrases, Faux Fun Circles
Paper:  Prima: Madeleine; SU: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso
Ink:  Distress: Vintage Photo
Extras:  Prima: Essentials No 9--Flights of Fancy Flowers (Thanks DOT); PTI: Scallop Die; SU: Half Pearls; Kaiser: Pearl Strips; Random Ribbon.

I {Heart} Grey

Although this paper pack is predominantly blue in every accent-like way, there is a touch of grey which allows me to like it A LOT.... so I went a bit dramatic with the embellishing, but I saw these "ribbons" the other day and knew they had to go together.... the silver stud comes 4 across but is connected by thin little bits of plastic, so is easily dissected to get this one line... there is some striped paper underneath the tulle, not sure that it shines through in the photo...and then a double up of a label and a tag for the sentiment panel, with some rolled flowers for the circle features.... and look I even managed to stamp a background with the beloved Accent Notes...

This is over and out for this month's Verve Sketches, they were goodies!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Verve: Accent Notes, Big Wish
Paper:  My Mind's Eye: Stella & Rose--Hattie; SU: Basic Gray
Ink:  SU: Basic Gray
Extras:  Spellbinders: Labels 21, Fancy Tags Three; MFT: Rolled Flower Die-namic; Hero Arts: Metal Decor (flower centres) Webster's Pages: Tulle... and I think the metal strip is from them too, if not then it is May Arts!

I like to swing REALLY HIGH!

You know when fads come into fashion and there are a good variety of the same thing and you have to decide which one you want (or ones)... this is always the case with me, and sometimes I take so long to make up my mind that the fad is nearly over.... this time I didn't need to do that thanks to my crafting buddy Tillymint, who sent me this Annabelle Stamps Stamp... so this is my official SWING stamp and she is different and totally lovely!!

I tried to keep this card pretty simple given the punchy BG paper I chose... and also so that I could focus on the image... a little more practice is required colouring this type of image, but was a good start, or is that off to a swinging start!

The sprinkles came in the same gift packet too, very bright and lots of fun fun fun.... and I thought it would be good to strip stamp the sentiment along the top of the scallops, that worked I think....

So thanks Tilly for your generosity, this swinging little lady will be right at home in my creative space!!!!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Annabelle Stamps: Lil Michelle Swinging By; Waltzingmouse Stamps: Off-Beat Backgrounds
Paper:  Cosmo Cricket: Upcycle; SU: Regal Rose, Kraft
Ink:  Memento: Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers
Extras:  Zig: Glue Pen; Fine Glitter; SU: Scallop Border Punch; Annabelle Stamps: Raspberry Sprinkles; Random Pink Twine; PTI: Button; Spellbinders: Curvy Rectangle Nestabilities.

Wobble Head Washi

After a few hours of clean card making I needed to get some ink under my fingernails... what better to stain your hands with than StazOn, and then for a nice sticky sensation the glue from my new washi tape combined with a juicy pigment ink--LOVELY!

And here she is, a little poetic piece of eclectic for this fine day....  I really love the green, yellow and prawn (who used prawn to describe a shade of red before Copics?) colours in this paper, so tried to bring them out in her dress.... I don't normally take photos of my cards that have transparency on them, but the background on this one toned down the shine, so here it is.... I double popped her head for an extra bit of "yes I am out there"!

Hope you like!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Unity Stamp Co: Suzi Blu--Be The Poem
Paper:  Crate Paper: Portrait Collection; SU: Ruby Red; Transparency; White Corrugated Cardboard
Ink:  StazOn: Black; PTI: Antique Cream; Distress: Antique Linen; Copic Markers
Extras:  May Arts: Twine; PTI: Buttons; Washi Tape.

Quicker than a Ray of Light...

Yeppers Madonna spun around in my head the entire time I was making this card, as the sketch called for these "rays of light"... I haven't done this technique in forever, so it was fun, and even better that I had some new paper to do it with!

I did ink up the edges of each paper piece before assembly... but apart from that it was just simple paper piecing, a fancy new spellbinders label, and a touch of verve-ness in the sentiment and the butters... and ten points for using one of my long hoarded fabric brads... this card must be for someone special if they get to have one of those, especially the lady bug ones!!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Verve:  Big Wish, Blue Skies
Paper:  Paper Crate: Emma's Shoppe Collection; SU: Kraft; Ruby Red
Ink:  Memento: Rich Cocoa; Distress: Antique Linen; SU: Chocolate Chip
Extras:  Spellbinders: Fancy Tags Two; Martha Stewart: Border Punch; K&Company: Fabric Brad; May Arts: Twine; Kaiser: Pearls; Paper Piercing Pack.

Miss G is Three

My niece turns three today... it seems like just yesterday that her little just-under-5lbs-self was placed in my hands... but to be sure she is well grown!  Although discouraged by her Mother, she is drawn to all things pink, so I had to get lots of pink happening in her card... and I LOVE these Anyas with the hats, too cool for school!

I even dug out some much neglected rub-ons, they went onto the card like silk too, phew!  And how long is it since I used a piece of CB paper, too long!

The rest is pretty self explanatory... just soak up the pink girlies and have a silent wish that you were 3 again and not much but the colour of your Dora Doll mattered!  Although I must admit that when I was three I wished for anything but a doll--eew!!

And for all the Australians in the house:  Lest we Forget!!!!!!!!

What's in it?
Stamps:  The Greeting Farm: Miss Anya Hats Off; Waltzingmouse Stamps: Very Vintage Labels No. 10
Paper:  Chatter Box: Artsylicious--Fine Lacquered Bloom; XpressIt: Blending Card; SU: Pink Pirouette; White
Ink:  Memento: Tuxedo Black; SU: Pretty in Pink; Copic Markers
Extras:  Gems: Rhinestones; Docraft: Outline Stickers; Spellbinders: Nestabilities--Labels 10; American Crafts: Eddie Rub-On Letters; MFT: Rolled Rose Die-namic; Fiskars: Heritage Corner Punch.

I buy stamp sets just for the butterflies...

It is oh soooo true, and there is only one butterfly in this set by Verve... and most of the other stamps I would hasten to say are not really my thing... but I made myself go there, these chickens will be fab for Easter, and they are certainly cheeky!  So I hope by using them once, I will really get into this set, the sentiments are lots of fun, and you can always use a partial like I have this time!

So I used a Diva Recipe Challenge, this time staying with the colours for E which are blue, yellow and cream; I swapped out the embellishments and went with Ribbon, Buttons, Rhinestones... and there are just a few rhinestones in this little square card!

Plenty of copic colouring to get the papers and ribbons all co-ordinating too... I love taffeta ribbon with 3 wet stripes of copic, perhaps a little away from the clean lines of this card, but good from where I stand... lots of gloss on parts of the butterfly, basket and the crown... love gloss lately!

Thanks for looking, and have a very safe and happy Easter!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Verve: Chicks Rule
Paper:  Kaiser: Peachy Keen Collection; SU: So Saffron (altered with Copic), Very Vanilla
Ink:  Memento: Tuxedo Black; Copics
Extras:  Verve: A Cut Above Dies: Charming Oval, Flutterby; Spellbinders: Nestabilities--Eyelet Squares; Rhinestones by Zva, Mr Bling and Gem; Buttons by PTI; Dimensional Magic (gloss); Random Taffeta Ribbon.

Mischief Makers--Embossed and Eager

Embossing is requested with this week's Waltzingmouse Stamps Sketch Challenge, any form, just emboss it!

I went for dry embossing, in a subtle grid pattern, as I thought this would allow the dots of the paper to also still feature... I rubbed a cream ink pad over the embossed area to give a little more definition to the embossing.  There is a directly stamped label underneath the green and brown labels, this added a bit more depth to the card!

And right about now I am happy I bought the accompanying brad set for each of the MME papers, love these; they allowed me to keep it relatively simple which was the original aim... hope you get to play this week!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps: Very Vintage Labels No. 18, Fancy Phrases
Paper:  My Mind's Eye: Gertie Collection; SU: Kraft, Early Espresso
Ink:  SU: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss; PaperTrey: Cream
Extras:  MME: Gertie--Delightful Brad Collection; Paper Piercing Pack; PTI--Embossing Plate.

Be Good, It's Friday

I wonder wonder wonder what inspired me to get out this set of birdcages today??

One of my fave Stampendous stamps, which comes out often, but today I had the pleasure of pairing with some new paper and a fancy new embellishment as well as the LOVELY (and seem to match a lot of things) flowers that DOT gave me recently!

I thought the Kraft would look good atop the busy paper, I love the colours in this paper BTW!!  Some fancy bits at the top, which I tend to do with this stamp set... and there is the fancy new Webster's Pin, love these too!

Hope your Good Friday is good for all the usual and many of the "time of the year" reasons, bless you all!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Stampendous: Bird Cage Trio; Verve: Wirdy Birds
Paper:  Crate Paper: Portrait Collection; SU: Kraft, Early Espresso
Ink:  Memento: Rich Cocoa
Extras:  Martha Stewart: Seam Binding; Prima: Flower; Webster's Pages: Push Pin; Kaiser: Pearls; MFT: Border Dienamic; Fiskars: Heritage Corner Punch.

Oh My Tweeter it is another BIRDIE!

Quite a few new birds have come to live at my placed lately and I am very chirpy about all the tweeting indeed!

Here is a super quick card for this week's MFT Sketch Challenge... well I say super quick 'cause I just put it together in 3 minutes, but the parts were attended to in the ad breaks of my new fave cop show!!

So a little paper piecing for the dress and some glitter on the dress ribbon and the tweeter, and a nestie that isn't festie... and some very quick embellishing in the end to get it finished, in place of a fussy bow which I thought would be over kill, you don't want the tweeter to be lost under a bow, that's for sure!

Hope you have something to tweet about today!

What's in it?
Stamps: My Favorite Things: You're So Tweet, Free Sentiments
Paper: Crate Paper: Neighborhood Collection; SU: Kraft; XpressIt: Blending Card
Ink:  Memento: Tuxedo Black; Copics
Extras:  Spellbinders: Eyelet Squares, Circles Sm; Prima: Flower; PTI: Button; Glue Pen and Ultra-fine Glitter; Sewing Machine, Tv Ad Breaks!

A Bird for a Bird I Say...

It was like a breath of fresh air to get a new package of Verve last week, I have had limited time to play, but thankfully have been ahead on other creative commitments, so squeezed in a few 20 minute windows here and there to come up with a few cards this week....

I have wanted these little chirpers since the moment they were first sneaked into blogosphere... and they are finally at home with me now... yeppers and yippee!!

I paired the new stampage with a Verve Sketch too, volunteering to use a sketch... yeppers and yippee alright!

Some other new things in this one as well, mainly the new spellbinders tags, so looooove these!!

And a BIG THANKS to Tillymint for the ohh soo lovely twine, it came with an Annabelle Stamps that she sent me last week, which is totally GORG and will be making a showing later this week on the blogaroo!

Hope you are finding creative time this week!!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Verve: Wirdy Birds, Thank You
Paper:  Prima: Madeline; SU: Very Vanilla
Ink:  Memento: Rich Cocoa 
Extras:  Verve: A Cut Above Dies--Charming Ovals; Spellbinders: Shapeabilities--Fancy Tags Two, Nestabilities--Beaded Ovals; WeRMemory Keepers: Corner Chomper; Kaiser: Pearls; Twine from Annabelle Stamps; Tim Holtz Alterations: Texture Fades--Damask.

Would you like me to visit?

Here is a little card that I whipped up with some new MFT goodness, and just to keep it all in the family I used an MFT Sketch as well....

I have long said, "I want to find the perfect world stamp!"--then this came along... sweeeeeeet!  And the world can be used independently of the girl, so this was definitely a winner!

I double stamped the image so that I could have a separate world... which was coloured and glossed and popped up for extra dimension... the rest pretty much speaks for itself...

Hope your world is treating you right, and if you are up for a visitor, let me know and I will add your destination to my list!!

What's in it?
Stamps: My Favorite Things: a la Modes--You Mean the World to Me
Paper:  Cosmo Cricket: De Lovely; Bazzill
Ink:  Memento: Tuxedo Black; Copics
Extras:  My Favorite Things: Dienamics--Sun, Dizzy Border; Spellbinders: Nestabilities--Curvy Rectangles; Kaiser: Pearls; Random String; Gloss

Do you always follow the recipe?

When cooking, I am certainly someone who either chooses not to use a recipe or starts out with good intentions and then follows my own path...  But, it was fun to see a recipe challenge for this month's Verve Diva Challenge.

I liked the fact that you could swap out one of your categories too... So I had the first category, but swapped out the colours with category 2 so that I could combine: Flowers, Ribbon, Eyelets; with Pink, Turquoise, Brown; in a square card... so I show you the "I followed the recipe" version; and then what I couldn't help but do, which is add the rhinestones to finish off the card.

I used some new label die cuts, splice in half, to build the outer border, like this look... and then used the same paper to stamp the flowers on, just changed the depth of colour with a copic... and the eyelet and ribbon requirements are in the centre of each of the flowers, first the brown eyelets and then some pink ribbon (coloured up with the same Copic) pulled through the centre of each of the eyelets!

Hope you like, and that you agree some recipes need a little something extra!

What's in it?

Stamps:  Verve Stamps: One Person

Paper:  My Mind's Eye: Stella and Rose-- Gertie; SU: Early Espresso

Ink:  Memento: Rich Cocoa; Copic

Extras:  American Crafts: Eyelets; SU: Ribbon; Spellbinders: Fancy Tags

Two; Kaiser: Rhinestones; Sewing Machine.

Mischief Makers--Be Still my Beating LEAF!!

This week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge is wonderful and all things gorgeous, for many reasons but most importantly I got to use my all time favourite LEAF images!!

I love these leaves so much, that I even sewed the vein lines for a bit of extra interest, fun and picks up the distress ink really well!  Loved layering up the newest labels stamp too, how OTT Gorgeous is this label, plenty of layering options too!

Some more stitching on the perimeter, and a good dash of distressing too... and the little metal circles to finish!!

I loved this sketch, and will likely make a card with a see through window as well, what will you be making today?

What's in it?
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps:  Big Blooms--Chrysanthemums, Vintage Circles, Rescue Remedies--Additions, Very Vintage Labels No.18
Paper:  My Mind's Eye: Mable Collection; SU: Kraft, Early Espresso 
Ink:  SU: Chocolate Chip; Distress: Antique Linen
Extras:  Hero Arts: Metallic Decor; Sewing Machine.

April Flashback--Dirty Dozen 2010

Absent I know, but I have been undertaking intensive training this week, which involves two exams, this and the un-planned (EEK!) requirement to spend last weekend away from home means I have no time for writing up posts this week... lucky this one was pre-scheduled... all going to plan I will be back next week with more of the usual!

So here is a look back to April 2010, the forth of six months from my Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen assignment... this month's theme took us to a place close to my heart... Vintage!!!  So here are a few little cards, some shabby, some dirty and rustic, others just celebrating the old!

Card details and ingredients can be sourced from my Splitcoaststampers Gallery.  And do check in on the latest theme for the Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen, it goes live earlier than usual starting this month...

See you soon!!

Black is the new Black

Time for another Verve Sketch, not quite sure how we are up to April already, but that we are.... so here is my card for the Week 1 Sketch.... this card went off in a totally different direction than originally planned once I put my hands on a left over half of a plastic doily... I like it when that happens!

I love black accents so this paper is a winner every time for such pairings... and was great to use another of the fabby tags from Maya Road... I once again darkened all of the Kraft card with a Copic marker to bring the edges into line with the colour of the tag, gotta love Copics for this reason alone!!!

Hope you get your Verve out for this sketch... and hopefully by next week my new Verve will have finished swimming the ocean!!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Verve: Blue Skies, Always on My Mind
Paper:  Cosmo Cricket: Circa 1934; SU: Kraft, Very Vanilla
Ink:  Memento: Tuxedo Black; Copic Marker
Extras:  Maya Road: Kraft Tag, Plastic Doily; SU: Black Twine; Kaiser: Black Rhinestones

Mischief Makers--Label me up Buttercup!

This week's Waltzingmouse Stamps Sketch Challenge is fab for building your own backgrounds, or adding a quick sentiment to some pretty patterned paper...

I chose the new labels to build my background atop a distressed piece of paper.  Many papers that have a double side have a few that are reasonably one colour base (in each of the sets), I have used a pink and a cream from this paper range for this card.  The pink was stamped with a series of the labels in red ink, and the cream the little bitty banners.  I coloured up the little chipboard letters with a copic to make them a co-ordinating red.

The string for the banner is coloured with a Tim Holtz stain, love these, and they take the starkness out of the white twine!

Some sewing and distressing to bring all the layers together and this was D for Done... hope you find time to play along this week, enjoy!!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps: Very Vintage Labels No. 18, Bitty Banners
Paper:  Bella: Damsel Collection; SU: Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette
Ink:  SU: Ruby Red; Tim Holtz: Stain--Spun Sugar; Copic Marker
Extras:  Basic Grey: Chipboard Letters; Bella: Felt Florals; May Arts: Twine; Sewing Machine

Bear and Butters

Ohh posting a card I have made with this set has been a long time coming.... the Lovely Lori sent this to me a while back and I have used it many times, but not on cards that have stuck around long enough to be photographed... this week's MFT Sketch was a perfect opportunity to make posting this happen... even better because I already had the bear coloured and ready for use, I just need to decide on the shape of the feature panel and add the butters...

Great sketch, I like how the passing panels stop underneath the feature panel... I squeezed the square sketch into a standard card, and used the whole card front for the BG DSP, threw in faux stitching and popping pink ribbon, lots of fun in the sun!

What's in it?
Stamps:  My Favortie Things: Fred Bear and the Butterfly
Paper:  Kaiser: Hippy Girl Collection; SU: Kraft; XpressIt: Blending Card
Ink:  Memento: Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers; SU: Chocolate Chip Marker
Extras:  Spellbinders: Nestabilities--Circles Sm; PTI: Raspberry Fizz Ribbon; MFT:  Rolled Rose Die, Border Die; Kaiser: Rhinestones

CR84FN22 A Circle Garden

Here is a card for this week's CR84FN Colour Challenge, these colours are so fab together, and my itch to use Spiro Garden came forth immediately!!!

I punched random sized circles and partial stamped various images from this little TT set onto the circles in brown and green ink, pretty quick and lots of fun!!

A CAS card that still has a lot of stamping, gotta love that!!!

What's in it?
Stamps:   Technique Tuesday: Spiro Garden; Waltzingmouse Stamps:  Bitty Banners, Frame-It
Paper:  SU: Kraft, Early Espresso
Ink:  SU: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip
Extras:  Tim Holtz Alterations: Texture Fades--Dot Matrix; SU: Circle Punches

Secret Bird Society

Here is a not so little card inspired by the JustRite Friday Challenge which, this week, is a colour and inspiration challenge.... I love the JR Frames and thought the print in the quilt was like the detail on this particular frame.  The colours took me to a paper pack that I bought simply because I liked the name... and would love to be a part of a secret society with a flock of chirpers!!!

One of the things I like about this challenge is that you could choose to use all or some of the colours, there is a touch of blue, coral and green in the border strip , but primarily I used the green and dropped the yellow from the combo.

I stamped the frame directly onto the coral paper from the paper pack, and coloured the BG with a green copic.  The centre sentiment is stamped separately and popped up with a sentiment from a separate set... with the outer scrolls coloured with copics as well.  The little outer tabs are stamped off and hand cut, with a little colouring and pearl accents.

I had fun building with the frame set and really love love love the BG paper, so was nice to be able to manage placement that didn't hide the top section of the paper...

Thanks for coming on by!

What's in it?

Stamps:  JustRite Stampers: Fancy Frames, Heart to Heart Oval

Paper:  Kaiser: Secret Bird Society Collection; SU: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso
Ink:  Memento: Rich Cocoa, Copics
Extras:  May Arts: Twine, Mesh; Kaiser: Pearls; Sewing Machine

Staples and Outlines

Here is another quick stamp-less card.... I don't make those very often, but the stickers in the Echo Park paper pack tend to take over from the need for a stamp in this case...

The medallion sticker under the black flowers and the "leaf" sticker are outlined with a black marker to give them separation from the text BG paper... and the little sentiments are attached with staples to the Memo Tag.

Quick and fun, see you soon!

What's in it?

Stamps: Nil--eek!
Paper: Echo Park: For the Record; SU: Basic Gray; Random Black
Ink: Memento: Tuxedo Black
Extras: Maya Road: Bingo Chip; Bella: Black Flowers; Zva: Bling Strip; EK Success: Border Punch; Stapler

Kindness is Poetry

There is a little bit of kindness in us all... but I am lacking the poetry tonight!

Here is a quick card that features a JustRite Stampers Label, I love love these labels and the new oval ones as well!!

I made this card in a super flash with the BG paper as the inspiration for the colour scheme.... bringing the buff stamping onto the label.

Some quick corner punching and bits of bling and this little thank you card was done!

Thanks for taking a peek!

What's in it?
Stamps:  JustRite Stampers: Kindness
Paper:  DCWV: All Dressed Up; Random Black
Ink: SU: Crumb Cake, Basic Black
Extras:  Prima: Centre Kisses (Flowers); Kaiser: Chino Pearls and Pearl Strips; EK Success: Border Punch; Fiskars: Corner Punch

Mischief Makers--A Little Trio

Well today's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge calls for a little trio of cards with a bottom sentiment... I thought this was a great sketch as you could focus on CAS or really glam up some little cards.

I used one of the new frames, directly stamped onto little cards and then using the same colour card built a tag header and a sentiment banner... keeping the card mono but with different levels of card.

These are really quick and simple as I used purchased flowers, but I plan on making some more with big layered up flower stamps... lots of fun!

Hope you get to play along this week!!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps:  Vintage Labels 18, Rescue Remedies Additions;
Paper:  SU: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red
Ink:  SU: Rose Red
Extras:  Bella: Flowers; Random brads and clips; SU: Ribbon.