Monday Mood Board #7

Good morning and Happy Easter!

I have a busy day ahead of me, as I am sure you do too. I wanted to pop in quickly to share what I have made for this week's Monday Mood Board Challenge from Wplus9.

And here is Dawn's inspirational mood board picture:

I was so excited to finally have the motivation to pull out one of my little wooden spools to use on this card. I wrapped it in patterned paper. The rest come together pretty easily, combining a fabric topped brad and a shimmery button with Wplus9's C'est La Vie stamp set and Pinking Squares dies.

Thank you for stopping in today. Have a wonderful day!

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Recipe
STAMPS: C'est La Vie - Wplus9
CARDSTOCK: Oatmeal, Lake House - Wplus9; Groovy Guava - SU!
PATTERNED PAPER: For the Record - Echo Park Paper Co.
INK: Groovy Guava, Early Espresso - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Clear Cut Stackers: Pinking Squares Die - Wplus9; Doily - Wilton; Button - PTI; Brad - Colorbok; Mini Wood Spool - Darice; Sewing Machine - Janome

Play Date Cafe Challenge #175

Hello there!

It is once again time for the Play Date Cafe to bring you our fabulous color challenge.

This week's colors are lavender, buttercream, and vanilla.

And here is what I created for this week's challenge:

I used the Words of Wisdom and Borderline sets from Verve Stamps.

Keepin' it simple with some stitching and pretty buttons.

I hope you will join us! You can link up your creation over at The Play Date Cafe Blog. You have through Tuesday, April 2nd to play along. While you're there, you can check out the Cup of the Week prize from this week's challenge sponsor, Ribbons Unlimited Inc.!

Enjoy!

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Recipe
STAMPS:
Words of Wisdom, Borderline - Verve Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Winter Wisteria, Fine Linen, Vintage Cream - PTI
INK: Wisteria Wonder - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Buttons - PTI; Sewing Machine - Janome

10 Minute Craft Dash #14

Hi there!

Swinging by to bring you my take on the current 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge. I'm prepping this post during the intermission of the hockey game, so let's see if I can write it in 10 minutes too!

Here are the challenge colors:

Lovely, springy colors. This is what I came up with. I am really crushing on this Mini Blooms set right now.

I die cut a circle from Oatmeal cardstock and randomly stamped the flowers and leaves from the set. I sliced half the circle and stitched around the outside edge before hitting it with a little Antique Linen Distress Ink. The sentiment was die cut from Kraft cardstock using the Wonderful Words: Hello Die.

Time to finish: 9 min 18 seconds.

I think a set of cards with different colored flowers would make a really pretty gift. Really love this stamp set.

That's it for me - going back to the hockey game! Have a great day! :)

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Recipe
STAMPS: Mini Blooms - PTI
CARDSTOCK: Oatmeal, Kraft - Wplus9
INK: Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss, Crumb Cake - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Wonderful Words: Hello Die - PTI; Standard Circle Small - Spellbinders; Sewing Machine - Janome

Monday Mood Board #6

Well, the weekend has just about come to an end and I'm sitting here wondering if we are going to get the monster snow storm that they were predicting. The forecast keeps changing, and at this point I won't be surprised to wake up tomorrow morning to just a dusting.

It has been a few days since I've stamped, I needed some couch time with my hubs, but I wanted to get my Monday Mood Board #6 creation on paper.

Here is this week's inspiration picture. Is it wrong that I just kind of want to eat the cookies?

I used leaf images from the Folk Art Florals set to create my wreath. I lightly sketched a circle in pencil to use as a guide, then erased it once I had stamped the wreath. The plaid pattern was created using the border images from Country Charm.

Thanks for popping in!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Country Charm, Folk Art Florals, Spring Tags - Wplus9
CARDSTOCK: Ballet Slippers - Wplus9; Pale Plum - SU!; Vintage Cream - PTI
INK: Pale Plum, Blushing Bride, So Saffron, Pear Pizzazz, Lucky Limeade - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Diamond Stickles - Ranger Industries; Sewing Machine - Janome; Corner Chomper - We R Memory Keepers

Viva La Verve!

Hello there!

Today I am excited to bring you this week's Viva La Verve! sketch challenge!

Won't you play along with us?

I got a little tilty with the main panel, and I encourage you to do the same! Here is the card that I created:

I used images and a sentiment from the Brighter Days set. I adore this set, I love the encouraging sentiments and gorgeous typography!

The VLV sketch challenge is hosted on the Verve forum over on the Splitcoaststampers site. I encourage you to head over there and check out the challenge rules and join us! You could win $100 in Verve goodies, and really, who can pass that up?

I also hope you'll stop in the forum to see the amazing samples that some of the other DT ladies created using this week's sketch. They seriously knocked it right out of the park and put my little card to shame! I told you - these girls are good!

Always lovely to see you - I hope you're gearing up for a fab weekend!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Brighter Days - Verve Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Oatmeal - Wplus9; Pool Party, Bermuda Bay - SU!
PATTERNED PAPER: So Happy Together - Echo Park Paper Co.
INK: Melon Mambo, Pool Party, Night of Navy - SU!
OTHER: Chevron Embossing Folder - Sizzix; Sewing Machine - Janome; Label Die - Spellbinders; Button; Washi Tape

Play Date Cafe Challenge #174

Hello there!

It is once again time for the Play Date Cafe to bring you our fabulous color challenge.

This week's beautiful colors are rich jewel tones in amethyst, emerald, and peridot.

The Craft's Meow is sponsoring us this week, and I used their Happy as a Lark set for my card. You know me, anything with a bird!

I started by inking up my card base with Distress Inks in this week's challenge colors. Then I stamped and embossed the bird image and sentiment.

I hope you will join us! You can link up your creation over at The Play Date Cafe Blog. You have through Tuesday, March 26th to play along. While you're there, you can check out the Cup of the Week prize from this week's challenge sponsor, The Craft's Meow!

Enjoy!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Happy as a Lark - The Craft's Meow
CARDSTOCK: White - Wplus9
INK: Dusty Concord, Peacock Feathers, Shabby Shutters Distress Ink - Ranger Industries; White - Wplus9
OTHER: Detail White Embossing Powder - Stampendous

Serendipity Stamps Challenge #8

Hi there!

It is time once again for a new challenge on the Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog. The challenge for this week is to create a center step card. You can find a tutorial for the technique here.

I used the Water Lillies (1258F) stamp for my center step. I stamped it a few times, orienting it differently on my cardstock each time to give it a different look. I am not sure where that pretty pond is, but I want to find it.

I debated whether to add the sentiment or not, but finally went with it. It is A Light Heart (323D).

Stop over to the Challenge Blog for all the details and to see the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the Design Team:

Jeanne Jachna

Jenny Gropp

Marybeth Lopez

Miriam Napier

Pauline Pollington

Serendipity's special this week is 20% off Baby and Childhood Stamps. The special runs through Wednesday 3/27.

Have a great day!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Water Lillies (1258F), A Light Heart (323D) - Serendipity Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Pool Party - SU!; Oatmeal - Wplus9
PATTERNED PAPER: So Happy Together - Echo Park Paper Co.
INK: Tuxedo Black Memento - Tsukineko
OTHER: Copic Markers

Waltzingmouse Stamps March Blog Party

Hello and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today is the monthly blog party at Waltzingmouse Stamps. This month's theme is LUCK, so perfect for today's holiday. Here is the card that I created for the event.

I used the vintage shamrock girl digital image available in the freebie section of the WMS store and combined it with a sentiment from Compact Sentiments Part 2.

Of course I made sure to add lots of green!

Short and sweet for me today, I won't keep you! Be sure to head over to the WMS Blog to find out the party details and link up your creation!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Celtic Heritage, Cabin Plaid Backgrounder, Compact Sentiments Part 2 - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Vintage Cream - PTI; Green Acres - Wplus9; Certainly Celery - SU!
INK: Gumball Green, Wild Wasabi - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Vintage shamrock girl digital image - Waltzingmouse Stamps; Sewing Machine - Janome; Harlequin Impression Plate - Sizzix

You are the Best - MMB #5

Howdy friends.

So glad its Friday - how about you? I have been so cold this week, I just can't get warm. Even at night I keep waking up feeling like I am freezing. I hope I'm not coming down with anything. Anyway! Last night I sat down for a little crafty time.

This is the inspiration picture for this week's Monday Mood Board challenge. What stood out for me right away was the patterned heart and the patterned paper with the little clusters of red flowers. I let those ideas mix around a bit and here is what I came up with:

I die cut a heart from a post it note and stuck it down over my square of Oatmeal cardstock. The little flower cluster is from the Very Vintage Florals set. I inked the flowers up with one color ink and the leaves with another. I wasn't worried about being too perfect, and it was easy enough to keep them separate. The little dots are from the Spring Tags set. I live for this - searching through the stamp sets to find which little tiny image will be perfect for the design I am working on. It is fun to experiment with these little accent images.

Anyway, I stamped all that with the post-it note heart mask on, doing my best to stamp around the edges to help define the heart shape. Once that part was done, I added a sentiment (from Written on Ribbon) and a threaded button.

A pinked navy square grounds the design, and the little clothespin adds just the perfect accent.

Before I head out, I wanted to remind you that the Waltzingmouse Blog Party is on Sunday the 17th. We'd love for you to join us! The theme this month is LUCK, and even though it is St. Patrick's Day you can create any type of card with a luck theme. If you want to go the St. Patrick's Day route, Claire has a few free images you can use. So now you have no excuse for not joining us! :)

Take care!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Very Vintage Florals, Spring Tags, Written on Ribbon - Wplus9
CARDSTOCK: Oatmeal - Wplus9; Night of Navy - SU!
INK: Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Night of Navy - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries; White - Wplus9
OTHER: Heart Nestabilities - Spellbinders Paper Arts; Pinking Blade - Fiskars; Red button; Clothespin

Play Date Cafe Challenge #173

Good morning, good morning!

It is once again time for the Play Date Cafe to bring you our fabulous color challenge.

The super popular color splash is here! This week we are splashing with coral - one of my favorite colors!

Here is what I created:

The pattern was built with the new Waltzingmouse Folk Art Medallion set. It is, in my opinion, stunning in black and white :) It was also a cinch to add just a splash of coral to the design. The fancy sentiment is from the Big Day Additions set and finishes off what could be an elegant birthday or wedding card.

I hope you will join us! You can link up your creation over at The Play Date Cafe Blog. You have through Tuesday, March 19th 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!

I can't wait to see what you create with my favorite color! Hope your day is great!

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Recipe:
STAMPS: Folk Art Medallion, Big Day Additions - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Groovy Guava - SU!; Black, White - Wplus9
INK: Groovy Guava - SU!; Onyx Black Versafine - Tsukineko
OTHER: Clear Adhesive Rhinestones - Recollections

Time to Hit the Beach

My unconscious was trying to tell me something during this week's 10 Minute Craft Dash Challenge.

Can you guess what it was?

I think maybe I need a vacation.

Pulling it together in 9 minutes and 35 seconds, I combined the My Island set with the cane background from Heirloom Patterns.

At first I was a bit stumped by the challenge colors, but then the palm tree silhouette came to mind and the rest was history. We are, after all, approaching the six-month mark since our last trip.. that's about right for that urgent need to hit the road and head for the water to kick in.

Aloha!


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Recipe
STAMPS: My Island, Heirloom Patterns - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Old Olive - SU!; Oatmeal - Wplus9
INK: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Old Olive - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Linen twine - SU!; Button - PTI; Sewing machine - Janome

Wplus9 Monday Mood Board

Hello there!

There really is no time for chatting, I am just squeaking by with this before the deadline closes. I am feeling a little carded out after this week's release festivities for WMS, and I spent the weekend enjoying some beautiful weather, but I couldn't let this Monday Mood Board Challenge go by.

I remember when Dawn posted these cards as part of the last release and how she was inspired by vintage handkerchiefs. Seeing this photo turned my thoughts to vintage redwork, and I was inspired to create this quick and easy card.

I won't lie - it doesn't get much easier than this! Three stamps, one ink :)

Hope you had a great weekend, I am going to head back to the couch to join my hubby and finish watching tonight's Pens game. Later gators!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Chantilly Trim, Embroidered Bouquet - Wplus9
CARDSTOCK: Cupid's Bow, White - Wplus9
INK: Riding Hood Red - SU!

March Cloud9 Blog Hop

Hello and happy Saturday! Welcome to the March Cloud9 Blog Hop!

This month, we are saying goodbye to dear Christina MacLaren. We will miss you, Christina! There is some good news, though.. the amazingly talented Erin Taylor and Maureen Merritt will be joining us!

Here is this month's inspiration photo, from the Erin Ever After Blog:

A beautiful, beautiful picture. I was completely stumped, though!

I pulled this set, pulled that set, and just couldn't quite decide what I wanted to do. Finally, I stepped back from the computer and looked at the photo from across the room. A handful of colors on the wall behind the vase jumped out at me, so I pulled those inks and a brush and this happened.

You know what, it is different but I liked it!

The flower is from Hope Seed Co. and the sentiment is from Quite Like You.

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 a fabulous Wplus9 prize as well as join the Inspiration Team as next month's Guest Designer! You have until 10 am on March 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
Erin Taylor
Gayatri Murali
Maureen Merritt

as well as this month's special guest designer:

Michelle Leone!

Have a great day!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Hope Seed Co., Quite Like You - Wplus9
CARDSTOCK: Going Gray - SU!; Oatmeal - Wplus9
INK: Poppy Parade, Marigold Morning, Bermuda Bay, Groovy Guava - SU!; Slate - Amuse|Studio; Onyx Black Versafine - Tsukineko
OTHER: Aquapainter

WMS March Release Blog Waltz

Hello there and happy Friday!

Welcome to the Waltzingmouse Stamps March Release Blog Waltz. Today, the three new Waltzingmouse stamp sets we've been previewing for the past few days will be available for purchase in the Waltzingmouse Stamps store.

You should have arrived here from the incredibly talented and super sweet Sarah Martina's blog. The waltz starts over on Claire's blog, so be sure to head there if you're just popping in.

As usual, Blog Waltz prizes are up for grabs! One winner will be randomly chosen from the comments left on one of the Design Team blogs, so let us know what you think of the new release! You have until 6:59 AM EST on Monday, March 11th to leave your comments. The winner will be announced on the WMS Blog on the 13th.

I have two more cards to share with you today. The first is a simple one, using some of the floral images from Folk Art Medallions.

The flowers are built from a few different images, stamped in shades of coral. I fussy cut them as well as a few leaves. I wanted to keep the rest simple, so I layered the flowers onto a strip of cream cardstock stamped with the sentiment and then a gray embossed panel. I love gray, and I particularly love it combined with coral.

My second card today again uses some of the same images as the navy card I shared yesterday. I adore the gorgeous medallion in the set, but this tile pattern is really what does it for me. It is just so fabulous, I have only scratched the surface of possibilities. Here is a fun springy version for you today:

Instead of using all the different fillers for this square frame, I put some chicks (from A Good Egg) in there! It is cute and pastel and very spring :) I could think of a million other little doodads from other WMS sets that would look fabulous in this pattern, too. I love that!

So that is all for me today - you still have a little waltzing to do - so I won't keep you any longer. Next stop on the waltz is Chupa, who will no doubt have created something awesome! I have only peeked at the rest of the DT blogs over the past few days and I am SO looking forward to the weekend, curled up on the couch with my laptop checking out what everyone else has made!

Thank you so much for your visits and kind words over the past few days. It means so much to me that you stop by and share your thoughts. Take care!

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Recipe
With Love
STAMPS: Folk Art Medallion - WMS
CARDSTOCK: Vintage Cream - PTI; Going Gray - SU!
INK: Blush Blossom, Groovy Guava, Pear Pizzazz, Wild Wasabi, Going Gray - SU!; Vintage Photo Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Tea Party Embossing Folder - Lifestyle Crafts; Silver Sequins - Darice

Happy Easter
STAMPS: Folk Art Medallion, A Good Egg - WMS
CARDSTOCK: Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette - SU!; White - Wplus9
INK: Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette, Soft Sky, Barely Banana, Certainly Celery - SU!
OTHER: Doily - Wilton; Sweet Blush Button - PTI

Play Date Cafe Challenge #172

ETA: Hello, hello! This is my second post of the day. To see Day 3 of the upcoming Waltzingmouse Stamps release, scroll down or click here (you won't want to miss it!)

Good morning!

Its Thursday, so today I am sharing a new color challenge from the Play Date Cafe.

This week, we are using a bold and bright color combination. Look at this fabulous inspiration picture!

Here is the card that I made with this week's colors...hollyhock, spring bud, and azure.

I started by die cutting an oval from some printer paper, then laid it over my card front. I stamped the flower clusters over the mask in green ink. I stamped the same flowers again onto scrap cream cardstock in pink and blue and fussy cut a few of them to layer on my card.

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, March 12th to play along. While you're there, you can check out the Cup of the Week prize from ScrapbookPal.com. Thank you for sponsoring us again ScrapbookPal!

Have a great Thursday!

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Recipe
STAMPS: Mini Blooms - PTI
CARDSTOCK: Tempting Turquoise - SU!; Vintage Cream - PTI
INK: Certainly Celery, Tempting Turquoise, Melon Mambo - SU!; Onyx Black Versafine Ink - Tsukineko
OTHER: Pink adhesive rhinestones - Recollections; Ovals small die - Spellbinders Paper Arts

Waltzingmouse March Release Day 3

Hi there!

Welcome to Day 3 of the previews for the March Release at Waltzingmouse Stamps.

Today is our last day of previews, and while I love the other sets we have previewed I am completely smitten with the set we're sharing today. All three new sets will be available for purchase tomorrow, and the DT will be kicking off a huge release blog waltz! The set we're previewing today is called Folk Art Medallions.

The centerpiece of this set is the most amazing medallion image. The other bits in the set coordinate with the medallion and also work together to create some fabulous patterns.

First off for you is a simple set of one layer cards.

I stamped the medallion in green and filled in the spaces with the coordinating flowers in different shades of yellow. The sentiment was heat embossed in gold. The second card is a combo of purples...

And the last is a vertical version in peach.

These were a piece of cake to make, and super fun!

My next card uses some of the other elements in Folk Art Medallions to create a stunning background.  I'll be honest here, I saved my most favorite for last. 

Be still my heart. I cannot even tell you how much I love this set. The pattern reminds me of gorgeous Moroccan tile, and I loved every second of stamping it.

*swoon*

Tomorrow the release blog waltz starts at 2 pm EST. The sets will be available for purchase then, too. Claire is offering chances to win the sets, so be sure to check out all the details on the WMS Blog. Here are the rest of the Design Team links for today.

Anya Schrier - you are here!

Becca Feeken

Belinda Chang Langner

Clare Buswell

Edna Morrisedie

Iwona Palamountain

Jean Martin

Jeanne Jachna

Jen Cuthbertson

Jennifer Holmes

Julia Aston

Karin Åkesdotter

Kelly Schirmer

Kim Duran

Laurie Schmidlin

Lynn Mercurio

Renee Lynch

Sandie Dunne

Sarah Martina Parker

Teresa Kline

Tosha Leyendekker

Claire Brennan

Thank you ever so much for stopping by!

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Recipe
Medallion Set
STAMPS: Folk Art Medallion (available March 8) - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Vintage Cream - PTI
INK: Mellow Moss, Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Tangerine Tango, Groovy Guava, Blush Blossom, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Barely Banana - SU!
OTHER: Detail Gold Filigree Embossing Powder - Stewart Superior

With Love
STAMPS: Folk Art Medallion (available March 8) - Waltzingmouse Stamps
CARDSTOCK: Sahara Sand, Night of Navy - SU!; Oatmeal - Wplus9
INK: Night of Navy, So Saffron, More Mustard, Sahara Sand - SU!; Antique Linen Distress Ink - Ranger Industries
OTHER: Eggshell Seam Binding - Hug Snug; Twine - WMS; Flower - Prima; Baby's Breath Embossing Folder - Provo Craft; Timeless Tags Die - Wplus9; Sewing Machine - Janome