Waltzingmouse Bedtime Story #1 and Colour Q #200

Raise your hand if you miss Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenges. I imagine there are a lot of hands up in the air right now, including both of mine. I have really missed the weekly challenges, something I always looked forward to each week, but now there is something almost as good to look forward to. Each month after the Waltzingmouse Pajama Party, a new sketch will be posted...a bedtime story sketch and today is Bedtime Story Sketch #1. Here is the sketch we have to use:

Lots of ways to go with this one...but I kept coming back to one idea...using Waltzingmouse French Country and the gorgeous border image from that set.

I chose my colors for this card based on Colour Q #200. The colors this week were

I love this color combination and stamped my border and embossed it with clear embossing powder. I colored the border with copics in colors to match the Colour Q colors. I pinked the edges and layered the border over some navy cardstock. For the background, I used Waltzingmouse Chicken Wire and another pattern and sentiment from French Country.
My last touch was a die cut rooster from PTI On the Farm. I love that little rooster! So, have you made started on your Bedtime Story card yet? You have one week to get one posted to the Waltzingmouse blog...can't wait to see the upcoming sketches every month.

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It's a Pajama Party!

Something brand new happening today...or tonight depending on where you live.  I'm talking about a pajama party, a good, old-fashioned pj party, Waltzingmouse style.  This month, replacing the much loved Blog Party usually held on the 17th of the month, Claire is starting a new tradition, monthly pajama parties in which we have so many choices...and several of them have to do with the new Waltzingmouse stamps we all love to show off as soon as they hit out doorstop.  If you want to know more of the details...just read about it from Claire herself.

I seem to always get at least one new stamp set every release, and the July release was no exception.  I did not have a single stamp set with feathers, didn't think I needed any, didn't think I knew how I would use them, didn't actually even know why it was such a popular trend these days.  Well, now I know.  Claire released two set of feather stamp sets during July and I totally get it now!  When I saw these sets of card done by Claire, I knew I just had to get the Funky Feathers stamp set.  Those feathers are just too cute...love that some are very realistic and some are graphic and trendy.  One of the themes this month is titled "Tickle Me Silly" and challenges us to use feathers.
I have had a cute door hanger pinned for a while now and that was the inspiration for my door hanger/gift card holder using Funky Feathers and a baby theme.  Here's is the inspiration photo and a link to the original post.


I love the great peacock feather die cuts and interesting way the tissue paper is tucked into the pocket displaying the gift card.

I have a baby shower coming up this month and my niece's colors and teal and pink for her new little girl.  I have a whole baby album ready for her and think a door hanger would look really cute attached to her package.  Here is what I came up with:

I cut a door hanger on my Silhouette using a file that has a fold over pocket.  I stamped a peacock feather pattern using Funky Feathers.  It is such fun to come up with different color combinations for those feathers.  I added a sentiment onto a Lil Inker Gift Bow Topper die cut from Waltzingmouse  A Good Egg stamp set and used some glitter stickers to add the new baby's name to the top of the hanger.  I glued some feathers into the pocket and tucked in a little gift card from Babies R Us.  Once the gift tag is removed, my nice can hang this on the door to Melissa's room.

I can't wait to see how this looks tied on the gift bag I have chosen in similar colors.

Enough talk from me...you have a pajama party to get to!  Don't be the first one to fall asleep, you'll miss all kinds of great Waltzingmouse projects if you do.

Three Challenges

Today I am playing along with three challenges.  I know! I almost never come up with a card that fits three at once.  First, my card is based on the CAS(e)this Sketch #37.  I love the hexagons on the inspiration sketch.

I chose my colors based on Dynamic Duo #62's Black tie (calypso coral and black) with their dessert option of using a butterfly theme and lastly, my sentiment is based on Moxie Fab World Birthday Card Challenge.

Whew!  That's a lot to say in my first paragraph.  No wonder I rarely do three in one challenge cards!  Here is my card:

I cut my hexagon border with PTI's Hexagon Cover Plate along with a bunch of Berry Sorbet patterned papers.  The Stitched Mat Rectangle and Happy Birthday sentiment are from Lil Inker (Sun Sentiments Stamp Set).  At the last minute I realized there was a "dessert" option on the Dynamic Duo challenge to add a butterfly and I found a tiny little one in PTI's Postmarks stamp set.  This card is already addressed and sitting out in my mailbox on its' way to my sister-in-law and should arrive right on her birthday.  Thanks for taking a look at my take on three different challenges.

Curtain Call Challenge - Feeling Nautical

I love it when new card making inspiration challenges start up and today I am playing along with the very first challenge for Curtain Call.  The theme is Feeling Nautical and fits in perfectly on a very hot Summer day.  Here's the inspiration photo which has all kinds of Nautical elements.

I went with very traditional nautical colors on my card.

I have been challenging myself to use every single "new" stamp and die set I have before I order anything new...I know I better hurry up because I can never pass up a new release.   I have been using lots of my new Lil Inker stamps and dies lately and today I used quite a few.  I used my Cover Up Pieced Chevron Die to make a nautical border on my card.  That is a super fun die to use, like making a puzzle coming up with all the different color combinations.  I wanted to add some hand stitching to my card and it occurred to me that I could get nice straight, even stitches by using Lil Inker's Stitched Mat rectangle die as a guide.  I didn't even have to poke the holes and think it gave a nice touch to this card.  I wish I was so brilliant that I had thought up the idea to use the Stitched Mat Circles to make a life preserver, but I had pinned a card made by Alyssa Scritchfield (Alyssa's card) during the Lil Inker release where she created the cutest ocean themed card and I cased that idea.  I used twine and added a gold anchor I cut on my cameo.

Now, for my secret.  This card did not start out to be a card for Dad.  Right when I was getting ready to adhere the last piece on my card base, I got a splotch of navy ink on it and had to shift all my elements around.  It left a big blank space along the bottom that just looked naked without anything in it.  I decided to add the cute Dad Word die and a sentiment from Mom and Dad Sentiments from Lil Inkers to it and it now looks like my dad will be getting a nautical birthday card come this October!

Today is a special day at my house.  It's my son Matt's 31st birthday and we are all going out to dinner to celebrate.  I can hardly believe my little, premature baby is 31.  It seems like just yesterday that I was telling my husband I couldn't possibly be in labor, it is way too soon...I'm not ready yet!

Case Study Challenge #150

Hi there everyone...it is a rare day when I see a sketch challenge and know exactly what I want to do...immediately. Rarer still when I start making the card, on the first day, finish it and get it photographed and written up within hours of seeing the inspiration photo.  Today is one of those very rare days.  As soon as I saw the beautiful card by  Jocelyn Olson which is the inspiration photo for Case Study Challenge #150, I saw a Thanksgiving turkey with the beautiful feathers fanned out.  I looked through my stamps and found I had not one single turkey image, so I looked through the Silhouette store and found one that was just perfect.

Don't those fanned out feathers look like the inspiration photo?  Not the same colors, but colors that blend together well.  I dressed up my little turkey with a Stitched Mat circle from Lil Inker as well as the a frame from Stitched Mat Squares, and a small bow die, also from Lil Inker.  I stamped a fall color pattern using stamps from Mom and Dad Sentiments (Lil Inker) and the Give Thanks sentiment is from Waltzingmouse Stamps Teeny Trees.  I really hurried to get this one done, I was so afraid someone else would see a turkey in the inspiration photo and by the time I could get mine posted...bam, there are 10 or so turkey images...so much for my brilliant idea! LOL. Great minds think alike, I suppose.   You have lots of time to make a card for Case Study Challenge #150...can't wait to see what everyone else sees in the inspiration photo.

July 4 of a Kind: Travel Edition

It's been three months since our last 4 of a Kind post and we have a few changes this month.  Marybeth of Marybeth's Time for Paper is working on some other responsibilities this month (make sure to stop by her blog and see what she has been up to) and we are so happy that our previous member, Renee has rejoined our little group.  This month I am the hostess and the pressure was on to come up with something new and different that the other three ladies haven't used or don't already own it.  As I was looking online for inspiration, I came across some digital patterned paper by Carta Bella, called Well Traveled.  I loved that paper and ended up basing my entire kit around it and it's travel theme.  Of course, the hostess...that would be me,  failed to take a picture of the kit ingredients, but luckily Kim was well prepared and took one for us.  Here is this month's kit ingredients:

As you can see, the patterned papers are such rich colors of cranberry, black, cream and kraft and I used my laser printer from work to print them out.  There was a digital element kit that matched the papers and I printed and cut them out with my silhouette.  I also included some washi tape, matching brads and other embellishments to go along with the travel theme.
Card #1:

Joyce likes to say these cards make themselves.  I took my kit with me to Montana and they honestly did practically make themselves.  I love the banner and balloon image in this one.
Card #2:

 I included a cute cut file from Silhouette called with a luggage tag.  I also found some stacked luggage in the Silhouette store and re-colored it digitally to match the kit.  The postage stamp embossing folder is from Cuttlebug.
Card #3:

 This card is made with PTI's World Map stamp.  I distressed the edges and added a lot of tea dye to age it.  The photo frames were from the Carta Bella kit.
Card #4:

This card is my favorite of the group although it is practically flat!  I used the washi tape to make patterned strips and added the sentiment from PTI Postages stamp set.  The little mini banner is made with Fabulous Frames dies.

Lots of fun this month, and I can honestly say I am totally stocked up on Miss You and any type of travel card I may ever need to send.  Here are all four of the cards I made, all lined up on my photo shelf.

Now that you have seen my cards, you are going to have a lot more fun looking at the cards made by the other three talented ladies in our 4 of a Kind group.  I am always amazed at how different our cards always are even though we use the exact same ingredients.

Joyce

Kim

Renee

Wedding Relief

I am trying to make as much progress as I can on my daughter-in-law's wedding album while I am on Summer break and today, I just finished another page.  I have been taking an online class from Get it Scrapped called On a Shelf.  It is a very interesting class, goes a little fast for a person who primarily makes cards, but still has been helpful to me while I make this book.
Here's today's page which is based on Lesson One where you make a scrapbook page with one picture on the imaginary shelf:

The page has one of my very favorite wedding pictures taken just after the ceremony concluded.  Andy and Ashley had been nervous wrecks in the hours leading up to the actual ceremony.  Once it was over, their mood totally changed to one of total relief.  Relief that they could relax and breathe again.  Ashley was laughing and Andy was so happy.  I love this picture, especially printed in black and white.  The layout is practically the same used in the lesson and I added some embellishments both stamped and cut with dies and on my Silhouette.  It is hard to tell  in the picture, but there is a sheet of polka dot vellum underneath the photo mat and some zig zag stitching at the top and bottom.  The patterned papers are from the digital collection I am using for the entire album.  To see some of the other pages for the wedding album, just click on the label Scrapbook on the right hand side of my blog.

Baby Rainbow

I made two baby cards last weekend...whenever I make a card for my daughter, I have learned to give her choices and by that I mean I have learned this lesson the hard way.  Over the last 21 years of her life, I now accept that she needs to make decisions herself.  I haven't shopped for clothes with her since she was in middle school.  I didn't help her pick out her first car.  I didn't give suggestions about the paint color of her room (which is too dark), or even make suggestions about what college she should attend.   I am very lucky that she let's me help her choose what shampoo she uses or the toothpaste I buy for her.  So, knowing that, and considering she has always made me proud and is doing really well for a young person her age, when I am asked to make a baby card for her, I am happy to give her at least two different cards to choose from.  Not a problem.  I love making baby cards.  Here is the second card I made for her to give:

Lil Inker to the rescue again.  Carly didn't end up choosing this card, she didn't think it was "baby" enough, but as a mom I know she won't get it until she is a mom herself.  My dreams really did come true when she was born and I am sure whoever gets this card will feel the same way about their baby.   I used lots of Lil Inker on this one, Instant Camera Die, Rainbow and Cloud die sets.  I have got to get some more Lil Inker sentiments...I didn't have a single one that had to do with baby so I ended up using a PTI sentiment from Night, Night Moon, another favorite baby stamp set of mine.  I used PTI Sweet Blush patterned paper pack for the rainbow and I inked the clouds with a little WPlus9 white pigment ink which is now my favorite white ink.  It is fabulous!  So, since Carly didn't choose this card, I have another cute pink baby card to add to my collection.

Ruffly Baby Onesie

It's hot. hot. hot. here...and to escape the heat I have been holed up in my craft room for two days.  I have the air on, two little fans blowing from each side of the room and still sweat is pouring down my forehead.  I painted a pretty picture, didn't I?  Well, I also have a very cute little card to share today that should wipe that image completely from your mind.  My daughter Carly needed a baby card for a co-worker who is having a baby girl in a few weeks.  Baby cards are my favorite kind of card to make and especially pink ones!

I hand cut the onesie from a master pattern I keep for just these occasions.  I dressed it up with some PTI Sweet Blush Patterned paper and added the three rows of ruffles with a Lil Inker Stitched Scallop  Border die.   I also added a cute bow for this fancy little baby using two of the Lil Inker Gift Bow Topper die cuts.   That die sure can do a lot more than just make the top of a package look good.  I added a little lace trim, some pearls and a small Lil Inker Sunshine die which looks a lot like a cute flower when it is cut from patterned paper.   I always worry when I make cards for Carly to give and make a second card just to cover my bases, but she loving this one.  I'll share the second card with you tomorrow.  

CASology #51: Fireworks

Happy 4th of July!  On this most patriotic of days, it seems a little strange to be making a Valentines Day card, but I have been trying to think outside of the box lately (at least for me), and this week's 

Casology #51 cue word is Fireworks.  Last night as I was trying to fall asleep, it came to me...

love, valentines, fireworks, so I got up this morning and made what I consider to be a true, CAS card.  I usually come close, but not truly CAS.  This one has lots of white space...and I really mean WHITE space and has clean lines with not a lot of little extras.  What do you think?

Lots of Lil Inker on this card...Stitched Mat Rectangles and Of the Heart Stamps and Dies.  The fireworks are from Waltzingmouse USA 1776.  I love that I can add fireworks now for just about any kind of celebration.  I can't wait to add them to a birthday cake card.
Time to start prepping for our 4th of July barbeque...I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July!

Page Maps Sketch Challenge

My son's wedding has come and gone and now it's time for me to get going on the wedding planning and event scrapbook I have promised his new wife for their first anniversary.  *If you would like to see the first few pages of the scrapbook, just click on the label "scrapbook" on the right hand side of 

my blog*

The patterned papers for the book are from a digital collection and every page will have some combination of lavender, cream, black and kraft which were the wedding colors.  Have you ever heard of Page Maps?  It is a really great site with all kinds of sketches, primarily for scrapbooking, but they also have a section for card sketches too.  Here's a link to the sketch challenge I am playing along with and this is the sketch:

I was really focused in on the circles and completely missed the square layer behind them so next time I really need to pay more attention.  I was going to re-do it, but I have way too many pages to make, so it stays as it is!

Here's my page:

For a little explanation of what's going on in the pictures, here is the journaling card.  I asked Ashley to write down what stood out to her about their food and cake tasting and the first thing she said was that Andy was not smiling in any of the pictures.  Look through the first few scrapbook pages and you will see what she meant.  When she asked him to look like he was having fun, he starting posing like an idiot...like in the picture on the right.  Here is some of what she wrote:

Scrapbook pages are hard to photograph...especially 12 x 12 versions, so in case you can't tell by the picture, I used Lil Inker Stitched Mat Circles, Folding Tag, Original, Of the Heart and Stitched Mat Rectangles for the die cuts and the Smile sentiment is from the Darling Diamonds Stamp Set. 
I added some machine stitching on some of the circles, buttons and twine on others.
I think Andy and Ashley will like this page and I hope they laugh when they remember Andy's silly smiles.  I am not sure which was better, serious or idiot.  What do you think?

CAS(E) This Sketch #34...Hello

Step away from the embellishments!!!   

That's the little warning I had to tell myself today.  I started make a card for CAS(E) this Sketch #34 and yes, I know it's supposed to be CAS, but I got so carried away with all the little embellishments and  die cuts I used for this card, I am afraid it isn't very CAS, but I did have good intentions!

Here is this week's sketch:

CAS, right?  I wanted to highlight the new Stitched Mat: Circles,  Folding Tag Die, original and Connected Circles Die I just received from 

Lil Inkers.  Then I added a little more, and a little more, and by the time I was done, this card weighed a ton and is definitely a "hand it to you" kind of card!

The sentiment is also from Lil Inkers, Darling Diamonds stamp set, and it is such a great stamp, very crisp and clear, just the perfect size.  The patterned papers are all from My Minds Eye, Come Away With Me collection and since I just got back from vacation...a travel themed card seemed very appropriate.  

I may give this challenge another go...this time making it a true CAS card, but I actually really like how this one turned out.  You still have time to make a card for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch, you have until July 4th to make your card.