Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge No 17 - Tropical Colours

Hi, this is my take on the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Colour Challenge No 17, and what fun tropical colours they are.

I started out with a new to me technique to create the background paper. Using distress inks I dabbed the colours, green, blueish purple and greenish yellow over a sheet of card. Then positioned a stencil/mask over the top and spritzed the card with water, leaving the mask in place so that the water could dry a little. Then finished the drying with a heat gun, which gave a subtle watermark effect. Finished the background with stamping using the French Country stamps randomly stamped and inking around the edges with distress ink, for a "shabby" look. Some matting and layering up then a "ribbon" stamped with the lace from French Country, topped with a doily and a "Thanks" tag.

My first card was very much from the "green" set of colours. I had just received my new Waltzingmouse May release stamps and cutting dies, I had included a stamp set that had come back into stock, My Island.
I think inspired by the parrots, I thought that would be a good idea to use the hot reds and orange colours for the sunset stamp from My Island, Palm trees, there are always palm trees on my fantasy tropical beach, were stamped in purple. Layering up with an embossed wood effect background, like a "surf shack" worn and faded paintwork, plus a panel of stamped woven efffect, bakers twine and an organza ribbon.

My last card design was inspired by bright tropical flowers, courtesy of the Funky Flowers stamps and cutting die set, and the new Simple Sprigs cutting die set, with Simple Sprigs stamps. In a wild riot of colours. The sentiment is taken from the new stamp set Tag Collection One and cut with the Stitched Tags die set. A bow completes the tag, reminiscent of a hand tied bouquet.

All my cards are mounted on the same grass green card colour as a link between them and the challenge colours.

Hope that you enjoyed my designs.
Thank you for visiting

Kathy x

Waltzingmouse Stamps Launch of new designs May

This is an exciting post for the forthcoming new releases from my fave stamp company, WALTZINGMOUSE STAMPS.
Check out their blog this evening, UK time, for a selection of new WMS Cutting Edge Dies, and masses of ideas from their design team. I have posted as selection of their designs below, just to give you an idea of what is in store

Claire, from Waltzingmouse Stamps has designed some fantastic ideas for "Tags", above is a folding tag design so that you can add interest inside the tag too. What a great idea.

There is a set of tags with a super faux stitched edging,
I just love this design with the Halloween Waltzingmouse Stamps

And another die design that I love is for the Simple Sprig die set.
A great idea for stamping and then die cutting your design.

It is worth a visit to Claire's blog to see all the brilliant design ideas, with links to the design team blogs and remember the launch this evening. Thank you to the designers shown above, their names are shown on the photographs, mainly Claire and  one from Anya.

Thank you for visiting, super weather here today, sunshine and blue skies. Happy Bank Holiday Weekend

Kathy x

Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge No 16

Hi, this is my take on the current Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge 16 - Sketch

I started with a design idea using the "A Good Egg" Stamp Set, masking off the eggs to place the Pic Nic background stamp, with a die cut for the sentiment, and using the bird house from Country Labels No 4.

Then I was inspired to make a very simple designed card for the boys, nautical theme Ocean Bound stamps set, and Splat That in pale blue, stamped under the ships and through the sentiment. After looking at the photograph, I am thinking this could have been matted onto a blue and then white border, to just lift it. If I get some spare time I will try that idea out, otherwise it is plain like the sketch design.

And a final design for the girls, turning the sketch through 90 degrees, using the Country Charms stamp set.
I stamped the fabric swatches and stamped and cut the button out adding some bakers twine tie, to top the final square, in shades of red and grey, a simple and quick to stamp card.

Thank you for visiting, hope that you enjoyed my designs.
If you are quick there is still time to enter your card designs at  the Waltzingmouse Fanatics blog

Kathy x

Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge 15, "Thank You"

Hi, I have another card challenge for the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge No 15, Mixed Messages

I chose to use stamps with a "Thank You" theme, and I really enjoyed this challenge, making a selection of cards with different design ideas. My first card is started with the "Thank You" stamped like a list, using Autumnal shades and a Spellbinders die background adding a die cut corner and some flowers, this one came out quite a feminine design

Lots of Waltzingmouse Stamps were used here, You're A Doll, flowers stamps and die cuts, Fine Feathers, Asian Gardens, Country Labels 4, Putting on the Ritz and a particular favourite, Dainty Doilies, also used the leaves stamp from Bright Season set, tucked in behind the flowers, and Chicken Wire background over the "Thank You" list.

I was then inspired to try longer lines of repeated stamps, set inside a die cut background

Much less fussy, and using shades of Spring greens, with a "thank you" picked out in red as a focal point.
Some distress ink shading around the edges of the die cut, adding the "Thank You" stamp from Charm Squares to others listed above.

I then decided to be really adventurous and make the "Thank Yous" go all around the centre of a favourite Spellbinders Die cut set.

I kept with the same green memento ink colour for the sentiments, adding "Thanks Matey" from the Ocean Bound Stamp set, and another "Thank You" From the Folk Art Medallions set, picking out a focal point in red ink, along with the added heart stamp from Nordic Spring set. I like how this had worked the different font styles all together. One last card, sparked by this design.

Just to see how using different colours of green ink for the "Thank You" stamps would affect the design.
Which do you prefer ?

Hope that you have enjoyed looking through how my designs developed.
There is still time to enter the challenge, visit the Waltzingmouse Fanatics blog

Kathy x

Mustard Coloured Easter Card

Hi, this is my card for the current Waltzingmouse Fanatics Colour Challenge.

Using the mustard tones of the photograph I chose to create an Easter card and matching tag.

I stamped the basket and yummy Easter eggs from Waltzingmouse Spring Baskets collection, and coloured with alcohol markers. Adding a ribbon bow to the basket, and Spellbinders die cut mount.

Here is a photograph showing both the card and the tag together

I got plenty of practise at colouring in the eggs for this one.

Hope that you like my designs

Thank you for visiting

Kathy x

Waltzingmouse Fanatics Sketch Challenge

Hi, this time my card is for the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge, Sketch 5, there is still time to enter this challenge.

I used the Waltzingmosue Stamps : French Country Set with the lovely lace band, backgrounds from Pic Nic set, Heirloom Patterns and Gingham & Co, getting a kitchen theme using shades of green and the sentiment "Good Morning"
I  have assembled as a peg notice board, for holding notes.

The above is my basic design, below a picture showing the "To Do List" in place, but still blank !!

I am going to get a frame from our local shop and then hang up in my kitchen.


I was the choice of the ladies at WMSFanatics for No 1 fan with my peg board design. I am thrilled

Thank you for visiting


Kathy xx

The Ritz - Revisited

Hi, this is my card for the Waltzingmouse Pajama Party Bedtime Story.

I chose to revisit the Ritz background and stamps in a black, red and white combo,

                                              

Using the Bedtime Story design, here is my resulting card

There is still time to enter your design on the Waltzingmouse Blog
Hope that you like it.
Thank you for visiting

Kathy xx