Waltzingmouse Fanatics Anything Goes Challenge No 21

This is my entry for the Waltzingmouse Fanatics "Anything Goes" Challenge.

This card is "For the Girls", using Waltzingmouse Stamps to create a background using French Country, I love the line art drawings of flowers in this set, and then adding a sentiment from Folk Art Medallions, on a Spellbinders Die cut and Waltzingmouse Funky Flowers, stamp and die cut. I used similar colours to the previous Fanatics colour challenge, and left the card simple without inking the edges, for a clean and crisp look.

I went on to make a co-ordinated tag, using Stitched Tags die cut and Sentiment from Dainty Doiles

Photo did not turn out too good, so have attached a photo of both together, which looks clearer.

Then when I had viewed earlier entries in the Fanatics Challenge, I found the ColourQ Challenge no 248, and the colours got me thinking of the Waltzingmouse Ocean Bound set,

So out came the stamps and some "For the Boys" Card ideas,
using Zig Zag Backgound, and Splat that for the water stamp.

This time I used a Spellbinder Die for the backgound shapes, Splat That for the water and Oceans Bound stamps. There are so many motifs on the Ocean Bound Set, I was spoilt for choice. I must get to use the Sea Horses  they look adorable. I have entered these into the ColourQ challenge too.

Thank you for visiting and I appreciate all  your comments.

Kathy x

Red, White & Blue CQC 248 Challenge

I have been inspired by the colours on the Colour Q Challenge no 248 for the following cards

                                                                 ColourQ Challenge #248

There are some great designs posted there. Well worth a visit.

My card designs are "for the boys"

Using the colour palette, red, blues, sand and white
Stamped using Waltzingmouse stamps, with a Spellbinders diecut detail in the card below.

Thank you for visiting.

Kathy x

Waltzingmouse Colour Challenge 20

Hi, this is my next Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge card. This time it is a colour challenge, peaches and cerise with a dash of fresh green.

I was inspired to make a card for a friend to be like a "notelet" and, if I could, to use all the colours. The lightest green grey is shaded around the die cut using Spectrum noir pens, and used as the stamp frame around the sentiment.

Using Waltzingmouse stamps taken from Heirloom Patterns background canework stamp, a frame from All Hallows Eve, which fitted around the Dove from Folk Art Christmas Additions. The dove is stamped and cut out then raised up on foam pads for some dimension. (this does not show well in my photo) My sentiment came from Vintage Garden Seed Packet along with a stamped frame from that set. I added a Spellbinders die cut coloured with Spectrum Noir pens.

Hope that you enjoyed reading about my card submission.

I have been busy on the farm with new arrivals.

First time mum Coco with her little boy, a gorgeous colour and his fleece is so silky and bright.

Alameda's little girl, (on the right)  although not so little up against Pasha on the left.

Thank you for visiting.
Kathy xx

Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge No 19

Hi, this is my card design for the current Waltzingmouse Fanatics Sketch Challenge. There is still time to enter, a visit to their blog is well worth checking out.

I had in mind a design using the Half Pint Heroines Stamp set, recently aquired from Waltzingmouse Stamps.
Using a colour scheme and background stamps inspired by the sixties, all flower power and funky (well hopefully )

The backgrounds were stamped using You're a Doll flowers, Dainty Doilies, and Zig Zag backgrounder, before being die cut in rounded corner shapes.
The sentiment came from the Ocean Bound stamp set.

The balloon came from Half Pint Heroines set and coloured, with the addition of a flower cut with the dies to suit and a pearl centre coloured with copics and little dots of sparkle on the balloon.

All mounted up on an embossed sheet of kraft card, with more funky flowers, finished with a brayer colour.

The card has been created for a friends daughter who is going to take some time out travelling.

I then went on to stamp up a background sheet in a plaid design using Pic-Nic patterns
Adding a die cut Little Lantern, with sentiment from Light of the World and Country Labels no 4 mounting.

Hope that you enjoyed my designs
Thank you for visiting,

Kathy x
I have just noticed that my link up on Waltzingmouse Fanatics Blog is showing my alpaca blog  name, my mistake, I usually change to Kathy C, but I must have missed it this time.

Waltzingmouse Fanatics - Challenge 18 Texture

Hi, these are my designs for the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge No 18 Texture.
There is still time to enter your designs on the Fanatics blog, well worth a visit.

I like to add texture to my designs where I can, often by using an embossing folder. It took me a while to get started with the folders but now I love them as much as my stamps and dies

My first design idea is using textured/grunge paste through a stencil to create the Chinese Lantern shapes. This is the first time that I have tried this, so inspired by your challenge blog I have had a go at something new to me, and so pleased I really enjoyed this technique. I added distress inks to colour them, and a variegated background from the Waltzingmouse Stamp Asian Gardens, using the tree stamp from the same set and shading the inks for the blossom. The sentiment is from a favourite set, Folk Art Medallions, cut out with a Spellbinders Die and mounted on foam pads, as is the chinese tree.

I then went on to make an easy design for a Beach Party Invite, using the My Island Stamp Set and an embossing folder background of shell design, inked over with distress inks to bring out the shells. I used the Splat that set for the background on the Tag, and Chicken Wire stamp to add some interest, the tag was tied on with bakers twine.

My final contribution, was inspired by an embossing folder in a wood texture design, which I thought could make an interesting representation of a seascape. Grabbing my Ocean Bound stamp set, a go to stamp set for me, I stamped three ships and then embossed the wood design. Using a brayer I covered the embossed design with a sea blue colour, which brought out the white wave pattern. Adding the sentiment on a die cut label. A very simple design, in a tight colourway.

Thank you for visiting, hope that you enjoyed my designs.

Kathy x

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