...Oct/Nov 09 Release Day 1

Two samples today for the Sewing box - Hugs set that will be released in a couple of days time. It's a set in the same style as Sewing box - Christmas, but very much for every day use, although right now, I have this itch to turn this wee cottage into a Christmas house!! lol.

It features the same stitched outlines, great for colouring or paper piecing, as I have done here.

If you are new to me, I release new clear photopolymer stamps into my store every month, you are welcome to my current release, I'll be showing samples for the next two days or so featuring stamps from the sets due to release in a couple days!

There are 12 sentiments in this set suitable for a range of themes. The sentiment above is one I find myself saying quite a lot to various folks for various reasons! it's nice that I can now back up my offer with a wee card, specifically for that purpose, I think people often take an offer like this more seriously when they see it actually written down.

The card above features the wee cottage, just love wee houses!!. Paper pieced and mounted on a patterned paper background adorned with a stamped heart, also from the set. I used papers from the Bloom and Grow line from My Minds Eye, got them from Beverly at Precious Scraps, she just might have some left!! - go on and pop over!

I cut out a frame for the cottage using a fancy dancy spellbinders die - it's Labels 5, between you and me it's a die that is just screaming for me to do some stamps for it!! lol, maybe next month!!lol.

I used the die to cut apertures in both the yellow card and the blue flower patterned paper, then I trimmed back the patterned paper to the embossed line so that the yellow would show up as a nice contrasting border, you need to try this, easy peasy!! and I think it's quite effective!!

I added a little extra border of dots with a gel pen, and a door knob. Home sweet home!

The card below is a super simple card that I popped together using the star stamp from Sewing box - Hugs. Again, this is gonna be so easy to use in many situations, in particular i'm thinking Christmas again! The sentiment in the set that works particularly well with it is the simple 'You shine', such a nice way of saying well done, or I'm proud of you or even thank you!

I layered the star as before and popped a wee button, laced with twine, on top for a homespun touch. The sentiment is clear embossed, to make it shine! lol.

The background texture behind the star is provided by a really handy wee stamp, in the new set, it's basically a little stitched wavy bar. It can be used as a flower stem, a path for your house, a branch for a little birdie (wink) to sit on, an abstract pattern maker or even just a little border, and a multitude of other things i'm too lazy to type! I stamped it on versamark for a subtle background.



Hope they tickle!!!!

I'll be back at some point tomorrow with more samples.

Now peeps, if there's anyone out there haunting the ether, looking for things Halloweenish, check out THIS LINK - I've been saving it up for Halloween, I found it a few weeks ago and it gave me the shivers! It contains all sorts of Haunted Irish Castle stories!!!!

I defy anyone to read about Leap Castle and not get spooked!!! Happy Haunting!

...Mystery set Sneak Peek!

Wasn't going to, but couldn't resist!!

This is a sneak peek at the mystery set!! lol. Tomorrow should see the start of the card samples etc. There will be NO samples on the blog for this set!!! lol, you will have to visit the secret blog page to see the samples and the set!

Opening the secret blog will be the last thing I do before I open the release to sales!! Keep an eye on this blog for news on how to get the password you will need to view the secret set!!

Scroll down for today's other post, incase you're waiting for vintage labels.

I hope everyone is going to have a fab Halloween day/night tomorrow! We're baking like crazy. There were 4 pairs of hands rolling the dough for the apple pie!! lol, talk about too many cooks!!

...DT posts! and fun with customs

ED - check out Laurie's post too!!!

Pop over to Julia today for some thanksgiving goodness, Anya's having a happy harvest and Bonnies' gorgeous hearts are still up if you missed them, I'll be back later with more release stuff!!

Oh and customs and excise are proving to be much fun and games. The hilarity was compounded this morning when they held my shipment of vintage lables due to a missing number!!!... it's going to be Monday delivery now at best. I do apologise! More info as I get it!! hoping everyone is too busy with halloween to be annoyed!!lol

see ya later!

...Sneak peek 2 Oct/Nov 09

As well as putting up today's sneak peek, I have to tell folks that the Vintage Labels No4 stock arriving tomorrow is now all reserved!!! I have been running a waiting list as you know and HEAPS of folks emailed me to reserve a set! This means that as things stand, once I distribute the sets to the ladies on the waiting list i will have none left to add to the store!! wow!

As ever, more is on the way and if you would like to be added to the waiting list for THIS batch, do email me at claire.brennan1@ntlworld.com

I am so sorry for anyone not on the waiting list who was hoping to snaffle one tomorrow! I am overwhelmed by the response to these!

What fun the secret set has been!!!! I do hope it lives up to expectations!!! lol, I love it and I'm stamping with it RIGHT NOW!!!! BWahahahah!!!!

...competition now closed!!

lol, I'm closing the competition on my store now as somebody got it!!!! actually a couple of folks got it!! but I have held back about a dozen comments that were along the same lines!!! so if your comment does not show up - you were close! don't spill on me now!!! lol.

I will contact the winner directly, ie the first person to get it correct! at some point today!!! lol,

I can't reveal it to you just yet cos i want to keep it as a surprise till I release the set!!

Next sneak peek coming later today!!

...I can't wait!!!!!!!!

I shouldn't be doing this!!! giggle!! Since I am using my New supplier for this release the timing has been a little different this month and I'm maybe a week behind where I normally am!!

My shipment of stock for this months release has not even arrived yet - it's due in the morning!! But my body clock has adjusted to the routine of releasing and I can't wait a moment longer!!! So here's the first sneak peek!!

There are 3 new sets releasing this month. Two of them will be sneak peeked and sampled as normal but the third is a rather special set. It will only ever be available to view on a special, password protected blog. I will post details of how to get the password later on. You will not be able to see artwork for the set in the store either. In the store, the set is called 'Secret Stamp Set' and the image where the stamp designs are usually shown is blacked out!! Once the release is open for sales, at some point over the weekend (I will post exact time later) you will be able to purchase the set by adding this 'Secret Stamp set' to your basket in the same way you add other sets.

But no image or sample made with these stamps will be shown in the store, ever. OOOOOhhhhh! what fun I am having with this, I nearly feel guilty!! lol

At the moment I'm running a competition on my store regarding the special set. I'm inviting folks to guess what the theme of the stamp set is!! you must post your idea/ideas on the store, follow the directions on the front page of the store. NO-ONE has got it right yet. A few have left comments that are 'heading in the right direction' but no-one has hit the nail on the head.

In the event that no-one gets it right, I will pick the closest comment and the winner will receive a copy of he set, OR, if you can't handle that particular set for any reason, you may pick another set as your prize!!! lol. This is the best fun. I do believe this is my best set yet!! lol.

And nope, it's nothing dodgy! - tut tut ladies!!...lol, nude snowmen indeed!! lol, I was brought up on a diet of Doris Day and Danny Kaye! Nothing remotely smutty will appear here! lol.

Hope it tickles!!!




A personal request
Just today we learned that a very dear relation has a very serious health issue, if any of you folks chat regularly with the Big Guy Upstairs, it would be much appreciated if you popped in a wee prayer on her behalf. Many thanks for this.

...a little bit of ugh!...

Ed - thanks to everyone who has commented, this weighed heavy on my mind. I didn't want to do it but it is a necessary evil. I so appreciate all of your lovely comments and understanding. Thank you all.

So there I was patting myself on the back for starting a stamp company! lol. I am having tremendous fun all around between designing stamps and seeing them made up and the samples and even addressing envelopes doesn't bother me, I picture the locations as I'm writing, I bet they're nothing like I imagined! lol

Pity I'm not such as whizz at math...

I hired an accountant, just a couple hours a month thing, I try to keep my own books etc, but I am at a loss with the technicalities like tax, sales forecasts etc, whole other language I don't speak!

Anyhow, as I've been going along, I have come across a few extra costs I just didn't forsee when starting out, I wasn't worried, thought that it'll all even out as sales figures increase.

So my accountant is a very nice lady, I have known her for years, she's very down to earth, shoots from the hip. No waffle etc. The gist of it is she had a preliminary look at my books and then wanted another, proper, look. And about now I was starting to worry...

The bottom line is I am going to have to raise the price of the stamp sets. Apparently, in business, my 'It'll be grand' outlook doesn't cut it. And when she put it to me in terms of wanting to still be in business a year from now I began to sit up and listen.

Thing is I've become very attached to my wee business. I love doing this. I would like to have a future in this business.

And so I am going to have to bite the bullet and just do it.

Thing is, I'd feel a bit like Ebeneezer Scrooge doing it right away so I'm going to wait till I get this release over with. I won't put prices up until the 5th November. That gives everyone a fighting chance to get whatever they need before the price goes up.

The price per set will change from £13 (approx $21.21 US) to £13.50 (approx $22.03 US) (conversions are according to today's rate). It is not a huge increase, but I feel folks need to know these things up front, I just couldn't 'slip it in' when nobody's looking!

Interestingly it's not the change in manufacturer that has been the cause, but it's more to do with the wee little things I couldn't quantify back when I started, like electricity consumption, printer inks, internet costs, all the wee silly things that I'm just able to assess now.

I do hope everyone understands this decision. Please be aware it is not made lightly. I struggled against it, knowing that times are hard everywhere but ultimately I do want Waltzingmouse Stamps to be around for quite some time.

I console myself with the thought that I do my very best to give folks as much value for money as I can by stuffing my sets full of stamps and by designing my sets to be as useful as possible. I still feel that my stamps are priced very well, as far as I can see most 6" x 8" stamp sets of comparable quality start at about £15 (around $24 US)

And in the new year I will be introducing some form of loyalty scheme which hopefully will make it even better value for my regular customers!! And I will not be forgetting those folks who have 'been with me' from the very start!

So. Had to get that off my chest. I do hope you all understand.

On a happier note, I'll be back tomorrow with the start of the sneak peeks!!

And don't forget to enter the competition on my store to have a chance of winning a free Mystery set!!!

...LOL

Ed - I have kept a couple of comments back on the store competition that are headed in the right direction towards the answer, I will hold these till the competition is over and if no-one gets it bang on, the closest of these will win!!!! lol, what fun, and what fab ideas for sets!!!!!!!

The competition is still on over at the store, It will run for a day or two yet. A couple of folks have been a bit luke warm but no-one has been on fire with their guess!! lol. I so can't wait to see what you all make of this one!! and 'tut tut' all you ladies who thought it was something, shall we say, risqué!! lol, not a bit of it!!

I don't mind how many times you enter, or how many guesses you make but I'm holding out for the person who hits the nail directly on the head, I have to be specific about this, you'll see why!!!

I will withhold the correct answer tho' as I don't want to give the game away before I get to show you all myself!!!so if you see your comment, it means you didn't guess right and you gotta try again!!, lol

Also today Belinda has a charming wee 'cardie' up today and I think Laurie said she just might post something WMS later on, don't hold me to it tho - there's one busy lady!! lol.

Due to the change of supplier (check here to see what I'm blethering about!) my timing is a little off this month, and my release will most likely happen on Monday - earlier if I can, but at present it's looking like Monday!!

I will be starting peeks tomorrow, or maybe tonight, I have all the patience of a two year old...lol

...Update

...there's an update on the store with order/stock news and a competition!!! quick pop over and check it out!!

Also check out my DT, I have been shamefully remiss in not pointing out when folks have WMS stuff posted but when I looked today, Julia, Anya and Bonnie were all flying the flag!!

back soon!!! with...


tee hee!

...the next release

is so close I can smell it!!!LOL

...waffle

ED - actually Jak, yes i do.

I was just fine with my 'stage' in life until last week. It's all Colin's fault.

Colin works with my husband, sounds like nice chap, works hard, good sense of humour. Quite often folks with a good sense of humour are very astute in many other ways...they're good at spotting things most of us just don't see.

So it is with Colin.

Colin spotted that folks of a certain age make a little noise when bending down to pick stuff up. A little 'hhnnngh' noise, just a teeny little, strain-releasing groan, right at the moment of furthest exertion when you are reaching for that thing you've dropped on the floor.

Colin gleefully pointed this out to my DH, who gleefully pointed it out to me, and now I'm pointing it out to you.

I'm not gleeful because I have reached that stage in life.

I do it.

All the time.

When I've been bending down to pick up the toys from the floor. To lift the mat. To reach under the bed for the shoes.

hhnngh!

Every time.

It's not like I haven't tried not to, but it gets me every time, I make the wee noise, then I become aware that I've made the wee noise, then I think of Colin smirking all over his face !

I'll bet Colin doesn't grunt when he bends over. The stinker.

I have no idea whether I have always made the wee noise or whether it started recently.

The only consolation I have, is that now you've read this, you'll be thinking about it too. You'll picture me smiling all over my face and i won't feel old and lonely anymore!! LOL

ps, this is my second post today, scroll down for Postal strike news regarding the store!

...a card...finally...

A wee little card inspired by how cold it's getting round here!!!

There hasn't been a lot of stamping time here this week, but today, tomorrow and maybe over the weekend, I'm on an enforced 'break' of sorts due to quite a serious strike by Postal workers in the UK, i might get to stamp!

All Folks ordering at the present time will most likely have a couple of days delay due to the strikes. It was meant to be over on Friday but it seems to be turning ugly already. If it's really looking nasty I will pop down to the border (an hour away) and post off international orders, most likely on Tuesday, as I have commitments between now and then. UK folk will not be so lucky as their orders have to go through Royal Mail. ugh.

I can only apologise for the inconvenience this will undoubtedly cause some folks, and hope for a quick end to it.

My card used stamps from the Sewing Box Christmas set. The wee mitts were paper pieced after I spotted them up with the polka dot stamp from the Off Beat backgrounds set, I used this for the backgrounds too. I love orange and red together - so cozy!! lol

I could just see these wee mitts made into hanging ornaments for a bitty tree...oooh...must run, have to make bitty ornaments!!

hope it tickles!

ps, Scroll down for more Waltzingmouse Stamps related news in yesterdays post.

...a decision

I just wanted to pop on the the blog to let folks know about something.

I have been very happy about my stamps, I have been using a supplier who makes the most wonderful thick stamps, and they stamp beautifully. But they are not the only clear stamp makers in the field and I would not be doing my duty to my business if I wasn't aware of what else is out there.

My business is starting to grow and the more stamps I design, the more possibilities seem to open up to me, I have quite a lot of notebooks already filled with doodles and sketches of stamps that I need to draw up some day. I find myself thinking about this company having a future!

I constantly check out other suppliers, and for a while I have been drawn to an American supplier who is ahead of the field in certain exciting areas. I have spent some time evaluating the new company in relation to how it could benefit my stamps and I find that it is time for my company to engage this new supplier.

So, beginning from the next release I will be introducing stamps from my new supplier.

Up until now I have designed stamps to suit the production methods from my first supplier, and I see no reason to change these as they are good designs that I am very happy with. I will continue to sell the existing sets as they are. Even if the new supplier takes over production of the existing sets, the designs will not change, the sets will remain exactly as they are.

I know that a lot of you are very fond of the stamps I have been selling up to now, I have received numerous emails praising their thickness and quality. Thank you, and to these customers I say that if you are not equally delighted with the new stamps, you have only to email me directly and I will take care of you. I stand over the new stamps as I do the first stamps.

It is true that the new stamps are slightly different in appearance, they are clearer and fractionally thinner. This is due to the fact that they are made from a different photopolymer compound. There is no difference in their durability and no difference in their stampability. They are a first class stamp and I have no hesitation in recommending them to you. Many of you are already using them! lol, I'm not the only company they make for!!

The sets will remain the same size and the prices will not change.

I do hope everyone will be very happy with the new stamps - I am over the moon! lol, and I can't wait to show you what is coming next!!! I'm waiting on confirmation of a particularly exciting set that you will not be able to see without a password!!! oooooh what fun!!! - don't worry it's nothing 'strange', it's just a little precaution I'm taking...you'll see why!!!!

..thank crunchie...

...it's friday.

Today has gone the completely opposite direction from the one I intended for it, and I found myself wanting to make a bright card to cheer myself up!

Had 10 mins to spare, really, and so coloured a pre-stamped image from the Peace and Plenty set with whacky colours, I might try this again sometime when I have longer LOL.

Literally threw a stitched border around it using the stitch border from Off Beat Backgrounds, normally I'd have made an effort to get the ends to match up, today I don't have time!! lol

Stamped sentiment in black and trimmed out as a sort of flaggy/bannery thingy.

out the door, kids to collect!! lol

Oh and I'm taking names for a waiting list for Very Vintage Labels No. 4, it was in stock and sold out again almost immediately!!

ED - if you could email me on claire.brennan1@ntlworld.com I will add you to my list! Much appreciated!!!

hope it tickles

...cackle cackle, and Did you know?

I loved reading the comments to the last post!! - thank you all ladies, I have been terrible about leaving comments for folks lately, really have to get back into the swing of it!

So tonight I have a Halloween card for you, I wanted to show you a neat trick with the wee dotty border from the Very Vintage labels No.4 set, which I'm hoping will be back in stock tomorrow - I'll be emailing everyone on my list soon as I get them!
If you emboss it in gold or silver and do a little cutting in the centre it makes a great buckle!! Ideal for this witches hat!!

If you scroll down you'll see how to make your cuts.



I used my Off Beat backgrounds zig zag stamp, one of my all time faves, to add some texture to the front of the hat. It was clear embossed onto versamark. sanded, stitched etc.

I love that ribbon, it was a Christmas ribbon from Ikea last year, It has been in a box all year just waiting for tonight! LOL




For the inside I used my Halloween Party stamp set. My Martha Stewart punch just wasn't up to PTI cardstock this evening so I lined the card with some shimmery green paper I got from The PaperMill shop, UK.

Now, below, it's a good idea to emboss your image and then cut out the centre, you just want to leave a decent strip through the center for the ribbon to thread over, my cutting out is quite rough, but I sanded it with a wee emery board after to smooth it.





After you have done the center cutting you can cut out the buckle with a Nestability die from the Labels 4 set. Or you can trim it out with scissors, if you do leave a decent border, so's you can rub the edges in Versamark and dip them in gold embossing powder, then heat set, this wee touch just finishes it off!


The actual card is based on a 8.5 inch square folded in half along a diagonal. I measured 8.5 inches down the folded edge and cut from there over to the opposite point to make the bottom level, don't discard the cut off, you can use it to make the brim, seem below. Adhere the brim to the card front first.

I then make a panel for the front of the hat, just about 1/8th of an inch smaller all around than the card itself and do all my background stamping, stitching on this. I added the ribbon and buckle and then adhere this to the card front.


Hope it tickles!

Did you know?

I have received several emails for folks who were kind enough to show me cards and things they have made with Waltzingmouse Stamps!!! I LOVE this! It's the best bit for me, seeing what folks make with my stamps!

I am looking into a gallery facility for the store but It might be a couple of months before I'm sorted, In the meantime, if you are so inclined, you can upload them to the SCS gallery and just pop Waltzingmouse, or Waltzingmouse Stamps in where it asks for the stamps used and we can all nosey at each others cards together!! what fun!!

I am now officially listed on SCS as a company so likewise, if you go to the gallery and do a search for Waltzingmouse, you will find cards using my stamps. Or you could go to where the companies are listed and just click on Waltzingmouse Stamps!! Imagine!

But don't let this put you off if you were going to email me!! It's a fab surprise seeing all these gorgeous cards in my inbox!!! Thank you all so much!

...Ho Ho Ho!

Well I feel a bit guilty that the old blog is so bare this past week! But I'm consoling myself with the thoughts that if my next release comes off as planned I'll have something that will blow your wee minds, unless of course you are into skydiving, swimming with sharks or any other sort of extreme sport that really does blow your mind! LOL

anyhow, can't wait...but have to...

waffle

I've been an Interior designer, a graphic designer and most recently a stamp designer. I flatter myself that I can put things together to make a pleasing arrangement, so WHY am I the pits with fashion?

I couldn't dress a wound.

I live my life in blue jeans, plain T-shirts and brown hiking boots. Just so's you have the full picture, I have longish dark brown hair and a fairly unremarkable face. Ok, the nose is...well, regal.

I feel comfortable, and I can run if I have to, lol. It doesn't bother me, and I don't really think about it, it's not like I go to many gala dinners. But yesterday I was in the kitchen, trying real hard not to iron when a tiny hand shoved a sheet of printer paper under my nose. It was a glorious piece of handiwork. Stolen crayons and larger sisters' best felt tips combined to paint a picture of an amazing creature, a princess decked out in a flowing gown of myriad colour. High heels and stripey tights. Each individual eyelash outlined in a different hue. Collagen lipstick like you couldn't buy.

"Ooooh that's lovely!" I said, wondering if I was going to have to make it, we'd been talking halloween costumes.

"It's you mummy she said."

I wish everyone could see me like she does, just once. LOL.

...check out the DT

Many of the ladies have Waltzingmouse cards up today!!! Gorgeous!!!

I've been a bit missing in action this week, later next week I'll be able to tell you why!!! Maybe...hopefully....

...happy WCMD!!

ED - did you have a good WCMD ? I hope so, if you're still looking for inspiration pop over to Bonnie's and Laurie's for more Waltzingmouse Stamps cards today!!



Ok, so I nearly missed it, it's about 11.30pm where I am, lol, but I think it's probably earlier where you are!! What have you been up to for World card making day?? I made curtains today! We're still decorating a bedroom for my big girl...5 weeks later...lol, but there was a release in the middle of it all! Anyhow...

I can't seem to get away from the navy and ginger colour combo... lol, but I like it.

Anyhow, I ran out of time to show you this wee saltbox house image during the build up to the release and I've been itching to stamp it!! It's from the Blessed by You set that released earlier in the week - scroll down if you missed it.

I absolutely adore wee houses and had wanted a saltbox house stamp for ages, (I was a quilter...).

I made a background by singthe Plaid-maker stamp from Off Beat Backgrounds and also the stitched border - stamped in blue. I like how these two work together, giving you yet another option for plaid!!!

A simple sentiment from Blessed by You and a couple of buttons makes for a very simple wee card. I added interest by tracing around a plate to get the curve, cut with scissors, I didn't need to be too fussy since I was going to distress the edges anyway...

hope it tickles!

...shipping notices

I have only just gotten around to sending out shipping notices this evening - a lot of you may have already received your stamps - lol, I apologise for that but I always feel it's better to get the stamps on their way and do the paperwork after!!! hope that's ok!

...quick pop over to Julia's

you need to see what she did with my witch!! lol

Julia's blog!