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Saturday 17 April 2010

...Welcome to the April Waltz


Ed - I've had a couple of emails regarding entry for the blog hop, and yep! you can still enter a card at any time up until tomorrow. The link list will not close but after tomorrow night the prizes will have been drawn so it might be best to pop in sooner rather than later! lol, thank you!!


Welcome to the April Blog Waltz with Waltzingmouse Stamps! Today we are waltzing with the theme of Mother, I know, I know, Mother's day is passed for all you UK folk, but it's an upcoming holiday in the US and it never hurts to remeber Mum, right?? LOL

As usual I made a hames of the time conversion and though I had a little longer to get ready so i'm just a wee bit late posting!! sorry!

So if you are new to Waltzingmouse Stamps, here's how to follow our Waltz - pop on over to the WMS Forum here and register if you haven't already, it takes just a sec and we don't ask any awkward questions, lol.

Go to the 'Play Room' and you will see the Blog Waltzes posts, if you are participating in the waltz, you will want to add a direct link to your blog post in the thread called April 17th Blog Waltz, Link list and if you just moseying through soaking up the inspiration, this is where you will find all of the links to see what we have all made, it is super easy to follow the waltz from here, don't miss the tips to make browsing quicker.

The participants prize!

I will pick, at random, one April waltz participant to win a stamp set of their choice and yes! if you win, you may also have the choice of some of the upcoming May releases!!!!!

The viewers prize!

As you waltz your way through the gorgeous cards on view, you will see that some of the DT ladies are participating. The DT ladies and I have hidden a little flower motif in some of our waltz pictures!

Check the DT photos (and mine) very carefully, and if you see any of the floral motif, note them down and count them all up. Post your flower tally in the chat thread that accompanies the hop list and I will pick a random winner from the correct answers to win a free Stamp set of your choice, I'll pick the winner on Sunday night, so there's plenty of time!!!

Here is the floral motif you are looking for:


look closely - we've been sneaky, the motif might be white and or partially transparent!!!

The Motif itself is actually a peep at a stampset due for the May release and is just a teeny tiny morsel of what may be one of my fave sets ever, ooh apart from the *** set, also due for May, sooo been wanting that one, but I'm waffling now!! lol



Anyhow, my card for the waltz is very simply done, no ribbons, no bling, nothing, just stamping...ok well a tiny bit of stitching! This is the sort of card I make when I am short of time, I get out the stamps and ink up. I do as much as I can with stamping and if it works out ok, I don't need to add anything else. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE embellishment of every kind, I just don't always have the time to throw it all together! LOL, I lack the skill required to just throw stuff together, I can spend hours just deciding what ribbon I want to use!

So I broke out the hibiscus stamp from one of our newest releases, Free Spirit Boy. I adore this image and love how versatile it is, here I used it to make a frame for my sentiment, Mother, from Roses in Bloom. I outlines the stamped and coloured frame with another copic pen in the same tone as the Antique Linen distress Ink.

I coloured in the flowers with copics and then cut out the centre panel with my craft knife. I left a nice wide border of card between the cutting and the stamping, the better to highlight the sentiment area.

Around the edges on the front of my card some eagle eyed folks will spot a stamp from the upcoming May release!!!!!!! I cannot wait to show you!!! A little stitching and rounded corners.

I just want to share a wee tip, some of you will probably be doing this already but I just discovered it.
On the sentiment panel, mounted behind the frame, I stamped the hibiscus in antique linen distress ink and then I brushed on some Victorian Velvet distress ink, that Tim Holtz, he knows what he's doing, doesn't he ladies? lol.


Normally I would have reached for the sponges, but I am always a little unhappy about my sponging, I get really uneven areas and I'm ALWAYS in a hurry, so I don't want to be spending ages trying to get smooth evenly blended coverage, usually I end up just calling it distressed!!! LOL.

Anyhow, I just discovered stencilling brushes (see pic above)!!! How fab!! even blending no matter how hard I lean!!! faster, smoother!!! Perfect!!! love it!

I repeated a lot of what I did on the inside panel, my sentiment from Roses in bloom, is a personal favourite. I used it here on my Mother card but it would also be great as a stand alone sentiment on the front of a card for a husband or partner.

I stamped a frame again, using Antique Linen Ink and then outlined it with a light lavender shade of copic pen, must look for the number...Again I used a May release stamp around the outside...and again I brushed with Victorian Velvet distress ink. A wee bit of stitching and we're done!!!



Hope it tickles!!!!!!

31 comments:

  1. This is absolutely beautiful, Claire. Thanks for the tip with the Distrass Inks. I really battle to blend evenly.

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  2. Aaaaah....see you were at the King's Hall....I too loved the brushes and the guy let me have a try and I agree that they are far easier to work with than a sponge. So, yes, I got the set of three as well and also Victorian Velvet and Brushed Sage as I like the soft colours....the pads are quite dry I thought...takes a few layers to get the brushed sage to be coloured enough however it will get easier I suppose...didn't you just love the backgrounds that he was demo-ing....Elliebelle is there today I think and I've told her about this stand. Now over to the Waltz.......

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  3. "Very simply done"? Dazzling, especially that cut out! Can't wait to try to copy it even before I can get my hands on the May border portion. How I wish I had your talent!!

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  4. I just absolutely love this card.... so very delicate and gorgeous. I have just got the hibiscus stamp and it is worth getting the Free Spirit set just for this stamp alone!!!! Thanks so much for the brush tip for the inks.... Must get out my stipple brush!!!

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  5. Simply gorgeous Claire!!! What a sweet Mother's Day card!!! Hugs ~S~

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  6. Beautiful Claire, so soft and girly. Pauline xx

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  7. So pretty! I love those flowers, they're just gorgeous!!

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  8. Great job. I love the simple cards

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  9. How did you cut out the frame so perfectly????? This is gorgeous and I really want more of those distress inks and the brushes now!

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  10. Great card! thanks for the tips!

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  11. Claire, your card is gorgeous! I love the soft colors and the cut out frame. Thanks for the wonderful tip about the stenciling brush--must try that! And is that a new denim stamp that you used for the border!! Love your border stamps....

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  12. Claire, I am amazed as usual! What a gorgeous card and I can't believe you cut out the center with a knife!! Thanks for the tip on the stencil brush, too! My sponging is horrendous, lol.

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  13. Lovely card, Claire! I, too, made a cutout on my Mom's card -must have been something in the air ;) I love how that wee hibiscus is so versatile! I've been playing with it (and the tribal graphics-yum!) a lot-will show y'all soon. These newest 12 Distress colours are just so fab. I love them all! That V.Velvet was one of my first, but have a look at pumice. Gorgeous!
    I'm finally here, fashionably late I'm afraid, for the Waltz. I can't wait to get started, tea in hand to be dazzled even more when I visit with the DT! I've got the pic of my card ready, but the deets will follow later. The list is huge-lol!

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  14. Claire, this is just GORGEOUS! I have been looking forward to seeing what you would make :). I have the Free Spirit set and haven't inked up those flowers yet, so am dying to try something similar - I think the frame you created looks fantastic. The colouring is so soft and sophisticated - just love it. Thanks for all your tips and inspiration x

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  15. Claire this card is so gorgeous. How can it be simple and complex at the same time but it IS! Love the frame that you created and how you used that flower image. I love sponging, but that brush idea looks FAB to try instead!!!! Love me my Tim Holtz Distress inks, use them on EVERYTHING!

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  16. Gorgeous Claire! And thanks for the tip about the distress inks and stencil brush. I, too, get uneven results with sponging. I'll have to give that a try!

    Cheers!
    Lisa

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  17. A stunning card Claire! Love how you mixed your media (copics and distress inks) and real inspiration for me... love the stamp but not used it yet!
    Debbie

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  18. This is lovely! I have some stencil brushes and one pad of distress ink, I must try this! LOL

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  19. A super creative design as usual oh great leader mouse!!! Can't believe you cut that framing out with a craft knife! the edges look so smooth - it looks like a die cut!!

    The class went ABSOLUTELY wonderfully today Claire - EVERYONE LOVED, Loved, loved, the Sewing Box Hugs set - and the cards we made with your lovely digital DP - I'll be e-mailing you pics and have some on my blog in the next few days!

    now I'm off to Waltz!

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  20. Wow, this is so beautiful! You are able to get such a clean cut with your craft knife--I thought for sure it was die cut!! Thanks for the tip about the stencil brush, I will try that. I NEED that stamp set--love those flowers!!

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  21. This is gorgeous Claire! Thanks for the tips I will have to give that a try!

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  22. Love that subtle plaid! Great counterpoint to the hibiscus.

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  23. WOW Claire,
    What a gorgeous card. You are fantastic with that craft knife. Mine always get choppy looking. Thanks for the tip with the stencil brushes. What a wonderful look it gave your card.

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  24. Beautiful. I'd love a video demo using the stencil brushes.

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  25. Lovely card Claire! The coloring you did is perfect - I like how you outlined the images. And the cutout.......you must have an amazingly steady hand!! I think I may have a stenciling brush hanging around the house somewhere - will have to look for it.

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  26. These are just lovely, Claire! Love the hibiscus and the cut-out in the first one is fabulous!!

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  27. I love the frame you made! And thanks for the brushing/sponging tip! Of course now you have us all panting for the May release, you sly thing! Can't wait!

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  28. Here I had waltzed around but forgot to leave an important comment right here...tisk tisk to me! I do love the cut out frame for the Mother card. It looks just perfect! And oh! Sneaks of the May release! Can't wait. Thanks for hosting the April Waltz...been lots of fun! :)

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  29. Claire, your cards are just great!!! Love the way you cut out the center! I need to catch my father to make the order for me - mmh, wanted to wait until May, but not sure if I am patient enough. We have Hibiscus in our garden and it is just a MUST to have that stamp!!!

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Thanks for taking the time to comment, :) I read them all and I appreciate you taking time to visit!