...March Release Day 1 and a newbie!!!

Good morning and welcome to our March release previews!! It's been a while since we had some new toys to play with, but before I get into the stamping goodies, let me hand over to Lynn who has an announcement:

"What an exciting day it is for Waltzingmouse Stamps! After a release holiday hiatus, we are back and the Design Team begins their previews of five new sets that will be released on March 1st. But before we get to the previews we have some wonderful news we want to share with you.

We are happy to welcome Sarah Martina Parker, Waltzingmouse Stamps Mischief Maker extraordinaire, to the Waltzingmouse Stamps Design Team.

Sarah has been a member of the Mischief Makers since their formation last August. Her unique style, and beautiful designs have inspired the Waltzingmouse Stamps Sketch Challenge players week after week with drop-dead gorgeous creations.

Sarah said, “I’m so excited to be a part of this awesome team of designers! I guess you could say that paper-crafting is my first passion, but only if you don’t count my incredible family first. I joined the online craft community in December 2008, diving in “head first,” and I haven’t been able to stop since! Making cards is my favorite way to design, but I also enjoy creating scrapbook pages, altered items, gifts and more. I am married to my hero and best friend, Sie. Together we have a beautiful daughter, Sydney, and a fun-loving son, Sie, II. When I’m not lounging with them, I love getting my hands dirty in my hideaway craft room."

Welcome Sarah – we are all very happy that you will be joining us. Please stop by Sarah’s blog, show her some love and check out the magic she creates." - Lynn Mercurio.
Lynn is our acting DT co-ordinator at the moment as we have lost Lisa!! Lisa Hjulberg has been a stalwart supporter of Waltzingmouse Stamps almost since the beginning. She was the very best DT co-ordinator that I could have hoped for. She was a gem, and we will miss her hugely, but I am delighted to say that I will be staying in very close contact with Lisa and we look forward to spilling the beans on just what Lisa will be up to next, BUT! alas it is not our news to spill just yet and so you folks will have to wait a little while longer...
In the meantime, I have some stamps to show you!!
I am a big fan of Cowboys, Westerns, anything with John Wayne in it ... I bought right into the cowboy thing and even though the closest I'll get to a real Western experience is the Christmas cactus on my mum's kitchen windowsill, I could not resist designing me some western stamps. Yesiree...and yup, I am one of those idiots who puts on the voice and everything, my wee folk absolutely crawl with embarrassment!! lol!!
I loved it so much I designed two sets, in fact I have 3 sets, but two of them will be available from next Tuesday 1st March. We'll be releasing the artwork for 5 new clear photopolymer stamp sets here on the blog on Tuesday so be sure to call back and see us between now and then for samples we've made using the new stamps.


One of the new sets is a sentiment set - there are sentiments for many different occasions, this one "kith 'n' kinsfolk - Hoedown - Bring the Posse" is from the new set Back in the Saddle. One of the things I like about some of these western sentiments is the casual feeling - this sentiment could work for all manner of parties and family get togethers, a small 'do' or a big bash. No need for specifics, I love that relaxed feel.

Back in the Saddle is a larger set, 6x8 inches, packed with 23 stamps in all. 15 sentiments, 5 images and 3 supporting words.


I wanted a sunset background, just right for an evening get together, and so I had no trouble creating that with stamps from the other new western set Way out West. It's a background/border set and my favourite stamp is this two part landscape. In the card above you can see that the scene is made up from two images, in the foreground the cactus landscape silhouettes are one stamp. Behind that is a mountain range, stamped in a paler shade, this is another separate stamp.

Way out West has 6 long background stamps, (two of which can be used together to give the cactus and mountains scene used here.) and 4 supporting motifs.


I started with a plain white piece of card about 4 inches by 5.25 inches. I used a sponge and applicator - just pictured - to apply wild honey distress ink to the card - I worked in a circular motion on the craft mat - fab for sponging. I made sure to leave a long oval of white card visible, about a third of the way up the card, this is the horizon.


I sponged some more with a little touch of rusty hinge and a lot of barn door - also distress inks. The pic above shows what the card looked like about halfway through, just as I was starting with the barn door. The pic below shows what it looks like after a load more barn door is applied, but I was careful to leave a little wisp of the wild honey uncovered, i left an area along the top of the white oval, and a little curved wisp on the right - curling up towards the top of the card. I thought it helped give the illusion of depth, but the real sky is so varied that you can't really get this wrong, so long as the colours are blended smoothly, you'll get that long hot evening look.


Also in this pic I have stamped the mountain range - I used a different type of ink for this - memento London Fog. This ink is quite a watery ink and dries with a little dapple in it, it was just the effect I was looking for for faraway mountains that seem hazy in the heat.


Next, I want to draw your attention to the black ink I used on the foreground. In the above pic you can see that the cactus foreground on the two cards look slightly different. The same ink - Versafine black was used for both, BUT the one at the back was stamped while the mountains and sky were still wet.

You can see that the stamped image on the card at the back is very rough and has 'missed' areas. Some of this is to do with the fact that the carsdtock I used was not completely mooth, it had a very slight texture, but mostly it was because the background I was satmping onto was still wet. Distress inks stay wetter for longer than some other types of ink. This will affect the outcome of your card if you are using a two-step stamp such as this scene.

The card in front has a much more solid looking cactus and foreground. This is because I dried the card with a heat gun before stamping the cactus foreground in the same versafine ink.

Another thing I did was use a piece of fun foam under my cardstock. It is pretty much essential when stamping large solid stamps and I began to use fun foam under all my stamping projects some time ago - even if i am only stamping a small sentiment i use the foam, it makes a big difference to the quality of the impression.

Here is the card which was stamped with the cactus while wet. Further below is the card that was dried first, you can compare to see which finish you like best.


Sometimes I get questions from folks wondering how best to get a good impression with large solid stamp, and mostly a perfect impression is achieved by using a piece of funfoam, but it helps to be aware that the texture of the card and the wetness/dryness of the background onto which you are stamping can also be a factor.

Hope it tickles!!

lol, since you have made it thus far, I'd better link you up the the rest of the team, so's you can mosey off into the sunset and see what else you can do with the West!!

Laurie
Lynn
Mona
Jennifer
Anya
Belinda
Bonnie
Julia
Sarah
Carly