June’s Friendly Feature–Laurie Jones

Hello and welcome. We are back with another Friend Feature – a monthly feature where we select a friend of Waltzingmouse Stamps to provide creative inspiration. This month our guest blogger is Laurie Jones. Laurie has been a wonderfully creative supporter of WMS for a very long time and we are always pleased to see her designs. So let’s turn it over to Laurie!

I was elated when I received an email a few weeks ago from Lynn and Claire inviting me to do a guest spot for the Waltzingmouse Stamps Friendly Feature. Wow, what an honor! And if I’m honest, I felt a wee bit nervous, too. But that didn’t last long as my mind began spinning with design ideas. The hardest decision was deciding which stamp sets to use. I have so many favorites! I’ve been collecting WMS stamps sets for quite awhile now. They were my very first online stamp purchase (what a great way to start!), and I’ve been a fan ever since. I decided to revisit some older sets for my designs today.

Every card that I make (unless it is a total flop) is mailed out, so I’m usually designing with a specific purpose in mind. The first card I’m showing today is for my dad for Father’s Day.

I really like the nautical trend that I’m seeing around right now, but I don’t have any nautical stamp sets. I decided that the rope designs in Very Vintage Labels No. 3 looked nautical, so I used those along with some stripes and bright colors. I created my own stripes by creating a rectangular mask from Eclipse masking tape and sponging with ink. I then added red stripes using a marker.

I created a border by repeatedly stamping the small rope circle in gold metallic ink. I love that ink! I created the sentiment focal point by first cutting a label using a Spellbinders Labels Three die. I stamped the die cut with the Labels No. 3 rope border, the sentiments, and the small circle. The sentiment stamps are from Compact Family. I finished up by impressing the white cardstock with the Linen & Canvas Impression Plate to add some texture, added a couple flags, and popped up the sentiment label.

I chose to create a monochromatic look for my next card, letting the stamped mum image take center stage.

I adore the graphic nature of the mum images in the Big Blooms – Chrysanthemums set. They lend themselves well to many different design techniques. I chose to heat emboss the large line image this time. Masking seems to be a running theme because after embossing the mum, I had to mask the image in order to stamp the leaves. To create the mask, I stamped the image again in black ink onto an Eclipse masking sheet and then fussy cut the image. I’ll be able to reuse the mask again and again.

After masking the image, I was able to stamp the leaves without affecting the image. I added a strip of patterned paper to the side of the image panel. I then stamped and embossed the Thank You sentiment onto a strip of vellum and added it to the panel. The Thank You sentiment is from Rescue Remedies Additions. I popped the panel up onto the card base and added a sequin for a little sparkle.

Thank you to Waltzingmouse Stamps for this fabulous opportunity to share my creations and a bit about myself. And thank you for visiting today!

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I thought it might be fun to get to know our Friendly Feature guest, so I asked her to answer a few questions.

When did you get into this hobby?

Spring of 2009, but I didn’t discover the wonderful world of blogs and online stamp companies until late in 2009.

What is your favorite kind (manufacturer) of cardstock?

Papertrey Ink

Your favorite WMS set or one that you reach for over and over?

Oh my, that is such a difficult question. It’s impossible to pick a favorite! I know that I reach for the sentiment sets the most, and of those the Compact Sentiment sets (all three). I love the font in those! For image sets, I love coloring the images in Spring Baskets and paper piecing the ones in the Sewing Box sets. And who could forget Roses in Bloom and Asian Gardens and Festive Foliage? See…impossible to choose!

Do you have a favorite technique?

Actually two; die cutting and dry embossing. Almost every card I make includes one or both of those techniques. I especially love the texture dry embossing gives to a card. I also love to color with Copics or Inktense pencils.

Do you own a die cutter? What kind?

Yes, two. I have my Big Shot, which I use most, and my Grand Calibur.

Your favorite color combination?

Almost anything with red! Red is my favorite color. Red, yellow and white. Red, white and blue. Red, turquoise, black and white. And the list goes on. As you can see, I favor white as well.

If money wasn't an issue, what crafty stuff would you buy?

I have wish lists for several of my favorite online stamp/craft stores, so I check everything off of those. And I’d probably buy more dies.

Who is your most admired crafter - or the person who inspires you or challenges you?

The most difficult question for last! Once again, it is impossible to choose. Claire has put together a superb team at WMS. The variety of styles is fabulous, and the inspiration that Claire and the DT provide is immeasurable. My personal style has developed over the years and I think that I can now say that I tend toward CAS design. Because of that, I greatly admire the talent of Debby Hughes, Amy Wanford, and Cristina Kowalczyk. And last but not least, I am in awe of the coloring skills of the great Debbie Olson.

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Supply List: No. 1 Dad card Stamps: Very Vintage Labels No. 3, Compact Family (WMS) Ink: Cornflower Mid-Tone Shadow Ink (Hero Arts), Golden Glitz (Delicata), Barn Door Distress Ink (Ranger) Dies: Labels Three (Spellbinders), Stitched Sentiment Flag (Lil’ Inker Designs) Cardstock: Stamper’s Select White (PTI) Other: Linen & Canvas Impression Plate (PTI), Le Plume II marker No. 2 Red (Marvy), Eclipse masking tape

Supply List: Thank You card Stamps: Big Blooms – Chrysanthemums, Rescue Remedies Additions (WMS) Ink: Latte (Amuse Studio), Versamark Patterned Paper: Now & Then 6x6 pad (Teresa Collins) Cardstock: Rustic Cream, Vellum (PTI) Other: Brown Sugar Zing Embossing Powder (American Crafts), Iridescent Crystal Clear Sequins (Ellen Hudson)