...more of My Island and release schedule

ED - Deborah - Yes!!!!

I have two more cards for you from the My Island series, are you liking this set? I love it! lol....

This card features the large palm trees from the set, I made up a panel with cut out detail on one side - it will be available as part of the cut file package for this stamp set. We will be making some cut files available as we go along. I'll have two free bundles of cut files for you tomorrow and there will be two more bundles available on the store at the very excellent price of 50p (about 75cents) each. These are going to be super for folks who have a personal cutter. Going forward we'll be making cut files available now and again, but not for every set, for a very special reason...about which I can't spill yet....but I'm sure you'll guess!

Very simple stamping going on here on what was a very quick card to put together!

I made a cool plaid background for this set with a plaid maker stamp from Pic Nic patterns, I have a little series of pics to show you how to do the same if you have that set already.

For my next card I made up a little moonlight scene! I love how you can change the emphasis of a stamp just by changing colour!!!

Let me show you how I made the scene, these are such fun to do. First I punched out a circle of post-it note, a piece with the sticky stuff on the back.

Next I stamp over it with the solid rectangle shape in a blue tone.

 

Next I mask off the top four fifths of the stamped rectangle. I ink up a portion of the same solid rectangle and stamp directly over the same area.

Next, add island! Instant scene!

For my card I added some crackle accents, had to let it dry overnight and I'm not big on patience, but the effect is lovely!

I stamped the sentiment inside the oval frame and trimmed it out with a classic Spellbinder die template (lge set) you can see in the pic how to line up the die and just fix it in place with a little tape before running it through the Grand Calibur.

Hope it tickles!!

ooh, btw here is a little schedule for the release tomorrow!

Please note these are the UK times that are local to me. I have a little note below of equivalent times in other places.

6:00PM - the Store will close to allow final adjustments

7:00PM - the New Stamps for July post will go live on this blog and there will be more              fabulous samples from the DT in our July release Blog Waltz. Don't forget also that we run a little random giveaway from the DT blog waltz, another chance to win goodies!

7:15PM - the Store will re-open.

Just in case you are new to us, we are releasing three new stamp sets tomorrow - I design and produce clear photopolymer stamps. Scroll back through the most recent posts to see examples of what is coming later tomorrow July 1st. And if you are not in need of new stamps just now I invite you to come back tomorrow evening at 7:00pm anyhow for the DT Blog Waltz, loads of eye candy and inspiration!! AND a competition!

7:00pm my time Sunday 1 July is approximately equal to:

Australia,Queensland  - 4:00am Monday July 2nd (ouch, sorry ladies!)

Brazil, Rio de Janeiro - 3:00pm Sunday 1st

Canada, Ontario - 2:00pm Sunday 1st

Germany - 8:00pm Sunday 1st

Japan - 3:00am Monday July 2nd (oooh, sorry ladies!)

Netherlands - 8:00pm Sunday 1st

Russia, Moscow - 10:00pm Sunday 1st

South Africa - 8:00pm Sunday 1st

USA Pennsylvania - 2:00pm Sunday 1st

USA Missouri - 1:00pm Sunday 1st

USA Washington - 11:00am Sunday 1st

...Introducing My Island

I adore the North Shore image, I love the Heroine - Fairy Princesses, but there is something about this set that just sings to me. This is My Island.

Been itching to show you this set, and in particular this bunch of stamps - the 4 stamps that create this Island in the sun image. It's a real easy technique, but before I show you the how to - best have a nip around and see what the Design Team ladies have done with it:

Anya Schrier 

Becca Feeken 

Belinda Chang Langner 

Clare Buswell 

Bonnie Sharp 

Julia Aston 

Jennifer Holmes 

Kelly Schirmer 

Mona Pendleton 

Sandie Dunne 

Tosha Leyendekker 

Here's my first card with this set:

My Island features a number of different scene building stamps, which can all be used separately to achieve a range of images, let's see how this works;

I start with the solid rectangle and stamp it in a warm yellow.

Next I take the sunray stamp and stamp it in a lovely vibrant orange. You can see how dirty my stamps are - I didn't wash them after stamping in black to test them, but it makes it easier for you folks to see them in these photos (that's my story anyhow...)

Then I take the small plain rectangle - it can be sea or land depending on the colour you use - here I stamped it in a red - might have been Riding hood red...

Finally I add the little palm tree island in Bravo Burgundy, SU. Cannot tell you how happy this little scene makes me.

You could trim this image out with a classic rectangle die template from Spellbinders - it fits one of the dies from the Classic rectangles Small set. For my card I just trimmed it out with a kraft knife and distressed the edges a little.

 The flourished sentiment 'Vacation' is also from My Island and it fits nicely inside the oval rubber stamp border image - which also fits a Spellbinders die template that you probably already have, a classic oval die template from the large set.

I used the solid rectangle to stamp the 4 panel pattern on the background panel on the card, before overstamping a little text from Text - It and the large palm trees from My Island.

Here is the same combination of stamps used with different colours - purples and yellows - yum!

OOh and I have a freebie for you too - I was experimenting with my handwriting and made up a cut file for the word 'thanks' - would you like it? I saved it as an SVG file and a DXF - you can grab them by popping over here to the freebie section on the store and downloading them.

Next up I have this super simple card for you featuring the 'You bring me sunshine' sentiment - I stamped the sunray stamp twice, back to back to get the 360 degree rays. Added a button and a few scallops of red card. I stamped the sentiment on the sun panel and again on the cream card mat and overlaid the sun panel on top of the mat exactly on top of the sentiment. Added the palm tree image to the background and had a cup of tea.

Once I had the sun rays stamped back to back I laid over some yellow with the solid rectangle. Once finished I trimmed the image to the shape of the sun
rays.

I am literally just scratching the surface of this set and I have another post ready for you for later this evening - there are too many pics for one post, so pop back later if you get the chance!

Hope it tickles!

...2nd post North Shore

There's no doubt this morning's card was leaning towards the masculine and I wanted to show you how the main North Shore Image looks used in a feminine context. This is my second post for today so you might like to scroll down to see my first card and the DT ladies samples for today, if you haven't already!

I had a little white cardboard box from Ikea, the sort you buy, 3 for £1.99 or some such.

I made a panel for the top using the main North Shore image, I inked it up with ladybug red memento ink and rock and rolled a little rhubarb over that. Once I had stamped it, I went in with a copic and added some shading to the interior of the wing shapes, you can see in the pic below that I started with the wing on the right. I thought it added a little depth, I wasn't too fussy about keeping within the inked image as I had distressed the image well beforehand anyhow. I used a tan coloured copic, the number of which escaped me....

I added a mat of red card, torn to shape, distressed by crumpling and sponging with Tea Dye Distress Ink. I sponged the box roughly in Tea Dye in also and stamped around the sides with a little palm tree Island stamp from the set I'll show you tomorrow.

I wanted something to put in my box and so I made a little pendant, I use that old favourite, shrink plastic, LOVE that stuff! lol, such fun watching it under the shrink ray (heat embossing tool).

I cut a plain disc of shrink plastic with a classic circles Spellbinder die template and them stamped those lovely big Palm Trees on it in Versafine black ink. I sponged behind with some Distress inks, Tea Dye and Barn door and some Wild Honey to get that South Sea sunset glow. Punched a hole for the twine and zapped it with the shrink ray. I used some Natural twine and fixed it at the back with a standard necklace fitting, tied with rustic knots...I'm no jewellery maker and you may find this a little 'agricultural' but I thought it was suitably surfy....

I trimmed out a circle of card, roughly the same size as the interior of the box and stamped a chevron pattern with the Off Beat backgrounds stamp from ages ago....see how we were ahead of the curve there...lol! Much crumpling and sponging at this point.

I punched a little hole just above centre and threaded the twine from the necklace through the hole. Beforehand I had made a little leg for the circle by folding a length of card in three, and sticking it to the underside of the circle. You can see the arrangement below. I had snipped twice along the length to give me two flaps and glued it to the underside bringing the two ends fairly close together but not quite touching. Once I had pulled the necklace twine through to this side, I was able to wrap it around the leg and secure it by wedging the necklace fixing in between the two open ends of the card leg. This ensures that the pendant stays put on the other side.

Hope it tickles! I'll be back in the morning with My Island!!!

...Introducing North Shore

Good morning and welcome to the second day of samples for our July release. If you are new to us, we will be releasing new clear photopolymer stamps on Sunday. We have shown a few peeks and yesterday we had a few samples, scroll back to see if you haven't already.

Today we have more wonderful samples by the DT and we are focusing on another small set, a 3x4 called North Shore. Pop by to see what the ladies did with this one!

Anya Schrier
Bonnie Sharp
Clare Buswell
Julia Aston
Jennifer Holmes
Kelly Schirmer
Laurie Schmidlin
Lynn Mercurio
Mona Pendleton
Sandie Dunne
Tosha Leyendekker

The North Shore set is based around a strong central image - a surfer style logo made up of banner, wings, surfer, sunset and hibiscus flowers. It's the sort of image that can take centre stage on a card or that you can add as a background motif. I drew it up in a sort of grungy distress style, as befitted the theme....I thought...lol.

To make my card I stamped the North Shore logo image in versamark on to a piece if kraft cardstock. I immediately added clear embossing powder and set the image with a heat tool. I rubbed cream ink over the image and then went back in with a piece of tissue to burnish the stamped image and remove the ink from the clear embossing.In the pic below you can see how the right hand side of the image has been 'cleaned' while the left has not.

 

Next thing to do was to trim out the image, round the corners and add a little stitching.

 

I wanted to add a little texture to the panel and so I laid a square of linen cloth on to pf the panel. Over that I added a cardboard shim, the tan embossing mat and ran the whole lot through the Grand Calibur - one pass and I got a fabulously linen textured panel. See the pic below for the sandwich.

 I love how this works. A nice subtle texture.

 


Next, I made the background panels.  I use a plaid maker stamp from Pic Nic Patterns with Stormy sky Distress Ink to create a denim striped back. Over that I stamped an image from another new set previewing tomorrow...I used Rich Razzleberry, what a delicious colour!

I made a smaller strip by stamping the hibiscus flowers from Free Spirit onto cream card and adding some sponging in Antique Linen Distress ink. I added the sentiment, also from North Shore - 'Find your wave'. A little stitching on this panel also.

Assembly was easy peasy. Last thing was a little ribbon - I added a nice striped red and cream as a little tab on the main image panel and another fine blue and brown strip across the hibiscus panel.

My plan is to pop back later on with another card...weather permitting, lol!!

hope it tickles!!

...Mini winners

We have two winners of Mini sets!!

the winners are:

Dana Nelson who said...Looks like a pinwheel to me!

and

Smilie girl who said... I like the star pattern. Something summery? A beach ball? I just couldn't say pin wheel!
I'm excited about the release. 

Ladies, please pop me your addresses via email on claire.brennan1@ntlworld.com - be sure to put Winner Winner Chicken Dinner in the subject line, or you might get lost in the deluge!!!

Back in the morning with some more eye candy!

Introducing Heroines - Fairy Princess

Good morning!! Wherever you are, I hope you are dry! We had a little flooding here at WMS last night, and so since we were bailing out water and sandbagging until late, I had time to upload the pics, but no time to write up the waffle!! I'm keeping it brief, since the weather forecast for this morning is worse and I need to be on hand to operate some kind of apparatus my husband refers to as a bucket....

Anyhow, this morning, we are kicking off our July release with a tiny little set called Heroines - Fairy Princess. These new photopolymer stamps will be available, along with others, on Sunday! pop back tomorrow to see what else is new!

Just before I show you through my bits and bobs, here are the DT ladies who are also previewing today:

Anya Schrier 

 Belinda Chang Langner  

Bonnie Sharp  

Clare Buswell  

Julia Aston  

Jennifer Holmes  

Kelly Schirmer  

Laurie Schmidlin  

Lynn Mercurio  

Mona Pendleton  

Sandie Dunne  

Tosha Leyendekker  

Heroines - Fairy Princess is a small 3x4 inch set, but in the very best WMS tradition is stuffed with stamps! BOTH the fairy outfit and the princess outfit are included in this set, together with a princess head, with crown, two darling frogs and a sentiment! All together at the super price of just £3.99. These mini sets are going to be a terrific way to introduce yourself to WMS or to build your armoury without breaking the bank!

I made this little card to showcase my princess. These characters are a direct match for the girls in the recently released Half Pint Heroines set, and may be used with that set, and indeed the Half Pint Heroes set. They share the same illustration style and sentiment stylings.

I made the card with a wee castle card template that will also be available on Sunday - do you like it? I will add more details about this on Sunday, but it will be available as a traditional template, and also as SVG files. There is a card template and also a liner template. I used the liners both inside and out of my card to achieve that nice mat effect. You can just see my little frog prince stamp in the pic below together with a sentiment from Half Pint Heroes.

I used the Fairy outfit stamp together with the princess head to make my fairy for a little tag. I thought it would be fun to have some rays radiating from her wand and I scored those on my scor pal. The sentiment is also from Half Pint Heroes.

Now, I need to know if you like my gift basket! I think it is just the sweetest thing!!!. It is another template that will be available on Sunday, same thing, you will be able to get traditional versions or SVG files. I absolutely adore it and it is super simple to put together, it is also very customizable, scroll down to see what I mean!

 

Here I have used the basic Castle basket, on it's own it's a delightful way to present a  gift, or even confectionery - it would make a lovely table centrepiece for a party! I couldn't resist making another little tag, this time just using the head stamp - these would make fabby cupcake picks also.

If you wanted it to be a little more substantial you could add the next layer, the clouds - don't they look pretty behind the towers??

I'm using my basket to present a soft toy wrapped in tissue and I think this presentation would impress most little girls! - If you were to make the cloud layer out of vellum and pop in a battery operated light source, this would be a terrific decorative item for a little girl room (supervised of course).

The final layer is the sky layer - very simple, but it adds another layer of strength and I'll use that when I fill the basket with sweeties for a table centre piece, all those wee hands....

I stamped a wee little birdie from the Half Pint Heroines set onto the sky layer, just for fun!

I'm positively itching to hear what you think!! AND I'd love your thoughts on the new set sizes!! Also don't forget to scroll back one and enter our wee comp, you have until tonight!! I'll be back then to announce the winners!! OOh and if you have any questions about this post do leave a comment and I'll answer it this evening!

Hope it tickles!!