...Waltzing

Ed - we're also in the middle of a big ole release - 4 new sets are being released on Monday and the DT ladies have some samples to whet your appetite!! I will also have some samples later today so pop back and see us again!

Good Saturday....ahem.....morning!!!

It's Blog waltz day today at WMS and I'm playing!!!! woohoo, see my previous post here, for how to play along!! You still have time, if you can squeeze out a card today....

Our theme this month is Halloween!!!!

On my card for the waltz I used two new sets (both releasing here on the blog on monday, two sleeps!!!) Hocus Pocus and A Cottage Home.

A Cottage Home was the set the DT ladies previewed yesterday. It's a sweet little set, but don't be fooled into thinking that you can only use it for 'new home' projects! I can picture many projects that could use a little cottage imagery and I've been itching to make this card since I got the cottage in my hot little mits!

I began by stamping a cottage and rubbing it with a clean sponge (NB - I used Tea Dye distress ink - On the second impression - which means I stamped it off on a scarp of paper first and used the remaining ink to stamp the cottage onto my sheet of cream card.) I then sponged over, very lightly with some Chipped Sapphire distress Ink. I love how this stuff Doesn't dry too quickly, meaning you can play around a little.

Here's what it looked like. Quite ghostly, don'tcha think? OOh the windows I filled in with copic E43 Dull Ivory.

Next I trimmed it out with a large and gloriously proportioned Labels 20 Die Template from Spellbinders. TM. I used Big Bertha, my Grand Calibur :) I seem to have a need to name this machine and previously may have called him Red Henry or something, but lately it's Big Bertha...

And here we get to one of my most favourite things about Spellbinders dies, you can leave the die cut in the die, and sponge away till your heart is content!! (More Chipped Sapphire, applied with a light touch)and when you take out the die cut? a gorgeous un-sponged border....can you tell how happy this makes me???

And! Guess what? if you aren't finished stamping, you can slip the die cut back in the die and add some more detail - I stamped the spooky railings and gate from Hocus Pocus across the front of the house. I used the Chipped Sapphire ink again as I love the colour and really don't mind the slightly 'rough' stamped image this gives. I thought that this put the railings on the foreground and helped the house to slip back into the shadows. The railings are my intended focal point.

I also added a little foliage to the card at this point (tho you can't see it in this photo) a few light impressions with the tip of a bough from Festive Foliage was all it needed I thought, 2nd impression stamping with pumice stone ink for these.

 Finally I added two little ravens, both from the Hocus Pocus set, I thought these fun little guys just added the right amount of life to the scene. The sentiment "beWitched" is also from Hocus Pocus, also the 2nd impression using Tea Dye ink., and if you peek again you will see Wanda's broom, leaned up against the railings!! I love this card!!

I mounted the panel on a beautiful mat made from a piece of dark blue card trimmed out with a labels 17 Die Template, also Spellbinders. My actual card base is an ordinary plain card base with about an inch trimmed off the side and bottom and simply adhered to the back of the panel.

Hope it tickles!! Can't wait to see who else is waltzing!!

ALSO!! I will be back later with some samples!!! The ladies are all very well organised and are ready to show you there goodies!! Me? as usual I'm late!!!

• Anya Schrier
• Becca Feekan
• Claire Brennan
• Clare Buswell
• Jennifer Holmes
• Julia Aston
• Kate Whelan
• Kelly Schirmer
• Laurie Schmidlin
• Mona Pendleton
• Niki Estes
• Sandie Dunne
• Sarah Martina Parker
• Tosha Leyendekker

...it's Waltz Day!

I will be back a little later today with my waltz card, I know, I know, I already owe you one from yesterday too, well the light was atrocious here and I hate to ruin a good picture with bad lighting, so I hope you don't mind, but I thought I'd catch the morning sun instead.

Yesterday we previewed one of the 4 new sets being released Monday, we looked at A Cottage Home. My jaw just hung open as I visited the DT blogs, the ladies sure did pull out all the stops!!

Today we have some more samples, this time from a new set called Say it Loud - Winter Holiday, but since it is also our Blog waltz day, you might find sprinklings of another set Hocus Pocus in among the samples.

If this is your first time Waltzing with us, here's how to follow the activities: Pop on over to the WMS Forum herehttp://www.waltzingmousehouse.com/index.php and register if you haven't already, it takes just a moment.

Then head on over to the 'Play Room' and you will see the September blog hop posts, one is a list of participants and the other is a thread for chatting and where we ask you to answer the question that could score you a prize. If you haven't got a card made already, you may still have time to enter, we like to waltz slowww....

We will be keeping an eye out for some wonderfully inspiring projects by those participating in the Waltz and one of those projects will earn its creator their choice of a free stamp set from Waltzingmouse Stamps. Additionally we will draw a name from all those who answer the question in the Chat thread for September's waltz.

If you're not waltzing today then you may like to pop over and see what the DT have cooked up with Say it Loud - Winter Holiday:

• Anya Schrier
• Becca Feekan
• Claire Brennan
• Clare Buswell
• Jennifer Holmes
• Julia Aston
• Kate Whelan
• Kelly Schirmer
• Laurie Schmidlin
• Mona Pendleton
• Niki Estes
• Sandie Dunne
• Sarah Martina Parker
• Tosha Leyendekker

...New DT ladies

Good morning folks! I have super exciting news to share today!! We have new DT ladies joining us! I am beyond excited and absolutely pinching myself that these three ladies have graciously agreed to join  our team!! I can't tell you how many hours I have spent poring over their blogs, picking up hints and tips and just in sheer admiration. I have unashamedly stalked these ladies at all hours of the day and night and  I can't tell you what it means to me to have these girls join our team.It is my pleasure and privilege to welcome Becca Feeken, Clare Buswell and Kelly Schirmer!!!!


I'm sure you guys are very familiar with all these ladies, but if not, take a moment to get to know the girls and even pop by their blogs to welcome them!!

Becca Feeken

I picked up my first stamp catalog in 1995 and have not looked back since.  Crafting since I was a young girl, the fabric of my life has always been formed by sewing, knitting, crochet, cross stitch, stamping and other paper crafts.  At the top of the list I’m a bit of a paper junkie and find myself mesmerized by any type of paper and all the possibilities of engineering it.  

My inspiration comes from a passion for the craft and my signature is using things in an unexpected way.  The accomplishment of giving a custom, handmade item with a healthy dose of care and a dash of my own personality led to blogging, several design teams, being published in craft books and satisfying therapy as a freelance designer.  Several years ago I left the corporate world and constant travel, where I was a Network Engineer.  

Now that I’m at home, it’s crafting every day and using all the treasures I’ve collected over the years. I currently reside in Florida with my three kids, and all college students living locally, I’m blessed beyond measure with a supportive family, who are willing accomplices in my crafty life.

Clare Buswell

Hi, I'm Clare Buswell! I live in a small village called Athea in the south-west of Ireland with the love of my life Niall and our beautiful daughter Isabelle. Isabelle is four and has just started school. (She loves to 'borrow' little crafty bits from me and make her own cards too!)

I've always been creative in some form or another, I have a passion for painting and I've tried lots of different crafts over the years. I love quilling and making my own embellishments. I studied graphic design at art college. I only discovered stamping after the birth of my daughter when I had little time for painting but longed to be creative. Card making was the perfect answer for me as it satisfied all my creative needs. I design regularly for Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine in the UK. I also run card-making workshops in my local craft shop.

I love Waltzingmouse Stamps, Claire's attention to detail is amazing and I love how she packs so many elements into each set! I've really enjoyed being a Mischief Maker and I was over-the-moon when I was asked to join the WMS design team.  All I can say is that it's a dream come true!

Kelly Schirmer

I have been married to my husband Jason for 10 years, and we have 2 beautiful daughters Eva (7) and Claire (almost 6). We live in a little town called Avon, in upstate New York.  I am a Speech-Language Pathologist, working with children ages birth to five in their homes.  

I started stamping in 2002, but really became addicted to the hobby in 2007 when I joined SplitcoastStampers.com.  I have previously worked on the Pink Persimmon Creative Team and with the A Muse Studio Catalog contract team.  I discovered Waltzingmouse Stamps shortly after the first release.  After purchasing the Earth Angel set, there was no turning back for me!  I have loved being a Mischief Maker, and am positively thrilled to be a new member of this Design Team!


Phew! If you have managed to digest our big news, then I will send you off on a little trail!! We are showing samples today made with one of this releases sets, "A Cottage Home" It's a sister set to the one I sneak peeked the other day....


ok, off you go!!:

• Anya Schrier
• Becca Feekan
• Claire Brennan
• Jennifer Holmes
• Julia Aston
• Kate Whelan
• Kelly Schirmer
• Laurie Schmidlin
• Lynn Mercurio
• Niki Estes
• Sarah Martina Parker
• Tosha Leyendekker

...one more peek...

Just squeezing out one more peek before tomorrow! You might want to pop back...we have some AWESOME news......

It's a little Halloween set, it's mostly sentiment based, but with a super...well, you'll find out....

And tonight we also have a winner, I asked folks to leave me comments about their favourite Christmas 'escapisms'. I thoroughly enjoy reading these, it's a fabby way to get 'in the mood' for some Christmas creating!! 

We picked a random winner and that was Sharon who said:

"Claire, I'm so excited about your Christmas release. Love the sweet cottage. Can't wait to see what other wonderful goodies you have to share!

For us, Christmas time can be bittersweet. All of our children live too far away for us to get together except for one and then we celebrate a week or so before or a week after. So I LOVE all the anticipation--trying to find the PERFECT gift (which drives hubby crazy!), making crafty creations, baking cookies and unwrapping each ornament for the tree. I adore the music, the smells, the crisp air (and if we're lucky the fluffy snow) and those twinkling lights that magically turn the world into a wonderland. But I feel the most peaceful on Christmas morning, at home with my hubby & the furkids, just enjoying the blessing of being together for another Christmas!"

After reading Sharon's post, I will appreciate the company of my wee folks all the more, I do dread the day when they will spend Christmas away from us!

Sharon, pop me an email with your deets! You win two sets from Monday's release!!!!

...Sneaky peeky some more...

OOh Lynn W, good woman!! I'm so excited to finally get going that I forgot to tell you girls when it's happening!!! lol!This coming Monday 19th is the big day, but hold onto your hats, we have some HUGE news on the 16th....

Oh ladies, I am loving your little escapisms on this post - keep on leaving those comments, I'll be drawing a winner tomorrow!

Today I have a little peek of another 'festive' set, we're just getting started with the 'season' and I know some folks are going to be mighty happy to see this set....