Just Give Me Stamps...

Valentine Wishes...

Happy weekend!  :-)  We are spending a quiet day at home today...which is MUCH needed after a whole week of constantly being in the car!  :-) 

While going through some of my computer files, I stumbled upon a card I haven't shared yet!  I made this for the last Verve release (which happens to be one of my favorite releases EVER)!

Oh how I love Valeninte's Day!  I love the idea of giving cards to those we love just to tell them how special they are to us!  Love it!!  So, naturally I also love to make Valentine's cards!  :-)

For this one, I used the new Love Notes set.  I started by embossing the little heart (using Black detail e.p.) randomly on some of the circles on the background paper.  I then layered an acetate doily, some tickets that were stamped with the I {heart} You sentiment, buttons, ribbon, and the focal heart that was stamped and then cut out with the Jotted Heart Die! 

Sigh...  Don't you just love Valentine's colors?  They make me so happy!

Have a wonderful weekend!!  ~Laurie

Stamps: Love Notes
Paper: Disco Love (Reminisce), True Black, White c.s. (PTI), Tickets (Pink Paislee)
Ink: Versamark, Red Versamagic Dew Drop
Accessories: Jotted Heart Die (Verve), Black Detail e.p., Clear Detail e.p. (Judikins), Ribbon, Buttons, White Acetate Doily (Maya Road), Rhinestones

Something Fun and Something Vintage...

Note:  If you are here looking for my post for Waltzingmouse Blog Waltz celebrating Claire's birthday, please scroll down or click HERE.

Good morning!  I've got a couple of birthday cards to share with you today!

This first card is for my Father-In-Law.  I don't know about you, but I normally really struggle when I sit down to create masculine cards.  Ribbons, flowers, rhinestones, and all those pretty embellishments...they are definitely more in my comfort zone.  Well, as I was looking through my package of Glitz Paper Layers (from the Love Nest Collection), I came across the coolest map with an old vintage sailboat on it and before I knew it my card was finished!  I love it when that happens!!

After roughing up the edges of the map Paper Layer, I layered on some vellum that I stamped with the ledger background stamp (from the Distressing Set 3).  I kept the embellishments to a minimum using only various strings and a brad.

And now for something completely different!  :-)  For this card I went clean, crisp, & fun!

Using my patterned paper (Hoopla Frames from the Hoopla Collection) as an accent and utilizing more white space enabled the rub on I chose (from the Hoopla Collection) to really pop!  Again, I kept the embellishments to a minimum so as not to take away from the vibrant image.

Before I go, I wanted to let you know that there are peeks of the NEW Glitz lines over on the Glitz blog!  Not only that, but there is a chance to WIN some!  Oh YEAH!  Check out these posts for more info:  Afternoon Muse, Laced with Grace, & Love Games!

Have a fabulous day!  ~Laurie

Masculine Birthday Card
Glitz Design "Love Nest" Paper Layer
Glitz Design Clear Stamps:  Distressing Set 3
Other:  Father Knows Best stamp set (PTI), White cardstock, Kraft cardstock, Vellum cardstock, Rich Cocoa Memento Ink, Antique Linen & Vintage Photo Distress Ink, Java Versamagic ink, Clear detail embossing powder, Sewing machine, Brad (Making Memories, String

Celebration Card
Glitz Design "Hoopla" paper:  Hoopla Frames
Glitz Designs "Hoopla" Rub Ons
Other:  White cardstock, Rhinestones, String, Button, Scallop border punch (EK Success)

Happy, Happy Birthday Claire!!

Today is a special day!  Claire (owner of Waltzingmouse Stamps) is celebrating her birthday today!  To show her just a wee bit of love, some of her friends are throwing her a birthday blog waltz...Waltzingmouse style!  :-)

If you just happened by my blog (checking in to see what's new here) then you won't want to miss any of this celebration!  Head on over to the Waltzingmouse Blog to get started!  For those of you arriving from Lenet's blog...you are right on track! 

Because Claire has these AMAZING Spellbinders friendly stamps...and well, because I just adore them...I knew they would somehow sneak onto my card!  LOL!  I combined one of the beautiful frames from the Very Vintage Labels No. 1 with the lovely scripted Say it With Style set.  Add in a little Text-It stamped over the patterned paper and I had instant Shabby Chic nirvana!  LOL!

For those of you that know Claire...know how incredibly sweet, kind, and generous she is!!  For those of you that have not yet had the pleasure of meeting her (I've never actually "met" her in person yet, but someday hope to!) why not stop by the Waltzingmouse store and see all of her incredible designs!!  :-)  Claire, I hope your day is AMAZING and you are spoiled outrageously!!  You SO deserve it!!

Next up on this celebratory waltz, is Belinda!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hugs, Laurie

Be Mine...

 Monday, Monday...  Hope you are having a good one so far!  :-)  My 7 year old son is getting over a bout with Strep Throat so today I will be spending quite a bit of quality time with some disinfectant as I try to de-bug our house!  He is on the mend now...so all that's left is what I like to call damage control.  You know, doing my best to make sure the other 5 people in our family do not come down with it!  LOL!

On a brighter note...how would you like to see something soft and happy?  :-)

I made this for the last Verve release and realized that I haven't yet shared it here!  I used the new Emery Plain Jane combined with a sentiment from Love Notes.  When I first started out making this card, I wanted the elephant to look like one of those chenille stuffed animals...you know the soft and cuddly ones that are usually made for babies?  After coloring the elephant with Copics, I used my white gel pen to give it that polka dotted look that so many of those stuffed animals have.  I then displayed it on a frame I made with Nestabilities, layered onto a vellum shape, then stitched it onto some dreamy My Mind's Eye Paper (from the Lost & Found Collection).

Oh, and for embellishments, I added some ribbon, a flower, piercing, more stitching, and some Dew Drops.  I know...the Dew Drops are not the IN thing anymore, but I still adore them!!  :-) 

Well, that's all from today...but I will be back A LOT this week!  That's right, I've got lots of fun things to show you!  :-)  Until then, I hope you stay snug and warm!  (I hear there are a LOT of places getting hammered with even more snow right now!)

Hugs,
Laurie

Stamps: Emery Plain Jane, Love Notes
Paper: Lost & Found Collection (My Mind's Eye), Vintage Cream (PTI), Vellum c.s.
Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento Ink, Antique Linen Distress Ink, Regal Rose (SU!)
Accessories: Copic markers, White gel pen, Sewing machine, Vanilla satin ribbon (SU!), Crochet lace (Webster's Pages, Lg. Oval & Beaded Oval Nestabilities, Dew Drops, Heart punch (SU!), Rhinestones, Paper piercer, Prima flower

The Grand Calibur...Waltzingmouse Style!

Happy Sunday to you!  Have you seen all of the amazing projects the Waltzingmouse Stamps DT have been creating these past few days?  If not, you can see all the links on the Waltzingmouse blog (trust me, you won't want to miss them!!)!

For three days, the DT will be featuring projects and/or tutorials made using Waltzingmouse Spellbinder's compatible stamps and the new Grand Calibur machine!  We were blessed to receive a Spellbinders Grand Calibur before Christmas and can't wait to show you what we've made with them!  :-)

Today, I have two projects to share with you...and a tutorial to boot!  :-)  Just a little warning though...this post is pretty long.  :-)  BUT, you will want to read on, because there are some AMAZING prizes being given away!!!  Just sayin... 

My first project is a 4" notecard set (you can see the tutorial for this holder HERE).  For the cover, I used the Fancy Phraes set combined with one of the Spellbinder's Fancy Tags.

 

  In this photo, you can see the 4"notecards and matching envelopes tucked away in their little holders!  :-)



For my little notecards, I used the Faux Fun Circles combined with the Victorian Alphabet (and some K & Co. patterned paper).  I just love how the Victorian Alphabet lends itself to simple and elegant monogram projects!

For my next project, I created a little heart shaped goodie box...perfect to give away to that someone special!

I started by stamping the large heart from the Seasons of Love set and then adding one of the coordinating sentiments (also included in the Seasons of Love set).  Using my Heart Nestabilities, I not only cut out the stamped image...but created the larger heart shape of the box!

In this top view, you can see all the goodies I stuffed into the heart box!  Yummmm!

Okay, I've been waiting patiently to SHOW you just what I love about the Grand Calibur so much!!!  If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, then you surely know HOW much I love my Spellbinders dies!!  I mean, there is hardly ever a card or project I don't use them on!  LOVE them!! 

Because I use my Spellbinders so much, I spend a lot of time at my die cutting machine...cutting...embossing...and repeating!  LOL!  Two things struck me right away about the Grand Calibur and I wanted to go shout it on the rooftops how wonderful this machine is!!  First off, even though this machine is created for the new Grands dies it also works with my beloved Nestabilities!!  Not only that, but you can fit a TON of them on the cutting plate!!!  (Insert me doing a happy dance here!)  You can see by the picture above that there is still a lot of room left...and I used the largest heart dies! 

 Secondly, I adore the design of the new cutting plates!!  There is just one base plate (and all the plates are very clearly marked) that you place your dies cutting side up.  Then, to cut you use the cutting plate.  Then...GET THIS...you don't have to move your dies!!  They stay right there on the base plate.  To emboss, all you have to do is place the included tan embossing plate over the dies and then add the pink embossing plate on top (see photo below)!!

I have to tell you, I have been spending a LOT less time in front of the die machine with this baby!  I can cut all of my die cut pieces in one swipe!  Happy sigh...

 

So, do you want to know how I made my little heart box?  Here's some instructions and some photos to show you how I did it.  :-)

 

To start, you'll need two scalloped heart die cuts (I used the largest scallop heart die) and a piece of cardstock measuring 2" x 6".

Score the piece of cardstock at 1/4" on both long sides and then fold in half as show in the photo above.

Next, cut little slits on both of the long ends.  This will help it fold around the heart shape better.  :-)

For the last step, add some strong adhesive to the backs of the heart die cuts like shown above.  Then place the strip of cardstock in a sort of V shape onto one of the heart shapes.  Then repeat with the second heart.  Voila!  A fun little heart box to fill with something special!  :-)

So, are you ready to hear about all of the fantastic prizes?  One lucky customer who places an order between Friday the 21st and Sunday the 23rd will be randomly choses to win their ENTIRE shopping basket for FREE!!!!  Wooohoooo!!!!

That's not all though!  Leave a little comment love on the DT posts and you could win a Waltzingmouse stamp set of your choice!! 

Before I go, I will leave you with the links to the other DT ladies that have some fantastic projects for you to see:  Belinda, Claire, Jennifer, Lynn, & Sandie!

Have a great day!  Hugs, Laurie