Waltzingmouse Christmas Challenge .....

.... Good morning.  Many of you know that for the last couple of years Lynn Mercurio has organised the Waltzingmouse Christmas Challenge each month and I've always tried to play along.  It's been a wonderful way to build up your supply of Christmas cards and not have to rush at the end of the year.

The challenge is back again this year, but there are a few changes - the main one is that there will be a different host each month.  Anya Schrier is our host for January.  Not only has she provided a sketch for us to play with this month, but she has designed the new WMSCCC logo - don't you love the plaid background?

In order to make enough cards for December - I plan to make at least three cards (same design) for each challenge and as soon as I saw Anya's sketch I knew which set of dies I'd be using!!!  Here are my cards:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Yonder Star Background, Nutcracker Sweet, Woodgrain, Compliments of the Season II
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Island Indigo, Melon Mambo; Memento - Tuxedo Black, London Fog
Dies: Spellbinders - Reverse Wonky Rectangles (S4-307) #5; Opera Tags (WMS-DT-1)
Accessories: SU Card - Island Indigo; SU Ribbon - Melon Mambo; Promarkers - Marine, Magenta, Ice Grey 1 - 5, Satin, Blush; Cuttlebug EF - Christmas Stars, Snowflakes, Ice Crystals; White Lustre card and organza ribbon from stash

I've combined the Christmas card challenge with this week's colour challenge at Dynamic Duos - DD34 where they have the bold and sassy combination of Melon Mambo and Island Indigo.   I started by stamping the sweet Nutcracker Prince onto white card and colouring him with Promarkers - using Magenta (Melon Mambo) and Marine (Island Indigo) and shades of grey, and then fussy cutting him out!  I made the background panels by stamping Yonder Star background on the bottom of each panel in London Fog and then embossed the top of the panel - each with a different folder.  I completed the panel with some Melon Mambo grosgrain ribbon and adhered to the card with dimensional tape.  Here are photos of the individual cards - on which you can see the different embossed tops!

Using the Reverse Wonky die (matches the shape in Anya's sketch) I cut out a backing panel in Island Indigo and attached this to the card.  Next I cut out a fancy Opera Tag and while in the die, sponged on some Melon Mambo ink.  I attached the Nutcracker Prince to the tag and then added some organza ribbon and twine.  I used some dimensional tape at the top of the tag and glue at the bottom, so the tag has a bit of depth at the top.  I finished off with a simple sentiment - using the woodgrain banner and over stamping with the sentiment.  One of the things I really like about clear stamps is that they can be curved to fit!

I finished off the cards by decorating the inside.  I kept it really simple with a Melon Mambo mat and white panel onto which I stamped a simple greeting.

That's all for now - I know we've just finished Christmas, but I am so pleased that I've made a start on this year's collection.  You should have seen me last year - rushing like mad to make enough cards to send out.  That's so not happening to me this year!!!

So you want to get a head start on this year's cards - here are the general guidelines about the challenge

"Here are a few basic guidelines for the monthly Waltzingmouse Stamps Christmas Card Challenge:

• A new challenge will be issued on the 10th of each month in the Playroom Forum.
• Each card must contain some Waltzingmouse Stamps’ images but need not be exclusively WMS images.
• Once you have created your project, upload it to the 2013 WMSCCC gallery - and if you have a blog, we would love for you to post it there too!
• Feel free to grab the WMS Christmas Card Logo for your blog sidebar and/or your blog post if you are so inclined.
• You may make as many projects as you like for each challenge. We encourage you to make batches of cards since our end goal is to have enough hand-made Christmas cards for each person on our “list”.
• You may play along when and if you want – make it suit your schedule. For example, challenge cards for January may be uploaded anytime in January or in June or even September...whenever you have them completed. There is no monthly deadline."

You can click here to read Lynn's post.  Looking forward to seeing your cards.

Spring cleaning ....

.... Hi all - this post is very late in the day :)  I mentioned on Monday that I had quite a lot to catch up on - I've made progress.  I took down our Christmas tree, decorations and cards.  The trees and decs are in the basement ready for later this year.  However, the house does look a bit bare now!  I had a lovely time going through all the beautiful handmade Christmas cards I received.  I decided to take a photo to share with you all - you'll recognise some of them:

Kathryn made the big snowflake card in the middle.  They are all just lovely - thank you all.

I've even made a start on my spring cleaning - not the house, just my craft room!  I can see the carpet - first time for ages!!!  I've had a thorough sort through my stash - so much stuff - and the art teacher at Kathryn's school will be getting a donation of card, old stamps, and some other stash that I'm not going to use in the near future (or distant for that matter)!!   I took a few photos to show that my room can look tidy!!

I am so lucky to have such a large bright room for my craft room - but as we're renting this place I can't make any structural changes - you know like built in cabinets, etc!!!

I've had to adapt the books shelves that the landlords left and mix them with our furniture.  The did have this one little shelf on the wall - just right to store some of my Martha Stewart punches - so easy to reach!!






You know those plastic boxes that you get take-away Chinese or Indian meals in - well I've made good use of the ones that I collected.  After VERY careful washing - they're great for storing all types of embellishments.

I store all my stamps - both clear and wood mounted - in these Really Useful boxes - it's amazing just how many stamps can be stored in each box, particularly clear stamps!!!

Now, if I could only keep it looking like this!!  I always start out with good intentions, but I sometimes leave out stamps as I move onto a new project and then they move to the floor - you know!!

Anyway, that's all for now - see you tomorrow!

Soft shades birthday ....

... Good morning all - we're finally back to our usual routine here at Chez Frings!  Jonathan has returned to work and Kathryn to school, which leaves me at home.  Now, I've had a very restful couple of weeks and have lots of house "stuff" to catch up on - you know, washing, ironing, tidying etc - so I might not be around quite as much as I'd like, but then again!!! :)

Here's a card that I made yesterday afternoon while Jonathan had a photo shoot and Kathryn chilled.  It's based around a couple of challenges:

• Colour Throwdown - CTD223
• Freshly Made Sketches - FMS67

Stamps:  Hero Arts - Curly Flowers; Stampin' Up! - Itty Bitty Banners; Hot off the Press - Stitches
Inks: SU - Soft Suede
Dies: SU/Sizzix - Framlits - Bitty Banners
Accessories:  Papermania DP - Olivine Essence Creative Tones; SU DP - Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, SU Card - Crumb Cake; Promarkers - Lime Zest, Marsh Green

The card is made from SU Crumb Cake, on to which I adhered SU design paper in Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake.  I added faux stitching all round the card (still don't have my sewing machine set up).  I cut the horizontal panel from some Papermania design paper and attached a lace trim.  I attached it to the card and over stamped more faux stitching.  I the flowers were stamped directly on the card base and again on some scrap which I coloured and then cut out.  I stamped a simple birthday sentiment, die cut and attached with dimensional tape. I finished off with some gems for sparkle.  Here's a close up of the flowers.



That's all for today - have a good one!!

CR84FN69 - Thank You ....

..... Hi, it's week two for CR84FN69 with our lovely colours of raspberry, lavender and a neutral.  I almost didn't make this card - we've had a long holiday and I completely lost track of time!!  After Christmas and the New Year, we all need Thank You cards, so that's what I've made.

Stamps:  CAS-ual Friday - Truth Is, Big Thanks
Inks: Distress - Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Pinking Circles Sm (S4-172) #5
Accessories: Papermania DP - Creative Tones Raspberry; Staedler - Aquarelle Pencils; Organza ribbon and card from stash

This card came together really quickly.  Some pretty paper for the background, a simple square of raspberry card onto which I stamped thank you around the edges and the main focal image of pretty flowers.  I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the sentiments.  I stamped the flowers onto white card, cut them out with the pinking circle and inked the edges while in the die.  I coloured the flowers with my Aquarelle pencils and adhered them with dimensional tape.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

• Mojo Monday - MOJO274
• CASology - CAS25 where the cue word is NEW
• CAS-ual Fridays - CFC84 - where the team would like us to make thank you cards

You might be wondering how this fits with the CASology cue word NEW - well the stamps I used are new and just lovely too!  And I've obviously gone for the square sketch from Mojo Monday!!  Here's a close up of the pretty flowers - so pleased how they turned out!

For more inspiration with our fabulous colours from the team - click on the links in my sidebar or visit the CR84FN blog.  Before I go I must welcome Lisa Snowdy of Adventures in Paperland as our Guest Designer for January - so glad to have you join the team.

That's all for now - looking forward to seeing more of your lovely projects with these fab colours!!  See you soon.

Black, white and a dash of something ....

... the challenge over at Less is More - LIM101 this week is a colour challenge.  The ladies have picked

BLACK & WHITE with a dash of ANY other COLOUR

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Carry On (Hostess set); PTI - Scattered Showers, Scattered Showers Additions
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark; Memento - London Fog, Tuxedo Black, LadyBug Pen
Dies: PTI - Scattered Showers Dies, Canvas & Linen Impression Plate; Spellbinders - Rectangles Lg (S4-132) #3
Accessories: Card and gems from stash

There really is only a dash of colour on my card - and you have to look closely!!  I knew that I wanted to use the "Keep Calm and Carry On" sentiment so I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and embossed with white powder and then cut it out with a rectangular Spellbinder die.  I cut a black mat and white mat - embossing the white with my new linen impression plate.  Using the second impression of London Fog, I stamped some raindrops across the top of the panel.  I cut out the umbrella shape and stamped the solid black umbrella top in Versafine and embossed with clear powder, then I coloured the stitched line with red and added a couple of red gems.


When it's wet and grey and cold you need to keep calm and carry on, and on the inside of the card I stamped a fun sentiment to go with the umbrella image.



That's all for now - I'll be back tomorrow with my second card for CR84FN69!  See you then.

Waltzingmouse Secret Santa ....

.... I was lucky enough to join in with the Waltzingmouse Holiday Card Exchange organised and coordinated by Cathy Weber of Empty Nest Crafter.  Like me, Cathy is a fan of Waltzingmouse Stamps and she did a great job organising this for us all.

Here's my Secret Santa card.  I made this for Tara Cardwell (Craftilicious).

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Ornate Ornaments, Yonder Star, Vintage Ornaments, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Compliments of the Season, Bright Season, Seasons of Love - Tags, Very Vintage Christmas, Flourishes - Scallops & Dots
Inks: Distress - Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves; Versamark; Memento - London Fog, Teal Zeal
Dies: Spellbinders - 2010 Heirloom Ornaments (S4-283) #5, 2011 Heirloom Ornaments (S4-234) #4, 2012 Heirloom Ornaments (S5-116) #4
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder; Silver Embossing Powder, Lace Ribbon from stash

I just love the Ornate Ornaments that Claire released this year and I wanted to use them all on a card - so this is a big card - 10" × 7".  I stamped each of the baubles in Versamark, embossed them with Silver powder and then cut them out with the coordinating dies.  I coloured each ornament using my Aqua pen and  Distress inks, in shades of teal and purple.  Teal is Tara's favourite colour.  I stamped several flourishes in Versamark on the card base and embossed them with clear powder, then I shaded with distress inks.  Next I randomly stamped a variety of snowflakes all over the card base.  I added some gems to the central ornament and finished off with a lace bow.

I took several photos of the card to try and capture the shine from the embossing and the depth of colour in the painting.  The main photo really shows the colour, but the small photo captures the silver shine! On the inside I stamped the lovely poem from Twas the Night Before Christmas.

The layout is based on the sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch - CTS9.  I've also CASEd a card that I made two years ago for my Mum - similar colours and using ornaments too.

I received a stunning card in red and white, with a wonderful red embossed label and delicate snowflake flourishes from Marybeth Lopez - here it is:

Thanks so much Marybeth - so pleased to have one of your fabulous cards!


That's all for now - I'm off to check out all the cards in the Waltzingmouse Holiday Card Exhcnage.  See you soon.

Favourite Five of 2012 ....

.....  This time last year I joined in with Debby from A Scrapjourney in picking my favourite cards for 2011, Debby is doing the same again this year - My Favourite Five of 2012.  I seem to remember that it was very tough picking only five cards last year - it's just as hard this year, if not harder!!!

Here are my Five Favourite Cards of 2012 - I could have picked more!!!

My first card is the one I made just over a week ago - it's Ben's Christmas card.  Ben likes cards with lots of layers and details - he was really pleased with this one.  And I was delighted to find that I'd been selected as a Top Mouse with this card.  Full details here.

My second card was made for Jonathan.  I've mentioned a few times that Jonathan's hobby is photography and I made this for him when he went to Las Vagas in October.  Jonathan took lots of lovely photos - which I will scrap this year.  I had lots of fun making this card - full details here.

My third card was one of the quickest I made in 2012!  I saw a card by Michelle Bala that I really liked and I had to CASE it!  It took 30 minutes to make it!  I like the contrast between Michelle's bright and vibrant Christmas card and my pastel thanks card - full details here.

My fourth card is another that I made for Ben - this one was made in September when Ben started his A level courses at college.  I had such fun making this one - full details here.

My final card, and my absolute favourite of 2012 was made for the Play Date Cafe Challenge - PDC154.  It was their third anniversary challenge and I won!!!  I was thrilled to bits!  Full details of this card can be found here.

It's been lots of fun reviewing the cards I made last year.  I tend towards clean and simple when making cards.  But I also like to try out different techniques and styles and this year my favourites are definitely rather more than less!!!  That's all for now.  I intend spending the next couple of days in my craft room tidying up and sorting out my new goodies - got lots for Christmas.  See you tomorrow.

End of a chapter ....

.... Afternoon!!  Kathryn and Jonathan are on holiday until next Monday - so we are enjoying a long holiday.   We went out this morning to get Kathryn her Christmas present - a mobile phone.  She's thrilled to bits with it and it will be so much easier to keep in touch with her.  This afternoon I've managed to get some time in my craft room while Kathryn catches up with a TV series she likes and Jonathan has a photo shoot.

When we got back earlier this week I was delighted to find that the Christmas card I made for Ben - Follow Yonder Star - had been picked as one of the Top Mice for WMSC128.  Then as I read further down the post I saw that the current Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - WMSC129 is the last one!!  Sob!!!   I think this was one of the first challenges I played along with and I ALWAYS check this blog first on a Saturday morning.  I shall miss the challenge, but look forward to seeing what Claire and her team have in store for us in 2013.  Thank you ladies - it's been fun!!

I had to make a card using my favourite Waltzingmouse set - Free Spirit Boy, and I see that I'm not the only one!  I used an old Colour Q palette - cQc90.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Free Spirit Boy, Playful Pinwheels, Off Beat Backgrounds
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Bashful Blue, Tempting Turquoise, Poppy Parade; Memento - Danube Blue; Versamark
Dies: Spellbinders - Grommet Tags (S4-322)
Accessories: Red ribbon from stash, Clear Embossing powder; White card from stash

I think the chevron stamp is also a favourite - from the top I stamped in Danube Blue, Tempting Turquoise and Bashful Blue and added the bright red ribbon above.  I stamped the circles onto white card, inking up with Versamark and then Danube Blue and heat embossing with clear powder.  I cut it out and adhered it to the card with dimensional tape.  I finished off with a fun and positive sentiment from Playful Pinwheels - stamped in red and coloured with Bashful Blue while in the die.  I added a couple of silver brads and attached to the card with dimensional tape.  I think this card will go into my stash for the moment, but it's likely to go to Ben.

That's all for now - once again - thanks to Claire and her entire team for such a super sketch challenge.  See you soon.

Join me for a cuppa ....

.....  I didn't expect to get chance to make a card today, but I was ahead of myself and finished getting ready for the Open House, do decided to play along with a couple of challenges:

• Play Date Cafe Challenge - PDCC162
• Less is More - LIM99 - where the recipe is to make a card featuring drinks

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Afternoon Tea Senitments; CAS-ual Friday Stamps - Countdown
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Pool Party, Island Indigo, Wisteria Wonder
Dies: Spellbinders - Labels 24 (S4-353) #3
Accessories:  SU Card - Wisteria Wonder; SU/Sizzix EF - Fancy Fan; Gold paper and card from stash

I thought I'd make a card to welcome in the New Year - I was going to go for a glass of wine but couldn't find a stamp, so thought a cup of tea would be nice too!  At our Open House party tea and coffee is just as popular as the hard stuff :)  I made the base from SU Wisteria Wonder.  I cut a layer in matte gold.  On the white panel I stamped a couple of sentiments along the border and a pretty trellis pattern in the centre.  I cut a fancy shape onto which I mounted my simple white china cup of tea!    I suspect that there is not enough white space to satisfy Chrissie, Jen and Mandi - but I'm submitting it anyway!!

That really is all for today - off to have a Bucks Fizz and cheer in the New Year!  Have a good one!

Happy New Year ....

...  Good morning from a cold and snowy Northville.  I'd like to wish all my crafting buddies a very Happy New Year.

 I took this photo of the GM building in Detroit in November 2011 

We had a fabulous trip to the UK for Christmas with our families.  It was so nice to see everyone and spend time together - lots of laughter, fun and games.  We got home on 30th December; it was a good trip and we've adjusted back to US time quite quickly.

Our first big job on returning home was to remove all the snow that was piled on the drive and path.  I can tell you that you don't need to visit a gym if you do this often :))  We are now ready for our annual "Open House" celebration; a casual, relaxed party with friends and neighbours.  It's something we've done in the UK for several years and thought it would be a nice tradition to continue in the US.

Wherever you are, whatever you are planning on doing - have a Happy, Healthy New Year.  I'll be back tomorrow with a card to share!  See you soon.