April SOAP - Day 4 - Happy Birthday Balloons

Today is the April Waltzingmouse SOAP Day 4! In case you missed my post from the other two days, you may remember that Claire, Owner/Designer of Waltzingmouse Stamps announced that she will be releasing new sets every other month which we will be referring to as SOAP, otherwise known as Stamps Of Approval Parade. For the last day of the SOAP event, we are re-visiting an old friend - Spring Baskets. We also have some new team members to introduce so be sure to give them a friendly welcome! :)

For my card today, I opted to use the egg image to create balloons. The shape is so simple and makes for a grand birthday card as well as Easter cards. ;-)

I think I've mentioned before my family isn't into Easter. I remember dying eggs as a kid once and then my mom promptly left those eggs on top of the car on our way to church. Yeah... That might explain why you see no Easter cards, layouts from me. :)

Be sure to check out the wonderful DT's blog and the new ladies as well! ;-)

• Anya Schrier
• Belinda Chang Langner  -- You're here right now! :-)
• Bonnie Sharp
• Claire Brennan
• Jennifer Holmes
• Julia Aston
• Kate Whelan
• Laurie Schmidlin
• Lynn Mercurio
• Mona Pendleton
• Niki Estes
• Sandie Dunne
• Sarah Martina Parker
• Tosha Leyendekker

We hope that you have enjoyed, and have been inspired, the past few days from our Stamp of Approval Parade; highlighting last month’s sets and our beloved Spring Baskets set. Now it’s time for you to get your craftiness on as we invite you to participate in a CASE (Copy and Share Everything) competition.

Find a card or project from any of the projects posted over the past few days by the WMS Design Team, CASE that project using Waltzingmouse Stamp images, and link it using the Inlinkz on Claire’s blog. At the end of the competition, one project will be randomly selected to be highlighted with a Parade of its own on several of the Design Team blogs.

We hope you will enjoy this competition and that it will inspire you be creative. You have one week to complete and link your project as the competition will close at 8:00 AM Claire’s time on April 10th, which is 3 AM Eastern, 2 AM Central and Midnight, Pacific time. The winner will be announced on Claire’s blog on April 11th.

April SOAP - Day 2 - Sunshine

You may remember that Waltzingmouse Stamps’ own Claire Brennan announced that WMS will be releasing new sets every other month. Well, that doesn’t mean that the WMS Design Team is going to leave you high and dry for the “off” months…no way! In the next few days, Waltzingmouse Stamps is having a Stamp of Approval Parade, or SOAP for short. In case you missed Day 1, be sure to go check out everyone's lovely creations!

We'll be highlighting last month’s new release sets for the next three days. We'll have a fun little post for you on the fourth day as well. And keep your eyes peeled for some fun chances to participate in the fun (and perhaps win a fun prize!)

It's snowing here in Pittsburgh. Yes snowing.
Earlier this week I was in the Northeast.
With fears of a Nor'easter.
(Oh boy did I change my flight so fast when I heard that)

Rain or shine, snow or sleet, I was not about to spend my weekend in New England.
Especially since I still have 2 SOAP projects to complete...
Ah, procrastination.

So I figured a little sun could cheer us all up today!.

Today I decided to showcase how you can use Bitty Banners to create a fabulous sun image that can be used on your cards or any paper crafting project of our choice. :)  I stamped two different banners in two different colors and glued them to a felt circle. I adhered some vellum behind it for a fun whimsical look.

Just in case you're wondering, I did manage to get out in time. :)
And I got to spend Friday watching the snow flurries fall from my window at work.
But "spring" will come soon, right?

Be sure to check out everyone's lovely creations!

• Anya Schrier
• Belinda Chang Langner  -- You're here right now! :-)
• Bonnie Sharp
• Claire Brennan
• Jennifer Holmes
• Julia Aston
• Laurie Schmidlin
• Lynn Mercurio
• Mona Pendleton
• Sandie Dunne
• Sarah Martina Parker

April SOAP - Day 1 - Yee Haw!

You may remember that Waltzingmouse Stamps’ own Claire Brennan announced that WMS will be releasing new sets every other month. Well, that doesn’t mean that the WMS Design Team is going to leave you high and dry for the “off” months…no way! In the next few days, Waltzingmouse Stamps is having a Stamp of Approval Parade, or SOAP for short.

(For the CS dorks, everytime I see SOAP, I think of web services, xml and all that fun stuff.. For the non-CS dorks, just be glad you have no idea what I'm talking about)

We'll be highlighting last month’s new release sets for the next three days. We'll have a fun little post for you on the fourth day as well. And keep your eyes peeled for some fun chances to participate in the fun (and perhaps win a fun prize!)

So let's get started shall we? What better way to kick off the April SOAP event than with a "Yee Haw" layout?

I've dug up a lot of old college photos.
I miss college. Lots.

I was going to say I don't miss the late nights.
But who am I kidding?
I've been up late every night this week and the week before that and the week before that...
(No such thing as learning through osmosis)

Maybe I should restate that as I miss my college friends. Lots.
But photos of them make me happy. :)

When I saw Back in the Saddle, I knew I was going to scrap this photo. Never thought you'd see a Western set on a pink layout, did ya? ;-)

I think I use almost all the sets on this little layout. Can you spot them all?
The woodgrain from Way Out West is embossed with clear EP on kraft.
Bitty Banners is used for the polka dot pattern.
And of course, I couldn't resist using the lovely Very Vintage Labels No 18.

Hanging out with my friends makes me happy.

Scrapping those events makes me go "yee haw"!
And these ladies have fabulous projects that will make you go "yee haw" as well. Be sure to stop by all the blogs!

• Anya Schrier
• Belinda Chang Langner  -- You're here right now! :-)
• Bonnie Sharp
• Claire Brennan
• Jennifer Holmes
• Julia Aston
• Laurie Schmidlin
• Lynn Mercurio
• Mona Pendleton
• Sandie Dunne
• Sarah Martina Parker

Stamps: (Back in the Saddle, Way Out West, Bitty Banners, Very Vintage Labels No 18) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Embossing Powder: Ranger
Ink: Versamark, Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink
Tools: (circle punches) EK Success, (scallop border) Fiskars, (Labels 18) Spellbinders

A Bright Birthday

I've lived in Pittsburgh for 2 years.
More if you count my college years.

However, I can only drive to three places
1. Trader Joes
2. Anthropologie
3. The local stamp store

Everyplace else... well, the husband drives me to.
I'm not even convinced I know how to drive to my office.
(But I'm a big believer in public transit so I take the bus)

We own no GPS device.
I swear, we're like the only people not to own one...
Because my husband thinks its a silly device.
However, it sucks when I don't have a husband to drive me somewhere.

Like when I find myself in the Northeast.
Normally I rent one with my rental car.
But when I landed at 1am yesterday, I was too tired to care.
Then I got lost...
Lost on my way to the hotel.
Lost on my way to the client site.
Lost on my way to CVS.
(Because I forgot my prescription at home... but that's a whole other story)

I'm at my wit's end - I've begun looking for cheap GPS devices. 

Despite my husband making fun of me.

Yes, I'm directionally challenged.
And it does not help when the streets are not signed!
Darn Northeast!

In fact, I've been so tired that when my small-handed friend told me she saw this little card the other day, I forgot it was one I had created.
"Oooh, sounds cute" is what I said.
Ai yi yi!

It's pretty simple.
Just the fabulous music background set from WMS and with a little happy birthday sentiment.
And a feltie ice cream that I'd been hoarding forever.

It's good not to hoard.
And it's good to be bright.
Vellum does certainly help tone it down a bit as well. :)

Wishing you all a day without getting lost and a happy bright day.
Two of my favorite things. :-)

Just the Two of Us

I will admit it.
My biological clock isn't ticking yet.
At least not loud enough to annoy me.

I think newborns look like aliens.
Yes, I tell the mother that the kid is adorable.
(Secretly, I think newborns have a face only a mother could love.)

When the kid hits 6 months, they're pretty cute.
As long as they're not in the middle of code brown or even worse, code puke green
(Blech...)
And then they hit the toddler years...
and I'd prefer they keep their sticky, germy hands to themselves.

I apologize now to the two hopeful mothers I know that would like to become a grandmother.
And a super hopeful dad who has started to stock pile baby things in our basement...
Much to my surprise...

I actually have half an inkling to adopt.
But I know there are trials with adoption.
And I'm not sure my hubs is as willing to adopt as I am.

Who knows...

Maybe one day we'll feel compelled to have a little one add to the numbers.

But either way, I'm happy with just the hubs and me.

So this layout came together pretty quickly. Actually, I've had the layout done for awhile.
I just put the journaling off for awhile.

Steph recently asked me about mists.
That reminded me that I had this layout sitting around waiting to be completed.
I used my mists for the paint splatters and I misted my kraft clouds.

Love me some mists.
But I'm also very controlling about where things are allowed to be.
So mists are used in moderation and very very carefully in my house.

I'm also 1/2 scared I'm going to stain the carpet.
Which could be enough to make the "two of us" become just me.
And that would be very very bad.

They sell special mist boxes but that seems like a waste of money.

Money that could go towards my imaginary DSLR and lenses.

I mist inside a box that some scrap supplies came in.
I've also lined that box with some scrap packing paper.
Just in case...

Thanks for stopping by!



(Most supplies from Studio Calico Candy Shoppe Kit)

Stamps: (lines on cloud from Free Spirit) Waltzingmouse Stamps

Ink: (white snow) Papertrey Ink

Cardstock: (white) Bazzill, (kraft) Papertrey Ink
Patterned Paper: (orange hexagon, blue) Basic Grey, (rainbow) Crate Paper, (light blue) Little Yellow Bicycle
Stickers: (labels, sweetheart, red grid, scallop border) Crate Paper, (letters) American Crafts
Accents: (stick pins) JBS, (gems) My Mind's Eye
Tools: (cloud dies) Papertrey Ink

Close To You

I started to feel like all my layouts looked the same.
Not that it's bad.
It's not like when I look back on my layouts 10 years from now,
I'm gonna say "Self, that's the same darn layout with different papers."
No, I'll probably be like, "Self, why do I look so decrepit now?"

It's just fun to try something different.
And there was a challenge issued.
So I decided to stray from my "one photo with some paper piercing" layouts.

And then quickly realize that it was a bad bad idea
It's like the time I decided I wanted bangs.
Bad bad idea.
(Although I'm currently contemplating bangs again... Do I ever learn?)

I thought about just shuffling it into my album for just me to see.
But it's no fun if I don't share it.

I was going for the graphic look.
A modern look....

However...
I feel like it looks like a really bad 90's advertisement.

Just replace the text with "Buy your girl some bling!"

Maybe this is just my subconscious wanting more bling...

After consulting with Carrie, I decided maybe it was the swirly gems.
But it's too late to remove that.
So eh!

I had to use my bling though.
I always buy these swirly gems because they look so pretty in the package.
And yet when I bring them home, I have no idea what to do with it.

I also LOVE having someone who will give me feedback.
Sometimes when you think something is wrong, it helps to have someone tell you that you're on crack or tell you how to fix it.
I love when someone is brutally honest with me.

You can see that I did fiddle with a few things.
Which you can tell if you look carefully. I did not retake my closeup shots. :)
It's like playing the What's Different game in Highlights.
I loved that magazine as a kid.

I also weakened my center alignment a bit.
I felt like that gave me less of a "calculated" look and more of a "scrappy" look.

So this look is not me.
Whatever this "look" might be.
But you never know until you try.
And at the end of the day, it's all about the memories.

Thanks for stopping by!



Patterned Paper: Crate Paper, Papertrey Ink, My Mind's Eye
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink
Sticker: (SC Candy Shoppe Kit) Crate Paper, (letters) Sassafrass
Accents: (gem swirls) Zva, (gems) Hero Arts
Font: (Veteran Typewriter) DaFont

Start Being Awesome!

I like to believe I'm always right.
Just ask my husband.
And usually I am. :-)

I just can't tell everyone else that point blank.
But I can tell my friends and family about how right I am.
So I apologize to W, Laurie, my small-handed friend, and my brother for talking their ears off.
If you don't want me to talk your ear off, don't call me this week. :-P

My poor, poor husband had to listen to me rant about Knuth for the last few days.
And if you have no idea who that is, I'm pretty sure your life is much better for it.
(Let me also say that I totally respect the guy. He's brilliant)

Although I have to admit, it was nice to rant about something other than the state of this country.
Not reading the news and watching the Daily Show for a few days will do that to you.
(Ah, Wisconsin... you will surely be back in my rants tomorrow. I apologize for not giving you some loving the last few days)

So after a horrible, no good, totally bad moment,

I was feeling a bit sad. 

What do I do when I'm sad?

I play with paper and glue. 

It's not perfect. I didn't spend that much time on the layout.
But it was great therapy. Cheap therapy too!

When I was feeling a bit sad, I remembered one of my favorite quotes from How I Met Your Mother.
Barney wisely states "When I get sad, I stop being sad, and start being awesome instead".
(I suspect there might be some more Barney quote in my layouts soon... because he's *awesome* )

Now say awesome in a sing-song voice. I'm *awesome!*
Now doesn't that feel much better?

Well, fine, it made me feel better. :-)

If saying it in a sing-song voice doesn't work, try saying it with some jazz hands as well.
*Awesome!*
*jazz hands*
:-)

Ok, I'm easily amused...

I know I'm right.
Even my brother agrees with me, then you know I'm right.
He's one of the smartest people I know.

And I don't say that because he's my brother.
We spent our entire childhood disagreeing-- mainly because I would steal his Barney puppet.
But that's not the point...

I say it because I don't know how he managed to pick up the smart genes.
I came first! I should have had the first pick of the good genes!

Well, I think you're sick of hearing how "right" I am.
So I'll stop before I lose my blog readership.

Thanks for stopping by!
And remember, be *awesome!*
*Jazz hands!*


Most supplies from the Studio Calico Feb Kit, Candy Shoppe
Cardstock: (kraft) Papertrey Ink
Patterned Paper: (red polka dot) Crate Paper, (blue grid) Basic Grey, (red grid) Papertrey Ink
Accents: (ribbon rub-on) Studio Calico, (chipboard stars, buttons) JBS
Fibers: (twine) May Arts
Tools: (paper piercer) Making Memories, (1 inch circle punch) EK Success, (circle cutter) EK Success, (pinkered edge scissors) Provo Craft