Magnolia-licious Shabby Chic Challenge...

Didn't January fly by quickly? It's hard to believe that we're into February already. And you know what that means? It's challenge time again at Magnolia-licious Highlites. This month Designer Patti Jo has offered us a gorgeous challenge - "Shabby Chic" - and if you have the Magnolia Vintage Keys die, throw that onto your card somewhere! Diana has great discount values on her dies at the present, so you want to head on over to her shop and get this die and any others you've been "die-ing" to have today! Sorry, just had to throw that in...

I have to admit that Shabby Chic is a style that I find difficult. It seems that I work better with a less cluttered style! So this was a HUGE challenge for me. I browsed tons of blogs to get some inspiration and finally found what I was looking for on this blog. Marianne's style is very shabby chic and I found lots of inspiration there. The style of my card is a CASE from her, but I changed the colors, images, sentiments and design elements.

So let's get going and have a look at what I made...

I hand crocheted around all the edges of my card and front panel. Below is a look at the card with the image panel out! I have used Spellbinders Large Circle die and Fancy Labels, and Large Scalloped dies to create my card and crocheted around the large circle which has a card stock backing. Then I cut another circle in half, crocheted around it and adhered it to the front, creating a pocket for the image panel. My sentiments are from AmyR Elegant Greetings. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the gingham bows are from SU (retired ribbon).

This sweet image is #3010 Daisy Tilda and she is currently out of stock! This collection has been wildly popular and images have flown off the shelves. I'm sure Diana will be restocking though so keep checking back with her.

Here is a close up of the coloring, the little bow with an antique type button tied with linen thread. The shading behind Tilda is done with Distress inks Weathered Wood and Tattered Rose.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit. It is always such fun to hear from everyone! I hope you'll take up the Shabby Chic Challenge and show us your "stuff". Can't wait to see what you create!

Blessings and hugs

Barb

Welcome New Baby...

I simply couldn't resist this precious image by Mo Manning. You can find this image and many others all beautifully drawn at Digital Pencil Too.

I knew what I wanted to do with this image, but it didn't come together as easily as I thought! I really struggled with the design elements. However in the end, I'm pleased with the outcome. Perhaps next week will have fewer distractions in it and my Mojo will flow much more easily.

I did a little (5.5") round Easel card...

I used some new digital paper I recently purchased from Nitwit Collections. It' so pretty and I can't wait to use some more of it...if I could just remember where I stored it!

Here's a close up of the baby...

Here is the card propped open...

The inside...

Thanks for dropping by for a visit...Be sure to come back later this week for my Magnolia-licious Highlites challenge card...see you then!

Blessing and Hugs,
Barb <><

Cheeky kids in Tilda Shirts...

I finally got some time to take pictures of the girls in their new shirts. I have used #259 Kneeling Tilda. I thought this image was perfect for the girls. Following my pictures is a copy of a post I found on I Like Markers blog. Her information is great....

AS always, Josslyn is wearing the green shirt and Brielle is in pink...

The following is a direct copy of what I found on her blog...

Copic On Fabric
People ask me frequently if you can use Copic markers on fabric. The answer is YES! They look great on fabric. A few things to consider:

1. Red inks will bleed when washed, so either use colors besides red (or brown since it has red in it) or only work on projects that won't be washed.

2. No need to heat-set, the markers are permanent

3. The markers will bleed out as you color with them since fabric is so absorbent. To avoid this just heat up the fabric before coloring and the alcohol will evaporate quicker, causing less bleed.

4. For a fine line you can use Copic Multiliners, however, those do need to be heat-set.

5. Don't airbrush on fabrics, since the dye doesn't soak down into the fibers enough.

6. ALWAYS work with scratch paper under your fabric.

When Stamping on Fabric to be colored with Copics:
Try using Brilliance Ink, Heat-set for best results. Sherrie Siemens has done many projects on fabric with Copic markers, so check out her blog for more examples.

Otherwise, enjoy playing with Copics on fabric! I have a couple pairs of jeans I've drawn on and I love how the markers look.The photo above is from a scrap of white cloth that dyed with Copic inks, then I went in with the colorless blender and added drops and swirls in for texture. I made this about 4 years ago, so I don't know what colors I used, regular cotton fabric (though any fabric works).

Nit Picking......

Since school began we have had a plague of head lice in our home. We've done everything we know how to rid the children of this besetting plague but have had no success. They've been sent home from school repeatedly and we've even gone to the doctor to get prescription shampoo. I've laundered bedding, clothing and sprayed everything they ever touch to no avail. Wednesday was the last straw! I even got a call from the Speech Therapist the girls see to tell me that they had nits in their hair. I declared war on head lice!

It's been nearly impossible to rid the girls of nits because their hair was so long and curly and really frayed on the ends. It became futile to even try using those blessed nit combs you get with the shampoo. So I took matter into my own hands...

We decided to cut their hair short so that removal of nits would be a simple task! Or so we thought! We took them to two hair cutting places and neither would accept them. They saw nits in their hair and sent us packing. So we brought them home, sat each one in the chair and I cut their hair short. Why, oh why did I struggle so long with this process. I wanted to keep their hair long for their mom, but it was a battle I simply wasn't winning, and I won't be outwitted by a brainless louse!

Here was our process....I cut their hair, we slathered their heads in mayonnaise and covered them with shower caps. They wore that for 2.5 hours. We shampooed their heads and then began the most tedious process of 'nit picking'! Finally after a couple of hours, Bill and I were worn to a frazzle and the girls were exhausted from standing. Jordan's hair was easy! I borrowed clippers from our neighbor and buzzed his hair.

Now, on top of all this work, I washed everything, and I mean everything, in a two hour sanitizer wash and put it through the dryer on Heavy Duty for several spins. Almost nothing has thread left to it.

Last night we sat them under my craft lights again and picked through their hair (the girls, not Jordan because he no longer has much hair). Actually I was quite pleased! Apparently we had done a wonderful job the night before and found only three nits on their hair.

I'm singing "Hallelujah" tonight for sure!!!

So I took some pictures of the "new" do's and they are so cute....

Our handsome dude has the longest eyelashes known to man kind, but a short "do".

This is "the pose"! Aren't these two the cheekiest pair?

But they can be angelic when they try very hard...

Josslyn and Brielle

You can see that Brielle is now 1" taller than Josslyn and weights 1 pound more~

"The Dude" loves his race cars.....

That's it for tonight! I'm almost finished coloring T-shirts for the girls and they will model them tomorrow and I'll post those pictures....

Blessings and hugs,
Barb <><

More Onsies....

I have had so much fun coloring on fabric. It's not easy to do and I've had one failure, which I'm currently working on to improve.

On none of these three Onsies did the colors run, but maybe a dot, but I'm trying to do some T-shirts for the girls and oh my word! The colors ran like wild pigs!!! I've soaked the bad area in Alcohol and it all came out. Great news! The Memento ink stays right in place.

Anyway, here are the three little Onsies all done up!

This particular Onsie is the very first one I did. I have used #339 Sleeping Baby Tilgla. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out.

Here is a close up view of how she is colored...

And last but not least, here are the two identical Onsies I've made for my friend who is having twins! I'm just thrilled that they turned out so well.

If I can figure out what to do about the bleeding of Copic into the fabric I will be doing a tutorial for you.

Thanks for dropping in to see my latest projects...

Blessings and hugs

Barb <><

Sweet Crazy Love Gate Fold Card

In keeping with my New Year's Resolution to try out some nifty folds, I've used a Gate Fold for this card, using my trusty Scor-Pal. Everything is marked for you on this awesome tool designed by our very own Diana Crick. It just can't get any easier than using the Scor-Pal. All the guess work is taken out of it. I actually made this card to enter in the January Blog Hop, but after purchasing the Onsie at Hobby Lobby, and deciding that I could stamp and color on fabric if I heat set it, I made the Onsie which is in my previous post...look for a tutorial which will be coming soon!

Here is what the front of my card looks like...

Here I've used some scrap DP from my stash and paired it will some Basic Black. This little cutie is #3022 Love Laces Shoes Tilda. She is available from Diana at the Magnolia-licious shop. All the images I've used here are currently available in standard size and Mini. AND they are on sale for a 17% discount! Now that's a great deal!

I've also used a JustRite "Stitched with Love" circular image and it's all colored with Faber Castell Pencils. I paper pieced Tilda's clothing to match the background paper. I also used a Doohickey Swirl Die which is also available from Diana. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the leaves are a Marianne Die.

Here is the card opening up...

The card opens up to reveal three key holes, made using Spellbinders Labels 21. In the center is #280 Tilda Loves Flowers. She is also colored with Faber Castell pencils. On the left I have paired the Magnolia Vintage Key with a computer generated sentiment. On the Right I cut a heart using Spellbinders Classic Heart die and added the little silver heart which is from the center of key. The key was cut from some shiny metallic silver cardstock. I just added a couple of "O" rings to make it into a little charm to hang from my ribbon.

Here is #280 Tilda Loves Flowers up close and personal. I have used Distress Inks tattered rose and weathered wood to shade around Tilda. I used Stardust Stickles along the hem of Tilda's dress and Glossy accents on her shoes. You can't even see the shine on her shoes in these pictures.

Thanks for dropping by...

Blessings and hugs,
Barb

Sweet Crazy Love Blog Hop....

Hi all! Here we go with our very first Blog Hop for 2012! I've seen the projects and I'm telling you these are all "over the top" GORGEOUS!

If you're starting the Blog Hop at my blog you need to go back to the beginning of the Hop, because you don't want to miss a single stop on this Hop. You can pick up the order at Magnolia-licious Highlites Challenge blog. If you've arrived here from Patti Jo's blog you're right on the money! From here you'll hop on over to the incredibly talented Janiel's blog. Put on your sunglasses gals, this hop is going to DAZZLE you and inspire you to try new techniques and projects...

I have made this project because I was inspired by a tutorial I saw earlier this week on Saturated Canary challenge blog. It was about how to print digital images and heat setting them on fabric, and I decided I could stamp an image on the fabric and color it using their techniques.

Many thanks to Paola, my BFF in South Africa for walking me through the process on Skype.

I'm pleased with the way it turned out. Actually I've made two of them, but this particular one is with the Sweet Crazy Love image #3084 Wild Thing Tilda. Diana is out of stock on this image right now (no wonder!) but she has a fabulous collection of this new collection in both the regular and Mini sizes. This collection is truly adorable and each image can be used for a number of different occasions. Many images are on sale over at the Magnolia-licious shop so please go and visit Diana and get your savings immediately!

So here's my project...I have made a Onsie. I stamped the image with Memento Ink and heat set it. Then I used my Copics to color in the image. When I was finished I heat set the image and headed to my sewing machine to add some lace to the neckline and three little pink gingham bows. In this first picture I have dressed my baby doll with the Onsie and used a wee teddy and small blanket for props....

Here is a closer look at the Onsie...the size is a little big for my 'baby', so I had to pull the fabric to the back. I will be making another Onsie identical to this one as these will be going to my friend who is expecting twin girls any day now!

Here's a very close look at how she colored up...

This photo shows the Onsie off the baby. You get a better view of the bows I sewed onto the sleeves from this one...

I always include a photo of my project on an angle. This is as close to an angle as the camera and lighting would allow...

I hope you've enjoyed visiting my blog on your hop today! Don't forget to head on over to Janiel's blog to see her stunning project!

Blessings and hugs...
Barb

Happy Birthday Card with Saturated Canary Image

Another week has gone by and it's been a very busy one. Today Josslyn is sick with some kind of a tummy bug and can't keep a thing down. She has slept most of the day and my wonderful hubby took Brielle to Burger King to play for a bit, which left me time to finish this card.

I was steered in the direction of Saturated Canary Challenge Blog by Pat Frank. Thank you so much honey for the push in that direction. They are having a DT call, and so I made this card for that, but I'm not going to enter after all. I really have so many irons in the fire right now that there's not the room for one more. I'll catch them on the next round. In the meantime, I've really enjoyed coloring this image. She is called Naveah. I believe I'll be going back grab some more of these adorable whimsical gals. I'm entering this card into the following challenge...

Dream Valley Challenges - Anything goes

So here's what I've been working on...

She is colored with Copic markers (listed below) and I used Distress Ink for the background. I made the charm with beads from my stash.

A closer look at how I colored her...

On the inside....

And the salutation panel...

A closer look at Naveah on the inside...

Here is my card recipe:

CS - Cryogen White, Bazzill white and Taken with Teal (SU)
DP - Melissa Frances 5th Avenue
Distress Inks - weathered wood and tattered rose
Spellbinders Labels 14
Copics - Skin: E0000,00,11 Chalk for cheeks;
Hair - E30, 31; Dress/Socks - BG 10, 72, 70, R81, 83, 85; C00, 01, Stickles; Shoes - E35, 34, 30
Sewing machine and thread
Tulle - stash
Pearls - stash
Sentiments - AmyR

I can't wait to get started on another card...my therapy!!!

I'll see you soon, thanks so much for dropin' by for a visit and sharing your time with me.

Blessings and hugs...
Barb