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).

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

Gingerbread isnt' just for Christmas....

Hello, hello, hello sweet friends! I'm glad that you've come back to visit my blog again. I have a new card using a Christmas Tilda but dressed her completely for Valentines. Since she is carrying a basket of hearts I thought a new outfit all in pink would be appropriate! On this card I've used #3067 Gingerbread Tilda from the Christmas 2010 Collection (she is currently available) and combined it with #636 Lace Banner from the Raising the Ceiling 2010 Collection (this image is no longer in stock). Diana over at Magnolia-licious has the best service anywhere and she is offering discounts and in-store credits to help keep your cost down.

Have you made any New Year's Resolutions? I don't normally do that, but this year I decided to give my attention to trying out different folded cards. Although this isn't my first card of the new year, it's my first Criss Cross card and I love how it turned out.

Here is my card - and there is no inside to this card except for the salutation panel which pulls out - well anyway - you'll see from the pictures below.

Doesn't this Tilda look delightful dressed in pink? Here's a closer look at miss Tilda...

I have used the Magnolia Heart Die for the upper part of my salutation panel. Here's what it looks like when you begin to pull it out....

Here is the panel completely removed sitting next to the card...

As you can see, I added a pocket to the salutation panel. I will be putting a gift card for Lowes into it, but for now I have used a Hobby Lobby gift card. Guess who this card will be for?

And as always, one must show an artistic view of your work...

Here are all the ingredients I used to make this card....

Cardstock - SU Cherry Cobbler
Designer paper - Making Memories Love Notes (last years stock)
Spellbinders - Classic Ovals Large and Scalloped
Magnolia Heart border die
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Ribbon and lace - stash
Pearls - stash
Heart pin - stash
Glimmer Mist - Pearl
Rhinestone Brad - SU (stash)
Baker's twine - stash
Distress Inks - weathered wood and tattered rose
Spica Pen - red
Sentiment - Whipper Snapper

Copics - Skin - E0000, 000, 00, 11, chalk for cheeks; Clothing/banner - R81, 83, 85, 0000; Hearts - R46, 14, 21; Shoes - E47, 23, 31; Basket - E35, Y26, 21; Hair C1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Well that's it for today. I love that you come by for a visit, and spread your love on my blog.

Blessings and hugs,
Barb

Let's Go To The Hop...

TGIF! We're almost at the weekend! Jordan started back to school yesterday and the girls go back to Parent's Day Out Tuesday next! Woooo Hoooooo!

I found a little time here and there to make another card. This one is a Maggie and she is #3019 Tilda Playing Hopscotch. She is available over at Magnolia-licious so you can order her right away. Diana has some fantastic sales and offers going on there so please be sure to check them out.

This card was fun to make. It just seemed to flow, though the inside upper panel is still unfinished at this point.

Here is my card front...

There is lots of stitching on this card and I used some older MME paper's that I've had in my stash. I also used some gauze, Vintage Lace die, Swirl die, flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and some SU ribbon and Spellbinders Labels to gussy up my card.

Here is a closer look at Tilda...



I took two pictures of the card from different angles...just a little different perspective...

On the inside of the card I did something a little different. I used Spellbinders Labels Twenty One with more Swirls, pearls, flowers and more gauze! I really like the way this card turned out. The flowers are sprayed with Pearl Glimmer mist and then a shot of spray on adhesive and a light dusting of glitter.

All I need to do with this card is finish the upper inside panel and we'll call it a day. I have already used the polk-a-dot dp on it, but it just needs a little something more...I'll fiddle with it tonight.

Here's a list of the Copics I used...Skin - E0000, 000, 00, 11, Chalk for cheeks; Hair E27, 30, 34; Dress/socks - B21, 93, 95, 97; Shoes - E47, 34, 31; Shadows - W00, 01, 3 and some Distress Inks behind Tilda - weathered wood and tattered roses.


Thank you everyone for being so faithful to my blog and leaving your wonderful comments. Our first week of 2012 is now behind us and we're looking forward to a VERY good year this year!

Blessings and hugs...
Barb

Magnolia Medley Collection Club

Have you heard the news? Oh my goodness! We have a new stamp club starting up at Magnolia-licious and it's fabulous!!! You can join for just pennies a month and get a 25% member discount on each new collection that is released! Ladies, this is just phenomenal savings on the images we all love so much. Here is the scoop right from Diana herself.....

"I am very excited to announce something we have been working on for sometime, the "Magnolia-licious Medley Collection Club". The cost is $15.00 a year, only $1.25 a month and the benefits are huge. This is purely to cover the administration cost of the Club. For every new Collection you can purchase a Medley of stamps, similar to the Magnolia Sweden kit but the stamps will be mounted on Ez-Mount. The Club Kit for this Crazy Love Collection contains 12 stamps and retails for $146.38. Your cost as a Club Member is 25% off, $109.79. You will receive special newsletters announcing what is going on at the Club such as special discounts, freebies, contests to name but a few. We have lots of fun planned for the coming year. I hope you will join us and become a Club member before the new year starts, I don't want you to miss out on the fun."

No repeated images from the Sweden club - exceptional value - and tons of fun in store. This is what we've all been waiting for. You want to check this out as soon as possible.

I hope you'll give this exception offer serious consideration! Come join in the fun and sign up soon...

Blessings and hugs
Barb

Hello blogging friends! I have one more card for your viewing pleasure. I have again used Faber Castell pencils, this one using Mummu from Mo's Digital Pencil. Her digi online shop is chocked full of beautifully drawn images. I hope you will pop over and take a look at all she has to offer.

This is not just a miniature Easel Card, it's also a drawer/box which I had a lot of trouble designing. Let's just say that math is not my strong suit and more paper than I'd like to admit went into file 13!!!

Here is a look at my shaped Easel Card Box...

Here is Mummu up close and personal...you might want to know why I gave Mummu a red petticoat. I needed to tie the color into my dp, but, I had in mind the red petticoat that Rhett Butler gave Mammy in "Gone with the Wind". Somehow I just had to give her a red petticoat and it matches the heart on her skirt.

Here is a side view of the box and you can see that I used a gold rhinestone with a red bead for the drawer pull. It was this box and drawer that gave me such fits. Sheesh! It should be much easier than I tried to make it!

There is a surprise to this box also. The sentiment panel swivels out of the way for a personal message to be written.

Supplies used:

Cardstock - SU Hunter Green, Bazzill White, Cryogen White,
Design Paper - Echo Park Times and Seasons
Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils
Distress Inks - Weathered Wood, Tattered Rose
Spellbinder Labels 14, Labels 21, Lattice Rectangles
Rhinestones - SU
Bead - stash
Sentiment - stash

Thank you for stopping by for a visit today. Your comments always lift my day.

Blessings and hugs
Barb

A little house cleaning in my craft room...

I have been a busy beaver lately. After a little chat time on Skype with my BFF Paola in South Africa, I was very motivated to do a little revamping of my crafting space. She has posted some pictures of her wonderful new craft studio and if you're interested in seeing it you can check it out here. Everything is rearranged but now I need to get into some of my drawers and start reorganizing the contents of those. Here are a few pictures of my rearranged space...

This is where I sit and watch TV and get creative. On the right hand side you can see I have moved my stacks of DVD cases holding all my Maggies.

Right behind where I sit is my sewing table. I can just wheel my chair around to my sewing machine and work on a sewing project or sew on a card...

To the right hand corner of the room I still have my shelves and ribbons hanging out, my computer and printer, a box of charms. I only lost one short shelf, but I've found good space for everything thing including my beading materials.

This is the door where you walk into my space and now the back table is cleaned off to make space for my cutter and die cutting machines. The CD's stacked on the right hand corner contain all my dies. The big cabinet has slide out shelves which store my punches and tons of stuff. I need to get into that cabinet yet and organize everything - another day perhaps.

I collect Snowmen and rather than put everything up in the attic to store until next Christmas I decided to use the two top shelves, which I can't reach without my trusty little step stool. The bird houses are both gifts that I received a few years ago and there are a couple of non-snowman related projects up there too, but for the most part it's all snowman.

Well that's it for me for today. I'll be back again tomorrow with another post of a project I made using the Faber Castell pencils. It's not a Maggie, but a Mo Manning image. Please drop back again to see what I've been creating.

Blessings and hugs,
Barb

Anything Goes, Magnolia-licious New Year Challenge

A New Year! You just have to wonder where have the years gone and boy did they go quickly! It seems like just yesterday that I was asked to join the Magnolia-licious Design Team, but it was 3 years ago! Wow! I have loved every single minute of this journey and met so many fabulous people along the way. They have all made the journey so much fun, gave me awesome support and laughed and cried with me along the way. Thank you everyone...you are all special in my heart.

Well now, let's get down to business. Magnolia-licious Highlites has a brand new challenge for you today. It's so easy...."Anything Goes" hosted by the incredibly talented Cheryl Rowley. You've got the entire month to make something and post it to our blog. Honestly! Anything goes....

I saw some beautiful white on white cards done for Christmas this year. I am so impressed by these beauties and decided I would make one for myself. This card started out in a completely other direction, but I was persuaded by the pretty white on white cards to change my plan.

My inspiration was a beautiful card which I received from Norma Lee for Christmas. Her's is so stunning I really wanted to copy all of it...but I used it's base as my jumping off place and just played my way through to the end.

So here we go...this is my Easel card using #3048 Tilda with Teddy Bear from the Sweet Christmas Dreams collection 2011. I don't see her available in the shop anymore, I guess she was very popular!

I was very impressed with a recent card posted on Danielle's blog where she used Faber Castelle Polychromo pencils. Her coloring is stunning and I really wanted to give it a try. So I borrowed the pencils from my friend Millie bought some Strathmore Bristol paper with Vellum finish and gave it a try. I had to cut her out, and let me tell you, cutting through that paper is quite a challenge!

Her is a side view of the card showing all the dimension.

A close up of Tilda and my first attempt at coloring with the pencils. I have a long way to go...

Here is the card opened up...

My card recipe...

Bazzill White Card stock

Dies - Go Kreate XXL Square Frames Filly #2, Spellbinders Labels 18 & 20, Magnolia Picket Fence (not available at the moment), Memory Box Snowflake border (not available at the moment), Heart die - Cherry Lynn (a friend gave me this one)

Embossing Folder - Cottage Floral

Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts

Pearls - stash

Sentiment - stash (origins unknown)

Stickles - Waterfall

Chalk

Distress ink - broken china

I hope you'll be inspired to join in the fun and start the New Year with our Anything Goes challenge. I do thank you so much for your visit to my blog. I have lots of fun things in store for the future.

Happy New Year everyone...
Blessings and hugs...
Barb