Red/Black/White Challenge...

Don't go looking for this challenge anywhere...it was my own personal challenge. I adore this Tilda image with the ladybug, which is red and black. I wanted to keep my card colors the same, but with the addition of white, of course.



I went to the Just Magnolia's Challenge site and went way back in their files and found this sketch...



I was a perfect match for my Tilda, so I grabbed my dsp scrap box and dug out several scraps of black and white papers and the ladybug paper also. It had a black and white border all the way around, but was the wrong size for the card so I cut it down to utilize the border on just two sides of my card. From there it was easy to follow the sketch. I colored Tilda with Copics keeping everything red white or black. The only thing I changed was to put SILVER beads on the card is several places because I didn't have red or black.

Here is a closeup of Tilda...



Thanks for dropping in for a visit...

Hey Sweets...

I love the weekends...my hubby is home and I get a little more time in my studio to CREATE! I bought some new dsp yesterday...Making Memories "English Garden". I had seen a card using this paper earlier in the week and thought it was so pretty.

This week's sketch at Just Magnolias Challenge blog is so pretty. Here it is...



I took a few liberties and made a couple of changes, without altering the sketch too much. My Tilda is rather large and instead of making her a rectangular shape, I used my Nestabilities Scalloped Oval shape. It didn't leave any room for the sentiment on the side, but since she is holding a tag I used my sentiment, from Artistic Outpost "Poloroid Cutie" sheet, but had to use my "Big Ugly" stamp positioner to fit it in.



The ribbon is a retired SU piece that I always thought was just too big to be useful, but on this card it was perfect. The pearls are from Michaels. The little heart pin is from JoAnn's Fabrics, the beads were part of my Secrect Summer Swap partner, Vivi Casale and the bow is from a small piece of scrap organdy done with my Bow Easy. I also used my Atyou Spica gel pen to color the ribbon on the tag so it has some sparkle (which didn't photograph too well). Cardstock is So Saffron and Whisper White.

Here is a close up of Tilda...



Tilda is so happy that you dropped in for a visit. See you again soon...

Cross-Stitch Tilda Wishes Happiness

I'm so glad that I have several cards already made up and ready to go. Tonight I'm going out with the gals in my Bible Study group for a girls night out. We are going to celebrate two birthdays. I didn't need to be frantic about getting something special put together. Yeah!

Here is a new card I just finished up today. Cross Stitch Tilda is an image that came from my friend Pam and I was really wanting to use this pretty paper from CLOUD9DESIGN called Cream Buds. It's so pretty. I used the sketch from Friday Sketcher's Challenge this week and it's a great sketch to work with.



I love the challenge of trying to get the lights and shadows just right, but it is a challenge! Here is my Tilda close-up...



Here is the inside of the card...I just have to finish the inside of my cards now or the card doesn't seem finished...



There is no end of learning more about creativity with these dear images...I'm hopelessly obsessed with these little children and it ties into my fostering of little children so well.

Thanks for dropping in and enjoying my creations...

Friday Blogger's Challenge #109 - Christmas In July

Friday's are delightful...end of week, beginning of weekend, change in family routine, at least for us...

Our challenge this week is to make a Christmas card. I had ordered some Christmas and winter images from Magnolia-licious and then saw this beautiful card on a Swedish blog. I loved the sketch so much I decided to give it a try with my image. I have to say I don't do her card justice at all. I had just a small scrap of this dsp left over from a scrabpooking page. It has toques in brown's and blues and since I wanted to do a non traditional type card I used it as my jumping off point.


My imaged is colored with Prisma Pencils. All my panels are sponged to soften them up a little. I used Liquid Applique on the fur areas and stickles on Tilda's wings. The sentiment is from SU and adhered to a Nesties label. Instead of wrapping the ribbon all the way around I just finished off each end and let it stick out. The Prisma petals are from my stash, the leaves and branch are MS punches and the pearls are from Michaels.

Here is a closer view of Tilda...

More sweet hAnglar images for me...

I have a great big thank you to Vivi Casale, who lives in Sao-Paulo Brazil, for sending me some wonderful hAnglar and stAnglar images. The only way you can acquire these stamps is to live in Sweden or Norway, or have someone you know who lives there. I've been so fortunate to have made friends with both Vivi and Regina, who also lives in Brazil, and they have been kind enough to stamp images and send them to me.

These were a surprise in a wonderful Magnolia Tilda card Vivi made and sent to me as an addendum to my Secret Summer Swap package through the Magnolia-licious yahoo group. Also included were some wonderful bling beads. So, even though I'm working on a scrap-booking project for most of this week I was fairly caught up today and this darling image was calling my name.



I wasn't sure if I could use my Copics on her, since the paper is very thin and wasn't stamped with Memento, but she colored up wonderfully with my Prisma Pencils.

Here is a close up...



I could not for the life of me get the white dots to stay on her cheeks. I have layered them on, but they still disappear! Can't figure that one out. I used Adirondacks Light Cloud Blue to sponge in around my image. Then I used my Copic C1 to outline and add some shadow to the image. The ink didn't bleed, so I'll probably try Copics on my next one.

Glad you could stop by for a visit...see you soon...

Get Well Wishes...

I heard a while back about one of our Magnolia-licious members who had fallen and broken her wrist. She will be unable to stamp for a few months - gasp!!! Since I had just received this Bandaid Tilda with my latest order from Magnolia-licious, I thought it would be fun to send Tilda to cheer Annabelle up. Actually I colored this image several nights ago then put her on my shelf for the stickles on her wings to dry and totally forgot about it. I'm very glad I had her ready though, because I worked for hours on this card...

I used a Friday Sketcher's Challenge sketch from several weeks ago and used some dsp from my stash.



This card is pretty heavy with so many layers, stitching and all the embellishments. Tilda is actually sitting on two very small bandaids, which I slipped underneath her. I used my craft knife to cut slits down her legs. The flowers are layered Mulberry Paper Flowers by Prima Marketing except the blue layer which is punched with my S.U. 5 Petal Flower Punch. I used the S.U. Scalloped Edge punch behind the stripped paper and my Nestabilities Oval dies for the focal image. The silver pearls are from Michaels.

Here is a close-up of Tilda...



The inside is finished as well which contributed to the weight of the card.



And...here is a close up of my sentiment. I stamped the Get well wishes (SU) directly onto a bandaid with Stazon ink. and added another layered flower.



I sure hope that this will help to bring a ray of sunshine into Annabelle's day.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and viewing my latest creation...

Which 29th Birthday?

After a splendiferous Blog Hop last week, Magnolia-licious DT decided to open up the challenge to everyone. The theme is Edwin Cards. So of course I just had to participate! I don't have but a few Edwins, and I love them, but my friend Pam in Alabama, sent me a couple of images of Edwin holding a balloon. I'm still on track for making birthday cards for all our August birthdays. I've made a few 'girly' ones but I do need a couple of 'guy' ones. so here's what I've put together...



I loved this blue and brown dsp from Rusty Pickle called 'Chocolate Bunnies' and thought might go well with Edwin. I stitched around both of my panels using brown thread and then added the screw head brads to try and make the card a little more masculine. I colored Edwin with Copic Markers, even using some of my newest 0000 colors which arrived yesterday. I used Stickles on his wings.

Here is a close up of my Edwin...



I can't believe that I spent all that time cutting around the string attached to the balloon!!! It's all adhered with pop dots, but it's so hard to tell in this photo.

I had to finish the inside of this card. It was so blank - and it seems I can no longer make a card without finishing the inside, though I'm using up way too much paper in doing so - heavy sigh!

So, here is the inside of my card...



And a close-up of the sentiment, which is from Starving Artistamps...



Well, the inside still seemed quite blank to me, so I used my one last Edwin with Balloon image, colored and cut the balloon out then attached it with pop dots to the sentiment panel inside. I've saved the Edwin, I can always put something else in his hand. My card is now ready to be mailed to my dear friend who is 61 this year...hope he likes it!

Snow Friends

To take a short break from Birthday cards...here is a Christmas card using the Magnolia Snoman Image which I recently received in an order from Magnolia-licious. I went way back in Friday Sketcher's Challenge and pulled out this sketch, #23, to use for my layout. It was quick and easy and went together quite quickly...




There wasn't a lot of coloring to him. and the touch of Stickles on the wings and underneath him add just the sparkly that was needed.



I know there was a Christmas In July challenge somewhere, I just can't find it and I believe I'm late anyway. I still needed a Christmas card.

Thanks for stopping by and viewing my wee Snow Man...

Friday's Sketcher's Challenge

I still have a number of Birthday cards to make for August, most of them being female cards. While I'm not tired of coloring Tilda's - not by a long shot - I just thought this happy hippo looked like a good birthday card in the making. I used the sketch for this week over on Friday Sketcher's Challenge Blog.



I love to make these cards. I've worked my way up from an A-2 to a 6x6 card and love all the decorating and embellishing you can do to them. I've been able to remedy the sewing machine issue by changing the needle size, so I'm loving to be able to add stitching to my cards. Here is my "Hippo Birthday" card for some lucky person...



This sweet image from Whipper Snapper's is colored with my Copic Markers. I used Atyou Spica Gel Pens as follows: in Gold for the ruffled edge of her Tutu, Twinkling Starts for the Wand and Red for the banner. Here is a closer view so you can see that sparkle. I cut the image out leaving a small white margin then used dimensionals to adhere it to my Nestabilities Die Cut shapes behind.



I'd never thought to finish the inside of my cards until I saw several gals on the Magnolia-licious Yahoo group do so. Every one is different, some more elaborate than others. I kept this one simple, no bows, no flowers, no Dew Drops. The card weighs so much now that I didn't feel it needed anything more...



I haven't made the envelope for this one yet, but that is next. I just wanted to get this on my blog so I could enter it in the weekly give-away on Friday Sketchers Blog. This week's prize is ribbon - and a gal just can't have too much ribbon...it's a random draw so here's hoping...

Friday Blogger's Challenge 108 - Stitching

This week's challenge is to put stitching of some kind on your card. Yeah! Since I spent the entire weekend last week re-arranging my crafting area and throwing out a ton of stuff, I managed to set up an area where I could have my sewing machine set up all the time. So this challenge was just made for me!

While going through all my "stuff" I found a box of stamped images from years ago when I belonged to SCS's Wish RAK. Thank goodness I had filed all the images under their Stamp Company names or I'd have been sunk. I chose this adorable mouse sitting on a cupcake from Whipper Snapper's.



I chose a Bo Bunny dsp called "It's My Party Time" which is double sided. My card is 6X6 so as to accomodate all the embellishements and the size of the image. I cut a square of Real Red cs and then sewed two triagles of the dsp to it. Then I wrapped a piece of orange polk a dot organdy ribbon around the bottom half of the card. I ran a piece of Yoyo Yellow cs through my CB using Swiss Dots embossing folder. The buttons are all tied with Crafter's Floss and, since I only had one red Prima Flower I made made the other flowers using Only Orange and Brilliant Blue, punched them out with my SU 5 Petal Flower punch and then ran them through my crimper. The circle panels behind my focal image were all cut using my Nestabilities. I added white dots to the orange panel with my gel pen. That was attached with pop dots.

Here is the inside of my card:



The upper part of the card uses another triangle which is only stitched on two sides creating a pocket. I made the tag fairly simple since the dsp is so busy. The ribbon is made with my new Bow Easy - what a marvelous tool - stamped with my Happy Birthday sentiment from Inkadinkado, and I added some Real Red cs Corner Punch pieces to the bottom of the tag. The opposite side uses Nestabilities Labels Two dies with Real Red and Whisper White cs for writing your own personal note.

Here is a close up of my mouse:



The entire image was colored with Copic markers. I used my Spica Atyou Gel pens for the sprinkles, but they're not very bright. I also used a Spica pen for the blue on the top of the party hat. I added the smudge of chocolate around the mouses' mouth. It's not on the original image...

Okay, with all the embellishments I knew this wouldn't go through regular mail, and I don't have any envelopes to fit a 6X6 card, so I made one! I used my Enveloper - another very handy tool - to make this Envelope Box, using a piece of yellow cs and a piece of matching dsp to line the inside. This actually has 1/4" deep sides so that the thickness of my card will fit. Here is a picture of the card and envelope together...



Needless to say I worked long and hard on this project. My sewing machine wasn't at all happy to sew paper and kept skipping stitches on me. I wasn't about to throw this dsp away, so I just kept persisting. There are some skipped stitches, but that's life, just don't look too closely...LOL!

I can't wait to see what the other Blogger's involved in this challenge have come up with. If you would like to see their creations, please click on the Blogger button in my sidebar and then click on any name to bring up their blog.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone....

First Secret Summer Swap Card....

Remembering that I need quite a few birthday cards for August, I decided to use this sweet Tilda image, which I received in a package along with other Tilda images from Pam Limiric, my Magnolia-licious friend. I combined the image with several products from the lucious, super package of products from my Secret Summer Swap partner, Vivi, who lives in Brazil. My package arrived yesterday and it was like Christmas opening all the beautiful stuff she sent me so I got busy making a new card! The 6X6 paper pad is from Basic Grey's Lemonade series. Also inclued on this card is some of the wonderful ribbon and the the bling in the center of the flower which also came in the package.



To be honest, this image of Tilda is really a Christmas image. I added the bow to her hair, but underneath is some Holly. But I needed a birthday card and she was carrying a stack of presents, so I made if work for me...

I got the layout for this card from Claudia Rosa's blog Pretty PressingsShe is a phenominal artist and though I changed out the size of card and the image and a few other minor details, I tried to follow her layout as best I could.



I'm seeing some improvements in my coloring and am pleased with my progress. What I love to color the most is shoes and striped stockings! Go figure!

So here is my card, thanks to Pam, Vivi and Claudia - who each have contributed so much to my craft...

Broom Tilda...

I have met many wonderful women since joining the Magnolia-licious Yahoo group! Such generosity, encouragement, kindness and caring concern for one another. It's a delight to me to be associated with these extremely talented ladies.

One of these gals, Pam Limiric, has stamped and sent me a bunch of Tilda images, plus background images and ribbon, buttons and Dew Drops in Teal. What a huge and kind heart she has. So in honor of her generosity, I made this card up. This is not Broomhilda but Broom Tilda...lol!

The layout for the card is the week's Friday Sketchers Challenge sketch. If you need a good sketch for a card your designing, they have plenty to chose from - all a good!



Isn't the designer paper delicious? I got it the other day at my local Scrapbooking store. They only had two sheet left, so I got both! It is double sided, having small green flowers with touches of Aqua on it. Yummmmm!

The Teal ribbon, Aqua button and Dew Drops are all from Pam. What a generous new friend I have made. I also stamped her some images and sent them to her, so it was an exchange, only I came up on the better end of the deal.



Here is a close-up of my coloring of Tilda. You will notice a slight orange glow by her wing!! ACKKKKKKKK! I tried putting orange stickles on her wings but it looked awful so I tried to remove them. They smeared!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh No!!!!!!! I added Waterfall Stickles, but I sure can't remove that orange glow. DRAT! Oh well, it's done now and since it was the only Broom Tilda image she sent me the orange glow will have to stay.

Thanks for dropping in to view my latest creation....

Friday Blogger's Challenge #107

Here it is Friday again, and time for another Blogger's Challenge. This week our challenge was to CASE a fellow Blogger, so, since it was Kerry Donovan-Casey that got me started on Magnolia's I decided to CASE her.

Here is the card she made:






Although I didn't have the same image, or the same dsp, I tried my best to keep the colors and style of card intact. Really there's no comparison... I did not finish the inside of my card, as I ran out of those dsp's and only had small bits and pieces left. They were from my scrap bin to begin with, not whole 12 X 12 pieces.

Here is my card...




This was a very fun challenge this week. Thanks to Lisa S. our "Challenge Mom" for this great idea. It was really no challenge for me and SO easy to copy someone elses work. Takes all the guess work out of the 'doing'.

Hope everyone had fun with this one.