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Spread Your Wings

Hi & hello!
Welcome to the Magnolia-Licious DT Blog Hop! This month the design team members thought it would be fun to each have their own take on Edwin, Magnolia Stamps' sweet little boy character. Too often he is used only for masculine cards which puts many people who HATE making masculine cards (like me) in a bind. I thought it would be fun to just let him (and my creativity) be. I think this card would be fine for a boy OR a girl. I see nothing wrong with giving a girl or a woman a card with a boy on it :)

I stamped Chasing Edwin from the new Butterflies collection twice using Memento ink onto Neenah 80 lb cardstock.

I cut him out (all except for the net) and put him on top of the base image with foam dimensionals: this way it looks like he is running right out of the card towards you :)

A halo of blue frames the image for depth and soft color to complement the green of his outfit.

The sentiment spread your wings and the butterfly are BasicGrey rub-ons. 

The base of the card is Stampin' Up!'s Rich Razzleberry; the Long Rectangle Scallops are cut with Bermuda Bay; the striped patterned paper is BasicGrey's Euphoria.

I added cardstock punched with Martha Stewart's Hydrangea Trio and a bit of White Opal Liquid Pearls for eye candy.

The lower left puffy sticker is by American Crafts.I added a few flower punches to the sticker as well.

The shine of the sticker makes the linen weaving pattern of the cardstock pop. I like how the colors, textures and shapes all go together.

There you have it: real men DO eat quiche, and DO accept cards with flowers on them :) Your next stop on the Magnolia-Licious Blog Hop will be Suzanne.

Are you a Magnolia fan? Let's see YOUR take on Edwin :)

Thanks for stoppin' by!

July's Magnolia-Licious Sketch

Hi & hello!
A quickie post as we are sanding, painting and priming rooms today in OUR NEW HOME! That's right we bought our first home  - it is so exciting and scary at the same time as there is so much to do. I have more news but I can't reveal it just yet (this is not big nor too exciting for anyone but me but I will share eventually anyway lol) :)

So onto the fun stuff -the July Magnolia-Licious sketch is up and running. This month my sweet and most talented DT sister Jacque made a lovely layered sketch full of details.

For such a sweet, feminine sketch I decided to use Valentine Tilda sitting on the Swirl Key image, both from the Magnolia-Licious store.

The images were colored with my usual Copic markers, then mounted on Basic Grey Porcelain patterned paper background with chipoard accents also by BasicGrey.

The colored pearls are by K&Co.

This little card will be headed out to my Magnolia-Licious Yahoo group sister. Each month the group sends one card to a fellow group member. We also get fabulous store discounts and little treats when ordering so be sure to join if you haven't yet already :)

Thank you so much for stoppin' by. Have a creative and happy Sunday friends!

Chasing Butterflies

Hi & hello friends!

Oh yes Friday has arrived! Hope you have great plans to create like I do :) Today's card used Chasing Tilda from the new Magnolia collection Chasing Butterflies. Every new collection becomes my favorite, fickle crafter am I (she says in her Yoda voice).  This card is higher than the sky as far as dimension goes, it may be one of my highest yet.

I started with a base of 120lb weight Neenah paper then added Bazzill Arroyo and Navajo Basics Cardstock, which is a perfect match for the colors in Making Memories Butterfly patterned paper from their new Flower Patch collection.

Tilda was colored with the colors you see above, then cut out and put onto a layer of Bazzill Swiss Dots patterned paper in Salt, which has embossed polka dots to mimic the dots in the Butterfly paper.

The flower layers are all die cut with Spellbinders Peony Nestabilities and layered with foam dots.

I cut a few butterflies from the paper, then shaped and arranged them with foam dots of different thicknesses.

Dew Drop pearls covered with Stickles in Crystal were added here and there.

Tilda's dress has a bit of Liquid Pearls in Mint Green on it as well.

Well that is about it for today. I wanted to thank you for all your kind comments and e-mails. I have said it before and I will say it many times: your thoughts mean so much to me, make me smile, and make my day. Thank you!

Happy creating!

PS: Tonight is the deadline to enter the Sharpie and Angels Landing giveaways (see my posts below for info on how to enter).

Tilda Graduates: Floating Acetate

Hi and hello!

Today's card uses Graduation Tilda from the new Magnolia Graduation Collection, which has just arrived in the Magnolia-Licious Store. There was a thread on SCS about how people are intimidated by the Magnolias because of all the layers and coloring work they see, so I thought I would show you how a Magnolia card doesn't have to be super ornate or layered.

The image was colored with the Copic markers you see above (of course I forgot to add the warm grays W1 and W3 I used to ground her). I kept thinking of the song Wide Open Spaces, and wanted a lot of open, clean space to surround Tilda as her future is open with possibilities. I also wanted her to glow as she is the shining star for the day, so surrounded her with yellow "light".

I tried something new (for me) and stamped Tilda onto 140lb Watercolor Paper. This is usually a no-no as it is a "thirsty" paper that soaks up and wastes Copic ink, but I layed a good coat of Colorless Blender first and really like the result. The ink moved beautifully on the watercolor paper, and the slight nubbed texture reminded me of classic graduation notices.

Floating Acetate
To create the floating acetate sentiment I embossed the Graduation Diploma and Graduate Books onto watercolor paper with Ranger Antique Gold Embossing Powder in Roman Gold, which has a deep, old gold EP combined with holographic glitter for sparkle.

The sentiment, Tomorrow is a Blank Page, was stamped with Staz-On onto acetate, then put over the books with foam dimensionals. Dew Drops cover up the foam.

I absolutely love the look of the floating acetate sentiment, pictures do not do it justice so you will have to trust me that it is most awesome and you must try it :)

The base of the card is Bazzill Bling in a pearlized cream shade; Tilda is matted with a deep pearlized chocolate Bazzill Bling, then The Paper Company's Arctic Gold, which is a cool gold textweight paper. Everything is cut with Nestabilities by Spellbinders. The watercolor paper is edged with Krylon Gold Leaf pen.

I added Yellow Stickles to the Dew Drops, Tilda's tassel and diploma.

Thank you so much for stoppin' by! I hope you have a wonderful, sunny and creative day :)

Ladybug Tilda

Hi & hello!
It is a beautiful morning here in Newfoundland, I hope the sun is shining where you are! Today I have a couple of shaped cards and an easy, fun little gift idea using Tilda With Ladybug, which is new from the Magnolia Stamps Butterfly Collection and available now in North America at Magnolia-Licious.

Both cards are colored with the Copics you see above. For the card to the left I went for a ladybug theme and colored in spots with a Sharpie onto my acetate card.

Designer Tip: Stamp Tilda twice onto cardstock. Then you can cut Tilda out without stressing over tiny details difficult to cut like ladybug antennae.

The top layer Tilda is added with pop dots for dimension, yet you lose no details.

The bottom layer Tilda is cut with Nestabilities and colored with only one layer of Copics on the edges where the foam dots would allow it to be seen.

I save the detail coloring for the top Tilda.

Inside the card is a white circle to write a little note.

This Ladybug Tilda card is also cut with a Spellbinders die (Nested Flowers) - instead of acetate I used Bazzill Basics Red Devil.

The bit of yellow (Bazzill Basics Mexican Poppy) peeking out is the same size circle as the white. I do that because I only own the large size of circles and can't really invest in the small sizes just yet, so this is an affordable way to add a layer :)

I did the same thing on the acetate card, but in black.

Extra touches: The little red dots on her boots were created with Liquid Pears in Ruby Red.

I hand stitched with pen around the white die cut.

As part of a little gift set I am creating I added Sharpie to some red pencils and a little wooden ladybug for fun.

The white satin ribbon is by Stampin' Up!

Thanks for stoppin' by! See you tomorrow with news of not one but two giveaways :)

Sparkling Cowberry Cupcakes

Hi & Hello!
Happy Sunday to you! Today's card uses Tilda With Cowberry Muffin & Cowberry Muffin stamps from Magnolia-Licious. I had never heard of a cowberry; turns out these are also called lingonberries (have you had the lingonberry jam at Ikea? SO good).

Here in Newfoundland we call them Partridgeberries; I had a slice of Partridgeberry cake with tea for breakfast and never knew of the coincidence until I looked it up.

Anyhoo, let's pretend these are cupcakes because they sure look like cupcakes sprinkled with sparkly crystal sugar to me, and are much more appetizing when I think of them that way :)

Card Details

Tilda was colored with Copic markers, then her dress and her muffins were accented with Crystal Stickles and Pastel Raspberry Liquid Pearls. Her wings are tinted a sparkly blue with Waterfall Stickles.

I borrowed my friend's Stampin' Up! Oval Scallop Frame Bigz die to cut the scallop and oval, then edged the Cameo Rose textured cardstock frame with Crystal Stickles. The base of the card is Creamy Caramel textured cardstock; the green checked paper is Humpty Dumpty by American Crafts from the Baby collection.

The die cut flourishes are Spellbinders Floral Accents; I added some flatback pearls and Prima roses to them. A small bit of ribbon adds a pretty accent to the frame; K&Co. rhinestones add sparkle and shine.

Thanks for stoppin' by, I hope you have a crafty and creative day.

Summer Notes ~ Win Three Magnolia Stamps

Hi & Hello!

Today the DT members at Magnolia-Licious are having a Summer Notes Blog Hop to kick off the start of Summer. Using Magnolia Stamps, we have all made our own version of this super cute Sticky Note Holder in a Gift Box Set from a tutorial created by Bridget Owens (click the link for her fantastic tutorial).

My version uses the Tilda Wearing Glasses sitting on top of Books With Covers for the note holder.  I just love how she peeks out behind Edwin when the Note Holder is slid into the box :)

The box the note holder fits in is created with Edwin Wearing Glasses and School Ruler stamps. The green polka dotted paper is Double Dot Paper in Wasabi Dot by Bo Bunny, a fabulous, bright green.

Tilda and her books are propped up with dimensional foam dots. The pink polka dotted paper is Little Bo Peep by American Crafts from the Baby collection; the Leaf foam letter Thickers are also American Crafts; the white ric rac 1/8 inch trim is by May Arts.

Designer Tip: You know the solid white cardboard that comes in the Stampin' Up! 12x12 paper packs? It cuts so easily in a die cut machine!

I couldn't get my chipboard to cut properly, so used the white cardboard to cut the largest square Nestabilties, then covered it with paper. It feels solid, stays firm and eliminates the need for measuring, which is tops in my book :)

The flower shaped polka dotted Sticky Notes are by 3M, purchased at Staples. Love the fun shape!

These Magnolia stamps, as well as Copic Markers are available at Magnolia-Licious Stamp Store. If Diana is out of stock be sure to check back as she gets new stamps in all the time.

Win Three Magnolia Stamps!

Create your own Sticky Note Holder and upload a link of it to the Magnolia-Licious Highlites Blog. You will then be entered to win three Magnolia stamps of your choice from Magnolia-Licious! 

Your next stop on the Blog Hop will be the sweet and talented Cheryl Rowley.

Double post day at the Paper Monkey, be sure to check out my post below as I am hostess for the EI Friday Challenge this week :)

Have a fabulous and creative weekend! Thanks for stoppin' by!

My Little Pony

Hi & hello! Welcome to the loony bin :) I freely admit this card drove me little crazy. It was the days weeks hours hour spent hand stitching pink embroidery thread onto the mane and tail of the Magnolia Stamps Cuddly Horse that did it.  By the time I got to the pears I shrugged and said hey it's only a WHOLE PACK 'O PEARLS as I threw tons of Kaiser Champagne polka dots on the horse. 

Cuddly Horse is from the Magnolia Stamps Love Collection and is available at Magnolia-Licious. While part of a Valentine's Day/Wedding collection, I think it makes the perfect gender neutral stamp for baby cards as it reminds me of a child's rocking horse. Lots of people who own the stamp are doing the same.

I colored the horse with Copic Markers. I must tell those of you who have to shop online for most of their treasures that the Champagne color of Kaiser Pearls is perfect for yellow cards as it has just a tinge of yellow to the cream of the pearls. It is so hard looking online and seeing 10 white looking pearls all with different names. In person you can see the yellow tint.

Anyhoo I even added pearls to the button tops. Crazy I tell ya :) The pearls come in a pack of different sizes; the really tiny pearls are courtesy of White Opal Liquid Pearls.

The base of the card is Bazzill Dotted Swiss cardstock which is embossed with polka dots; the patterned paper is Pat a Cake by American Crafts Baby collection; all paper is die cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities.

The white foam adhesive letters, which spell BABY, are also by American Crafts -- both are available at Embellish-Online.com.

The Bashful Blue Taffeta Ribbon is by Stampin' Up!.

A time consuming and costly card. But hey, you only have a baby once (okay, once at a time, unless it's twins, oh #%#^$& never mind). This card is headed to a baby shower IF I can part with it; I know it is really busy but I like it. I hope you do too :)

Thanks for stoppin' by! See you tomorrow with a very special project for Magnolia-Licious that involves our first blog hop!

Puppy Love

Hi & Hello!
Happy Tuesday! Today's happy & bright card features one of my new favorite Magnolia stamps, Tilda With Puppy.

I stamped the image twice to cut out  a puppy to sit next to Tilda on the log, then had some fun coloring with Copic markers.

The sky was created thanks to Bo Bunny Brilliant Blue Double Dot paper (love this stuff) framed with Bazzill Dotted Swiss paper; both were die cut with Spellbinder's Deckled Rectangles. The card base is the funnest shade of green Core'dinations cardstock that I sanded so that the lighter core green would show through the weaved texture.

The shiny plastic puffy sticker grass and flourish are from the Umbrella Stickers by American Crafts.

The daisy is by Martha Stewart, and the satin ribbon is new Stampin' Up!

I hope this card makes you think of summer, puppy licks and childhood play.

Thanks for stoppin' by! Don't forget to stop by Julie's blog today if you are on the Embellish-Online.com Blog Hop Contest!

It's All About The Fun

Hi & Hello friends!
Hope you had a great weekend! I got to stamp this entire weekend at our stamp retreat. It was so fun to laugh, stamp and chat the entire weekend. I think I made 7 cards and 8 projects, which is a record for me as I create so slowly. More details and pics of the weekend  later, but today is quite the busy day - be on the lookout for three posts from me  :) (this one is the second).

Today is the first day of June, which means the reveal of the Magnolia-Licious sketch design. We also have a new blog created for showing off the challenge cards at Magnolia-Licious Highlites.

Today's card uses the Magnolia-Licious June Sketch created by DT member Kerry. Love the half circle! It inspired me to do a dot/circle theme on my card.

I colored the sweet Magnolia Stamps image Tilda With Tag with the Copics you see above; The final image looks a bit different than in the picture because I continued to layer on marker color. BasicGrey's Wisteria patterned papers  gave me a passion for purple; the embossed dots on the Bazzill Swiss Dot circle played into my button theme.

I added some Waterfall Stickles to her bow and placed more Wisteria mini buttons on her tag. I normally would have added a sentiment on the tag, but thought this would be fun, and plays on the shapes in the Wind Chimes paper, as do the Chocolate self adhesive pearls by Kaiser.

Tilda sits over a background of Stone Wall paper; the scallop (and the purple base layer) is Dahlia.

The embossed buttons on the cardstock strip are from a Cuttlebug Embossing Strip Folder. The strip is placed upon black linen textured cardstock punched with Martha Stewart's Doily Lace punch.

The sentiment, LIFE It's all about the fun, is a rub-on by Sticker King.

Play Along!

If you play in the sketch challenge, be sure to link a picture of your card to our new Sketch Blog.

Also, if you haven't joined yet be sure to join up for the Magnolia-Licious Group at Yahoo - members get special perks like $2.50 shipping in the US and Canada, a discount code, and free treats with every order. This month's discount code is being revealed to members in the group today.

Be sure to check out my post below for Embellish-Online's first blog hop contest! I will be back with the House Mouse Challenge card soon. Thanks for stopping by - have a fantastic and creative day!

Edwin on the Church Steps

Hi and hello!
Please forgive my blogging absence I have not been feeling well, which will also explain this quickie post. Today's card is for a young boy. It would make a wonderful Communion card, or for a Sunday School achievement. I kept it quite generic thanks to the sentiment, Just for You (Stampin' Up!'s Oval All set). It was so hard to not add any flowers or ribbon but I wanted to keep this card all boy.

I colored Sitting Edwin from the New Year's Collection with Copic markers, and put him on some Stone Steps. The Church Window image is popped up with foam dots onto a gray church "wall" (SEI patterned paper die cut with Spellbinders new Deckled Rectangles). I added Glossy Accents by Ranger to the solid glass part of the image.

All stamps (Except the sentiment) are by Magnolia Stamps, which are available at Magnolia-Licious. Don't forget to use code word WORMS to save 50% off one stamp with any $25 purchase through May at the store :)

Thanks so much for stopping by. See you tomorrow!

Dreamy Tilda Scallop Circle Card

Hi and hello!
Happy Friday! Today's card is a small (for a Magnolia card) circle scallop shaped card. I say tiny because it is under 4", using the largest scallop circle in my Nestabilities. Magnolia Stamps fans usually make larger cards (5.5' or even 6' square is common) because we love to have fun with multiple stamps and embellishments.  Sometimes, however, petite is sweet :)

The Bazzill  white textured card base is layered with Bo Bunny Pink Punch Dot patterned paper. Dreamy Tilda from the New Year collection is colored with shades of purple and pink Copics that you see above.  Lately I have been mixing colors with wonderful results. I am not sure if my camera picked up the subtleties of the pink and purple but it looks so pretty in real. If you are wondering why I did not use the envelope I colored, I had intended to fit the acetate over it, but with such a small card it became just too much going on.

Tilda rests on a Stampin' Up! Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon. I stamped the Letter With Heart image from the Love Collection in Staz-On onto acetate, then colored in the heart with Copics from the other size as Copics and Staz-On do not go together. The Copics kind of pool onto the acetate and look like Alcohol Ink, which is kind of neat. The "U" letter is a white foam Thicker (self adhesive alphabet piece) by American Crafts.

Final touches include Prima Trio Pack Flowers from the Nursery Tales Collection and some flatback pearls and pink rhinestones from Making Memories.

These Magnolia stamps are available right now in the Magnolia-Licious store, as are the Copic Markers. The store has a fantastic special going on right now - if you put that you are a Magnolia-Licious member you get free shipping in North America and special treats in your box. If you add the word WORMS to the comment box you also get 50% off one stamp when your order is $25 or more.

Thanks for stoppin' by!

Rosettes & Pirouettes

Hi and hello, thank you for dropping in :)

Happy first of May! A new month means a new Magnolia-Licious May Sketch. Each month a member of the design team comes up with a sketch for you to play with. This month's fabulous sketch by Sharon Caudle is very simple, so can fit so many different kinds of looks.

I had in mind a super girly look, so softened up the geometric angles with leaves and flowers. The result is a cleaner, simple look that remains soft and feminine.

I stamped the Autumn Frame stamp by Magnolia onto Papertrey's Linen Vellum cardstock, then colored it with the Copics you see above, and added Liquid Pearl rosettes.

Tilda the Ballet Princess (from the Pink Collection, proceeds of which benefits Breast Cancer charitable causes) was colored with Copics and accented with Fruit Punch Stickles, then popped up onto the frame with foam dimensionals.

I also created my own embellishments using a Stampin' Up! Boho Blossoms punch, Little Leaves die cut and more rosettes. If you would like to make your own rosettes, my mini tutorial can be found here.

The sentiment image is from Stampin' Up's Oval All, with the Scallop Oval punch underneath.

I added more Liquid Pearls and a handmade flower with rosette. The pearlized pink cardstock base is Bazzill Bling.

You can see other Design Team member cards, as well as those of our group members in the Magnolia-Licious Card Gallery.  If you would like your card to be included in the gallery please send your picture to Diana Crick at ladydian(at)shaw.ca. Come on and play, I would love to see your work!

Store Specials for May

Last month Diana picked two entries in a random drawing to win a Magnolia stamp, I am not sure if that will be done this month, but I do know about the May special in the store. Write the words "Worms" and "Magnolia-licious member" in the Comment area to save 50% off one stamp with any $25.00 purchase.  You will also continue to get extra treats in your packages. Atyou Spica Pens and both sets of the Magnolia Copic Markers are 10% off as well.

Thanks for stoppin' by! Hugs across the miles,

Cottage Sweet Cottage & Liquid Pearls Rosettes Tutorial

Hi and hello!

Today's card uses the Alota Stamps Cottage and Magnolia Stamps Tilda With Tinsel Garland to create a spring scene. How can a stamp from the Christmas 2008 Collection be used for Spring? More re-purposing. I simply colored the garland a bright leaf green created added Liquid Pearl "rosettes". A mini tutorial on how to make those follows the card details - it's easy as pre-baked pie.

The cottage was stamped twice with Memento Ink, then cut out with a die cut Nestabilities Square. This way I could pop up the cottage and still have the grass. I added tiny gray and brown dots using the Copic Markers you see above to give the cottage a  cobbled look, and added Ranger Glossy Accents to the windows for a shiny, glazed appearance.

 The trellis of flowers around the door is made from more Ruby Red and Pastel Raspberry Liquid Pearl rosettes, as is the doorknob (Gold). 

The heart on the door was glammed up with Crystal Stickles, as were the pearl accents (Robin's Nest Dew Drops) and tag stamp with the Home Sweet Home sentiment, both by Magnolia as well.

The patterned paper is an old favorite, Cosmo Cricket's Honey Pie with Garden Green textured cardstock and Bazzill warm pink cardstock (not sure of the name).

 I went overboard on the Liquid Pearls and added them to Tilda's dress and hair bows as well.

The white Liquid Pearls used here is White Opal. I like how you can get even the tiniest pearl size with the fine tip applicator.

Liquid Pearl Rosettes

Supplies Needed:

• Two colors of Ranger Liquid Pearls(Pastel Raspberry and Ruby Red used here)
• Pin or Paper Piercer

Directions

1. Take the Lighter color of Liquid Pearls and squeeze a small blob onto the paper. Remember to do this as your last step as it takes a long time to dry.

Test the flow on copy paper first. You want a blob that is compact at the base and kind of high - this is because as the LP dries it will flatten and spread, as I learned by making the card above. You can see how they flattened out :(

2. Take a pin or paper piercer and dab the tiniest bit of the darker color onto the point. Swirl the darker color into the lighter carefully and gently - you don't want to mix the colors, just trace a swirl. It is best to work with the least amount of the darker color you can, and add if it's too little. Again, be sure to test one out on copy paper first.

3. Allow to dry 1-2 hours on a flat, level surface. As the blob is so thick, it will be subject to smooshing with nails or pressure, and also to sliding if it's tilted, so you gotta be careful :)

Once dry, I used green marker and a bit of Mint Green Liquid Pearls to create leaves.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a fantastic weekend, and be sure to squeeze some creating time in there :)

Hey Chick & Girlfriend Card Winner

Hi and hello :)
Today's card is another Easter stamp that has been repurposed into a girlfriend card. I used Magnolia Stamps Easter Tilda, Chicks and Sign With Words to create this little scene card. I just love the sweet little chicks everywhere and can see the sign and chick stamps also used for a personalized  baby card.

Tilda and the chicks were colored with the Copic markers you see above.

I added Liquid Pearls to Tilda's dress (I have been asked who Tilda is - that is the little girl's name) and Stickles to the feathers and flowers that are around her.

The wood grain patterned paper is by Pink Paislee and has been  die cut with a Big Shot Top Note Die from Stampin' Up!

I used my Around the Block Label Maker and some pink tape to create the Hey Chick sentiment.

The beautiful ribbon rose was a treat from Diana that came with my Magnolia stamps.

All stamps are now available at Magnolia-Licious. Lady Di is having a sweet special for you - not only do you get treats with every order and free shipping in North America, but you also get 40% off one stamp of your choice when you spend $25 or more. You need to mention the special's code word SUNSHINE and say that you are a Magnolia-Licious Group member for the treats.

A few days ago I offered up a little drawing for this girlfriend card. I drew names and the winner is Kim Budash! Please email me your info Kim and I will get the card and a few treats out to you  :)

Thanks for stoppin' by!

Easter Bunny Tilda & Carrot Patch Box

 
Hi and hello!
Are you ready for Easter? Tilda, dressed in her fleecy bunny outfit, sure is! Wouldn't you love to wear that to the office or to the pick up the kids at school, just for the day? It would make for some snickers for sure. Today I have a card and a little carrot patch candy box to share with you that will hopefully make you smile too.

I colored Sitting Easter Bunny Tilda with the Copics you see above, adding a bit of Stickles Glitter Glue to her angel wings (Icicle) and the Easter egg she is holding (Fruit Punch). I kept a lot of space on the card to show off the cutest patterned paper from the Making Memories Flower Patch collection. The bunnies are velvet flocked! Tilda is sitting atop the Easter Basket stamp, which will be perfect for summer use as well as it is a plain basket :) The "grass" was created from Copic markers using different colors of green dots over a base of light green (Mignonette), then dotting the Blender Pen to kind of blur it all together.

An interesting detail was done with the rik rak ribbon - I cut the ribbon to run along the top layer of the card (the image, which is on dimensional pop dots), then aligned the pattern of the ribbon along the next layer. This ribbon was a little surprise Diana from Magnolia-Licious included in my goodies this month. She always includes treats with every order :)

Designer Tip: Dritz Fray Check is fantastic for preventing your ribbon from fraying. I apply the clear, thin liquid with my paper piercer, running it along the edge of the ribbon. It is available at Michael's I believe (I got mine on eBay for $2). You can use clear glue as well, but the Fray Check is absorbed into the ribbon better.

The buttons, which are threaded with a bit of white embroidery floss, are by BasicGrey from the Porcelain collection.

I also made a little carrot patch acetate candy box. I used my Scor-Pal to gently score the thick acetate, then filled it with shredded cardstock topped with Speckled M&M Easter Eggs. Using my craft  knife, I cut Xs into the top of the box and slid Lindt chocoate carrots into the top of the box.  The carrots come with these odd green hooks attached, but I just cut them off. A fun little gift, no?

Magnolia-Licious Store Specials: Remember to use the Magnolia-Licious Group discount code for the month, SUNSHINE, in the comment section to save 40% off one stamp with any purchase of $25 or more. Copic marker sets are also 10% off through the 14th. Be sure to mention if you are a member for more treats in your package.

Thanks for stoppin' by! Have a wonderful and creative day :)

Little Lamb & Cutting Tips

Hi and hello!
Today's card was created for the April Magnolia-Licious Sketch Challenge. Each month, a different member of the Design Team creates a fun sketch to play with.

I took a bit of creative license and flipped the sentiment because I was dying to use my new Easter stamps; it is a very basic sketch that allows you to add your personality and loads of layers, or to keep it simple if oyu would rather do that.

 

I colored the images with the Copic markers you see above (Hellebore Flowers from the Winter 2008 Collection, Bible, and Tilda with Lamb).

The base of the card is Stampin' Up!'s Close to Cocoa and a warm pink textured cardstock by Bazzill. 

I created a background using Autumn Leaves  Flourishes V.1 clear stamps with VersaMagic Pink Grapefruit and Sahara Sand chalk inks, traced with a bit of Stickles. The colors may not be traditional Easter colors, but again, I couldn't help myself, I am on a pink and brown kick.

The sentiment is from the Easter Lily set by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps; it is die cut with a Sizzlet that I got from Stampin' Up!, and Nestabilities Ovals.

I added the tiniest bit of white flocking powder around the edge of the lamb for a soft, fuzzy look that still allows the color work to be seen.

The flower on the Bible is propped up three images high for punch, and centered with a flatback pearl. I spent the most time coloring the top layer, but did color the edges of each image under so that no white would peak through. I used a lot of foam dots in different heights.

The Hellebore Flowers have a bit of Liquid Applique applied in the centers. I cut the scissors right through the petals, then shaped them. They are so gorgeous, and come in the set of two. These flowers are from the Winter 2008 collection but are so perfect for spring.

Cutting Tips

Recently on the Magnolia-Licious group we were asked how we cut our images out to get a smooth look without lines showing.

I cut through the images themselves at times in order to get into tiny spaces, then piece them back together like puzzle pieces.

In this photo you can see cutting right between the hair and her shoulder to get at the tiny little spaces by her cheeks. I didn't need to tape my cut work to fix the image here, but sometimes you do. If you cut neatly it will fit right back and look seamless.

When you cut, be sure to cut in an even, single motion, moving the paper rather than your scissors for a seamless cut.

Finally, I run my marker along the edge of the cuts, matching the color of the marker to the color of the area colored (ie Skin White along the face, a pink along the dress). If you used many colors, go with the medium color.

If you play in the sketch challenge, be sure to mail a picture of your card to Diana Crick at Diana Crick ladydian(at)shaw.ca so that she can post it in the Magnolia-Licious gallery! Also, if you haven't joined yet be sure to join up for the Magnolia-Licious Group at Yahoo - members get special perks like free shipping in the US and Canada, a discount code, and free treats with every order. This month's discount code is being revealed to members today.

Thanks for stopping by - have a fantastic and creative day!

In Your Easter Bonnet...

Hello and welcome! Today's card was made for this week's Splitcoast Color Challenge, which was to use the colors Pretty in Pink, Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze. What better stamps to use for such spring-ish Easter colors than the new Easter stamps that just arrived from Magnolia-Licious?

I colored Tilda with Bunny and Wagon With Eggs with Copic Markers using the colors you see above. I know that there are color charts matching Stampin' Up! colors to the Copic shades, but I find you really need to blend different colors sometimes, hence the whole boatload of markers you see lol.

I love these stamps so much and really like how the coloring came out, but I heard *tink tink* as the card layout came together (that is the sound of the wheels falling off my artistic wagon). I feel my design is off balance; in my rush to get the card out for the challenge I produced this - blah! Oh well, the stamps are just adorable, aren't they? So fun to color.

I added a bit of Signo White Gel Pen to the speckled eggs in the wagon, and also to the flowers in Tilda's basket and hat. Final touches include embossing the textured pink cardstock with Stampin' Up!'s Bella Toile using Bridal Embossing Tinsel by Ranger, a Fancy Pants felt flourish, and some Hero Arts pearls.

Have you joined the Magnolia-Licious Yahoo Group for Magnolia lovers yet? Diana Crick, the owner, has a special discount code just for members that will be revealed on April 1st. She is also offering perks like free shipping for US/Canadian shipments with no minimums (!), and special treats with each order (the bigger the order, the bigger the treat!).  Join up and join in the fun! Be sure to say hi :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Magnolia Stamps Spring Bloom (LSC212 Challenge)

Hi and hello! This is my second post today - be sure to scroll down for my Cheddar Ale Soup & Ciabatta bread recipes if you need some culinary inspiration for the weekend. Today's card was created for the Splitcoast Stampers Limited Supplies Challenge, which was to make a card with a spring bloom or bulb on it. Tomorrow is the first day of spring and I am so excited! What a perfect challenge to get us in the mood for all the beautiful flowers and sunshine we shall soon have.

I chose a very clean, simple look that is a bit different than the layer upon layer style I usually do with Magnolia Stamps. This sweet little elf's name is Alva. She is a new line of Magnolia Stamps; Alva Sitting and Big Daisy are available at Magnolia-Licious.

I colored the image with the Copics you see above. I forgot to include the skin and hair markers this time around, but I always use the same (Baby Skin Pink, Skin White, Blush, Golden Yellow, Pale Sepia and Sepia). The mushrooms in the corner is a hint at a card you will see soon lol.

Yesterday I blended pinks and blues. I really loved the look of two different colors blended together, so went for yellow and pink today. Barium Yellow, which is very light, is a wonderful blender between the two colors. The resulting colors are so warm - I think it captures the bright, golden color of sunshine.

I am still learning to work with my new photo program and having a really hard time capturing the bright pop of colors I see on the card. I may have to break down and buy some of those Photoshop "actions" I see for sale.

I stamped the Big Daisy twice, colored both images, then cut my favorite to prop up with foam dots. Do you see how I cut into the petals, and adhered the top daisy higher than the base image? It makes for a 3D , fun look I think. One other thing I don't usually do is to wrap the ribbon around my image but I kind of like the result so you may see more of that.

I used Stampin' Up!'s Pretty in Pink, Blush Blossom and Garden Green Textured Cardstocks on a base of white Bazzill Scallop Edge cardstock. The little butterfly is a Martha Stewart punch of BasicGrey Porcelain patterned paper. The alphabet stickers are Scenic Route's Happy Valley; the ribbon is by May Arts.

Thank you for stopping by, have a creative and wonderful weekend!

Color as Inspiration: Porcelain Palette & Magnolia Card

During CHA this past January in California I had the privilege to be taken to dinner by Diana Crick, the inventor of the Scor-Pal (bless her!) and owner of Magnolia-Licious. As we ate our steaks she asked me an interesting question - did I color my images first, then fit them to design/papers/color scheme, or vice versa?  While there is no right or wrong way, I will share what works for me today and why. Details on today's card are at the bottom of the post.

I do like to have my color scheme arranged first - and am influenced by the colors in patterned papers or cardstock colors that appeal to me. I tend to go in phases but for spring my favorite colors are soft, muted neutrals and cooler toned shades of pinks, browns, blues and purples punctuated with warmer toned accents, Summer Sun or warm shades of cocoa being my current favorites.

Many designers have an "inspiration station" where they put their latest purchases and seasonal goodies to have them close at hand. I do something similar, but when I fall in love with a collection, I also like to create a color palette for it. This way I am not always on the hunt for the perfect shade of marker, ribbon, or cardstock. Just creating the palette allows me playtime with the colors, which in turn creates familiarity. I can see colors that pair well that I never would have thought of, or find an undertone in a color that can be capitalized on when pairing other colors with it. If you are a regular reader, you may remember that I did this for the Basic Gray Christmas collection Wassail. I discovered a Copic favorite, Ash Rose when I played, and it became the focal point of many a layout. Never underestimate the power of color as inspiration.

 

Which brings me to my new love, BasicGrey's Porcelian. BasicGrey says this collection is a palette of lace and floral motifs in watercolor-inspired hues of sunset yellow, spring greens, soft corals and espresso browns. I am so in love! The colors are very unusual - warm toned, but with flecks of cool and neutral. The colors can be a hot mess if clashed with blue based pinks or super orange-ish corals. Here are the colors I chose, which were used for today's card (the paper seen above is called Chantilly).

Here is the Copic color palette I came up with based upon the Copics I own. I do not *yet* own all 322 or so colors, so there may be a better match out there.

It is hard to tell from the swatch but Sardonyx is just about perfect (see it on Tilda's dress in today's card?). Buttercup Yellow is also perfect.

For matching cardstock I turned to the Stampin' Up! Earth Elements colors. Specifically used are Cameo Coral, Old Olive (in the textured version, which is lighter than my regular cardstock, this is perfect), and Close to Cocoa, a brown which has a pink hue similar to the brown Copic colors Floral White and Sand White, which were used to color the cake and XO letters.

The metallic cream colored cardstock is from Stampin' Up!'s Taste of Textiles patterned paper collection and and fits in beautifully. The whole collection is part of my inspiration station for spring, which is heavily influenced by a cleaner version of shabby chic - floral and  romantic, but more sparse than loads of vintage clutter.

Hope that helps to answer some questions I have been asked about the creative process. What about you, what do you like to do first? Let me know if you try to make an inspiration palette too :) Now onto today's card details.

Card Details

I embossed the Magnolia Love Cake and X and O letters (available at Magnolia-Licious) with detail Silver embossing powder, then colored with Copics in Floral White, Sand White, and a bit of Pinkish Vanilla. I focused the color only around the lighter edges, then used a Colorless Blender to fade the color in the center of the letters.  In the picture above you can see what other Copics I used on the dress and ribbons.

Next I gave a wash of Shimmerz Paint in Candle Light for a creamy shimmery look. I added little tiny dots of Liquid Pearls in Mint Green, which I loved on the XO, but when I added bigger blobs on the cake I hated it (the wrong shade of green became too apparent) but was too lazy to paint a new one. Oh well, live and learn. This points out the need for a palette, I should have tested better :)

Cutting tip: I have said this before, but I get so frustrated with my craft knife. Give me a pair of sharp small scissors any day. I cut right into the letter to cut out the paper from the center of the O. If you look closely you can see where I taped it back together with a sticky dot, but really it is almost unnoticeable.

The Chantilly paper from BasicGrey's Porcelain collection was punched with Stampin' Up!'s newest punch Eyelet Border. The variegated sheer ribbon is by May Arts.

Thanks for stopping by! See you tomorrow.