Pink & Blue & Green Challenge!!

Hi again friends...it's time for another fabby challenge at the brand new and incredibly FUN Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog!! I swear, Christmas is just around the corner and I haven't even STARTED shopping yet! I've been soooo busy crafting and coloring and having fun!! hehehe!! But, the good news is, I'm making lots and lots of Christmas & Holiday cards!!

So this month's "Color Challenge" at Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog comes to us from our very own, uber talented, DT sistah, Chrissy Le. Our color challenge is to use pink & blue & green...are you kidding me? One of my fave color combos!! YAY!

Here's a cute pic to give you a little inspiration...but, go crazy...just be sure you have pink, blue, and green on your card...and, most importantly, at least ONE Magnolia image, which are available from our very own sweet Diana Crick at her Magnolia-licious online store HERE!
Ooooohhh...and one lucky participant (chosen at random) will win a $25.00 gift certificate for Diana's Magnolia-licious Online Store...WOW!!!


So...here's my interpretation of this month's Color Challenge!


I inked up #3069 Reindeer Tilda and #448 Santa Bench...I tell ya, this Tilda is sooooo dang adorable!! Both stamps are available, of course, at Magnolia-licious, home of all things Magnolia...including the new Magnolia Mini's!

Here are a couple of side views so you can see how I secured the image flat against my DPs and then popped up the Marianne Design Die Cut "frame" on foam dimensionals. I rather like the effect!



And a view of the inside...there's a little pocket for a gift card or note card!


And a fun, artsy view...sans color! I was just goofing around with color saturation, etc. and got this black & white pic...so I thought I'd include it...I figured I'd call it "artsy"! LOL!! Sidebar here...I remember when we had only black & white photos and black & white TV too!! I sort of miss the b&w photos! So here's my tribute to the many shades of grey in life! :-)


My recipe:
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, & Baja Breeze (SU)
DPs: Eskimo Kisses (Basic Grey)
Dies: Marianne Designs & Magnolia Doohickey
Punches: MS lace edge, and SU circle & scallop punches
Pearls & ribbon: my stash
Glossy accents (on the antlers, leaves, & berries)
Stickles on the jingle bells around Tilda's neck, and her lace trim
And...NO flowers!! Yikes! This may be a first for me! But I really wanted to keep this card simple to showcase this darling little Tilda! Flowers would have overpowered the design, I'm afraid...so I went "sans flowers"!!!
Here are the Copics I used to color this little sweetheart:



So...there you have it...now run, don't walk, to your craftroom and start creating!! Can't wait to see what you come up with for this challenge...and remember...this is supposed to be F-U-N!!! {{{Hugs}}} to all of you and thanks so much for stopping by for a visit!

Happy Hanukkah...

Hi kids...I'm baaaaack! Just finished this card for our dear friends, Tony & Karen and their son, Campbell. When I saw this Mo Manning image (Sarah with the Hanukkah Menorah), I knew I needed to get her and make a Hanukkah card! I've decided to enter this little card into this week's challenge at Mo's DP2 Challenge Blog. The challenge this week is "Glitz & Glimmer"...so, as you can see, I used blue diamond swirls...and I also used Spica pens...and then gave the entire card a healthy spritz of Sheer Shimmer Spritz from Tsukineko.


I used Bashful Blue cardstock (SU) and Winter Combo DP from DCWV. I used round and lacy round nesties, some gorgeous flowers from Wild Orchids Crafts, and ribbon from my stash!


Here are the Copics I used to color this darling little princessa...


That's it for now! Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit. Have a great week!!

A few of my favorite things...

Hey friends...here I am wrapping up another "too short" weekend!! Actually, it's been quite lovely. Chilly here in Richmond, VA...and we even had a dusting of snow last night! Certainly nothing like my family and friends are experiencing in other parts of the world! Good thing too because we haven't even gotten up all of our fallen leaves yet!! YIKES!!

This will be a pretty quick post because I have to make dinner for my DH. Thanks to all of you who have sent good wishes for him. He's recovering from surgery to repair a torn achilles tendon. He's doing well...good thing he has such an awesome nurse taking care of him!! hehehehe!!

So...this card is one I started working on this past week...and just finished it this weekend!


I didn't keep track of the Copics I used. Sorry about that. I will tell you that the image is from Lili of the Valley...these are some of my favortite stamps!! As many of you know, I have a real love for images of little children...and this one is a cutie, don'tcha think??!


I used some new Frost & Sparkle Shimmer Spritz (from Tsukineko) on the entire front of the card...you can't really appreciate the glimmer in the pics but, believe me, it's GORGEOUS!! I love this stuff!


I will also share with you that the red berries inside are pearls that have been colored w/my R27 Copic marker! How cool is that?! And it doesn't rub off! YAY!

I'm entering this little darlin' into this week's Thursday Challenge #76 "A few of my favorite things" at LOTV HERE. Thanks so much for stopping by for a peek...and for your sweet comments that totally make my day!! Have a great week, sweet friends. See you sooooooooooooon!

Non-Traditional Christmas Colors...

Hi friends...
First and foremost, thank you soooooo very much for visiting my blog and for leaving such kind comments on my little "works of heart". I have had such an amazing time this past year making cards, and learning to color with Copics & distress inks, and shopping online for so many fun images...and mostly, meeting so many wonderful people...and this means YOU!! Thank you...I am blessed! Sooooo.....

Another weekend...YAY!! It's been a busy week here in Richmond, VA. Work has been keeping me out of trouble - for the most part anyway!! ooohh...I did just get a raise. When I asked my boss why I was getting a raise, she replied "because you're awesome". I laughed and said, "well, that's the rumor I've been spreading!" In all seriousness...this is the time of year when everyone gets a little something, I guess! hehe! But...that doesn't change the fact that I still tell myself from time to time that I'm sort of awesome! hehehehe!!

So enough of my self-praise...I've made another cute little Christmas Card...this one with a one of my new little Tilda "angels" from the 2010 Christmas Collection. I used some pretty non-traditional Christmas Colors...pink and aqua! (Which, by the way, is really just an altered version of red and green! But I thought it worked!)

I'm entering this little darlin' into this fortnight's challenge over at 7 Kids College Fund Challenge Blog HERE. The theme is...you guessed it...Non-Traditional Christmas Colors!

Here's my entry...


Sidebar: I've never been brave enough to color black hair...this is my very first atempt!! I think it turned out rather nice, if I do say so myself! LOL

And a couple of side views...



An "arsty" view...


And here's a view of the inside...I quite enjoyed making the little wrapped present!!


Here's my recipe:
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink & Regal Rose (SU)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento) and Royal Rose (SU)
DPs: Wonderful Winter (My Mind's Eye)
Sentiment: LOTV
Dies: Marianne's, Nestie's Round, Doohickey (Magnolia), flourish (Sizzix)
Punches: Martha Stewart (I'm sorry, I don't know the name) and a Corner Rounder
Diamond swirls: ZVA Creative (which I got from my friend Tab over at 7 Kids HERE)
Flowers & gem: my stash
Ribbon: Royal Rose grosgrain from SU
Stardust Stickles on the flowers, Tilda's win, & the trim on her outfit
Copics: E21, 00, 000, 0000 (skin); R20 (cheeks); R81, 83, 85, RV10, 000 (outfit); BG13, 11, 10, 000, R83, 81, RV10 (stockings); C7, 5, 4, 2, 1, 00 (hair).

Thanks so much for stopping by for a peek...I'll see you soon!!

Sugar Bowl # 49...Snowflakes

Hi sweet friends...can you believe it's time again for another Sugar Bowl Challenge?!! Where does the time go?? I have no idea...except I do know that, wherever it goes, I've noticed that it goes much faster the older I get! LOL!

So...for this fortnight's challenge over at the Sugar Bowl, we have another sketch from the very talented Maria Therese. Oh...and we have to use at least one snowflake! Well, since I had just gotten some wonderful Bo Bunny DP from the Midnight Frost Collection, and since I have two MS punches (snowflake & snowflake border) and some Spellbinders "snowflake" dies, I knew I would have no trouble at all coming up with something fun for you all. The biggest challenge for me was deciding which of my many Sugar Nellie stamps to ink up! Since I used my very, VERY fave Simply Sassy images for my last two Sugar Bowl Challenges, I decided to pull out this sweet little Sugar Nellie 2009 image called "Santa's Helper"...and if you scroll down, you'll see what I came up with....

Here's the sketch from Maria Therese...

And my card...

A couple of "artsy" shots...

A side view...

A view of the inside...

Here's the rest of my card recipe:
Cardstock: Night of Navy (SU) and white
Ribbon, charm, & rhinestone embellies: my stash
Lots and lots of Stardust Stickles
And here are the Copics I used...

Ohhhh...I almost forgot...the prize for one lucky challenge participant (chosen at random) is not to be believed!!! Are you ready for this?

LOTV Round Sentiment Stamps
AND...
A set of Round Nestabilities
AND...
SIX Sugar Nellie Stamps!!!

YIKES, huh?! Sooooo...what are you waiting for? Head on over to the Sugar Bowl Challenge Blog and take a look at the gorgeous creations my fellow DT Sweeties have come up with for inspiration...and then pull out your craft supplies and join in the fun!!

Thanks so much for stopping by....have a sweet week! I'll see you soon.

Another "Sophie"...

Hi sweetest friends...well, it's Monday morning and I'm holding off going into work for just a little bit. DH ruptured his achilles tendon this weekend...and has been hobbling around on crutches. Let me say, that walking on crutches thing is far more difficult than it looks!! Thankfully he's not in pain...except that he is going crazy just sitting around. Anyway...while I wait for the doctor's office to open, I thought I'd post another card that I made this weekend. And this is an extra special project!!...keep reading and you'll see why!

Now, you know how much I love little kids...and you know how much I adore Mo Manning's illustrations...and you know that I finally, after all this time, discovered how to purchase, download, and print images from Mo's Digital Pencil!! (OK, so a computer wizard I am NOT! hehehe!!) But, I digress....

Here's my latest card with one of Mo's images...her name is Sophie. Isn't she the cutest, cutest little thing??!! I thought I'd enter her in this week's challenge #59 "Swirls & Flourishes" at Mo's DP2 Challenge Blog HERE...and after some encouragement from my sweet friends, Sandy, Paola, & Barb, I've decided to throw my "hat into the ring" (so to speak) and enter Mo's Dream team call HERE. Boy...talk about a DREAM!! It would seriously be a dream come true to be on Mo's DT...she's put together such a fabulously talented team!!! So...keep your fingers crossed for me!!

...ta da...here's my version of Mo's Sophie...



...and here's a close-up of this little princessa...


My recipe for my mini "work of art"...
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink & Close to Cocoa (SU)
DPs: My Mind's Eye
Ribbon, pearls & pearl flourishes, & flowers: my stash
Dies: Spellbinders oval & oval scallop; and Sizzix Flourishes
And here are the Copics I used to color this little darlin'...


Thanks soooo much for stopping by for a peek...and wish me luck!! {{{hugs}}}

Sophie's 5th birthday!

Hi friends...

I hope you all had a great weekend...and for those of you who celebrate, I hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving too! We were fortunate again this year to be able to share our Thanksgiving with my DH's mother, who is 91!! We ate and watched movies and read and talked and laughed. We are so very blessed with family and great friends. And we have so much for which to be thankful!

So...the other night when I couldn't sleep, I got up and made this sweet little card for Sophie...one of our darling granddaughters! She'll be 5 on Dec. 1st! Sophie is a dancer...she loves ballet & tap. Oh, and she has a dance recital coming up in a couple of weeks!! They're doing (are you ready for this?!)...the peppermint twist!! How cute will that be? A whole bunch of 4 & 5 year-olds in red and white striped, glittery costumes...all out of sync...and each one more precious than the next!!

So, I thought I'd make this card for Sophie using one of the new LOTV stamps called "Little Ballerina." You can see all of the LOTV stamps HERE. I love each and every one of these little darlins! But this one is especially delightful!! She's got the cutest little facial expression, don'tcha think?!

I made this card using a sketch by Bev Rochester...



Here's my little creation...



And a side view...



And a couple of pics of the inside...




Here's my "recipe"...
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink (SU) and white
DPs: My Mind's Eye
MS punch (I'm sorry, I have no idea what it's called)
Nestabilities: Oval, Oval Scallop, Round, and Round Scallop
Sentiment: (front) LOTV; (inside) SU
Pearls, pearl flourishes, ribbon, & flowers: my stash
Lots of Stardust Stickles
Doohickey: Magnolia
Copics: E21, 00, 000, 0000 (skin); R20 (cheeks); E33, 19, 15, 11, YR21 & 20 (hair); BG72, 13, 11, 10, 0000 (tutu); W1 & 00 (shading & floor)

I've decided to enter this darling little card into this Thursday's challenge at LOTV HERE. Maybe someday I'll be a random winner...hehehe!! Hasn't happened yet...but one of these days my number will have to be drawn...law of averages and all!!

So that's it for now friends...thanks so much for stopping by for a peek. Take care...and I'll see you soon. {{{{hugs}}}}

Cornell...

Hi friends...it's me again! It's the night before Thanksgiving here in the U.S. and I am just getting ready to call it a day. But before I do that, I wanted to share some AWESOME news with you! Remember, I'm a computer ...what's the opposite of wizard?...well, I'm whatever is the exact opposite of computer wizard!! But I discovered something fab and just had to share!!

First...let me say that I am head over heels in love with Mo Manning's art!! The images she creates are beyond wonderful! And you KNOW how much I love coloring cute little kids!! Well...up 'til now I've only used Mo's images that I purchased as stamps...first from Stampavie and then from Stamping Bella (who has Mo Manning in Rubbah!). I have nearly every stamp!! Then I discovered Mo's Digital Pencil!! And even better, I figured out how to download and save and resize and print images! Whoooohoooo!!! Soooo...drum roll please...this is my very FIRST digi image from Mo's collection...I just got her and had to color her immediately!! Her name is "Cornell" and you can get her on Mo's site HERE.


Here's a side view...


And a pic of the inside...


Here's my recipe:Cardstock: Very Vanilla & Taken with Teal (Stampin' Up)
DPs: October Afternoon
Ribbon: Taken w/Teal (SU)
Paper flower: Doohickey from Magnolia
Charm: my stash
Spellbingers scallop circle, scallop oval, oval, & circle dies
And here are the Copics I used...


I am not entering this little card into any challenges...I just made the card because I think Cornell's adorable!! And I just wanted to have some fun! Now that I've figured out the digi download process, you'll see many more of these little darlins on my bloggity blog! Thanks so much for stopping by for a peek. I'll see you soon. {{{hugs}}}

Uh oh, Santa...I can explain...

Whoohooo!!! Here we are again...with another fabby challenge for you at the new...and outrageously FUN Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog!! And the prize for this fortnight's challenge is a wonderful Mistletoe Border Doohickey Die from Diana Crick's online store...Magnolia-licious home of all things Magnolia...not to mention the exclusive distributor in North America to get your Magnolia "minis"!! I cannot wait to get my first order of those little darlings!!

I want to join Diana, Suzanne, Candy and the rest of my DT sistahs in thanking all of you who entered our very first "Pink & Yellow" challenge...and for some of you, this was your very first challenge ever! I'm thrilled beyond belief!!! You are the reason we're all having such fun here!! Oh...now, speaking of fun...

Our second challenge for Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog was chosen by our very own, uber talented Candy Mills. Here's the picture she chose for our "inspiration"...talk about non-traditional holiday colors, huh?! Purple, blue, and yellow...YIKES!! Plus stars and presents...I have to be honest, I had a tough time narrowing down what I was going to do with this challenge!! (I guess that's why they call it a challenge! KWIM?!) *** Sidebar here...I just found out from my DT sistahs what KWIM means...Know What I Mean?!! hehehe!! So...I know...got off track a bit...here's the Inspiration Pic...



An here's my interpretation...


I chose this darling little Lightning Edwin...you can find him at Magnolia-licious HERE. And, in my creative mind, I somehow included all of the inspiration elements...see if you can find them...Christmas tree; purple, blue, & yellow; stars; and present. (OK...here's a hint...I wrapped the whole front of the card as a present! LOL)

It's been a while since I made an easel card...I'd forgotten how much fun they are!!! Here's a side view.



And a close-up of Edwin...he's so cute, I could just eat him up!! (Reminds me of our grandson, Brody who always seems to be into something...a couple of years ago, he broke his arm jumping off the back of the sofa playing Super hero!!...He's all mended now!)



And a close-up of this darling sentiment from Just-Rite Stamps. (Seemed perfect for this little card!)



So...here's my "recipe"...
Cardstock: Very Vanilla & Not Quite Navy (Stampin' Up)
DPs: Creative Imaginations (I picked it up from my local craft store)
Eyelet Circle dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities
Edge punch: Martha Stewart (I think it's called Bubbles-something)
Diamonds: my jewelry box (I know...old joke...but it sill makes me laugh!!)
Ribbon & charm: my stash
Stickles: lavender, yellow, & waterfall
Christmas lights: I actually picked these up at a LCS too)
And here's a pic of the Copics I used.



So...I sure hope you like my little creation...and my DT entry for this fun, fun challenge!! Now...pull out your Magnolia stamps, paper, and markers, pencils, inks, and/or paints...and do some serious creating!! I can't wait to see what you come up with!! Remember when you promised me that you'd enter our challenge again? Big Maggie hugs to all of you...and thanks for stopping by for a visit.