Long weekend fun...

Made this card last weekend and didn't want to post it until after the Magnolia-licious blog hop was over because I had another card posted for that. I thought it would be best to post it this weekend.

I've never tried doing the European coloring style that I love seeing so much so after I colored this image, I felt it looked a bit too bright, crisp and clean so I needed to distress it up...I was quite nervous about doing anything more with the image as I didn't want to ruin a perfectly good colored image. Well, I just gave it a whirl. It's not exactly the European style, but I was able to gray it up a bit which helped make the card and image work better together.

Here's a close-up of the image. (This stamp is also available for FREE in my BLOG Challenge posted last weekend. Check it out if you want this stamp!!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Tilda with Violin (not formally released yet), The Angel Company Snowman Nativity T-2692)

Cardstock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: October Afternoon Gingerbread (#PP047)
Ribbon: Silk from Michael's
Flowers: Prima (from Fairytale collection)
Martha Stewart Punch
MM photo turn (with stickles added on top)
Pearl Sewing pins (pearls colored with copic E35 then buffed to shine)
Nestabilities Oval/scallop
Liquid Pearls: Gold
DMC floss: Gold, Cream
Buttons: Basic Grey, Lasting Impressions

Copics Used:

• Hair/Violin/Shoes: E25, E31, E35, E37, E55, YR14
• Dress: RV0000, RV91, RV93, RV95
• Skin: E000, E00, E01
• "European Shading": W00, W1, W3
• Copic White Opaque for highlighting

I'm sure you're shocked with the color of her dress...I was too. I don't like purple but dark plums and blue-purples are my favorites...as long as they arent bright colors and have a little black mixed in, I'm fine with it. Take a close look at the background paper too...I used gray to highlight the music notes and some faux stitching with my copic multiliner too...Just another finishing touch.

I'm so looking forward to my long weekend. I'm not planning anything. I'd love to visit a place called The Homestead and take some pictures at least as I've been hearing some amazing things about this place. I don't think I could EVER afford a long weekend there!




I will be heading to the Quantico National Cemetery to take some pictures with my new lens too. It's a beautiful little version of Arlington National Cemetery and it's right down the street from me. It's especially beautiful on Memorial Day.

I'll be back sometime this weekend with a special Memorial Day card.

Kerry

It's Christmas All Year Long...

It's that time of the month again, Magnolia-licious Christmas All Year Long Blog Hop! This month I have a card AND a challenge for you!!!

Yes, if you have fabulousy adorable images, luscious Copic markers and some beautiful patterned paper, you can turn almost any stamp into a festive holiday centerpiece!

I created this gift/card after being inspired on Rach's blog. She posted a beautifully colored and designed card incorporating a card and a gift in one. She made and placed a tealight box at the base of the card and included some tea lights inside for the gift. She also posted a link to the template so I was excited to try making one myself...

Well, the template that was provided did not work very well for me (and I don't think it worked well for her either so she made one for herself too). I could not get it to work no matter how I folded it. So I decided to make a new template that would work for me. While making a new template, I realized the only measurement that would need to change for a different sized card, would be the "6 inch length" measurement. All the other measurments remain the same. NICE!

I'm posting the template I created to help you make your own. Now, remember, the template is not drawn to scale, but does have the correct measurements listed. Here's the template I created. Feel free to share it with your stamping friends.

After I made the box, I set out to find the perfect stamp(s) to use for this month's blog hop. I found it in a new stamp called FAIRYDUST TILDA...Yes, it is from the Fairytale Collection, but that dust also reminded me of snow and HECK...I love cold weather and wear short sleeves in the winter so POO...It's not fairy dust, ITS SNOW! I also pulled two more stamps that would work with my theme.

After selecting the images, I went to my stash of pre cut 6x6 patterned papers...I found the perfect background paper in Little Yellow Bicycle Sharon Ann Delightful Blue Lace (Retired). It was the perfect shade of blue. I then went on to selecting the Copic Colors. I pulled out my handy-dandy copic book and started with hair, then moved on to clothes, then to her face...

Here are the colors I used:

• Fairytale Tilda's Hair: E21, 31, 55
• Clothes and Presents: BG0000, B00, B12, B91, Woo, W1
• Tilda With Gifts Hair/Shoes: E 21, 31, 35, YR14
• Tilda with Knitted Hat Hair: E55, Y23, E31
• Tilda with Knitted Hat Shoes: E31, E35, W01
• White Opaque Copic for the highlights
• Diamond Glaze for the shoes
• Crystal Stickles for the sparkle
• Skin on all Tildas: E0000, E00, E01

I always color their skin last for some strange reason. After that, it was time to cut them out.

After assembling the card with all the assorted embellishments, I decided it needed one or two more Maggie images. I pulled two: Tilda With Gifts (from the Wedding Collection) and an old favorite Tilda (I'll call her Tilda with Knitted Hat). I colored both images and put some pop dots on them then tried test positioning them on the card.
This was option 1:

And this was option 2:

I decided I liked option 2 better.

No snowy card is complete without a bit of Stickles, so I had to add that too. Martha Stewart snowflakes were punched and blinged up with brads and stickles. The stamped sentiment comes from a clear dollar Holiday set (Series 22) by Studio G. The ribbon was added to the box before gluing down to the front of the card base. It can be tied and untied to remove/insert the "gift".

SO here's the CHALLENGE:

Make one CHRISTMAS card using my tea light box card template. YOU HAVE UNTIL JUNE 5 to post your entry in the comments section here. I will select a winner based on all entries submitted.

The WINNER will receive:

New Tilda with Violin as well as a new Magnolia Ink Fairytale Magazine.

Good luck and Have fun!

Now you should head on to Lauren's and check out her holiday creation!

Sneak Peek!

While you are patiently waiting for the Magnolia-Licious Chrismas All Year Blog Hop to begin on May 25, I thought I'd tease you with a little SNEAKY PEEKY.

This card is a true treasure and it will be hard to part from it this holiday season since...well...Let's just say I spent a whole day trying to re-make that tea light box template so it would work as that other template I found was not working for me. But now that I have a working template (I made one for a 6x6 card and a standard A2 card), I can whip these puppies up in no time! LOL

Remember to come back to my blog on May 25 where you will see the WHOLE card and some detail shots, the card recipe (Copic list of course), read about my challenge, get the free template(s) and enter to win some FABULOUSLY Delish Maggie Prizes..Oh, and I'll have the BLOG ROLL listed too so you can merrily hop,hop,hop to other beautiful Magnolia Christmas Cards from my friends at magnolia-liscious.

Ker

Stamp, Stamp, Stamp...

Finally found the perfect paper for this adorable Magnolia...She's from the Magnolia Pink Collection and she's called "Pink Tilda with Striped Tights". Isn't she cute? If you know me, you know I DO NOT LIKE PURPLE...but this purple is ok...Wierd...anyway, I picked out some greens and purples and went to town coloring her. I thought she looked so "rich" that I just had to make just as "rich" a layout for her. So...After lots of cutting, assembling, distressing and assembling, I was satisfied with the final outcome. Oh, and I thought I had really screwed up the patterned paper (it was originally the size of the green piece) when I had some technical problems with my sewing machine. What a mess! Anyway, I decided to STAMP the stitching instead.

Just thought I'd mention too that I'm very proud of myself...I used the supplies I already have and didn't go out to buy something else to sit in my room and wait for me to use! LOL...

So here are the details on this creation:

Stamp: Magnolia, TAC (sentiment)

Patterned Paper: Wild Asparagus: Boy oh Boy Plaid with brown

Cardstock: Green and Purple: Target Brand, Kraft: The Paper Company

Ribbon: from my stash

Bling: Michaels dollar bin

Stickles: Diamond Dust

Flowers: Prima

Brads: Green All My Memories, Fancy: Michaels

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Colorbox Chestnut Roan

Copics:

Hair: Multiliner .35, C7, N2

Skin: E31, E35

Dress/Tights: YG91, YG95

Clothes, Tights, Hair Ribbon: BV00, BV31, V15

C1 used to blend tights.

I have another card ready to post too...You'll probably be shocked to know that I'm already thinking of school!

Ker