Just Magnolia #2 and Sketch Saturday #48....Tiny Baby & Little Star!

Hey! We are back from Kieran's 1st Communion it was a beautiful Mass and all the children looked like little angels. Kieran was sooo good and even smiled a few times for the camera, lol! We had a lovely afternoon and he was very pleased with himself! We ordered Chinese food for dinner as a little special treat and then the kids went back outside to play! I went and finished up these cards that I have been working on in between all the busyness of this weekend!

I'm so pleased with both of them but I am partial to this little girl card....too cute! I used the fab sketch over at Sketch Saturday for both cards but this baby girl card I made for the challenge this week at Just Magnolia! The challenge is to use pink and green.

I stamped Tingla on Prism Simply Smooth White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then made a mask on a yellow post-it note and then stamped the ribbon. I love this Magnolia ribbon stamp from the Valentines collection it is sooooo versatile when you want something for Tilda and Edwin to sit on!

I picked up this great paper called Baby Safari by Little Yellow Bicycle. I just love it and I think it will be great for other cards not just baby cards! The sentiment is a Melissa Frances rub-on. I coloured the heart in with a pink Sakura Stardust pen. I am just loving these Prima flowers with the leaves attached. I added Shimmez here and there to Tingla and the flowers. The ribbon is American Crafts and the heart brads are Making Memories. I cut the ribbon slider for the sentiment with my Nesties die.

Here is the baby boy card, again I used the great Baby Safari paper and followed the Sketch Saturday sketch. The sentiment is stamped and from a Fancy Pants acrylic baby stamp set...I love this set! I coloured the star in with my Sakura Yellow Stardust pen, ribbon is from my stash and star brads are Making Memories. I used my EK Success Scalloped scallop border punch on both cards.

I finished the insides on both cards cuz these cards are going to be packaged up and added to the sale bin. Well, actually the baby girl card is already sold, yay!!! I can't believe how well the cards are selling and all the $$$ that I raise in the month of May is going to The Canadian Hearing Society (where I work as an American Sign Language Interpreter).

Thanks for stopping by and having a wee peek!!! Hope you have a great week!!!

Hugs,

Dottie's World Sunday Challenge....For a Teen by Adele...Happy Birthday ~16 Totally a Teen!!! & Some Sad News!!!

Well, yesterday was a busy day and today will be too! I helped Chris build a shed in the backyard from a kit that he got at Costco. It was actually kinda fun...Shhhh...don't tell him I said that or I will have to help him out like that more often,smile! I was actually pretty good at following the directions and visualizing how it was suppose to go together from the pics in the instruction manual...kinda proud of myself!!! It was a beautiful day to be outside and I even got a little sun...I didn't think to put any sun screen on so I am a little burnt. I also tried to get around and say "hi" but my computer (or blogger) wasn't cooperating...not sure what's up with that...eeekk! Hope it isn't my computer! Kieran has his First Communion so another busy day today!!!!

Now for the sad news....I unfortunately had to let Louise and Karen know that I was steeping down from Dottie's World Sunday Challenge...I was really sad to have to do that as I do love the Holly & Madison images soooo and Mikey is such a cutie!!! I have been having printer issues (so I need a new one soon when the budget allows) and it is a laser jet printer which means the ink is not compatible with my Copics! This has been the major issue for me!!! I have been spraying my images with a fixative and the fumes are killing me...not to mention all the stress of my printer working on and off!!! So, this is, very sadly, my last DT card for Dottie's World..sniffle, sniffle! Karen, Louise and all the ladies at DW Sunday Challenge have been just fabulous to work with and I will miss them and the fun chit chat at the DW DT Forum!

This week's challenge was set by Adele and it was great fun! I really enjoyed making this card!!!! I used this fabby new American Crafts Teen paper collection. The cardbase is 6X6, cut from some Black Bazzill Basics cardstock! I was yackin' on the phone with my mum when I was making this card and I was rummaging around on my desk and saw this fancy label that I'd cut on my Silhouette months ago! It was a perfect fit for Madison and I was so happy with how it looks on this card. I ran the black piece through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots embossing folder and did the same to the number 16 and the QK photo corner! the ribbon is American Crafts too!!!

I printed Madison on Prism Simply Smooth White cardstock and coloured her with my Copics! I sponged around her with some pink Metallic Rub-Ons to give her a bit of a pink glow and It doesn't show in the pic but I used my Sakura Glaze pen and added some gloss to her lips and went over the cord, ipod and her bracelet! It looks fab IRL!!!

Well, that is a very sad post for me!!!! I will really miss the Dottie's World Sunday Challenge DT they are just the kindest ladies!!! I have to tell you my 9 year old daughter, Hannah, is totally bummed out too! She just adores Holly and Madison, so there are two very long faces here at the Godfrey household!!!!

So, a big, big thank you hug to Louise, Karen, Juliet, Adele, Nicola, Kat and Vanessa for making my very short time on DW so much fun!!!! Go check out their fab DT cards!!!

Thanks for stopping by and having a wee peek! Hope you have a great day!!!!

Hugs,

BasicGrey Challenges # 32...A Fab Sketch by Chris....Miss Thing!!!

So, it is Saturday and you know what that means!? Yup! Time for another BasicGrey challenge!!!! Can you believe we are #32 already! WOW!!! Well, we have an absolutely fabulous sketch for you by our lovely and uber talented Chris! I hope you can play along with us this week! I know you will love this sketch and I know you will be totally inspired to join us when you see the fabulous creations of our BG DT....go have a peek!!! They are all sooo stunning and some gals are lucky enought o have soem new BG papers to play with already!!!!

Well, I wish I actually owned this adorable stamp of Anya but unfortunately I don't!!! She and her friends are on my wish list though! I was lucky enough to have my good blogging, crafting, and BG DT buddy Tara send me some fabulous Anya images and I just had to colour this one up as it so reminds me of our Hannah! I coloured her with my Copics and sponged the moody background with my beloved Metallic Rub-ons!

I bought this adorable cell phone charm that was handcrafted by my friend Kate! She makes so many different ones and they are all so precious. I wish I could have them all...just like stamps, lol!!! I have a gorgeous, yummy apple that dangles from my wallet zipper and I bought a wee monkey holding a banana too! I think I might make a card for him to go on too! I asked her if she could make me some butterflies to add to cards! When I saw this purse I thought of Anya with her handbag and I decided to make the card to co-ordinate with the charm, so I used BG Euphoria. The charm is just hanging from the flower and is easily removed to add to your cell phone, purse, wallet or wherever you want a little bling, really!

The sentiments are Melissa Frances Rub-ons and I used some rhinestone crystal thingys for the centres of the small QK flowers. they were clear and I just coloured them to match with my Copic marker. The darker marker colours work best for this and the crystal won't be as dark as the maker colour would be on paper!

Thanks for stopping by and having a wee looksey!!!! I hope you can play along with us at BasicGrey Challenges!

Hugs,

Spoon Full of Sugar...a sketch by Caryn....Much Love!

Hey! Sorry I haven't been around to say "hi" this week and I have received such kind and sweet comments about my mini-tutorial post too....thanks I really do appreciate the comments and promise I will be around to visit!!!!
So, is it just me or did it feels like this week just plodded along in one way and zipped by in another! I think it might just be me becasue I stayed home with my wee guy,Kieran on Tuesday as he didn't feel well...it kinda messed me up for the rest of the week! I also got a crazy idea in my head on Tuesday and when that happens then I become all consumed with it!!!!


So, do ya wanna hear my crazy idea! Well, I was reading Bev's blog and she was mentioning that her daughter sells her stunning cards to raise money for charity and it hit me! I knew exactly what I would do with all the cards that have been piling up in my craft nook! So, I packaged all my cards up on Tuesday when I was home with Kieran and decided that I would sell them for $5.00 and raise the $$ for the organization that I work for, The Canadian Hearing Society!

May is Hearing Awareness month and the staff in the office have been very busy raising funds for our Corporate challenge event that is on May 30th! I thought this would be the perfect way to help out the CHS Corporate Challenge team! So, I have raised about $115 in two days. Can you believe it!? Not bad, eh!? I am so excited!!! I will keep you posted on how I do with the fundraising, smile!

So about this card.....I made it following Caryn's fabulous sketch over at A spoon Full of Sugar this week! It is my first time joining the Spoon Full of Sugar challenge blog and I had a great time and will definitely play along again! I am quite happy with this card and I am just loving this Tilda she is soooo super duper cute!!! I stamped her on Prism Simply Smooth paper with Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with my Copic markers.

I have been digging deep into my stash lately and coming out with some great papers to use! Like this My Mind's Eye Wild Asparagus paper that I have been hording for years. It is just so pretty I didn't want to cut it but I finally did for this card! I used my new Kelly Panacci border stamps with Vintage Photo Distress ink and a few of those yum-o rose buds from the Dollarama (the dollar store)...just can't get enough of them!!! They look fabulous with a little Shimmerz added to them! So, now I just need to package this card up and add it to the sale box!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and having a wee peek!!!!

Hugs,

FS # 48 & Copic Colour Challenge # 9 & a Copic Mini-Tutorial....Thanks a Bunch!

I made this card today for Friday Sketchers Challenge #48 and for Copic Colour Challenge # 9! The colours this week at CCC are R59 Cardinal, G99 Olive, YR07 Cadmium Orange.

Well, It took me the better part of the day to make this card but I have a good reason for why it took sooooo long. I decided to do up a mini-tutorial, demonstrating one of the Copic colouring techniques that I used on this card. You can also find this technique explained in greater detail on Marianne Walker's blog I like markers.

So, I hope you like my very mini version...it is my first one and not that great....I took all the pics myself with my left hand, lol! I must have looked pretty goofy but I was home alone so that was the best I could do, smile!!!

I was reading Jacqui's blog earlier today and admiring her stunning creations!!! Well, She was mentioning that she doesn't usually colour her Elizabeth Bell images with her Copics because she likes the soft look of the distress inks and thinks it is better suited to the images. Well, it made me think of this technique that I learned at the Copic Certification class and from Marianne's Blog I Like Markers to achieve a water colour or distress ink "look" but with your Copics.

So....here goes the mini-tutorial...eeeeekkk!!!

So for this technique you will need a Koi watercolour tank brush filled with Copic colourless blender fluid. I label mine and keep them separate from my other brushes.

I cut the oval from Scenic Route paper on my Silhouette and inked all the edges with Tim Holtz Distress inks and the Sponging tool thingy. I used Antique Linen, Mustard Yellow, Scattered Straw, Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo. I then Stamped the Magnolia vine stamp around the oval in Brushed Corduroy.

I wanted to add a little more colour to the leaves on the vine but I wanted it to be very subtle! So, to get a nice water coloured effect, I scribbled some Copic marker ink on a sheet of plastic but you can also use an acrylic block. Then I picked up the ink off of the plastic with a Koi watercolour tank brush that had been filled with Copic Colourless Blender Fluid and applied it to the leaves. Start where you want the darkest colour and brushing out until all the ink is off the brush.

Then I did the same with the flowers in Tilda's basket as I wanted them to have a more subtle water colour look to them!

and then I coloured in her bows this way as well. On some of the flowers I wanted a darker shade of the Cardinal, so I add some ink directly from the marker to the image and then spread it around, lighting it, with the Koi brush filled blender fluid.

And this is the finished card! I'm quite happy with how it turned out and I used a lot of Magnolia stamps that I have bought but not really played with so that was a bonus! I used this "water colouring" technique on the Magnolias leaves and one of the flowers! I also, used my clear Spica pen to add a lot of twinkle to the images.

I am always sooooo inspired by the uber talented Tab and this time I thought I would do up the inside of my card too! I love how she adds in an extra image on the inside. I have cased her cards and done the same here and I really love how it looks!!! Hope you don't mind, Tab!!!

So there you have it! I hope you like my very mini-tut, if you can even call it that!!! Was it okay? like I said it is my first one...next time I decided to do one I will get Hannah or Chirs to take the pics instead of me juggling my camera with my left hand,lol!

Thanks for stopping by and having a wee peek! Hope you have a great week!

Hugs,

Dottie's World Sunday Challenge....Christmas...Winter Wishes from Madison!!!

It is time for another fun Sunday challenge over at Dottie's World blog!!! This week Karen set the challenge and it is Christmas!!! So, Karen would like us to capture the warm cozy feeling of Christmas on our cards!!!! Remember to use a download image from Charmed Cards & crafts!!!!

For my card I made the base 6x6 from some reddish Brown Bazzill cardstock and used some BasicGrey scraps from Figgy Pudding, Wassail, and Mistletoe & Pear. I printed Madison with Gift on Prism Simply Smooth White cardstock and coloured her in with my Copics..I am loving this new paper with my Copics! I sponged a background with my Metallic Rub-Ons and a little twinkle here and there with my Sakura Stardust glitter pen!!!!

I discovered a Copic colour marker that I'm loving at the mo! I think it is one that I would've never used, as it seems kinda obscure, but it just proves that you shouldn't pick your Copic colours just on the cap colour, the numbering system or the name alone! You really just have to play with them and you'll definitely find great colours to use!!! So, right now, I'm loving Y28 Lionet Gold! I used it for Madison's eyes on this card and I think it it makes for a pretty Hazel brown eye colour. I have also used it on other images for hair too, as a lowlight colour effect! it is a really great Copic colour and I'm sure I'll find other uses for it!!!

I added a few poinsettia Prima flowers and leaves and put some blue gems in the middle! The ribbon is America Crafts!!!

I hope you can join us this week at Dottie's World! It is a great opportunity to make a Christmas card and be ahead of the game! Go check out the other DT cards at the Dottie's World blog...they are all so fabulous!!!

Hugs,

Just Magnolia #1...a sketch....Bugs & Kisses!!!

I made this card tonight for the first Just Magnolia challenge! They have a great sketch over there so if you love Magnolia stamps, as much as I do, then you need to pop on over there and play along!

I used this new paper that I picked up at Crop Circles in Peterborough the other day! It doesn't have the manufactures name on it anywhere, so unfortunately I can't tell ya who makes it but it is really fun brightly coloured paper and has a beautiful texture and is nice and heavy...really nice paper! EDIT: I found out who makes this fabby paper. It's by Die Cuts with a View and is from The Green Stack...I used Air Words and Wild Flowers!

I finally got my Magnolia Spring stamp set...let's just say there was a little issue with it! I owe a big, huge, gigantic thank you to my dear friend, Anki for all her help in sorting things out with my order!!! Thanks to her it finally arrived this week!!!! I was so super psyched to play with all the cute stamps!

The cuddle circle element is from The Shabby Shoppe and I printed it out on the computer on Prism Simple Smooth cardstock and cut it out then cut a scalloped circle with my Nesties to mat it!

I stamped Tilda on Prism Simply Smooth card stock and masked her and then stamped the butterfly grass with Memento Tuxedo black ink! I coloured her with my Copics and inked around the edges of the main image with Distress inks. I typed up the sentiment on my computer and printed it on Prism Simply Smooth card stock and cut it out with my Qk tag!

So, there ya have it!!! I am quite happy with how this card turned out and it was lots of fun to make and play along with the very first Just Magnolia challenge!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and having a wee peek!

Hugs,

BasicGrey Challenges # 31...Paper Piecing....Sorry!!!

Hey! Hope you are all well and had a productive week! I am sure you are happy to see the weekend though! Well, I know I'm ready for the weekend and a crafty challenge! How about you?! Well, you are in luck because we have another great challenge for you at BasicGrey Challenges! One that is an all time favourite of many of us! This week we would like you to try your hand at paper piecing!!!! Remember to use at least one BasicGrey product on your creation and to have FUN!!!!! The having FUN part is mandatory,lol!!!

For my card this week I made a 4.5X6 cardbase from Bazzill basics cardstock and used 6x6 pad of BG pp Eva and Lilykate! The colours combo was inspired by the yummy ribbon that I got at Micheals on sale this week... just love this plaid and the colours! So, I stamped Tilda on Prism Simply Smooth cardstock and coloured her hair, skin and tag with my Copics and then I stamped her again on the Eva floral patterned paper and cut out the parts for her dress and hair bow and then stamped her again on the purple pp from Eva and cut out her socks!

Well, After all that cutting I realized...well, actually I have known for a while now that I need new pair of micro tip scissors! I did look around the shops to see if I could find this Fiskars Scissor sharpener but no luck! So I bought a new pair EK Success Honey Bee scissors with my coupon a t Michelas! I have heard good things about these scissors so I am looking forward to putting them to work!!!

I added a few Prima flowers, dollar store paper roses, a some Qk swirls and flourishes and lots of Stickles for a little extra bling! The sentiment is from All That Scraps and is the CC Designs Sugarplum Sentiments set!

So, there you have it! I hope you have time to play along with us this week at BasicGrey Challenges!!! Also, be sure to go to the BasicGrey Challenges blog and visit all the BG DT ladies! Their cards are just outstanding and sure to inspire you to join us!!!

Thanks for stopping by and having a wee peek!!!

Hugs,

Sketch Saturday # 46....Adore...Holly in Spain!

Well, you should all be glad to know that I did a little cleaning up yesterday and it feels so good too!!! I cranked my Journey CD and Def Leppard CD and got busy!!! I don't know why I procrastinate so much when I actually start cleaning I get into a grove and become a little cleaning machine. All thanks to a fab little cleaning gadget I just got. I pulled out my Monster Steam Cleaner again for the second time and I just love it!!! It's soooo satisfying to blast away the dirt!!! I realize I just like gadgets maybe that is way I like crafting too...lots of cool gadgets! Well, the Monster does a fab job!!! I just have to tell you I used it to clean the oven and this is a job I couldn't do with harsh toxic oven cleaners cuz I would have a migraine for sure with the strong odor...but I cleaned my stove/oven till it was gleaming with only water...well very, very, boiling hot steam...but all natural! Just be cautious...I burnt my finger on the hot steam the first time I used, duh!!! So, enough about cleaning...and more about cards, right...gotta ya...good...so, here we go!!!

I made this card yesterday for Sketch Saturday #46! What a great sketch I flipped it to make it work with my image!!! I am a huge Dancing With The Stars Fan...and I was so inspired by Cheryl and Gilles Paso Dobles...(aakkk...did you see him with no shirt on???...OMG...sooo dreamy!!!!) I need to borrow Holly's fan right now,lol!!!

So, I pulled out an image of Holly in Spain from Charmed Cards & Crafts that I had printed on Georgia Pacific paper! I wanted to make Holly's dress look like Cheryl's but that proved to be more difficult than I origionally thought but it was still great inspiration!!!

I coloured Holly with my Copics and used Metallic Rub-ons to create the moody background! I made the 6x6 cardbase from Tiara Bazzill Bling Cardstock and pulled out this stunning My Little Yellow Bicycle patterned paper called Love Letters 6x6 pad and coordinating sticker embellies and used some bling from my stash and 2 MM brads!

My hubby gave me a nice compliment on this card...he said the fan looks very good...you see he is an artsy-fartsy type and knows where the shadows should be and all that technical colouring stuff...I just like colouring and cutting up pretty paper...always have ever since I was a little girl!!!

Well, I hope you get to colour and cut up some pretty paper today!!! My daughter, Hannah and I are meeting my Mom at the shopping centre to go to Laura Secord to get the good (50% off) chocolate...yes, more chocolate...it's half price today!!! Really, we didn't buy much chocolate for yesterday just enough to not be considered mean parents,smile...it is tradition in our family, starting when I was a kid, to wait and get the good stuff on sale Easter Monday!!!

Have a great day!!!!

Hugs,

Colour Create #11 and Friday Sketchers # 47...Time Flutters by!!!

I am having fun with all this extra crafting time this long weekend!!! Really I should do some cleaning and all but making cards is sooo much more fun!

I was so inspired by my blogging bud Tab's colour combo for Colour Create Challenge and all the beautiful cards by the DT that I couldn't resist making a card and playing along! I also used this week's FS sketch #47 for this card too!!! It is a really nice sketch and everything just fell into place...loved it!!!

When I saw the colour combo I went digging in my stash for this button embossed paper that I have had forever...I mean it is probably 7 or 8 years old. Now that is some old stash!!! It is really pretty paper but I just never knew what to do with it until today! I did a lot of distressing and inking on this card and I stamped the stitching with my Kelly Panacci Stitches acrylic stamps with Vintage Photo Distress ink!

I crackled painted this Technique Tuesday FUNdamentals chipboard butterfly with Tim Holtz Picket Fence white Crackle Paint and then distressed it with Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress inks. Then I used Metallic Rub-on and Shimmerized it! It was hard to get a good photo of it...it actually looks good IRL! There are lots of fine little cracks in it....so happy with it!!!

Thanks for stopping by I think I am going to go tidy and do up so loads of clothes...I have been totally consumed with stamping and cardmaking this weekend that I really should do something a little more productive, smile!!

Product Lits:

Stamps: Whiff of Joy, Guardian Angel, Melinda Helping Angel, Kelly Panacci Acrylic Stitches
Patterned Paper :Kelly Panacci paper and stickers, Embossed Buttons K&Co
Cardstock: Bazzill Bling, Bazzill Basics, Prism Simply Smooth
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Distress inks: Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain

Colouring Medium: Copics
Embellies and other stuff: Technique Tuesday FUNdamentals Chipboard butterfly, QuicKutz 4x4 Flourish die, Silhouette, Prima flowers and dollar store rose buds, half pearls from the dollar store, American Crafts ribbon

Hugs,

Dottie's World Sunday Challenge...Hand Made by Nicola...You Made My Day!

Happy Easter everyone! I just quietly snuck down here to type up my Dottie's world Sunday Challenge post, as my kidos are still in bed! I managed to eat all the chocolates that the Easter Bunny put around my computer...I think it is safe to say he left them for me...well, I hope so, lol! I will ask him when he wakes up, smerk!!!

For this week's challenge Nicola set a tough one, for me anyways, and I am not totally happy with this card but it is starting to grow on me! I cut my cardbase 4.5X6 from some Bazzill Basics cardstock and embossed it with my Cuttlebug folder and embossed some lines to frame the embossing with my Socr-Pal. To make the embossing stand out a little more I add a touch Metallic Rub-ons here and there!

I printed Madison in Asia on Georgia Pacific cardstock and coloured her with my Copics and add lots of Stickles! I cut the image with my Curvy Rectangles Nesties and embossed it too and again went around the image with more Metallic Rub-ons. Then I cut a few QK 2X2 flowers and sprinkled them around and add some American Crafts ribbon from my stash and the sentiment is from My Favourite things.

Well, I better go see if any one wants to hunt for chocolate eggs before I eat them all, he, he, he!!!

Hope you have a beautiful Easter Sunday with family and maybe after your big Easter dinner you can squeak in some crafty time!!!!

Hugs,

Friday Sketchers #46 & Copic Colour Challenge #8...Friends Furever!!!

I am back again with a quickie post to show you the card for this week's Copic Colour Challenge #8 and I have used last week's sketch # 46 from Friday Sketchers by Heidi! I made this card last night and it is so much fun when you have a new stamp to play with! My blogging and BG Challenges bud, Martine, sent me this adorable Magnolia Horse stamp in a RAK and so I inked him up and created this little scene! Tilda has a yummy Magnolia apple for her horsey friend...isn't' that sweet! Well, they will be friend furever now!!!

I was practicing one of the Copic blending techniques that I learned at the certification class on the little apple there...still need to keep practicing!!! The Copic colours this week over at the CCC are Crimson RV29, Light Walnut E57 and Moss YG67...I used a ton of other colours too but no pic...sorry!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and having a wee looksey!!!

Product List:

Stamps: Magnolia Tilda, Horse, Wall, Apple

Sentiment: My Favourite Things stamp set

Patterned Paper: BasicGrey 6x6 pad, Sugared and Bittersweet

Cardstock: Prism Simply Smooth White, Prism Craft, Bazzill Basics

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black

Colouring Medium: Copic Markers and Sakura Stardust Pens

Embellies and little extra touches: American Crafts ribbon, Prima flowers, Making Memories brads, Metallic Rub-Ons, QuicKutz 2x2 Tag die and Rub-ons (butterfly and bee)

Hugs,