Playing with Pigs

A little while back my niece asked me if I would design her 18th Birthday invitations - the only brief she gave me was that they had to be pink and glittery! My niece is a real "girly girl" - yes, pink is her favourite colour, she loves and teaches classical ballet, is very much a fashionista etc etc. However, she has the most unusual pet - no cute kittens or toy poodles for this girl - she owns a "black" miniature pig!!

This is Miss Kara  - my nieces pet pig! - and this is the card I made for her birthday next weekend.

Of course Tilda with Piglet  (from the Magnolia 2009 So Jolly & Under the Mistletoe Collection)  was the perfect choice of stamp for my card, but I actually found it a little difficult to colour in! I think my pig blends into Miss Tilda's clothes a bit too much??? - I did add some highlights to the clothing with a white gel pen to give them a bit more definition, but I'm not sure it helped? Apart from that, I think it turned out ok.

Copics Used:
Skin - E00, E51, E21, R20
Hair - E37, E35, E33
Hat/Socks/Vest - RV10, RV21
Pants - B93, B95, B97
Pig - C3, C5, C7, R20

I outlined my pink areas with a pink ( Blossom) Spica pen. I cut my "18" from the  Quickutz Blossom Alphabet Set - coloured it with RV10 & RV21 and also outlined it with the Blossom Spica pen. The pink cardstock is from Creative Memories and called "Pink Lemonade", the blues are "left-overs" from my stash, so I am not sure of names. The sentiment I typed up on the computer using the font Pharmacy. The white lace tag is from the Martha Stewart collection.

I promised I would do some baking for the party too - so next on my agenda I am making some cup cakes - and I'm going to decorate them up as pink pigs - found a simple little recipe here at
http://www.kidspot.com.au/best-recipes/Cakes-and-Baking+20/Pig-cupcakes-recipe+2771.htm

oh and this is my niece - if she braided her hair into plaits - she could almost pass as Tilda LOL!!

A Touch of Christmas

...I have had, a rather productive weekend.... made a few cards, did some digi scrapbooking and all with a little touch of Christmas.

I created this card for the Magnolia Down Under Challenge #72. The theme for this challenge is SHABBY CHIC and the new vintage Reminisce papers from the Creative Memories range was perfect for this challenge.
I used the Santa's Little Helper stamp from Magnolia's Merry Little Christmas 2010 Collection - she is so cute!!



Copics used:
Skin: E50, E51, E53 - cheeks R20
Hair: E35, E33, E31
Clothes and Stockings - R29, R37, R46, W1, W3

I used some Polar White Flower Soft to trim the hat and some White Gel pen to add highlights to the dress and stockings... along with a little "swipe" of my Blender pen ;)

The patterned paper is from the Reminisce Christmas Additions from Creative Memories. The "Dec 25" sticker is also from this pack. The flowers are from the Reminisce Paper Flower pack and I also added a white paper flower, I coloured with my R37. I grouped them together and adhered the arrangement to a Martha Stewart lace tag then added a red button to the centre - my first Christmas card for the season - done!

It is so hard to believe that this time last year we were organising ourselves for the family trip to Europe. One of my favourite photos from this trip was of the huge Christmas Tree in the Grand Place in Brussels and when I saw this new kit from Angel Hartline Designs - called Shabby Holiday Mini Kit...I knew, it would be the ideal digital package to compliment this photo. It is such an elegant collection of gorgeous vintage elements and lovely blue and green colours.






Doesn't the blue work well with the lights on the Christmas Tree? - they were simply magical. If you want to purchase this kit you will find it over a www.fortheluvofart.com

I also tried my hand at the challenge from www.madformarkerschallenges.blogspot.com. The current challenge is to create a 'Christmas Card using Non-Traditional Colours'

...of course I had to use pink LOL! I actually chose Pink and Blue, these colours were inspired by this paper I found from Kaisercraft's Christmas Spirit range - I think it was called "Merry"? It has a little snowflake print in soft shades of blue and a splash of raspberry pink. My image is also from Magnolia's Merry Little Christmas Collection and is called "Tilda wants a Hug"




Copics used:
Skin & Cheeks - E50, E51, E53, R20
Hair - E37, E35, E33
Dress and Stockings - BG01, RV06, RV09 - higlighted with white gel pen.
Holly - RV09, YG67

I also used my cool gray's C3 & C7 to add shadows around my image, it was the first time I had tried this technique...and I think I have a lot to learn!!

To finish this card I added some pen stitching using a pink pigma pen, ribbon, button and embroidery thread, a snowflake punch, rhinestones and a pearl pin coloured in with
BG05 - the Happy Holidays sentiment is a Stampin'Up image. I added it to some cut out shapes and adhered to my card with some foam adhesive.....certainly not your traditional Christmas card but fun all the same.

Colour Challenge

I haven't joined many online card challenges, but I thought it was about time I joined the fun and became a little more active...the thing about challenges is they really stretch you creativity and help you think outside the square. The current colour challenge over at
www.magnolia-liciouschallengeblog.blogspot.com is "Pink & Yellow"....every 2nd Tuesday they have a colour challenge...

HOW YOU CAN PLAY:
Upload your PINK & YELLOW Challenge card to the 'Link System' on the blog - you must post by NOVEMBER 22.
WHAT YOU CAN WIN:
GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR $25.00 from MAGNOLIA-LICIOUS!!!!

...now you all know me and if the colour "Pink" is included I'm sure to be in on the "playtime"!!

I received Sleeping Baby Tilda in the mail this week - so it was a perfect choice for my card....I had a little trouble choosing my Copic colours for this project. Although, my collection of them has grown heaps in the last few months, I discovered I'm a little light on in the colours of pink and yellow! Oh well! - I might just have to go shopping again LOL !

Copics Used:
Skin: E50, E51, E53 - Cheeks: RV20
Bonnet & Pants: RV02, RV10
Top & Pillow: Y11, Y13

I used some Clear Kindy Glitz in the wings - then to make up my card I embellished with some flowers, rhinestones, leaf punches, gingham ribbon and the lace doiley punch from Martha Stewart.



...just a little "close-up" pic!



This card was such fun to make, so I thought I would come up with a boy version as well.

Copics Used:
Skin: E00, E21, E51 - Cheeks RV20
Bonnet & Pants: B00, B02
Top & Pillow: Y00, Y11
I also added highlights of Gold Spica pen and some clear Kindy Glitz





....looking forward to my next challenge :)

Angel Hartline Designs

I'm so excited to share with you the latest digital scrapbooking kits from Angel Hartline Designs - they are simply gorgeous... and they have lots of my favourite colour - PINK ;)

The Any Given Day Collection is jam packed with papers, wordart and the most delightful embellishments - it is all about cherishing everything, and everyone you love in your life… on Any Given Day! This beautiful collection celebrates all those little everyday moments of love and happiness that we cherish.



These are 3 layouts I created using this collection - it is just the sweetest!!







and just released today - "Holiday Madness" - celebrate all the glitz, cheer, joy and well, madness, of the holidays with this colorful & festive collection! it is available to purchase as of the 12th Nov. from the Studio http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com

I've only had a little play with this kit and made up a few hybrid cards - but I have plenty of other projects lined up ready to create with it - 'cos I'm so lovin' all that pink!!

Creating Monsters

I've been admiring the work of my friend Andrea over at www.stampinmoments.com while there, I fell in love with the Lil Monster by Annabelle Stamps and all the beautiful cards Andrea had created with him.......and I just had to add him to my collection of toys. The first card I created with him was very much inspired by Andrea - I took her fabulous idea of replacing the balloon in his hand with a flower.


Copics Used:
Monster - E31, E33, E35
Jumper - B93, B95, B97
Crown - YG63, YG67
I also coloured a white paper flower with B95 - the patterened paper is from my old Stampin'Up stash, the sentiment is also from Stampin'Up - Oval All set.

I've actually done lots of blog hopping lately and as always, it sparks another addiction LOL! - my newest being Hanglar Stanglar Stamps -
how cute are these little Scandinavian images?? - I so NEEDED to add these little beauties to my collection.....there was a slight problem though, they are only available in Sweden, Finland and Norway...but I am grateful for student exchange programs and friends in just the right places... 'cos this allowed my new addiction to become a reality!! - lucky me!! - so without further ado, I introduce my first Hanglar Stanglar cutie to you. This is Sommartjej ( Summer Girl ) from the 2008 collection.


to colour her I used RV10, RV13, RV21, B93, B95, B97 - the blue patterned paper is from the Kaisercraft - Lovestruck range
( very apt!! ) and the pink paper from EK Success is called Pollyanna - the large pink rosebuds are from Prima's fairytale collection.

While on the subject of creating monsters and finding new addictions - my eldest daughter has decided to try her hand at some Copic Colouring and card making - these are her first ever creations and now I am a little frightened that I may have to share my toys - not sure how I am going to handle that LOL!! - but it was fun to "play" with her and she did a fabulous job.

A Touch of Purple...

..paper lace and lots of flowers!! If I had to pick my least favourite colour it would have to be purple, as a stand alone colour, I am not it's greatest fan. However, co-ordinate it with green, lemon and a splash of blue and I can be tempted to change my mind LOL!! My latest card creations are all made up of shades of purple and despite it not being a favourite colour, I'm happy with the results....even though I went a little overboard with my flower embellishments!!
I'm not sure of the correct name of this little Miss Tilda from Magnolia Stamps. I stamped the image when I borrowed my friend Judy's collection - thanks Judy!
I coloured her in using my Copics - BV00, BV02, BV04, BO2 and BO3 as I did on all three of these cards. However, I used my Lavender Spica Marker to add some glittery highlights to her dress. The patterned paper is from the Kaisercraft Utopia Collection - called Idyllic and it is don't you think???



This card is another of Judy's images - yes, she is a good friend!! and is called Rainy Day Emma from C.C. Designs - very apt for the wet weather we are experiencing at the moment. The yellow printed paper is from the "Count Me In" collection from Sassafras and the lilac is from a stash of Stampin Up paper I found in my cupboards ;)



...and my final card from this weekend's playtime is a Swiss Miss from C.C.Designs - Heidi Among the Flowers - I used lots of clear kiddy glitz on this card and again used some of the Utopia Collection of papers from Kaisercraft - this one is called Paradise. I also used my white gel pen to add lots of highlights to her dress and the flowers.



On my craft show travels (over many years!) I have collected all sorts of "odds & sods" that I might one day use. My latest find, amongst these treasures was some adhesive lace I purchased many moons ago!! I used it on all these cards and am sadly getting to the end of what I have...so, if any of you lovely blog readers of mine come across some in your own craft travels could you let me know?? - I would be forever grateful. xx