Scrapping Saturday - Mad for Markers

I am so excited to be sharing with you  my combined love of scrapbooking and copic markers...I've recently accepted a position on the design team at Mad for Markers... and this is the very first time, that I have used my copic markers on a layout - thanks for encouraging me Sammi! This time last year my family and I travelled to Europe and despite leaving our Summer behind, it was such a magical time, experiencing the traditions of the festive season in the Northern Hemisphere. It also marked a significant milestone as my youngest daughter had just completed her Year 12 studies and for me it meant the return of my copic markers - she had them on "long-term loan" for her Graphic Art folio. I am very happy to have them back and I've been colouring up a storm ever since!! Although I have become a bit of a "digital diva" - it is fun to "dabble" with paper and adhesive now and then.

I created this layout using the new  Ltd Ed. Hummingbird paper collection from Creative Memories. I love the soft subtle romantic tones to the paper designs and  I will be adding a lot of this paper to my stash!! I complimented it with cardstock in lilac, grape, black and white. My title was made using the Sizzix Shadowbox diecut font. I added a strip of lace adhesive and I made my other embellishments for this layout using the Eiffel Tower and Tilda with Wine & Cheese stamps from Magnolia. I stamped them onto X-Press IT Blending Card and coloured them in with the following colours.

Eiffel Tower - W1, W3

Skin - E00, E21, E51, R20

Hair - E35, E33, E31

Clothing - BV00, BV02, BV04, G000

Basket - E33, E31

Wine Bottle/ Bread - G02, G00, Y15, E33, E31

I added a plaid pattern to the skirt of my little Tilda with a Black Multiliner 0.1mm and after I added the diamond shapes to the skirt I used my G000 to blend them - this also gave the skirt a "greenish" colour that co-ordinated beautifully with my patterned paper.

I decided not to colour in the napkin in the little basket - instead I used some more Hummingbird patterned paper and "stitched" around the edge with my Black Multiliner 0.1mm - be sure to check out the selection of Multiliner Pens in the Mad for Markers store - they have multiple uses and are a fabulous addition to your collection of markers.

I had so much fun making my own embellishments for this layout - so stay tuned... I can see a lot more of my coloured stamp images making their way into my scrapbooking over the coming months.

Summertime!!

mmm....we are now officially into our third day of Summer here in the land downunder, but what strange weather we are having!!?- it is usually hot and dry in our area during this time of year but for the past week we have truly had a mixture of the 4 seasons !! Yesterday was cold, wet and windy, Today is hot, humid and stormy - I don't like either of these versions of weather patterns, so I have spent today playing in my "happy room". I decided the best thing to do was pretend it really was a beautiful Summers' day and  create a bright and cheery card for the current challenge at http://magnoliadownunderchallenges.blogspot.com/

As you know, I am very much a "pink" girl but I decided that I would spread my wings and experiment with something new to add to my repertoire of  favourites colours...and I went with a very bold approach that will take a bit of getting use to LOL!!  I used "Tilda with Bike" from Magnolia's Lazy Summer Day's Collection 2009 and drawing inspiration from some striped paper, I found in my ever growing "stash", I went with shades of blue, green and purple.

Copics Used:

Blues - B97, B95, B93

Purples - BV00, BV02, BV04

Greens - YG00, YG03, YG06

I coloured the paper flowers with a combination of the same colours, the finished card was very bright and bold and I wasn't sure if I should add a Birthday or Get Well sentiment - but with a toss of a coin the Birthday tag won out!!

I like to take the photos of my cards in natural light so I usually set them up outside in our pergola area...while I was setting up to take the photo.. our 14 year old kitty, Miss Pepper decided she wanted to be in the photo too, so she plonked herself on my drop sheet and supervised the proceedings - it was so cute! - well it was, until... she had a little "nibble" on the corner of my card!!

Paper Wings

I'm so excited to share with you the latest digital kit designed by Angel Hartline - it is called Paper Wings and in the words of Angel -  Let Paper Wings lift you up to heaven! Paper Wings overflows with sublimely soft and delicate textures in shades of pink, purple, blue & cream.

I think this kit is absolutely gorgeous - it is so pretty and evokes such serene emotions. While it is perfect for showcasing photos of the "Angel" in your life - it is ideal for fantasy pages and at the same time a great choice for heritage layouts - yep!! - you guessed it I created a heritage layout with it!

To add this stunning kit to your digi collection be sure to....

Visit Angeltown:
http://angelhartline.com/

For the Luv of Art:
http://www.fortheluvofart.com/

theStudio:
http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/store/

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!!