Birthday Celebrations

Today's post is a "shout out" to the wonderful Sammi at Mad for Markers who is celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of her online store...it was about this same time, that I "rediscovered" my passion for colouring and started adding to my collection of Copic Markers. I met Sammi at a Papercraft show in Melbourne and her enthusiasm for Copic colouring was contagious and I was thrilled to learn that she could supply all my Copic needs by mail - a huge bonus for someone living in the country! - and her customer service is simply WONDERFUL!  Since then, I am the proud owner of many new Copic colours. I joined her online, at Facebook and the Mad for Markers Blog... and have learnt so many fantastic techniques and made great new friends...and now, I am honoured to be a member of her Design Team.

To celebrate the 2nd Birthday of Mad for Markers, Sammi will be hosting a month of celebrations - commencing today with lots of giveaways on the Mad for Markers Facebook Page and Blog - It will end in the release of the 3rd Volume of  - Copicendium - a mini ideas book of inspiration....and a huge DT Blog Hop - you are very welcome to join in the FUN - and we would love to have you at the PARTY :)

...and.. as a tribute to the occasion, I thought a card creation would be very appropriate.

This Sweet Miss is called Copica and was designed by the very talented Krista Smith of Saturated Canary, this is a digi image printed up on X-Press IT Blending Card - and with her pocket full of Copic Makers...she looks very much like Sammi, the first time I met her :)

Copics Used:

Skin - E00, E01, E11 - Cheeks R20

Lips - RV42 - Eyes - B12

Hair - E27, E25, E21

Dress - R81, R83, R85

Apron - V12, V15, V17

Striped Top - Y38, YR23, YR21

Stockings - W1, W3, W5

Copic Markers - W1, W3, W5 - and a combination of my favourite colours

Looking forward to "seeing" you at the "party"

Some Tropical Playtime

...this week... I have been looking through the photos, my daughter and her friends have been sharing.. from their Fijian Adventure - Wow! what an amazing trip they had...living in a traditional village for a few days and experiencing island life in 3 different backpacker resorts...I have really enjoyed the pictorial journey, they have taken me on ...and it has inspired my latest card projects. On the last day in the village the villagers said goodbye in a traditional Fijian ceremony - all the volunteer participants were adorned in a necklace, made from tropical flowers and then had their faces covered in talcum powder and in some instances, paint (the significance of this, I am unsure of ??).

I love the lush green foliage of the tropics and the bright pinks, yellows and oranges of tropical flowers, they just "ooze" happiness. Therefore, they were the colours I reached for in my Copic Collection when it came to creating these cards.

The images are both digital stamps from Mo Manning - "Pineapple Girl" and "Kalei"....an adorable tropical feel to these island cuties!

Copics Used: Pineapple Girl

Skin: E000, E01, E11, Cheeks: RV42
Hair: E25, E27, E21
Dress: Y38, Y26, Y21,YG11, YG13, YG17Lei: RV55, RV02, RV10, Y38 - Blossom Spica Pen
Pineapple: Y38, Y26, Y21, YG11, YG13, YG17 - Buttermilk Spica Pen/White Gel Pen

Copics Used: Kalei

Skin: E33, E35, E37, Cheeks RV42
Grass Skirt: YG97, YG95, YG91
Hair: Black, E04, E77, E79
Top:Y38, Y26, Y21
Lei: RV55, RV02, RV10,

It was fun to use the same combination of colours on both these cards - and end up with different results. I also experimented with different skin tones (very new for me). I even added "rosier" cheeks by using RV42 instead of my favoured R20 - actually, I reached for a whole new colour combination of pink for these cards - I felt my usual combination of R81, R83 and R85 was not vivid enough for a tropical theme. If you are looking for new pink combinations yourself, be sure to pay a visit to the Mad for Markers Challenge Blog the DT have been sharing some gorgeous creations using R or RV Copic Makers - don't be afraid to join in too :)

The sentiment on both cards were created using "A Little Pot" font - I like to use my computer to generate my sentiments as it means I can create the perfect sentiment for my theme.... these were inspired by the greetings of the Fijian and Hawaiian people...and I thought they were perfect for the current challenge at Mo's Challenge Blog :)

One of the most famous expressions in Fiji is “Bula” (pronounced boolah). It is the Fijian word for “hello”. “Ni sa bula vinaka” is the full correct greeting- meaning “a warm hello,” but ‘Bula’ is more commonly used, especially for visitors to Fiji as it is quick and easy to learn and understand. 'Bula’ is as significant in Fiji as “Aloha” is to Hawaii - 'Bula 'represents more than just ‘hello’, it also means happiness and health.

The formal way  to say goodbye in Fijian is 'ni sa moce', pronounced 'nee-sah-moh-thay', though it is mostly and simply said as just 'moce'. It is also the word for goodnight. 

- until next time... "moce - my friends"

Many Happy Moments

.....yes, I have had a wonderful few days!! :)....and lots to "tell" you LOL!! Firstly, my baby daughter is home "safe" from her Fijian Adventure. If you have been following my Photo-a-Day project, you may remember a couple of weeks ago she left on a Student Volunteer Program in Fiji. She was really looking forward to helping out in a remote village, repairing buildings, teaching English & hygiene to children and learning Fijian customs during her homestay. There was also some time for a little holiday....a planned "island hopping" trip in this beautiful tropical paradise. However, all didn't go to plan! - they were evacuated from the village, due to rising flood waters, chased by the effects of Cyclone Jasmine (and placed in "lock-down" for 2 days at a backpackers hostel) and then plagued by rough seas and endless days of rain for the remainder of the trip - so yes, a very Happy Moment to have her home!!

This photo shows the volunteer group being guided across the flooded bridge at the village - my daughter and my niece are in the centre of this photograph.... being lead by the man in the red hooded jacket. - Scary Stuff!!

....and these photos show a little of the contrast in weather during her time in Fiji - building a wall in the meals area of the local school, in the mud and rain... and then "holidaying" on Naviti Island with another storm approaching...it has certainly been a trip to remember and she has over 1000 photos to prove it LOL!! - Yes I have taught her well :)

This morning the Happy Moments continued when my postman delivered a wonderful Copic Storage Case that I was able to redeem as part of the Copic Rewards Program......I couldn't wait to place my beloved Copics! inside it.... and "look" there is still room to purchase more!

If you would like to earn one of these fantastic storage cases yourself, all the details can be found at Mad for Markers....I know you will "love" it and feel so much more organised! :)

After this delievery, the Happy Moments continued - you may have noticed??... that my blog, has a whole new look to it today??! - yes, the lovely- sweet Kristina Proffitt of Two Happy Mamas created this gorgeous blog design - designed by her, especially for me!! I am thrilled, beyond happiness with this "new-look" blog.... it includes my favourite colours, allows me to share larger photos and is totally, so much more me - Thankyou, Thankyou - Thankyou, Kristina.

...and in honour of this blog "make-over".... and the fact that my Copic Markers are now organised and stored in their new home.... and I am bursting with happiness.... I thought I should create a new card to share.

This is "Smell the Flowers Tia" from the Some Odd Girl range of stamps available at Mad for Markers.

Copics Used:

Skin - E11, E01, E00, R20

Hair - E25, E27, E21

Dress - B32, B34, B37

Flowers/Shoes - R81, R83, R85

Grass/Leaves - YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97

Ladybug - W3, W5, Black100, R24, R27

I hope you have enjoyed today's post and my "new look blog" and "your" week is full of Happy Moments too!

All Inked Up!

...for those of you who follow my "creative capers" -  you would remember me posting about an ATC swap challenge I was participating in...with a group of "Scrappy Friends"??!! Today I would like to update you on that journey... and share some of my Artist Trading Cards with you. Initially I found it really difficult to work on such a tiny surface - I am big 12 x 12" girl myself  ;) but now I am amazed by just how much detail you can place on a 2.5 x 3.5" piece of cardstock!!...and I have been experimenting with "inks" -  they are a very popular medium amongst my "Scrappy Friends" but not one I have had much to do with...but I managed to use them on all 3 of my latest ATC's

January's Theme was "Sizzlin' Summer" and my ATC was created using hybrid techniques - the base is cardstock from Creative Memories called Mediterranean and using a digital kit "Cheerful Tropical Additions" from Creative Memories I made a "sun, sand & sea" scene and embellished with seagull diecuts and twine. The edges were inked using "Antique Linen" from the Tim Holtz range of distress inks and "stitched" with white gel pen - a small introduction to ink LOL!

February's Theme is "Show us some LOVE" - I got a lot more adventurous with the ink! I was struggling to find background paper for this challenge so again, I thought I would create my own. I printed up the word "love" in a variety of fonts on plain old white 210gsm card and then set about turning it into a vintage pink colour using "Victorian Velvet"  Tim Holtz Distress Ink....then I embellished with some Vintage images from "darkroom door" called Love Letters from the Filmstrip range, some cobweb lace, paper flowers and adhesive pearls all compliments of a visit I made to my friend Karen & Co at Scrap2Relax 

....and then I was hooked!! LOL!! so I decided I would keep ahead of the challenges and tackle March's Theme which is "Autumn Antics". One of the things I have loved about creating ATC's is that anything goes! and I have discovered all sorts of "goodies" in my craft room. In my stash I found some old BasicGrey paper called "Tangerine" from the Fusion collection it matched perfectly with some Paper Flowers from the Creative Memories Reminisce Power Palette and I thought they were the perfect colour to base my ATC around.

I found a little poem about Autumn that was really sweet, so I adapted it and printed it up on little tags....I then inked these tags along with some more white background paper in an assortment of Autumn tones - "Bundled Sage" from Tim Holtz Distress Inks and "Really Rust", "Close to Cocoa" and "Apricot Appeal" - Stampin' Up Inks. Added a yellow adhesive rhinestone to the centre of the paper flower and some leaf punches and I was done!! - now I wonder what ink I can add to my April ATC - I think I am a bit addicted LOL!! -  stay tuned!

All things Australian

I am having an extra long weekend thanks to the public holiday, for Australia Day. Our national day of celebration, has left me feeling a little patriotic. I have spent the last couple of days, colouring up all the Aussie images I have in my collection, with my beloved Copic Markers! :)...and finishing off Week 3 and 4 of my photo-a-day Family Album. The photos that feature in my layouts for these weeks, are very typical of  Australian Summer activities and icons - backyard BBQ's, cricket, swimming, thongs (flips flops to my overseas friends!) and lots of time outdoors - who could ask for more?!

 As you can see, my youngest daughter has left today for Fiji as part of a Volunteer Eco Students Abroad

program - where she will be in a little village working with the children teaching English and basic sanitation, installing new play equipment, repainting the school and constructing bathrooms. I am sure her adventures will be well documented in Week 5 and 6 of our Family Album.

These are a couple of the Aussie themed cards I have worked on this weekend. The first is Digger Marci she is a relatively new release from  La La Land Crafts Stamps - designed especially for us Aussies and available to purchase now in the Mad for Markers online store.

Copics Used:

Skin -E11, E01, E000/Cheeks RV42
Hair - Y21, Y23, Y25, YR23
Boots - E31, E33, E35
Shorts -YG97, YG95, YG93
Top - YG95, YG91
Dog Tags/Socks - W1, W3, W5
Flag - B18, B16, B12, R27, R24, R22

I used a white gel pen for the stars and the outline of the Union Jack and to cover up some of my colouring mistakes LOL! - I need a bit more practise colouring in finer detail! The papers used were from My Mind's Eye - Stella & Rose collections - Gertie & Hazel 6 x 6 Paper Pads. I also made a discovery while colouring this image and if you are curious as to what that discovery was... pop on over to the Mad for Markers Blog to find out LOL!

The wonderful "Boss Lady"- Sammi at Mad for Markers created some fantastic Australia Day Freebies to share with you -

....and I was very eager to colour the Aussie Gal and Mr Cool Ray. I saved the images emailed to me, in a word document - resized them to fit on my card, then printed them (on my home printer ) onto some X-Press IT A4 Blending Card.

Copics Used:

Skin -E11, E01, E00, E000/Cheeks RV42
Eyes - B12, B16
Hair - Y21, Y23, Y25, YR23
Dress/Shoes - B12, B16, B18, R27, R22
Sun - YR23, Y23, Y21, B16, B12

again, I used a white gel pen to add detail,the sentiment was printed on my computer and the patterned paper is also from the Gertie paper pad.

The Mad for Markers DT would love to see your creations using these Aussie images - feel free to share them on our Facebook Group Page and while you are there, remember to send Sammi some love.

Happy Colouring,

Love, Sunshine and lots of Photos

We are two weeks into the New Year and I am sure it is still ok to say "Happy New Year"?!?. As readers to my blog, you know that I love taking photos and I'm very addicited to my Copic Markers and 2012 will be no exception!! That is why I thought, I might dedicate my first post of the year to a bit of both!!

Over the past few years I have participated in a Photo a Day type project. In 2009 I joined a group of friends online and we encouraged and challenged each other to commitment to the project. In 2010, I played along with my online friends again and continued to take my scheduled "photo-a-day". It was  fabulous and a whole heap of fun! At the end of the year I completed a two volume  Digital Scrapbook....below is look at the pages pertaining to my Week 5 of this project.

In 2011 I continued to take my scheduled "photo-a-day", but sadly the photos I took are still sitting on my computer. Sometime during the year I got a little lost...life was throwing me a few curve balls and my project came to a bit of standstill. I was still taking photos -  but not daily! - and when the year ended I was very disappointed with myself....I stressed over it for awhile then decided not to worry...I could always go back and present my 2011 photos in a monthly format and slowly this is what I am doing. Now in 2012, I am going to make the effort of continuing the tradition of recording my daily activities and family life in photos.

These 2012 layouts are all in Digital format and were created in Creative Memories Storybook Creator Plus using the Digital Kit "Garden Tranquility".

I really love the concept of a Photo-a-Day...it makes me look at ordinary things in extraordinary ways, it improves my photography skills, and leaves me with a snapshot of "the year that was" for our family. I encourage everyone to give it a try - you won't be disappointed!

My feature photo for Week 1 of 2012 was the inspiration for my latest card creations. It portrays Summer Fun.... as does Beach Marci, a sweet stamp from the La La Land Crafts Stamps range, available in the Mad for Markers store. The bright pink inflatable ring, blonde hair of my daughter and the blue/green of the water all inspired my chose of Copic colours for these cards.

For my first card I reached for my favourite pink and purple colour combinations -

Copics Used:

Skin -E11, E01, E000/Cheeks R20
Hair - Y21, Y23, Y25
Sun-Hat - BG11, BG13, BG15, R81, R83, R85
Swim Suit - V12, V15, V17, BG11, BG13, BG15,
Inflatable Ring - R81, R83, R85, BG11, BG13, BG15

I also used a little bling in the centre of the floral design of the inflatable ring and the sun hat...and some more of that great adhesive paper lace I mentioned in my last post!

I was a little more adventurous for my second card, challenging myself to use a more vivid pink combination of Copics and a little air-brushing.

Copics Used:

Skin -E11, E01, E000/Cheeks R20
Hair - Y21, Y23, Y25
Sun-Hat/Inflatable Ring - RV02, RV04, RV06, RV09, V12, V15, V17
Swim Suit - V12, V15, V17, BG11, BG13, BG15
Sky -B12
Grass - BG10

The sentiment "We all grow better in Sunshine and Love" is something my Mum says - I generated it on my computer using the font CKJournalling...which is the same font I used on my 2012 Photo-a-Day layouts.

I love how you can take one image and get so many different looks for your cards just by varying your colour choices. If you would like experiment with some new colour combinations yourself... be sure to pop over to the Mad for Markers Challenge Blog where the DT team have been sharing their wonderful creations and some fabulous Copic combinations....and remember, now is a perfect time to add some new colours to your collection - every marker purchased from the Mad for Markers store.. earns you some free goodies in the Copics Rewards Program.

Lots of Kisses with Best Wishes

....Hello friends and "blog followers" while I share with you, my very last creation for 2011...I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for being such loyal followers... and for all your lovely comments throughout the year. Your kind words and encouragement are very much appreciated.

My final card of the year was created with another of my favourite Mo Manning  digital images - this Sweet Miss is called Kisses - and again perfect for the sentiment!

Copics Used:

Skin: E11, E00, E000
Cheeks/Lips: R20, RV42
Hair: Y21, Y23, Y26
Dress: R81, R83, R85/ Frilly Edge - C1, C3/ Ribbon BV000, BV00, BV02
Flowers/Leaves: R85, R81, Y08, YG41, YG45, YG67

The sentiment... is my own attempt at poetry LOL!! and was generated on the computer using the font CK Journalling. I added some Crystalina Kindy Glitz to the frilly petticoat and flowers... and used  Liquid Pearls (colour - Bisque) for the heart pendant. The papers are from a collection of 6 x 6 Paper Pads - Kaisercraft/Lilac Avenue, Echo Park/Victoria Garden and Imaginisce/Garden Party. The adhesive white lace trim was picked up at a little $2 type thrift shop and I so wish I had purchased more!! ;)

As I mentioned in my previous post, I had a busy lead up to Christmas with a mixture of happy and sad moments and as such, my plans of homemade Christmas cards for everyone... just didn't happen!! My idea, was to create a collection of cards based on Mo Manning's Christmas Cherubs Irma and Vieno.... some made it into the post - others didn't!....but I thought I would share them here, so you know my intentions were good LOL!!

They were all coloured in with variations of the following Copic colours:

Red: R22, R24, R27
Brown: E31, E33, E35, E37
Green: G03, G05, G07 - G14, G16, G19

The hats were all trimmed in Polar White - Flower Soft the diamond speckled range and the papers were all chosen in shades of green and red to tone in with my base cardstock of Creative Memories - Cranberry. They were all embellished with snowflake punches and rhinestones...and some liquid pearls added to the coat buttons.

I am looking forward to a much nicer start to 2012 and lots more time to create goodies to share with you.

Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with Love, Happiness and many Special Memories.