Diaries and Note Books

Take a couple of store bought note books, add some stamps, patterned paper and some ribbon and you have a journal worth writing in.

The note book and visual diary are already in use, however I need to wait for 2009 so I can use the diary.

There's absolutely no point in trying to limit my use of my Magnolia stamps in favour of other stamps, now shoved even further back in the cupboard ----

I love these stamps and they should be used.

The first Summer Tilda has, as usual been coloured with H20's and highlighted with Spica Markers. Her face was coloured with Copic Markers, cause try as I might, I just couldn't get the shading right with the H20's. White marker pen used for additional highlighting. Daisy D's butterfly paper was used, with the butterflies being covered with crystal effects. All the journals/diaries have been covered with a sheet of acetate for protection.

The little button like tags attached to the spiral of the Sitting Magnolia journal are actually Magnolia Butterflies that have been stamped onto Shrinkydinks, cut out with SU Scallop Punch, coloured with Copic Markers then heat shrunk with heat gun. All the other images have been coloured with H20's. I forgot how much I loved using them, I've been trying to practice colouring with the Copics that the H20's have found themselves in the cupboard with un-loved stamps, but after using them again today I think they will be on the desk a lot more.

Artist/French Tilda has been coloured with Copic Markers and atyou Spica Markers and then covered with crystal effects. The camera and computer don't come anywhere close to bringing out the metallic sparkle. At first I thought black would be too harsh for this image, however when the sun is shining on it the image looks great - can I say that!!!!

And finally, Summer Tilda has been coloured with Copic Markers, with a little bit of atyou Spica Marker for added highlights. It's amazing how the the images can look so completely different depending on how they are coloured.

All Magnolia stamps are available from Summer at www.rosesonpaper.com

Stair Step / Accordion Fold

This weeks new technique at SCS, Stair Step Fold, or Accordion Fold was so much fun, and absolutely perfect for the scene building with Magnolia stamps. What a great chance to use all the accessory stamps that Magnolia make. Coloured with Copic Markers and atyou Spica Markers my card was layered up to create the above card.

The stamps used, as usual are available from Summer at www.rosesonpaper.com

13th Birthday Wishes

My big baby girl turns 13 tomorrow. I can't get over how the years have just flown by. One moment she's a little girl and now she's a very independent young lady. At this age they think they own the world, if only she knew she has so much to learn. How different life would be for all of us if we just accepted that our parents do know best!!!

So a special birthday calls for a special card.

I used a combination of 3 challenges to produce this card: Sketch 197, Spiral Pop-Up Card and TLC189 Mini Pizza Box. I really enjoyed making the Spiral Pop-Up card a couple of weeks ago so thought I would see how it went with the Pizza Box. I was really pleased with the results. Tilda (available from www.rosesonpaper.com) was coloured with Copic Markers and highlighted with atyou Spica metalic markers. The flower was removed from the original image and replaced with balloons, from SU Nice and Easy Notes, that have been stamped on coloured card stock and then highlighted with crystal effects.

I hope the next 13 years don't go by so fast.

Happy Birthday Maddie

What was I thinking????

I'm not sure what the point of my self imposed ban on my Magnolia stamps was all about. I know I used them on every card for a couple of weeks, but why wouldn't you - they are the most adorable stamps I have seen for a long time. There is no way I could possibly choose a favourite one cause I love them all.

This card was made for a little friends 6th birthday. The images have all been coloured with Copic markers and highlighted with atyou Spica metallic pens. I've done a bit of tree lopping with this card - the branches were removed from the original tree to make way for the swing branch. The mushrooms, bird and little girl have all been popped up with 3D dots for a bit of added dimension.

As ususal, my ever increasing collection of Magnolia stamps can be found at www.rosesonpaper.com.

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Cricket Season

As of yesterday Cricket Season has officially started here in Australia.

For those of you not familiar with the game it would have to be the most boring game ever invented. Personally I would love to find an activity that justifiably took me out of the house for 20 hours a week (2 nights training and one full day game play).

Two teams of 11 men each side standing around trying to hit then catch a ball, while attemping to make runs - sounds fun, doesn't it!!!!

It does have it's plus sides, if you go to watch a game it's great for catching up on reading, sleeping or for doing a bit of sunbaking.

If you wisely choose not to go to a game then that's 8 hours on a Saturday to send the kids to a friends house and then play with craft stuff!!!!

The other plus is it's a great photo opportunity when the kids dress in Daddy's old helmet and play a game of backyard cricket.

Sketch Challenge

My poor little Magnolia's, they must be feeling so neglected and un-loved. After a self-imposed challenge to NOT use my Magnolia stamps I'm thinking I might have to lift the ban very soon, but not before I use a couple of stamps that I so desperately needed to have and then they found themselves, unopened in the cupboard with the other desperately needed, un-opened stamps.

Being seasonal if I didn't use this adorable spooky witch she was going to find herself packed away until this time next year. Coloured with Copic Markers and atyou Spica twinkling markers (made by Copic), I paper pieced Little Lovin's Waving Witch (by Rubbernecker Stamps) to give the card a bit of depth. BOO was cut on the Cuttlebug with Storybook cartridge and Francheville tiles used to decorate side.

I used Crystal Effects to highlight Witchy Boo's hat.

It's a shame Australian's don't celebrate Halloween to it's full extent,

I think I could really get into the spirit with house decorations and the treats that go with it.

Second Time Lucky

School holidays are generally not a time for me to get creative, unless that is I'm creating new ways to keep my girls from each others throats. Why is it that they love each other to pieces but can't spend 5 minutes alone in the same room without tears being shed.

These holidays have proven to be different, whether it's the beautiful spring weather enticing them outside or maybe I've just learnt to tune out, whatever it is I have actually managed to spend a bit of time at my craft desk playing with new and not so new stamp sets.

After a disasterous first time effort with this stamp set I must admit I was really skeptical about giving it another go, however after giving the stamp a clean with a rubber (suggested on SCS), changing ink pad (now using Memento Tuxedo Black) and trying a different acrylic block (the new one has a handle) I was actually happy with the result, that doesn't mean I'll be using it again in a hurry - unless my friends all shift house.