Dear Santa - November Christmas blog hop

Happy 25th of November!

Yikes! Already? Yeah!!! You know what it means...exactly one month before Christmas Day. It's also time for another Christmas card for the Christmas All Year Long Group and our November Blog Hop. The Christmas Group (thanks to Julie for organizing it) is part of the Magnolia-licious Yahoo Group (thanks to Deb also who is the owner of the Yahoo Group).

The start of the Blog Hop and also a list of the participants can be found at the Christmas Group's blog here.

If you are playing along and have arrived at my blog from Monique's, then you are in the right track. Your next stop from here will be at Peggie's blog.

So here's my last card for the Christmas Group this year. Yes, this is our last hop of the year--there won't be one in December.


Yes, this is another front panel side step card. I am loving this style of card. (Template for this is in a previous posting here, if you're interested.)

This was a card that I had created for the Magnolia Ink Magazine contest. The theme was to make a card with your best Christmas memory. I thought ‘writing a letter to Santa’ would be a fond Christmas memory. I cheated a bit here…tee hee…because I don’t actually remember ever writing a letter to Santa. I was brought up more on Sinterklass and Zwarte Piet. I do remember leaving grass in my shoes for Sinterklass' horse and hiding under the bed afraid that Zwarte Piet would take me away in his bag…LOL. What a hoot! Okay, enough reminiscing….

I am using this card for the following challenges:

All That Scraps Magnolia Challenge #4 - Something Christmas

Challenge Up Your Life Challenge #31 - St. Nicholas

Everybody-Art-Challenge #118 - Use shape

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #140 - Blast From the Past (Challenge # 103 - Dimensions)

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #11 -Layer on Layer

The images I have used on this card are from Magnolia and they can purchased from Magnolia-licious on-line store. And if the item you want isn't in stock, please contact Diana and she will be happy to order it in for you.

On the front panel, I have the adorable Tilda Writing Diary sitting on the Santa Bench. And on the side panel, I have Santa Handing out Presents.

I have coloured Tilda and the Bench with my markers.

Santa, however, was actually coloured during my summer vacation when I was bumming around Europe with my Prismacolor pencils. So he is all done up with my Prismas. He looks like he is floating in air, but there’s actually a swirl design on the DP that I had him sitting on. You can probably have a better look on this flatten-card picture.

I won't bother showing the inside of the card, as I didn't do anything special there except to cover them up with designer paper.

Thanks for dropping by. I appreciate your visit. Have a wonderful day! And get busy with your own Christmas cards!!!

If you're following the Christmas blog hop, your next blog to visit is Peggie's.

Stamps: Tilda Writing Diary from Raising the Ceiling & Right Through My Heart Collection 2010, Santa Handing Out Presents and Santa Bench from the Santa Collection 2008. Ho Ho Ho sentiment from TPC Studio Christmas Expressions clear stamps.

DP's: from Me&My BIG Ideas Specialty Cardstock Pad Modern Milan.

Tools: Coluzzle Oval template.

Misc.: Recollections Autumn pearls, Vintage Attic Treasures pearls, Martha Stewart Crystal Fine Glitter

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Hello!

(I have changed the title of this posting because right now, it fits our weather to a T. Bbbrrrrr..... It fits my card too...LOL.)

Happy Tuesday! It's the 4th Tuesday of the month, so it's time for our Challenge #2 at the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog. I had so much fun creating this card.


This is an inspirational challenge. You're to use this picture that Candy has chosen to inspire you to create something. This is going to be fun, fun, fun. I can’t wait to see what people will create. Everybody is going to have a different take from this picture...tee hee…it’s practically open theme!

I hope you will join us in our 2nd challenge. There's prize! Woo hoo..... This Mistletoe Doohickey is what you can win if your name is randomly drawn. (I want it too--wish I can enter the challenge myself...LOL.)






Now with me, when I first saw this picture, my eyes focused right away on the windows--go figure! My thoughts were: Hey, I can do a window card! And what would I see if I look out those windows? Is that weird or what!

I did have a few other ideas playing around in my head and I kept changing my mind, jumping from one idea to the next and then to the next, back and forth. But in the end I went with my first idea anyway.

I do a lot of my paper cutting the old fashion way--that's with a ruler, a pencil and a craft knife. Those are what I used to create the windows here.

I actually initially created doors instead of windows, you know like French doors, with the window panes going from top to bottom. But that didn't give me any blank space to write personal messages on, so I abandonned that card...ouch.

With this 'window' card, when I open the windows, I have a couple of clear spaces at the bottom to write more sentiments and messages.

For the inside of my card, I went with another type of card which I haven't done before. It's a frame card. I found a frame-card tutorial for it that Tanya has done for Stempeleinmaleins blog.

I've used 3 Magnolia stamp images here.

This is Snowie with Snowflake from the So Snowy Collection 2009. The Winter Fence and the Winter Forest are from the Santa Collection 2008.

Oh, and that adorable angel standing in front of the window is Tilda with Wreath and she is from the So Jolly & Under the Mistletoe 2009 Collection.

All these Magnolia stamps can, of course, be purchased from Diana's on-line store Magnolia-licious. If the stamp that you want (not just the ones that I used here, but ANY Maggie stamp) if it's not a stock item or the stamp is out of stock, then Diana will be more than happy order it in for you.

And if you have snow on your card, of course you must use glitter. Glitter glitter everywhere--on my card, on my craft table, on my craft room floor, on my clothing...and on me!!! LOL. No, seriously though, I've added glitter to the snow on the fence, the snow on the trees, the snow on the ground, on the snowflake that Snowie is holding, on the fur trim of Snowie's hat and his gloves; and also on Tilda's wings and headband.

I'm not sure if you can see the glitter very well here, even if you blow up the picture...oh, well.

I wanted to show the 3-D look of the scene in the frame card, so here's a side view.

Now, I am also going to use this card for the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations - Anything Christmassy/Winter.

ABC Christmas Challenge - X is for Xmas

Stampin' for the Weekend - Winter.

Our Creative Corner - Create a Holiday 3-D project.

A Spoonfull of Sugar - Anything Goes

Stamps: All these Magnolia stamps that I used can be purchased from Magnolia-licious on-line store: Tilda with Jolly Wreath from the So Jolly & Under the Mistletoe Collection 2009, Snowie with Snowflake from the So Snowy Collection 2009, Winter Fence and Winter Forest from the Santa Collection 2008.Studio G Kolette Hall design Snowflakes, the sentiment is computer-generated.

DP's: hey, look at that, no DP used here!

Tools: McGill punch Holly, Martha Stewart border punch snowflakes (for the tiny snowflakes inside the card), Cuttlebug dies Vintage.

Misc.: Tim Holtz distress ink pad Frayed Burlap. I bought the metal clasp from a Lee Valley, a Canadian hardware store (and no, despite it having my last name, it’s not my store…don’t I wish!)

In case you're interested in the measurements for the window panes that I used for my window card, the template is below.

To the left here, is the card with the French doors that I decided not to use. The measurements for the window panes are below also.

Note: This only works for a 6-inches square cards--the majority of cards are of that size.

You can easily make your own--whatever fits the size of your card.

I drew them with pencil and then cut them out with my craft knife. I used clear acetate sheet for the glass, cut to fit.

Thanks for dropping by. I appreciate your visit. Sorry the posting is so lengthy.

Winter Latern and Guest DT

Hello!

I am late with this posting (I should have done this on Saturday...LOL) because it took me this long to finish this lantern gift box.

Woo hoo... I am Guest DT at Stempeleinmaleins, a German on-line magazine. They are featuring my Lantern Gift Box Tutorial that I did last year.

I was very flattered when Jay Jay asked me and am sooo... excited. My tute is now in German...tee hee...how cool is that! Poor Jay Jay though, as she had to translate my imperial measurements to metric. But she must have done a fabulous job as the lanterns that the DT ladies created are...oh, you have got to see them...they are drop dead gorgeous--my jaw dropped. Seeing them was what made me want to make one too. And they gave me ideas as how I want to decorate mine. Such a talented Designer Team they have. Click here to see all their lanterns, but you have to scroll all the way to the end of the tutorial to see them.

Now that I've finished this project, I am using it as my entry into the following challenges:

Sir Stampalot Challenge for November - Christmas Traditions.
Bunny Zoe's Crafts Challenge #6 - Christmas...but not a card.

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #138 - Anything Goes

Die Cut Creams Christmas Club Challenge #41 - Snowflakes

Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge #109 - Sparkle and Shine

Paper Sundaes Challenge #44 - Pick Your Sundae Toppings!

(I've picked the colour blue and punches as my toppings.)

As there are 2 sides of the box to decorate, I have used a Tilda image on each. They are both from the Magnolia's new Merry Little Christmas Collection 2010: Tilda in Winter Light and Tilda with Fir. A third image, Winter Background from the Christmas 2008 Collection, was used for a background scene. You too can get these adorable Tildas and the scene images from Magnolia-licious on-line store, however if Diana doesn't have them in stock, they are surely on re-order.

I have used sooo... much glitter for this project--not that you can see very well in these pictures--that my craft room is a mess!!! Not to mention that I am myself covered in glitter...LOL. I'll have to put my vacuum to work...sigh.

Thanks so much for dropping by. Appreciate the visit.

Stamps: All from Magnolia: Tilda in Winter Light and Tilda with Fir from Merry Little Christmas Collection 2010, Winter Night Background from Winter Collection 2008 (available from Magnolia-licious).

DP's: From My Mind's Eye Playful Posies Short Stack with Glitter.

Tools: Martha Stewart edge punch (don't know the name for the one I used for the icicles) and snowflakes, Spellbinders Nestabilities Petite Ovals Large and Small, EK Success Snowflake.

Misc.: Tim Holtz distress ink pad Frayed Burlap, Martha Stewart Crystal Fine Glitter.

Best Buds

Oh, happy happy Tuesday!

It's launch day for our new Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog! Woo hoooooo.... I have been waiting on pins and needles for this day to arrive. And I think so has the rest of the DT ladies...LOL. I feel so so honored to have been asked by Diana, owner Magnolia-licious on-line store, to work/play alongside a group of amazingly talented ladies. They are listed on my side bar and you can click on their names to visit their blogs. Oh, I am so excited... so let's get on with this....hee hee.

I have made a friendship card for our first challenge.

It's a colour challenge. The colours were chosen by our team leader Candy and she has chosen pink and yellow.

The images I have used for my card are of course from Magnolia-licious. The two adorable Tildas here are Tilda with Peony (this is my favorite from the collection) and Bridesmaid Tilda from the Wedding Collection 2010. I do not see these 2 images in Diana's current stock, but she can and will order them in for you. I have also used Lazy Summer Flowers from the Lazy Summer Days Collection 2009, to create a bit of a background.

This is another version of a 'front panel side step card'. Pam Sparks thought up the name...hee hee. She and I both did a similar type of cards at the same time (oh, how weird was that)--you can see her really fabulous card here and mine here--and we both did the templates for them also (even weirder...LOL)--hers for a 5 1/2-inch square card and mine for a 6-inch square card. Pam decided to call the type of cards we made 'front panel side step card.' That sounded good to me. The front panel there were in the center. On this new card the front panel is off to one side.

If I lay the card flat on a table, it looks like this...the bottom section that is.

I tend to ignore my corner punches, don't you? I should really make more use of them. This one is soooo... pretty. It's a Martha Stewart one--it's a seasonal one, part of their Christmas collection. Yikes...I've been naming this punch by the wrong name...LOL. I could have sworn that when I bought it last year they called it Lattice. But I noticed that this year that it's actually called String Lace. It's being sold as part of a set: a border punch along with the corner punch. I had to buy both of mine individually.

Do you like my flower buds? Aren't they cute buds? The sentiment is a play on words, of course. If you didn't catch it, 'Best Buds' is really 'Best Buddies'...LOL.

I made these little flower buds by using tiny pompoms. They do sell pink ones in the craft store, but I found their pink too bright.

So I bought some white ones instead. I dabbed some light-pink alcohol ink from my marker onto the pompom and roll it between my fingers to spread out the ink evenly. The sepal is a punched star. Using my stylus, I curled up the five points of the star. Dabbed some glue and curled it around the pompom.

This is a short poem on friendship that my sister found for me. I have used it for the inside of my card.

I didn't add too much embellishment here, as I wanted to be able to close the card flat.


I hope you will join the fun with our challenge. Hop over to the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog to get the details for it. Have a look at the fabulous projects that all the DT ladies have created--really, you won't be disappointed. I hope they will inspire you to create your own project and join in. And there's a prize to boot!!! GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR $25.00 from MAGNOLIA-LICIOUS!!!! You can get at least a couple of Tildas with that! Maybe from the new Merry Little Christmas Collection 2010. Have you seen the images? Ooohh, they are all so adorable. My order was in my mailbox when I came home from work last night...woo hoo. Oh, I can't wait to start playing with them.

Also, please visit the individual blog of the other DT members to have a closer look at their creations and get the details on them...and it wouln't hurt to leave a comment too--they are very much appreciated.

Stamps: Tilda with Peony and Bridesmaid Tilda from the Wedding Collection 2010, Lazy Summer Flowers from the Lazy Summer Days Collection 2009. The sentiments are computer generated.

DP's: Recollections Southern Hospitality Collection Southern Bell and Batked My Interest Collection Sand.

Tools: Martha Stewart corner punch String Lace, Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four and Petite Ovals Small using Big Shot machine, Joy! Crafts cutting and embossing dies Branches, EK Success punch Retro Flower Small, Martha Stewart flower punch, flower centre punch from Michaels $1.50 bin, Fiskars corner punch Celestial (for the stars).

Misc.: Creatology 5mm white pom poms, Tim Holtz distressing ink pad Frayed Burlap.

In case you are interested in making one these front panel side step card, I've drawn a template here with the measurements that I used. My cards are usually 6 inches x 6 inches, so the cardstock size I used is 12 inches x 6 inches.

 

 

To print the template:  Front-Panel Side-Step Card (to the side) in PDF

 

Thanks for taking the time to drop by. I appreciate your visit. Enjoy your day!

Goodbye and In2stamps DT Call

Hello.

I have these two cards as a way to say good-bye to one DT position and moving on to another.

Yes, I am leaving In2stamps...sob sob. The DT position was for a one-year duration. I joined their Designer Team in November/December of last year--hmm...I'm not sure of the exact date. But I knew my one-year anniversary there was coming up fast and I would probably will have to go looking for another DT spot somewhere pretty soon...LOL.

I want to thank Wendy and Bruno, the owners of In2stamps, for giving me the opportunity of being part of their team. I have enjoyed myself very much working with the In2stamps images and with the rest of the DT ladies.

Announcing IN2STAMPS DT CALL!!!

In2stamps is starting their 2nd year and they are in search of new DT members 2010-2011. If you are interested and would like to know the details, please visit their blogsite here.

The image that I have used for this card is Sad Littlebell. I have coloured it with both my markers and coloured pencils.


So then.....when I received an e-mail from Diana, owner of the Magnolia-licious Online Store, asking me to be part of her Designer Team for a new challenge blog, it took me all of two seconds to answer back with a YES YES YES. The two seconds was what I needed to start breathing again...LOL.


The first challenge of the new Magnolica-licious Challenge blog is this coming Tuesday, November 9th. The DT ladies have been waiting on pins and needles for this launch day...LOL. Challenge days are on 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. I hope many of you will join in the fun. Great prizes too!!!


I actually made this card this past summer, just before I went for my summer vacation. I didn't have time to post it before I left and forgot about putting it into a posting after I came back. So I'm including the card in this one. Perfect sentiment though for my new venture, don't you think...LOL? This image is of Littlebell Taking a Stroll, from the same In2stamps collection. This one was coloured using my markers.


Ta ta for now. Hope you enjoyed your weekend. Why does it always seem so short...LOL (and I didn't even get my extra hour of sleep...rats!).
Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate the visit.


Stamps: In2stamps Sad Littlebell and Littlebell Taking a Stroll (these stamps, of course, can be purchased from their on-line store here). The sentiments are computer generated.

Designer Papers: Chatterbox Scrapbook Walls Loft Bias Plaid and Rosey Nook Blossoms.

Tools: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Fourteen, EK Success border punch Scrolls and Hearts, EK Success retro flower punches medium and small, McGill Daisy punch, Punch Bunch Daisy punches large, medium and small, tiny flower punch from Michaels $1.50 bin, Martha Stewart leaf punch, Coluzzle template.

Embellishments: Recollections Autumn pearls, Mark Richards, pearls, Vintage Attic Treasures pearls, Darice gems, ribbons from my stash.

Fall is in the Air

Hello.

I finally have a new card to show you. I've been working on this one for a while, but kept getting distracted. Sometimes--not often, thank goodness--I find myself working on a few (too many!!!) projects at a time that nothing gets finished...LOL. Anyway, got a fall card here.




Doesn't this Tilda look like she is having sooo... much fun? She is called Tilda in Leaves from the Magnolia's Fall Collection 2010. I wanted the stamp right away when I first saw this image. You can purchase her from Magnolia-licious, Diana's online store. Diana can also supply you with the Fall Background and the sentiment Fall is in the Air stamps that I've also used here.



I think they call this a side step card. Saw this style of card on Marinanne's blog--she has so many beautiful creations, I get a lot of inspirations from her. I couldn't find a template for this card style anywhere on the internet (and I got tired of looking...hee hee), so I had to make up my own measurements, but it was simple enough to do...LOL. The ones I could find online had the centre panel going back instead of staying at the front. I like this style much better.


I am entering these few challenges with this card:

All That Scraps Magnolia Challenge #3 - Fall with a Fold.

Double Dutch Challenge #55 - Fall has fallen.

A Spoonfull of Sugar Challenge #128 - Relish to Embellish.

Creative Card Crew Challenge - Let's Punch It!



I've decorated the inside of my card this way, with another older version of Tilda. This one is called Windy Tilda. I didn't put any other embellishments in the inside, because if I do, I wouldn't be able to close the card flat.


That's it. Thanks for taking the time to drop by. I appreciate your visit and even more for your comments. I just luvvvv reading them. Enjoy your day!



Stamps: Tilda in Leaves and Fall is in the Air sentiment from Fall Collection 2010, Fall Background from Autumn Collection 2008, Windy Tilda from Fall Stamps 2007 Collection--all these are Magnolia stamps and they are available from Diana's on-line store Magnolia-licious. If they are not stock items, Diana will order them in for you. The other sentiments are computer generated.

DP's: Provo Craft Fluttery Things, the skeleton-leaf design paper is from Making Memories Autumn Splendor Collection.

Tools: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Thirteen, a couple of Punch Bunch leaf punches, EK Success retro flower punches medium and small, Joy! Craft cutting dies Branches.

Misc.: Recollections Autumn pearls, Tim Holtz distressing ink pads Vintage Photo.


These are my measurements, if you're interested:

The paper size is 6 inches x 12 inches (15cm x 30cm).

Edited (I finally figured out how to add pdf's...woo-hoo) 
PDF front-panel side step card template

Joy Peace Love - October Christmas Blog Hop

Happy 25th of October! Time for me to post another Christmas card for the Christmas All Year Long Group. And it is part of the Magnolia-licious Yahoo Group.

This is also a blog hop! The list of participants and the start of the blog hop can be found at the Christmas Group's blog here. If you're following this hop and you came here from Lori's, then you are on the right track. Your next visit from here will be at Peggie's.

Yikes, only 2 months before Christmas! Can you believe it? It's creeping on us...and fast!!! You may think it's still too far away, but it will be here before you know it...hee hee. It's a good thing my collection is growing slowly but surely. I've made another easel card--a regular size one this time..LOL (for me that's 6" x 6").

I've used 3 Magnolia images for this card, all from last year's Christmas Collection, So Jolly & Under the Mistletoe Collection 2009: Tilda with Gift, Sparkling Tilda and Fir in Snow ( I like this one--I call it my Charlie Brown Christmas tree...LOL). BTW, I am waiting on pins and needles for the new A Merry Little Christmas 2010 Collection to arrive. Have you seen the images? They are oooh, so adorable! You can purchase the ones I have used here from Diana's store, Magnolia-licious. And the upcoming ones are also available for pre-order there/here.

I went with a pink and blue colour scheme as I found this delish DP from last year's Basic Grey Christmas DP collection. And I actually only needed one sheet as the paper is double sided. I've added some snow on the little tree just by dabbing some white-drying glue on the branches and then covering them in transparent glitter. Did the same thing with the punched snowflakes.

This is what the inside of my card looks like.

I am using this card to enter a few challenges:

Challenge Up Your Life - Challenge #30 - Easel Card.
Paper Sundaes - Challenge #41 - A Natural Woman.
Let's Ink It Up - Challenge #5 - Make a Scene.
Fussy & Fancy Friday - Challenge #22 - Winter Wonderland.

Hmm.....that's about it for now.

Thank you so much for dropping by. Enjoy your day and hope you have a marvelous week. Yikes..it's only Monday--and I'm already looking forward to next weekend...LOL.

Now to continue with the hop, go ahead and say hi to Peggie!


Stamps: Tilda with Gift, Sparkling Tilda and Fir in Snow, all from Magnolia's So Jolly & Under the Mistletoe Collection 2009, available from Magnolia-licious. Sentiment stamp from Inkadinkadoo clear-stamp set Holiday Filigree.

DP: Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses Collection Village.

Tools: Spellbinders Nestabilities Peony, Martha Stewart edge punch Snowflakes and large craft punch Snowflake. EK Success punch Snowflake.

Misc.: Mark Richards Cabochons Lt. Pink, Vintage Attic Treasures white pearls, Studio G and Recollections rhinestones, Ribbons from my stash, Jewel Micro-fine glitter cool highlight, Tim Holtz distressing ink pad Tea Dye.