Last Card of the year...

Well, dear friends, here we find ourselves at the very end of 2011! I have just finished this card, my very last for this year. I didn't use a Maggie for this one, but a Silvia Zet image called Forest Elf. Actually I think she looks a little like a bride, but I colored her differently to match a card I had begun last week and it wasn't working for me.

I had very little of the dp left so I kind of matched two pieces together and I really like the effect.

This image was colored completely with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. Oh but they are wonderful to work with. I still need a little practice but I'm enjoying the "therapy" it brings.

So here is my card, and the pictures that follow give several different views.....

Thanks to all of you who have lifted me in prayer, sent cards of encouragement, made me laugh and even cried with me during this very difficult year! You have all blessed my life so incredibly. To all my faithful followers, I wish you much peace and joy, prosperity, laughter, strength and increased faith as we rush into the new year.

Blessings and hugs,
Barb

Amazing Christmas....

Christmas has come and gone for another year, but not without food galore, family, fun, tears, chaos and lots of photos! We had a fabulous Christmas!

I feel like the most spoiled person on earth. My hubby showered me with so many fabulous gifts, including a Smocking Pleater, four new Spellbinder Dies and two new "feet" for my sewing machine.

I hope you'll enjoy the following pictures of our wonderful Christmas and the video clip of the most fabulous gift of the year...which will take place next October. Please stay with this rather long post to the end! You'll love the video my hubby made for me....

Santa arrived at our house without a chimney to come down, but there were no lack of presents for the children...here is the before Christmas morning.

Let the games begin and the inspection of every toy opening commence....Here is Jordan with his new Nerf gun, easel and guitar in the background...

Thank you mommy and daddy for the VReader with it's own backpack...as you will see, we just couldn't take those backpacks off...

And we opened, and opened and opened...

Our extended family arrived and we tore into another lot of gifts...

Here are the women in the family: Me, daughter in law Wendy, daughter Tiffany, granddaughter Lindsey with Jordan in the front...

Here are all the grands (and they are) from L to R: Jordan, Josslyn, Kyle, William in the wheelchair, Peighton and Brielle .

My sweet daughter Tiff and her hubby Duane...

My son Devon and his awesome wife Wendy...

My hubby bought gag gifts for everyone. The guys all got sun glasses that had strobe lights on them...the gals all got a head band with Merry Christmas on it and optical fibers on each side of that, that strobed and changed color! It was a hoot. We all wore them right through dinner, except for the sun glasses. It was lots of fun and we had a great laugh from it.

Jordan got a Hot Wheels race track for Christmas from us and his other grandparents. Her is my son and my hubby trying to figure it out. Duane was the straw boss!!! They only got the first part up as they were having a hard time figuring it all out.....team work!

And last, but definitely not least, here is the fabulous trip my hubby planned for me, and himself of course!! He is just the very best....

I wish you all the very best for a fabulous New Year!

Blessings and hugs,
Barb

Three Little Sweethearts and a couple of Ornaments....

Well the countdown to Christmas is intense at my house. I'm sure at yours as well! I've got my list of last minute necessities ready to head out to the grocery store. I've gone over my meal plan time and time again so that I wouldn't forget anything. The kids are out of school - sheesh!!!

Today I have some little altered flip notes to share with you. I needed three small gifts for some friends and family members, and I found these really cool Flip Note books at a local gift shop. There are metal, and, when you remove the pen, the lid flips open to a small note pad inside. Throw it in your purse or pocket and it won't every get torn or bent! VERY COOL!

Here are the three together. I used the same image, #315 Sweetheart Tilda from the 2009 Raising the Ceiling collection on all three and gave her the same outfit, but the hair color changed...

Red Hair Tilda...

Copics

Skin - E0000,00,11, Chalk for Cheeks on all three images
Dress/Socks/Bows - B21, 93
Apron - E40, 41, 42, 43
Shoes - R46, 14, 21
Hair - E13, 17, 18, 19
Stardust Stickles on the shoes

Brunette Tilda...

E 25, 35, 50

Blonde Tilda...

E35 Y26, 21

Inside the Flip Note...

And now for the Ornaments...

I loved the tutorial Mindy gave on her blog on how to do Ornaments. I had tried before very unsuccessfully and so was delighted to find her tutorial. I made two ornaments for my friends kids, hopefully they will be keepsakes that they can take into their Christmases of the future.

For one child - a girl - I used #3081 Tilda with Hanging Heart.

Hair - E35, Y26, 21
Dress - R81, 83, 85
Stickles
Gold Spica Pen
Silk Ribbon - stash
Pink Rose - stash

For the other child - a boy - I used #147 Edwin on Sled.

B 21, 93, 95
Puff Paint
Glitter
E35, 31, 30
Silk Ribbon - stash
Button - stash
Twine - stash

I put their names on the back of each one and dated it. Since they are both teenagers, I'm trusting the mom to take good care of the ornaments until the kids each have their own families and trees.

Okay, now I'm completely done for Christmas. Wishing you all a very joy filled Christmas and the most wonderful, creative, and happy New Year.

Blessings and hugs,
Barb

On their way to CHA.....

I'm so sad that I won't be able to go to CHA in just one short month! It was certainly the high of the winter season for 2011 for me. The show is absolutely amazing, so many vendors, so much beautiful STUFF! It was so awesome to meet Diana and Roy Crick and some of the other members of the Magnolia-licious Design Team! Even though I can't go, some of my work will be going and I'm proud as punch that it will be on display in the Scor-Pal Magnolia Mini World booth.

This will be a rather long post, as I'm going to show you all my work in one post. I have another post for later this week, but can't show you until my gift is given to my friend, who checks my blog frequently. The kids will be home home on Christmas holidays next week and excitement reaching cosmic proportions at our house! It's going to be a fabulous Christmas with young children here again, but a lot of work as well.

I've already shown the two Christmas card fronts I made for the show so now I would like to share with you the Valentine themed projects I did.....

Here is a candy cone I made using Magnolia dp and Heart Border. The handle was made using the Mini Scalloped edge die. I used #341 Mini Tilda Blowing Hearts from the 2009 Love Collection. I popped her up on two hearts I made with my Spellbinder Hearts Classic and Scalloped dies. I also added some Bakers Twine bows to each side of the cone. Sorry, I didn't keep record of a single Copic marker that I used.

Next, I purchased a paper mache heart from Michaels and decided to cover it with three coordinating Magnolia papers, I tore the edges of the outer ones and distressed them with Tattered Rose Distress Ink. Next I made a Rosette (see my tutorial here)using one of the papers on the front then added a Classic Heart and #174 Mini Edwin Wants a hug on dimensional tape.

On the back I added another Rosette and my signature stamp in the center and finally I glued a strip of ribbon from my stash to complete the heart. He certainly stole my heart and I hope he'll steal yours too!

This next card is kind of a bridge between Valentines and spring.. For this card I used #280 Mini Tilda with Striped Tights, some Magnolia dp which I've had in my stash
and Marianne Lace Doily Die to accent the piece. I thought the Soft Sky (SU) was a nice contrast to the pink and brown. The ribbon, heart charm and pearls are from my stash. The sentiment if from Whipper Snapper March 2010. I also used a MS punch of hearts for the bottom of my panel. So still a heart theme, but using softer spring colors...

No on to my last few....

First came #3050 Mini Tilda with Heart Lace and I was still thinking hearts, as I used the Round Heart Die from Spellbinders and some heart dp, but it turned out to be a little bit of St. Patrick's with all the green. Perfect for spring, right?

So here is my card front, but not really a card front as it folds in half almost like an easel card except there's no bottom for the prop. I had lots of fun designing this card and love all the sparkly rhinestones that grace Tilda.

Here's a view that shows you the dimension of all the circles...

And last, but definitely not least is actually the first little card front I made before I thought up all the others. I have masked #3027 Chicken Tilda behind #452 Two Eggs, both from the Easter Collection 2010. I used several punches for this card, Spellbinders Classic Circles, Lacy Edge Circles and a MS edge punch the name which escapes me! I also used a MS punch for my butterflies and Marianne dies for me leaves. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. Wow, that was a lot!!!

I used traditional Easter colors for this card front hoping to evoke visions of warmer weather and the Celebration of Easter....

I added lots of Stardust Stickles to the eggs to give them glimmer and shimmer!

Okay, just one more small item before I let you go. I made this little notebook several months ago and it's been for sale in my ETSY shop, but no one loved it enough to purchase it. I am sending her along with the CHA cards, because I think someone should love her.

She is #211 Dancing Party Tilda. She would love to dance into someones pocketbook to help them keep track of to do lists and phone numbers and other important info.
I hope Diana will enjoy her....

Well, a rather long post, with lots of different item to check out. I have to say that because of all the holiday excitement, shopping, deadlines for several other projects and umpteen Christmas parties this past week I'm plum worn out! I have just one more post this week, and that will be it until after Christmas. Mainly because this is all I have to show you.....sigh!

I Wish you all the very Merriest of Christmas, with joys and peace abounding to you as we remember the Reason for the season.

See you again soon,
Blessings and hugs...
Barb

Another Christmas card front for CHA.....

I had already made two Christmas themed card fronts for Diana for CHA when I found out she wanted Valentine or Spring themes! Of course! That makes perfect sense since CHA is in January. I only had two card fronts done when I heard the news - so phew!!!

This card front uses #3098 Mini Tilda Hiding Gift from the Sweet Christmas Dreams Mini collection. She is so sweet!

I used Magnolia dp from the same collection as a background and SU Cherry Cobbler cardstock. A few gold pearls from my stash and this one was done....

Here is a close up look at how I colored her. I used Distress Inks weathered wood and tattered rose for my shadow, Martha Stewart Punch around the outside and Spellbinders Labels Ten around Tilda.

I will have more card fronts and projects to show you very soon, so stay tuned...

Blessings and Hugs,
Barb

Magnolia-licious contest ...

Hi everyone, please don't forget about the absolutely fabulous Magnolia-licious contest that Diana is running right now. You can find all the details on the Magnolia-licious Highlites Blog. I hope you'll be able to carve a little time to create a project - something other than a card using both Mini Wrapped Tilda and Mini Unwrapped Tilda. The prizes are awesome! Just AWESOME!!! Would you like to win a Kindle? That's what the first prize winner will get! Now tell me that isn't just the most fabulous and generous prize ever!! You have until Sunday December 18th to enter. So, put aside the gift wrapping, shopping, baking and decorating and take a little time for your passion and craft something beautiful.

Now I have a card front to share with you. I just had to put my Sweet Christmas Dreams Minis to some use this season. I designed this card front to send to Diana to use at CHA! Sheesh! CHA is in January, long past Christmas, so here I am with a card front and no time to make it into a card! GASP! I just have to make something with it....I'm thinking...I'm thinking...well, while I'm thinking, here it is...

Did a little masking with this one - oh such fun!!! I don't have a list of Copics, but the dp is from Magnolia and the sentiment is from AmyR - Handy Christmas Greetings.

Here is a closer look at Tilda and the open doorway. I tried to make the glow of the light reflect on her clothing...

Thank you for taking the time from your hectic schedule to come and play! I love the visits....

Merry Christmas hugs and blessings...

Barb

Merry Christmas Teacher gifts.....

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful followers and fellow bloggers!

This will be a fairly long post! I saw the most delightful Magic Box made on Cabio's blog last week, and decided that it would be the perfect solution for teacher gifts! Here also is a link to a tutorial on how to make these delightful (if not time consuming) boxes. Thanks so much Cabio for the inspiration, but I should have heeded your reference to just how involved these projects are!!! Yikes, I thought at times that I had bitten off more than I could chew! And I only put two images on my boxes instead of the 5 Cabio did! It's all I could muster....

All of my images are from Magnolia-licious where Diana is having a wonderful sale on Mini Bundles as well as discounts on many images as well as in-store credit which applies each time you purchase. Awesome savings, Diana!

I have lots of photos to show you, which just might take you as long to get through as it took me to make these - NOT!! Just kidding!

Are you ready? Here we go....

The first box I made uses #3092 Tucked Tilda on the outside from the newest "Sweet Christmas Dreams" collection. She is available in the large version used here and the Mini as well. I didn't keep track of the Copics I used, and I pulled the papers together from different companies because they somehow went well together.

Here is Tucked Tilda...I added some pretty lace from my stash, crowned it with a string of pearls and then put some pretty red half back pearls around the scallops of the lace to accent the red in the stripes...I die cut the image using Spellbinders Labels 10.

Here is the inside of the box using #3048 Tilda with Teddy Bear from the same collection...

I finished off the top by make rosettes in two different sizes then stamping the Merry Christmas #726 Vintage Post from Magnolia. I actually used two different dp's but they were so similar that they look alike. I used a MS punch to make the lacy edges.

For my second box I used #331 Ice Tilda on the outside. The papers are from Echo Park, but I don't remember their exact names. Here I used Spellbinders Labels 6 as the shape around Tilda, I also used a little "out of the box" technique to help her fit into the shape. The silk ribbon is from my stash.

Inside the box I perched #3058 Jolly Tilda from the 2010 Christmas collection. She is not available at the moment as she is from last year's collection.

Here is the top of the box...I added just a couple of pearls to each side of my sentiment which I purchased from Magnolia Sweden several years ago.

Finally, the third box! On the front of this box is #3055 Something for you Tilda. The dp's I used for this box are from The Little Yellow Bicycle Christmas collection. I love the turquoise and chocolate brown on these papers. Once again, I used the same lace from my stash and adorned the lacy and area around the image with half back pearls from my stash. (Thank you so much Paola!) For my die I used Spellbinder's Classic Ovals and Oval Scalloped.

On the inside of this box I used and older Tilda also. She is #310 Waiting Tilda. So sorry to say she is no longer available either.

Here is the top of the box...

All of the boxes are finished in the same way on the inside, with a Tilda perched on the edge of the bottom box. I filled the boxes with some Ghiradelli chocolates, Hershey Kisses and some tea light candles the edges of which I cover with matching papers.

So, whew! You've made it through to the end. So for a quick preview, here are the three boxes together....

Now I couldn't possibly give these wonderful boxes away without my signature. So I made one more rosette for each box and stamped my personal identification for the center.

Well, I'm glad that you stuck with me to the end of this post. It's an absolute pleasure to have to visit my blog and I hope you'll be inspired here to create a Magic Box for yourself. Interpretation is completely up to you to vary according to your creative genius! Merry Christmas to everyone....

Blessing and hugs,
Barb