Many Many Thanks

What a nice surprise I received yesterday! A co-worker handed me a small white box with the explanation:

"I was cleaning out my house and I've never used these.... they're not even opened, so I thought you might be able to use them..."

To my surprise, I opened the box to reveal 12 wonderful Stampin' Up Stampin' Spots! These awesome water based ink pads were still perfect; not dried out at all. So of course, I just HAD to use them to make her a thank you card, with a monetary gift tucked inside.

I started out using a Tilda With Letter stamp coloured with Copics.

Using My Mind's Eye papers "29th Street Market Carefree Precious Pretty Petals and Baby Blanket", I edged all the layers with my new inks, including the one punched with my Martha Stewart floral edge punch.

A pink polka dot ribbon was added and I cut two mats with my Cuttlebug and Spellbinders dies.

I used my Martha Stewart butterfly punch on vellum and dusted them with ink. The colours I used were Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Mellow Moss, Bashful Blue and Certainly Celery. Each one then got a pearl head.

A few paper roses and pearl sprays from Michael's "Modern Romance" line in their Bridal department along with MS Pine Branch and Leaves punch-outs (stained with some more Stampin' Up inks, natch) finished it off.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, E00
Hair: E50, E53, E55, E57
Dress: RV000, RV91, RV93, RV95

On a side-note, I've added a few more images over at DigiDrawn! If you want a couple of accessories for your Pirate-themed cards, you may just want to take a look!

Birthday Edwin and a New Venture

I decided to "Bling It!" this week --  I created a monochrome, but definitely blingy birthday card featuring Bartender Edwin... except I've removed his drinks and replaced them with a birthday cake. Here are two photos; the first one above taken with a flash to show off the bling, the second below without flash to show the shading created by the three layers. First I raised the background on foam, then I added foam dimensionals to the mat under Edwin. Finally, the third layer is Edwin himself, raised on smaller foam dimensionals.

The bling on the card includes paper from DCWV's Glitter Stack. Three layers of papers are metallic. Two layers are edged with Encore Silver Metallic ink. Two silver brads are Scrapmetal Corner Swirls by Autumn Leaves. Ten silver self-stick brads were also used. A sheer white glitter ribbon was run through two layers. A final touch of bling was added to the candle flame with silver Stickles. The only colour on the card, the red flower, was a Dollar Store item coloured with an R29 Copic. Copics used on Edwin: C0, C1, C2, C3, C5 and C10.

And now to the New Venture.  In the past few months I have been so overwhelmed with the incredibly nice comments about the extra objects I draw for my cards. I have even mailed out a couple of drawings to others. So, after a week of setting up a new site for them, I have started a blog called DigiDrawn to sell my drawings as digital stamps. Along with the objects I have done to accompany my Magnolia stamps, I will also have other drawings for sale as stamps too.

I would love to invite everyone to visit; even if you don't purchase, let me know what you think. I've never done anything like this before... so I guess we'll see how well it goes. I have seven stamps up so far, with more to come soon.

I hope to see you over there!

A New Pal

I knew when I purchased this Tilda holding Hatched Chick that I could put nearly anything in her hands... as long as it covered the original image. So I drew a little kitten for sweet Tilda to have and hold.

Here's the original Easter-themed stamp I coloured previously if you're unfamiliar with it:

I used two sheets of matching paper from The Glitter Stack by DCWV, matted with two sheets of purple and yellow Bazzil cardstock. All papers were edged with my Copic V09 marker.

I used simple flower brads and ribbon from my stash. The sentiment is hand-written on a Cuttlebug punched tag, nested onto cardstock that was punched using my Martha Stewart lace edge punch. My Cuttlebug was also used to punch out the Spellbinder's oval mat as well.

Both the oval mat and Tilda are raised on foam dimensionals too.

Here are the Copics used on my card:

Kitty: C0, C2, C3
Kitty's Bow: R01, C2
Dress and shoes: B000, B00, R00, R01, C0, C2
Skin: E000, E00
Hair: Y32, E97, E99

I hope you likey!

Daddy's Little Girl

Thinking about Father's day and when I looked at my Tilda Picking Peaches stamp, all I could see was her holding her Daddy's hand...

So I drew Tilda's Daddy to guide her, and instead of a basket of peaches, made her a purse... perhaps Daddy's taking the lucky little girl to her favorite toy store.

I found this paper in my stash that I thought might look cool, but unfortunately can't recall who made it or what it is called (my leftover pieces don't have the name of it... it's probably buried on the card! Note to self: write down the make of the paper BEFORE gluing it down) Doh!

I layered the background on dark brown Bazzil cardstock, ran a zig zag stitch around it, and popped it up on foam dimensionals. Then the computer-generated sentiment was punched and added. Tilda's Daddy was attached flat to the back too. Then I popped Tilda herself up on foam to create the illusion of depth.

I used my Copics to colour everything of course; and also on the (formerly) white ribbon to match Tilda's dress as well as the (formerly) white flowers.

A few dark pearls kept this easel card fairly simple.

Here are the colours used:

Hair: E30, E31, E33, D35, E37
Skin: E000, E00
Dress, bib and socks: YR00, YR02, E50
Shoes and purse: E30, E31, E35, RV04
Sentiment: B21, B24
Ribbon and flowers: YR00, YR02

I hope you like it; it is so much fun to alter these images to create a whole new scene for them!

Pretty In Pink

Back to my good old Maggies! Yesterday in between some housework, I was able to put together a very pink card for Sweet Tilda. I used some more of my GCD Studios Rose Colored Glasses Collection "Soft Vines" and "Light Stripe" paper, inked, distressed and sewed onto Bazzil cardstock for the background layers.

I then used my new Martha Stewart Doily Lace double edge punch for the strip at the bottom, inked and embossed on my Cuttlebug. I added a few pearls to this for a touch of bling. I also used the punch for the sentiment base.

I wanted to use a doily (I have a pack of 30 Wilton doilies... gotta use them!) but the colour isn't true white; so I took my Copic RV95 to one side and coloured it in. I then cut it in half and used the white half under the coloured half for more layering.

Speaking of Martha Stewart punches, I am amassing quite the collection, what with 40 and 50% off coupons and a few recent giftcards I've received for Micheals. I have 11 small and 1 large single punches and 10 edgers (4 large, 6 small). So I used two more on this card; my Pine Branch in white and inked, and my new Oak Leaf, also inked.

The flowers are from Walmart, except for the larger rose which I got in the Bridal section of Micheals... I just used good old Copic RV95 again to colour it to match. The pearl spray is also from the Bridal section; they come in a pack of 18 by Modern Romance.

Here are the Copics used:

Skin: E000, E00, E11
Hair: E70, E71, E74, E79
Dress and Socks: RV000, RV91, RV93, RV95
Shoes: C0, N0, N3

Unsure whether I'll get another card done on this holiday Monday; yes if it rains, no if it doesn't as I really should be outside cleaning the yard.

(Fingers crossed for rain!) ;)