Lots of Good News

Our beautiful new little grandson arrived October 19th. Such a lucky little boy to have two wonderful parents. Congrats kids!

His artwork was finished just in time too. Daddy and I hung it while Mommy directed and baby looked on. It worked out perfectly with the beautiful mural in the room.
Take a peek...


My cool ghoul Edwin made top honors at ABC Design Team's Challenge. Check it out and stop back for the new Christmas challenge that begins November 6th.

ABC & Hero Arts Fabulous Flowers Challenge

I've finally taken the time to use the wonderful Blossom Art Flowers CL495 set of Hero Arts stamps I got from ABC Crafts a long while ago. The combo of the daisy flower and my leftover parts of a digital image of Emerald Faerie Boo from my tutorial seen below. Sentiment is PTI.
(See Copic colors on the faery in tutorial below.) I haven't had much experience coloring flowers with Copics yet!

The daisies & leaves were colored with RV00, RV21, RV23, RV25, RV29, G20, G83, YG00, YR21, & YR23.


I used several fun techniques on the card, first being masking of the trio of HA flowers. To do this stamp a flower on paper, cut it out, lay/secure it over a stamped image, & stamp another. I then fussy cut the lower border of the flowers, sewed around the sides without flowers, matted it in pink and pop-dotted it over a trio of pink, green, & gingham layers. The faerie was fussy cut with an extra head and wings which were pop-dotted to the faerie, wings were coated with Stickles and Glossy Affects. I also covered the flower centers with Glossy Affects and sprinkled them with gold seed & bugle beads for some fun texture. The paper is all from my stash, with DP by Basic Grey & pastel pink embossed floral by Bazzill. This layer was sanded to make the embossing pop with a little white chalk around the edges. I added a little distressing here & there for interest and topped it all with a pink bow and vintage white organza ribbon.

I often admire the wonderful cards made by the Hero Arts designers but don't often join their challenges. It will be fun to enter this easel card.




Other challenges I'm honored to enter:
ABC DT Challenge - May Flowers(ends 5/21)
Word Play Weekend #3 - "Wing" challenge
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes(ends 5/26)
Crafty Creations #119 May Flowers(ends 5/25)

Challenge Loot!

Check these out!!! This is what I chose with the ABC DT Challenge gift certificate I won with my Tilda Valentine card (see below.)

I'm going to try to make a few quick cards for OWH with them this afternoon. Come back to see if I finish. I'll post one right here if I do. Maybe I need to set a timer on myself to see if I can make one in a half hour!

* * Whatever you do...be sure to stop by here later tonight for a special event!! There'll be lots to see and some candy at last! * *

News-Worthy Week!

The highlight of my week was coming home to a package from fellow artist extraordinaire, Leslie Avila. Leslie made me a wonderful beachy colored canvas collage that is as extraordinary as she. Thank you and HUGE smooches out to this sweet gal.

My beautiful collage is covered with interesting things to see...painting, stamping, flocking, beading, sewing, piecing, Swarovski crystals...I could go on and on. It is amazing and I will treasure it forever! Can you believe she made this for me??? Do yourself a favor and visit Leslie's blog sometime soon!

It has been a whirlwind week...running with my MIL to appts. and lunches with she and her delightful sister and dinner with my galpal, Bonnie plus planning and scheduling a last minute cruise to the Virgin Islands for hubby & I next month!! Woohoo! We have been wanting to visit Mazatlan in Mexico for 2 years but it just wasn't in the cards with current oil prices making airfare so expensive. We opted for something that was a better value and included meals!! Oh my, on our last cruise I actually got tired of eating but this a shorter one so we should be okay. All that is left to plan now is return airfare and one night hotel...sheesh...what a relief.

From that to blog candy...http://cardsbyrbowen.blogspot.com/ Check out fellow Magnolia-licious member, Rene's, blog candy for a $20 gift certificate to the Magnolia-licious store. Hurry over to check it out...the contest ends 3/11!


Well, I hope you had a chance to read my post below about my granddaughters' Valentine card which was inspired by the wonderful photo from ABC DT Challenge blog. I was thrilled to peek in on the blog this morning to see I won first prize and a gift certificate!! Woohoo!! Big thank yous to the ABC DT!

ABC DT V Day & Sweet Treats Challenge

ABC DT Challenge ends at midnight tonight...not sure of time zone so be sure to check! Here's the inspiration photo:
My sweet Tilda card for my granddaughters is a perfect fit. This Gingerbread Tilda works perfectly for Valentines Day too since she's carrying a basket full of hearts!
I made it using Gingerbread Tilda I won last year at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/magnoliacardandkitswaps/. The DP is from the Je T'adore collection by Making Memories. It was colored with Copic markers:
outfit - R00, 11, 17, 20, 22
hair - E50, 99, 29, YR21
basket - E50,29 YR21
boots - C1, 3, 5, N7

♥ ♥Check the link above on 3/3 for the winners!♥ ♥

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Oh yes! It is in the 20 degree range here today. A good day to enter my cute little card in the ABC DT Challenge for my final entry! I had so much fun entering this challenge I just kept making cards for it. This is my fav by far tho'! The black/white/hot pink colorway is so much fun and any excuse I can find to use the black & white gingham ribbon, I'm taking it! It is one of my favorite embellies.
The large pink faux crystal heart is a leftover from Valentine's Day 2010 by Recollections and a focal point for the card. This really isn't a Valentine card but more a seasonal card that reminds one of where we are in the year.
The sweet little digital image I used on the card is from the Pure Innocence collection by Heather Ellis. The rubberstamp is available at All That Scraps too.

My choice of Copic markers were in keeping with the color scheme I chose for the card but would work with almost any color due to the neutral gray/black & white on the coat & scarf set. For the first time in my postings, I'll post the Copics I used:
Coat/hat - C1, C3, C5, B00, O (to tone down/blend the B00)
Boots - RV21, RV23, RV25, RV29
Face - E00, E33, E50, R000, R20
Its tough to see the Diamond Stickles used on the coat and snow and also, the shimmery metallic finish to the gray background paper by SEI that I used an MS punch. Additional embellies include MS snowflakes with faux crystal centers and white Robin's Nest pearlized decos. If I've left off anything important please leave me a comment and I'll try to answer...Oh...AND I love comments and followers. Please stop by again soon!