Magnolia News! The Official Magnolia Inspiration Challenge is starting soon!

Hi everyone and I've just popped on to let you know about The Official Magnolia Inspiration Challenge (otherwise known as TOMIC) which will be starting on 6th June! The challenge which will be run by many of the Magnolia Stamps design team and sponsored by Magnolia will be a weekly challenge with a randomly chosen winner from the entrants who'll receive a prize from Magnolia. The design team will choose their top five each week and all winners will receive a badge to display on their blog. 

We're all very excited about the new challenge and we hope you'll pop over to the TOMIC challenge blog, add yourself as a follower and join us for our very first challenge on Monday 6th June. We'd greatly appreciate it if you could help us to spread the word about the new challenge, it would be lovely  to reach as many Magnolia lovers as possible across the world :).

Enjoy your day and thank you as always for your lovely comments, they're always appreciated.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! I hope you're enjoying a lovely Easter Day and I have my one and only Easter project to show today using the sweet Tilda with newly Hatched chicken from the Hoppy Easter Collection 2010. Tilda is coloured with pencils on kraft card and I've used the pretty Mini Magnolia butterfly paper in the background. There are die cut layers and a die cut frame and the Magnolia Easter sentiment is recessed. Theres lots of punched flowers, butterflies (it took a while :D) and paper daffodils, pearls and sparkle too.

To make my egg and egg cup I used a styrofoam egg and covered it in the flowers, made centres with a pearl pen and a little stand for it to sit in from a strip of paper made into a circle. Does it still look like an egg? I think it's lost it's overall shape because I made the little stand to place it in. I used a blossom from my miniature lilac bush in the background, it's so pretty, smells wonderful and is very early to flower this year. 

I'm entering my project into PaperPlay Challenges with a theme of Easter time, Magnolia Stamp Lovers challenge of 'flowers' and Paper Sundeas Sunday Toppings where the toppings are sparkle, pearls, die cuts and yellow.

Enjoy the day and how much chocolate have you eaten? :D

BasicGrey Challenges 3 - Inspiration Challenge

Hi everyone, hope you're all well and have had a good week. A card today for BasicGrey Challenges where this week we have an inspiration photograph for you. There are gorgeous creations from my DT friends who've come up with some wonderful interpretations of the photo. I hope you can join us again this time and of course there's a fantastic new monthly prize on offer which is very kindly sponsored by Simon Says Stamp, as long as there is a BG product used somewhere on your creation you'll automatically be entered.

For my card I used the colours in the bed quilt as my starting point and made a four and a quarter inch gatefold card. I've used gold Bazzil card for the card blank, aqua for the matting layers and PP from BG Porcelain pad then inked the edges with distress ink. I've used a Tilda from the Autumn kit and also the two pears and the rolling pin accessory stamps which have all been coloured with markers, cut out and layered on the card. I hand wrote a sentiment on the label on the rolling pin, added some stickles and a pretty shot silk ribbon to finish. Hope you have a great weekend. Chris x

Just Magnolia 16, A spoon full of sugar 63, Roses on Paper 17,

Hi everyone, hope your week is going well. A card today for Just Magnolia #16 - distressing, A spoon full of sugar 63 - Floral Fantasy and Roses on Paper 17 - a little love. I cut out a doily card blank from yellow card on the Cricut for this one and then used up some scraps of Imaginisce paper for all the other elements which have been edge distressed and sponged for JM. One of the elements is a heart for ROP and another a flower with flowery paper for ASFOS. I've coloured my princess tilda with markers, cut her out and placed her on the tag. Added some stickles, a rub on sentiment and ribbon to the heart and around the edge of the card blank (a la my friend San, whose idea it was). TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia 14, Sketch Saturday 60, A spoon full of sugar 61

Hi everyone, a card today for three challenges where there's great inspiration from the DT's, Just Magnolia 14 - Buttons, I have three, Sketch Saturday 60 a lovely sketch which I've flipped and A spoon full of sugar - Swirls, I've embossed my card blank with the swirly flowers folder and there are some swirls in the K&Co PP. I've watercolured my image with distress inks and then cut her out and mounted her over the Nestie Labels die cuts. The cream bazzil card blank has been sponged with peeled paint as have all the papers and die cuts. Added some pink ribbon, buttons [thank you Martine :)], a doodlebug rub on and stardust stickles to finish. TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia challenge 13

Hi everyone, hope you're having a good week and a bit of sun here and there. This card is for the Just Magnolia challenge where this week there's a great sketch from Mina which I loved working with, thanks Mina, it's a goodie :). I've used a sweet Tilda from last summer, coloured with markers and then cut out, I could have arranged the cut out a bit better, it looks a bit like she's floating in space, I attached the horizontal strip a bit too far up. The papers are all imaginisce and they've all been sponged around the edges, also the cut out flowers. The card blank is embosed with the Moroccan screen embossing folder and I've added a doodlebug rub on sentiment and stickles here and there which is just about showing up in the photo. See you tomorrow with my colour create card. TFL.

Note: Pop over to Hero Arts new website, they're celebrating their launch with some fantastic prizes!

Chris x

Just Magnolia #12 - Copic Creations #7

Hi everyone, hope you're having a good weekend so far. I've made a card for Just Magnolia challenge 12 where this week the theme is 'so charming' and a charm must be used and also for Copic Creations no. 7 where the challenge is 'brunette hair'. Thank you ladies for all the gorgeous inspiration which certainly boosted me to make a card. I've stamped my sweet umbrella Tilda and coloured her with copic markers then given her some glitter with star dust stickles. I've mounted her over a layer of pale pink Core'dination card one of which has been punched with an MS lace doily punch and they're attached with dimension foam over the card blank made from Scenic Route cardstock. Added some flowers, ribbon, a little silver doll charm, Doodlebug candy dots and some sponging with vintage photo distress ink to finish. TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia week 11 - Sketch

Hi everyone, hope your weekend is off to a good start and if you don't like yellow, avert your eyes now :D ! A card today for Just Magnolia which I was happy to do as I've missed the last two. There's a great sketch this week designed by Bev which I really enjoyed, thanks Bev. I've used the sweet 'Picking Lilacs' Tilda, I love her plaits! She's coloured with markers and glittered a bit here and there then cut out. The background paper is by Imaginisce and has little dots of glitter all over it in the flower centres but I didn't manage to capture that in the photo. My circle element of the sketch is cut from two nesties one inside the other to make the frame which I stamped with a swirl stamp and dusty concorde distress ink then embossed with CB swiss dots folder. The border is cut with a Fiskers Apron Lace punch. Another nestie, the labels die again was used to cut the sentiment tag which I stamped with a Papermania sentiment and went over with a purple glitter gel pen. I added some Prima flowers with pearl centres, EK Success cut leaves and a few more pearls to finish. TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia Challenge 8 - Sketch

Hi everyone, hope you've all had a good weekend. I had a fantastic time demonstrating at the Craft Barn's Extravaganza all day Saturday and Sunday and meeting lots of lovely people and also some blogging friends which made the weekend even more special (hello to Barbara, I know you're out there! :D).

This week on Just Magnolia there's a great sketch by Rach, thanks Rach, I love your sketch, really enjoyed working with it and will definitely use it again. I've stamped this sweet little cherry Tilda image which I've coloured with markers and then cut out. The background paper is 'Cherry Amore' by Doodlebug which is so pretty that I didn't want to hide any of it with the circles so I cut the circle element from red Bazzil card with my scalloped and plain nesties one inside the other to create the frame (the smaller circle is off centre so that I had room to put in the eyelet). I threaded some Bazzil tulle through the eyelet and round the back and tied a bow at the side. I shaped the image a bit with my fingers and attached to the card with gel glue, did some faux stitching with a white gel pen then added some Stickles and a rub on sentiment to finish. TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia week 7 and Copic Creations Challenge 4

Hi everyone, hope you've all had a great weekend and enjoyed some of the wonderful weather that we've been lucky enough to have down here on the south coast. A card today for Just Magnolia Week 7 and a theme of animals and insects and also for Copic Creations Challenge 4 where the them is blonde hair. Thank you ladies on both challenges for the wonderful inspiration as always. I've used the gorgeous Butterfly Tilda, I know I keep saying it but I do love this Magnolia set they're so pretty. I've coloured her with markers and added some stickles to wings and a sentiment to the top right then mounted the image with dimension tape. The  background paper is by K&Co and this has been layered with doily punched piece of blue coredinations card and sheer green ribbon. I punched a cornflower from the patterned paper and curved it about then made a hole to add the little butterfly charm held in with a brad. I used some glue gel to mount these. I also added a slight curve to the doily punched edge, it seems to look a bit better like this than just flat to the base. TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia Challenge 6 - Lets get in shape

Hi everyone, a card today for Just Magnolia Challenge where this week the theme is 'Lets Get in Shape' for a shaped card. There's fantastic inspiration as always from the DT, thank you ladies, I loved all your great ideas for shaped cards. My shape is I think called a tri shut card or something like that, there's a resource on how to make it on SplitCoast Stampers. The sweet Tilda with her huge bunch of roses was watercoloured with distress inks then cut out and she's been attached to the card front piece with dimension pads. I've made a punched border top and bottom from K&Co paper and done some stamping and sponging around the endges. The inside is stamped with a papermania flower border and lightly coloured and I've stamped on some flowers and added pearls then arranged them around the flower trail and sentiment die cut. Added the ribbons and some stickles to finish. Hope you all enjoyed your bank holiday weekend. Chris x

Just Magnolia Challenge 4

Hi everyone, hope your week is going well. My card today is for Just Magnolia where this week the challenge is stitching and again the DT have come up with some fabulous inspiration for us all. I've used this cute Tilda from the Spring Kit and watercoloured her with distress inks, I cut her out and then added some stardust stickles. The background paper was a scrap so I don't know the company, it's very pretty icecream colours with a shimmer. Added some layers of white card with a punched edge, flowers, Elzybells sentiment, bow and faux stitching with a pink sparkle gel pen to finish. I think it looks a bit as if Tilda is running in through the lace curtains :) TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia Challenge 3

Hi everyone, hope you all enjoyed the long weekend. A card today for Just Magnolia Challenge 3 where this week there's a lovely sketch to follow and some fantastic inspiration from the design team girls. I've used the sunflower Tilda which I've water coloured with distress inks, cut out and mounted over the nestie cut ovals. Background card is Bazzil Bling and Canson Kraft card and I've used some white raffia ribbon for the centre panel element tied with thin brown ribbon.  I added a flowery swirl stamp by Personal Impressions and a Woodware sentiment then finished off with some Stickles and tiny half pearls. TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia Challenge 2

Hi everyone, a card today for Just Magnolia where the theme this week is pink and green.  I llove this little tilda, she's so cute and she's been watercoloured with distress inks. I've decoupaged part of her, just her head and t shirt to bring her forward a bit and then layered on pale pink bazzil, bright pink Canson card and the patterned paper. I've punched the edges with the MS doily punch and slightly curved them a la my friend Sandra :). and added some gorgeous rosebud trim which was a gift from my CC teamie Tara :) thank you girlies. Flowers, button, bow and pearl from stash. Hope you're week is going well. TFL. Chris x

BasicGrey Challenge 32 - Sketch

Hi everyone, hope your weekend is off to a good start, don't know where this week has gone and I haven't managed that much blog commenting I'm afraid, hopefully will catch up very soon. On to Challenge 32 at BasicGrey which this week is a sketch challenge by me. Hope you like it and that you'll be able to join us this week. There's great inspiration from my DT friends, I love how they all interpreted the sketch in their own wonderfully unique ways and as always there's a lovely prize to be won.

I've used a cute Magnolia image which has been watercoloured with distress inks and then cut out and mounted over layers of BG Lime Ricky paper all of which has been distressed on the edges and violet Core'dinations card. I added the flowers, a MS punched strip and some dots on the pp with a sparkly gel pen. Finished off with a woodware sentiment and some doodlebug candy dots.

I thought I'd show a couple of other pictures today, they're not that great as I had to take them with the zoom on and through the kitchen window! We have a pair of Robins that have nested in our garden, the first fledgling left the nest yesterday and headed straight for the patio much to the concern of the parents. It's so cute, tiny and funny, seems to be all head and mouth and very long legs! It did a few falling over backwards somersaults when it's mother/father fed it and tried to encourage it into the shrubbery where it did eventually go. The parents have been flying about and doing their warning dances and also trying to feed the others that must be still in the nest. I'm as worried about them as the parents are as there are cats on both sides of us and one already knows where the nest is even though our dog has seen it off several times! I hope their babies survive. Sorry, another long post from me! See you tomorrow with my Colour Create card. TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia Challenge

Hi everyone, hope you all had a lovely weekend. My card today is for the new Just Magnolia challenge which I'm sure is going to be a huge success, there's so much inspiration from the lovely and talented DT that it's bound to be! There's a great sketch to follow for the first week by Donalda thank you, I really enjoyed working with it. I've used a cute Magnolia image which is water coloured with distress inks. The card is for a gorgeous little girl who's going to be four, not quite sure that this is what I had in mind for her but I couldn't resist this paper any longer! I hope she likes it and that it doesn't have a too grown up look to it! Paper is Bo Bunny teamed up with cobalt blue and vanilla bazzil. I've used an embossing folder and done some sponging in blue distress ink on the layer under the image. TFL. Chris x

BasicGrey Challenge 15 'Going Green'

Hi everyone, here's my DT card for the BasicGrey Challenge this week.

"For this weeks challenge we would like to see you use some recycling on your creations, eg, cardboard, parts cut from another card, material from old clothes, postage stamps, it can be anything you like, the list is endless, also its not essential that the recycled item has to be old and used, you could simply use the inside of a business envelope for example as i know they can have some lovely patterns that can be used as backing papers etc, so have fun and of course not forgetting to use at least one item from basicgrey somewhere on your creation

This week will be the last challenge until the new year, so it gives you that little bit of extra time to get your creations done, so be sure to join us again on the 3rd of January when we will be setting the first challenge for 2009"

My recycled item is the gold bell and ribbon which I saved from a Lindt chocolate Santa. With a bit of luck Santa will bring me another one this year, the chocolate is yummy!

I hope you can join in this week, the creations from the other DT members are absolutely wonderful and another reason to take a look.

Materials:
Paper BasicGrey Figgy Pudding, black and red card
Image Magnolia Skaters
Colouring Two Aqua brushes (but with no water in the reservoir) fine and medium.
Ranger Distress Inks, Fired Brick, Faded Jeans, Tea Dye, Scattered Straw, Black Soot, Weathered Wood, Peeled Paint, Broken China. Promarkers for skin, blush and pastel pink.
Embellishments Scissors for distressed edges, Diamond Stickles, Gold Liquid Pearls, recycled gold bell and ribbon.

Hope you have a great weekend. TFL.

Back soon,
Chris

Lighthouse by the pier

Hi everyone, my card is for a technique challenge on SCS this week where the challenge is to make a step/accordian fold card. I used silver pearlescent card for the base and followed the instructions which are to cut the base card to 10.5 inches X 5.0 inches, score at 1.25" - 2.5" - 4.25", 6" and at 8.25" then fold with hills and valleys (accordion style) making sure that the smallest (1.25" fold) is folded down.

I've used my stamp design for Spiral Whisper stamps 'lighthouse by the pier' and a cute Magnolia Tilda, both have been pencil coloured and blended with Sansodor. The background image is matted on more of the silver card and attached to the back fold, followed by Tilda in the middle. At the front I've stamped a Woodware label and sentiment, ideally I'd have liked this on the other side at the front but I stamped first directly on the card and smudged it everywhere!!! The card is decorated with lots of paper flowers with stickles for the centres and I've used thick gel glue so that some of them are popped up over others. To give some sparkle I sprinkled glamour dust on Tilda's wings, pockets and the sea. TFL. Back soon, Chris

A winter city

Hi everyone, a card for The Tilda and Co. Challenge which this week has to include metal. I've used my Spiral Whisper 'Winter City' stamp design and Tilda with lantern which are pencil coloured and blended with Sansodor. Tilda is cut out and mounted on foam tape.The metallic element is the bronze metallic colouring on the lantern which is also glazed with glossy accents as are the boots. The background image is matted on pale yellow Bazzil card and the background mat is some gorgeous Doodlebug patterned glittered card which I've been hoarding for ages, I don't know why!!!! The card is decorated with some pretty green check elasticated ribbon, stickles, paper flowers a sentiment die cut and gems.
TFL. Back soon, Chris

Cold as ice

A card for this week's Tilda and Co Challenge. The challenge is 'Cold as Ice'. I used Tilda with bouquet as I don't have any winter Magnolias but a Christmas Card seemed to fit with the cool theme.

The image is stamped in Blue versafine and coloured with distress inks, cut out and mounted on the acetate card. I made a wrap for the card by cutting out a blank with nestabilities leaving a portion at the top for the fold. The wrap was embossed with the Christmas ornaments CB folder, inked with dark blue, swiped with versafine and embossed with Kaleidascope ep. I attached the wrap around the acetate card and dotted with stickles for snowflakes (I kind of got this idea from Dawn (all pink girl) who made a beautiful half acetate card last week and dotted the acetate with gems and it looked lovely, hope you don't mind my borrowing your idea? You can see Dawn's card by following the link above).

This card is a bit of an experiment, not sure if I like it that much and I forgot to add the ribbon for the picture. The design isn't quite balanced but I do like the irridescent effect on the embossing. I also now have glitter covered ink pads!