Girly Garland

I've had this idea a-rollin' around in me little brain for a while, and I finally got it completed. I wondered whether to make tree ornaments but eventually decided on this garland.

Shapes cut with the beloved oval nesties and petite scallop oval nesties - I don't know how I would craft without these now, LOL. From the outside working toward the centre, the layers are: Gold mirri, Kraft cs, white hammered card oval (raised up on foam pads) and Bo-Bunny 'Tis the Season' paper.

This is Tilda with Yulehat, she's way cute.

I replaced the ends of her garland with wire and threaded a few beads on. Fiddly, but worth it.

Tilda is sitting on the Magnolia bow stamp - I've shaped it a little when I put it on the acrylic block.

They're all coloured using the same Copics for a well co-ordinated effect, and (for once) I chose the colours to match the papers.

Reds - R20, R22, R27, R29, R59

Turquoise- BG10, BG15, BG49

Browns - E43, E47, E49

Green - YG03, YG06, G21

Hair (left to right) E08, E33, E47. Y21, E33, E35. E43, E47, E49.

Skin (left to right). E00, E02, R20. E00, E51, R20. E21, Eoo, R20.

The jingle bells were sewn onto the spotted ribbon and everyone has had a healthy dose of Glamour Dust, just to get blingy!

I refilled a few of my pens today and it was really easy. I plucked up the courage to pull out the chisel nib rather than 'drip and dab' and , oh joy - pens that are super juicy now!

TTFN!

copics taking over the world!

I must say hello to all the new 'Copic-aholics' in Blackpool - I've done another Copic demo today at the Windmill Craft Centre and won over a few more converts!

Of course - it's the combo of stamps plus yummy paper that finish off how good the card looks, and don't you think Sweetheart Tilda looks cute as a button perched on the ribbon? Love, love, love Tilda's accessories!

The papers are Basic Grey 'Wisteria'.

And this paper is the K&Co 'Que sera' (I've not much of this left now). This has been such a useful paper, such a good variety of colours to choose to match up with the Copics.

Slap my wrist, I didn't remember to write down the marker colours I'd used. Must try harder to do that.

I'm going to have to refill quite a few of my pens, I've done so much colouring recently. I've just sent for some refills from Artifolk - my friend Sarah suggested them, they stock the whole range of colours for the refills. For anyone interested in learning how to refill markers, look at Marianne's advice or see the Copic website.

While I was doing the demo today, I saw something amazing - Gemma brought in her 'Reborn' baby. Well, it certainly had me fooled for a minute - so lifelike! She handmakes them and they are weighted to feel like a real baby, absolutely amazing. Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but you have to appreciate the work that goes into them. Now if only I knew how to get the photo off my phone and onto my blog...

Did anyone else watch that TV programme about Reborns a while ago? Some of the 'adopters' were a bit strange!

When I asked her about the process, apparently the parts of the baby are baked - so when she says she's got 'one in the oven', she really has! Do go and have a look at Gemma's website, just for the 'aahh' factor.

TTFN!

awards

Wow, not 1 but 4 of them!!

Thanks to Aimes and Sara for these - it's always lovely to get lovely comments about my cards, and then to get awards too - well it's almost enough to go to my head!

I have to post 7 random facts about myself, then forward the award(s) to 7 bloggers.

Random facts first then.

1. I'm obsessed with fragranced candles - especially Yankee. Currently burning Greek fig and blackcurrant.

2. I consider it a very bad day indeed if I haven't eaten some chocolate, LOL

3. I love gadgets - my latest one is my macbook pro - drool, drool...

4. I read very, very fast - I will often finish a book in one sitting. But I then enjoy re-reading the same book - weird, I know. I'm currently obsessed by the Twilight series.

5. I thought I'd got a speeding ticket about 8 weeks ago, but I've never received the fine thingy - hurray!! It'll be just my luck for it to arrive tomorrow, now I've said that!

6. I cannot make yorkshire puddings - they don't rise. We refer to my feeble attempts as "Lancashire Disasters".

7. I'm just not a morning person - no really, I'm not worth speaking to for about an hour when I first get up. But when we got to Florida - I'm always the first one out of bed and raring to go. Now analyse that! Must mean I'm a big kid.

So I'm going to forward these awards to these lovely people who I haven't sent anything to before, and to a couple of new blogs I've discovered recently!

Julia

Luvtocraft

Cheryl

Debby

Diane

Lillemor

Judy

So, feel free to claim these awards and pass them on - go on, spread the lurve!

And I'll leave you with this card. I now wish I'd made a bigger card - this is only about 51/2 inches square.

Isn't that pier background great? The cloud paper is from the new K&Co 'citronella' pad, and the blue clouds are all shiny, love em.

Tilda is such a cutie with that bike. It's a bit of a change for me to use orange in my colouring, but I'm very happy with how she turned out.

TTFN!

drip, drip

Mwah ha-ha, I'm drip feeding christmas cards to you.

I have to confess to the deadly sin of pride with this one - I like everything about it! The yum paper is 'Swell Noel' by K&Co - what a great name for a range of papers. The trusty cuttlebug snowflakes folder has been used on the sentiment (stamp by Penny Black) and the central strip of pearl card.

The hearts and candle have been glossed up with diamond glaze and a little bit of glitter thrown on - well, why not!

Thanks for all your lovely comments from my last post - so kind! And also big. big thanks to Sara and Aimes for sending me some blog awards - the only problem is I can't work out how to save the image - I've upgraded my 'puter to a Mac and it does funny things when I try to save the image. One day I'll work it out, I suppose! But, oh my mac is just gorgeous - could kiss it, really, but it'd leave an icky mess on the lurvely screen....

TTFN!

I wish it could be...

Christmas every day!

Well it can be, if you're a papercrafter, can't it? I've been getting lots of xmas images ready to make up into lovely xmas cards - my favourite thing to make! And of course, any excuse to get a few more xmas stamps is always welcome...

I'm going to apologise in advance- I haven't got the exact Copic colours written down for each of my cards - Sorry!

These two Tilda's are about my favourite image for christmas - they're older stamps, but adorable. I also love the snowy fence background on this one. I've used the Copic Spica clear and the Sakura stardust pen to give a bit of sparkle on the snow and the swirls and snowflakes.

PP is 'Tis the Season' by Bo-Bunny - just the most yummy palette of colours in this range and double sided (although this can be tricky to choose which side to use - so I had to buy quite a lot of this! LOL)

The edges are punched using the SU scallop border punch, and the Martha Stewart doily lace border punch.

I've made quite a few cards over the last few days - this Christmas Scrolls grey paper by Craft Creations is just scrumptious - I really love it. The ribbon is by SU - it's the taffetta Basic Gray reel, such good value and great quality.

Shapes cut with the Quickutz cookie cutter circles and scallop circle.

Copics - I've used B91, B93, B95, B97, C1, C3, C5 for the clothing, I can't remember the skin/hair colours.

Tilda is sporting a glittery hat, courtesy of 'Glamour Dust' - just love this stuff!

I've really tried to get more contrast into my colouring recently, it definitely improves the finished result - what do you think? I looked back at a couple of images I coloured a while ago, and although I was really pleased with them at the time, I now think they're a bit bland. So at my next demo - guess what I'll be telling everyone!!

BTW, has anyone else noticed that the eyes on the more recent Tilda's are a lot bigger?

Sigh - the end of another chapter in my life - my youngest has started high school - here he is at the end of his first day of school!

TTFN!