A berry sweet Spesch Stamps preview

Your sneak peek today from Spesch Stamps is Spring Strawberry. When Tracey sent us these new stamps to play with I had only a day or to before bought this paper for no other reason than I love strawberries, there is something about fruit prints that are fabulously retro and funky. So it was a perfect match, hehehe. Here is a closer shot of the image (a little but fuzzy too, sorry about that) she is berry sweet, don't you think :) Sorry, I go all Strawberry Shortcake when I look a her. I did want to have a sentiment like 'For my berry best friend' or something along those lines but I did not have enough room, maybe next time! Don't forget if you comment on all the previews this week you will be in the running to win the whole collection, and they are all so berry, berry cute!

Who has the greatest boyfriend ever...?

I do!!! I just had to brag as the other half has just shown e what he as ordered for me.... Ta-Da!!!

Isn't he thoughtful! We were watching The Mentalist last night and I was colouring with my new copics. After watching me for a while during the adds he asked why I was using my acrylic block and I explained it was easier for me to blend and get depth of colour as I only have a few markers, 2 pinks, 2 reds 2 purple, etc, 25 in all I think, mostly hair and skin colours. So after pointing out I don't have any blues or yellows or orange he then asks "why don't you buy more?" Men huh, he would roll his eyes at me if I went ahead and bought more stuff and he saw it in the mail, lol! So this afternoon he tells me he has bought me a present and sends me an e-mail showing what it is (because he cant keep a secret, haha)

He is the greatest, I can't wait!!!

The battle is on!!

It is week one of the greeting Farm's Royal Battle and for out first challenge Sammi has come up with a truly stunning reto card, check it out here and please, if you love it too, vote for us by leaving a comment here!

A new release over at Spesch Stamps

Over at Spesch Stamps this week we are releasing some gorgeous NEW stamps... Each of the DT were given one image to use and these will be revealed each day during the week and then the whole collection will be release for sale on Saturday :)

So here is our schedule:
Monday - Christine
Tuesday- Tracey
Wednesday-Fran (Me)
Thursday-Kimmi
Friday- Sammi
Saturday- Tracey

To celebrate this launch, Tracey has decided that everyone who leaves a comment on Spesch Stamps on every stamp preview this week, will be entered in a "prize draw to win" all six of the newly released images! The Winner will be drawn on Sunday morning!

Hopping ahead to Mothers Day

Hello lovely ladies, I am feeling a bit lost this weekend as it is not my groups turn at Magnolia Down Under this week and Anya Ink have gone to fortnightly on Fridays (starting next Friday) I had no posts this weekend, she here is a little something for ya!
Kellie A.K.A Boss Lady (hehehe, love calling her that) has set a few challenges for her store's DT and this week she has asked all of us to create something using our new Hoppy Easter collection stamps. This is Tilda with flowing hair, isn't she gorgeous, I love using her :) So for something different (not Easter themed) I wanted to use her to make a Mothers Day card for my mummy. I thought she would be perfect for the occasion and I had these papers left from another card which just happen to be mum's favourite colour (and I love them too!) Most things for this card came together from my stash, I used gold embossing powder with glitter through it (it's called Egyptian gold and is sooo lush) on the edges of my cream card. It sparkles like crazy IRL. Yep, it's another easel card, lol.

The sentiment is computer generated and I brushed the edges and over the top with gold ink. it kind of gives it an aged antique-y feel to it.

As well as all your Magnolia needs you can also find the cherry blossoms at the Magnolia Down Under Store and the heart shaped doily (love, love, LOVE it!) will be coming soon, as is the Fairy Tale collection of stamps and a little something extra, not long to wait now :)

You can also, for a limited time, order your personalised stamps through Kellie's shop, they are completely worth it and add the perfect finishing touch to your projects, I even saw someone in the Magnolia Ink Magazine using theirs as part of their design and it looked fabulous... hmmm, I might order another one for myself too :)

I am going to enter this little honey bun into the following challenges:

Cute Card Thursday - dimension

Magnolia Stamp lovers - die cuts

Roses on paper challenge - punches (I have punched leaves amongst the flowers, not sure if you can really see them...)

Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge - pink, green and flowers (does the pink on my Tilda count?)

Simon says - Easter or spring and some glimmer

What's in the news today...

Ok, first thing's first, the photo is horrendous, I'm sorry, it was dark by the time I got around to finishing off my card and taking the picture.
I have seen so many wonderful shaped easel cards around lately I just had to give one a go and it was actually so easy. This card is made using the wonderful Love News Tilda, what a cutie, and so versatile once you start thinking about it. She can announce births, engagements, birthdays, save the date's for weddings, congratulations for any event, the possibilities are endless, and if you are in Australia you can pick your up at the Magnolia Down Under Store, and at the moment they are having a sale so there are plenty of bargains to be had!! The doily I have used is also an item coming soon to the store.
Everything I have used is from my stash, I have inked. distressed and glittered all my edges and on the base used a label cut from my nesties (I LOVE these!!) which is mounted using foam adhesive (as is Tilda) for height. I will be entering this card into the following challenges:
Just Magnolia - Easel card
Cute Card Thursdays - Dimension
Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Die cuts
Stamp Something - Distressed Somethings

Spesch stamp give away...

Over at Spesch Stamps we have a wonderful surprise for all of our followers. On Wednesday the generous Tracey will be giving away a free digi as a thank you to all our followers, I have had a sneak peek and it is gorgeous, you will definitely want to get your hands on this one!

Magnolia Ink - availale for pre order and some exciting news...

Exciting stuff is afoot at the Magnolia Down Under Store, and the next edition of Magnolia Ink is now available for pre-order, be sure to get in and secure you copy now, you will be disappointed if you miss out.

Magnolia Down Under is going through some changes as of first week in April. We are all so EXCITED about it and can not wait for you to see them all. But for a little hint, do you like other stamps other than the gorgeous Magnolia's? Like....... Kraftin' Kimmie or Sweet November and MORE.....? Well as I said keep your eyes peeled and look out around the 1st week of April for a Magnolia Down Under CHANGE!

Last of all the Fairy Tale Collection stamps will be coming in April, I can't wait and I know I will want to order all of them, lol!

A spooktcular skech from MDUC!

Welcome , welcome... it's another Magnolia Down Under Sunday in my little corner of blogland, how fabulous was the blog hop last week, it was the first one I had in and was so much fun :) This week we have a fabulous sketch for you to play along with, with the option or using buttons. Now when I saw this lovely little sketch I immediately thought of frame cards (again, I told you there would be more of these in my future and the more I make them the more I like them) You can find the tutorial HERE.. they are really so easy to make and and make your card look that little bit more impressive :)

I have had the idea for this card in my head for AGES, ever since I saw this sketch, thought frame card and and I knew I had this adorable Edwin from the so spooky collection on pre order from the Magnolia Down Under Store, so as soon as he arrived I whipped this up and happily it has come together pretty much as I had pictured it in my head. I had originally wanted to do this using Magnolias So Spooky papers but I could not get my hands on any, at the time... I have heard, and I hope I'm not going to get into trouble for telling you this, but they will be coming to the Magnolia Down Under Store soon, I can't wait!! So the DP is a digi from Summertime Designs that I altered in photoshop to get the purpely/bluey colour (it as originally a creamy/yellow base with black spiders webs) The bats are buttons with the shanks on the back cut off, they are sooo cute :)

I have glittered the paper edges and the edge of his cape and put some crystal effects on the candles (to make them look sort of waxy) the piano keys and his little purple shoes.
Here is an angled photo to show the depth of the little window in the frame card.
Sorry, I only just realised the photos are a little bit dodgy, and there is a bit of shadow action going on. They looked much better on my PC but are a bit crap-tacula on the laptop, strange...

We are being sponsored this week by I am roses, and this is the first card I have made in forever without flowers on it, lol!! So make sure you head on over to MDUC Challenges to see the spectacular creations the DT have come up with, they will blow your socks off, lol!

Oh, and one last thing before I go, the winner of my MDUC 1st birthday candy..... the random number generated was (drum roll please)..... 83!

That's you Carolyn, CONGRATULATIONS!!! If you could please e-mail me (ariel_182@hotmail.com) with your details (your address and your preference for stamped images, watercolour or copic?) and I will send them out to you.

Bling Bling

Hello lovely ladies and another Sunday means another challenge over at Anya Ink, or does it (hehehe), and this week we want to see bling!! I love anything that sparkles to this one was definitely fun for me. I decided to try something different this week and made a tent card, you can find the tutorial HERE... I have used the funky Charlotte digi from the Greeting Farm and coloured her with copics (I got a few more colours this week, hehehe) and I have added some glitter to her jeans for a bit of bling factor (does anyone remember when they made jeans with glitter on them, it was a few years ago now and I do sometimes see it still in the little girl clothes. I never had a pair but thought they were great, I would roll around in glitter if I could, and some day after crafting it probably looks like I did, lol) Anyway, back to the card, hehehe, I FINALLY used my little bling swirly, I remember buying these in October and I pull them out of my bling box and stroke them a little and hen put them back because they are to pretty to use, lol,i'm hopeless, I'm the same with Magnolia paper, I HATE cutting into it, its to lovely to ruin :)The swirls were originally a corner shape but I chopped it up a bit and it fits perfectly on my card. I have used DP with a glitter pattern and used a glitter brad in the center of my flower, so all in all very sparkly for bling week :) A slightly angled shot to see the tent shape.

Be sure to stop by the Anya Ink site and check out the amazing work from the rest of the DT and a few little suprises. We have a new owner, the fabulous Kristy (aka princess bling, hehehe) and with a new owner comes a few changes, we are going from a weekly challenge to fortnigtly (or bi-weekly as I am told the Americans call it) and from Sundays to Fridays, but wait, theres more, we are also having a DT call, all the details can be found here.

Spring has sprung

Isn't this one of the sweetest little Tilda's you have ever laid eyes on?? This is another card using some of the loveliness provided to me by the lovely Kellie an the Magnolia Down Under Store (I'm such a lucky girlie!) She is called Tilda with flowing hair and she is coming soon, and currently 15% off, as are all stamps, BARGAIN! You can find almost everything in this card in store with the exception of the card stock, rose and bit of bling in the corner, the doily is coming soon. When I saw these papers I just new I had to use them first, they are sooo gorgeous, but once I had Tilda all coloured and ready and some flowers, the perfect charm, etc, etc, I had the hardest time deciding on a layout and I could not find a sketch that was working for me. So it took a couple of days (ok, the best part of a week) of me sitting at my desk shuffling the papers around and cutting and gluing and then changing my mind and starting over before I ended up with this. I'm not really thrilled with the final product but it's much better than some of the other things I came up with, lol!
I chose this sentiment (from an old stampin' up set I had lying around) because I thought the nice cheerful colours might brighten up the day of someone not feeling their best. It also shows that this little beauty, even though she is an Easter stamp, can be used for anything. I'm even thinking of making a mothers day card with her next :)
Phew, what a waffle, here's the card: Apologies for the wonky photo, it looks straighter on the bottom so I don't know what happened there, too much to drink I guess, hahaha!

Ok, this little Tilda creation is going to be playing along with a few challenges today...
Creative card crew - going dotty (dots on my yellow dp)
Creative Inspirations - white, yellow and green
Cupcake craft challenges - going green
Simon says - A splash of green
Secret crafter Saturday challenge - spring has sprung
Crazy 4 challenges - Spring

Pretty princess in pink

I was so super-dooper excited last week when my DT kit from the Magnolia Down Under Store arrived in my mail box (I'm sure the construction workers over the road had a good laugh at me skipping with joy back to my front door, lol) This sweet little Princess Tilda is part of the new princess, fairy tale and pirate range which will be in store very soon, I can't wait!! I have a bit of a pirate thing and from a few sneak peeks I have had they look adorable. I think with every new release my wish list gets longer, there is a certain man of the house that is going to kill me after the shopping spree I plan of having, but it will be totally worth it!
Anyways, back to the card, the cherry blossoms and these absolutely gorgeous papers are also available in store, this photo does not do them justice, the pink paper is the most shade of pinky purple, I love it. The card stock lace, charm and large rose are all from my stash. I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Creative Inspirations - charms
Cupcake Craft Challenges - Flower Power
Magnolia Stamp lovers - Pink and brown
Pile it on - Pastels
Saturday Challenge - Anything goes

Bonnie with her bunny

Would you look at this sweet little darling, doesn't she make you want to go and grab a favourite stuffed toy to cuddle too :) This is Bonnie and she is one of the newest additions to the gang over at Spesch Stamps.
She has been coloured with copics and paired with some Heidi Grace papers I had lying around in my stash and a few paper roses with some glitter splashed on their petals to match the glitter on ribbon around her waist and the frills on the bottom of her skirt (none of which came out in the photo, gggrrrrr!) Other than that I kept the card pretty plain as everything else I seemed to add over crowded the card and this way the gorgeous image is still the star. I thought for something different I would have a crack at a gate fold card and look...

I even decorated the inside, lol.

Today Bonnie will be playing along with:

The Pink Elephant - Spring

By the cute and Girly - spring

Cupcake Craft Challenges - flower Power

Papertake Weekly Challenge - sketch

Pile it On - Pastel colours

Magnolia Down Under Challenges 1st Birthday Bash CANDY Blog Hop...

Hello there Magnolia Lovers and Welcome to the 1st Birthday Blog Hop for Magnolia Down Under Challenges....!!

We are so excited and thrilled to become 1! Who knew that when Magnolia Down Under Challenges started with only 3 members it would be bigger and better a year on. We are all SO EXCITED that we have decided to do a birthday blog hop and whats better is that all the DT are offering CANDY! To be eligible you have to hop on to each Design Team Member and leave them some comment lovin affection ;) Winners will be announced on Magnolia Down Under Challenges Blog at the end of the challenge and also on the personal DT blogs on whom won their candy.

If you've just happened across my blog and didn't start at the beginning click HERE.... But if you have come from Debra then you are well on your hop....
Here is my card, Happy Birthday MDUC! I could not help myself and had to use the gorgeous heart breaker Edwin (get him here...) and used one of my favorite colours, I love this shade of green...hmmm, maybe I should put my bridesmaids in this colour.. decisions, decision... So, not too much to say, I have inked and glittered all of my edges, added some roses from iamroses.com, some pearls, lace and ribbon from my stash and the happy birthday stamp is just from a random set of sentiments I have in my collection :)
And here is my candy (it is my first and I am so very excited about it!!)
I have got for you a collection of some of my favourite embellishments, ribbons, lace, roses, bling, charms, sequin snowflakes and some stamped images thrown in (just let me know if you are a copic or watercolour chicky when you win and I will stamp accordingly) So just leave me a comment and you are in with a chance to win!!

Thanks for stopping by.... Continue the hop by visiting Jane

Sketchy time!

Welcome, welcome, another Suday means another Anya Ink chalenge and this week we have afabulous sketh for you all.

This is super quick post for me, I am writing this on Saturday arvo and scheduling it as we have a heap of people coming over in an hour and I still have a hundred things to do!!

I have used Stella, another little stunner Kristy generously samped up for me :) I think the paper may have been cosmo cricket, I have embossed again with my swirls (i wish they showed up this well on my card last week!) and I was going to add some bling swirls in the corner but they did not look right so I use some 3D kindy glitz and free-handed it. Make sure to headover to Anya Ink and leave the DT some love :)

Eat Me...

Hi, just a quickie from me today, a little something different with Alice from Spesch Stamps. I actually started colouring this one up before we got the Queen of hearts (which the colour combo suited better) because I love this colour combo and wanted to make Alice a little edgier I guess, but that sweet face is kind of counter productive, she needs some dark lipstick and black eye liner before she can really pull this look of I think (I want to be Abby from NCIS when I grow up, can you tell, lol) Anyways, just some Alice love in non traditional Alice colours. I should mention this is actually a gift box with an acetate window, I scrounged what chocolates my other half had left in a box on the computer desk. If I had planned ahead I would have gone out and bought something in red wrappers to match :)

A little close up of the cutie. If you love her as much as I do head on over to Spesch Stamps to get yours today :)

I am entering my little gift box over at Creatalicious Challenges as their theme is "create a little something"

Calling all stampers

Sesch Stamps are having their first DT call.

We are currently searching for 4-5 new designers for a new term to begin May 1st – August 31st, 2010.

We are interested in fresh, funky, out of the box designs. We are looking for out of the box cards and projects. Our designers should have great coloring technique and photography skills. You should be able to post regularly on your blog or website and talk up our product. You do not have to have been on previous design teams.

How to apply:

Send Spesch Stamps an email at booyagirl@optusnet.com.au with New Designer in the subject field no later than March 31st. Please include 3 creations (they do not have to be new) - 1 preferably a digital stamp to showcase your best coloring abilities. I will chose a Top ten ( I am hoping we have more applications than that) to go through to the next stage of the application process. I will not play favourites - I need a design team that will showcase Spesch Stamps the best and has a great colouring technique.

Along with your email please include the following information:

1. Name

2. Mailing Address

3. Phone number

4. Email Address

5. A List of your present/past design team positions. Note: You will be considered even if you do not have design team experience.

6. A link to your blog and gallery on SCS, PCP, or any place else you like to hang out.

7. A brief “about me” summary to include; interests, crafting history, etc. Whatever you would like us to know about you and your experience.


For full details check it out here!

Falling for fall

I'm back with another card using a Spesch stamp, she is called Fall Girl for the moment but if you can come up with a name for her then head over to the blog HERE and let Tracey know. If yours is the name chosen then you will win her! I really love her, she is very elegant and that outfit is so cute.
This is really bugging me and I don't know why it photographed this way but the flowers have come up very pinky when IRL they are the same shades of purple as the papers, just a little lighter, if you know what I mean :)

Iam going to enter this over at Lili of the valley as this week their challenge is easel cards (love 'em!), Simon Says who want girly and Stamp something are after girly somethings.

Ok, so this is just a super quick post from me, I'm off to get dinner ready :) Thanks for looking!

Anya Ink - Emboss it!

The challenge over at Anya Ink this week is embossing! I have used my cuttlebug D'vine swirls embossing folder on the yellow flower crd base (it does not really show up in the photo unfortunately) and around the adorable Gigi (love the name) stamped up for my by the amazing Kristy, thank you so much honey! There is also embossing on my nestabilities tag as all nesties emboss around the edges. I have inked and glittered all my edges and added a few flowers as she is a bit of a hippy chick and needs her flower power, lol, but I did not want to add too much and cover up all the embossing (as it is the point of the whole card) Thanks for looking and make sure you head on over to the Anya Ink blog and check out the DT's work, amazing as always :)

Curiouser and curiouser...

I'm back with another Spesch stamp for you, this is the Queen of Hearts, isn't she gorgeous, and isn't that cleavage fabulous, hahaha! This is also my first ever Copic coloured image, and they are really growing on me.

I have used the sketch from Friday sketchers as inspirations for this card. Thanks for looking and be sure to head over to Spesch Designer Stamps to get your hands on this lovely lady, you will love her as much as I do :)

Alice is very Spesch!

Have you heard? There is anew digi store in town and it is owned by the wonderful and talented Tracey. It's called Spesch Designer Stamps, find it HERE. You may have noticed by the new badges in my side bar that Tracey has asked me to be on her design team, of course I was thrilled and am now proud to introduce you all to Alice. Isn't she adorable, hands down, far and away my favourite Alice in wonderland themed stamp I have seen, and with the film soon to be released I have come across a lot recently!

She is now available for purchase at Spesch Designer Stamps for US$3, why not head on over and get your hands on her today :)

Jump for joy... It's a Magnolia Down Under store SALE!!!

MAGNOLIA DOWN UNDER have a wonderful special on this weekend. All stamps are 15% off, starting...NOW!! They have Raising the Ceiling, So Spooky, Yummy for your Tummy and you can Preorder the new Hoppy Easter collection. So hop on over to the store and order yours today, before they are gone!
(Shipping to Australia only)

Thinking of you on your birthday

Hello again, wow 2 spontaneous posts in one day! I was going to post this tomorrow but thought bugger it, i may as well just do it now. This is the Edwin from the new raising the ceiling collection bought from Kellie at the Magnolia Down Under Store. I adore him!! I stamped him several times as soon as I got him and have a couple already coloured in and waiting to be used. He is just sooooo sweet and an absolute dream to colour in, he is probably my favourite stamp in the collection. I know, if you told me my fave was going to be an Edwin I would not have believed you, after getting a sneak peek at a few before the release I thought it would be Nobel Tilda, she just make me smile in those high heels :) but I just love him, he's too sweet.
Anyways, I just had to create something with him. Even though it's got Edwin on it I went for a girly kinda card, lost of sparkle and flowers. I have inked, distressed and glittered all my edges. I have a few pearl head pins amongst the flowers, which I managed to restrain myself from glittering also (it was not easy but I managed to do it, or not do it, as the case may be)
Well, enough waffling, here is it...

This card plays along with:

Just Magnolia - Birthdays

A spoon full of sugar - Use distress inks, pearls and glitter

Cute card Thursday - Ribbon-tastic

The pink elephant - Add green (do the leaves amongst my flowers count?)

A.W.O.L. apologies

Sorry everyone, I have been MIA lately, a combination of too much to do resulting in not enough crafting time and Mr Mojo packing up and buggering off in the hot weather (he must go to the beach, well... wouldn't you?). Anyways I am here today, and with a card too! I have combined the sketch over at Anyone for Anya? with the Farm Fresh Fridays theme of Dessert and...

Ta-Da!!

This first photo is with the flash on so you can the glitter on the DP (all the DP's are glittery :D)
This pic is no flash but you can see the details and colours betterOn a slightly unrelated note, it was quite possibly the inspiration for my card, I whipped up a batch of cup cakes last night, yummy!