Day Before Christmas Tilda and Christmas Eve Edwin at Home

Greetings!

Hello Dear Readers,

Well, Santa has come and gone! You know, there is so much excitement in the weeks before the "big day" that on Dec. 26, I feel a let down! How about you? I don't feel a sense of relief. It's more like a feeling of sadness that it is gone for another year! I love the season so much. 2014 is on the horizon. I hope that it brings each of you health and happiness.

I have a card to share with you. It is the card I made for our son and future daughter-in-law. I love how it turned out. The thing is, I forgot to take photos of the interior. DUH! That missing week between our Thanksgiving and Christmas really messed up my schedule. I was always chasing my own tail! I was always behind and struggling to catch up! It was so frustrating to me as I am a very organized person. Grrr! Anyway, I'd love to share my card with you. Here it is:

I have had this Marianne Design die since it first came out and have just now used it! Once again, while laying in bed, just before dozing off, the idea of the card came to me. I love how it turned out! I used an assortment of evergreen tree dies, Snow-tex, Stickles (on the Snow-tex), pop dots, a roller that make wavy lined paper to signify the snow. Of course, my little Tilda and Edwin were center stage. I used silver Stickles on the alphas for the word, Noel, and as an accent on Edwin's hat pompom and buttons. Here is an image that shows the layering:

You can see in the shadowing where there have been elevated sections. I did cut the house twice to allow for the dimension. Here is a closeup of Edwin and Tilda:

I did color the images with Distress Inks. I feel pretty comfortable using them.

The images are available at Magnolia-licious. Diana is having a sale on EVERYTHING IN THE STORE UNTIL 12/31. You may want to stop by and check it out! It's a good deal!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you will come back and say, "Hi!"

XO,

Chris

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

The Day Before Xmas Stocking Tilda

Greetings!

Hello Dear Readers,

I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with the joy of family and/or friends! I also hope your tummies were full and your blessings are many! I am blessed because you are here reading my blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I have a new card to share with you today. I hope you like it. It took me quite a while to do this one. There were so many details (in and out)that just seemed to take hours to accomplish to my liking. Here it is:

Oh, this was my vision the second I saw this particular Tilda stamp! I combined her with two other stamps. Both are additional fireplace stamps. The mantle is a Magnolia stamp from a while ago, and I have no idea where I got the actual hearth stamp. I've just had it tucked away. I want to say Alota Rubber Stamps, but I'm not certain.

Tilda's dress has sparkles on it as does the green stocking hanging from the mantle. The fire inside the fireplace has also been finished off with various shades of Kindyglitz. I wonder if they still make Kindyglitz? Years ago, I bought a bottle of every color they had. This was way before Stickles came into being. So, the fire inside the fireplace looks so cool with varying shades from deep red to warm yellow.

I added Snow Tex, Puffy Paint, Fran-tage, die cuts, lace, velvet paper, pop dots (upper part of the fireplace as well as Tilda have been elevated to give dimension. I also used deep green velvet paper - afterall, Tilda needed to be standing on carpeting, right? The stars are also made from the same paper. A jingle bell, ribbon, green twine, flowers, berries, and a doily finish the front.

Here is a closeup of the fireplace:

The following have been used on my card and are available at Magnolia-licious:

The Day Before Xmas Stocking Tilda - (currently out of stock. Check w/Diana to see when it will be back in stock)

Tilda Lace Die It got buried, LOL, but it's just above the lace.

Medium Star

Poinsettia Doohickey Die - Out of stock right now.

Leaf and Swirl Doohickey Die

Scalloped Doohickey Tag - Out of stock right now.

I hope you like my card! I would so love to read your comment, so feel free to leave one!

Have a wonderful week!

XO,

Chris

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

• Lovely hangar or sweet Magnolia Challenge Blog - #83 - Christmas is Coming - ends 12/7

• The Ribbon Girl - Ho, Ho, Ho Christmas Challenge - ends 12/15

• Marvelous Magnolia ends 12/4

• Crafting by Designs - Christmas or Winter - ends 12/3

Edwin with Derby Hat is a Stud Muffin!

Greetings!

Are you getting ready for the holiday? Have you begun preparations? It's going to be just the two of us this holiday, so, I splurged and have a personal chef preparing dinner for us! Yes, it is a "bucket list" item! LOL We were able to select what we wanted, and, of course, there is a whole turkey! I have to have leftovers! Usually, our DS flies in to be with us, but this year, he has other plans. So, DH and I decided that we shouldn't cook or have to clean up. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Usually, I start cooking the Monday prior to Thanksgiving. I am soooooo not missing it!

Today, begins a new challenge at the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog! The new challenge is:

Use a Doily

Many of us already do that, so that challenge is easy peasy!

Before I go any further, I want to announce who the lucky gal is who won a special something from me on my last Challenge post. **Drumroll, please....

#4 -- Cindy!

Cindy, if you would please e-mail me at the address listed on this blog, I will get something wonderful out to you!

I also said that I would select a lucky gal from the comments posted on our Holiday Blog Hop. That lucky gal is:

#9 -- Tamara!

Tamara, if you will please e-mail me at the address listed on my sidebar, I will get something special out to you!

Thank you, all, for your wonderful, supportive comments! They mean so much to me!

Now, let's get back to the Magnolia-licious challenge! Here is my card: I had so much fun with this one. I just kept going and going with it! I hope you like it:

For my card, I used:

•Edwin with Derby Hat. I thought he was just adorable (with and without his cookie duster)!
•Afternoon Tea Rose Kit. I did modify the mustache so that it would match the way I liked it.
•Mustache Doo-hickey Die

The rest of the goodies are from my stash. The gorgeous vintage papers are from paper sacks that a dear, dear friend sent to me for using on vintage cards! Thank you, Sweetie! I used a large black Prima flower and an assortment of brown flowers. The pocket watch in the upper right was made using black cardstock that looks like patent leather. I, then, added a vintage chipboard button. This was just fun!

Also, for those of you that saw my disaster of a card that I posted November 12, I did redo the front. I painstakingly removed each and every piece from the front. Then, I started all over. Now, I didn't change much, but I did make some minor changes that made me feel a little better about it. This card just looks so much nicer in real life. Here it is:

BEFORE

AFTER

Now, I'm a happy girl! LOL

If you haven't done the Magnolia-licious Holiday Blog Hop, please do! There are amazing projects for you to use as inspiration. Also, be sure to enter the Holiday Blog Hop Challenge which closes on 12/28. Diana has wonderful prizes for two lucky gals. You can't win if you don't join in!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you will leave a comment for me as your comments mean so much!

Happy Thanksgiving to those in the US!

Love to you,

Chris

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

•The Ribbon Girl - ends Dec. 1 - Use a Magnolia Stamp
•Bunny Zoe's Crafts - ends 12/8 - Vintage/Shabby
•Totally Tilda Challenges #85 - ends 11/30 - Buttons and Bows
•A Creative Romance - Vintage - ends 12/2
•Crafty Ribbons Challenge #71 - Must have stitching - ends 11/27

Magnolia-licious Holiday Blog Hop Wants YOU!

Hello to all of Santa's helpers!

Well, the countdown is beginning, huh? Once Thanksgiving has come and gone, look out! Let the madness begin! However, to give you some gentle inspiration, the Magnolia-licious/Score Pal Design Teams have joined forces to present our

HOLIDAY BLOG HOP!

If you have arrived here from Jane Johnson's Blog, then you are in the right place! If not, then you need to start at the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog - HERE. This is where you will find all the details for how to unscramble the secret message that will get one lucky gal a wonderful prize, valued at $50, from Diana, the gal behind Magnolia-licious! Here are the directions for the hop -

• Hop through the blogs in the order they are listed on the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog.
• Gather the letters or clues found on each blog.
• Rearrange the alphas and use the clues to discover the secret message. • Do NOT publicly post your answer on the Challenge Blog or any of the DT members' Blogs. You will see where to send your responses as noted on the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog's Blog Hop Information page.

But wait! There's more!

There will also be two other lucky winners - making a total of three winners. Who will be the other lucky two winners? Well, that is entirely up to you! In order to be in the running for one of the other two prizes, you must enter a Winter/Holiday themed project on the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog. You have until December 31 to enter your project. The First Place Winner will win a huge gift from Diana valued at $100 while a runner up winner will receive a special gift valued at $50. I think Diana is secretly Mrs. Claus! Shhhh! Don't tell!

I have a wonderful holiday banner to share with you! There are lots of photos, so that you can see the details. The banner has tulle, feathers, ribbon, jingle bells, glittered alphas, adorable hand painted images from the new Winter Wonderland Collection, glitter, Snow-Tex, gorgeous papers, sturdy backing, and pretty ribbon. **This banner is for sale. If you are interested, please contact me via the e-mail address on the right!

Here are close ups for each panel:

I hope you like this gorgeous banner! Now, you are off through cyberspace to see what Suzi McManus has created on her blog. It's gorgeous, so you don't want to skip it!

Thank you so much for stopping hopping by! Good luck unscrambling the letters and using the clues for the Blog Hop! Then, a special good luck creating a holiday/winter themed project for the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog!

A

If you leave a comment below, I will add your name into a draw for something special from me.

XO,

Chris

Magnolia Show the Way Tilda

Hello Dear Readers,

I am thrilled to share today's card with you. I hope you like it as much as I do! It's "W-Wednesday" at the

Magnolia-licous Challenge Blog

Today, I'm showcasing a Wild Rose Studio stamp paired with a Magnolia stamp from the Winter Wonderland Collection. Here is my card:

I just love the red, white, and green together. It just looks so cheery! My Magnolia Stamp is Show the Way Tilda. My Birdhouse stamp is by Wild Rose Studio. You can find this adorable stamp HERE. Diana has a fabulous price on this stamp, so get one while they are in stock. With Christmas coming, and all the pairing possibilities with the Winter Wonderland Collection (and other stamps), you don't want to miss the chance to get this adorable Birdhouse stamp.

Here are two closeups:

On my card, I have also used a Magnolia Doo-hickey die entitled Slender Firs. You can find it HERE. The seal is also a Magnolia stamp. It's an older one, and I'm unsure of the collection. I added puffy paint for dimension. When it dried, I went over it with Stickles so it would sparkle. Each of the little red berries have been touched with red Stickles while the flower centers have been touched with gold Stickles.

Don't forget to visit the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog next Monday (11/18) for our Holiday Blog Hop! Hope to see you there!

XO,

Chris

Magnolia Peaceful Tilda

Hello Sweet Readers,

Before I go any further, I want to announce who is the lucky commenter from my last Challenge Post of 10/22. The lucky gal is...

Suzan Laverty - #27

Congratulations, Suzan! Also, because you have my blog, A Scrappers Musings listed on "Blogs I Follow," I'll be sending something extra to you! Thank you for adding me to your list. Please use the e-mail address on my blog to send me your address. I can't send it if I don't know where it should go! LOL Also, if anyone knows Suzan, you might want to give her a "heads up!"

Today begins a new challenge at the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog! Our new challenge is...

A Winter Themed Project

This time, both Design Teams are posting together! You'll have double the amount of gorgeous examples to help get those creative juices going! I have to tell you, I am always in awe of my teamies' work!

I wasn't very happy with how my card turned out. It just looked better in my head than it turned out in paper. I'm thinking I should have framed Peaceful Tilda with a gold metallic mat instead of the brown. I didn't want to clash with the pretty angels on the paper, so I stuck with the brown. Oh well, sometimes I hit the mark and other times, I miss. I have a winner to post tomorrow, so do come back! Anyway, here is my card:

I was going for a vintage feel. Maybe I should have used pink background paper instead of the green. **sigh** The stamp I chose to use is Peaceful Tilda which is available at Magnolia-licious. I think she is so sweet. I added some real pine cones to the flower cluster, and added Fran-tage to the snowflakes and mat on which Tilda is stamped. The pearls are Kaiser and sparkle has been added using Stickles. A touch of ivory lace, some distressing and inking finish the front.

Here is a photo of the flower detail:

Next Monday, 11/18, Magnolia-licious is having a Holiday Blog Hop! I hope you will check it out and hop along. There are prizes to be won along the way. The gals have really been working hard to be Santa's BEST helpers!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you will come back tomorrow and see a darling card that DID come together nicely!

XO,

Chris

London's Calling - Castle Guard Edwin

Hello Sweet Readers,

I'm not feeling very well today, so this post is going to be very brief. I hope you miss my cyber chatter! LOL!

There is a new challenge starting today at the

Magnolia-licious Challenge

Blog!

The new challenge is

Anything Goes

Here is my card:

As I began pondering this card, first choosing the stamp, I had the song lyrics to England Swings stuck in my head! I couldn't get them out! I'd wake up and there it was. I'd be brushing my teeth, and there it was! I kept thinking about Edwin's rosy cheeks and that line in the song that says, "...and the rosy red cheeks of the little children..." Even though Edwin isn't a Bobby, I kept thinking if there was a way to put him on a bike for the line of the song about the Bobbies riding two by two! Oh yes, I had it bad! It took me four days to do this card. That song (scientists call when that happens, a brain worm) was there - over and over and over! LOL I couldn't get it out! It really did help the card evolve, though, One example is that my paper selections had to be British in design. Mostly, though, it was Edwin. It's all HIS fault that that song never left my head!

I fell in love with this stamp as soon as I saw it. I did much research in order to find out the appropriate colors. I knew the bearskin cap was black, but I didn't know that the color and placement of the plume(s) determined the regiment. I chose to use a red plume on the right side which means that my little Edwin is one of the Coldstream Guards. I also learned that the slacks were a very dark navy. In photos, they looked black. The info I read stated they were dark navy. I didn't want to make a mistake, so I contacted a very knowledgeable friend who confirmed that they were truly navy blue. Thank you, Chris.

I used a metallic gold pen to accentuate the gold elements found on the actual uniform. It adds a nice shine to the painted image. I also used some red ric-rac that I had in my stash along with some Frantage, dies, and some British themed specialty paper. I also found a castle charm to finish it off!

Here is a closeup of my Edwin, the Coldstream Guard:

I wanted to make his bearskin hat look like bearskin, so I added some black specialty paper I had and fuzzed the fibers. I think it makes Edwin look just adorable.

Here are the products I've used which are available at the Magnolia-licious Store

Castle Guard Edwin

Castle Doohickey Die

Romance Doohickey Die

So Wrapped Lovely Heart Folded Doohickey Tag

Magnolia Doily Flowers Doohickey Die - these are currently out of stock. Check w/ Diana as to when they are back in stock.

Magnolia Heart Swirl Doohickey Die - these are currently out of stock. Check w/Diana as wo when they are back in stock.

Memory Box Precious Hearts Die - these are also currently out of stock.

I have a favor to ask. I've noticed that many of you who leave comments do not have my blog listed on your blog favorites list. I would love if you might add me, please.

Thank you so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful week!

XO,

Chris

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

ABC Challenges - X for Xtra Special - ends 10/31

Cutie Pie Challenge #55 - Cute and Tag-Tastic - ends 10/26

Magnolia Down Under Challenges #219 - Anything Goes - ends 10/25

Crafty Ribbons Challenge #66 - Anything Goes w/Ribbon - ends 10/23

Midweek Magnolias - Song Birds (My song is England Swings - see above) - ends 10/23

Magnolia Tilda and the Shaped Card Challenge

Hello sweet readers,

I hope this post finds you well and ready to jump in and join the current challenge at theMagnolia-licious Challenge Blog. Here is your chance to get those creative juices flowing and create...

A Shaped Card!

You can free form a card or use your dies. Just avoid the square and rectangle! Make sure your card features our little Miss Tilda and you'll be good to go!

For my card, I chose Magnolia Tilda from the Little London Collection which is available at Magnolia-licious . At the time of this post, Diana is waiting for her new shipment to arrive. They should be here any day. Just check with her to find out when they'll be in. With Diana's prices and store credit, it's worth the wait!

Here is my card:

Here are the details:

Dies Used - Spellbinders and Go Kreate
Flowers are from my stash
Paper is Pion
Pearls are Kaiser
Ribbon, Frantage, and embellishment are from my stash
Image has been colored with DIs
Glitter on the flower pistil - Yellow Kindyglitz

The inside of the card has also been finished with Pion papers and related embellishments.

I hope you will leave a comment for me. I so love reading your reactions. Know that Diana will select one name from those gals who leave comments on the Design Team blogs. That lucky gal will receive a special surprise from Magnolia-licious. Shhh - don't tell, but Diana gives great prizes! LOL

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you liked my inspiration card! I hope you will come back very soon!

XO,

Chris

It's "W"-ednesday at Magnolia-licious with Batty Boo!

Hello sweet readers,

OK, who stole September? I blinked and it was gone! I think there are time robbers lurking out there! LOL

Well, it's "W"-ednesday at theMagnolia-licious Challenge Blog! I chose to use a Wee Stamp called "Batty Boo." I just fell in love with this image. It is just so stinkin' cute! You can find this stamp at Magnolia-licious. The link will take you directly to the stamp! It is sooooooo cute! You won't be disappointed getting it! Diana has a fabulous price on it, too!

Want to see my card? Well, here it is:

You likey? I likey! I got away from the orange, purple, and black Halloween colors and went for the brown and deep golds of Autumn. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how the colors of the painted image just stood out. I hope I can remember that for future cards - doubtful, though! LOL I used a Spellbinder's die for the circle and Go Kreate dies for the card shape. I had the black alphas in my stash. The two little bats are old, old, old mini buttons. I added some Kindyglitz to the pumpkin and little monsters. The paper is from We R. The flowers and leaves are from my stash. The banner has been elevated on pop dots.

The Little London Collection is currently available at Magnolia-licious. They are just the cutest ever! You know that Diana ships worldwide AND has the best prices! Take a peek at her store and see all the goodies she has to enable your crafting addiction! LOL

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you like my Batty Boo card! Oh, and if you are the reader who stole September, since you can't give it back, would you please let us have October for a bit longer? LOL

XO,

Chris

Magnolia-licious No Patterned Paper Challenge

Hello sweet readers,

Before I go any further, I have a winner from my Magnolia-licious Bling It Up Challenge Post. Sorry about the delay. I have had some computer issues lately. The winner is #2 -

NICOLE

Nicole, please e-mail me with your address so I can send your special gift as a token of my appreciation for leaving a comment on my blog!

I have a very quick post to share today. The current challenge at the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog is to create a card with NO patterned papers. This WAS a CHALLENGE for me. So, I thought I'd challenge myself and see what I could come up with. I stink! LOL First of all, the challenge wasn't NO patterned papers, but NO DESIGNER PAPERS! Of course, I only read what I wanted to read. **clue #1**

I hunkered down and put my creativity to use. I sat and pondered what I had in my supplies that I could use instead of patterned paper. I considered using embossing folders. That would have been an easy one. I wanted a challenge! I considered painting the background. That would have been too much work. I gave some thought to stitching a quilted design on cardstock and applying that to my card. Another idea with too much work and would have no room for error. Then, the idea came to me! I have velvet paper that wouldn't be patterned paper. I decided to use that! Well, I must have had a "senior moment" because I was so tickled that I could create a card without patterned paper that I didn't think about the actual paper I DID use as being "Designer" papers. **hanging head in shame**

Stop laughing! So, I promptly went to work choosing Autumn colors and the "just right" punch for the pattern. I carefully measured distances so that the strips would NOT be going upwards and downwards. I made sure that the adhesive was not on the velvet. I went into my stash and found the copper leaf stickers as well as the border I used along the bottom. I had NO idea the colors on the strip of trees matched the colors of the velvet strips I had already glued to the card. Mind you, I still have not realized that I was using Designer Paper! I selected the best Tilda for the design - Tilda with Two Rosettes. I carefully painted her and popped her up on pop dots. Then, I had to find the Autumn Wishes stamp from my stamp collection.

I had the card finished and was sharing it with my husband when the 20 watt bulb in my head flickered for just an instant, and I realized I HAD USED DESIGNER PAPERS! Ugh! The deed was done. I blew it! I blamed my faux pas on the fact that I had eaten too many vegetables, and my brain cells were on overload trying to figure out what I had done to my brain by eating food that was actually good for me. *sigh* Here is my card:

So, there you have it - the story behind the card! Oh, the cardstock I used for the base of the card is a lovely cream color but it looks white. The bows in Tilda's hair have been treated with Stickles. Tilda has been elevated on pop dots. The punch I used is by good old Martha.

Thank you so much for stopping by. The photo is a little dark, but if I try to lighten it up, I lose the closeness to the actual colors.

XO,

Chris

Magnolia Goblin Sitting Martha

Hello sweet readers,

How is your weekend going? Are you feeling Fall? The northern part of our state has already had snow! I hope that means that there will be a snowy winter! I'm already hoping for snow, and the leaves haven't fallen from our trees yet! All I can say is that it is "Oatmeal and Crockpot Season!" YES!!! I've been making oatmeal in the slow cooker. I put it on before we go to sleep, and it's ready in the morning! If you want the recipe, just let me know! The last batch had a bag of frozen raspberries in the mix. DH loves raspberries. What a great way to get my sweetie to eat his oatmeal! I want to experiment with some other flavors - like peach, pina colada, and how could I include bacon? Oh, I know, I could add it just before serving so it wouldn't get all mushy! LOL Bacon and brown sugar? Hmmm... LOL

I have a fun card to share with you today. It features Magnolia's Goblin, Sitting Martha. You can find the whole set of Goblins at Magnolia-licious. I think she is just the cutest! If you look at her left foot, you can see her little green toe sticking out from the hole in her sock. I even painted her little toenail red! I wish I could be more consistent with my coloring of hair. I love how Martha's hair turned out on this card. Hair is just hit or miss with me. As they say, "Practice makes perfect!" Hopefully, I will eventually get some consistency. Here she is:

I chose to use some traditional Halloween colors - purple, orange, black. There is a hidden tag behind the mat. I added some orange rhinestones to the black grapevine wreath on which Martha sits. The purple brads are Doodlebug Sugar Coated Brads, so they sparkle. I used paper, flowers, ribbon, and embellies from my stash. I have a plastic container with all my Halloween goodies in it, so I can store and grab as needed. The wreath is by Memory Box and is called the Grapevine Wreath.

If you are interested in the Magnolia Goblin Collection, I encourage you to visit the Magnolia-licious Store. Diana's prices on these collectible stamps are wonderful! While you are visiting Magnolia-licious, be sure to check out the following Fabulous Finds:

Magnolia LIttle London Collection

Candibean Stamps

Spectrum Noir Marker Pens - **Currently on sale for 35% off!**

I hope you like the card I've shared today. I'll have a new card posted on Wednesday, October 2. It features a Wee Stamp perfect for the upcoming season! Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you will leave a comment for me.

XO,

Chris

Wild Rose Studio Emily with Dandelion

Good morning everyone!

Boy, it's been a very busy week for me! I need a couple more hours in my day! I hope you visited the Magnolia-licious Blog Hop. I love, love, love the projects that the DT shared! If you haven't seen them, please visit the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog to get you started! You will NOT be disappointed!

It's "W"ednesday at Magnolia-licious. I chose to use my Wild Rose Studiostamp called Emily with Dandelion. I thought that stamp was just so sweet. I used to have a little fur baby, Milford, who was pinkish orange. I think the color was apricot. He was such a precious animal. He was very smart, had a great sense of humor, and "talked." He would say, "No" and "Want Out." It was so clear that other people understood him when he would say them! Oh, I could go on and on about him! He was such a joy!

Anyway, back to this sweet stamp, LOL. There were so many things I loved about the stamp. Of course, the first was the fur baby! I loved the sweetness of the image as well as the motion implied by the floating dandelion comas. Emily's dress is just the cutest! Would you like to see my card? OK, here it is:

I love how sweet this image is! I just can't say it enough! I chose to use some bright, cheery colors and keep the design simple so that the focus would be on the image which was watercolored. It's hard to see, but I did line the cloud in the background with Stardust Stickles. Oh, I did mask the Emily with Dandelion Stamp with a Magnolia background stamp from the Chasing Butterflies Collection. It's called Butterfly Background. I liked it because it gave a little depth to the image. I also used my Go Kreate dies for the card shape.The flowers are from my stash as is the velvet ribbon.I used my Magnolia Doohickey #4, Leaf and Swirl Die. It is such a functional die. I use it quite a bit, and it's worth every penny! It gives such a nice effect. The paper is from American Crafts and is from the Shoreline line.

I hope you liked my card! Emily with Dandelion, as well as many other gorgeous stamps, dies, and papers is available at at Magnolia-licious - home of the best prices in town! Diana has fantastic customer service, too! Make sure you also check out the new Zutter Bow-It-All which is available HERE.

XO,
Chris

It's Time for the Magnolia-licious Fall/Halloween Blog Hop!

Happy Monday to all!

Today is the Magnolia-licious Fall/Halloween Blog Hop! It's going to be so much fun! I hope you will hop along from blog to blog to see the amazing projects created by the Magnolia-licious DT! If you've gotten here from Sheri's Blog, then you are where you are supposed to be.

If you didn't come from Sheri's Blog, then, you need to start at Mindy's Blog!. Mindy is the first stop along the way!

For my project, I chose to create a Halloween themed banner. I dressed each panel with a Magnolia image and some embellishments. Here is my banner:

I know it's hard to see the banner panels well, so I thought I'd fill today's post with tons of photos! LOL I'll show each panel individually and then, beneath each photo, provide details and links. How's that? Here goes -

The image is called Halloween Edwin. You can find him HERE. I used felt flowers with a center from a black sugar coated brad. The little plastic sign is from my stash.

Did this panel make you smile? I'd like you meet Goblin Martha! Isn't she a cutie? The name of the stamp is Martha with Pearls. You can find her HERE. The embellies are from my stash.

Meet Witch Tilda! You can find her HERE.

This little Cutie Pie is called Dracula Edwin! I wonder why? LOL. You can find him HERE.

For my "K" panel, I chose to use a Goblin stamp named Rowdy William. I think he is just adorable! Look at that smile! I love the little slingshot in his pocket, too! You can find him HERE.

The last panel features a sweet Tilda entitled Witch Tilda and Pumpkins.. You can find her HERE.

Well, how was that photo adventure? This banner is available for purchase. If you are interested, please let me know.

Know that Diana at Magnolia-licious has the featured Tilda and Edwin stamps currently priced with 20% off the regular price, so, this is a perfect time to get some adorable Halloween images for your future use.

Please leave a comment for each designer as you travel from blog to blog. Your next stop is the blog belonging to

Julie Price

Also, I am giving away a very nice, brand new Marianne Design Die to one lucky gal who leaves a comment for me HERE. I hope you will stop by and add your name to the draw.

That's about it for today! Have fun as you travel through the blogs. I know the gals have worked very hard to provide some inspiration for you!

XO,

Chris

Halloween with Magnolia's Sitting William Goblin Stamp!

Hello Everyone!

I am really trying to get Fall to hurry up and arrive! It is such a gorgeous time of year! My head is already thinking of the Fall things to do. I've started baking and making soups! I am glad that the weather cooperated with my plans this past week! It rained, rained, and rained. The temps were nice and chilly! It was in the 60s at night and in the low 70s during the day! I LOVED IT!

So, with that being said, I HAD to make a Halloween card! Today's card features one of the stamps found in a little used Magnolia Collection (we so love our Tildas) - The Goblin Collection. There are only half a dozen stamps in this collection. The names of the stamp characters are William and Martha, and I think they are just adorable! They make me smile! Magnolia-licious has them in stock, too! Today's card features the stamp, Sitting William. I had such fun coloring him! The spiked hair just is hilarious! He is so different from our clean cut Edwin! Here is my card:

Here are the close up images:

Here are the details regarding my card. Dies used are Cheery Lynn, Martha Stewart, Go Kreate, and Nesties. The sentiment source is unknown. It's a stamp I've had forever. It might be Whimsy. The flowers are from my stash. My image was water colored. I used Stickles on William's hair. The paper is Echo Park. I think that's about it.

On another note, I'm giving away a very nice die (you know how I love dies) to one lucky reader who leaves a comment for me ON THE PREVIOUS POST entitled Magnolia-licious Bling It Up Challenge. There are only 12 comments so far and I'd so love if more gals would sign up. The prize is a very nice die from Marianne Design.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you like William as much as I do! Perhaps you'll fall in love with Martha and William as I have. I would love to see your creations using them!

XO,

Chris

Magnolia-licious Bling It Up Challenge

Hello Sweet Readers,

Two posts in a row! That is a rarity for me! I'm so glad you've stopped by!

Today starts a new challenge at the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog. The new challenge is

Bling It Up!

We would love to see you create something wonderful with sparkle! There are so many ways you can do this. You might use rhinestones, sequins, glitter, glittered cardstock - whatever you want! Just make sure you hve a Magnolia image on your card and that there is bling, too! You have two weeks to enter this challenge.

The Design Team has wonderful examples to provide inspiration. Remember, if you leave a comment on the blogs of the DT members, your name will go into a drawing for a wonderful surprise from Diana at Magnolia-licious! So leave a little love if you visit the DT blogs! You may be the lucky winner!

I'm not very happy with how my card turned out. I think I went a little overboard with the rhinestones, LOL! I think I took the title of the challenge (Bling It Up) too literally! I blinged, and then I blinged again and again, LOL. It's all the tree's fault! Here's my "blingy" card:

Did you have to put on your sunglasses due to the glare? LOL My tree needed sparkle. Five rhinestone flowers were not enough, so I just added rhinestones in a pale pink and deep pink. The paper I used is from Maja Design (Sofiero). It is a lovely line of paper. The most important part of my card is my little Tilda! I just love this sweet stamp! It's is Tilda with Two Rosettes from the Special Moments Collection. It is a very versatile stamp! I also used the Magnolia Little Summer Birds stamp from the Summer Breeze Collection. They are the cutest ever! There are two hidden tags that were cut from the Magnolia Doohickey #88 Cloudy Tag. I distressed and inked the edges, added lots of die cuts, some pretty flowers, ribbon, and bling. *blush* The little banner at Tilda's feet has been elevated on pop dots.

If you leave a comment, be kind, LOL. Remember, there is a special somethin', somethin' for one lucky gal!

If you haven't visited the Magnolia-licious store lately, you are missing out on wonderful new arrivals! One example is the Impression Obsession die line. You can find it here. Diana keeps her prices low AND you get store credit! So, you're a winner all the way around! Stop by often and see what is coming in almost every day! There is always something new!

Well, the thunder is overhead. We're under a flash flood warning again. I'm going to sign off as I don't like being on line when Mother Nature is knocking on my front door!

Thank you so much for stopping by! If you leave a comment below, I will pick a name from those who left comments and send you a nice special something that you can use in a die cutting machine - **hint, hint**! I hope you will come back real soon!

XO,

Chris

Mini Monday Tilda Key Largo Tag

Good morning,

Well, I think most of my hummingbirds have started their long journey south. It makes me so sad to see them go. I have a feeder right outside my craft room window. It's such a sweet diversion to watch their antics as they zoom through the yard. They are fearless! They try to intimidate my husband and myself when we are changing their feeders each morning! They zoom up to about a foot or so from our heads, chirp at us, and maintain a holding pattern while they watch us with care. I only saw two of them today. Did you know that most hummingbirds don't make it through their first year of life? Isn't that sad?

I've been having vision issues again. So, if my photos appear to be blurry, it's my fault. At least I can type without looking at the keyboard. LOL

Today, I have for you a tag which features a mini Magnolia of Tilda Key Largo. You can find this adorable stamp at Magnolia-licious. I paired her with Magnolia's Sea Background Through Porthole stamp from the 2010 Bon Voyage Collection. I used masking to combine the two images as well as delete the portions I didn't want visible. Here is the image:

I chose to use Nestie dies for the oval shapes. A strip of off white burlap, some real shells and starfish from the beaches we've visited (even the little starfish is real), a walnut stained tag, and tiny stickers help the tag with the theme. The white netting you see is from the grocery store! It may have been around a turkey, some fruit, or whatever. I saved it to use some day! That day came and I put it to use. I also had a sheet of paper thin cork which I used at the top. A brass eyelet, some cotton lace and twine finish the tag.

I hope you like what I've created. It's for sale if anyone is interested, LOL!

If you haven't visited the Magnolia-licious Store lately, you really should! Diana has gotten in some new, wonderful products including Candibean Stamps. Not to be forgotten, the Score-Pal Store is now carrying the Bow-It-All by Zutter Innovative Products! Who doesn't like a pretty bow!

Thank you for stopping by! I love your comments and read, with love and appreciation, each and every one!

XO,

Chris

Tilda with Cozy Heart CAS Card for Magnolia-licious!

Happy Labor Day!

Are you resting today? Having three day weekends is wonderful, isn't it? I've been putzing in my craft room this weekend. I'm trying to organize, but it's a never ending job! Saturday afternoon was spent with a box of Meyer lemons! I zested each one and packed them into glass jars to freeze. Then, my sweet DH juiced each one for me. I filtered the juice and froze it in ice cube trays for use later. I'll appreciate having the zest and juice during the winter when lemons are so expensive!

The Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog is currently sponsoring a Clean and Simple Challenge. What a challenge that can be when you are used to flowers, ribbon, charms, buttons, and anything else you can use to embellish a card! Although I cannot participate in the challenge, I did make a card so I could challenge myself. Here it is:

For my image I chose to use Tilda with Cozy Heart. I think she is just adorable! The sentiment was stamped inside a Magnolia stamp called Elegant Heart. It's from the 2010 Raising the Ceiling Collection. I elevated it on pop dots. I used my embossing folders to add textured panels behind the center image. A Wonky Rectangle die was used to cut the shapes.

So, there you have it - no flowers, no ribbon, no charms, no scene, nada, zip, zilch! Nothin' but the basics! I can see why this is a challenge! LOL.

I would like to encourage you to hop on over to the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog and join the challenge by creating a CLEAN AND SIMPLE card!

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you will come back again. If you want to leave a comment for me, I would love to have it!

Love to you,

Chris

Wee Angie Tag for Magnolia-licious' "W"ednesday Inspiration

Hello Sweet Readers,

I hope "Hump Day" is leading you to an amazing fun filled weekend!

Today is "W"ednesday at the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog. Today, we'd like to share some inspiration with you! Maybe we will inspire you to get out your Wee or Wild Rose Studio Stamps and get them inked up and put to use! If you want to see some delicious work, stop by the Magnolia-licious Blog and see what the most creative DT gals have posted for you!

I wanted to do something a little differently this time. Rather than make a card, I chose to make a sweet baby themed tag. Here it is:

Isn't that stamp just precious? She is called Wee Angie #123. You can find her here. Magnolia-licious has a wonderful selection of Magnolia stamps, dies, and papers. There, you can also find a wonderful selection of Wee Stamps, Wild Rose Studio Stamps, Little Darling Stamps, and very soon - Penny Black Stamps! But, don't stop there! Visit the store and see all that Magnolia-licious has available. Diana's prices and customer service are the best!

For my paper, I used Maja Design Sofiero. I think this entire line is lovely. I used an assortment of die cuts to add emphasis. There is some sparkly Frantage around the border of the oval. The wings, stars, and cloud have been accented with Kindyglitz. The tag in the envelope is removable and has a plain back for a special message. I took the Magnolia Box Lacing Chocolate Doohickey Die #81 and curled the tips to add some interest.

Don't forget that if you leave a comment, your name will go into a drawing to win a special surprise from Diana! Each week, Diana selects one random name from those who left comments on the DT blogs. You can't win if you don't join in! LOL

Thank you so much for visiting! I love that you took the time to stop by!

Love to you,

Chris

Magnolia Tilda Gives You a Salute!

Hello Sweet Readers,

Greetings from a COOL and cloudy section of the Mojave Desert! We have had a little rain, but lots and lots of thunder. As I'm writing this, I can hear it coming closer and closer! I know I've said this before, but I just love hearing the thunder here! It is so different from anywhere I have ever been! It just rolls and rolls and rolls off the canyons' walls. The sky is a deep blue gray. Come on rain! LOL

Today, I have a sweet card to share with you featuring Salute Tilda which you can find by clicking the link. I thought she was just adorable and was the first stamp of this collection I purchased. She reminds me of an old child star named Shirley Temple. LOL!

Here is a photo of my card. I did attach a small real starfish on top of the white one after I took the photo because I thought the white starfish die cut was just blah! By attaching a real one above it, it stands out nicely. I also elevated the anchor die cut so it had more dimension.

I bought this paper from Maja ages ago (when it first came out) and just kept it in my supplies. When the Sea Breeze Stamp Collection came out, I thought I had a perfect match. I added real shells to the beach portion of the background scene. I collected these over the years while on the Oregon Coast. For the sand, I used Fran-tage in Shabby White. I love how my ocean turned out.I added some dimensional texture paste to simulate waves. Tilda has tiny red buttons on her outfit, and there are lots of die cuts to add interest to the card. The banner is elevated on pop dots, too, as is Tilda. I love to layer.

I hope you like my creation. Before I forget (again), I promised if someone left a comment on my Super Mario Card, I would send them a little somethin', somethin'. Well, not that I remembered - duh - the lucky gal is

# 14!
Frances, that is Y-O-U!

Frances, please contact me via the e-mail above, and I'll get your prize right out to you! I give GOOD prizes! LOL Leave a comment on this post and I'll announce another lucky gal on Sept. 10!

Thank you, everyone, for leaving comments for me. I love to read them and know that what I do is appreciated. Thank you! I also want to thank you for stopping by. I know how busy everyone is. I hope you will come back soon!

Love to you,

Chris

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Totally Tilda #79 - Tilda at the Sea or at a BBQ-ends 9/7

613 Avenue Create #34 - Anything Goes - Ends 8/31 (Column 1 - image, sentiment, patterned paper; Column 2 - shaped card, die cut, paper punch, embossing; Column 3 - Fran-tage, Stickles (kindy glitz); Column 4, buttons; Column 5 - twine)

Lovely hAnglar or Sweet Magnolia #76 - Punches or Dies - ends 8/30

A Creative Romance - Masking (I masked the background scene eliminating elements from the original stamp and duplicating others to make one long ocean scene) - ends 8/30

Daring Cardmakers - Just Beachy - ends 8/30

Marvelous Magnolia #41 - Lots of Layers - ends 8/28

Divas by Design - Use Twine - ends 8/27

Fab N Funky Challenges #182 - Stick It - ends 9/3 (Alphas are stickers)

Midweek Magnolias - Shaped Cards - ends 8/28