FBW87 Santa Baby Flutters Too!

Good morning All!! It was a wild night here in Charlotte with high winds and rain pounding the windows. Even the window in my craft room was leaking...YIKES!! There's a lot of paper in there! Oh, the horror! Then, when we wake up this morning, it's sunny. Go figure! It will be 60 degrees today, then it will be in the 40s for the rest of week. Crazy! And, to top it all off...my daughter turned 5 on Monday. Where did the time go? I have a 5 year old.

Today is Flutter By Wednesday, and this week we are challenged to make a winter-themed card using a butterfly, fairy, and/or angel on our cards. I saw on the Greeting Farm blog that someone had used the Santa hat from Xmas Sweeties and put it on Flutter Anya. Well, I had to duplicate that idea! Of course, I can't find the original card, but I didn't copy the card, just the idea. So, kudos to the genius who came up with the idea!!

Don't forget that Flutter By Wednesday is moving to a new home after the first of the year. The Flutter By Blog is up, so go and check it out! Meanwhile, after you have made your card, please link it up HERE, and we can all admire your crafting brilliance!

Card Details:
Stamps: Xmas Sweeties (hat) and Flutter Anya by The Greeting Farm; Sentiment from Season's Greetings by Stampin' Up
Paper: Merry Moments DSP, Real Red, and Garden Green by Stampin' Up
Ink: Garden Green by SU; Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: Silver Bells and Royal Red Shimmerz; SU ornament punch
Copics: E00, E01, E02, Y11, Y21, E33, R24, R27, N5

They Say it's Your birthday...

No, it's not my birthday, but it is Danni's birthday month, and we are celebrating all month long, flutter by style, in honor of her turning the big 4-0!! This week's challenge is to make a birthday card using either a fairy and/or a butterfly on your card. We even have a special guest this week for the Flutter By Wednesday challenge. Christy Croll is our guest, and she designed an awesome image in honor of Danni! Danni, you have arrived!!!! Head on over to Danni's blog to wish her well, WIN SOME BLOG CANDY, and wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Trust me, the blog candy is definitely worth it!!!

This is a really bright one for me, but I really love how the colors came together! Normally, yellows aren't my thing, but when I saw this image, and those fantastic boots, I had to do it!! This image was from an image chain swap on the Magnolicious group, and I found some really fun ones!!

On a crazy side note, I have to laugh at my life lately! We, on what would seem like a whim, have decided to remodel our kitchen! We're talking new cabinets, countertops, lighting, appliances, tile backsplash, the works!! Now, we are not handy, so we hire others!! I am learning about things that I don't think I ever knew existed!! In fact, I've been fanatical about watching HGTV lately...go figure. Anyway, can I make myself an honorary general contractor because I can't believe all of the things that have to be orchestrated together. YIKES...let's hope I survive this all!!

Back to our regularly scheduled program:

Card Details:

Stamps: Tilda with ladybug by Magnolia

Paper: Marrakech and June Bug by Basic Grey; Riding Hood Red by Stampin' Up

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: Doodlebug Designs Trim; EK Success border punch; American Crafts rubons; Martha Stewart Butterfly punch

Copics: Skin-E00, E02; Hair-Y11, Y21, E33; Dress-B12, B14, Y13; Boots-Y13, Y15; Ladybug-R24, N5

Is it Christmas already?

Well, no, it isn't, thankfully! However, it has gotten me in the mood, so to speak! I did yesterday's and today's cards with Christmas Magnolias to send to my rain group recipients. I've been diligently trying to practice with my copics, and I do see some improvements. It's all trial and error, I suppose. I often find that the texture that I create with shadows and such doesn't always translate well through the picture (especially my low level current camera...can't wait to buy my new one!).

It was fun to bring out some items in my craft room that I hadn't used yet! My friend gave me these wonderful felt poinsettias by Hero Arts, and the ribbon is this lovely silver satin. The background paper that I cut with the Creative Memories oval shape is actually a silver metallic that shines ever so nicely in person! The paper is Wassail by Basic Grey, and I still love it!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Tilda with wreath by Magnolia (an image that was borrowed)

Paper: Wassail by Basic Grey; Garden Green and Cranberry Crisp by Stampin' Up; Silver metallic by unknown maker

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: Angel Wings Shimmerz; CM oval cutting system; Scalloped ovals by Nestabilities; Felt Poinsettias by Hero Arts; Ribbon by Waste Not Paper

Copics: BV000, Y11, Y21, R24, R27, R29, E00, E02, E13, E18, E33, G12, G14, G17, G21, G24, G28

She's Causing a Scene!!

I'm so sorry that you haven't seen me around of late...I think I put myself on somewhat of a stamping sabbatical. There has been a lot going on around here. None of it has been bad, just busy and a little scattering to the brain. Also, after doing the copic certification class, I wasn't able to practice like I wanted (a vacation got in the way), and I kept looking at my markers with fear. Call it performance anxiety, I don't know!! I finally sat down with them last night and started playing with all of them. I'm rusty on the techniques, but I think I've conquered my fear. I know that probably sounds a little weird to some of you, but that seems to be the only way I can explain it. Also, I had to really think about why I make cards and like doing it. Tryout after tryout after rejection after rejection for design teams can get a little daunting and well, very disappointing. So, my soul searching made me realize that I need to do this for me, at least for a while. The Flutter By challenge has always been a lifesaver for me! I'm going to be getting back on my challenge kick, and I've got a million Magnolia cards that need to be made. Instead of just collecting these stamps and supplies, I need to use them! Viva la cards!!

Enough of my mindless chatter...it's Flutter By Wednesday, and we had one humdinger of a challenge this week!! Heather, who's cards almost defy description they are so detailed and amazing, chose the theme of creating a scene with a butterfly and/or fairy and using little or no designer paper (yes, you can use some!). I decided to go with the no designer paper at all. I used stamps, sponges, and nesties to create my scene. I have three pictures for you so that you can see some of the detail. I tried my best with the cutting, but these are some seriously detailed images! The bunnies and flower are from an adorable set called Stinkin' Cute by Firecracker Designs by Pamela. The fairy is from an Inkadinkadoo clear set. The grass in the forefront is a stamp from Savvy Stamps. For the clouds, I used a cloud template and Cool Caribbean ink on the different sizes of Labels Four nesties. I wanted clouds, but with the stair step card, there isn't a lot of height unless you create it!

I used my new techniques on the coloring of the bunnies, flower, and fairy, but I think you can see more detail on the fairy image. The stickles set off the wings a bit more, and there are Martha Stewart punched butterflies. (that woman punches butterflies...how mean!)

We'd love to have you join us for the Flutter By challenge this week...it was a great awakening for me. Thank you to all who read and comment on my blog. I read every comment, and it is uplifting to hear your words of encouragement and praise. I hope you have survived the confession of my existential crisis and know that I'm back on track!! Have a fabulously fluttering day! Stop by Danni's blog and leave your creation via Mr. Linky (if he's MIA, leave me a link here or in Danni's comments!)

Card Details:

Stamps: Grass by Savvy Stamps; Stinkin' Cute by FCD; Beautiful Fairies by Inkadinkadoo

Paper: Wild Wasabi by Stampin' Up; Georgia Pacific white

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Nesties Labels 4; Rosie's Roadshow cloud template; Stickles; Martha Stewart butterfly punch

Copic Markers: Seriously way too many to list, and I forgot to...sorry!!

Stylish Tilda

The sun is finally shining today in the Carolinas...we've had our share of gloom lately. Raining Tilda is much better than real rain! This is the card that I made for the March raining group #2 over on the Magnolia-licious yahoo group. I actually played around with my pencils and gamsol this time instead of the copics. I realize that the more I practice, the better I get...imagine that! LOL! However, my supply of pencils is limited, so I have to pick and choose carefully which colors that I need. Also, I heard some chatter about how the prismacolor pencils are constantly breaking, and the sharpening gets a little tedious. Someone then suggested the polychromous pencils from Faber Castell. And, they were right, the prismas break all the time, and the Faber Castell don't. However, I do like the results with the prismas a tad better. Anyone else had this issue? Just my little testimonial!

I just love playing with these Tildas! I mostly have stamped images of them, but I am now the proud owner of a few them. They are expensive, but I will add to my collection slowly as they are the most darling things. Friends and family from home love them because we have such a strong Swedish heritage. On to the pertinent stuff! Thanks for stopping by today! I really appreciate all of your comments and your visits. I even marvel at the fact that I have 19 followers. How cool is that? (I realize there are blogs with hundreds, but give me the moment!!)

Details:

Stamps: Stylish Tilda by Magnolia stamps

Paper: Real Red and Pacific Point cardstock, Pacific Point and Real Red DSP by Stampin' Up

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: Scalloped oval nestabilities; SU In-color ribbon (Pacific Point); Precious Elements silver pen; Faber Castell polychromous pencils; Gamsol; EK Success border punch; Angel Wings Shimmerz for the small wings on Tilda