Butterfly Garden

Hello. Happy Tuesday...and oh my goodness, it's almost July! Where did June go? It sped right by me...LOL.



I have this to show you. Do you like it?







Today being the 4th Tuesday of the month, it's time for a new challenge at Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog--an inspiration challenge this time. Our very talented Paola is the hostess for June and she has chosen this picture to inspire you.



Of course you can see right away where I got my inspiration, can't you? LOL.



When I first saw this picture, my eyes zeroed in on the that wooden chest of drawers and I knew immediately what I was going to make for this challenge. I've been meaning to make something like this to sort out my stamps--not image stamps...LOL, but postage stamps for mailing out my cards. I've been putting off making it, so this was the push I needed.





I will use this as my entry to the following challenges:



Stampin' For the Weekend - Challenge 11 - My Favorite Things (Magnolia stamps, easel cards, butterflies, hand-made flowers, punches and dies)



All That Scraps Magnolia Challenge - Challenge #11 -In the good ole summer time



Totally Tilda - Challenge #25 - Anything but a card



Just Magnolia and hAnglar & sTanglar - Week 112 - Butterfly theme



Hooked on Craft Challenges - Challenge 2 - Flowers



Scrap-Creations - Anything BUT a Card



I've used quite a few Magnolia images for this project:

In this scene, this is Hello Little Butterfly from the Butterfly Dreams Collection 2011 and

the Shabby Chic Fence from the Shabby Chic Summer Collection 2008. Also the Chasing Butterfly Sign from the Chasing Butterfly Sign Collection 2009.





This is Edwin with Butterfly from the Butterfly Dreams Collection 2011 also and Brick Wall (I'm not sure which collection that is from).





And again from the same butterfly collection, this is Tilda in Lace Jeans and Lazy Summer Days Flowers from the Lazy Summer Days Collection 2009.



All the Magnolia images I've used for this project are available from the Magnolia-licious on-line store. And not to forget that the mini version of these stamps are also available there. Check out the Magnolia Mini-World catalogue.





I've used my collection of Prismacolour Premier, Faber-Castell Polychromos and Derwent Colour Soft coloured pencils to colour these images. But sorry, I didn't keep track of the colours that I used as I was rushing. I admit, with the amount of time I had left to finish this, I was a bit too ambitious...LOL.



I found a little poem in the internet and I've used that as the sentiment here. (LOL...you can blow up the picture if you want to read it.)





That's it for me.



I hope you will join us in our inspiration challenge. There is a prize of $25 Gift Certificate from Magnolia-licious. Also check out the fabulous cards from my DT teammates to inspire you further. Links to their individual blogs are on my side bar, or on the Magnolia-licious Challenge Blog.



And woo-hoo, the mail strike is over!!! Canada Post workers are going back to work and I can send out my birthday cards. They are a few belated birthday cards coming to a few people...sorry, can't be help!



Thanks so much for dropping by. Your visits and comments are always very much appreciated.



Have a wonderful week. Now go and create!







Materials and Tools used:



The chest of drawers was made from cardstock and chipboard.



DP's: K&Company Julianne Specialty Paper Pad, me&my BIG ideas value pack paper pad Fashion District



Tools: Go Create dies, Spellbinder Labels Sixteen, Martha Stewart Monarch Butterfly punches large and medium, Magnolia Doohickey Swirl and Leaf dies, Nellie Snellen Leaf punch and embosser, EK Success Retro Flower punches, large, medium and small, wooden plugs from Michaels



Misc.: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Stamp Pad Tea Dye

Marker Storage

Sorry, no card today, but oh, look, look!!! Look at what I made. Woo-hooooo....don't you love it?

My craft table is neat and tidy right now, but we'll see how long that will last...LOL.


I've had this idea of a storage box for my markers for well over a year, but only got around to making it now. I got so frustrated because when I work, my markers are all over the place on my table that I have hardly any clear space to work on...LOL.

It's actually not hard to make that now I wonder why I kept putting it off.

I used this type of CD rack to make the shelves. I bought mine at Lee Valley Tools. (Link to their catalogue item if you're interested here.)


If I place a CD jewel case on every other rail for the shelves, then the space in between 2 shelves is just right for my markers. The CD cases you can buy at your dollar store for about 25 cents each--even at Future Shop they work out to about 40 cents each.


You can make this as wide as you need. One tower measures 10 3/4 inches high and 5 1/8 inches wide. You just have to make a box to accommodate that height and the width of the number of towers you want, in the inside of your box. I used 2 pine boards (4-ft long, 5 1/4" wide, 3/4" thick) which I bought at Home Depot. I have a scroll saw to cut the 2 end pieces and then I just screwed them in place. I used a foam board to cover the back. Hmmm...I bet you can make the whole thing with just foam boards--so much easier!

I have 3 types of markers: Letraset Promarkers, ShiHan Touch markers and Letraset Pantone Tria markers. The barrels of all these 3 brands are of about the same size. You can fit seven markers in each shelf. There are 10 shelves within a pair of CD rails, so each set can accommodate 70 markers.

I don't have any Copic markers, but I think the Copic Markers are the same size as the Touch markers, so this will work just fine for them. I don't know about the Sketch or the Ciao markers, though. I do believe they are slimmer in size, are they not?

OMG, I didn't realize I had so many markers until I had them laid out like this. Wait a minute though! I didn't spend as much money as you think!!! I only buy markers when they are on SALE...LOL...I am a cheapskate!

The Letraset Pantone Tria markers were the first ones in my collection--they are my favorites. I started with them when my local art store DeSerres (formerly Loomis Art Store) had a clearance sale. Little did I know that they were clearing them because they were being discontinued. Boo hoo hoo...I cried when I found out. But hey, I stocked up on all the colours that I could get. The markers were about $.099 - $1.29--woo-hoo...almost like they were giving them away--I was like a kid in a candy store!!!

The Promarkers are what replace the Pantone Trias I believe. I could be wrong, but it's the same barrel size and similar nibs. The Promarkers and the Touch markers, when they are on sale, are about $2 - $2.39 each.


That's it. Sorry no card this time, but I just wanted to share this.

As an afterthought, I am also sharing this with the ladies at Top Tip Tuesday.

Note Box c/w Calendar

Hello! Happy Monday!

This is my latest project—just finished last night, or rather in the wee hours of this morning…LOL.



I remember my friend Debbie made a project with an easel card and a calendar for her phone table at one time. I thought back then that I was going to make one too. Well, it only took me one whole year later to make it…LOL. I went searching for her posting and found it back in Jan. 2010…yikes, was it that long ago! Click here to see Debbie’s creation--she has also given the measurements that she used. This is my version and I’ve adjusted my box to fit the 5-inch square note paper that I found at Michaels store. This will also sit next to my phone.

This lovely-looking lady is called Lady Tilda, from Magnolia’s Fairy Tale Collection 2010—available from Magnolia-licious on-line store.

For the layout I’ve used this wonderful sketch of Domi that she’s created for the Challenge #124 at Everybody-Art-Challenge.

A few other challenges I’m entering with this project:

All Sorts - Week 86 - teal and brown.
Magnolia Down Under – Challenge 89 – Calendar.
Let's Ink It Up - Challenge 8 for January – Anything Goes.

Just Magnolia hAnglar & sTanglar - Week 89 - My Favorite things. Several favorites in this project: blue/teal and brown is one of my favorite colour combo, the DP is one my favorites also (I bought a whole bunch of pages) and easel card is my fave type of cards.

Stamp Something Challenge - Anything Goes.

Stamping for the Weekend - Challenge 1 - New & Blue. I've got new crafting tools: the MS border and corner punch set and the Marianne Design cutting and embossing die for the leaves.

Paper Sundaes - 1st Birthday Celebration and your favorite challenge. I've chosen Challenge #44 - Pick Your Sundae Toppings--pick 2 from punches, ribbon, embossing and the colour blue.

I’ve added two rows of large pearls so that I have a place to nest my pen.
The free printable calendar I obtained from http://www.printablecalendar.ca/.

Thanks so much for dropping by. Have a wonderful week. Enjoy today!

Stamp: Lady Tilda from Magnolia’s Fairy Tale Collection 2010.

DP’s: K&Company Ancestry.com Teal Floral & Letterflat Paper, Chatterbox Botanico Blue Oak Designer Paper.

Tools: Martha Stewart Eyelet Lace Punch Aound the Page Set, Spellbinders Nestabilities Curved Rectangles, Magnolia Dookickey Swirls, Marianne Design Creatables LR0133, EK Success Retro Flower punches medium and small, Recollections rotary cutter Dashes.

Misc.: Recollections pearl stickers. Wooden button plugs for the drawer pulls (bought at Michaels or Lee Valley Tools). My paper edges are distressed using Tim Holtz distress ink pad Vintage Photo.

To colour my image, I’ve used alcohol-ink markers and touched it up with coloured pencils. I don’t stick to any one brand in particular—whatever I can buy cheaply...LOL...and the right colour shade I wanted. Promarkers: blush, soft peach, caramel, sandstone. Touch Markers: T27 powder pink, T136 blush, T92 raw umber. Letraset Tria Pantone Markers (discontinued): 549, 5493, 5527, 5503. Prismacolour pencils: PC939 peach, PC1010 deep orange, PC928 blush-pink. Faber-Castell Art Grip: #176. Cretacolor Marino: bremen blue.

Winter Birthday #2

Hello!

Woo hoo! I've finished with my birthday card for my other niece (the other twin). Similar in style--easel card mounted on a gift box--but with a different image. I had a harder time finding another winter Tilda to play around with...LOL. But here's the final finished project.

It wasn't too obvious that I can use this image of Snowy Hug from Magnolia's A Merry Little Christmas Collection 2010. The orginal image is of Tilda hugging Snowy the snowman and as you can see, I've cut Snowy out and replaced him with a snowboard.

The inside of the card looks like this.

A few challenges I'm entering with this card/giftbox:

Paper Sundaes Challenge 50 - Something New. (My snowflake die punch is a new purchase-boxing day sale..woohooo.)

Creative Inspirations Challenge 50 - Use Something New on Your Project. (is that ever weird--same challenge number and same theme...LOL. Anyway, same thing here...new item is my Spellbinders snowflake die cut.)

ABC DT Challenge - Baby It's Cold Outside Challenge.

Just Magnolia and hAnglar & sTanglar - Week 87 - Anything Goes.

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Challenge 27 - Card and Matching 3-D Gift. (Ladies, I don't know if this qualifies, as I've combined the card and the matching gift box into one item. If it doesn't, please ignore my entry. Thanks.)

Stamp Something - Something with Glitter Challenge.

That's it. Hope my niece will like this one. Thanks so much for dropping by. I appreciate your visit.

It's now bright and sunny here with a little nip in the air. I'm planning to enjoy the outdoors. I have an extra day off today, but back to work tomorrow...sigh. Have a wonderful day yourself!

Stamps: Snowy Hug from Magnolia's A Merry Little Christmas Collection 2010, PSX F-1550 Evergreen forest, Cornish Heritage Farms the Pines.

DP's: Creative Imaginations Harlequin in blue, Making Memories Heritage Collection Scroll Dark Navy.

Tools: Spellbinders Nestabilities Standard Circles Large and Small, Classic Scallopped Circles Small, Mega Ovals Large, Mega Classic Scalloped Ovals Large, Shapebelities Snowflake Pendant, EK Success snowflake punches.

Misc.: Kaiser Craft and Recollections pearls, Mark Richards Cabochons dark blue, ribbons from my stash, wooden button plugs that I purchased at either Michaels or Lee Valley Tools--available at hardware stores too I think..

If you're interested in making this particular size box, I've drawn out the templates for it with the measurements that I used. The templates aren't to scale (it's about 50% of the original size).

For the drawer casing, you'll need to find a paper that is 14 inches wide. I used bristol board paper. It's thicker than regular scrapbooking cardstock, so it's actually better as it makes the box sturdier.

PS. I've been told that sometimes when I've posted templates, you can't click on them and printed them out very legibly. I'm not sure how to correct that, me being computer illiterate. If you're having the same problem, e-mail me directly and I'll e-mail the templates back to you.

Winter Birthday

Hello!

I was finding it very hard to get back into things (by that I mean cardmaking...LOL)--I just wanted to laze around a bit more. But I have upcoming birthdays to make cards for, so back to the craft room...

I have birthday cards to make for my twin nieces...yikes...2 cards at once!!! Well okay, one at a time, but two in a row and no pause in between...LOL. My nieces are passionate about snowboarding, so I wanted to show their interest in this sport on their cards. I'm going to have fun these cards. By fun, I mean because there is no snowboarding Tilda in the Magnolia collections, I'm going to have to improvise...hee hee...I just love doing this.

I have just finished this project. What do you think? You think my niece will like this?

I've made this into an easel card (my favorite type of card) and mounted it on a gift box.

The card is 6" x 6" (my usual size), so that's the size of the box. I made this into a one-drawer-only box that's 1 3/8" high, so that I can fill it with those Ferrero Rocher and Rondnoir (that's the dark one--yum yum) chocolates that the girls love so much. I can fit 16 pieces of them in the box.

This adorable Magnolia image is Tilda with Gift and she is from the So Jolly & Under the Mistletoe Collection 2009. Magnolia stamps are available from Magnolia-licious and if the item is not in stock, you can ask Diana to order it in for you.

Normally, this Tilda is holding a wrapped gift box, but of course I've replaced it with a snowboard. I got the shape from the internet. I drew it out on a piece of white paper, stamped some swirls and snowflakes on them, covered the entire thing with double-sided scor-tape, sprinkled cool-highlight glitter and then cut out the snowboard shape with a scissor.


I am using this project into the following challenges:

All That Scraps Magnolia Challenge #5 - Winter where you live.
Bunny Zoe's Craft Challenge 6 - Sparkle and Shine.
Magnolia Down Under Challenge # 77 - A gift for you.
Totally Tilda Challenge #12 - Easel card with Tilda.
Passion for Promarkers Week 80 Mega Christmas Challenge - Anything goes.
Paper Sundaes Challenge # 49 - Cut it out!
Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #15 - Get embellishing!
Creative Card Crew - Birthday.
Crafts and Me Challenge #20 - Anything goes.
7 Kids College Fund Challenge #11 - Anything goes.
Crafty Catz Challenge 63 - Your choice (Challenge 57 - spots and stripes).
Allsorts Week 83 - Free and easy, anything goes.

ABC DT Challenge - Baby It's Cold Outside Challenge

This is the look of the inside of the card. That striped DP is light enough that I can write my personal birthday wishes right on it.


Okay I'm done with this one and now back to the drawing board and start on the 2nd card!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to drop by. I appreciate your visit. Hope you're all enjoying this holiday season.


Stamps: Tilda with Gift from Magnolia's So Jolly & Under the Mistletoe Collection 2009, PSX F-1550 Evergreen forest.

DP's: from Hot Off the Press Papar Pizzazz Jackie's Vintage Paper Pad.

Tools: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Ten and Shapeabilities 2010 Snowflake Pendant, EK Success snowflake punches, Martha Stewart double edge punch snowflake trim.

Misc.: Tim Holtz distress ink pad Dusty Concord, Recollections pearls, Vintage Attic Treasures pearls, Jewel Ritz micro-fine glitter cool highlights and lavender on the snowflakes, Martha Stewart crystal fine glitter on the snowboard, wooden button plugs that I purchased at either Michaels or Lee Valley Tools--available at hardware stores too I think.

Sending Christmas Hugs - Advent Calendar Box

Happy Saturday everyone!
(Not a long post, just lots of pictures--you'll get through this in next to no time...tee hee.)

I finally finished the advent I've been working on for a couple of weeks now. I could only manage to find a bit of free time here and there to work on it. I meant to finish this way before the end of November and have it shipped off to my friend so that she will have it by December 1, but as is almost always the case with me, I am late..... again!!! Hope she won't mind getting this a wee bit late. Anyway, this is the finished product.

When it's on display, it will look like this.

I've filled the drawers with just little things from the stash in my craft room.

On top of the box, is of course an easel card which I've glued on--my favorite type of card because it's an easy way to prop up the card and put it on display.

This adorable Magnolia image is Tilda wants a Hug...and when you look at here, you really do want to give her a hug...LOL. You can get her from Diana's online store Magnolia-licious.

The layout of the card is from this wonderful sketch of Domi's that she has created for Simon Says Challenge.

I am also using this advent calendar box as my entry into the following challenges:

Stamp With Fun Challenge #87 - Advent.

Passion for Promarkers Week #79 - Old and New. The old item would be the DP's which are from last year's collection which I bought during a clearance sale. The new item is the new Tilda stamp from this year's new Christmas collection.

7 Kids College Fund Challenge #9 - Non-Traditional Christmas Colours.

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #141- The Blues.

Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge 26 - Anything But a Card!

ABC DT Challenge Blog - Non-Traditional Holiday Colour Challenge.

Here are pictures of the four sides of the box.

The inside of the easel card is decorated this way. The blank area is where I am going to write a personal Christmas message to my friend.

Thanks so much for dropping by. I appreciate your visit very much. And thank you for the lovely comments, for sparing a moment to write them--I appreciate them even more around this time of year as I know people are very very busy. Enjoy your weekend!

Stamps: Tilda Wants a Hugs from the Merry Little Christmas Collection 2010, Studio G clear stamp (good for 1 free hug coupon), Just Rite A Merry Little Christmas Set.

DP's: SEI Winter Song Paper Pad, SEI Addision Paper Pad.

Tools: Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page set French Scroll, Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Fourteen, Marianne Design Creatables LR0112 (flourishes), EK Success retro flower punches medium and small, McGill Holly punch.

Misc.: Wooden buttons from Lee Valley Tools, Mark Richards pearls, Recollections brads, Tim Holtz distress ink pad Frayed Burlap, Mark Richards Peel Off's silver numbers.

Edited to include the following link:

If you're interested in making one of these advent calendar box, this one is based on a tutorial that Kirsten (from Norway) has on her blog for a box with 4 drawers.

So instead of just making 4 drawers, you will have to make 6 times that (a total of 24 drawers). And instead of just a one level box, you build a 6-level condo instead...LOL.

The base of Kirsten's box measures 6-inch square. The base of my box is actually 5 1/2 inches square, so I had to adjust her measurements. If you are going to follow Kirsten's tutorial (I have used it to make my first advent calendar box last year) there was a slight adjustment to one of the scoring lines for the drawer casing that I had to make. I found that the drawers fit better this way.
This is from Kirsten's tutorial:
This panel is 7 5/8 x 3 2/16 inches.

Score at 1 - 3 2/8 - 4 5/16 - 6 5/8.
I scored mine instead at 1 - 3 5/16 - 4 5/16 - 6 5/8.

Mini Easel Card Gift Box

Hello!

Oh dear, oh dear... it's the last day in November already!!! Sorry, but it'll probably be nothing but Christmasy things for me from now on until Christmas...and probably beyond that...LOL.

I’ve made this Christmas mini easel card (tutorial here) for a blogging friend. I also wanted to send her some little things to go with the card, so I’ve made a little gift box/drawer to put them in. Then I combined the two--glued the card on top of the box.

I used the Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four for my easel card this time.

I had initially created one of those 4-drawer boxes to go with this card. That box is 6 inches square. But when I centered the mini easel card on top of the box, the card looks sooo… miniscule in comparison. The card and the box were out of proportion—just didn’t look right. So I had to downsize the box. I played around with my Nesties and found that the largest size from the the Labels Eight die cuts would look just right for the base. Then I just made the box/drawer to fit.



This is my entry to the following challenges:

Paper Sundaes Challenge #46 - Adorn those corners.
Creative Inspirations Challenge #48 - Christmas Gift.
Charisma Cardz Challenge 47 - One for the Girls.
Stamping for the Weekend Challenge 51 - Winter.
Crafty Catz Challenge 60 - Christmas.
Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club Challenge 45 - Use a Diecut.


All the images here are from Magnolia. I chose this oldie but cutie Tilda with Wreath (from the Winter & Christmas Supplements 2007). I’ve had her for long time, but you know I actually can’t remember if I’ve ever coloured her before now. I’m ashamed to admit that I have several stamps that are like that—agh!!! I need more time to play with them all…LOL.

And in the background is my charlie brown christmas tree...hee hee...it's actual Fir in Snow from the So Jolly & Under the Mistletoe Collection 2009. You can purchase Magnolia images from Diana's online store Magnolia-licious. If the item you want isn't in stock, you can ask Diana to order it in for you.

I've added glitter to Tilda's wings, gloves and all the white trimmings of her hat and coat. Also used some white glue to add some snow to the tree branches and then sprinkled glitter on them too.

So, this is going out to a friend who I hope will be surprised to receive it. Not surprise of the card/gift box itself—'cause she’ll probably see this on my blog...LOL—but surprise that she’ll be the one getting it.

December tomorrow! Lots more to make and do!

Thanks for dropping by. I really appreciate your visit. And thanks ever so much to you who left me comments. I do so love reading them—they give me a boost whenever I'm feeling down. Enjoy your day!

Stamps: Magnolia Tilda with Wreath and Fir in Snow (available from Magnolia-licious on-line store). The sentiment is computer generated.

DP's: from SEI Wintersong Paper Pad.

Tools: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four and Eight, Big Shot Machine, Cuttlebug Dies Vintage, Marvy Uchida Scallopped Oval Punch, Colluzle Oval Template.

Misc.: Recollections brad, wooden button/plug, Martha Stewart crystal fine glitter, Tim Holtz distress ink pad vintage photo .