Belles & Whistles, Cupcake

It's Tuesday evening and this is my second post for the day.  I am watching Glee, which I recently became addicted to thanks to Netflix, and trying to cool down after another hot day here in the North East.  The card I am posting this evening uses a Belles & Whistles stamp called Cupcake.  This is a line of stamps designed by Elisabeth Belle, one of my favorite rubber stamp artists.


It's been a while since I have entered into any challenges, it's hard to do so during the school year, but I am going to enter this one into the Elisabeth Belle World Challenge.  Their current challenge is to make and easel card.  No problem, I actually love making this style of cards! 

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - E55, E53, E51, E50, E43, E42, E41, E40, YR02, YR01, YR000, YR0000

Prima Flowers

Copic Airbrush System

Diamond Stickles

Reflections self-adhesive border

Martha Stewart border Punch

Stampin Up Pumpkin Spice stamp pad

Stampin Up sentiment stamp from the Heard from the Heart set

Self-Adhesive Pearls

I used my airbrush to color the large prima flowers and then used diamond stickles around the edges of all of the flowers.  My sentiment is popped up using scotch mounting tape.  If you've never made an easel card before you should know that you will need something with a little dimension on the inside of the card.  This is what will help your easel stand up.

Here's a closer look at the colored image.

If you're interested in this stamp then click HERE to go to 7 Kids College Fund, where you could find the stamp.  Click HERE to for other Belles and whistles stamps carried at 7 Kids College Fund.

So glad you stopped by today,

Tiddly Inks Tuesday

It's hard to believe that the last long weekend of the school year has ended and the unofficial start of summer is now over.  Mother nature supplied us with beautiful weather, little to no rain and the time to hang out as a family!  The kids soaked up as much sun as they could possible get and I have even started weeding my gardens.  I am a little behind this year because of the tons of rain and, if I were to be honest, motivation.  What I try to make some time for is my crafting!  So, onto today's project.


Today starts a new challenge over at the Tiddly Inks challenge blog.  We are asking you to make a card fit for a DIVA.  Being a Diva to me means lots of attitude and of course, bling!  You will find more than a little bling, shine and glitter on my card.  As I love my shine and glitter and add them to my projects whenever I can, this challenge was for me!  For my card I used the Tiddly inks image, Supah Star.  I colored this Diva using my copic markers, of course.  A complete list of materials used for this card is below the picture.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - B39, B37, B34, B32, RV06, RV04, RV02, E99, E97, Y21, Y11

I-Rock rhinestones

Glitter Viva Decor

Crystal Stickles

Glossy Effects

Cricut Expression

Bazzill Bling buttons

I really wanted her clothes to say bling so I added Viva Decor to the swirls on her pants.  This dries with a little dimension and I wanted this part to pop just a little.  Of course, then her glasses and headband had to have glitter, and the center of her glasses has glossy effects to make the lenses look shiny.  The background star on the card was cut using my Cricut Expression.

Now that you have seen my project click HERE to travel on over to the Tiddly Inks Challenge blog, check out the other great DT cards and hopefully you will have some time to enter our challenge.  If your interested in the Supah Star Diva image I used on my project then click HERE to get to the Tiddly inks store.

So glad you decided to stop by today,

Meljen's Designs

Hi everyone and Happy Memorial Day weekend to all of you in the United States!  We are just getting home from a enjoyable picnic at my parents.  It was sunny and warm and it was so nice to enjoy some time with my family.  Now that we are back home I am of course back down in my craft space catching up on whatever I can.  The best part about a basement craft space in the summer is the nice cool, constant temperature which makes it easy to stay down here on those warm, summer days!


Today I am posting a card by the fabulous Melissa of Meljen's Designs!  The image is called Sail Away Sailor and is just so great for the OWH blog hop that is going on this weekend.  Click HERE to get to the Meljen's Designs DT blog where more information about this hop is posted for you.


My card is a Father's Day card, which makes number three!  One more to go and then I will have them all done.  I chose to make this one for my dad because many of my childhood memories are of my father spending one weekend a month working at the local Naval Reserve office.  He then would spend two weeks a year on active duty.  To say the least, I hated this part, but I have many memories of this time so I thought we would a perfect image for a card for him.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - B95, B91, B0000, E43, E44, E40, B29, B26, B24, E35, E33, E32, E30, Y17, Y15, Y13, Y11

Stampin' Up sentiment stamp from Thoughts of Father stamp set

Crystal Stickles

Glossy Accents

Craft buttons

If you're interested in this week's challenge at Meljen's Designs, then click HERE to get there.  The challenge this week is to make a card using Kraft and one other color.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Marlena

Fred She Said Blog Hop

Hi everyone!  Happy Friday and I am so glad you are joining me for this Fred She Said Blog Hop!  Spring has finally arrived and what a great way to kick it off than by hopping along and seeing all the great projects along the way!  I don't think you'll be disappointed with everything that you see!

So, to begin you should have started Tracey-Lynne's Blog, which is also the Fred She Said Blog.  If you haven't started there, but just happened by my blog, then click the above link and go there to begin.  You'll want to go through the hop in order to collect all of the words on each of our blogs in order to be eligible to win the fabulous prize package we have for one of you!

What will you win?  Well, one winner will win three fabulous prizes.  The prizes are a £15 gift voucher from Bearly Mine Designs, a prize package worth $15.00 from Pizzaz APlenty and 3 digital downloads from Custom Creations from Carolivy.  The last part of the prize package is a $30 gift certificate to the Fred She Said Store. The blog hop will be open until midnight on June 1st.  You have until then to win!

Now, if you did start at the beginning then you should have come here from Nancy's Blog.  I hope you've enjoyed the hop so far and onto my project!

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - R85, R83, R81, RV23, RV21, RV10, RV000, B01, B000, B0000

Self-Adhesive swirled jewels

Self-Adhesive pearls

Fiskars flower punch

Martha Stewart Border punch

Cricut Expression

The word that you are going to pick up at my stop on the hop is GRAND.  Now hop on over to Valerie's Blog to pick up your next work and see her wonderful project!

So glad you decided to stop by today,

Marlena

Tiddly Inks - Carpenter Joe

Hello and hope you're having a great Thursday evening!  I'm finishing up some projects and then off to call it a night.  My project tonight is my second Father's Day card that I made using the Carpenter Joe image from Tiddly Inks!  I am so excited to have my second Father's Day card done with more than 3 weeks to go!  Just one more card and then I will be all set for Father's Day! 

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - B39, B37, B34, B32, Y38, Y35, Y32, YR30, YR24, YR23, YR21, YR20

E29, E25, E35, E53, E57, E55, E53, E51

Stampin Up Bashful Blue and Chocolate Chip stamp pad

Hero Arts sentiment stamp

Here's a close up of that cute carpenter.

There is a challenge going on right now over at the Tiddly Inks challenge blog.  Click HERE to check it out.  Also, click HERE to get to the Tiddly Inks store.  Christy is always adding new images to the store and has tons of freebies!

So glad you stopped by today,

Marlena

7 Kids College Fund - A Sketch with a Twist

Hello and Happy Wednesday!  Today starts a new challenge over at the 7 Kids College Fund challenge Fund.  This week's challenge is to follow a sketch created by Suzanne Dean.  BUT, there is twist attached to this sketch, your card must also have a beach theme.  With all the rain and miserable weather we have had around here is was fun to make a card that has a sun and warm weather theme behind it!


First let's take a look at the sketch that Suzanne has created.

Now, the card that I made following this sketch.  I used a stamp from the Pink Cat Studio set, Sporty Billy.  You can click HERE to find this set in the store.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - 

Shell Buttons

Bellas Baubles

Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

Stampin Up border punch

Stampin Up Brilliant Blue stamp pad

I am not usually fond of making boy/male cards.  It is not my forte, but I do like the way this particular card came out.  Here is a close up of Sporty Billy surfing.

The 7 Kids College Fund store has so many great products for you to choose from, click HERE to find something just right for you.  Right now the Magnolia Sweet Rainbow collection is on pre-order at the store.  AND, if you're as fan of Magnolia, like I am, you should check out their Butterfly collection.  There are some wonderful stamps in this collection as well.

Hope you have some time to stop by the challenge blog check out the other great DT cards and maybe take some time to enter the challenge!

So glad you decided to stop by today,
Marlena

Fred She Said Old Truck Project

Hi everyone, hope you are having a relaxing Monday evening.  Up here in the northeast our spring doesn't really seem all that different from our winter.  We are still finding ourselves all cooped up in the house, except this time we have rain, not snow.  The only good part about being stuck indoors is that I have a little more time to craft!  I'm not going to complain about that!


My project today is a Father's Day card I made using Fred She Said's Old Truck digi.  This is pretty good for me, I usually spend the last few weeks before holidays finishing up my cards.  It's May and I have my first Father's Day card done already!  WooHoo!  Only three more to go!

Materials Used:

Copic Markers

Glossy Effects

Stampin Up Bashful Blue, Handsome Hunter and Creamy Caramel stamp pads

Hero Arts Sentiment stamp

Martha Stewart Border Punch

If you've never stopped by the Fred She Said store before you really should go on by.  Click HERE for a direct link to the store.  You'll be glad that you did!

So glad you decided to stop by today,

Marlena

A Dance Recital and Kraftin' Kimmie Angry Ballerina

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying your Thursday afternoon!  Although everything around us is saturated, we are enjoying some much needed sun and warm weather at the moment.  I don't think it will be around for long but it is nice to look at it while it is here.


This weekend is my daughter's dance recital so we are gearing up to get ourselves ready for that!  She has been dancing for a long time and I do love to watch her perform on stage.  Being a teenager it is hard to get her out the door on a weekly basis and getting her to dance class isn't always so easy.  When I saw Kraftin' Kimmie's Angry Ballerina, well, let me just say I thought a teensy bit about her!  At the end of the dancing year I always make a card and give a small gift to her teachers.  I obviously had to use this one for her dance teacher this year!  Of course, if I had to wear the costume this girl is wearing I'm not sure I would be so happy either!

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - RV29, RV25, RV23, RV21, RV10, RV000, RV0000

Prima Flowers

Box template from Magnolia Ink Magazine, Vol. 2, 2011

Crystal Stickles

Silver Stickles

Glossy Effects

Self-Adhesive Pearls

Cricut Expression

Spellbinders dies

I took a picture of the card and box separately so you could get a little closer look at each.  I have to apologize for the paper lint on the acetate on my box, I didn't realize I hadn't removed it yet until it was too late. One of the downfalls of using acetate in the same space that you cut, fold and glue your paper.

Here's a close up of my colored image.  This skirt was hard for me to figure out the shadows for, especially with the pinks I used.  It's something I will pay closer attention to the next time I use this image.

If you like this image, like I did, you can click HERE to find her at the 7 Kids college fund store.  Also, the store has many new products in, including preorder for the new Magnolia Sweet Rainbow collection.

Also, You still have a few more days to enter the challenge for this week, which is to make a circle card or a card with circles on it.  Click HERE if you would like to go there and check it out!

So glad you decided to stop by today,

Marlena

Meljen's New Release Thursday

Hi all, hope you're having a Happy Thursday!  I don't know about you but I am anxious for this week to be over!  A good start to the end of the week are Melissa's new release images!  I love them, as always, but of course you should decide for yourself!

If you're interested in these new images, or any of Melissa's images, you can click HERE to get to Whimsy stamps where Melissa sells her images.  

The challenge over at the challenge blog this week is to follow a sketch made by Dianna, one of our DT members.  Here's the fabulous sketch that she made.

AND, here's the card I made using her sketch and Melissa's new image, American Angel.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - R29, R27, R24, R22, B28, B26, B24, B21

Blue Moon Star Charm

Ribbon

Tea Dye Distress Ink

Here's a closer look at Melissa's colored image.

I hope you can take the time to stop by the challenge blog and check out the other wonderful DT cards.  Also, don't forget to check out Melissa's freebies for this week, you'll be glad that you did!

So glad you decided to stop by today,

Marlena

Tiddly Inks Tuesday

Hi everyone and Happy Tuesday!  I'm so glad you've stopped by my blog today.  Since it is Tuesday that means a new challenge over at the Tiddly Inks challenge blog.  We've just finished celebrating our first birthday over at Tiddly Inks and if you participated in the festivities I hope you had a wonderful time.  I have really enjoyed making my project for this weeks challenge.  For this week we want you to use a photo for inspiration and make your project based on that.  Below is the photo and I simply love the colors to work from with this photo.

For my project I used the Tiddly Ink image Princess Note.  I tried to model the colors in her dress after the colors in this photo.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - RV99, RV95, RV93, RV91, V0000, Rv29, RV25, RV23, RV21, RV000, R22, R20, R000, R0000, YR12, Y17, Y15, Y13

Diamond Stickles 

Crystal Stickles

Martha Stewart black onyx glitter

Cricut Expression

Spellbinders dies

ZVA self-adhesive jewels

Here's a close up of my musical princess.

So, don't forget to stop on by the challenge blog and check out the other great DT cards.  Also, click HERE to get to the tiddly Inks store and see all the other great images that Christy has to offer.

So glad you decided to stop by today,

Marlena

Fred She Said

Hi everyone and Happy Sunday!  It is raining here and I am trying to find some energy for the upcoming week!  Today I am posting a few cards that I made using digi-images from the Fred She Said store.  She has wonderful images but I have to say her flower images are just my favorite!  My next two cards use a few of these floral images.


My first card uses her Corner Gerber Daisy and the second uses her Petunia Trio image.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers

Self-Adhesive jewels

Spellbinders Dies

Hero Arts Sentiments stamps

Organdy Ribbon

I hope you take the time to check out the Fred She Said store.  You can click HERE to get there.

Thanks so much for stopping by today,

Marlena

Meljen's Designs - Firefly Fairy

My card for today uses an older of Melissa's images, but it sure is a cutie and just perfect for this time of year!  Who doesn't wait for those nights when the air is clear, warm and you see those fireflies dancing around the sky?  I remember visiting with family and all of us kids would run around with jars, cups or whatever we could find and catch those fireflies!  What fun it used to be!


Well, if you haven't guessed yet my image is called Firefly Fairy.  This fairy has a nice, inexpensive way to light her evenings, wish I could do the same!  Here's my finished card using the image.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers- R22. R21, R10, R000, R39, R37, R35, Y28, Y26, Y21, Y11

Crystal Stickles

Diamond Stickles

Memento Angel Pink Stamp Pad

Prima Flowers

Verve, Beautiful You set for sentiment

American Crafts Ribbon

Spellbinders Dies

Here's is a closer look at the stamp and coloring.

Don't forget to stop by the challenge blog to see Melissa's new release images for this week and to enter into this weeks challenge, which is to make something for graduation.  Melissa's images for this week are just perfect for this and can be found HERE at Whimsy stamps.  But remember, if you want to use one of Melissa's image for the challenges you can also go to her freebie section at the DT blog to grab some of those.  Melissa is always giving away such fabulous freebies!

So glad you decided to stop by today,

Marlena

7 Kids College Fund Circle Challenge

Hello everyone, thanks for stopping by my blog on this Wednesday!  If you are here for the Tiddly Inks Puzzler blog hop then please scroll down to the next post.  If you are here for the 7 Kids College Fund challenge that is starting today then you are in the correct spot.  Today's challenge is to use a circle on your card.  You can either make your card into the shape of a circle, which is what I did, or add circles somewhere on your card.  AND, as always, if you want to be entered into the drawing for the challenge be sure to use an image carried at the 7 Kids College Fund Store.  There are so many images to choose from, you're bound to have at least one in your crafty stash!


My card uses the image, Beautiful Tilda, from the Magnolia Butterfly Dreams collection.  I made my card into a circle easel card for this challenge.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - V99, V95, V93, V91, RV99, RV95, RV93, RV63, V01, V000, V0000

Crystal Stickles

Self-adhesive jewels

Copic Airbrush System

Prima flowers

Cricut Expression

Spellbinders Dies

Here's a close up of my colored image.

I hope you take the chance to stop by the challenge blog and enter into this week's challenge.  Also, don't forget to check out all the great new products in the store, including the Teresa Collins Stamp Maker.

So glad you decided to stop by today,

Marlena

Tiddly Inks Birthday Blog Hop

Hi everyone!  Happy Tuesday evening and I am so glad you stopped by our blog hop tonight!  Today's hop is the second part of the Tiddly Inks two part puzzler to celebrate our first birthday!


If you came from Lysa's blog, then you are on the right track.  If you are just dropping by today then you may want to go back to Christy's blog and start at the beginning.


For today's hop we are going to try and solve a puzzle.  Christy has created puzzle pieces using a couple of the newest images and scattered them around our blogs.  If you can piece the puzzle together and find the name of the image (don't forget, it will be in the What's New section) in the shop then you can be entered in for a prize, shown HERE.  Just e-mail  Christy, ccart87@gmail.com, the name of the image on the puzzle and you'll be entered into the drawing. 


My card today features the new image, Lilli Claire, which is just an all around cute image!  

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - YG03, YG01, YG00, YG0000, BG05, BG01, BG000, BG0000, TR12, Y17, Y15, Y13

Diamond Stickles

Crystal Stickles

Glossy Effects

Self-adhesive rhinestones

Unity May KOM sentiment stamp

Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle dies

Here's a close up of my colored image.

AND, here's another piece of the puzzle for you!

Your next stop on the hop is Stephanie's blog!  Good luck finding all of the puzzle pieces and thanks so much for stopping by my blog and the hop today!

Marlena

A Mother's Day Post

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mother's out there!  I hope you have enjoyed a truly splendid day!  We had some blue skies and warm weather for awhile, so I'll take that for sure!


Today I am posting two cards for you!  Both are Mother's Day cards and are for my super amazing grandmother's.  They had 15 children between them respectively and I don't know how they ever did it!  They had more energy than I can ever imagine having and are two very special women in my life!  I also want to wish a special Mother's Day to my mom, another amazing woman.  I posted the card I made for her earlier this week.



The images I used are Kraftin' Kimmie, Merry and  Tilda with lilacs.  Lilacs are my most favorite spring flower and since it is spring I thought this image would be perfect!

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - E37, E34, E31, E30, Y13, Y11, Y000, Y0000, R39, R37, R35, E27, E25, E23

Prima Flowers

Hero Arts Sentiment Stamp

Cricut Expression

Here's a close-up of the colored stamp.

And here's the second card I made using the Tilda image.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - B97, B95, B93, B91, V17, V15, V12, V000, YG67, YG63, G21, RV34, RV32, RV00, RV000, RV25, RV23, RV21, RV10

Prima Flowers

Copic Airbrush System

Diamond Stickles

Self-Adhesive Jewels

Hero Arts Sentiment Stamp

Cricut Expression

AND, here's a close up of that cute Tilda Stamp.

Don't Forget to stop by the 7 Kids College Fund store and see all the great items, including the new Teresa Collins Stamp Maker.  AND, stop by the challenge blog, you still have a few days to enter this week's challenge!

Happy Mother's Day again to all the wonderful mother's out there!

So glad you decided to stop by,

Marlena

Meljen's New Release Thursday

Good morning everyone and Happy Thursday!  I'm so glad you're here on another new release day for Melissa at Meljen's Designs!  Some great new images to use, as always, and just perfect for any of your springtime projects!

As always, you can purchase these, and any of Melissa's stamps, at Whimsy Stamps.  Just click HERE to get there.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers - E37, E34, E31, E30, RV06, RV02, RV00, RV0000, Y02, Y0000

Diamond Stickles

Crytstal Stickles

Pink Stickles

Prima Flowers

Self-Adhesive crystals

Hero Arts Sentiment Stamp

Stampin Up Bashful Blue and Garden Green stamp pads

Here's a close up of the new release image, Garden Fairy.  My card also uses a few of Melissa's older images, Daisy Bug and Garden Fence Background.  I combined them together to make the background for this card.

AND, here's a close up of the new image and the entire scene.

Melissa has also released a few Mother's Day images.  Again, just click HERE to go to Whimsy tamps to purchase those.

Don't forget to hop on over to the challenge blog to enter the challenge for this week.  This week's challenge was to make a business sized card.  There are so many interpretations of this one, so why not take a chance and enter!

So glad you decided to stop by today,

Marlena

Tiddly Inks Tuesday

HELLO and Happy Tuesday!  Welcome to a Tiddly Inks post after a wonderful blog hop!  Thanks to all of you that hopped along with us.  Can you believe all the beautiful projects that you saw?  All I can say is WOW and that I am glad that I was able to hop along with you!


Today starts a new challenge over at the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog.  With Sunday being Mother's Day the challenge is simply perfect, make a Mother's Day card with a Vintage Vibe.  I did my best with this one, which was a little difficult since I don't often make vintage cards.  I used on of Christy's new birthday images, Sisters, and colored it mostly monochromatic, adding a little color here and there.  I thought this image would also be perfect for a mother and a daughter, it's just such a beautiful image to work with.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers- E43, E42, E41, E40, E29, E25, E35, E53, E33, E31, E30, RV23, RV21, RV10, RV0000, E99, E97, Y21, Y11

Prima Flowers

Copic Airbrush System

Self- Adhesive Pearls

Zutter Distressing Tool

Here's a close-up of the colored image.

Don't forget to stop on over to the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog and see all the other creations by the DT team.  Also, if you're interested in Christy's great images click HERE to get to her store.

Thanks so much for stopping by today,

Marlena

A Meljen's Card

Good morning everyone and Happy Sunday!  If you are here for the Tiddly Inks Blog Hop, then scroll down to the next post.  If not, I'm glad you stopped by to see today's creation!  Today's card is a simple first birthday card that I made for a very old friend's son.  Tomorrow is his first birthday and the lucky little boy shares it with his mom!


For my card I used Melissa's image, Hearty Hippo.  I put him on a scalloped round card that has the number 1 cut around the edges.  I found this template on the web, just by typing in scalloped circle on Goggle images, and then used it on my SCAL program and cut it out on my Cricut Expression.

Materials Used:

Copic Markers: B05, B02, B00, B0000, R29, R27, R24, R22

Cricut Expression

Here's a close up of the image.

Be sure to stop by today and check out the challenge that Meljen's is having for this week and her new release images.  Just click HERE to get there.  If your interested in purchasing any of Melissa's great images, then click HERE to get to Whimsy stamps, where she sells her images.

Thanks so much for stopping by today,

Marlena