Dueling Darlings are doing "The Great Outdoors"

This is a busy week for me.   I finally published last month's Dueling Darling challenge and now I'm a day behind publishing the June Dueling Darling challenge.  Oh, well, as they say: "Better late than never!" 

Our terrific co-captains, Barb for the Divas and Michelle for the Dazzlers, chose a great theme for June: The Great Outdoors!  In Barb's kit for the Divas we received this terrific images and sentiments from Bo Bunny Roughin' It and very appropriate sentiments from Whipper Snapper Anna Wright Great Outdoors.  Along with these terrific images she send 7 sheets of awesome Bo Bunny "Roughin' It" patterned papers.  Sure had a difficult time choosing which ones to use on my card!  Also included in the kit was a variety of ribbon which was so perfect for the theme I used most of it!  She included green, brown, tan and yellow brads and green and ivory buttons which I did not use.  I thought this was the perfect card to use car brads I got at Michael's awhile back.  So here's my card:

The Dueling Darlings were asked to share a story relating to the theme, especially one that is about a memorable vacation or outdoor story from our past.  I can recall, from my distant past, in the early years of my marriage and when our boys were small having lots of outdoor vacations.  My husband is an avid fisherman and hunter so many of the vacations in our early years were around his fishing activities.  During the 60s we spent a lot of those fishing trips up in the Cariboo country in northern British Columbia, Canada.  One trip in particular trip happened when our oldest son was almost 5 and I was about 7 months pregnant with our youngest son.  My husband insisted we go on this trip to Lake Sheridan.  When we arrived our cabin was not ready so we had to wait with  very impatient little boys.  Once we took possession of the cabin I found it was filthy.  With no running water I spent all of the first day running between an outdoor spigot, warming the water in a large pan on a wood burning stove and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.  The weather turned nasty so I had two little boys, my son and nephew, to entertain while my husband went fishing.  That was the last fishing trip to northern Canada I ever went on!  On that happy note go check out what the other Diva's have done with this wonderful kit:

Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/ 

Joan: http://msearlgrey.blogspot.com/

Carol: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ga...0&ppuser=15781

Barb: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ga...0&ppuser=16832
Laurajean: http://www.buckygirl.blogspot.com/
Judy: You are here!
Jamie: http://butterflystamper71.blogspot.com/

And check out the Dueling Darling Dazzlers starting with their team leader Jeanette:

http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

Dueling Darling's Perfect Blend!

I am so very, very late in posting the Dueling Darling challenge for May.  The Divas and the Dazzlers were challenged by our hostess' Carol and Debbie to create a card honoring our awesome, wonderful, fantastic team leaders Kelly for the Divas and Jeanette for the Dazzlers.  These two women organized and facilitated this group and I was honored to be asked to join the Divas by Kelly.  They came up with the idea to have two teams engage in a friendly "duel" each month by creating cards around the same theme.  Each month one team member from the Divas and the Dazzlers consults each other and decides on a theme and provides a card kit for their group.  Often there is an additional challenge.  This month the theme chosen was "The Perfect Blend" because these two ladies love their Starbucks!  We were also asked to tell of a way these ladies have encouraged me or something special about them.  So here is my card honoring my dear friend Kelly:

                                          Kind and giving,

                                          Encourager and achieving,

                                          Loving mother and wife,

                                          Laughing and enjoying life,

                                          Young at heart...

She's been a great friend right from the start.

Her generousity is beyond all measure,

As a friend she's a real treasure.

She inspires in all that she does,

She bring honor and praise to the God she loves.

A blessing she is to all far and near,

So thanks for your friendship so gracious and dear!

This kit included such gorgeous papers, darling Stamping Bella "Perk up Peeps" image, a computer generated sentiment so perfect for our leaders and two other sentiments, plus varous ribbons, buttons and and blingy accessories.   I also incorporated on Kelly's card a cut out from an actual Starbuck's sleeve.  There was so much I wanted to use that I made an easel card  and placed the cut out on the inside and bordered it with the buttons to hold the easel in place.  The image was colored with copics and I circle punched the Starbucks logo from a Starbucks napkin and placed it on the image sleeve.  What do you think of the pink rhinestone steam excaping from the coffee container??? 

There were so many extras in this awesome kit that I decided to make another card to honor the Dueling Darling Dazzler's team leader Jeanette.  She is such a wonderful person.  The little poem I created for Kelly applies to this amazing, wonderful, generous, inspirational, loving, fun woman.  Love you, Jeanette!

 Please visit the blogs of the Dueling Darling Divas:
    

Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/ 

Joan: http://msearlgrey.blogspot.com/

Carol: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ga...0&ppuser=15781

Barb: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ga...0&ppuser=16832
Laurajean: http://www.buckygirl.blogspot.com/
Judy: You are here!
Jamie: http://butterflystamper71.blogspot.com/

And check out the Dueling Darling Dazzlers starting with their team leader Jeanette:

http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/