Falling Into New Friendships!

Whoohoo!  It's the 15th for the month and time for another duel with the Dueling Darling Divas (my team!) and Dazzlers! This month Debbie for the Dazzlers and me for the Divas chose the theme "Falling into New Friendships" to welcome new members to our teams: Suzy for the Divas and Tracie and Shelly for the Dazzlers. Here is what is in the kit I sent the Divas:

Paper:  doodlebug design inc. “happy harvest”; Bo Bunny “a gift of love”; me&my Big ideas “Harvest” ; Recollections “Mercury Glass”

Stamped Images:  Memory Box “Twizzle Tree”; Stampin’ Up “ Time Well Spent”

Die Cuts:  Tree, Little B “Autumn”; Leaves, Impression Obsession DIE095-D; ittle B “Autumn;

                  Designer Craft Dies “Leafy Foliage

Ribbon:  Celebrate It Sheer Creations (orange and green); Stampin’ Up (Chocolate Chip and So                        Saffron”)

Twine:  American Crafts (red); unknown baker’s twine (beige and white)

Embellishments:  My Paper Studio Spare Parts Clips; Recollections maple leaf brads; miscellaneous                                buttons, rhinestones, sequins

Here's my card:

 For the front of the card I used the doodlebug design "happy harvest" paper as the background and the paper on the three panels is from me&my Big ideas "Harvest" collecdtion.  I die cut the tree with die from Little B "Autumn and die cut the leaves from Designer Craft Dies "Leafy Foliage".  The card is embellished with sequins, green sheer ribbon and some designer tape.

For the inside I  stamped sentiment from Stampin' Up's "Time Well Spent" (retired stamp) in Momento "Rich Cocoa" and colored with Copic markers.  I embellished with strips of sheer green ribbon, dsp, and designer tape.

Check out the rest of the Dueling Darlings creations here:

Divas creations here:

Kelly:  http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com
Barb:  http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com
Carol:  http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com
Kadie: http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com
LJ:  http://buckygirl.blogspot.com
Tami:  http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com
Suzi:  See her SCS gallery here: 
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=SuzyS1104

Dazzlers creations here:

Jeanette:  http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com
April:  http://aprilsalley.blogspot.com
Darlene:  http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com
Debbie:  http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com
Paola:  http://paola-sama.blogspot.com
Terry:  http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com
Shelly:  http://shellymc2.blogspot.com
Tracie:  http://tracie-craftycreations.blogspot.com

Dueling Darlings are Tutti Fruity Today!

Yep! It's the 15th of the month so you know it's dueling time for the Dueling Darling Divas ( my team) and the Dazzlers.  This month our hostesses, Kelly for the Divas and Jeanette for the Dazzlers, choice the theme Tutti Fruity!  Kelly sent the Divas this fabulous kit including:

• Stamped images from The Alley Way Stamps (TAWS) set "It's  Fall About You"
• Designer papers from DCWC "The Gilded Orchard" including a tag'
• Cardstock from Gina K Designs and Ranger
• Embellishments: Ribbons from Hobby Lobby, Baker's Twine, wood hearts and flowers, buttons and brads.

Kelly challenged us "to create a card/project using the basket and at least one apple to represetn the Tutti Fruity part of the challenge."
Here's my card:

My card base is vanilla cardstock from Michael's Recollection 110# cardstock cut to create a card 5"x7".  I layered a base of Stampin' Up "Chocolate Chip" cardstock on which I placed a tag "Apple of my Eye" and embellished with a wood flower, green button and wood heart strung on the bakers twine down the right side of the card. Below the tag I created striped bands with the burgundy, brown and green ribbons.  On top of the ribbons I positioned the cut out basket image that I colored with Copic Markers and adhered with dimensionals.  Tucked in the basket is an apple I cut from one of the designer papers and propped to the side of the basket is cut apple image also colored with Copic Markers.

The second part of the challenge Kelly gave us "is to post what your favorite fruit recipe is, just the name...the recipe is optional".  Considering Kelly picked apples to represent the Tutti Fruity theme I thought I would go along with this and share a link to a recipe on a cooking blog I follow for Caramel Apple Float by Lovely Little Kitchen: http://www.lovelylittlekitchen.com/caramel-apple-float/

Please check out the Tutti Fruity creations by the Divas here:
Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com
Barb: http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/
Carol: http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/
LJ: http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/
Tami: http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/
Kadie: http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com/
Suzi:  (See her SCS gallery here: 


 Dazzlers creations here:

eanette:  http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com
April:  http://aprilsalleryJ.blogspot.com
Darlene:  http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com
 Paola:  http://paola-sama.blogspot.com
Terry:  http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com
Shelly:  http://shellymc2.blogspot.com/
Tracie:  http://tracie-craftycreations.blogspot.com/

Showing Patriotism with the Dueling Darlings!

It's the 15th of June and time for another duel with the Dueling Darling Divas (my team!) and the Dazzlers!  This month our hostesses Barb for the Divas and Terry for the Dazzlers have chosen the theme "Show Your Patiotism".  This is so appropriate as yesterday, June 14th, was Flag Day.  Some interesting facts about this national observance of the flag of the USA is the on June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the following:  Resolved:  that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.  

Barb sent us an awesome kit with a wealth of the most glorious designer papers from Doodlebug Designs - Patriotic Parade in lovely patterns featuring red, white and blue, of course!  Also in the kit were adorable stamped images from Whipper Snapper "Glory Bee" and gorgeous embellishments of ribbon, twine, buttons and brads all in red white and blue!!!

Here's my card:

I colored the image with Copic markers and used this Deconstructed Sketch as a pattern for the layout:

As an extra challenge we were asked what we personally think when we see the flag.  For me it is the foremost symbol of my country so I feel pride and gratitude for all the flag represents and for all those who came before me to establish a country based on freedom for all it's citizens and for all those who labored, struggled and fought to keep and maintain those freedoms.  This is so eloquently expressed in the words of our national anthem: "Oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"  I feel truly blessed to be a citizen of this great country!

This card is going to a friend whose birthday falls on July 4th!

Check out the creation of the other Dueling Darlings here:

Divas cards here:
Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com
Barb: http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/
Carol: http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/
LJ: http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/
Tami: http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/
Kadie: http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com/

 Dazzlers creations here:
Jeanette:  http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com
April:  http://aprilsallery.blogspot.com
Darlene:  http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com
Melina:   http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com 
 Paola:  http://paola-sama.blogspot.com
Terry:  http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com

Celebrating Summertime with the Dueling Darlings!

Yay!  It's the 15th of the month and time for another duel with the Dueling Darlings.  This month our hostesses Carol, for the Diva's (my team!) and April, for the Dazzlers chose the theme "Summer".  And to make this a more interesting challenge chose to add to the theme "anything but a card"!
Carol send a kit full of delightful elements.  One of those elements was a die cut from kraft cardstock to make a small box.  Along with the box were gorgeous designer papers, cute images, lots of ribbon, buttons and other embellishments.  Here's my creation:

 Front and left side of box

 Back and right side of box

Top of box

I covered the box with squares of 3 of the dsp patterns in the kit that coordinated som well with the striped ribbon.  I covered each or the edges of the box with the sheer yellow ribbon from the kit.  Colored the cute image from SU "Good ol summer time" with Copic markers.  The tag on top was stamped with an image and sentiment from my SU  stamp set "Tagger's Dozen", embellished with the sparkly butterfly in the kit and attached to the striped ribbon with some baker's twine.  All the embellishements on the sides of the box are from Carol's kit.

This was so much fun to create.  I love the way it turned out.  Thanks for the kit and the challenge, Carol!

Check out the creation of the other Dueling Darlings here:
Divas cards here:
Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com
Barb: http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/
Carol: http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/
LJ: http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/.
Tami: http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/
Kadie: http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com/

 Dazzlers creations here:
Jeanette:  http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com
April:  http://aprilsallery.blogspot.com
Darlene:  http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com
Melina:   http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com 
 Paola:  http://paola-sama.blogspot.com
Terry:  http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com

Picking flowers with the Dueling Darlings!

It's April 15th and time for another duel with the Dueling Darling Divas and Dazzlers!  This month our hostesses are Tami  for the Divas (my team) and Melina for the Dazzlers. They choice the theme "I picked a flower for you".  Tami sent this fabulous kit so full of spring beauty including the following items:

Stamps:  Image: Great Impressions Stamps - Lizzy Dressed; Sentiment: Mary Engelbreit

Papers:  My Mind's Eye - My Girl, Bazzil - border die cuts, Pink Cuttlebug Bloom Dots embossed     panel, Green Sizzix Dots-n-Flowers embossed panel

Embellishments:  Green ribbon by Offray, blue, white and flower patterned ribbon, paper flowers, pink flower brads, blue glitter brads, clear rhinestones, pink heart rhinestone, variety of  buttons and die cuts.

Here's my card:

I colored this sweet Lizzy image with Copic markers and mounted her on the cards with dimensionals.  Embossed a panel of sky blue cardstock with a Cuttlebug embossing folder from "Once Upon a Time" set.  The flower panel is from the My Mind's Eye "My Girl" papers.  The butterfly was fussy cut from on of the My Mind's Eye papers mounted on dimensionals to flit on the paper flowers embellishment, leaving behind a trail of blue glitter brads.  We were challenged to use the green ribbon somewhere on our card so I wove it in one of the pink Bazzil die cuts.  Hope this card inspires you with the joy and new life of spring!


Check out the Divas cards here:
Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com
Barb: http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/
Carol: http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/
LJ: http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/.
Tami: http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/
Kadie: http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com/

And the Dazzlers creations here:
Jeanette:  http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com
April:  http://aprilsallery.blogspot.com
Darlene:  http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com
Melina:   http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com 
 Paola:  http://paola-sama.blogspot.com
Terry:  http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Many March Birthdays!

I have lots of family and friends celebtrating birthdays this month.  Here are some of the cards I created for them:

What's Your Brew?!?

It's March 15th and time to duel with the Dueling Darlings!  This month our hostesses Kadie, team Divas, and Paola, team Dazzlers, choice the theme "What's Your Brew?".   We were given a choice of working with Coffee or Tea, depending on  whether we were a  coffee or tea person.  The kit  Kadie sent me was full of delicious choices in paper, images, and embellishments that reflect the theme.  Here  is what is in the card kit:

Stamps:  Art Impressions "Cathy Caffeine" or MFT Ala Mode "You're My Cup of Tea"
Paper:  Prima - Coffee Break Collection and Amuse gingham patterned paper
Ribbon:  Papertrey Ink (brown), Amuse Studio (coral twine), Twinery (teal baker's twine)
Embellishments:  All from the Simpe Stories - I Am collection

Can you guess which brew I chose???

I never drink coffee and only occasionally drink tea so it wasn't a difficult decision to choose this  Ala Mode image!  My Ala Mode image was colored with Copic markers.  In addition to elements from the card kit I used Stampin' Up  Early Espresso cardstock, some peachy/pink bazzil cardstock and a light minty green cardstock that was punched with a Martha Stewart eyelet design punch.  The layout of the cards was taken (with some liberties) from the deconstrucingjen.com sketch DS192 here:

Check out the Divas cards here:
Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com
Barb: http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/
Carol: http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/
LJ: http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/.
Tami: http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/
Kadie: http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com/

And the Dazzlers creations here:
Jeanette:  http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com
April:  http://aprilsallery.blogspot.com
Darlene:  http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com
Melina:   http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com 
 Paola:  http://paola-sama.blogspot.com
Terry:  http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Celebrating Umbrellas with the Dueling Darlings!

I'm a day late for the monthly duel between the Dueling Darling Divas and Dazzlers.  We are a group of card makers who each month receive a kit from one of the members in our group and we are challenged to create a card from the kit "ingredients" around the theme chosen by one Diva and one Dazzler.  I'm on team Diva and recieved this awesome kit from Laura Jean.  Here's the challenge for February in her words:

"Our theme this month is Umbrellas! Believe it or not, National Umbrella Day is February 10th. Darlene and I thought it would be fun to think spring. since we have seen too much white stuff this winter

Here are the contents of the kit I sent:

Images: Sophie (Whipper Snapper Designes) Single Umbrella (Stamping Bella). Row of umbrellas (Stampendous)

Patterned paper: Hello Summer (Echo Park)
Accessories: 3D flower (K&Co), White "pretty ribbon" (Hobby Lobby), all other ribbon (SU!), White Bow (paper studio), Butterfly Chipboards (Heidi Swapp) Asst Buttons, Twine (MME).

Hope you enjoy ~ Can't wait to see what you create!

Hugs ~ LJ"

Here's my card:

The card measures 5 1/2 square.  All elements are from the kit with the exception of the black cardstock base, white cardstock background embossed with Darice cloud embossing folder and black twine on butterflies.  I did color this darling "Sophie" image with Copic Markers and enhanced the dots on the umbrella with "Glossy accents".  On the front of the card I decided to use Splitcoaststampers sketch SC527 as the layout:

Here is the inside of the card:

Today I delivered this card to a friend who is in hospital and has a long road ahead of her.  She loves butterflies so I made sure to have lots of butterflies on the card.  I did punch the butterfly from some of the dsp in the kit using a Martha Stewart punch and the stamped this panel from the kit with a stamp I have from Verses Rubber Stamps "A Special Prayer".  She loved the card!

Check out the Divas cards here:
Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com
Barb: http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/
Carol: http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/
LJ: http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/.
Tami: http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/
Kadie: http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com/
 
And the Dazzlers creations here:
Jeanette:  http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com
April:  http://aprilsallery.blogspot.com
Darlene:  http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com
Melina:   http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com 
 Paola:  http://paola-sama.blogspot.com
Terry:  http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by.  Love to read your comments!!

Card "Fore" a Birthday

My nephew's birthday is coming up the end of this week and I thought he might enjoy receiving this card:

Paper: Stampin' Up and variety of designer paper scraps
Die Cuts: Memory Box "Mini Golf Carts", Spellbinders inverted scallop circle
Sentiment: a.muse studio "swingin' day"

I used this sketch from "Freshly Made Sketches":

Thanks for stopping by!

Birth of a New Year!

The first duel of 2015 for the Dueling Darlings my new partner Debbie, a Dueling Darling Dazzler and me, a D.D. Diva, chose the theme Birthdays to honor the beginning of a new year.  Here is the what is in the kit I sent to my Diva teammates:

Paper: My Mind’s Eye “the sweetest thing” (3 sheets); My Mind’s Eye “Nostalgia” (1 sheet); 1 sheet Crate Paper

Images: Art Impressions “Girlfriends” (image and sentiment); Stampin’ Up, “Take A Spin”; Inkadinkago “Birthday Cupcake” (image and sentiment); Sweet and Sassy “Carnation”; Stampabiilities “May Your Birthday Be Filled”

Embellishments: Ribbon: variety from Michael’s; twine by American Crafts; Buttons: clear Stampin’ Up, others unknown; Faux pearls: Stampin’ Up and unknown; Flowers: Recollections and Prima; Brads: variety from Michael’s; Spinner from Stampin’ Up; Sequins and Rhinestoneand metal elelments unknown; Birthday tags from DCWV kit.
January is a month full of birthdays for family and friends (including my own!) so these two cards made from the elements from the kit were made for two friends who will be celebrating their birthdays in the same week with me:

 

Images colored with Copic Markers  and  I used SCS sketch SC523 for my layout:

 



 

 

The inside of the card is stamped with the sentiment "If I've learned anything in my 29 years it's lie about your age!" Both the image and sentiment are by Art Impressions "Out to Lunch" stamp set.

 

We asked the Dueling Darlings to share a birthday memory.  For me there are lots of wonderful memories of times celebrating my birthday.  The first is when I was 5 years old and had my first big birthday party.  In 1989 my birthday came just two months after losing my mother to a short illness.  It was a difficult day for me made so much easier by the wonderful gift my sister gave me by making a cake that my mom had done so many times for me on my birthday. My sister had never made it before and our aunt, my mom's sister, helped her.  What a sweet treat made with so much love!!  On my 60th birthday my husband and sons surprised me with a grand birthday celebration at my son's home with lots of family and friends.  One of my BFF's flew from her home in Tucson to Seattle to celebrate with me...What a surprise!

 

 

Please check out the rest of the Dueling Darlings creations:
 Diva's creations here:
Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com
Barb: http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/
Carol: http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/
LJ: http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/.
Tami: http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/
Kadie: http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com/
 
And the Dazzlers creations here:
Jeanette:  http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com
April:  http://aprilsallery.blogspot.com
Darlene:  http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com
Debbie:  http://theinkigloo.blogspot.comMelina:   http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com 
 Paola:  http://paola-sama.blogspot.com
Terry:  http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by and I love to read your comments!