Bargain Hunting with the Dueling Darlings

WhoooHooo! It's the 15th of May and time to go bargain hunting...Whoops!...I mean creating with the Dueling Darlings!! Our hostesses this month are our fearless, fun, fantastic leaders Kelly (team Divas) and Jeanette (team Dazzlers) who started this wonderful crafting adventure ten years ago this coming August. Wow! 10 years certainly flys by in a flash!!! They chose the theme "Bargain Hunters" and here is what I found in my Gnome Sweet Gnome kit from Kelly:

Images: "Hey Gnome" by Pink and Main
DSP:  Gnome paper from Photo Play
Embellishments: Gnome brads and ribbon from Eyelet Outlet, die cut clouds from Lawn Fawn
variety of ribbons

All her Gnome stuff was on clearance sell and a great bargain!!  I had such fun playing with this kit I started coloring the cute Gnome's as soon as I opened the kit and ended up making 2 cards.  Here they  are:

This card I colored one of the die cut Gnome and mushroom images with my Copic Markers.  For the background I used a Stampin' Up Sizzix embossing folder for the clouds and lightly brushed a soft blue over the raised cloud design.  I die cut a circle out of green cardstock and embossed it with a Lifestyle Crafts embossing folder.  The little Gnome perched on top of the mushroom brad was cut out from one of the Gnome Paper Play papers.  Embellished the rest of the card with a diet cloud, a die cut tree and the cute ribbon that was the color inspiration for my card.

The color scheme on the second card was inspired by this pretty Photo Play paper.  I colored my Gnomies with Twinkling H20 watercolor, a coloring choice I haven't used in a long, long time!  The design for this card is based on the  Splitcoaststamper sketch SC801 here:

I sure had a good time creating these cards.  It helps to have this challenge during this pandemic and it looks like I'll be quarantining for a long, long time. So let's have fun with making cards!

Hope you'll check out the many lovely creations made by my paper crafting Dueling Darling friends on Splitcoast Stampers:

Divas

Kelly     http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/

Barb      http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/

Carol    http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/

Heather  https://landofstamping.wordpress.com/

Laura Jean http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/

Suzy     http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=SuzyS1104

Tami    http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/

Dazzlers

Jeanette    http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

Beth        https://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog/

Debby B  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=littledeb&x=18&y=13

Darlene    http://www.accordingtobijou.blogspot.com

Shelly      http://shellymc2.blogspot.com/

Terry L.   http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com/

Terry S.  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=11182 

Tracie  http://tracie-craftycreations.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Celebrating Texas Bluebonnets with the Dueling Darlings

April 15th and time for another duel with the Dueling Darling Divas and Dazzlers!  This month our hostesses are fellow Texans Suzy, team Diva, and Debby, team Dazzlers.  They chose as their theme for April's card kit "Bluebonnets".  Suzy says "We decided to share a little bit of Texas with y'all!  April is usually the magical time when the bluebonnets can be seen on the side of the highways and in the fields.  It is a beautiful sight of blue!!"  Here is what was in her kit:

All images are from Deadbeat DESIGNS (a Texas company) stamped on Recollections #110 white with Memento Rich Cocoa ink.

DSP is from Paper Studio:  Shiplap white, Tiny Polka-yellow, Burlap and Blue Gingham

Embellishments:  Baker's blue/white twine (Recollections), Ribbon Boutique yellow, White grosgrain, Corner punches from lue Rose Cottage dsp (Paper Studio); Doily (Momenta); Sequins; Gold/Blue bling (Paper Studio)

Bluebonnets are not just in Texas...We've had some spring up in our neighborhood here in the Tucson, Arizona area too!  They are so pretty!!  I loved this kit with some of my favorite color combinations - blue, yellow, white - that I made two cards:

The first card I colored the image with Copic markers, die cut it and mounted it on the doily.  I used the white grosgrain ribbon and blue/white twine on a strip of the yellow polka dot paper and added the blue bling.  Suzy says the state ice cream of Texas is Blue Bell.

On my second card I used one of the sentiments Suzy included in her kit "HAPPINESS is a field of BLUEBONNETS".  I colored washed it with some Distress Inks and highlighted the letters with a Starburst blue gelly pen.  I messed up coloring the Blue Bell ice cream carton so I didisome fussy cutting and added the bluebonnets to the top of the sentiment.  Embellishments added are the corner punchs, yellow and blue ribbon layered on the gingham strip and a scattering of the blue and gold sequins.

Well, I think I just about used everything that was included in the card kit with a few exceptions.  Hope you like my cards!

Hope you'll check out the many lovely creations made by my paper crafting Dueling Darling friends on Splitcoast Stampers:

Divas

Kelly     http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/

Barb      http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/

Carol    http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/

Heather  https://landofstamping.wordpress.com/

Laura Jean http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/

Suzy     http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=SuzyS1104

Tami    http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/

Dazzlers

Jeanette    http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

Beth        https://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog/

Debby B  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=littledeb&x=18&y=13

Darlene    http://www.accordingtobijou.blogspot.com

Shelly      http://shellymc2.blogspot.com/

Terry L.   http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com/

Terry S.  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=11182 

Tracie  http://tracie-craftycreations.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Oh Happy Dueling Day! 💖

It's March 15, 2020 and time for another duel with the Dueling Darling Divas and Dazzlers!  The hosts for the March duel are Tami, team Divas (my team), and Terry L., team Dazzlers.  They chose the theme "National Day of Happiness March 20th".

Here's what is in the kit I received from Tami:

Images:  Avery Elle "Cool Beans" stamped in Momento Tuxedo Black ink

D.P.        Recollections and Bo Bunny "Love"

Miscellaneous Embellishments:  red rhinestones, Thanks Embossed red yardstick, punched red hearts, red/white bakers' twine, red brads, white buttons, die cut flower strip

Here's my card:

I used sketch from Wednesday's Splitcoaststampers SC792 as the design for my card.

Our hostesses challenged us to share what little thing makes us happy. I'm happy for a good night's sleep, that I am able to get out of bed in the morning to walk and talk and take care of myself.  The older I get (and I'm getting up there!) I feel so blessed for the "little" things in life! I'm happy to make cards and give them to friends and family, who make me SO HAPPY!  As we are currently going through a very challenging time throughout the world with the Covid19 coronavirus pandemic I am really happy for my good health!!!

Hope you'll check out the many lovely creations made by my paper crafting Dueling Darling friends on Splitcoast Stampers:

Divas

Kelly     http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/

Barb      http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/

Carol    http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/

Heather  https://landofstamping.wordpress.com/

Laura Jean http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/

Suzy     http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=SuzyS1104

Tami    http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/

Dazzlers

Jeanette    http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

Beth        https://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog/

Debby B  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=littledeb&x=18&y=13

Darlene    http://www.accordingtobijou.blogspot.com

Shelly      http://shellymc2.blogspot.com/

Terry L.   http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com/

Terry S.  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=11182 

Tracie  http://tracie-craftycreations.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

A Sweetheart theme for the Dueling Darlings in February

I'm late posting my card for the February duel with the Dueling Darling Divas and Dazzlers.  This month team Divas, my team, was hosted by Carol and for team Dazzlers the host is Shelly.  Carol and Shelly chose the theme "Let Me Call You Sweetheart".  The kit Carol sent our team was full of lovely papers from My Mind's Eye "Bloom", beautiful ribbons and  embellishments, and this sweet old fashioned stamped image from Inkadinkadoo.
Here's my card:

I loved all the neutral colored items in the kit with a few pops of color so I chose one of the neutral colored papers for the background and the gold tinted paper I die cut with a Spellbinders die as the frame for the oval die cut stamped image.  I touched up the man's jacket, the ladies hat, top and umbrella with a gold toned Copic marker. The frame was highlighted with "gems" from the kit.

Hope you'll check out the many lovely creations made by my paper crafting Dueling Darling friends on Splitcoast Stampers:

Divas

Kelly     http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/

Barb      http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/

Carol    http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/

Heather  https://landofstamping.wordpress.com/

Laura Jean http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/

Suzy     http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=SuzyS1104

Tami    http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/

Dazzlers

Jeanette    http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

Beth        https://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog/

Debby B  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=littledeb&x=18&y=13

Darlene    http://www.accordingtobijou.blogspot.com

Shelly      http://shellymc2.blogspot.com/

Terry L.   http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com/

Terry S.  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=11182 

Tracie  http://tracie-craftycreations.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Dueling Darlings First Duel of New Decade!

It's January 15, 2020!  Wow! New decade and I love that it's 2020! Many years ago I wondered if I would live to see this date and I have so Celebrate!  It's also the 15th of the month so time to duel with the Dueling Darling team Divas and team Dazzlers.  This month the hostesses LauraJean (Divas) and Terry S. (Dazzlers) chose a Penguin theme, so very appropriate for one of the coldest months in the northern hemisphere.  I'm on team Diva and received a terrific card kit from LJ with some great elements listed below:

Stamped Images:  Penguin Juggling Snowballs by Elzybell Stamps
Patterned Paper:  Doodlebug Designs "Winter Wonderland", Stampin' Up white glitter paper
Ribbon:  3 lovely pieces from Stampin' Up
Embellishments:  Large white snowflakes by Paper Studio, glitter dots and snowflakes by Doodlebug Designs, die-cut snowflakes created with Marvy Punch

Here's my card:

I just loved this terrific mountain scene dsp!  I colored the penguin with Copic Markers. I layered the snowflakes in the kit as the focal embellishment.  The only materials I used that were not in the kit are the aqua and white cardstock for the base of the card.  I used this sketch from SplitCoastStmapers (SCS) for the design:

Hope you'll check out the many lovely creations made by my paper crafting Dueling Darling friends on Splitcoast Stampers:

Divas

Kelly     http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/

Barb      http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/

Carol    http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/

Heather  https://landofstamping.wordpress.com/

Laura Jean http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/

Suzy     http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=SuzyS1104

Tami    http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/

Dazzlers

Jeanette    http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

Beth        https://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog/

Debby B  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=littledeb&x=18&y=13

Darlene    http://www.accordingtobijou.blogspot.com

Shelly      http://shellymc2.blogspot.com/

Terry L.   http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com/

Terry S.  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=11182 

Tracie  http://tracie-craftycreations.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Fall Is In The Air With Pumpkins And a Little Humor!

"I'm late, I'm late for a very important date! No time to say hello, goodbye. I'm late! I'm late! I'm late!"...Just like the White Rabbit, that's what I am for the Dueling Darling duels for August (Wow! I'm really late!) and October (A little late).  The date for the important duel between the Divas and the Dazzlers is the 15th of the month.  In August I was out of town and did not have the card kit sent by my teammate Kelly so I decided to do some catching up.

 I'm one day late with posting my card made from the fun kit sent to me by my teammate Barb. She and her DD Dazzler partner Tracie chose the theme Pumpkins for the the fall season.  Included in her kit:

• Outlines Rubber Stamp Company - Ghost Couple 
• Patterned Paper 
• Stampin' Up Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper
• Around the Block - Color Me Halloween
• Creative Imaginations - Double Vision
• Various Embellishments
• Ribbons - SU Basic Black, Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie; Bakers Twine and Orange Twine
• Brads - Orange and Pumpkin
• Buttons - black and orange

Here's my card:

 I used colored the image with Copic Markers and did some fussy cutting.  The background paper, "Color Me Halloween" and the circle paper, SU "Painted Autumn" were mounted on black and orange cardstock from my stash. I chose to use the black ribbon, orange/black twine and the pumpkin brad as my embellishments.  The layout is based on Splitcoaststampers sketch SC770 here:

For the August duel Kelly and her Dazzler teammate Jeanette chose the theme "HUMOUROUS".
This is what she included in the kit:

• Stamped images - Newton's Nook "Winston's Honeybees"
• Papers - Pebbles "Family Ties"
• Embellishments:
• Ribbons - Blue from Stampin' Up, Green twine from Baker's Twinery, and yellow grosgrain and sheer green
• buttons from various companies
• flowers from Prima
• Blue dots from The Paper Studio
• Brown frame was made using a die from Avery Elle "wonky cloud"

Here's my card:

I used several of the patterned papers - one as the background and the other trimmed to fit inside the brown frame and wrapped with the blue, green and yellow ribbons.  I colored Winston bear and the beehive with Copic markers, cut them out and mounted them with dimensional stickers.  The final embellishment was the decorate the scalloped edges of the frame with the blue pearl dots. Kelly did include some humorous "punny" sentiments in relation to the stamped image that I chose not to use (just in case you're wondering where the humor is with this card!).

Hope you'll check out the many lovely creations made by my paper crafting Dueling Darling friends on Splitcoast Stampers:

Divas

Kelly     http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/

Barb      http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/

Carol    http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/

Heather  https://landofstamping.wordpress.com/

Laura Jean http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/

Suzy     http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=SuzyS1104

Tami    http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/

Dazzlers

Jeanette    http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

Beth        https://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog/

Debby B  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=littledeb&x=18&y=13

Donna:   https://indianainking.blogspot.com

Shelly      http://shellymc2.blogspot.com/

Terry L.   http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com/

Terry S.  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=11182

Tracie  http://tracie-craftycreations.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Thinking of Babies in September with the Dueling Darlings

Today in the 15th of September and time for another duel between the Dueling Darling Divas and Dazzlers.  This month Donna, team Dazzlers, and me, team Divas, decided to challenge our respective teams to make a baby card as September is Baby Safety Month.  I had great fun putting this card kit together and got a little carried away with including lots of designer paper so my teammates had lots of options for creating either a card for a girl or a boy or both.  Here's what is in the kit:

Paper:  Echo Park "Bundle of Joy Boy"; Echo Park "Sweet Baby Girl"; Echo Park "Hello Baby Girl"; DCWV "Copper Luxury" 'You are something magical' paper; The Paper Studio "metallic hearts"

Stamped images:  Hanna Stamps "B is for Baby" clothes on line and mobile (retired)

Ribbons:  yellow gingham, green velvet, pink satin, white grosgrain, blue twine, pink/green twine all from various vendors

Embellishments (from various vendors:  pearl adhesives; wooden stars; diaper pin, teddy bear, rocking horse, star brads; rhinestone stars; green paper flowers.  Sticker paper embellishements from Echo Park "Bundle of Joy Boy" and "Sweet Baby Girl".

I loved the papers so much I couldn't decide whether to make a girl card or a boy card so I made both!  Here they are:

I decided to deconstruct my Copic colored stamped image and place the clothes on a line made from the pink/green twine.  The clothes pins were embellished from some of the pearl adhesives and I added a heart rhinestone to the Echo Park sticker paper bib.

With this card I also deconstructed the Copic colored stamped image.  This time I used blue twine to attach the mobile elements.  A tiny wooden star was attached to the mobile and another open wooden star was placed on the Echo Park sticker paper "Welcome Baby".

I used Splitcoaststampers sketch SC766 for my layout only I turned it upside down.  Here's the original sketch:




This theme brought many memories for me as both my boys are September babies!

Hope you'll check out the many lovely creations made by my paper crafting Dueling Darling friends on Splitcoast Stampers:

Divas

Kelly     http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/

Barb      http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/

Carol    http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/

Heather  https://landofstamping.wordpress.com/

Laura Jean http://buckygirl.blogspot.com/

Suzy     http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=SuzyS1104

Tami    http://blueinksdesign.blogspot.com/

Dazzlers

Jeanette    http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

Beth        https://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog/

Debby B  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=littledeb&x=18&y=13

Donna:   https://indianainking.blogspot.com

Shelly      http://shellymc2.blogspot.com/

Terry L.   http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com/

Terry S.  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=11182

Tracie  http://tracie-craftycreations.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!