School is Cool for September's Dueling Darlings

The challenge presented to the Dueling Darlings this month was to create a card around the theme "School is Cool".  For those of you not familiar with the Dueling Darlings we are a group of papercrafting friends who have formed two teams, the Divas (my team) and the Dazzlers.  Each month a member from each team consults with one another, chooses a theme and, often, a challenge for the teams.  Based on the theme, a card kit is created and sent by that member to each of her team members and on the 15th of the month the "duel" begins as we all upload the cards we've made from the kits we've received.  This month the Diva's recieved this  terrific kit from Jamie that included some fabulous DCWV designer paper, some coordinating SU cardstock, stamped images and sentiments, die cuts, ribbon, buttons and brads.  Using some of those elements plus a few of my own here's the card I created:

School's Cool & So Are Teachers!

I used both sheets of the DCWV d.p, the perfect paper for this theme.  My main image is a digi stamp by Guylou's Inimitability which I colored with Copic markers and cut out and mounted with dimensionals on the die cut d.p.  I thought it was the perfect complement to the theme and all the elements I used from the kit which included these two quotes, the terrific "Have Fun/Always Creating/ Never Stop Learning" pencil image, ribbon, sparkly red apple and blue book and the white clip.   The sentiment on the red tag reads "America's future walks throught the doors of our schools each day" and I believe that sentiment applies to both students and teachers.  So I'm dedicating my card to all the teachers who played such an important part in my life and also for one special teacher in my life, my sister-in-law who will be retiring at the end of this school year.  This one's for you, Tina!

I almost forgot!  We were asked to share a favorite school memory.  I guess it's not surprising I forgot...It's been so long ago that I was in school.  There is no one event or person that stands out in my mind but a series of experiences and most of all the friendships I made.  I still keep in touch with my best friend from grade school and a BFF and I go back to high school days.  This summer I was able to reconnect with many of those old friends as we got together for a picnic to celebrate the year we turned 70! Yikes,  how did that happen so fast!

Please check out the rest of the Diva's September duel cards here:

Kelly * LJ * Barb * Carol  * Judy (you are here)  * Jamie * Joan * Tami

and to see the dueling theme from the Dazzlers, you can find them here!

The Dueling Darling August Challenge

It's So Hot, Let's Cool Off!  Yep, that was the theme chosen by August team leaders Paola for the Dazzlers and Judy (that's me!) for the Divas.  A funny thing happened on the way to the duel.  Both team leaders got side tracked and are just now posting their August dueling cards in time for the September duel.  Oh well, as the saying goes "Better late than never!"  As for me my excuse was that I was traveling and didn't have an internet connection to post my card. Well, I've been home for almost 3 weeks now and finally getting around to uploading my card and here it is:

I sent a boat load of yummy papers from American Crafts' Margarita line...Love those papers!  Also included were a variety of images and sentiments all fashioned around a beach location, my favorite place to cool off on a hot summer day!  To add some fun to the cards I included a variety of die cuts and sea life stickers, ribbon and buttons and brads in lots of hot and cool colors. 

For my card I chose to use two of the d.p. papers along with some shiny blue, bright green and pink cardstock.  I love the cute Close to My Heart Beach Babe! Isn't she a cutie?!?  She and the little beach chair/umbrella/ball image are colored in Copics and she is shown off predominately with dimensionals. I used the fish brads to swim in the "ocean waves".  I couldn't resist using some letter brads I've had forever to spell out the theme of "Keep Cool".
 
We asked our Dueling Darlings to share a favorite way to cool off.  My favorite way to cool off is to get out of the Arizona desert and head to the Pacific NW near Seattle.  Here's where I spent many of my mornings this summer walking along the Tacoma waterfront on Ruston Way:

That's Mt. Rainier in the background

My husband and I were very blessed to view so many of nature's wonders including one morning watching 2 bald eagles on the beach.  Here's one as he flies away:

My muse for creating this kit and card was my dear friend and Diva team leader Kelly who many of you know by her SCS name MiamiKel.  Love you, girl!  Let's go check out the rest of the Diva's starting with my inspirational leader here:

Kelly * LJ * Barb * Carol  * Judy (you are here)  * Jamie * Joan * Tami

And check out the Dazzlers' starting with team leader Jeanette here:http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/2011/08/it-is-hot.html