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!

Kadie's Baby Boy Album

I'm part of a card making group of ladies on Splitcoaststampers, a web site devoted to featuring the papercrafting arts.  On this site our a variety of forums and through a forum dedicated to card swaps I met this sweet wonderful woman who answered a newbies question and from there I found she hosted a card swap and that led to meeting a whole host of wonderful card making friends.  Kadie has hosted and facilitated and participated in so many card making events and inspired us all over the past decade.

This summer our dear friend and her husband were blessed with a new addition to their family, a sweet darling baby boy.  So to honor her and her son some of her card making friends decided to create a baby scrapbook album for Kadie to chronicle the precious moments of his life.  I took on the task of coordinating and putting together the album as these women sent me two 8"x 8" scrapbook pages.  Here is the result:

The Album

First page

The first pages I received from Tanja, all the way from Germany!

Judy's (that's me!) pages

Fay's pages

Barb's pages

Kelly's pages

Susan F.'s pages

Michelle U.'s pages

Sandra's pages

April's first set of pages

April's second set of pages

Carol's pages

Maryann's pages

Karen's pages

And here's two picture of Kadie with her little guy take this past summer:

Giving Thanks with the Dueling Darlings

It's time to duel again with the Dueling Darlings.  Well, it was time yesterday but I'm late! Yikes!!
This month our hostesses Kadie for the Divas and April for the Dazzlers choice "Thankful Theme:  Thank You Cards".  I'm blessed to be part of this group and love, love, love the card kit sent by Kadie full of luscious papers and stamped sentiment/images and beautiful embellishments to the Diva team.    Here's my card:

Papers:  Echo Park, black and white cardstock
Sentiment:  Hero Arts
Embellisment: twine and black button

I used this sketch from "Freshly Made Sketches":

Please check out the rest of the Dueling Darlings creations:
 Diva's creations here:
Kelly: ttp://www.shandcastlestamper.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 my blog!  Love to read your comments!! 

Double Duel with the Darlings

I'm running as fast as I can trying to catch up with my Dueling Darling teammates.  Last month I was still in the Pacific Northwest and did not have the kit for September in my hands so I'm doing double dueling duty today for both September and October. 


I'll start with my September card.  The theme "Recipe Cards" for September was chosen by team Barb for the Divas (my team) and Debbie for the Dazzlers.  Love that theme!  And Barb sent team this awesome kit:
         3 images - stamped on Gina K Ivory:
                     Knife, Fork, Spoon - Stampabilities - Silverware
                     What's Cooking? - Inky Antics
                     Now You're Really Cook'n - Unknown
         Patterned Paper:
                     Jillibean Soup ---Fresh Vegetable Soup
                           Baby Carrots - Vegetables/Green Pattern
                           Chicken Base - Silverware/Yellow Pattern
                     Basic Grey ----Herbs & Honey
                            Tomato--Brown Vegetables/Brown Dots
                            Peas - Green Vegetables/Flowers
         Embellishments:
                     Spare Parts - wooden fork and spoon
                     Spare Parts - Vintage Mixer
                     Various Companies - ribbon and fibers
                     Various Companies - brads and buttons
The green and rust cardstock for the base and trim are from Stampin' Up.

This is one of my favorite soup recipes and it really is easy and so delicious.  When I saw this designer paper in the kit I just knew I had to pair it with this recipe.  It strung many of the buttons from the kit on this orange and white twine to add a fun embellishment to the card.  Hope you try the recipe and let me know what you think.

 For our October duel our LauraJean for the Divas and Terry for the Dazzlers chose the theme "Eat, Drink and Be Scary!"  How fun is that?!!  LJ, sent this terrific kit full of delightful papers, images and embellishments.

      Image:  My Favorite Things "Witch Way Candy
      Paper:  Eerie Collection by Basic Grey
      Extras: Ribbon (black, lavender, orange all HL), Orange Bling (Paper Studio),
                  Button charms (Dress It Up), Candy Corn brads (Oriental Trading Company)
                  Buttons (assorted vendors), Yellow Die Cut (Recollections) Twine (Doodlebug Designs)

 I colored this cutie MFT witch and the pumpkins with Copic markers and mounted with dimensionals.  The base of my card is Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant cardstock and black cardstock for the scalloped panel.  All other elements are from the kit.
I used this sketch from Mojo Monday for the layout:

Please check out the rest of the Dueling Darling creations

 Diva's creations here:
Kelly: ttp://www.shandcastlestamper.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 my blog!  Love to read your comments!!