It's All About Love!

 

It’s February and your Dueling Darling hostess’s Paola for the Dazzlers and me for the Divas have chosen this theme of love based on the Bible verses from Corinthians 13: 4,7, 13
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud….It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres…And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (New International Version)

There is so much about love to celebrate in February besides the forever traditional day of love, Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14th, and chose to name a few more celebrations that take place this month as inspiration for the cards for this months duel:

• American Heart Month
• International Friend Month
• Random Acts of Kindness Week (10^th – 16^th in 2013)
• Brotherhood/Sisterhood Week (17^th – 23^rd in 2013)
• Send a Card to a Friend Day (Feb. 7^th)
• Love Your Pet Day (Feb. 21^st)
• Family Day (Feb 18, 2013 in Canada)

The kits included the following items:
Designer Papers from My Mind’s Eye, "Love Me"; Pinecone Press Papers, "Be Mine"
Ribbon from Recollections: red glitter; pink glitter; red and white satin;
Divine Twine: pink,white, red twine
Heart clothes pin
Pink bling hearts
Prima flowers
Various heart brads
Stamped images: Stampin’ Up "Summer by the Sea" and sentiment "Joy is not in things, it is in us" and circle sentiment from S.U. Circle of Friendship "Sending You My Love"

Here's my card:

I chose to use papers from the Pinecone Press "Be Mine" collection.  The pink and vanilla cardstock are from Stampin' Up.  My image is stamped on SU Vanilla cardstock with a little bit of paper piecing on the image's shirts.

With our theme in mind we added an extra challenge to our teammates to sow the seeds of love and kindness they have received in their lives by paying it forward in performing a kind gesture and doing it anonymously!  For my "random act of kindness" I chose to make valentine sugar cookies, packaged them in heart boxes added a little handmade valentine note and left it on neighbors doorsteps yesterday. Here's a few pix of their treats:

I hope you'll visit the rest of the Dueling Darlings' blogs and check out their creations

Please check out the Diva's creations here:

Kelly: http://www.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 here:

Jeanette http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

April: http://aprilsalley.blogspot.com/

Darlene: http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com/
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com/
Melina: http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Paola: http://paola-sama.blogspot.com/

Paola and I have a big surprise for our teammates with this month's kit.  Can you tell what it is?

Thanks for stopping by!  I love to hear from you!!

Read A Book!

Hi everyone! It's January 15th and time for another duel with the Dueling Darling Divas and Dazzlers.  The the DDDs are two groups of gals on Splitcoaststampers who on the 15th of each month create a card from a kit supplied by one of our teammates.  This month LauraJean (LJ), a diva, and Terry, a Dazzler, chose this theme and challenge:
"January is "Book Blitz Month".....use a stamp with books and/or reading as a theme We would also like to then add in your post who your favorite author is, or your favorite book and why."

Here's my card using fantastic elements from LJ's Kit:

exterior

Interior

In LJ's own words a description of the kit:
"Here are the contents of the kit (I've listed the companies as best I can remember)
Stamps: ABC Primer Collection // Graphic 45. Images are stamped with either Memento Tuxedo black or Memento Rich Cocoa ink on PTI White. It's copic/prisma friendly.
All DP & smaller tag piece :This & That Charming Collection // Echo Park
Accessories:
Ribbon: Green Polka Dot Ribbon (PTI), Wide Brown Ribbon (SU), brown Gingham Ribbon (American Crafts). Silver hodgepodge & spiral clip (SU) Brads - Basic Grey, Buttons (PTI and Amuse). Chipboard Square (unknown)."

In additon to using some of those fabulous Echo Park designer papers I chose to use the Little girl reading stamped in Momento Rich Cocoa that I then die cut with a Nestability circle, colored with Copic markers and mounted on another nestie die cut with inverted scallops which was then attached with dimensionals.   From the kit I also used the metal circle frame mounted with several brads and centered with the green button from the kit and tied with some twine (My Mind's Eye lime twist) from my stash.  I used a scallop die on some Bazzill bling cardstock to create the inverted scallop panel and the tied a dotted brown satin ribbon (saved from a previous DDD kit) around the panel before attaching to the right side panel.  I stamped the sentiment from an old Hanna Stamp set to put on this panel.   Cardstock stock used from my own stock: Stampin' Up Very Vanilla, Gumball Green and Early Espresso and Bazzill Bling.  The green panel was embossed on four sides with a scallop border Cuddlebug embossing folder.

On the inside of the card I used the tag from Echo Park, the wide Brown ribbon, and a panel die cut from the Bazzill bling and layered with another Echo Park dsp.

For my layout I used this week's MOJO Monday Sketch here:


The other challenge was to share our favorite author or book and tell why.  My first thought was a book I  read every day, the Holy Bible.  It is a source of inspiration, guidance, encouragement, love, hope and a blessing.  My day always starts with reading from the Bible and a meditation based on the scripture of the day.  I love to read!  My love of reading started early.   We had a branch library about a half mile from our home and I was known to get 3 or 4 books go home read them all and go back to the library all in the same day!! Rarely does a day go by that I haven't been losing myself in story or reading for knowledge or inspiration or just plain fun.  Some of my fun reads are stories created by favorite authors Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber.  I love the characters they create and once I start on a new book by one of these authors I find it hard to put down.

Please check out the rest of team Diva starting here:

Please check out the Diva's creations here:

Kelly: http://www.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 here:

Jeanette http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

April: http://aprilsalley.blogspot.com/
Darlene: http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com/
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com/
Melina: http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Michelle: http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Paola: http://paola-sama.blogspot.com/
Terry: http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com

 

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

Winter Travel

December 15th and time for another duel with the Dueling Darlings.   The DD's are a group of paper crafting gals composed of two teams, the Divas (my team) and the the Dazzlers.  Every month a member from each team consult one another, decide the theme for their hosting month and send out a card kit to each of their team members.  This month of December our hosts, Barb for the Diva's and Michelle for the Dazzlers, chose the theme "Winter Travel".  Here's the card I created from the awesome kit I received from Barb:



I used the following items from the kit:

 

Patterned papers: Little Yellow Bicycle's Winter Plaid/Mocha Java Sweater and Snowy Window/Ski Sweater

Stamped Image: Whipper Snapper's Downhill Snowman (Chase Snowflake sentiment on the inside)

Ink: image stamped with Momento Tuxedo Black, colored with Copic Markers (B00, BG09, BG10, E25, E29, C1, C5, YR19, YR68)

Ribbon: white satin snowflake

Brads: Silver, white colored with Copic Marker BG09

 

The base of the card is Stampin' Up cardstock in Early Espresso, as is the matting on some of the panels.  The white glitter paper panel was embossed with Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder.  Stamped image was cut out and mounted with dimensionals and the ball on the end of the cap is has Frosted Lace Stickles as do the drops of snow.





Here is the inside:

 

The sentiment panel was punched with a Martha Stewart snowflake punch.  The small panel at the bottom was scalloped die cut, and the strip of patterned paper has a strip of chocolate brown ribbon from the kit.  Blue paper is from Bazzill.

 

I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch here:

 

In addition to the creating a card from the kit we were asked to tell a story related to "Winter Travel".

Today I live in the Arizona desert and the most severe winter travel might be in a rainstorm.  Most of my years I spent in NW Washington state.  Even there we don't always get a lot of snow but there was one memorable "Winter Travel" I made from Bellingham which is near the Canadian border to a town about 25 miles south of Seattle, a trip that was a little over 100 miles in one of the worst snowstorms I ever saw in NW Washington.  Sometimes I marvel that I made it home in one piece!  At times the snow was coming down so hard and wet that snowflakes were clumping together and hitting my windshield the size of baseballs!  One of the hairiest parts of the drive was crossing the Ship Canal bridge along I-5 that takes you from north Seattle into city central.  The snow was so deep on the bridge that the ruts were at least a foot deep and you had to get in one of the rut paths and just stay there.  This all happened the day after Christmas!

 

Please check out the Diva's creations here:

 

 Kelly: http://www.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 here:

Jeanette http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/

April: http://aprilsalley.blogspot.com/
Darlene: http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com/
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com/
Melina: http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Michelle: http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Paola: http://paola-sama.blogspot.com/
Terry: http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com

 

Thanks for stopping by! 

 



Dueling Darlings: Planes, Trains and Automobiles

It's November 15th and time for another duel between the Dueling Darling Divas and Dazzlers. We're a group of papercrafting friends who all met on the Splitcoaststampers forum website.  Each month a Diva and a Dazzler get their heads together and come up with a theme and a kit filled with designer papers, stamped images and sentiments, and lots of embellishments that they send out to their respective team members.  For November the Divas' host Carol and the Dazzlers' host Debbie chose the theme Planes, Trains and Automobiles.  They said the reason that they chose this theme is that the movie of the same name is a story whose characters are trying to get home for Thanksgiving.  Also they thought this fitting as November is Aviation History month, National Model Railroad month and November 22nd is Go For A Ride day. Pretty clever, huh?  This month the Divas welcome our newest member, Kadie!  So very excited to have her joining the Divas with her awesome creativity and beautiful spirit! 

Carol's kit to me included 5 fantastic sheets of DSP mostly by Bo Bunny and Kaiser Craft and some great flash card from Graphic 45.  An antique flying machine image and some mini car images.  Also she included ribbbon, rickrack, buttons, and brads. 

Here's my card:

 

I used the flash cards from Graphic 45 for the 3 rectangle panels the narrow strip is from one of the DSP included in the packet.  I colored the mini cars with my copic and attached a silver flower brad from my own stash to the antenna of the car then mounted on the card with dimensionals.  I stacked a white button on top of the black button (both from the kit) and tied with some twine from my stash. I attached the button at one end of a row of black rickrack also from the kit.  I used SCS sketch SC411 as the layout as seen here:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/card-sketches-f41/sketch-challenge-411-%7B11-14-12%7D-t564312.html

 

As a bonus challenge Carol asked us to of a Thanksgiving memory or a memorable trip to get to your holiday destination.  When I was away at college I was so looking forward to going home for Thanksgiving and enjoying the  wonderful meal I knew my mom would have on the table.  So in preparation I almost starved myself for weeks so I could really make a pig of myself on Thanksgiving Day.  Well, that really backfired.  Rather than allowing myself to gorge on the feast, I found I had shrunk my stomach and couldn't even finish the first serving on my plate 'cause my stomach hurt so bad! And speaking of my mom, it will be 24 years ago this Thanksgiving that I spent my last day with her.  She died the very next morning.  A Thanksgiving never goes by that I don't remember mom and wish she was still with me.  I've learned over the years that it's not so much about the food but the loved ones we celebrate the day with that is the real blessing and one for which I always give thanks. 

I'm wishing you all a very blessed Thanksgiving!

 

Please check out the rest of the Divas creations:

Kelly: http://www.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/

Next check out the Dueling Darling Dazzlers starting with their team leader
Jeanette http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/
April: http://aprilsalley.blogspot.com/
Darlene: http://accordingtobijou.blogspot.com/
Debbie: http://theinkigloo.blogspot.com/
Melina: http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Michelle: http://me-craftyscrapper.blogspot.com/
Paola: http://paola-sama.blogspot.com/
Terry: http://itstotallyterry.blogspot.com/

I love to hear your comments. Thanks for stopping by!

 

I

Baby Times Two

Last week my BFF's daughter gave birth to twins.  First card I made for baby boy Jason:

 And here is a card for baby girl Natalie

 

Stamps by Hanna Stamps "B is for Baby"

Paper:  Cardstock Stampin' Up "Bashful Blue", " Pretty in Pink", "Daffodil Delight" and Bazzil

Designer Paper from Best Creation Inc "Sweet Baby"

Accessories:  Copic markers, Cuttlebug embossing folders, ribbon and stickles

 

I used this sketch from Freshly Made Sketches

 

S.O.T.C. Mystery Swap Reveal!

Going on 4 years now a group of card making gals on Splitcoaststampers website have an monthly swap called the Sisterhood of the Traveling Cards.  We've gone through several transitions over the years.  Some of the sistahs have left and new ones have joined our group.  Each month one of the sistahs hosts the swap and decides the theme.  Our beloved Kadie who started and facilitates this swap is the host for September/October and she sent a little note to each sistah giving them their "mystery" theme.  Anybody want to take a guess as to my theme?  Here's a hint:

Inside:

FLUTTERBY!

Those of you who know me know that I love all things butterflies so it's not surprising that Kadie chose this theme for me.  The main image is from C.C. Designs for All That Scraps' Gingersnaps - Bugga-boo's.  My sweet Bugga-boo is colored with Copic markers with a dash of Stickles on her wings and is layered on top of black cardstock punched with Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch Around The Page punch.  The background layer is embossed with a Cuddlebug butterfly embossing folder.  The butterfly designer paper is from Graphic 45's Botanicabella Collection "Ode to a Butterfly".  The floral d.p. is from Basic Grey...sorry, can't remember the collection.  The inside has butterfly punched border from another Martha Stewart punch.

The layout is based on the sketch challenge for Splitcoaststampers this week.  Here's the sketch:

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I love to hear from you!!

October Anniversary and Birthdays

I've been busy lately making cards for birthdays and one for an anniversary.  First card is for my friend Ginger who celebrated earlier this month.  Here's her card:

Stamp: Stampin' Up "So Happy For You"

Paper: Stampin' Up cardstock and designer paper, "Patio Party"

Accessories: Martha Stewart 3 butterflies punch, lacy butterfly ribbon

 I used Splitcoaststamper sketch SC407 (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/card-sketches-f41/sketch-challenge-407-%7Boctober-17-2012%7D-t562728.html)

Here's the inside of the card:

 Stamp:  Gina K Designs "Inside and Out"

Paper:  Stampin' Up cardstock and designer paper "Patio Party"

Accessory: Martha Stewart butterfly punch around the page punch

 

 

The second birthday card is for my friend Patty.  Patty loves butterflies and Autumn colors as much as me so this was a fun card for me to make:

 Stamps: Stampin' Up "Papillon Potpourri", Gina K Designs "Friendship Blooms"

Paper:  Stampin' Up cardstock and Basic Grey designer paper "ambrosia/winsome"

Accessories: Cuttlebug embossing folders, Nestability dies,

 Stampin' Up punch "Elegant Butterfly", ribbon

 

I used mojomonday sketch 263 as seen here:

 

  

 On the inside of the card I used the M.S. butterfly punch and more of the designer paper.

 

 

Here's a birthday card I made for my super, wonderful, awesome, gracious and loving sister-in-law Tina:

 Stamp: Gina K Designs "Inside and Out"

Paper: Stampin' Up cardstock, designer vellum paper (retired), 

variety of designer papers (companies unknown)

Accessories: Nestability oval dies, Memory Box "Elegant Scrollwork" die, variety of prima flowers, gold embossing powder, versamark

 

I used Jen's the Deconstucted Sketch No.74 as my layout as seen here:



 

 

This is a card I made for our dear friends Joy and Rich's anniversary today. I decided to enter this in SCS Clean and Simple challenge CAS192 (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/clean-simple-cards-f239/cas192-theme-harvest-10-15-12-a-t562616.html) and SCS color challenge CC397 (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/color-combinations-f43/cc397-vanilla-chocolate-pie-10-16-12-a-t562684.html):

Stamps: Stampin' Up "Grand Cornucopia"; Stampabilities "Happy Anniversary"

Paper: Stampin' Up cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Martha Stewart maple leaf punch, copic markers, ribbon 

Inside of the card is with a computer generated sentiment 

I think it takes me almost as much time to upload pictures and prepare this post as it does to create the cards!  Blessings!