The Darlings and April Showers

Guess what?  It's the 15th and I'm not even late posting this month's duel!  (shocker)
Our Dazzling hostess this month is Tracie and the Diva hostess is Barb, and they chose April Showers as our theme.

Tracie send us "Sophi" by Whipper Snapper and included the cute papers from Photoplay's "Spring in my Garden" and Doodlebug's "Anchors Aweigh"

Here's how I used her adorable kit:

Sophie is colored with Spectrum Noir markers and accented with glitz from a Wink of Stella pen.  I decided that the rainbow and the polka dots also needed some glitter so used the pen on the papers too.

Tracie's seam binding ribbon was so pretty and has a nice sheen to it too.  The clear gems from Tracie's kit reminded me of big, spring raindrops so that's what I was going for on the card.

Thank you for such a versatile and colorful kit to go with the adorable Sophie!  I'm off to visit the rest of the gang and admire their April Showers.  Thanks for stopping by!

March Dueling Birthday Cards Challenge

Donna is the Hostess for the Dazzlers this round and she really went all-out on her kit! (thank you)  She gifted us with two different options for images and it was impossible for me to choose, so I made a card with each option!

Image is "Wine Diva" by Art Impressions
Floral Designer Paper is from The Paper Studio

The sparkly ribbon has a story: I tried to straighten it, but it really wanted to be in tendrils...so I went for a party streamer type of effect.  What do you think?
The image is colored with Spectrum Noir markers, her earrings, shoes & skirt are glammed up with a silver Wink of Stella pen.



Here's the inside, the sentiment Donna gave us was too cute to not include:

Sentiments on front & back were colored with Spectrum Noir marker.





















And for my second card:

Images are from the "Happy Hippos" set by My Favorite Things.
The die cut is "Happy Birthday Circle Frame" also by My Favorite Things. I've colored them up with Spectrum Noir markers.

Balloon Paper is from The Paper Studio and the plaid paper is from Donna's stash.

Twine is from Doodlebug, the button is from my stash.
<GASP>  I actually used a button, haha.

I just love the green sequin stars that Donna included.  I wish that my photography was better, so you could see them!

Donna, you really gave us an excellent kit.  Thank you!

January Duel: A New Year

Hello out there.  I've certainly been MIA for a while...

It's the 15th and time for the Dueling Darlings on Split Coast Stampers to fire up their creativity and get dueling for 2018.

Laura Jean and I are the hosting this duel, and we thought that we'd take a bit of a different approach this round.

Instead of sending an image, we sent the month of January and asked each team to decorate the panel or cut out the month and incorporate it onto the front of their card.  They were encouraged to mark any of their significant birthdays, anniversaries, etc. on the month.

I encouraged the Dazzlers to go with a silver & black theme as it seems to be popular for New Year decorations.  But they are free to create anything that their Muse inspires!

Here's what I came up with:

I apologize for my unsteady hand.  I fell and injured it back in September and you can see I need to keep at my physical therapy!

No special dates in January for me so I highlighted New Year's Day and MLK Jr. Day.

Laura Jean, it was great working with you to host this round.  We make a great team!

Now I'm off to visit the Blogs of the other Darlings and admire their creations.

Wishing each and every one of you a healthy, peaceful and happy 2018!

Challenge Your Stash: Christmas

Can you believe that I am posting AGAIN in the same month???  Wonders never cease...

Maybe it's Carol's great theme this month for the "Challenge Your Stash" (CYS) group on Split Coast, that helped inspire me. We are to use only things that we already have in our stash, this month we were to make a Christmas card.

It's white card stock that has been sponged with various inks, then stamped using the longtime favorite "Lovely as a Tree" set from Stampin' Up.  The center tree is white embossed.

The Merry Christmas ribbon must be years old too...I know that it's from my early card making days.

Hopefully no one has been hurt from fainting that July has TWO posts from me.  LOL

Bijou says hello too.

A Darling Midsummer Night's Dream

July 15th and time for another Duel!
Paola and Heather chose Shakespeare's comic work as our theme and we are to use a fairy image and the red maple leaf in recognition of Canada's 150th anniversary.

Paola's kit had the most beautiful papers from Graphic 45's Nature's Sketchbook collection.  I wanted a style that could show off every side of the papers, so an easel card it is!  

Look at those pretty papers.  

Embellishments include Turquoise dots from American Crafts and gross grain ribbon by Stampin Up.

The red maple leaf is stamped with a Stampin Up stamp.  I sparkled the leaf and portions of the image with a Wink of Stella clear glitter pen.

The image is a Cam & Chloe fairy by Hampton Arts.  It's colored with Spectrum Noir markers.

Paola included the beautiful leaf and vine die cut, which I mounted on top of one of the reverse sides of the DP.

Here's the card fully opened, where you can see the middle panel of the easel fold and yet more of the pretty paper.  I cut out one of the sentiments Paola gave us, colored it with markers and glittered the butterfly.

Paola: THANK YOU for such a fun theme and incredible papers and die cuts!  It was easy to get inspired by the kit and theme.

Oh, I almost forgot, we are to post which quote from Shakespeare we use the most...which is difficult because whether we know it or not we often use his words.  I guess I would choose "To thine own self be true".  Polonius' wise words from Hamlet.  

Roses in June!

Back again (don't faint!)  - Yep!  I am getting caught up with my Dueling. Tracie is the hostess for the Dazzler Team of the Dueling Darlings and Roses is the theme she chose.  In particular, she loves pink roses, so mine are colored pink.

The image is from Flourishes, "Calendar Set 2" and it's hard to think of a better rose image.  Her creativity really shone through with her choice of papers, ribbons and other embellishments.  Here's what I came up with:

Above is the front, and to the right is the inside.
Just look at those papers, so fun.

The image is colored with Prismacolor pencils and blended with Gamsol.  

The papers are Neapolitan by American Crafts, "Dear Lizzy" and the doily is by Recollections.  Flowers, ribbon and lace are also Recollections and Tracie punched the leaves using Martha Stewart's leaf punch.  I just love the yellows and pinks against that brown background on the front.  And that gorgeous lace trim just had to be used!!

Thank you for such a great kit Tracie!  It was no problem to color the roses pink.  In fact, we have pink roses in a blue vase now beside a photo of my daughter.  She loved pink.

Peace and hugs to all the Darlings! 

May's Dueling Darlings Card

Debbie was May's hostess for the Dazzler Team of the Dueling Darlings and the theme was "May Flowers".

Here is the card that I made from the wonderful kit she sent to the Dazzlers:

Kit Contents:
Image: "Bloomin Beautiful" by Stampin Up
Papers: My Mind's Eye "Cambridge Court"
Ribbon: Rose Red Grosgrain & Coastal Cabana Stretch Ruffle Trim by Stampin Up
Rhinestones & Pearls by Stampin Up
Blue adhesive gems from Colorbok
Pearls from Michaels & Joann Fabrics

What a pretty image!  I liked it so much that the inside includes one in lavender:

Both are edged with Old Olive ink by Stampin Up and are colored with Spectrum Noir markers.  

The papers Debbie gave us are so pretty, I love the colors!

Now I am off to visit everyone's blogs and admire their creations.  Plus, I need to find June's kit, and make that card.  If I do, you'll see me post again today.  (Time to clean up the clutter in my craft room!)