Double D Valentine Love

             Today at Double D we are celebrating

               Valentine Love and we would LOVE to see

                                                                your Valentine Love creations.

Valentine Love is a perfect challenge with Valentine day only 11 days away.  Diane created this Fabulous Mood Board for us this time.  I took my inspiration from the wreath and the pink drinks.

                             

I uses different shades  of green distress ink on water color paper.  I cut the Adriana wreath by Poppy Stamps three times then applied some Nuvo Drops on each of the berries.  While they dried I layered up the front of the card with a layer of black and some decorative paper, I cut the rest of my pieces for the card and went through my flower stash for my pink daisy.  The Bird House is from IO and so are the small hearts.  The Hugs is an old die from Cheery Lynn. I played with the arrangement a bit until I got one I liked and then glued the pieces together.

We hope you will take some inspiration from the board and join us for the Double D Challenge Valentine Love and a chance to win this Poppy Stamp die. 

  

                                                         

Dies R Us Butterfly Friend

A new Anything Goes Challenge starts today at Dies R Us Challenge Blog .  Just remember to use a die from any of the many of the companies they sell at the store.

The butterfly, the sentiment and the frame all from Impression Obsession. I have not used the butterfly in a long time.  I  don't know why because I think it is beautiful.  I decided to keep the card simple and let the butterfly steal the show. I was not planning to use the purple sequin but it was on my desk so  I put it on the butterfly and liked it so it stayed. 

Impression Obsession Butterfly

Impression Obsession Frame

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We hope you will join us for this fun challenge and a chance to win a gift certificate at the Dies R Us Store.  As usual the team has done some wonderful inspiration pieces for you at Dies R Us Challenge Blog .

Double D Flowers in Containers

 Flowers in containers is the new challenge at Double D Challenge Blog. What a wonderful array of containers... buckets of tulips, glass vase of forsythia, an old boot with snapdragons,and a tea kettle of  daisies. 

                                 

I just purchased a new die from Honey Bee that makes a shaped flower pot easy.  I cut the main die from white card stock and then cut it two more times with decorative paper. I added the decorative paper to the top of the card. The die comes with flowers to use for the insert and I will use them to make bunches of flowers later, but I still have quite a few flowers I made last year in my stash so I used them.

                        

  

The insert for the flower pot provides a space for a personal or stamped message. This is an easy die to use and adds a WOW factor for the recipient. 

A tag could be added to the front of the card with a variety of different sentiments. Mine will probably be a birthday card.   

                              

Hope you will join us for this Flowers in Containers Challenge.  Check out the work from the team over at Double D Challenge Blog.  Once again, they have out done themselves. 

We hope you will join us ar 

Dies R Us Bee Shaker

It is time for a new challenge at Dies R Us and again the theme is Anything Goes, but be sure to use one die from a company sold at the Dies R Us Store.  I was having trouble coming up with an idea for a card for this challenge and then I saw this video by Jennifer Mc Quire.  I have this Tutti Designs honey comb that I thought would be perfect.  

 

I love the idea of the tulle shaker card, if you look real close, you can see the tulle. 

                   

Tutti Design honey comb 

I love to frame my cards, but this time the frame covered up some errors I made while I was cutting my layers.  I am no Jennifer McQuire lol. 

Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangles

I also used the Elizabeth Craft Daisy die and Sue Wilson's Festive Garland for the leaves.  

Now it is your turn,  Create a card using at least one die cut  from a company carried at the DRU Store. We know we will be inspired with what you create. 

Double D 5th Anniversary Cupcake

Double D Challenge Blog is celebrating its 5th birthday this month with cupcakes.... lots of cupcakes, and we hope you will join us for the challenge. Diane and Darlene  have created one of the most inspiring blogs in Blogland and have chosen a team of designers that all have a different style or styles that inspire creativity.  The team is fortunate because we have great leaders who encourage us in everything.  We have become a virtual family and support each other in good and bad times.  We all feel blessed.  Thanks Diane and Dar. 

Here is the Mood Board.  

I liked the pink and green in the first photo and the sprinkles on all of them.  I have several cupcake dies, but I decided to pull out one  from PTI that I have not used for a couple of years.  The background PTI paper was cut with Spellbinder's hemstitched rectangles.  I cut the cup cake from glitter paper and decorated it with some Nuvo drops. The number 5 is a Karen Burniston die.  

Head on over to the Double D Challenge Blog.  The team has some wonderful inspiration for you.  If you take time to link up, you could win these fun stamps and dies. 

 

Hope

Dies R Us Anything Goes

 The first of January, a brand new year and a brand new challenge at  Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  I started with the Memory Box  jumbo peony that I cut with white card stock sponged with pickled raspberry distress oxide ink. I wanted to use this pretty paper that I got from Honey Bee stamps,  I cut some frames using the different dies listed below and just played with the pieces until I got something I liked.  I did not use a sentiment because it could work for many different occasions.  

Things from the DRU STORE 

Memory Box Jumbo Peony

                                                      Impression Obsession All in One Frame

Poppy Stamp Pointed Oval Frame

Poppy Stamp Ariana Easle

Distress Oxide Ink

 

We hope you will join us for this Anything Goes Challenge using a brand of die available at the DRU STORE . 

Double D Poinsettia

Time for the last challenge for 2020 over at Double D.  I am sure most of you have a poinsettia stamp or die that you can use for this project.  If you need another Christmas card, why not make it using a poinsettia, or if you have already completed all your cards for this year get a head start on 2021 and link it up with us at  DOUBLE D CHALLENGE BLOG.

The new fad in card making is the slimline card.  I have so many dies so I decided look through them and see what would work.  I have had this Marianne lantern die for several years and have used it on numerous cards.... but now it has a whole new life.  I did one of my favorite background techniques, wood graining.  I used grey paper that I scored at quarter inch intervals and applied various distress inks in grey shades using the direct to paper technique.  

I put  a candle in the lantern and topped it with a Spellbinders poinsettia and Tutti designs greenery. The Merry Christmas is from Impression Obsession. 

 

This Elizabeth Craft Designs Poinsettia die  can be yours because one random person who links up with us can win this prize.  I am sure it is one you will use often. We hope you join us for this challenge and that we will see you in 2021.  Dar and Diane have already prepared some fabulous Mood Boards for you.  I hope your Christmas and the New Year are filled with happy moments  and fabulous memories.  

DRU Winter Wonderland

 It is hard to believe this is the last Dies are Us Challenge Blog of 2020.  It has been a hard year full of challenges, but for many of who love paper crafting our hobby has given a creative outlet for a very unusual year. This DRU challenge is Winter Wonderland and this is my version of that idea. 

I sponged some distress oxide inks on the Ariana easel panel and spritzed with water to create the background. I cut the leafy portion of the die from white card and left it in the die and sponged the inner portion of the ova and spritzed it with water the same way.  I added a Frantic Stamper elm tree and the Sweet Holly Snowman.   This die is fun to paper piece or add glitter. 

Things from the DRU STORE 

Frantic Stamper Sweet Holly

Frantic Stamper Elm

Poppy Stamp Ariana Easle

Distress Oxide Ink

We hope you will join us at  for this last challenge of 2020 at Dies are Us Challenge Blog  and that as this pandemic year ends you will have a renewed hope for the future and a Happy Crafting Year.  

Dies R Us Winter Wonderland

 

Double D Santa's Hat

 

Isn't this a fun mood board for the Double D Challenge and the design team has really had fun with this one.  You are going to love what they put together. 

                                        

This card was really fun for me to make.  I took out the very  first stamp set that I ever bought 11 years ago.   It is one from Gina K created by Teresa Momber. My daughter loves cats so I bought it to make cards for her. This cat was sitting in a tea cup, but I fussy cut him so I could put him in a crate of Christmas greenery and put a Santa hat on him.  I did not have a die or a stamp I could use so I found some free clip art and sized one of the hats to fit my cat.  

If you join us for the challenge you could win this cute die from Cottage Cutz.  

Dies R Us Christmas Treat Holder

A new challenge starts at  today and the theme is Dies R Us Challenge Blog Christmas. I made this Christmas treat holder using Karen Burniston Pop Up Sleigh

A group I belong to usually has a Christmas party with lots of delicious food.  Since our area has a large percentage of Covid cases, we might have to cancel this year, but I made some little treat holders which double as a place card for everyone just in case we decide to celebrate together.  I cut two of the Karen Burniston sleighs.  I made a little box that fits in between the sleighs and wrapped some candy in plastic wrap  and put the names  candy kiss style into the top.  Really easy to do. Hope I get to use them.  

Karen Burniston Pop Up Sleigh

We hope you will join us  at Dies R Us Challenge Blog for our Christmas Challenge. 

 

Double D Winter Blues

The new theme at Double D Challenge Blog is called Winter Blues.  I know it is called Blues because of the shades of  blue but to me all these pictures convey a feeling of peace and we all need a good solid dose of peace. The pictures are a good jumping off point, but my inspiration was the snow and trees. 

This is a really simple card to do because the die does all the work. I sponged the background with distress oxide inks and spritzed with water.  The die cut does all the rest of the work.  I added some yellow stars to the night sky.  

Join us for this fun challenge at Double D Challenge Blog for a chance to win this fun die set. 

                                                  

 

Dies R Us Happy Fall

A new challenge begins at today at DIES R US CHALLENGE BLOG    I love this IO sentiment because it works with every season anywhere on the earth.  Everywhere you look there is beauty. The sun, moon,stars... flowers and trees, birds and butterflies, fruit and vegtables, rain and rainbows. snow and snowflakes. kittens and puppies, deer and dolphins... and I could go on forever.  

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These are the dies I used for this challenge .

Tutti Designs Maple Vine Frame

Impression Obsession Typewriter Alphabet

Impression Obsession Black Eyed Susan

The team has created some fabulous inspiration for this challenge so check out DIES R US CHALLENGE BLOG  and then join us for the challenge. YOU could win a gift certificate for the 

DIES R US STORE

 

Double D Pine Branches and Pine Cones

Dine has creaed a fabulous Mood board for us at Double D Challenge Blog.  Dig out your pine cone, pine tree, and pine branch stamps and dies and play along with us. 

I  started  with some wood grained designer paper from Elizabeth Crafts and stamped snowflakes with Versamak ink and embossed with white embossing powder.  The pine branches are from Tutti Designs and the pine cones from Gina Marie.  Tutti Designs pine branches come with pine cones too but I had these in my stash already made so I used them.  The white berries and poinsettia come from Sue Wilson's Garland die. 
    

                                       

Here is a chance to get another Christmas card done and a chance to win this Cottage Cutz die. The team has some fabulous inspiration for you on the Double D Challenge Blog. 

Dies R Us Give Thanks

In two months, 2020 will be behind us and we will start a brand new year. We don't know what it will bring and there is so much we can't control, but we can always look for the good things that are happening around us and give thanks for those. Focusing on the positive, always makes life look a lttle brighter.  Why don't you join us for the challenge at DIES R US CHALLENGE BLOG , and while you are designing your card take time to remember your blessings and be thankful. 
    
 Poppystamps Adriana Easel

I use this die frequently, but you should know that there are several Poppy Stamp Adriana dies to fit all your card making needs and you can find the all at the  Dies R Us Store.

 Impresession Obsession Wheat

Tutti Design Cones and Branches

Impression Obsession Pumpkin

We hope you will join us for this challenge at DIES R US CHALLENGE BLOG. One random link will have a chance to win a gift certificate at the Dies R Us Store.  We are thankful for you. 

Double D October

                                        

When you think of October what comes to mind?  I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania where the changing of the oak and maple trees is draw dropping magnificient so naturally, I think of colorful trees and leaves.  Now I live in a little town, Dairyville, in Northern California.  The area around me is famous for it's walnuts and olives with an abundance almonds and pecans too.  All the nuts are harvested in October so there are usually many festivals held in October where nuts and pumpkins abound.  This year they have all been cancelled but the farmers did still raise the pumpkins for those who love pumpkin carving and you can still purchase the fabulous nuts from the local growers.   If you don't have a particular fall image Dar has provided a fabulous mood board for you over at Double D Challenge Blog

                                           

I took my inspiration from the barnwood backing , the crates, the ladder, the pumpkins the black color from the cat and the books. 

We hope you will join us for the Challenge at Double D Challenge Blog for our October Challenge. 

Dies R Us Boo

A new challenge starts today over at Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  With Halloween right around the corner, a BOO or Haloween card is perfect for the challenge.  I started with PTI canyon clay card stock and added an IO frame that is cut from some orange gingham card stock I had in my stash. I cut the Tutti Design Boo several times and layered them and did some paper piecing on the web.  The bats and ghosts are from another IO die set. 

We hope you will come and join us for this challenge and a chance to win a gift certificate from the Dies R Us Store. 

Impression Obsession Halloween Set

Tutti Designs Spooky Boo

Impression Obsession Large Frame

I usually don't combine my posts and enter other challenges, Diane Hoover and Darlene  have started a fun new challenge Blog, and  some of the Dies R Us team are also design team members.  here is the information.  

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge

• Starts off with a Halloween Jumpstart Challenge Oct 13th - Oct 28th 
  with winner announced Nov. 1st
• Beginning November 1st all challenges will run from the 2nd through the 28th 
  with winner announced on the 1st of following month.
• Theme is ANYTHING GOES HALLOWEEN. 

I have visited the blog and it looks like fun so I will enter when I can. While your Halloween stamps and dies are out, why not join the fun. If you have lots of halloween stamps and dies or have been itching to buy some this is the challenge for you. 

 The  Dies R Us Store to shop for your Halloween needs. 

Double D Wreaths

Today starts a new challenge at Double D Challenge Blog. Wreaths can be so decorative at any time of the year and the Mood Board certainly does show how different a wreath can look.                             

                       

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for the challenge so I cut a variety of wreath shapes and colors from my wreath dies. I used two dies from Tutti designs and one from Poppy Stamps.  I have several left over that will be used in the future.  I played with different compositions until I decided to layer three different dies for my wreath shape.  I think of a wreath hanging on some kind of wood background so I went through my papers and found this wood background.  The IO Merry Christmas and the Cottage Cutz penguin were in my box of die cuts just waiting to be a part of card.  I have a friend that loves penguins so this will be headed in their direction. 
Play along and link up with us at Double D Challenge Blog for a chance to win this wreath die from Cottage Cutz.  The team has some great inspiration for you.  Each challenge the team picks our favorite designs to be featured on the blog.  I can tell you we always have a hard time selecting our favorites from all the fabulus entries.  We hope you will join us.