Double D Challenge Blog Skies

Let the sky be your inspiration for this challenge at DOUBLE D CHALLENGE BLOG.  To begin with I have some fabulous paper from Lavina Stamps that has a full moon in the background that was perfect for the challenge.  I also needed a male birthday card so I went searching for an appropriate die.  I liked the purple haze to the sky in the bottom right corner so I used that as my inspiration.  

My card is relatively simple, but I am pleased with it.  I have paired this paper with blue card stock before and I am sorry I did not think of lavender before because I like it much better. 

If you link up with this challenge, you will have a chance to win this paper pack from Lavina stamps.  

                                                         

We hope you will join us for this challenge at DOUBLE D CHALLENGE BLOG. 

Dies R Us Happy Birthday Gnomes

 Here we are 15 days into March and time for new challenge at DIES R US CHALLENGE BLOG. 

This card comes with a story. My sister's family is always playing practical jokes on each other and a gnome was the central character of one practical joke.

 It all started with an ugly garden gnome that my sister found at a garage sale. She bought it as a gag Christmas gift for Tina, her eldest daughter.  She started the hype about the fabulous gift she found for Tina’s “ special ” Christmas gift.  When Tina opened the package, her expression was priceless and so was her language.  Of course, my sister found said gnome in her stack of gifts the following Christmas.  Stephanie, my sister’s youngest, feared she would be the next recipient, so she heisted the gnome and sent it to gnome land.  This sparked the mischievous little gnome that lives in my sister' s heart, and she started buying and making gnomes at a feverish pace… 250 to be exact.

  The next year my BIL and sister broke into Stephanie’s house while she was at work and hid the 250 gnomes with little gnome notes especially written for Stephanie. Every once in awhile she finds one that was overlooked.  I suspect that my sister will get them all back at some point when she has nearly forgotten about them. In the meantime, this gnome card is for Stephanie.  I think it will make her smile. 

I used the following dies from the Dies R Us Store.

                                                                  Impression Obsession Gnomes

                                                                Frantic Stamper Birthday Candles 

The DRU Team is doing something a little different today! 

We're partnering up with the Double Trouble Challenge Blog and having a joint challenge collaboration.  It's fun and easy and you have a chance to win prizes both here on the DRU Challenge as well as the Double Trouble Challenge!

The theme for this challenge will be A Magical Day:

In order to qualify for the prizes offered at Double Trouble Challenge, you'll need to follow these guidelines. 

 

So if you used a metal die to join our DRU Challenge and you've included the Magical theme, you have already completed all the requirements for both challenges.  If you've only used a die (but not the Magical theme), you are still eligible for our DRU Challenge, but it won't qualify for the Double Trouble Challenge.

(remember, you MUST use at least 1 metal die to qualify for the DRU prize... and please tell us the die company you have used in your project.)

You can find more information about the Double Trouble Challenge on their blog or on the DIES R US CHALLENGE BLOG. 

Double D Book Covers

 The Double D Challenge starts today and here is the Fabulous Mood Board.  

My inspiration came from the layout of all of the BOOK  covers.  The titles are centered and surrounded by art work.  I had a couple of dies that would work, but I chose the butterflies.  I did not have a sentiment that was large enough to fit the center so I typed this one.  I did some shading on both the typed paper and the frame while it was still in the die.  I backed it with blue cardstock and put it on a white card base.  I pulled a flower and some greenery from my stash to finish it. 

We hope you will join us at Double D Challenge Blog.  Our team has done remarkable work with this challenge, and I am sure they will inspire you too.  YOU could win this fun stamp! 

Dies R Us Much Thanks

 I always have a need for thank you cards and I also love to give friends gifts of cards that are all occasion and easy to mail. All you need to do is change the sentiment on this design and it could be used for any occasion. I love making watercolor backgrounds and when I take time to get out the inks and brushes I usually make several backgrounds in different colors.  I love frame dies, and have several styles to change up the look of this design. It doesn't need to be a flower in the center... how about a fern, butterfly, birds, balloons, trees, etc. The DRU Store has DRU Store has so many dies and stamps that work for this simple card. 

Impression Obsession Woodgrain  Frame

Memory Box Blushing Flower Branch

Other cards using this design. 

By the way, if you love working with die cuts and inspiring others the 

Dies R Us Inspiration Team is accepting applications. Open only to the US at this time due to long delays in shipping internationally. If you are interested you can find more information about qualifications and responsibilities at  http://www.diesrusblog.com/.../dru-inspiration-dt-call...

If you're not familiar with our Dies R Us Inspiration Blog please pop over and check it out.

Double D Anything with Hearts

Anything with Hearts is our new challenge at Double D Challenge Blog.  This mood board by Dar is a perfect inspiration piece. I was drawn to all for pictures, but decided upon the tree with the heart notch.  

    

 I started with some Mintay designer paper and  added the Impression Obsession tree ring and shaded with distress inks. I have this cute heart die with some squirrels from Tutti designs that I thought was a perfect addition to my design. Some dogwood flowers left from another project  completed the design.  Sometimes you have a vision of a card in your mind that does not turn out to be what you wanted and other times it turns out better.  This card is one of those better times for me and I needed that boost to my mojo. 

 

We hope you will link up with us at  Double D Challenge Blog =. The team is always inspired by what YOU create. 

Dies R Us Dogwood Birthday

The Dies R Us Challenge Blog has a new challenge starting today.  It is an Anything Goes Challenge so you can have some fun creating your favorite type of card for any occasion.  Just remember to use a die from one of the many companies that is sold at the Dies R Us Store

For some reason, I tend to think of hearts as just For Valentine's Day, but it is really just another geometrical shape like a circle, square, rectangle, or triangle so I decided to make a birthday card from a pretty heart die from Impression Obsession. 

I started with a Lawn Fawn scalloped frame and backed it with some pretty foiled paper from Honey Bee Stamps.  The floral heart from Impression Obsession came next with the happy birthday, which is a combination from Sue Wilson and Karen Burniston added on top.  A few Elizabeth Craft Dogwoods completed the card. We hope you will join us for this challenge at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog. 

 Elizabeth Craft Dogwood

Impression Obsession Floral Heart Frame

Lawn Fawn Frame

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.