a sunflower bouquet - DCM challenge

It's been ages since I've made a card for a challenge. This week's daring cardmakers theme of sunflowers got me out of my chair and down the stairs to create a card though. Here are the details:

So, this week it's Rein's turn to set the dare and the theme is simple and straightforward;

SUNFLOWERS

We love their happy, sunny appearance, somehow seeing them never fails to cheer, does it? So we'd like to see lots and lots of glorious, cheerful sunflowers on your cards. Poor Rein has had a nasty fall and is very sore and bruised, so hopefully a great big bouquet of sunflowers will cheer her up and bring a smile back to her face.

Here's my card....


The sunflower die cut was made using sunflower dies by Spellbinders. The background layer was edged using the Fiskars lace and lattice corner edger punch and was stamped with sunflower and sun images by Hero Arts. The sentiment is also by Hero Arts. Originally I was going to trim the sunflower and keep the card A2 size. Once I tacked it on the card front though, I decided that I liked the way it looked sticking out beyond the edges and decided to leave it in all its popping-out-of-the-card glory.

Loved the theme, Rein, and I hope that you feel better. :-)

feeling green - DCM

This week's challenge on Daring Cardmakers is feeling green. Here's the scoop from Jozza:

The dare is feeling green. I want to see lots of green on your cards in any shade you like. You could even do a double dare and make a green themed get well card. It's up to you.

Here's my card....


I like to think that this card is doubly green because I used a patterned card stock from DCWV's Green Stack (Hooray for recycled papers!) as well as the shades of green from the dare. The stamped images are by Penny Black and stamped and colored with Memento inks. I cut out some of the stamped petals and popped them out a bit to add some dimension. The border was embossed using a Cuttlebug embossing border folder.

challenge triple play

I've combined two challenges in one card before, so this time I wanted to see if I could incorporate three challenges in one. Here are the ones that I chose:

From daring cardmakers: I dare you to make an Oriental themed card which doesn’t use Red or Black.

From the Cuttlebug Challenge blog: ....this week's Cuttlebug Be inspired #17 is "LOVE".

And finally, I chose to use a card layout from Mojo Monday.

Here's the card....


I used patterned card stock from the DCWV Far East collection. Wouldn't you know it--the flowers look almost reddish there, but they're more brownish-orange in real life. The borders were punched with the Martha Stewart Lattice Arch punch. The stamped images are by InkaStamps and stamped using Memento Potters Clay dye ink. The hearts are Spellbinders Nestabilities die cuts. The subtle texture of two of the panels was made using the Floral Screen A2 Cuttlebug embossing folder. Finally I added some Mizuhiki cord embellishment.

Seems that I've been making much simpler cards lately. It was fun to make one that used more layers and more elements.

"tweet" - Patterned Paper Passion - DCM

It's been ages since I've participated in the daring cardmakers challenge. I decided it was time to get back into it. This week's challenge is patterned paper passion, and the details are as follows: I want to see 3 different patterned papers on your card. And to be extra daring, why not see if you can use 3 different lines of paper!

Okay! Here's my card:


The patterned papers that I used are by Me and My Big Ideas--the big background, Basic Grey Boxer--the green swirly layer, and Die Cuts with a View Green Stack--birds and branches. The stamped images are by Hero Arts and stamped using Memento dye inks. The decorative border of the green layer was made using the Fiskars Effervescence border punch, and I used the plain and scalloped circles Nestabilities dies by Spellbinders to make the top of the card. The partial Nesties technique let me cut out just part of the circle at the top fold so that it would stick out.

I wouldn't have tried this dare on my own, but it was fun to find out that three patterned papers, all by different companies, can really come together and look nice on one card.

white and splash of pink Christmas - DCM

It's been a long time since I've done a daring cardmakers challenge. This one sounded too fun to resist: we are dreaming of a WHITE (and splash of pink Christmas!) I would love you to design a card which includes white mostly (ie: snow, snowmen etc ) and also a little splash of pink somewhere on the card. :)

This is my mostly white with a splash of pink card....


The embossed background is an A2 Cuttlebug embossing folder that I ran through my machine twice since my card is extra long. The die cut is a Spellbinders Labels Two Nestabilities die and the stamped image and sentiment are by Making Memories. The pink ink is a Memento dye ink.


I added a few touches that were hard to appreciate in that first shot. Here's a close up that shows the clear Glaze pen coloring that I used to accent the ornaments. I used a Copic Spica clear glitter pen to accent the garland. I also used the Copic pen to accent the sentiment.

8th Anniversary - DCM

It's been a while since I've gone a daring cardmakers challenge. It's just that time of year around here with a lot of end of the school year activities. I had to chuckle when I saw this midweek dare though. I'd just been to Hancock Fabrics to pick up something school-related and had come across some lace remnants that insisted on making their way to the checkout with me. Perfect!

In short, this is the fourth in their series of anniversary-related themes. This time around it's 8th anniversary time and so the call is for cards using bronze, pottery, linen or lace. Here's mine....


This card was made using the XL scalloped card die by Sizzix. The chipboard scalloped heart was cut out with a Nestabilities die by Spellbinders. The stamped images are all by Inkadinkado and stamped with Memento dye inks. The clear heart rain dot embellishment is by Cloud 9 Designs.

the 7th Anniversary - DCM

It's midweek challenge time on daring cardmakers. They're starting a series having to do with anniversary themes. To keep us on our toes, these anniversaries are being chosen randomly, and this week's is the 7th anniversary, or cards made using wool or copper.

I chose copper, and here's my card.

I used Cuttlebug embossing folders for the background. The copper cardstock die cuts were made with Spellbinders dies. The sentiment is by Inkadinkado. The butterfly antennae are Mizuhiki cord.

Hot & Spicy - DCM

It's Friday, so it's time to tackle the daring cardmakers' challenge! Here are the specifics:

This week's Dare theme is a team effort rather than a challenge just thought up by just one of us. We'd like you to take the phrase "Hot and Spicy" and make of it what you will. It could be colour themed, food themed or maybe have just a hint of saucy spicy-ness

Hot and spicy, eh? I can give that a go. I'm going with color and theme for hot!

Doesn't get much hotter than the sun, and these colors always bring summer to mind for me. The images are all Imaginisce Snag 'em stamps colored with Prismacolor colored pencils. I used my new Megabilities dies from Spellbinders for the scalloped layers. I embossed the main layer with the Cuttlebug Perfectly Paisley embossing folder--see my post on creative Cuttling for the how-to's. I accented the embossing with score lines made with my Scor-It. Finally I added some sparkle to the popsicle with a Copic Spica glitter pen and then attached my Primas with a Robin's Nest Dew Drop at the center.

Doodling with Patterned Papers - DCM

The midweek "challenge" on daring cardmakers is making a card using a tutorial on doodling with patterned papers. Lythan wrote up lovely step by step instructions. I'm not a doodler, but I couldn't resist giving this a try.

First off, I found out that I don't have many bold patterned papers in my stash, but I found some K & Company paper that I thought would work. Here's the pre-doodling phase.


I'd cut out some mini-scalloped circles using Spellbinders nestabilitities dies. I did the doodling on the patterns per the tutorial using a black gel pen and a Ranger Inkssentials white opaque pen. Here's how my card turned out.


It's definitely an out-of-my-comfort-zone creation, but it was fun! The brown layer is the back of the patterned paper. The sentiment is a Posh stamp. I attached the doodled pieces with some pop dots to give them some dimension. I think this is a technique that I'll have to use again. Sure was less intimidating than free-hand doodling. :-)

Butterfly, Flutterby - DCM

Wow, this week's theme on Daring Cardmakers was only posted this morning and I've already got my card finished and ready to post on my blog! It helps that I like the theme, which is Butterfly, Flutterby, or using butterflies on cards in some way, shape, or form.


I like the way that the D'vine Swirls Cuttlebug embossing suggests butterflies fluttering by. I did a diagonal embossing and accented with score lines made with my Scor-It. The die cuts were cut and embossed using Spellbinders butterfly dies on Memory Box Sprout paper. The stamped images and sentiment are by Hero Arts.

Pretty Pastels - DCM

I'm catching up midweek again. For the daring cardmakers challenge, the theme is pretty pastels. I like it! Spring feels like it's on its way, so this is good timing.


The stamped images are by My Favorite Things and colored with colored pencils. I used Fiskars Celestial corner edger scissors on the pink DCWV cardstock layer. I embellished with some bling and added the flower for even more of a spring-time feel.

Flowers that bloom in the spring - DCM

I couldn't resist doing the midweek challenge on daring cardmakers. It's all about the flowers that bloom in the spring, but the catch is no Primas or store-bought blooms. No problem! I'd seen the folded dahlias that people have been making and I've been wanting to give that a try. Now's the perfect time! Here's how my card and my dahlia turned out.


I used patterned paper for the dahlia pieces and cut my circles using my mini-scallops Nestabilities die. The instructions for the folds are here: dahlia fold. The sentiment is by Inkadinkado. By the way, I do realize that dahlias are actually summer blooms but maybe this was a forced greenhouse variety. :-)

Take a Break - DCM

On Friday it was time to Take a Break on the Daring Cardmakers site. Here's how the dare was set: The dare involves creating a card incorporating a tea bag or coffee satchel - just perfect for days when somebody may need a quiet rest and break. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you all create for the dare. I didn't have a coffee satchel, but I had a coffee giftcard, so I cheated just a bit. Here's what I made:


This is actually a take-off of a card that I made a couple of years ago. Didn't think it'd be playing fair to upload that one though. ;-) This was made using a coffee sleeve that came on a Starbuck's to go coffee cup. I placed a glue dot inside the sleeve at the bottom to form a pocket to hold the giftcard in place. The die cuts are from a Sizzix sizzlits set and colored with chalks. I used pop dots to give some of the die cuts a bit more dimension. The light background was embossed with the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls embossing folder. And of course, a coffee satchel could always be placed in the pocket instead of a giftcard. :-)

A little hand stitching - DCM

It's been a snowy day here so the midweek daring cardmakers challenge came just in time. The theme is "A little hand stitching" and is essentially a tutorial on putting hand stitching on cards. Here's a card that I made to go with this theme.

This is actually my first attempt at doing real hand stitching on a cardfront. Usually I do faux stitches with a piercer and gel pens, so this was a new experience for me. It was fun, too! And I don't usually like to sew. LOL! The stamped images are all by Hero Arts. I colored the birds with Copic Spica glitter pens. The embossing was all done with Cuttlebug embossing folders.

I am woman - DCM

Wow, time flies when you do the Daring Cardmakers midweek challenge late in the week! ;-) The new theme is I am woman. Cards should have a feminine image, but there are exceptions! No Tildas, Sugar Nellies, or Bellas. Okay. That works for me. I have some new images that I've been wanting to use and this challenge will be perfect! So, I couldn't make just one--I had to make two cards.


The first card is a Stampinback image on a polished stone background. I used my Diamonds in the Rough and Script Cuttlebug embossing folders on that layer after stamping it. The layer at the top and the cameo are both foil board. I used a Fiskars border punch on the top piece and then embossed it with the Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes folder. A Spellbinders embossing die was used for the cameo. I used black ink to "age" both of the foil board pieces, and interestingly, some of the red color came off, so that added even a little more of a distressed look.


For this card I used chalk inks and dye inks DTP to make the background. The stamp images are all by Mary Mata. I used the Cuttlebug Textile embossing folder on the green layer. I just really like that image of the woman and her umbrella.

Mum's Recipe - DCM

I'm just getting in under the wire for the midweek challenge on Daring Cardmakers. The challenge was to use a recipe that includes two buttons, one ribbon, and a spoonful of flowers, or Mum's Recipe.


I didn't do any stamping to make this card, but I did follow the recipe. :-) The flowers are Sizzix die cuts with button centers. The background was made using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. I embellished with the final ingredient, the ribbon. There is so much fun stuff out there these days that my cardmaking doesn't always involve stamping. This is a good example of that.

Plastic Fantastic - DCM

It's Friday. The weather's been crummy. What a great time for working on a challenge! This week's daring cardmakers challenge is Plastic Fantastic. Here's the dare from Rhi: I dare you to look again at the plastic packaging around you and transform it into a brand new card. It could be food packaging, craft packaging or just something plastic that's destined for the bin or recycling. Trim it, die cut it, alcohol ink it, crop-o-dile it, give it a new lease of life then share it via your blog for us all to see. Happy Recycling! Perfect! I have some plastic packaging that I can put to good use for this one. Sometimes it's good not to be too organized and get things out to the trash.

This first card features a piece of craft packaging that I embossed with the Bloom Dots Cuttlebug folder. The sentiment is by My Sentiments Exactly.


I couldn't resist making one more card from plastic destined for the recycle bin. For this one I used the nightingale and swirls from a stamp set by Inque Boutique. The sentiment is by Hero Arts. The decorative border was made using a Fiskars border punch.


Who knew that recycling could be so much fun? :-)

Oh Sooo Juicy! - DCM

It's time for the midweek challenge on daring cardmakers. The challenge is called Oh Sooo Juicy! and it calls for using lemon or orange toned colors. Here's my card...


The stamp image and sentiment are by Skipping Stones Designs. I colored the flowers with colored pencils. The background embossing was made with the Stylized Flowers Cuttlebug embossing folder. It's a very forgiving design and it's not difficult to emboss a longer piece of cardstock without a seam showing. I loved this theme. It made me think of spring. :-)

Love and Friendship - DCM

Today I found some time to pull out some of my Stampin' Up! stamps to see what I could come up with for this week's challenge on Daring Cardmakers. The theme is Love and Friendship, as well as using Stampin' Up! stamps, if possible. I happened to come across a set that I bought quite a while back but hadn't used yet. Perfect! I also got to use a technique that I don't use often. Even better! Here's what I came up with....


This is the Stampin' Up! Patterns of Friendship set. For the dresses I used some paper piecing. I'm not sure if it shows up well, but the purple is a mulberry type paper and the pink/salmon colored paper has a bit of shine and texture to it. You can probably see that better on the layer with the sentiment. Anyway, I just thought that they were a fun color combination and looked good together.

Love is in the air! - dcm

There's a midweek challenge on daring cardmakers. This week's has to do with romance and, of course, the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday. The challenge is to create a romantic card and use red and black ribbon--love is in the air. This is what I came up with.


The embossing was made using the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls and Perfectly Paisley embossing folders. The stamped hearts are Autumn Leaves Rhonna Farrer stamps.