A BIG thanks to Hero Arts for being this month's sponsor

The Divas and I have decided to say A BIG Thank You to Hero Arts for being our first sponsor.   So here are a few cards we made

Paula L.

Arlene

Dawn

Also a HUGE thank you to all our entrants this month... It's been stunning and we hope to see you back again next month.... Paula is our hostess and she's got a fun challenge ready for you!

and the team at Die Cut Divas

A little peek at some of our entries this month.

Oh my goodness.... we have had a great response to the challenge this month.    68 entries thus far and still 8 days to go.... keep them coming.  You know you can enter up to 4 times each month.  I have to say I am pleased that our winner will be chosen by Random.org!  I wouldn't like to pick a winner.   But today I am going to show you some of my favourites from the challenge entries.

 First up is Judy Jung

 I like the gorgeous spring flowers.  An awesome card Judy

Next I love this adorable card from Lai-Yoke

 Here circle is cut with a die from felt.    Lots of scrummy green on this one.

Now how about this for a gorgeous green card from Cathy A

And finally,  a beautiful pink and green card from Jayne

She used a Hero Arts die cut to make her tag.

I wish I could highlight every entry, but you can go see them HERE  and feast your eyes on all the gorgeous cards. 

Thank you all for entering and remember....  8 days left and you can enter up to 4 times.

and the Die Cut Divas team

Triple Time Tutorial

Today I am sharing with you a tutorial from Arlene on the Triple Time Technique.  Arlene and I first saw this on our friend, Anne's blog.  She had watched a video by Dawn Olchefske which showed how the technique was done.  But she wanted to write it down so she could have the sizes and instructions always with her.

So here's Arlene's instructions

Size                        Stamped panel dimensions        Bottom panel dimensions

           A                                                             B

Smallest               2” X 3 ¼”                                              2 ¼” X 3 1/2 “

Middle                  3” X 4 ¼”                                              3 ¼” X 4 1/2”

Largest                 4” X 5 ¼”                                              8 ½” X 5 ½”                          BASE

All Right Ladies, Start your Engines… oops… cutting.  Cut out all the sizes listed above.  We’ll call the panels that are going to be what I think of as the “top” panels Panel “A”s and the bottom panels (like the panel that becomes the notecard itself) Panel “B”s.

Fold Panel "B"  (base) in half and now you have your note card ready. 

Take all the panel “A” s and tape with Removable tape, largest on the bottom and smallest on the top.  On the smallest panel (A) you may wish to stamp a sentiment first and then start stamping.  Start in the center and work your way around the edges, using a lighter ink because this is your stamped background.   You can use a background, script, or other stamp for background.  Then stamp with a darker ink using a smaller image, like a flower, butterfly or other focal image around the as you prefer.  When satisfied, stop and pull the panels apart. 

Starting with the smallest panel, layer the smallest panels “A” and “B” together, next layer the middle panels “A” and “B” together.  Be careful to make sure the pieces are not upside down when you layer 1^st and 2^nd sets.  Attach the 2 “A/B” panels, smallest on top of middle panels.   Add embellishments like buttons, flowers, pearls & twine (32 inches wraps 3 times around the top panels). To wrap twine, hold twine to left side (for right-handers), starting in front and wrap 3 times.  You can thread the button with the twine.  Tie and make bow.  Trim twine tails on bow.  

Take the largest “A” panel and adhere to “B” Base or note card.

Put dimensional on the bottom of the top panel section that is now one panel and layer to bottom panel.  You are finished.

 

Here is the video

(permission granted by Dawn Olchefske)

Hope you have a go with this technique.  It really is fun. 

and the Die Cut Divas team.

 

More inspiration from Sheila.

I am happy to share another gorgeous card from our Guest Designer, Sheila.  She made us three cards and here is the final one.

Just look at all the detail Sheila has put into this one....

Still lots of time to get those GREEN projects linked up HERE

A video for your pleasure...

Not from me though!.  No video camera.  But my local stamp store ~ Scottie Crafts ~ has a number of videos on their You Tube... and with the kind permission of Adrienne and Wendy, I present to you a "Wendy's World" video.  Please note the video is made to show stock in the store but it gives you some absolutely gorgeous samples and inspiration. 

These Spellbinders De-Lites are available from Scottie Crafts.   I have some and they are the most intricate and beautiful die cuts and are so easy to use on your cards.  I hope this video gives you some ideas of what you can do if you own any of these awesome dies.  And do go have a look at Scottie Crafts videos on You Tube...  Wendy is so talented as are the other ladies who create for the store. And why not go and link up to their newsletter (here).  And their awesome blog Scottie Crafts.  Lots of tutorials and they have an awesome competition going at the moment...

1. Check out our any of Wendy's World

2. Create a project with Wendy's World products

3. Photograph your project step by step and your finalized project

4. Send all your details (name, physical address, phone, images) to HERE to enter the draw. Make sure you keep your project instructions.

5. Watch the BLOG to see your entry

6. Once a month, we will choose 4 winners.

7. The winner's project will appear with instructions on our BLOG & win a "yummy prize"

Don't forget that our challenge is still ongoing... link up your GREEN cards here.

Cheers

  and the Die Cut Divas team

Introducing this month's guest designer...... Sheila!

Die Cut Divas let’s get to know....Sheila Hnilicka!

Tell us a little about yourself 
I live in South Eastern Wisconsin in a very small town.  This past summer I turned 50 which I celebrated by doing a 60 mile Susan G Komen Walk for the Cure.  It was so much fun and I would love to do another one someday.  I have three children...well, not really children anymore as my daughters' are going to be 23 and 20 this year and my son will turn 18 at the end of this month.  Yikes!  That means next September my husband and I will be empty nesters!  I have been married to Joe for 21 years and am looking forward to the next stage of life with him. 

How long have you been a card maker/scrapper and when did you start?
In 2004 my oldest graduated from middle school and the tradition at that school was to make a poster size collage of your child and how they have grown through the years.  I had NEVER done anything like that before and am sorry to say my first attempt at crafting was less than glorious!  My second daughter graduated from the same school two years later and by then I had begun both scrapbooking and card making.  When my middle daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes I needed to find a craft that was more contained and not so spread out while we adjusted to our new routine and that was where cardmaking came in.  It had never occurred to me that adults made their own cards....it was a whole new world for me!


Do you follow sketches or dive right in? 
I would love to say that I follow sketches....I would love to say that because it would make me sound cool and organized and semi-professional but in actuality I usually just dive right in.  I am getting a little bit better at using sketches as a jumping off point or even a jumping off "inspiration" point.  I do think that if I would follow sketches more I would waste time less!
 
 How many projects do you make a week?Ahhhh it would be nice to be able to make several projects a week but in truth  my life often gets so busy that I never make it into my crafting room for a week or more.  I am really (really!!!!) hoping that this changes as my life changes because I feel that crafting "centers" me.....kind of calms me down and keeps the everyday stresses at bay.

What is your favorite tool (what can't you create without) and why?  Great question!  I really, really depend on my Spellbinder Grand Caliber Die Cutting machine....I think that I probably use that every single time that I craft.  I almost always use at least one die in my cards and lately I have been adding more embossing to my cards.  I also use this series of rulers called the "Perfect Layer Rulers"  and these  have a permanent place on my desk.  I probably use these for every single card or scrapbook layout I make.  I love to have multiple matting for my projects and these babies are the best thing around for perfect mat edges every single time.  Lastly, my exacto knife...I use it for everything....cutting, picking up and moving small bits of embellishments...pressing down small glued bits of paper.....everything! 

 What at the moment is your most favorite thing to do on your project?
Hmmmmm......hard question.  I love to color and that is probably my most "go to relaxing" aspect of crafting.  I love to play around with different die cuts and am having more and more fun with assembling cards and using my die cuts in different ways.
 
How would you describe your style?Wow-I have NO idea what my style is except that I know that it is probably not considered Clean and Simple! 
 
What about your style would you change (or not) and why?I think that sometimes I overdo it on cards.....like I don't always know when to stop!  And, that can make for some pretty over the top cards.  I think if I could change anything it would be my "eye" which would become much better at telling me when a card is done. 

 Have you been published or on a Design team - when & where?
 No, I have never been published nor been on a Design team.  I have never submitted anything to magazine or any sort of publishing venue.  It is all I can do to enter the odd challenge here and there!  I am afraid that if I had deadlines the fun of the crafting would disappear! ;-D
 
 Describe your crafting area
My crafting area is split up over two levels.  I tend to be a messy crafter and so I do all my messy stuff in my basement....It would stress me out no end to have the bits and schnibbles of paper and glue and bling scattered all about my house the way it is scattered in my craft area.  Then I have my computer and camera etc upstairs in a little office which faces south and so has wonderful sun.  

 Do you have a blog? 
I do have a blog called Color Me Happy and the title is telling for several reasons.  First of all I just love color.  Secondly I like to surround my self with color as my house is very colorful inside.  And, although I tend to wear black alot I "dress" it up with very colorful accessories....I love the burst of color against a black or white background.  And finally, the title refers to the way I feel when I actually color....coloring is very soothing and calming for me and just generally makes me happy ;-D

Thanks Sheila, it was great getting to know you! 

And now lets have a look at a couple of cards that Sheila has made for the challenge....

 

Aren't these just stunning.....I am always in awe of the creations Sheila does... that die cut machine certainly got a workout with this two and come back next week when I have another card to share from Sheila.

Cheers

and the Die Cut Divas,

More Green inspiration

Maybe it's because I'm hosting this challenge, or that there are lots of other challenges out there that have GREEN as a theme...... but my last few cards have been green.  So I thought I would share with what I've been making.... all including die's in one way or another...

First up is this card I made for my son

This used dies and stamps from Lawn Fawn (Say Cheese set and die) and two different Simon Says ~ one die and one sentiment.  Green paper background was stamped with an older Hero Arts background stamp in Distress ink - Mowed Lawn.  The photo is my son on his third time jumping.... first time over a 1 metre high jump ( about 3ft high)

My second card celebrates Easter.

I used some green water-coloured paper to make the frame using a Spellbinders die.  The PP came with a magazine ~ half one pattern, half the other, so I just trimmed some out of the middle of the sheet...easy as!!   The flowers stamp is from JudiKins - one I've had for years and only used a few times.   I stamped it on some watercolour paper that I had coloured with pinks and golds.  I coloured the image with Copics.  Finished with the sentiment from a Verve stamp set. 

Have you been and seen the entries so far!  Stunning says it all!!!  Look at this page.   And we would love to have you join us.   

And keep an eye here for some up coming posts..... I've sourced some videos to share and our Guest Diva is coming up.