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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

April challenge reminder


I couldn't resist this stamp after seeing it in the Die Cut Divas' Flickr group. Cathy A's fabulous card is absolutely amazing!   This is my first attempt in creating with this beautiful Penny Black stamp.  I used a little Washi tape because I just had to.  

The card has a wonderful background, but I couldn't resist using the Penny Black panel on top of the MADRID PALACE sentiment.  Simple and easy.  This card is much nicer sitting here on my desk. 

Thank you Cathy for the inspiration.

New Challenge tomorrow!  Stay tuned.  Meanwhile, you have all day today to enter the Die Cut Divas' April challenge which ends at midnight Pacific time (Los Angeles time zone).

Thank you to Scotties for being our terrific sponsor this month.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Thank You Scotties!

I wanted to say "Thanks" to Scotties, the sponsor on Die Cut Divas, for our April Challenge.  I've certainly been making some fun cards for this challenge.  I think I need one little black gem at the upper right.  You know how it is with cards... one more thing.


I'll be hosting the May challenge and it is quite a challenge.  I know it was for me!    Have a great week!

Arlene and the DCD team

Saturday, April 27, 2013

CAS Birthday



Hi Dawn here to share with you a CAS birthday card.  You have 3 more days to get your Washi tape or birthday card entered into this month's challenge!

So here is my card




I used a Simon Says die to cut my daises twice, one with green card and once with the dark wine card stock.  Then I just cut the flowers off one and put on the other.  Layered onto my cream card stock, matted with the wine card and onto the card base.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts.   All that I needed to finish was a few gems.

Thanks to all our entrants this month.... some amazing cards.  Thanks to, to Scottie Crafts for donating the prize pack. 

Remember just three days to go!  And then look out for Arlene's INCREDIBLE challenge!!!!!!


Monday, April 22, 2013

Just some Crazy Washi going on!

Once I got started, I couldn't stop.  I hope I didn't scare you on an early Monday morning...  This was so much fun to color... just a slip and slap of color.  Nothing blended in or even colored the way you should.  I just had to leave this sketchy... yes, color sketchy.

Sentiment:  Friends don't let Friends wine alone.

 Aren't these gals somethin'?  It looks so crazy, it's cute.   The gals are on a rectangular panel I cut on my Cuttlebug. After I mounted the panel, I just started adding Washi tape, every color I had in this design.  The glasses (eye and wine) are all dabbed with Glossy Accents and really pop on the card. This was so much fun to do:)  I was in the mood to color, but to color in a crazy way... Yes, I was successful... Have a good week and don't let any whining get you down.

You can be crazy too!  Remember the April challenge is still going on!  

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Guest Designer - Deborah Nolan

Die Cut Divas lets get to know.............Deborah Nolan   

Tell us a little about yourself -
Hmmm…. I've been married to Spouse for 23 years, and after many miscarriages, we had Gigi, who just turned 11 years old. We three are ridiculously close as we have no near family. I'm a film aficionado, and I rarely watch TV until a series is long over and playing on Netflix. I love to read, sing (especially harmonizing to hymns in the bluegrass gospel style Spouse plays on his mandolin), and I would really like to spend more time in the garden this year.

How long have you been a card maker/scrapper & when did you start?
I started scrapbooking in 2002 after Gigi was born. I was invited to join a LSS Design Team shortly thereafter, and I had to make a card, a tag and a page for each assignment – which is how I started getting into card making. I eventually became much more interested in making cards than scrapbooking. (I suspect this is because the canvas is much smaller.) J ·



Do you follow sketches or dive right in?
I start with a sketch – although I don’t seem to be very good at following it once I get going. This can be very annoying, and no matter how I well I'm doing, it’s almost inevitable for me to decide a lower layer needs to be changed, so I do a lot of repositioning. · How many projects do you make a week? It depends on our family’s schedule. If the rest of the world isn't intruding into my free time, I make 3-5 cards per week. (Note that I didn't say I make 3-5 good cards per week.) · 

What is your favourite tool (what can't you create without) & why?
Asking me to limit it to one tool is just plain mean! It’s a toss-up, probably, between two tools that help me with my glue issues – and I just realized I don’t know the name of either of them! (How sad it that? I had to go hunt them down online.) The first one is the only thing I have from Creative Memories… the Multi-Purpose Tool. (Real descriptive name, eh?) It’s about 7” long and has a flat, narrow body made from a mildly flexible plastic that can be used like a spatula to slide between two adhered items to gently pry the top one loose. (Remember how I said I reposition things a lot? This is what keeps them from getting mangled or bent.) The other item is a Xyron Adhesive Remover. This is a rubbery 2”x2” square that will remove most dried adhesives. Since I tend to somehow get bits of glue everywhere, this is a LIFESAVER. I’ve also found that it’s pretty good at removing light applications of Ranger Distress ink. (BONUS!)



What at the moment is your most favourite thing to do on your project?
I’ve really started to get into paper-piecing lately – either by fussy cutting or with dies. (I prefer the later as I’m lazy and love the perfection of a die-cut edge.)

How would you describe your style? Non-existent. (Elusive at best, AWOL at worst.) Seriously, I envy some of my friends because I can spot their work a mile away. Kelly Booth, Donna Mikasa, Lucy Abrams – all are great cardmakers with distinctive (and KILLER) styles – whereas I’m all over the place. I can say that I’m drawn to the clean and simple school, that I tend to choose colors that are exactly opposite one another on the color wheel for maximum pop, and that I am very keen on using a large mat as my first layer.



What about your style would you change (or not) & why?
I would really like to have one, for starters. I think I get a little anal with my color matching, and I’ve always been stumped by patterned paper. I recently took Jennifer and Kristina’s online class, Pattern Play, and this was SO helpful. I don’t think I learned anything new, per se, but it gave me the ability to harness all those different bits of knowledge and mentally organize them so they’re working together in a more efficient way. It’s like I defragmented my brain.

Have you been published or on a Design team - when & where?
 I have been published multiple times in Take Ten, The Stampers Sampler, Somerset Studio, Cards, Paper Trends, and Paper Crafts specialty publications. I’m currently a Design Team member for Memory Box and The Craft’s Meow, and I’m a staffer at Scrapbook News and Review.

 Memory Box
The Craft’s Meow
Scrapbook News and Review



Describe (pictures are even better) your crafting area
My creative space is ½ of a room in our unfinished attic and has no heat, no AC, and almost no natural light because the chimney shaft blocks the only window – which is pretty dang small. (Oh, the humanity!) I threw convention out the window a few summers ago and sponged the unfinished walls on my side with paint because I just couldn’t take the ugliness any longer. I still don’t have trim or baseboards, but I can live with that for now. Since the dormers start 4’ from the floor, my vertical real estate is limited. I’ve arranged my most-used tools and supplies in three strategic spots: hanging from a pegboard above my work surface, nesting in my tool carousel to my left, and stored in multiple drawer units to my right. I like to keep staples within arm’s reach. Also to my left are my stamp pads and a Cropper Hopper hanging file box that holds my paper scraps by color. I can easily pivot on my stool if I want to stitch a card on the sewing machine, and, If I want to heat emboss or die cut, the necessary tools are located about three feet away. (I have since replaced the Big Shot in the picture with a Vagabond, btw. You can also get an idea of what the walls used to look like in this picture.) These pictures are at least two years old, but everything is pretty much the same – although I have some rain gutters (for ribbon storage) that I want Spouse to install on the slanted dormer wall.




Do you have a blog? If not where can we see more of your fabulous creations?
The Society of Stampaholics (or SOS because these initials privately refer to Save Our Sanity).  SOS

 Do you host any challenges? Please tell us about it/them.
  I host a monthly, international card exchange called the Card Chain Challenge. You have until the 17th or so each month to sign up, with a reveal of all participant’s cards on the 1st of the following month. Each participant makes and sends a card to the person above her on the sign-up list (the first person on the list sends her card to the last person on the list so it comes full circle). The challenge is very rewarding since everybody “wins” and at least one person actually does win a prize (usually a stamp) from a random drawing of the participants. You should definitely come and sign up for this month’s challenge!

Thank you Deborah for being our Guest Designer for April & don't forget about her fabulous CCC that Deborah holds every month.  I can tell you it is a lot of fun - maybe not so much for the postie (he doesn't like being stalked lol).

Monday, April 15, 2013


The Code at an LSS - Buy!

One should never stop by one's local stamp shop (LSS), just to pick up an order without surveying the new items in one's LSS.  And one never surveys, patrols the aisles, or browses, WITHOUT BUYING.... And I live by that code!  I picked up my Hero Arts re-inkers AND three other things....

Lawn Fawn "You've Got Mail" set (already in it's plastic CD sleeve)
Two die cuts - Hero Arts Skyline (D1079) and
Impression Obsession - butterflies

I didn't put a thin mat in when I used the Skyline die and came up with windows that were not cut all the way through.  Still, I thought I might be able to highlight the windows with distressing it.  I went tooooo far and used the ink pad itself.  However, I found my "pink" side and decorated it with Washi tape.  I stamped the Fawn Lawn Postcard and sponged with the same Distress ink, cut it out and wondered what to put the panel on.  The little stamps in the set were perfect and once I smudged a spot with my stamp, I smudged more and more ..... So the result of all this smudging is below. . .


My building looks like a cake... So be it!  For a stumble along card, I really like it.  Remember to join in on the challenge - make a birthday card or make a card with Washi tape.  Of course, if you want to be more creative, go for it!  Click on the Current Challenge badge on the sidebar to see the challenge rules.

Recipe:
Lawn Fawn "You've Got Mail"
Hero Arts "Anytime Messages" CL129
Washi tape - 4 different tapes, 2 long strips along the side and 3 on and under the building
Distress Ink "Worn Lipstick" and "Pumice Stone"

Friday, April 12, 2013

ATC Time in the CIty

It is ATC time, but the city???  cowtown?   Well, Sacramento, yes.  The Stamp Convention will be here in Sacramento, California, USA this weekend and I'm going to submit my ATC to be judged.  I may not enter this one, but, more than likely I will.  I don't have anything other than this idea floating around for now.

My ATC:

This may look large here, but this is 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  Some "Spare Parts" arrows sit on a round die-cut that I cut out of the same background paper, it is sitting on.  I couldn't believe my luck that one of my circle Spellbinders was perfect AND that the cut was so good.  I love the Hero Arts sentiment as it fits very well, along with some embellishments - twine, Washi tapes and clear gems colored black and yellow.  Helping the yellow is a dollop of yellow Stickles.  I like the way it turned out.   Just having fun with Washi tape.  Hope you do too.

Of course if you use either Washi tape or something for a Birthday, you can enter the challenge this month on our blog.  See the sidebar for the current challenge and click.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

A Way to Store Clear and Cling Stamps



I thought I'd share a post from my blog.

I have been looking for a good storage system for my clear and cling stamps.   Everyone knows Jennifer McGuire is always on top of things and wondered what exact storage she was using.  Getting a peek at the handy dandy storage drawers and tidy, neat way she keeps her stamps was like finding the proverbial "gold mine."   See Jennifer's post on April 4, 2013 here.

I traipsed over to my local Office Depot with a printout of the exact CD Sleeves she used.  I knew if it worked for Jennifer McGuire, it would definitely work for little ol' me.  Her containers are perfect for storage, however, I didn't think I wanted to pay $23 for the container to hold the CD sleeves, so I went to check on Office Depot containers.  EUREKA!

I think my Really Useful Box will work out better for me than the one Jennifer has because I can literally pick up my stamps and go. I also have fewer stamps than Jennifer McGuire.  I could not find the 11 liter box online at Office Depot, so have linked you to the company that makes it in the U.K.   I think any container  12 inches (30.48 cm) interior width will work to hold the CD sleeves.  The sleeves are just barely over 11 inches (27.94 cm) wide and about 7 1/4 inches (18.415 cm) tall.  Those conversions should be right.

Here's what my container and repackaged stamps look like now:

Repackaged clear stamps in CD binder page

Repackaged Cling stamps in CD binder page 

Labeling System: Brand name on top and Name of stamp with Stamp # on bottom

As you can see, the container is less than full for now!

Here's what I like about this container - I can take my stamps with me!

The container is a Really Useful Box - REALLY!

I just stood the container upright to take to my friend's house to stamp.


Visit Jennifer McGuire to see her wonderful storage room and stamp filing system.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Some more Washi inspiration

Hi Dawn here.... I've made another card with Washi Tape that I want to share with you.



I got this lovely tape from Nancy a year or so ago, and never used.  It's gorgeous and about an inch wide.  I but two stripes across my card with a gap between that I covered with the ribbon.   I used a Penny Black stamp to make my focal point.  I cut it with a Spellbinders die and then used a slightly large circle die to mat.

Washi comes in all sorts of sizes and designs and can be used in lots of ways on your projects so please join us with in our challenge.


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Guess What I Found Today? SoS....


The Society of Stampaholics is at it again... the CCC...
.

April 2013 Card Chain Challenge Sign-Up!

You have to visit Deborah to see all the ways you can win, not only a WIN by receiving a wonderful card from somewhere in the world, but....... nah, I won't tell, go here!
I loved the sketch and may I say?   artistically altered it.  hehehe

2013-04    

I had some map paper from an old Thomas Guide of California and had glued a page onto sturdy card stock.  I rummaged through my die-cuts and found a Spellbinders film strip that I have rarely used.  Blink!

It's also time for the April Die Cut Divas' challenge to either submit a project for a birthday or use Washi Tape (of course you need to use an embossing folder or die-cut to participate) on your project.  I laid down two strips of the great wiggly-lined Washi tape on each side under the die and cut!  But what to put inside the cut portion???  Nothing but Y O U.

Recipe:
Hero Arts Anytime Messages CL129  - sentiment
Cuttlebug
Spellbinders film strip
Cuttlebug Dies - Provo Craft Olivia alphabet
Washi Tape

Just an example of using Washi Tape in another way.  Drop by Deborah's blog and enter the CCC.  Your Divas love it.

Arlene and the Divas

Monday, April 1, 2013

Drum Roll Please...... the Winner is......

#83  Maureen

I've sent you a Filickrmail message so we can get your prize out to you...

And just because we had such a great response I have 4 little RAK's for the following

#35  Kim H
#31 Betty
#21 Weenie Thomas
#6  Lisa (The Purple Place)

I will make contact with you to get your address so my little something will arrive.

Thanks to everyone for participating and making our challenge for March so successful.

Dawn and the Divas




Washi Birthday Challenge for April

Hi Lovelies,

It's Paula here to host this month's challenge.  As the title says this month we are challenging you to use Washi Tape on your project or make a Birthday project.  Or if you want you could do both, it's that simple. As long as you have a die cut or embossed area you are eligible to enter.  If you are new please go to our Contest Rules Page for full details.

This month we are so lucky to have Scottie Crafts as our sponsor.



Scottie Crafts has a wide range of Scrapbooking & crafts at really good prices & has a great customer service.   You can find out more about them here & their newsletters here.  Scottie Crafts also do Internet orders so if you see anything you like you can order online.  Below is the wonderful prize they are offering for one lucky person.  Thank you Dawn for organising this.



Here are some samples from our wonderful Divas to inspire you:




Arlene Mc

Dawn

I can't wait to see what you all come up with.  Don't forget to stop by my fellow Divas & leave them some love.  Have fun & happy crafting everyone.