Dawn's Planning Early

Dawn is getting ready for Mother's Day in May.  She's way ahead of me.  I guess I better start on Mother's Day cards myself.  

Dawn made two cute cards for Mother's Day and these are just the cutest.  The little sweethearts have some flowers especially for their mom.  So sweet and special.

A lot of us will be celebrating Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May, in the US and New Zealand on May 13th.

I have to be honest.  I forgot Mother's Day was in May.  It took Dawn to remind me.   Thank you, Dawn.

Thank you to Bugaboo Digi Stamps for sponsoring Die Cut Divas this April.

Arlene and the Die Cut Divas

Farewell is not Goodbye

Farewell to one of the founders of the modern Die Cut Divas' challenge blog, Paula Laird.  We're going to sorely miss her.  Paula has a lot going on at this time in her life and she may wish to jump back into her Diva spot at another time.

Arlene here.  Paula is the one who pushed us from the Flickr group onto the blog that Linda Regenboog created for the group.  Linda has given us the care of the Flickr group and this challenge blog and Paula changed things, created buttons and started us out on our first tentative steps.  You know how friendships grow and Paula is my friend, just going to miss her input and personality on this blog as a DT.  Here is the "Thank you" card I sent out to her.  To sweet Paula.

From Arlene

Now it's my turn.... Dawn here saying farewell to a woman that deserves the title "Diva".  I got to know Paula through the Flickr group of Die Cut Divas and was thrilled to assist with the challenges there and now on this blog.  I have also had the thrill of meeting Paula for real.... The first time nearly 4 years ago when she had a two week old baby!  (My, Paula, hasn't the time flown by!) and then again in September 2012 I got to spend a whole day with her, talking and visiting her local stamp store and doing some crafting too.  I can tell you, this is one LOVELY lady.  Paula, I will miss you here on the blog, but I can tell we'll be friends long time.  Next time I'm in Mooloolaba you can guarantee I'll be popping in for tea and card making!    Here's the card I sent Paula to say thanks for being such a fabulous Diva.

 

 

  When Paula and I first became "web buddies" via Flickr she encouraged me and was there for me, and encouraging me when I felt my art wasn't good enough, she even shipped supplies to me overseas. And when I joined this lovely group she made me welcome, her input and idea's always so clever.

Paula I want to thank you first and foremost for your friendship, and for your time and effort helping our little blog grow. ~Hannah

 

 

To Paula from the other Divas.  We love you.



Video, You Say?

Paula's Challenge Photo - Aren't those color bright and vivid?

Hannah has made some videos and I thought we could start off the day with a video on making a calendar.

If you're new to the Big Shot, see Hannah's video on the Big Shot.

I thought I might post some entries that captured the essence of the photo.

Nana Connie's card shows off the colors of a beautiful bird here.

There may not be a bird here, but the colors really pop!

Vanita Jain's delightful card follows the colors in the photo.

I spied Martina's Kaartjes entry - what a fun scene  I see Martina was thinking habitat for birds

Last, but not least, look what Muddy Paws and Inky Fingers did!

The colors are so bright and cheerful.  Who cares if it rains?

Hannah had a video she was going to show you, but you know how sometimes things work and sometimes they don't.  This was a DON'T MOMENT!.  Anyway, it won't work, so I thought I would do what Hannah does when she's hostess - show off some entries.  I chose cards that I thought brought the photo home the most.  I have to admit that my cards followed the colors more than the photo.  Winner will be chosen and posted on May 2nd.  Still plenty of time to enter. We'll get Hannah's video on in May.

Arlene and the Die Cut Divas

A Party to "Die" For

Who says dies are just for cards or scrap pages? when I got my first few dies that was the only way I knew how to use them, but I have since learned their versatility.

My church is having a Women's breakfast in May for Mothers day and I was asked to help with some of the decoration's much to my delight (I do love a good paper challenge)
I was assigned the job of making place cards and a program cover, our theme: "Daughters of the King"
So I began racking my brain with idea's, originally the place cards I had were pieces of white cardstock with a stamped crown colored in with copics and not only did it take lots of work but it just looked cheap, and wasn't going to go with the royal purple color scheme, so I browsed through my silhouette inventory and came across this crown image.

There was no doubt in my mind as to how I could make in work, so I cut out 3 or 4 sheets of the crowns in a deep "royal purple cardstock and stamped the fancy swirls background in gold over several at a time  on another sheet of plain white I die cut 2 pages of fancy labels and gilded the edges with the same gold ink. To make it stand up, using the purple scraps I cut little rectangles of 1 1/2 x 2 inches scoring them at 1 inch and folded them to make a stand and adhered it to the back of the crowns.


This program cover was my favorite as well as the easiest, I started with the purple cardstock cutting it a 1/4 inch smaller then a normal A2 card size (unfolded) stamping that same swirl background in gold as I used for the place cards

 

I printed out the girl, a Bugaboo digi stamp I believe called pretty dress, and colored her with copics and carefully cut her out and die cut a fancy label stamping the verse: I will be a father unto you and you shall be...My Daughter 2nd Corinthians 6:20.  Again gilding the edges with the gold ink.

After I finished I turned it in to my friend Katie who put the booklet together, I only wish I could show you our finished project. She covered it with a piece of vellum and a pretty gold bow.

 

 

Lastly I made this to decorate the tables, their original use was to be muffin wraps but we decided that was to many to make. Unfortunately I was having a difficult time taking a picture so this was the best I could get.



Supply list:
Royal Purple Cardstock
White Cardstock
Gold Vellum
Gold ink
Copic Markers
Silhouette images: Crown, Muffin wrap crown, Fancy labels.
Stamps:
Our Daily Bread Daughter of the King
Hero Arts Flourish background
Bugaboo digi's Pretty dress


I hope you get a chance to use your dies making fun paper crafts and decorations, it is so much fun.

Thanks for Stopping by
Hannah
 

Surprise! It's Guest Artist Day

Introducing our guest artist, none other than Hannah Nicole, fellow Diva.  Hannah's been part of this team since the Die Cut Divas' challenges began.  I'm so happy to introduce Hannah!

First up, a sample of Hannah's cards.  This cup of flowers is one of my favorite images.  I love how Hannah followed Paula's color scheme for this month's challenge. 

Tell us a little about yourself

My name is Hannah, I am a substitute teacher at a preschool/daycare, and a Sunday school teacher, and besides card making I like to sew, do photography, play piano, and I also do archery, I was never able to stick to one thing so I just do them all lol 😉

I think all of Hannah's hobbies are cool, especially archery.

How long have you been a card maker/scrapper & when did you start?

I started in 2006 after purchasing a few cheapy rubber stamps, and had fun so I began surfing the web for more stamps and came across Hero Arts, which I shadowed for awhile but after I bought my first acrylic stamp, I was hooked and the rest is history.

Do you follow sketches or dive right in?

For the most part I just dive right in, I see a stamp and a piece of paper and I immediately having ideas popping in my head. But I’ll often draw a sketch to use later, especially when I’m at work and get an idea I want to do when I get home.

Sometimes I just have NO ideas popping, but Hannah sure does!

How many projects do you make a week?

As of right now only 1 if I’m not too busy, but sometimes I can make up to 6 a day if I have the free time or a quiet weekend.

What is your favourite tool (what can't you create without) & why?

Ooh I have at least 3 most favorite tools so it’s hard to pick #1

I always reach for my ink blending tools, my Tim Holtz precision scissors, and my Xron adhesive gun.

What at the moment is your most favourite thing to do on your project? 

Stamping and coloring people images, I have always had a thing for drawing and coloring people, since I was little.

How would you describe your style?

I guess you might say clean and simple, I tend to forget to use ribbon, or gems and buttons, and hardly ever pattern paper (which I have tons of). I like to make a focal point with a subtle background.

What about your style would you change (or not) & why?

I would like to be able to add more detail to my cards, everytime I do it just seems so out of place and crazy.

Keep on doing what you do!  See Hannah's card below.  I think her use of space is excellent.

Have you been published or on a Design team - when & where?

I have never been published as I’ve never tried to yet, however I am on the design team of this very blog, which I thoroughly enjoy.

And I am ever so grateful Hannah is on this team.

Describe (pictures are even better) your crafting area

My craft room is also my bedroom so not the largest space, I’m currently looking on Craigslist for some shelving.

One has to have art in one's life!

So glad to see your crafting area - one doesn't have to have a lot of room to bring art into the world.

What a fantastic idea add your art to your walls.

Do you have a blog? If not where can we see more of your fabulous creations?

I do have a blog which sadly has been “getting dusty” with no use for quite some time, but am really hoping to get back to that, my Flickr photostream has suffered much the same.

http://hannahscraftnook.blogspot.com/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahscardart/

Thank you so much for letting us get to know you a little more.  

Arlene and the Die Cut Divas

Happy Birthday to Marcy

I had just finished making this birthday card and found out it was Marcy's birthday so I sent it right out last weekend.   Marcy has probably received her card so I'm posting it now with a second Happy Birthday wish. Here's hoping all your birthdays will turn out like this one.  I spotted your reply on the Hero Arts Flickr threads that your birthday was quite magical.

Here's to magic, birthday magic.

I didn't think I'd be using this birthday image very soon, but she went out the day after I made this long oval card.  It still fits in an A2 envelope without a problem, the next oval up would not have.

Recipe:

Bugaboo digital image - Fancy Sunbonnet Cake

Oval dies - QuicKutz Cutting Dies - nesting ovals

Happy Birthday - Elizabeth Craft Designs Dies

Stickles

Copic markers

Happy Easter to All

Die Cut Divas Sponsored by Bugaboo Digi Stamps

Easter Sunday falls on April 20, 2014

Is this not the cutest Easter card?  First time I saw this, my heart just melted.  Love the purple bow.  What a fun image and I love the colors.
This one is Bunny and Chick from Bugaboo

And isn't it super cute on this little gift basket

Happy Easter to one and all.

Arlene and the Divas

What was I drinking?

 I'm posting two cards today.  The first one makes me wonder, that's it, just makes me wonder....  Obviously something green is giving the patient butterfly effects.  A great gag card.  I think she's fun and her face just says it all.   The digitals are all from Bugaboo Digi Stamps.

Close-up

Second card is for those coffee lovers. 

 I definitely think this is fun coffee humor for that person who MUST have their first cup of coffee.

Close-up

Hope you liked the fun cards today!

Arlene and the Die Cut Divas

Ladybug, Ladybug

Bugaboo has crazy stamps and then there are some just charming stamps that make me just sit back and bask in the the lovely glow of sweet satisfaction.  Such is the image below that Dawn brought to life.  This is such a fun scene to color.   Scene it - Ladybugs will make you smile and think of spring.

Color just brings out the the flowers and little ladybugs.  

Dawn at Dawn's World

I thought I would try the one flower and a ladybug.   

Arlene at A Bit of This and That

I just love the images and the colors.  Hope you like these.  Enjoy the spring.  We had no idea we would be using such similar colors.  Great minds, as they say.

Arlene and the Die Cut Divas

Stamp Convention in Sacramento, California April 12 - April 13, 2014

Stamp Convention in Sacramento, California.  You still have time to go today!

I entered the ATC contest with this ATC:

 The Deep - ATC -  Winner 2nd Place

$20.00 to buy from any vendor

 ATC with matte black Dreamweaver Paste

Background was made in a JudiKins class

I was going to enter this one (I made the top to exchange with a friend)

I can't find this one.  I swear it was in my purse.  

I splurged on picking up a die.  Woohoo

Arlene and the Die Cut Divas

Fabulous at 40!

This fun image is from our April sponsor, Bugaboo Digital Stamps.   Ruby Fabulous 40 is just one of the hip, cool, outrageously fun images at Bugaboo Digi Stamps.  I know you can't tell unless you look very closely, but I paper pieced Ruby on top of her flat image to give a little depth to her.

Close-up of Ruby where I think you can tell she's paper pieced on top of the same image. A bit of Glossy Accents for the dress and boots makes her look a bit more fab!

I just had fun with this.  Hope you enjoyed Ruby dropping by.

Twenty-Nine Again?

As the sentiment goes, "talk about recycling", how about recycling a tissue box, not the birthday girl!  The panel behind the numbers 2 and 9 is a recycled tissue box.  YES, I'm back to recycling.  I'm finding some great and fun patterns, so I can't help but use one.  

This fun image is from Die Cut Divas' April sponsor, Bugaboo and I loved the sentiment.  Someone must be turning TWENTY-NINE again somewhere!  I'll be ready.  Hope you enjoyed this bit of recycling in your life.
                                                                         Closeup  

If you found this image to be fun, here's where you can find Stella at 29.  I know this would tickle many of my friends.

Come CCC with Me on SoS

Join in with friends and visit Society of Stampaholics to exchange cards with other card makers from around the world!   I first got to know Deborah Nolan from the Hero Arts group, one of the nicest stamp communities around.  Deborah established a very successful Card Chain Challenge (CCC) on her own blog and then she successfully took it to a group challenge blog which unfortunately had to close.

NOW, Deborah is working on rebuilding the CCC on her own blog at the Society of Stampaholics.  You have until the 16th of April to join in the group.  Do NOT put the card you are making on the link so your card will be a surprise for the recipient.  I

t's FUN and don't you like to receive a card from someone who knows the labor of love that goes into card making?   Here is the direct link to the CCC post.  Come join the fun with me.  Always something new to create!

Arlene and the Divas invite you to visit our friend and join in on the fun!

We've had a rainy week, Can't you tell?

Yes, Bugaboo Digi Stamps is the Die Cut Divas' sponsor for April, but I love the Fancy Bonnet gals.  I don't know why, but I find them fun.  I start to color and all of a sudden I've completed an image.   I really like the way this gal turned out.  The background note card is a deep green dabbed with Distress paints in Picket Fence, Salty Ocean and I think the last is Mowed Lawn.  I made this background for another card and absolutely hated it.  But it works here.  Dabber rain?   I sponged on Shabby Shutters Distress Ink for the background on the oval Spellbinders die-cut after coloring the image with my trusty Copics.

We've just had rain here all week and I feel just like this little gal below, drenched, all bundled up, drops falling on my head in a world of green haze with water between my toes.

Love working with the Fancy Bonnet Gals. 

Bugaboo Digi Stamps - Fancy SB Umbrella

The sentiment is from Hero Arts Enjoy Today set (CL759) - I'm finding I'm using the messages to this set quite a bit.  I think the sentiment is perfect.

Cuttlebug
Spellbinders Ovals

Arlene and the Die Cut Divas

March Winners

Without further ado our winners are

$20 gift voucher for Little Blue Button Stamps

 Susan from Mix's Meandering

and the $ voucher goes to:

Very Belle

Ladies please email me at
dawn.turley@gmail.com and I will arrange for your voucher codes.

Congratulations to our winners and a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who entered.  All your projects deserve be winners.

Dawn & the Divas

What's April got up her Sleeves?

Hi Lovelies,

This month we are sponsored by Bugaboo Digital stamps.  I think I'm in heaven, I have been addicted to their stamps for quite some time now.  I find them so wonderfully drawn & fun to colour.  Plus the humour is right up my alley.

My challenge is based on these crazy characters, Rainbow Lorikeets.  This is a photo I took of them just recently.  I am constantly in fits of laughter at what they get up to in the late summer afternoons (they often fight upside down).  I think of them as colourful clowns.  I;m so lucky to have a huge tree in my yard that they love to feed on.  So every summer between late November, early December through to March if it's really dry inland, we get them visiting us.  It's great fun to sit on the veranda & watch them.

So I am going to challenge you to make a project from this photo.  It could be the birds, the colours, trees/gardens, nests................the ideas are endless.  I'd love to see what you have created.

Now onto what my fellow Divas' have created to inspire you.

Arlene took her cue from the colors


Dawn's keeping a little girl out of the rain from the leaves


Hannah's cowgirl is dancing to the wild music!

Remember, you have to use a die-cut or something embossed from your machine.  You do NOT have to use a Bugaboo Digital in your creation.  However, if you use a Bugaboo Digital, I will award 2 chances to win.  You MUST also let us know if you are using a Bugaboo stamp or you won't be awarded your extra chance.  Do remember that Bugaboo has free digital stamps on Friday.

Paula and the Divas 

An InLinkz Link-up