Thursday, April 28, 2011

April Showers and the Calendar Girls

Welcome to the fifth round with the Calendar Girls!


Who are the Calendar Girls? We are a group of bloggers who want to have a place where friendships blossom, creativity abounds, and encouragement prevails! In keeping with that dream, this blog group has been created so we will have a place to interact and enjoy being fellow bloggers. 


This month hostess is Ms. April, my friend Terry.  The challenge this month was to show me your April Showers. Here are the two requirements Terry set for us:


1—Use an image with a duck, puddle, an umbrella or anything resembling rain or water ~~ that was simple as this Whipper Snapper Designs image is one of my favorites to ink up.


2—Use a fun technique on your cad that is “water related”—examples were a gel, waterfall or wiper card, using watercolors or misting with markers or Crystal Effects~~ Bingo!  I used CE on the boots so they are shiny yellow boots.


So, here is my card for the month. 


Image—Whipper Snapper Designs Umbrella and Slicker and Friends are Umbrellas Sentiment.


Cardstock—SU Only Orange, Gina K Designs In the Navy, Sweet Corn &White, Reminisce Rainy and Colorful designer paper.


Ink—Memento Black, SU Only Orange


Accessories—Square Blue Brads, Yellow ribbon, Copics and Crystal Effects on boots.


Please check out the blogs of all of the Calendar Girls—there are 10 of us, so it might take you a bit, but I am sure you will enjoy all of the April Shower creations.  All of the blogs are listed on my left sidebar.


I hope you enjoy looking at our cards!  Thanks for joining us!!!!!!!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

A Drink a Day Keeps Reality at Bay

This is the third card that I made for Viv’s What is Your Poison-Drink swap on SCS.  This is another of the Rubbernecker stamps with a beverage theme! 

Image—Rubbernecker Stamps Sentiment,  Stampin' Up Cheers to You

Cardstock— Gina K Black, Sweet Corn, White and DP Creative Imaginations Beer

Ink—Palette Charcoal and Burndt Umber


Accessories—Copics, Quickkutz Polka Dot, Punches, Black Brads, Black Taffeta Ribbon

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Here's to What's Important


 here is a close up of the sentiment:

This is another of the cards that I made for Viv’s What is Your Poison-Drink swap on SCS.  I just love so many of the Rubbernecker stamps with a beverage theme--some with alcohol and some with caffeine!

Image—Rubbernecker Stamps Coffee time Set

Cardstock— Gina K chocolate Kiss, Ivory, KI Memories Elise Betty XO (brown piece under mug), Basic Grey Bittersweet Brittle

Ink—Palette Burndt Umber


Accessories—Copics, Pink Brads, Pink and Brown Striped Ribbon, Crystal Effects on Mug

Monday, April 25, 2011


This is one of the cards that I made for Viv’s What is Your Poison-Drink swap on SCS.  I just love so many of the Rubbernecker stamps with a beverage theme!  I also used some new paper—Cryogen White—it gives the look of shimmer.

Image—Rubbernecker Stamps Martini and Sentiment

Cardstock— Gina K Black, Lemon Drop, Fresh Asparagus, Cryogen White and DP Creative Imaginations Martini Toss

Ink—Palette Charcoal, Stampin Up Wild Wasabi


Accessories—Copics, Cuttlebug Spots & Dots, Olive Brad, Yellow Ribbon

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Bubble Bunny--what the Easter bunny is doing today!

Happy Easter--I hope you have a wonderful day with your family and friends................

This is the second card that I made for Lori’s MFT—My Favorite Things swap on SCS.  This is what I imagine the Easter Bunny feels like doing today!

Image—My Favorite Things Bubble Bunny

Cardstock— Gina K Chocolate Kiss, Lemon Drop Bubblegum Pink, White and DSP Best Creations Bunny Love

Ink—Palette Black


Accessories—Copics, SU Decorative corner punch, Bunny Ribbon

Friday, April 22, 2011

Gardener Flopsey

This is a card that I made for Lori’s MFT—My Favorite Things swap on SCS.  I am really enjoying using many of my MFT stamps that have Flopsey on them—such a cute bunny!  I am so ready to get outside to do some gardening.

Image—My Favorite Things  Gardener Flopsey

Cardstock— Gina K Chocolate Kiss, Fresh Asparagus, Sweet Corn, White and DSP-Echo Park Springtime Growing Vine

Ink—Palette Black


Accessories—Copics, Orange, Green and Ivory Buttons, Orange Dotted Sheer Ribbon

Monday, April 18, 2011

Mystery Swap--Round 3

This card is for another round of a  Mystery Swap on SCS.  A group of us are doing a bi-monthly swap where we all use the same mystery image, sent to us by the hostess.  This swap was created by Forest Ranger—Jeanette.  These images were sent to us by Tami, who will swap the cards and send us the next image, provided by Paola!   I can't wait to get the swap cards back to see how everyone else used the same image.  And then we get to do it all again!!!!

This image was fun to color and come up with some designer paper to match.  I decided her yellow shoes need to look bright and shiny, so I added yellow crystal lacquer.


Image—The Angel Company Girl with Umbrella, SU Silhouette Sentiments “Thinking of You” stamped on the ticket Tami included.

Cardstock— SU Pretty in Pink, Old Olive, Certainly Celery, White, Designer Paper

Ink—Memento Black on Girl, Old Olive on Ticket


Accessories—Copics, Yellow Crystal Lacquer on the little girls boots, Old Olive Ribbon, Pink Brads

Friday, April 15, 2011

Dueling Darling Divas April Card---Movie Night


Inside of the card:
Here is my card for Round 9 of our Very Friendly Battle.

What are the Dueling Darlings?  We are a group of friends that met on SCS, travel in each other's swaps and have taken a new twist on crafting to "duel"!

We, the Dueling Darling Divas, have one image/card kit to work with and the other half, the Dueling Darling Dazzlers, have a different image/card kit with the same theme! The object is to see what we came up with using this theme, what stamp was picked and how the Divas/Dazzlers created with it!

The theme this month is “Movie Night”.  The hostess this month is Joan, who sent us these great supplies and as usual, there were many, many to choose from. This month was a bit out of the norm for me and some of the other Divas also said this was going to be a fun challenge—Joan centered the project on the DP Graphic 45-Curtain Call Collection.  It was “entertaining” to think of old black and white movies, even the silent ones of a century ago.  Great Theme and I am so looking forward to see the other creations.

So here are the details on the “Old Time” card I created:

Image—Hampton Arts Stamps

Cardstock—Graphic 45 Curtain Call Collection DP, Gina K Black, Vanilla

Ink—Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories—Photo Corners and a fabric Rose—I colored both with a cream Copic, 2 ribbons-a thin black and gold layered over a wider gold, Orange Bling, Reminisce Red Ticket and 2 swirled brads on a tag on the inside of card

Please be sure to stop by to see the Divas and then your final stop will be a link to take you to see what the Dazzlers created!  We are a big group of 16, so this might take awhile ~ and this is just a friendly joust ~ no winners, certainly no losers! Just a craftin', loveable group of friends taking on a monthly joust at card making! :)




Barb:  You are here!

AND--now for the DUEL! Please start at Jeanette's blog,  which will bring you to the 8 dazzlers 


I hope you enjoy looking at our creations!  Thanks for joining us!!!!!!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

ABAC for April Stamp Club Swap

These are two of the ABAC's I made for our April Stamp Club that meets tonight.  I love the ABAC month to see what everyone else comes up with.

The plastic pillow boxes are from the bridal section at Joann's and I filled them with Hershey Kisses.  I wrapped a red and white striped ribbon around the box and added the "Thanks" sentiment, which a layered over a red oval and a white label.  The word Love is on the pillow box, but I have used these for other occasions too--use that 40 or 50% off coupon to get these pretty cheap.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Simple Joys Card for PTI Swap

This is the second swap card that I made for Jen’s Papertrey Ink swap on SCS.  I received this stamp set two years ago from a secret sister on SCS—she knew I loved gardening.

Image—Papertrey Ink Green Thumb

Cardstock— PTI Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush and White, Basic Grey Blush and Bittersweet

Ink—SU Regal Rose and ink sponged around oval sentiment


Accessories—Quikutz Polka Dots, Pink flower with pink brad in the center, PTI Berry Sorbet Ribbon, Punches-oval, notched corner and photo corner

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Spring Smiles--PTI Swap


This is one of the two cards that I made for a Papertrey Ink swap on SCS.  There are a bunch of sweet ladies who participate in these swaps on a regular basis.  I could not resist using my favorite PTI stamp set—Four of a Kind—the set was available only at CHA last summer and was free with a $100 purchase (not hard to do that with their great cardstock and sweet stamp sets!)

Image—Papertrey Ink Four of a Kind

Cardstock— PTI Spring Moss, New Leaf and White Cardstock, PTI Patterned Paper

Ink—SU Daffodil Delight and Pear Pizzazz


Accessories—Sizzix Tween Daisies Impression Plate, Yellow Button, Yellow Brads and Yellow Ribbon.



Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Rein "Deer" card for Four Legged Swap


One final card Karly’s Four-Legged swap on SCS—whew, that was a lot of swap cards to post (and to make).  I had fun with this swap and cannot wait to see what I get back.  I know it is not the Christmas season, but the category was deer and I went a bit outside of the box.  And, be sure to notice the red smooch on the first reindeer’s nose!

Image—Stampin Up Festive Favorites

Cardstock— Gina K Ivory, SU Chocolate Chip and Real Red

Ink—SU Chocolate Chip


Accessories—Sizzix Merry Christmas 2, Red Ribbon, Red Brads, Red Button with brown floss and Siren Smooch.



Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Cat and Bird Card for Four-legged Swap


One more card Karly’s Four-Legged swap on SCS—one of the six spots that I signed up for.  I really like Whipper Snapper Designs images and this cat is so darn cute!

Image—Whipper Snapper Designs Cat and Bird

Cardstock— Gina K Designs White and Ocean Mist, Stampin Up Barely Banana and Sahara Sand, Basic Grey Max and Whiskers Bubbles Designer Paper

Ink—Memento Black


Accessories—Blue ribbon and Yellow Button Brads

Monday, April 4, 2011

Moochas Gracias Card for Four-legged Swap

And another card Karly’s Four-Legged swap on SCS—one of the six spots that I signed up for.  Being from Wisconsin, I had to make a black and white card for my favorite type of cow—Holsteins.  Those were the type of cows we had on the farm where I was raised—yes, I was a farm-girl!

Image—Stampin Up Udderly Moovelous

Cardstock— Gina K Designs White and Black, PTI Black and White Patterned Paper

Ink—Memento Black


Accessories—Black and White cow patterned ribbon, Black and White Brads, Mint Spica Pen for the grass

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Some Days

Here is another card Karly’s Four-Legged swap on SCS—one of the six spots that I signed up for.  I just love this Whipper Snapper image and the sentiment that goes with it.  Just seems to be one of those days sometimes…………………….

Image—Whipper Snapper Designs Sheepdog & Hydrant and WSD Some Days

Cardstock—SU Early Espresso, So Saffron and Poppy Parade, Gina K Designs White, Basic Grey Max and Whiskers Designer Paper

Ink—Memento Black


Accessories—Copics, Espresso ribbon and Paw brad.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Giraffe Card for Four-legged Swap

I joined Karly’s Four-Legged swap on SCS and took six spots—for six different animals.  There were around 15 categories to choose from and I guess I took some of the more common animals.  It was a very fun swap to do.  I also want to thank my friend Jeanette for the inspiration to put some of the designer paper on a wonky-angle as she has done on a few occasions—I love the effect!

Image—Stampin Up Wild About You

Cardstock—SU Early Espresso and Barely Banana, Gina K Designs White, Reminisce The Wild Designer Paper

Ink—SU Barely Banana


Accessories—Giraffe print ribbon and Giraffe brad.