True Friends are like Diamonds!

MORNING!  

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Darlene with you today! 

Does it look like FALL at your house?  It's been absolutely beautiful around these parts but with the wind & rain the past few days, the leaves are falling FAST!

Today I have a card to share with you using one of my favorite 'Friends' stamps and it's perfect for this time of year!

The dies I've used today are:

 Die Versions 'Wee Petites' FALL #DWP-003, 

Memory Box 'Pinpoint Square Layers' #30060, 

Poppystamps 'Frisky Squirrels' #1134

The background panel was created from scraps of fall paper and the

leaves were die cut from a small portion of paper I had left that I created using Ken Oliver's Color Burst.

The 'Diamond' Stickles across the top stands for the True friends mentioned in the sentiment.  And, this time I added the 'optional' squirrels ... LOL!  Aren't they cute!

The squirrels in our back yard have been VERY busy lately ... something tells me the know more of what's coming then we do!!  

Thanks for stopping by today!

Hope you have a FABULOUS day and here's a couple quick reminders!

1.  Don't forget to come join in our Dies R Us Challenge ... you could be our next winner!

2.  For those of you who follow Daylight Savings Time ... Remember to TURN BACK your clocks tomorrow night.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND TRICK OR TREAT!!

Cabin In The Woods

Happy Thursday morning to you!

Seems I have a fondness for cabin dies,

seems I also have a fondness for tree dies.

Put the two together and you can't go wrong.

One of my Design Teammates inspired me to

buy this Medium Forest Archway die

by Memory Box.

Or should I say "enabled" me...!!

The one she used was the Grand Forest Archway die.

I want that one too.

They seem to intermix and work together.

And guess what?

There is also a Small Forest Archway to add,

I adhered the die cut to a scrap paper I had left over.

Bet you can't tell the backside is all pumpkins, can you?

The cabin and trees are from PoppyStamps.

A unique die called Bodington Cabin.

I cut it from a scrap piece laying on my desk.

I also cut it from white craft foam.

giving it that wonderful 3D look the foam adds.

For a pop of color I added red/white twine

with a newly purchased wood button!

Make sure and join us at our Dies R Us challenge blog.

The is more inspiration there and also a great prize up for grabs!

Thanks for visiting with me today!!

Diane

Silent Night, Holy Night!

Hello again, friends!

Another Wednesday has rolled around and since October is nearly over and November is only days away, I thought I would share a Christmas card today.  If you are buying your cards already made, you can wait until the week before Christmas & still get them there on time.  If you are making them by hand, you all know that is quite another story!  I'm already working on mine, & I know a lot of you are doing the same thing!  I'm really curious.....do you choose one card you have made and make all of them like that one or do you make every card different?  I have to do each one differently!

Today's card was an easy one to put together & reminded me of a quiet little house in the woods being visited by carolers sharing the joy of the season with their voices raised in song.  These are the dies I used:

Memory Box Dancing Snowflake Frame 

Impression Obsession Fir Sprigs

Impression Obsession Brick House

Die-Versions Carolers

Although the Snowflake Frame is currently out of stock, you will want to put it on your must have list! It is really a versatile die and can be used several ways.  I was originally going to use it as it was, but when I realized it was 5 1/2 inches tall, I decided to cut it in half & use it as a top & bottom frame for my square card.

I also included a closeup of this beautiful brick house so you could see the embossed detail on the bricks! There are 7 dies in this set, including 2 versions of the cute "gingerbread" trim.  This is one of the cutest houses out there!

Don't forget to check out the Dies R Us Challenge Blog for a chance to win a gift voucher to the amazing store!  A new challenge begins on November 1st!

And when you are thinking about Christmas, remember to think about gift cards to the store for your crafting friends!  Believe me, there is nothing that will bring a bigger smile to their faces!  Especially when they see the selection available! And be sure to tell Santa that YOU would like one too!

Until next week, have a wonderful week!  

Sherri 

Holiday Card Making Time . . .

Hello Dies R Us friends!

Darlene with you today!

I know, I know ... it's Halloween week and here I am pushing holiday cards on you!  LOL

But as you know ... time does fly and there's no time like the present to get started ... right??

So here's an inspirational, festive card I created 'just for you' using dies from the Dies R Us Store.

I am just LOVIN' all the new holiday dies available at the Dies R Us Store.

Here is just an example of two ...

Sue Wilson 'Festive Collection - Snowflake Mini Striplet' ... #CED3036

(SORRY at the time of write up this die was already out of stock ... 

but be sure to check out all the other amazing Sue Wilson 'striplets' ... i.e. Holly Mini Striplet #CED3039)

Memory Box 'Lucca Ornament' ... #98659

I took a few liberties with this design!

As you can see by the image photo, the background (inside) of the ornament 'pops out' creating an outline.

So, I die cut my ornament in one color card stock, 

glued it down to a piece of card stock that would match the background BoBunny design paper

 and 'fussy cut' around the ornament ... 

giving it a solid look vs outline.

I also 'clipped' the top swirl from the left & right ornaments

and reattached them to the middle ornament top.  This gave the ornaments a different look (one from the other) and a little more festive flourish in the center.  Then a dab of light blue Liquid Pearls was added here and there.

It's never too early to get those holiday cards started so be sure to run right over to the Dies R Us Store for all your holiday card making dies.  SO MANY companies are showcased, I'm sure you'll be happy you stopped by!

Don't forget about our Dies R Us Challenge Blog!

New challenges offered on the 1st and 15th of each month.

YOU could be the next lucky winner of a store gift voucher!!

 

Till next time . . .

Perk Up!

Hello, Dies R Us friends!  I hope you all had a good weekend.  I ran around a lot last week so I was happy to stay home, which is where I most love to be, anyway -- puttering around and having myself some crafty time.

I made today’s card for one of the gals I worked with before retirement (so lovely to say that).  I chose this Bugaboo digi called “Coffee Time – Perk Up” specifically for her because she was always so tired.  A good employee, but definitely sleep deprived.



I colored with Copic markers on X-Press It Blending Card.  The image is cut with the largest of the Memory Box Stitched Scalloped Circles and then layered onto a Cheery Lynn Cape Cod Doily.  Yes, the pretty doily is all covered up, but I love the dainty scallop it adds to the edge.

I think I’d be happy if I could add some kind of botanical corner treatment to every card.  I have the most fun making these little arrangements, and I’ve noted to myself to add more branches, sprigs, twigs, flowers, leaves, flourishes and whatnot to my future orders.  The only problem I have with that is making a decision.  The selection at Dies R Us is huge.  Today I’ve used:

• Elizabeth Craft Bunch of Flowers 4
• Spellbinders Sprigs (green leaves – one sprig cut into parts)
• Sue Wilson Delicate Fronds (or try Memory Box Finnegan Fronds.  Love that one, too, and it has a bird with it.)

If anything I used is out of stock as you read this, please know there is lots more to choose from.  The search field at Dies R Us is a fabulous and fun tool.  Type your words in every which way and enjoy what comes up.

Don’t forget to check the the Challenge Blog to see what’s up there.  You might win something if you play along.  Have a happy day!

--- Leslie ---

Winter Wonderland!

Happy Friday Dies R Us Friends!

Darlene with you today sharing a fun Winter Wonderland Shaker card.  I hope you are enjoying the samples I've created for you using dies from the Dies R Us Store

as much as I've enjoyed creating them!!

The dies I have used on today's creation are:

Memory Box Open Studio 'Studio Square Layers' #30021

Memory Box Open Studio 'Shaker Square Frames' #30030

Spellbinder 'Fancy Star' #S2-181

 Yvonne Creations 'Deer' #YCD10029

These Memory Box dies make it so easy to create a shaker card!

Something I've been wanting to do for a very long time!

 My background scene was created with an 'old'  Inkadinkado stamp.

The background design paper is BoBunny 'Altitude Collection' purchased at Hobby Lobby.  I've sponged a bit of Tim Holtz 'Frayed Burlap' distress ink onto my kraft deer and popped up the 'buck' using Recollection pop dots (they pop up a little higher than most).
 
Here's a peek at the inside of my card using the TAG die from the  Sue Wilson 'New York Collection' Border, Corner & Tag set ... #CED4102.

Please remember to come join in our challenge fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog!  A new themed challenge goes live on the 1st & 15th of each month and YOU could be the lucky winner of a Dies R Us Store Voucher! 

 Hope to  see you there!

Till next time . . .

Candy Cane Christmas

I seem to be on a roll with my Christmas card creating,

all the better as you know how busy you are during the holiday season.

I did a similar card layout like this one a week or so ago.

I liked it so much I decided to do another.

I used a designer paper for my background from

Lawn Fawn called Snowday!

I embossed a panel and adhered it to a red card stock

and placed both panels down the center.

I cut my Cheery Lynn Designs Candy Cane

first from white craft foam, 

then again from red card stock.

I love using the craft foam under the dies as it adds 

so much dimension!

I now have a quick and easy card perfect for mailing!

I think this die would be gorgeous cut from

glitter paper, too....

I just might have to gave that idea a try myself!

Visit us here on the inspiration blog to see many of 

the dies in use Monday -  Friday.

Visit (and join in too) our Dies R Us challenge blog for a 

chance to win a $10 gift certificate!

"I" will see you next Thursday!

Diane

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Can you believe Halloween is next Saturday?  Where did the summer go!  If you are still looking for a great idea for your Halloween cards, I have the perfect dies for you today!  I used Impression Obsession Halloween Landscape Layers, Impression Obsession Happy Halloween & Memory Box Stitched Pumpkins for this card.

When you order the Halloween Landscape Layers die, you actually receive 2 fabulous dies!  I've used both of them on this card.  By sponging a little white ink along the edges of the tombstone die, it was easy to create a spooky graveyard scene perfect enough to scare anyone! You could also use just one of these awesome dies for your card too for a completely different look.  Although the Happy Halloween die is currently out of stock, don't stress!  Just type in "Happy Halloween" in your search & you will find other dies you could substitute until this one comes back in stock.

I hope this has encouraged you to begin (or finish) your Halloween cards!  Be sure to check out the Dies R Us Challenge Blog as there is still time to enter the current challenge & win a gift voucher to the amazing store!

Until next week, have a wonderful week!

Sherri

It's Tea Time!

Hello Dies R Us Friends!

Darlene with you today! and it's time to share another inspirational card using dies from the fabulous Dies R Us Store. Today I'm working on some cards for the local Tea Shoppe and came up with this simple, yet elegant design.

Another quick & easy using 1 image, 1 die and a touch of sequins.

As you see, I actually made two cards today.

For the one on the left I used colored card stock for my die cutting to pull in the color from my image.  And, for the one on the right I used a colored card stock base card and die cut in white.

A few sequins sprinkled around and VIOLA!

The die set I used today is the Sue Wilson 'Scandinavian Collection Background' #CED4201. 

Isn't it elegant?

My bird in a tea cup images came from Etsy.

Please be sure to pop over each weekday to see what my die cutting team mates have to share with you!

I have NO DOUBT you will pick up a few very clever ideas from this group of ladies!

And you'll want to be sure to pop over to the Dies R Us Store to see all the newly released dies available.  Lots and lots of awesome dies for your holiday cards too!

Then, why not come join in the challenges offered at the 

Dies R Us Challenge Blog?

A new theme offered on the 1st & 15th of each month with one lucky winner & TOP 3 for each challenge.

Hope to see you there!

Till next time . . .

A Cute Little Kitchen Dress

Welcome to Monday, friends!  I found the cutest die set at Dies R Us recently and I wasted no time sitting down and making a card set with it.  These little dresses with their aprons are full A2 size cards and so darn adorable!  I’ve got one for Christmas and one for fall or Thanksgiving:



The next two are with a spring or summer theme.  I don’t know how long this Frantic Stamper Kitchen Dress A2 Card Maker has been around, but it’s new to me and I just love it.



Bake up a batch of Valentine or Christmas cookies, or a pumpkin pie and deliver it with one of these cards.  Maybe make it as a tag rather than a card.  Or send as a thank you, as a Christmas card or a Thanksgiving card.  Dress it up as a little girl’s party dress.  I didn’t even use all the parts.  There’s a “blue ribbon”, a star, and more.  Very fun!

We’ve got something different every day here on the Inspiration Blog, and two challenges per month on the Challenge Blog.  Currently we’ve got a Halloween challenge going on.  Use any dies and a Halloween theme and maybe win a Dies R Us gift voucher.  Good stuff!  See you again soon!

--- Leslie ---