[DYSU] Challenge #104 - Final Challenge: Turquoise

Hello DYSUers. I'm writing my greeting with a heavy heart, because this is the last time I get to make that little shout out. If you have been following us, you know this is our last challenge. I have had an amazing time here on the DYSU team and I have a few things I wanted to say "thank you" on this little blog-o:

• To my team mates (current & past members) - you have been super wonderful in every way: the inspirations that you deliver, the camaraderie, the new friendships, and the wonderful support from this group is one of a kind. I really will be staying in touch!
• To the many supporters & fans: you have made this challenge fun, kept returning every week for more, and given it your creative all. Thank you to you guys for also making this an place full of inspiration & beautiful creations
• To the amazing sponsors: without your generosity, we would not have been able to make all these great projects and been able to reward our fantastic players. I also had a chance to work with many of you, who have been absolutely fabulous.
• Last to Alison: the brave, creative woman who started this all and given me a chance of a lifetime when she picked me to be on the team. I wish you much luck, success and happiness with your stamp company TAWS and TAWS Challenge.

Before I start tearing up, I better get to my card for this last challenge. We like to go out on a bang, so I decided to make a card that celebrates the DYSU journey. This particular digi is actually from the talented Elizabeta Kushner. If she sounds familiar, it's because she makes her own Craotian Stamps, designs for The Craft Meow, and runs an Etsy store for non-profit. If you are interested in reading more about Elizabeta's non-profit initiate, please read here. I really learned a lot about Elizabeta's initiative and am really inspired by her.


Stamps: (Doodled Leaves) Elizabeta Kushner; (Say It Loud) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Kraft, White; Stamper's Select Vellum) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (Versamark) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Gelly Roll - White) Sakura; (Stamp 'n Stuff Embossing Powder - White) Stampendous!

First I printed off the design on kraft card stock and colored in all the leaves in an array of greens, blues, aquas and turquoise. Then ran a white gel pen over each contour. The whole coloring session was quite therapeutic, since I got to listen to Christmas music in the background (Pandora set to "Transiberian Orchestra" station).

The kraft panel is mounted on a bit of white card stock, and the vellum strip is heat embossed with a bold sentiment. I think the vellum gives it a nice way to re-introduce the white in levels of intensity (e.g. vellum for transparent white, followed by a heat embossed strong white). I like this look, since the details of the leaves (and the sweat & effort in the detailing) are not hidden behind a strip of solid card stock. But that's just my two cents ;)



Remember that is our last challenge, so link up and help us go out on a bang. Let's make this a celebration and come leave a sweet comment to our two special Guest Designers: Please welcome Jessi Fogan and Deborah Frings - two of our most faithful players since I have joined the team. Last, I'd like to invite you to hop on over to see the amazing creations by the rest of the DYSU team. It's your last time to leave the Design Team some love :)

This week's sponsor:

Rhoda Design Studio

* $15 gift certificate to spend on Cutting Files or Digis

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps

* $10 Gift Certificate

The Stamping Boutique

* Winner's Choice of 3 Digis

Elizabeta Kushner 

* Winner's Choice of 3 Digis

[DYSU] Challenge #103 - Anything Goes

Hello DYSUers. Wow - can you believe we are at Challenge #103? This is our second to last challenge. And this one should be fun since it's an Anything Goes challenge. It's that last minute dash towards Christmas, and we wanted you guys to be able to link up and enjoy the creations of each other, but we didn't want to burden anyone with a specific project....so go ahead, link up anything you want. Your christmas gift wrapping, your hand-made ornaments, your knitted projects...it's really anything goes. And that's how we roll ;)

This week I am showcasing a Robyn's Fetish, who had a cute pair of mitten. Perfect for the cold winter weather here. When I left the US it was 12°C and in Germany when we got off the plane, it was a whopping 0°C. Glad that I packed all my warm items: scarf, cowl, winter coat, hat, ear muffs, and gloves. Yep - that's me, a winter whim.


Stamps: (My Mittens) Robyn's Fetish
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Rustic Cream) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Card Stock - Cream) Recollections 
Ink: N/A
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (All Is Bright Decorative Tape) My Mind's Eye; (Baker's Twine - Pure Poppy) Papertrey Ink; (Essential Glitters - Garnet) Martha Stewart; (Point 88) Stabilo

I colored and fuzzy cut these mittens out, gave them some glitter treatment, and popped them on some dimensional adhesive. I took a little bit of creative license and added the baker's twine since cutting out a doodled line is a little hard ;) But I thought it was a nice little embellishment and fit to the fun aqua, red, and cream color combo. The rest is grounded on some fun washi tape. 

And since we're all short on time, a fun tip is to use washi tape that has a sentiment already printed on it ;) Yep, yours truly, is always looking for short-cuts, especially during the (crazy) month of December.



Remember that we will be closing this little challenge group, but we have still a few more challenges lined up, great sponsors that have been generous up to the last bit, and we want to go out with a bang. So let's see those creations coming!

I'd like to invite you to hop on over to see the amazing creations by the rest of the DYSU team. Please leave them a loving comment, because they do appreciate some blog love :)

This week's sponsor:

Robyn's Fetish

* Winner’s Choice of  5 digital stamps

My Heart Pieces

* Winner's Choice of 3 Digis

Gecko Galz

* Winner's choice of 1 of Digital Stamp Sets

[DYSU] Challenge #102 - Christmas

Good morning! Wow - it is already December 13th! I can't believe it, less than a week and I will be on a plane. I'm not ready for this... i'm still trying to scour all the addresses together. A good deal of people I will see in person, for which I am so looking forward to! A bunch of others, I will be sending Christmas cards to that are perhaps late... but it will get done! (or so i hope...)

Tomorrow night we're hosting our Glühwein (mulled spice wine) and Cookies evening. I'm trying to make this a tradition to ring in the Christmas cheer among close friends and family. Florian and I made a bunch of Linzer Cookies this year, and I went to a cookie swap this past weekend. What a fun event. So isn't it appropriate that we're celebrating Christmas Time here are DYSU? So bring our your best Christmas spirits...

This week I am showcasing The Paper Shelter. What I dig the most about these images is that they come pre-colored. Great for when time is short.


Stamps: (Christmas Gift) The Paper Shelter; (Say It Loud - Holiday) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Pure Poppy) Papertrey Ink; (Botanical Christmas & Winter Fairy Tale) Webster's Pages; (Dots & Stripes) Echo Park
Ink: (Versamark) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Nestabilities - Labels Eighteen) Spellbinders; (Corrugated Cardstock) Recycled Stash; (Stamp 'n Stuff Embossing Powder - White Opaque) Stampendous!

This card aside from the fussy cutting went really fast. I really like how the text background was just the right shade of red - Not too bright and saturated, yet not too dull. This is an upclose look of the wonderful image...



Remember that we will be closing this little challenge group, but we have still a few more challenges lined up, great sponsors that have been generous up to the last bit, and we want to go out with a bang. So let's see those creations coming!

I'd like to invite you to hop on over to see the amazing creations by the rest of the DYSU team. Please leave them a loving comment, because they do appreciate some blog love :)

This week's sponsor:

Stamp & Create

Digi Darla

* Winner’s Choice of 5 Digis

The Paper Shelter

* $20 Gift Certificate

[DYSU] Challenge #101 - Silver & Gold

Good morning, DYSU-ers! It's December, and that's when everything hits a little bit of overdrive. But I don't mind, because it's a fun time of year to put forth a little bit of extra to let those people around you know, they are special.

Florian came back last weekend from his business trip, and brought home a huge advents calendar. And since this household loves, loves, loves good chocolate, this is the one he brought back...

Source: amazon.de via Ren-Yi on Pinterest

Yep, yep, that's how we roll... and gain a few extra pounds here or there. My doctor is going to give me that good, old talk again ... ;)

So while I go mull over the conundrum of how not to gain weight during the holidays and staring at this calendar full of goodies, I'll let you get to the challenge. This week's theme is Gold & Silver.

This week I got to play with a Bugaboo digi, and here is what I whipped up...


Stamps: (Winter Sock Monkey - Ski2) Bugaboo Digi Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Kraft; Stamper's Select Vellum) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Card Stock - White) Recollections
Ink: (Versamark) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Versapen) Tsukineko; (Stickles - Silver; Superfine Embossing Powder - Silver; Embossing Powder - Gold; Perfect Pearls - Perfect Pearl) Ranger; (Stamp 'n Stuff Embossing Powder - White Opaque) Stampendous!

I embossed the stripes on the monkey, the hat, and the skis with some embossing powder. I really love how I can emboss any area I want using the Versapen. It's really my favorite magic tool right now... The scarf has some silver Stickles, and some snow flakes lightly dusted with some Perfect Pearls. All around Ranger goodness! Here is a brighter picture to show off these little snowflakes.



I created a fun little hill with dimension using vellum. I like how the first layer is just a little opaque, and adding the second layer I get a nice denser opaque layer. The perfect place to put a fun white embossed sentiment. I have no idea why I was scared of heat embossing on vellum. I always had the fear of the vellum browning, curling or behaving unpredictably. But instead it was very obedient - nothing to fear.

Remember that we will be closing this little challenge group, but we have still a few more challenges lined up, great sponsors that have been generous up to the last bit, and we want to go out with a bang. So let's see those creations coming!

I'd like to invite you to hop on over to see the amazing creations by the rest of the DYSU team. Please leave them a loving comment, because they do appreciate some blog love :)

This week's sponsor:

Rhoda Design Studio

* $15 gift certificate to spend on Cutting Files or Digis

Bugaboo Stamps

* Winner's Choice of 7 Images

Stampendous!

* Frantage Aged Gold Embossing Enamel and Frantage Aged Silver Embossing Enamel

 

[DYSU] Challenge #100 - Thanks

Good morning, DYSU-ers! If you celebrate Thanksgiving last week, did everything come together as planned? I hope so, because we had a lovely fest with friends. In the meantime, we are giving you a chance to say thank you to those that you haven't had a chance to meet...

We are asking you to make something that expresses Gratitude: Time to say Thanks. 

My little card uses a Little Claire Design image that is just too cute...


Stamps: (Mouseflower) Little Claire Designs
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Rustic Cream) Papertrey Ink; (Nightfall Autumn Collection) American Crafts
Ink: N/A
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Point 88) Stabilo; (Martha Stewart: Writing Pen - Sepia) EK Success; (Nightfall Autumn Collection: Accents & Phrases Stickers, Delights Spice Flowers) American Crafts

I decided to color the mouse and flower in the same hue of the Nightfall Autumn Collection. This way I could try to make a dent into this stash...



Quick and easy this time around...You may have ready that we're going to close DYSU done. Yes - the girls were all very sad over this, but we can understand that Alison has her hands full with The Alley Way Stamps store. We are going to finish out the year, so I hope you will join us all the way up to Challenge #104.

I'd like to invite you to hop on over to see the amazing creations by the rest of the DYSU team. Please leave them a loving comment, because they do appreciate some blog love :)

This week's sponsor:

Little Claire Designs

Broken Box Stock

*Free Digital-Stamp Club membership for a year
Read here for more information: http://www.brokenboxstock.com/item/Digi_Stamp_Club/725/c46

Stamp Fairy 

*$10 gift certificate

[DYSU] Challenge #99 - Make it Count

Good morning, DYSU-ers! It's that time of the year...Thanksgiving is today and I am making turkey this year for the first time. Pray that I don't burn down the kitchen, the turkey, or the sides ;) We're going over to friends later today to pop this huge 20-lb bird into their oven. Hopefully by now, the turkey has had all the brining and treatment it needs to be a succulent, juice little bird. 

In the meantime, we have a fun challenge for you today. We are asking you to Make it Count, or add a number to your project.


Stamps: (Birthday Cupcake) The Paper Shelter; (Leica Add On) Studio Calico + Hero Arts
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Dark Chocolate, Rustic Cream) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Cardstock - White) Recollections
Ink: (Jenni Bowlin - No. 11 Brown Sugar) Ranger
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Point 88) Stabilo; (Glitter Letter Stickers - Bliss) Dear Lizzy + American Crafts; (Signo White) Uniball; (Corrugated Cardstock) recycled stash; (Impression Plate - Linen) Papertrey Ink; (1 1/2" Round Punch) Marvy Uchida

A bunch of friends just had birthdays, and I am running a little behind, as usual. So I printed off this cupcake and knew this was the perfect image for one of my friends. Since he loves chocolate, I thought a nice ode to chocolate would be this little chocolate cupcake. It is colored with a mixed of color pencils and fine point markers.



I ran the rustic cream card stock through some linen to give it some texture. The corrugated card stock is from my big box of recycled stash (it's a box where I dump things into that I want to use on cards or scrapbooking, which I should raid more often). And even thought I have a huge rule of "no glitter" on boy cards, I made an exception on this one, since I thought it was very befitting...



I guess I will see if my guy friend protests the glitter ;)

That's all I have or you now. I'd like to invite you to hop on over to see the amazing creations by the rest of the DYSU team. Please leave them a loving comment, because they do appreciate some blog love :)

This week's sponsor:

Crafty Sentiments

* Winner's Choice of 4 Images

The Paper Shelter

*$20 gift certificate

Digi Darla

*Winner's Choice of 5 Digis

[DYSU] Challenge #98 - Rainbow

Good morning, DYSU-ers! I'm back! Miss me? ;) I missed you! It's been a long haul here in New Jersey. Lots have been fixed, but there is still so much repair to be done.

Today I am showcasing some delicious Uniko Studio digital products.


Stamps: (Eclectic Summer Mix, English Country Garden) Uniko Studio
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Sweet Blush) Papertrey Ink
Ink: N/A
Embellishments: (Stamper's Select Vellum) Papertrey Ink; (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Point 88) Stabilo; (Elf Chipboard Letters Stickers) American Crafts + Studio Calico; (Signo White) Uniball

I printed off this gorgeous butterfly on top of the Eclectic Summer Mix and colored it in with two mediums: color pencils and fine-tip pens. I was going for a stained glass but colorful polka-dotted butterfly. After all this is a rainbow challenge, and I thought the spirit of it all is to have as many colors as possible!

Since I didn't want the background's colors to fight with the butterfly I pulled some trusty vellum to help mute the colors. Brilliant, isn't it, what a little bit of opaque layering can do. I must remember this more often. And I bet one can mess around with monotonic themes quite well with vellum...note to self... but I digress...



Another quick element to tie this together was a little bit of faux white stitching along the vellum as well as putting together a quick sentiment with thickers.



That's all I have or you now. I'd like to invite you to hop on over to see the amazing creations by the rest of the DYSU team. Please leave them a loving comment, because they do appreciate some blog love :)

This week's sponsor:

The Alley Way Stamps

* $20 Gift Certificate

Uniko Stamps

*£15 gift certificate

 

[DYSU] Challenge #95 - Embossing

Good morning, DYSU-ers! I've sick and under the weather. I had a great Saturday and then it all went downhill from there. Spend a few days working from my bed and home desk, but there is no rest for the wicked.

Anyways, here at DYSU we're challenging you with Embossing - Heat & Dry. I got a wonderful Robyn's Fetish image. Isn't this teapot just divine?


Stamps: (Afternoon Tea Sentiments) Waltzingmouse Stamps; (Teapot) Robyn's Fetish
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Rustic Cream) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (Memento - Tuxedo Black) Tsukineko; (Jenni Bowlin - No. 4 Lemon Drops) Ranger;
Embellishments: (Vellum) Papertrey Ink; (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (A2 Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Fleur De Lis) Provocraft; (Crochet Trim) Waltzingmouse Stamps; (Nestabilities - Labels Eighteen) Spellbinders

I embossed a piece of vellum by inking up the embossing folder with some Lemon Drops. It gave it  a nice letter press impression. The teapot is colored in some cream for the aged porcelain, and some purple to make it pop. I used a piece of gorgeous lace trim from Waltzingmouse Stamps. Here a close up...



That's all I have or you now. I'd like to invite you to hop on over to see the amazing creations by the rest of the DYSU team. Please leave them a loving comment, because they do appreciate some blog love :)

On a last note, if you're a regular reader, don't forget to answer the survey in the top right panel and if you want to play along with in the current open QuAC challenge feel free to. Just a few more days left to show our love for Fall season...

This week's sponsor:

Robyn's Fetish!

* Winner's Choice of 5 Digital Stamps

      Birdie Brown

*Winner's Choice of 3 Digital Stamps

Paper Pretties

* Winner's Choice of 6 Digital Images