The Emerald Isle?

Paula's "Easel Does It" challenge was a huge success so a great big Thank You to all who made an easel card to share with us over this past week. It's been such a treat to see them.

An extra special "well done" to those who did the double dare and made a shaped version and also for those who made an easel card for the first time because of this dare - that really is the true spirit of the Daring Cardmakers. We hope you enjoyed making them as much as we enjoyed seeing them.

We are delighted to announce that Andrea Gourley, who won Keryn's SU prize die last week agreed to come and join us as Guest Designer for the whole of May.

We're especially pleased to have her on the Team as not only is she a wonderful card-maker, but she's been contributing to our challenges almost since we started out back in 2006.

Welcome aboard Andrea we know you're going to be a real inspiration to us all.

Throughout this year, our first dare each month is given over to cards inspired by that month's birthstone

"Prized since ancient times, a fine emerald can be more expensive than a high quality diamond of the same carat weight."

The May birthstone is the Emerald and we'd like you to use this beautiful gem as the inspiration for your cards this week. We'd like to see more than just a tiny spot of emerald green on your cards, too!

If you're looking for extra inspiration you can find lots of info about the myths and legends surrounding the Emerald HERE

To help get you thinking here's what the Design Team have come up with this week - remember we always love to see what you make so please come back and leave a link

Andrea

Lythan

Lynda

Rein

Kathy

Nat

Vanessa

Keryn

 Asia

Jo

Easel Does It!

Thank You for all the fabulous cards last week using all manner of die-cuts for Keryn's "Die Cut Crazy" dare. We loved visiting your blogs to see your creations.

Of course, if you made a card and shared it with us according to the rules we published last week, you'll now be eager to hear the result of the draw for the Sizzlits die that Keryn offered as a prize.....

Well, the winner's name has been drawn from Keryn's "virtual hat" and is:

ANDREA GOURLEY.

Andrea please contact Keryn to arrange to have your sizzlits die sent to you.

Anyway, getting back to this week, it's Paula here with the new Dare and I've called it

Easel Does it

This weeks challenge is to make an easel card. There's a big clue in the title, huh?

They are so very popular at the moment but I'm hoping at least some of you will be up for my extra "sting in the tail" to this Dare - I don't want it to be too easy, you know....what I'd really love is to see what type of shape (other than a square) you can come up with using the basic Easel card idea.

So you can go for the easy option and make the simple version of the easel card, or if you're brave enough,go for the shaped option.
Do you dare?

This is the last of the April dares so we have to say "farewell" to our lovely April Guest Designer Sally today -we hope you've enjoyed seeing her fabulous cards on here as much as we have - she's promised to keep joining in with the challenges whenever she can, so we won't be losing her completely, phew! Thanks Sally - we've loved having you on the team.

We're looking forward to seeing all your easel cards so please come back and leave a link so we can come and visit.

Here's how the Design Team rose to the challenge this week:

Lynda

Sally

Rein

Kathy

Paula

Keryn

Lythan

Vanessa

Jo

Die Cut Crazy

Thanks to everybody who joined in with Kathy's dare and got into a flap putting flaps on your cards. It was fantastic to see the number of ideas that everybody came up with.

It's Keryn here this week and I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a 'Big Shot' die cut machine and I'm loving it. I want any excuse I can find to make cards, well anything really using die cuts. This week I want you to play with me. Dig out your dies and your die cut machine. Cut shapes of any size and theme you please and use at least one on your card for this week.

To give you a small incentive to join me this week I have a Stampin' Up!® little leaves Sizzlit die to give away. To qualify you must have a link in your blog post back here - http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/ and your card must be entered for no more than 3 challenges including this one.
For New Zealand readers a picture of the die can be found in the Stampin' Up!® Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue.

I will be doing the draw from all qualifying comments on Friday 30th April at 10am UK time.

Please show us your cards using die cuts by leaving a comment with a link to your creation.

In the meantime here are the cards by the design team to give you some fabulous inspiration.

Lynda

Nat

Paula

Sally

Kathy

Rein

Lythan


Keryn

Getting in a Flap

What a treat you gave us last week with all the stylish boots and shoes you added to your cards - did you find a favourite "must-have" pair among them all? Thanks you for sharing your creativity with us once more.

This week it's me, Kathy, here with a new challenge for you:

Getting in a Flap

I'd like to see cards with flaps this week. Little flaps that you lift up or open out to see a secret "something" hidden behind or bigger flaps that form part of the actual card. Maybe even little birdies with wings that really "flap" As long as it's a flap that lifts up from your card it will count - just flat images of a bird or butterfly flapping it's wings won't!

Now, I'm sure I had something in mind when I added this one to the calendar but by the time I came to make my card that idea was nowhere to be found, never mind eh? I know that you'll be coming up with all sorts of fabulous, inventive ideas and I can't wait to see your cards.

Once again the Design Team have risen to the challenge - they always do, no matter how hard you try to confound them hehe!

Here's what they've come up with this week to help get your creative juices Flapping around!

Sally

Lynda

Kathy

Keryn

Nat

Rein

Vanessa

Lythan

Jo

If the Shoe Fits........

A HUGE thank you to all who proved that diamonds really are a girl's best friend and shared their diamond inspired cards with us over the last week.

Last week we announce that Nat had agreed to join us as a permanent member of the DT, and this time we're thrilled to tell you that the lovely Asia Wu, who'll you know from a couple of Guest Designer spots here on The Daring Cardmakers is also joining the team. Both "new girls" will be bringing a breath of fresh air, and a whole lot of new inspiration to the team. Welcome aboard, Asia and Nat.

A couple of weeks ago we mentioned that Sue was taking some time off to allow her poorly eye a chance to get properly better, however she's left us a challenge (and a card to go with it) to play with in her absence. We hope you'll enjoy it.

If the Shoe Fits...

buy it in every colour, as the saying goes!

We all wear them, don't we? so this week I would like to lots of footwear on your cards.

Boots, shoes, sandals, trainers, ballet shoes, slippers.... the list is almost endless so I'm sure there'll be some fab fancy footwork to admire this week.
One thing, though - no cheating, please - We don't want any sneaky stuff like "My Tilda's wearing shoes so I'm entering this card" - oh no, we're far too mean to allow!
(and Sue says she'll be checking up on you :-0)

Here are some cards from the DT to get you thinking, we're hoping you'll be coming back soon to leave a link so we can see your own fancy footwork.

Happy Crafting!

Lynda

Sally

Sue

Kathy

Asia

Nat

Keryn

Paula

Jo

Rein

Lythan