Happy Memorial Day! And the OWHBH winner is...

Hope you had a happy and safe Memorial Day! The Operation Write Home Memorial Weekend Blog Hop was filled with amazing cards (and talent). Welcome to all the new followers of Big Smiles From Kbear and thank you for all the kind comments!

Now to what you've really been waiting for...my blog winner from the OWHBH is...

Lisa - lisastuf!

She has just won a $10 gift certificate to Doodle Dragon Studios digi store! Have fun shopping!

lisastuf said...

What an adorable card! I love Dustin's images also. I just recently found him.
You did a great job putting together this cute digi with the patriotic card!
Lisa H.

I made this card with my grandpa in mind. He passed away several years ago, but I still miss him dearly. Grandpa served in the Army in WW2. He traveled to many countries during the war. While in Russia, he was a member of the oxygen generation. His job was to make oxygen for the pilots. In his scrapbook he says, "The pilots told me we made the best tasting oxygen in the world. They said it tasted like ice cream. The reason was simple. We would draw off a big bucket of liquid oxygen and mix our ice cream whip up in there, and make ice cream for ourselves. I guess the flavor must have gotten into the oxygen." I can still hear his chuckle as he talked about this.

Thank you to all those who have served, are serving, and who will serve to protect this great country!

Supplies:
Original photo - taken at Washington Monument in D.C.
Doodle Dragon Studios image
Pop dots
Glossy Accent
American Crafts cardstock

Operation Write Home Blog Hop with Candy!

Welcome to the Operation Write Home Memorial Day Weekend Blop Hop! You've arrived from Elizabeth's - Visions of Paper blog. If you have started here, at Big Smiles from Kbear, the fun has just begun! The recipe for this Blog Hop is a Missing You card with red, white, and blue colors.

Ta dah! Here's my card for the hop:

Become a follower (current followers can play too) and leave a comment to enter for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to my favorite digi store...Doodle Dragon Studios. One person will randomly be drawn to win and will be posted on Tuesday, May 31. The lucky winner must claim their gift certificate by Sunday, June 5th.

Are you new to Doodle Dragon Studios? Go meet Dustin Pike at his Doodle Dragon Studios blog. He's amazingly talented. AND he's having a HUGE Memorial Day sale that you won't want to his. This sale only happens twice a year. You'll want to check it out!

Next on the Operation Write Home Blog Hop you're headed to

Angie's - Stampings of the Shug. Thanks for hopping by!

Supplies:

Doodle Dragon Studios image - CTR Bears set

Base Camp Cricut cartridge - I Miss U dog tags

The Best Paper

American Crafts cardstock

Star brads

Pop dots

Doin' It 4 Dylan

As you may already know, Dustin Pike aka Doodle Dragon Studios, has the biggest heart of anyone I know. So when he gave out a call to send cards to Dylan, I knew I had to join the cause. Dylan is a 9 yr old boy recently diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor (Diffused Pontine Glioma). Here is Dylan's blog where you can read all about the things that this cute little boy and his family are going thru.

When you read Dylan's blog, you'll find he loves basketball, favorite color is blue and is a BYU fan (conveniently their colors are blue & white). Recently he met his favorite basketball player (and BYU player) Jimmer Fredette! Lucky! Remember the Teacher Appreciation Door post in April? It's the same guy. I used the famous "Teach Me How To Jimmer" phrase again, because #1 Dylan will love it, and #2 I seriously need to take a lesson from Dylan and his family. They are truly inspiring on facing this challenge with such a positive spirit and great faith in the Lord. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Check out the monkey's wrist. He is sporting a wristband that Dylan is selling on his blog (I used Photoshop). I bought my own Doin' It 4 Dylan shirt and wristband. Dustin is offering a special edition image set for anyone who sends a card to Dylan. Read the Doodle Dragon Studios blog for more information. There's also another little boy, Thomas, who needs cards too. His story is in the post. Let's get cranking and send these courageous boys lots of cards!

DDS - Shades of Green Challenge

Before you get all excited that I found my camera USB cord, I haven't. It's still MIA. And it's still raining. Earlier today, we did get a break and the sun came out most of the day. But the weatherman says it's going to rain for the next three days (it's sprinkling now). My ark is coming along quite nicely...thanks for asking. So far it sounds like Denni will be joining me. :) I haven't heard from Dustin for awhile. He must be okay, since he posted some more colored images in the Membership collections. I think we may have to navigate the waters up to Dustin's house (about an hour away). We'd better check on him, just in case.

Thankfully it's time for another Doodle Dragon Studios challenge. I needed a distraction from the weather and a forced time out crafting time! The theme for this challenge is quite appropriate...Shades of Green. I must admit, as much as I am tired of the rain, everything is a beautiful, lush green. Let's see YOUR take on all things green. Remember to post your project to Dustin's Doodle Dragon Studios blog by Sunday, May 29th.

For the record, I tried to doodle hearts on Dudley's paper, I tried "U & Me" all over, then "I (heart) U", then "U's". Poor Dudley, each paper just didn't look right. Finally, I decided Dudley is missing his girlie so much that he couldn't find of the words to say, staring at the blank piece of paper, dreaming...

Again, if you have my USB cord...PLEASE GIVE IT BACK! Or at least tell me where it's hiding. :)

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Don't mind the load of lumber in my front yard. I'm building an ark. It's rained 32 days out of the last 50 days. Plus it snowed another 2 feet in the mountains yesterday. At some point, it's going to melt. There's still a ton of snow left so it's going to be a problem. But no fear! I'm building the ark. Feel free to join me. Bring some Diet Dr. Pepper. You can never have too much.

I thought after Teacher Appreciation Week life would slow down. Yeah, that hasn't happened. Whoever said life was easier when your kids were older (plus my own schedule) was tricking me. Between PTA Convention (loved it!), PTA training, another PTA meeting, church, scouts, Tumbling, Swim Training (I was corrected that she is in "training", swimming lessons are for kids who need to learn), Swim Team tryouts, high school graduation preparations, meeting with the University Counselors and Financial Office, dentist appointments, doctor appointments, end of the year homework, field trips, Junior High graduation, High School graduation, Grad Night, a big graduation family party, building an ark....yeah I see how life is slowing down and easier. NOT!

Dustin Pike - Doodle Dragon Studios has released some really fun images in the April and May Memberships. If you haven't enrolled, you're missing out! I'm hoping after I work on the ark a little bit, I will make some cards! I have three ideas ready to go if I could sit down for more than 5 minutes.

P.S. Whoever has my good camera's USB cord, would you politely return it today. Please? I need to download some pictures!

Same Image DDS Challenge

What a difference a camera makes! Here's the REAL picture. Now you can see the embossing on the sandpaper.



It's time for another Doodle Dragon Studios challenge! We love to see all the creativity using Dustin Pike's digis, so this time we're all going to use the SAME digi. Create whatever you want using the freebie digi, then post it to the challenge by Sunday, May 15th. Cruise on over to Dustin's Doodle Dragon Studio blog to see what the design team came up with.

P.S. This card is dedicated to my Dad. He's the biggest kid I know!


Supplies:
Doodle Dragon Studios image - freebie
Sandpaper
Cuttlebug embossing folder - Diamond Plate
Pebbles in My Pocket - brown candy dots
American Crafts cardstock

Teacher Appreciation Door #3

I live in the land of Brigham Young University (BYU). If you remotely watched the college basketball March Madness playoffs, you will know that Jimmer Fredette (BYU guard) gained rock star status with his mad basketball skills and also Player of the Year. Everyone had Jimmer fever. A very catchy music video was produced called, "Teach Me How to Jimmer!" As a spoof off the Jimmer craze, I did this door for our P.E. teacher, Mr. Humphreys, for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Check out these two Teach Me How to Jimmer videos to gain full appreciation...
Teach Me How to Jimmer:
Official music video - Teach Me How to Jimmer

I'll be posting a tutorial on how to make these super sized doors soon. So be watching!

If you'd like to see all the doors that were done for Teacher Appreciation Week (remember it was a Sports theme), you can find them here.

Thanks Dustin for the Basketball Dudley set! You're the best!

Supplies:
Doodle Dragon Studios image - Basketball Dudley set
Butcher paper
Varsity Cricut cartridge
Foam basketballs (purchase at Dollar Tree)

Teacher Appreciation Door #2

Here's another Teacher Appreciation door I did for the lunch ladies. We celebrate the faculty too. Our lunch ladies are the nicest ladies ever!

Buster Bunny is holding actual cooking spoons. His wheels are made for foam paper to add dimension. FYI - A glue gun works best for holding the spoons and wheels on.



Watch for one more door coming soon. I couldn't give you them all on the same day! That wouldn't be any fun!


Supplies:
Doodle Dragon Studios image - Toby & Buster set
Butcher paper
Cuttlebug embossing folder (for the orange on the butterfly)
Die cut letters & butterfly
Plastic cooking spoons
Black foam
White paint

Teacher Appreciation Door #1

When I heard the Teacher Appreciation Week was a sports theme, I knew I had to do this for the Teachers/Faculty Lounge door. The teachers and faculty at our elementary school are truly the best! My family has been at the school for 10 years now. I'm very involved with the PTA, so I've come to know the teachers and faculty quite well. I think they are so awesome! I can't wait to celebrate them all week!

Supplies:
Doodle Dragon Studios image - Football set
Butcher paper
Sports wrapping paper - purchased at Target
Blue foam
Varsity Letter Cricut cartridge
Plantin Cricut cartridge
American Crafts Thicker stickers - Letterman
Banner - purchased at Dollar Tree