It’s hard to believe this is the last week with my Summer 2009 Design Team. I feel very fortunate in the selection of the members for this first Angels Landing team because it has been such a pleasure working with them.
Our theme this week is Friendship and Gratitude. Over the summer, these designers have become much more than a way to promote my images. They have become my friends. Thumbnails of their projects for this week are below, followed by my personal favorite chosen from each designer’s past work.
Alma Olhava
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Friendship
For this week’s theme, Alma chose to use images and sentiments from the newly released sets, Cats and Kittens and Cat Paw Prints, to create a fun View-Master card to celebrate friendship. The top of the tree is created with the Blossom Nestabilities die cut and an embossing folder to mimic leaves on a tree for a 3D effect. A little kitty sits at the bottom of the tree waiting for his friends to come down. The card is topped off with crochet ribbon, buttons, and string. The inside of the card is adorned with strips of patterned paper and a birthday sentiment altered to fit two friends sitting in the middle of the circle. Check her blog for additional photos and details on this fun interactive card.
» Alma’s blog
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My Favorite
One of my all-time favorites of Alma’s projects is this darling "Home Tweet Home" birdhouse ornament. She did such a detailed, realistic coloring job on this pair of little kookaburras. Instead of a flat roof, she made shingles from the Pierced Flowers set. How’s that for an ingenious idea?
» Alma’s blog
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Cheryl Rowley
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Friendship
Cheryl has made six 4 1/4" square cards using Toys on Wheels as a gift for the mom to be. She made a hinged box to hold the cards. Each of the small cards could be used for a quick thank you note to a friend from the busy mom, and the box could then be used to hold some of those precious early photos of baby. This little gift would certainly be a hit when enclosed with your baby shower gift. Please visit Cheryl’s blog to see all of the matching cards.
» Cheryl’s blog
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My Favorite
Cheryl has exceptional Copic coloring skills, and it was hard for me to choose only a single card to highlight. This one is special, though, because Cheryl colored these two cute kittens to match her family’s two cats. Aren’t they adorable?
» Cheryl’s blog
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Cheryl Walker
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Friendship
Cheryl used alcohol inks for coloring this teddy bear. The flower the bear is holding is colored with Copics. The designer paper and the roses were a gift from a friend on another design team that Cheryl is on. She loves the colors her friend sent and thought that was very sweet of her. Cheryl also used the Blossom die cut from Spellbinders, and the border punch is Martha Stewart.
» Cheryl’s blog
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My Favorite
Cheryl combines the most delightful ribbons and embellishments on her creations. This Post-It Notes cover is a perfect example of the little extras she adds. The Nestabilities shapes have been tied together with a beautiful assortment of ribbons, and she has even tied a gingham bow on this little bear’s ear. This project brings me a smile every time I look at it.
» Cheryl’s blog
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Jennifer Scull
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Friendship
This 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ square card is made with the Mini Bears & Birds set, bird 2 in black. It was printed onto vanilla cardstock and watercolored with Stampin’ Up! inks. Jennifer used Pacific Point and Crushed Curry classic inks, as well as white craft for his cute little tummy. The edges of the main image are sponged in Kiwi Kiss and the edges of the Cool Caribbean card base are inked with vanilla craft. The decorative papers are from the K & Co. Addison collection. Rickrack trim and buttons are from Jo-Ann’s. Buttons are tied with some twine she re-purposed. She’s forever trying to re-use what she can. “Thanks” stamp is from the Stampin’ Up! set “A Grateful Heart.” She was in need of a thank you card to send to a dear friend who provided a yummy-licious dinner for her family and thought what better than a beautiful blue bird of happiness. Her friend most certainly brought happiness to Jennifer and her family.
» Jennifer’s blog
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My Favorite
This was one of the earliest cards that Jennifer made with Angels Landing images, even before she joined my design team. It was created for Earth Day and features a background paper that she colored with recycled coffee grounds — such a fun and eco-friendly idea.
» Jennifer’s blog
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Lauri Ingram
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Friendship
What little girl does not like to share secrets with her best friend? Here is a little secrets journal a girl can share. It has a little pocket to tuck her secrets into, with a little kitty watching over them. Visit Lauri’s blog for pictures of the inside and information on the inspiration behind the secrets purse.
» Lauri’s blog
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My Favorite
For our very first Angels Landing Blog Hop, Lauri created this marvelous baby shower banner with the two new releases for June, Alphabet Train and Toys on Wheels. Her choices of patterns and colors worked out so beautifully for this project. The full banner spells out "Welcome."
» Lauri’s blog
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Lynn McAuley
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Friendship
The covers of Lynn’s Gratitude Journal were created from two pieces of 4.5" x 6.5" bright chipboard from DCWV. She attached a strip of designer paper by the Paper Studio and used her Iibico Kombo binder to punch the holes and add the plastic comb. The sentiment was computer generated on white Georgia Pacific card stock using the Dauphin font and cut out with Nestabilities Labels 3. The sculpted spray of flowers and leaves was created using digital images from Simply Flowers. They were watercolored with Stampin’ Up reinkers, scored on the back, folded, and attached using layered dimensionals. Microbeads were added to the centers of the flowers, and ribbons were tied through the holes in the binding.
» Lynn’s blog
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My Favorite
I remember how pleased I was to see Lynn’s Alphabet Express card back in June. This is exactly the type of personalized item that I envisioned for the Toys on Wheels set, and Lynn did a beautiful job of executing the concept. Her color choices are bright and festive, and the circles on the designer paper echo the train wheels. (If you have the time, go back and read her blog post again. It is so cleverly worded.)
» Lynn’s blog
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Sparkle Smith
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My Favorite
This summery card was featured in Sparkle’s first post with Angels Landing images. The brilliant color combo and Basic Grey designer papers are typical of her style. I think she has done a wonderful job highlighting the digi-stamp image on this one.
» Sparkle’s blog
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Suzy Haghighi
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My Favorite
Suzy hosted an SCS Color Challenge with this "Gift Card Express" made with the Alphabet Train set. The original digi-stamp has a lamb and goose riding in the middle car, but Suzy thought to make it a plain car instead. It is delivering a gift card to a lucky recipient.
» Suzy’s blog
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Photos ©2009 by their respective owners. Used by permission.
The only thing left to say to the Summer team is a huge THANK YOU for all you’ve done. Your level of talent has been amazing, and I wish you all the best in your future designing.
Fall 2009 Design Team
The fall team has been selected, and I hope you’ll check back again tomorrow for the official announcement on my blog of the ten DT members. We’ll be seeing the first projects by the fall DT on Wednesday September 2, 2009. I can hardly wait. 
August 26th, 2009 | 
Comments are closed 
oh goodness, I’m gonna get a bit misty over here, Judi! it really is a bittersweet thing with our last posts……. I am thrilled to bits for the new team coming aboard! but it is so hard to say goodbye! you have been so tremendous to work with, as have the other DT members! I will treasure this time always! thank you for everything!
and I will continue to use these adorable images! who can resist them?!?!
Aww, Jennifer, don’t get me started.
But thanks so much for your wonderful comments.
Chiming in here with what Jennifer said…as I get teary eyed myself – sniff siniff! =(
Judi: Like Jennifer mentions, you ended the summer with the perfect theme: FRIENDSHIP and GRATITUDE. This has been a remarkable journey! You were the first one who gave me this awesome opportunity to be part of such a talented DT! You are a SUPER friend, a SUPER boss and a SUPER talented artist. I am a BIG fan of your work so this won’t be the last time I work with Angels Landing images.
Look forward to the new Fall team! I am so happy for everyone who got selected – Judi is so awesome to work with and work for! She is super organized. No worries, I’ll be around to stalk the AL blog for inspiration.
Thank you again Judi, my FRIEND – I’ll never forget your generosity and all of your support! Love yah!!!
Alma =)
I think what we all need right about now is a nice big group hug.
Alma, you and Jennifer have been with me since my very first blog post. I’ve watched you grow as a designer — you’ve come a long way in a short amount of time. Thanks so much for your kind words, but above all for your friendship.
I could not have completed this summer of design work for Angels Landing without the awesome inspiration I received from Judi and each any every one of you on the team! What amazing creativity and talent you displayed week after week!
I came in with virtually no experience with digital images and learned so very much from you all about the awesome things that could be done with them!
Judi, your artistic vision has brought us these delightful images to work with. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are so helpful, supportive, and encouraging! Your carefully planned and organized approach makes things run so smoothly!! And there is nothing you don’t know about computing and blogging which has been really helpful to me!!
Best wishes to all as you move forward in your paper crafting!!
Thank you so much, Lynn. It’s been a true pleasure getting to know you over the summer. You’ve been so reliable and dependable week after week, sending exactly what I had in mind for each theme.
I’d like to clone you 10 times for a future team.
Wowzers…these are all so beautiful! I love them…tfs!!!
Wonderful projects! It’s great to see Judi’s favorites from each designer!
During my month as a guest designer, I too learned how organized Judi is in everything she does. Amazing!
okay….glad I did not read this until now!!! Group hug is indeed in order, even a virtual one!! I have made a lot of new friends and blogging buddies this summer thanks to Judi! Judi, your images and creativity makes our job easy!! Thank you so much for the opportunity, for your organization and most of all for sharing your talent with us!!
judi…visiting your bog is always so inspiring…
these cards are knock your socks off gorgeous..and each image is wonderful!
TFS!
michelle.
Jackie and Michelle, thanks for your nice comments. I’m glad to have met both of you through the SCS blog comment threads.
Godelieve, you’ve been a wonderful Guest Designer, always sending everything early. That’s made my August GD posts easy. Considering that Dutch is your first language, you do a marvelous job in English.
Lauri, I’m with you… I was fine writing this post until I got to the comment section. You have always come up with such creative project ideas to showcase my images. I’m so glad you answered that first DT call and were willing to take a chance on an unknown product line. I might never have known you otherwise.