Di's Dies Challenge - no I'm not stuttering!

So it's that time of the fortnight again... time for a new challenge at Di's Digis Challenge Blog, yay!!  The theme this time around is "Use Die Cuts"... not a problem for many of us I would think, there are so many fabulous dies out there now... I want them ALL, my hubby thinks I'm well on my way to achieving that; little does he know "evil laugh"  Anyway, here's my card... an easel again, what can I say? I just like them :-)

It was my husband's brother in law's birthday recently and I really was scraping the barrel for a card, so there's nothing else for it... time to make some masculine ones, that said I really don't mind making "guy" cards :-)  The image for this one is one of Di's newer ones (I'm just lovin' her meeces in case you haven't worked that out by the fact that they keep appearing on my blog, lol) it's called "Fore You" which I thought was the perfect sentiment.. which is why I printed that exact one, rofl.  You can get your copy here

I coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, as usual, but didn't go quite as intense as I usually do... why, this is positively pastel by Donna's standards.  It is a bit brighter IRL, it was nearly dark when I took the pics so they look a bit dusky... and I really couldn't be bothered setting up the light tent when it's only a bit off reality :-)
The papers are from Echo Park, Walk in the Park pad (I think, the cover's been off it for years!)  
Now for the die cuts; the image panel was cut and embossed using Crafts Too Squares (I took a leaf out of Lucy's book and left it in the die to ink the sky, leaving the border clean and white - thanks Lucy, I think it works a treat!)  The trees border (which I was hoping looked like shrubs in this instance) is the Freemont Pine Landscape Die by Poppy Dies, I drew around the die and cut the black cardstock "shadow" freehand... definitely stood out better with a background.  The clouds are Memory Box; I cut a few of them out first tacked them to the sky with temporary glue then inked with Versamark Sky Blue ink leaving the clouds white... looks so much better IRL, sigh.
The ribbon and black pearls are from my stash.  Ooh, and I added some Viva Pearl pen to the head of the golf club to give it a silver sheen, again better IRL.
I propped the sentiment up on thick foam squares so it works well as a prop for the easel.  I finished the "inside" of the card like a little scene and added the jotting panel to the flap - if you know what I mean, hope the picture explains that better than I just did, lol.
Usually I follow the same sketch for the inside and outside of my card, but obviously this time it's only the outside that gets to use the fabby sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 I checked and you didn't have to use the pentagon shape :-) I just realised that I have the horizontal panel over the bottom edge of the image panel... I still have ribbon though so I hope it's okay (?!)
I found all these challenges to enter my card in... some sort of record I think!!

Simon Says Challenge Make It Masculine
My Time To Craft Male
Crafty Creations All Creatures Great and Small
Seize the Birthday Topping: Animals
Moving Along With The Times Happy Birthday
Crafts 4 Eternity Birthday
Aud Sentiments Bingo: I used Markers/Digi/Die Cut
Without Words Summer Holidays (Golf is my son's "summer holiday pastime... or was BC = Before Children, lol)
Little Red Wagon Use It Up (everything on the card except the new image!!) 
The Crazy Challenge Ribbon or Lace (Ribbon) 
Sweet Stampin' Something Old Something New (new image, old ... everything else!)
Inky Chicks Pearls (they're black, but they're pearls!)
Pile It On Focus on Colouring (Always Do, lol)
The Paper Shelter Make It Colourful
Digi Sketch Challenge Theme: Fave Colour Combo (I love all colour, use orange/green together a lot)
Cute Card Thursday Summer Colours
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper
Craft Your Passion Anything Goes
Art by Miran Anything Goes
Paper Creator Crafts Anything Goes
Corrosive Challenge Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes
Clear It Out Theme: Anything Goes Stash: You Choose!

Phew!  Well that's it for today.  Pop over to the blog and check out the DT's work.. it's to DIE for... see what I did there??  Hope you crack out your dies and have a go at the challenge, great prize on offer as always and if you use one of Di's cute images there's extra opportunities, oh yeah!
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna