A site for my handmade cards, accompanied by my photos and written meanderings which are occasionally witty, often tongue-in-cheek, and rarely profound. Beginning in June 2013, you'll also see lots of NBUS, which is an acronym I coined for Never-Before-Used-Schtuff. Note: my Privacy Policy can be found at a tab below and you can find my NBUS Challenge online. I hope you'll join in the fun there! Thanks for coming by! Have a beverage and enjoy!

April 1, 2013

April Fool's Day Tribute to My Ugliest Card

Happy Monday morning, the first day of April, the start of the fourth month of the year, any minute now it will be Christmas.  Sorry.  Someone had to warn you!
If you're a regular reader, you know that my friend Suzanne Dahlberg of the card yard is hosting the Ugliest Card Ever Blog Hop on her blog to celebrate all our crafty regrets from prior work. Please click over to Suzanne's blog to read more details and I hope you will be able to join in the hop.  You don't have to write a whole new post, just link up an old post to your ugliest card. 
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It was NOT easy picking my ugliest card, but I finally settled on this one:
I'm just going to let the card speak for itself.
I would have liked to have remade a card using this exact stamp to redeem myself, but the truth is I threw that stamp away a couple of years ago.  I love this company's amusing stamps, but honestly, they aren't very deeply carved and after just a few stampings, you lose all the detail and this stamp was particularly bad. 
I do love the sentiment that goes with it, however, which I still have: 
"If you don't have anything nice to say about anyone, come and sit by me." 

Very naughty, but it makes me laugh every time.

~~~

Even though I don't have that image, I did make you a new paper-pieced, embossed, and die-cut card of friendship to start off your new week:
 Thank you, Suzanne!  That was really fun!
~~~
Today, in some parts of the world, we celebrate April Fool's Day.  Mister falls for it every single year.  I'm so lucky that I live with a verifiable knight in shining armor and I do appreciate that.  As such, he really makes it easy to trick him on April Fool's Day if I say that there is a:

flat tire
spider
washing machine leak
computer glitch
tack in my shoe
broken anything
...

You get the idea.  I don't deserve all the fun I have at his expense.

~~~
Enjoy your April Food's Day!  No, seriously, enjoy.  LITS*!  April Food's Day?!  Now there's a holiday that Mister would definitely enjoy!! 

Thank you so much for stopping by the Playhouse. Special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment or join as a follower!


*Life Is Too Short!

43 comments:

Susan said...

When I saw what you chose as your "worse" card, I realized that I have that image in a digi image and I loved the card I made with it! You can see it here: http://susangoetter.blogspot.com/2010/07/one-layer-wednesday-funny.html

I do however, love that second card....the image is so darn cute!

Kristen said...

Love them both!!!

Anonymous said...

Hello Darnell :)I am happy to be back in the land of Blog !Oh,i like the idea of the ugliest card-but i have to say i don't think it was too ugly at all !I love the image on the second card though-very sweet.Hugs,Nessa xx

Ardyth said...

It's a little busy, but it has good components! I also thought about remaking my ugliest card, but my kids have today off school, so I'm still running around with them. Looking forward to a peaceful moment tomorrow. I hope.

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

You are hilarious! Your 'ugly' image made me smile, can't say it's the card that is ugly, but the image is well... interesting.... your new card is very pretty, love the image of the friends and your clouds. I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend. Shirleyx

Happy Dance said...

Thanks for the Christmas warning...with (by then)19 (or is it going to be 20??)grandchildren I really should start shopping now... I have waaaayyy to many ugly cards, and will try to get one up. Can't say I'm in love with the first one, but your second card is beautiful. Love what you did with the clothes! Nice. Bev

JD/ Jill said...

Thank you for sharing about the challenge. It's a fun challenge! I like both of your cards. The sentiment on the first is great, and your second card is really pretty. Hope you have a great day, and thanks for the laugh!

Tracey McNeely said...

Darnell, you always make me laugh. That is funny image and I would say that nothing you ever do is ugly. Both fun cards and a benchmark to look back on as your style just keeps on getting better. Hugs, and Happy April Fools!

Virginia L. said...

LOL!!!!! I love your share, Darnell! This is not an ugly card share, it's called ugly stamp share! No matter how creative we are, we can NEVER make the card look GORGEOUS! I love that sentiment though..I can use that on my family members (LOL)! I bet they'll get a kick out of it!

Virginia L. said...

Forgot to say...I love your 2nd card--so darling! Those puffy clouds are lovely, too!

Marybeth said...

I will just say that I love your new paper pieced card! Not that I don't want to come and sit by you!

Planetsusie said...

Hi Darnell - I must say I giggled at the title Ugliest Card Ever - then I saw the card and the sentiment made me giggle again! So it can't be bad if it's making me laugh! lol. I love it!

As for being April 1st - my hubby told me it had snowed again and there was a layer of snow on the lawn! Well bless him, he finally got me after almost 44 years of marriage. We have had some lovely sun today so mustn't complain.

Hugs to you and thank you for liking my Sunflower Twinchie!

Sue Pxxx

Carol L said...

Oh my gawd, that card is funny! Those ladies look sloshed with their beady eyes! LOL It was a valiant attempt for a fun card but your remade card is a huge improvement! You always make me laugh, and I so enjoy coming here, so thanks for the chuckles! I loved your post today, TFS!

Anonymous said...

Oh you're brave, very brave!! I'm not joining in with this one though! Love the image and sentiment but really love your second card. It's amazing when we look back just how far we've all come!

Hugs
Brenda

tilly said...

I must say I did roll about at your card, at least you showed yours..........I am to ashamed to show mine lol
Tilly

Sue said...

Hi Darnell. Not sure about ugly but definitely made me laugh! The sentiment that goes with it is brilliant!
Your friendship card is gorgeous, I love the image and beautiful colours.
Sue xx

LauraJane:) said...

This was TOO funny!
I'm wondering who took that picture of my two great aunties??
Oh shame on me!!
Your 2nd card is very charming!

Victoria said...

Oh my! What a card!
I do love the remake - very classy!
Happy April Fool's Day!

Meg said...

OMG - I am laughing so hard on this blog hop - it is way too much fun! Suzanne should be charging admission!

Jackie Rockwell said...

Well . . . your lovely ladies aren't so lovely looking, they kind of look a little cranky! LOL! You did a great job masking though! :)

I had so many hideous cards It was difficult to just pick one. I seriously cringed at some of the first cards I ever posted. So happy to see so many of my fellow card making blogging friends brave enough to share. It really makes you appreciate how much we've all improved our skills.

The second card is wonderful Darnell! So very sweet, I just love the popped up clouds!!!

Redanne said...

Hi Darnell, I have to be honest, I do like the remake card much better.... I just can't stop laughing at the sentiment that goes with the first...... thanks for the smile. Hugs, Annie x

IamDerby said...

Love your remake! What a great idea! I also love that sentiment- that cracks me up! I have never been to your blog before- thanks for leaving me a comment so I could find you! A lovely place you have here.

Kelly S. said...

Heee, Darnell! I have seen that image before! It isn't the prettiest of all stamps but it sure is fun! I do love how you dressed the ladies, though! Do I see blue hair?! LOL!
Your remake is positively sunny! Love the lavender sky and the sweet details on the little girl's ruffles! PS...Thank you for saying my cards were ugly. Now I know who I can trust, giggle :)

Chris Simon said...

It's so much fun to see how far everyone has come in their stamping skills! Thanks for sharing your cards. I definitely like the new one better!

Renee said...

I love that sentiment...
Clarice...Steel Magnolias!!
I live by that motto! :)
And I love that you're being honest with the comments...
I told Suzanne we should be...
we should all be asking if someone was drunk while crafting and what were we thinking!
I like your redo much better though! :)

Di said...

I think you started out with an image that wasn't gonna improve whatever you did Darnell! I began with a decnt diamond fold and just chucked monkeys at it - and I did send it to 5 year old Joe :(

Love your reprise card - that's beeeeautiful.

Hugs, Di xx

Geri said...

Good for a chuckle, that's for sure! I have a 'few' of those kicking around too. But, you what is so sad? We thought they were awesome when we made them (Yikes eh?).

You totally redeemed yourself with the second card! 100 years will pass and this will still be as beautiful as it was the day you made it!

That is some pretty darn sa-weet paper piecing!

Bonnie Lynn said...

I've seen that stamp somewhere! Love the sentiment you still have though and the second card you made.

Kelly Griglione said...

Oh I had stamps like that too years ago ... the cheaper wood mount stamps with minimal details so it ends up looking like mush, and after stamping you flip it over and get mad at how it does NOT look close to the picture on the back. Love how you included a modern re-do of your original! Isn't it great to see how far you've progressed?

Lynn Mercurio said...

What a fun image...those two old ladies so remind me of my grandma and a great aunt. The sentiment is especially hysterical. Got to love sassy old broads like that, right?

It was great entertainment seeing all the ugliest cards today. Thanks for sharing yours.

Sharron said...

Looking at your cards is like jumping ahead in time about 75 years from card #1 to #2!! Gosh, people really used to wear hats like that!! Not such a pretty picture but very funny sentiment and you make up for it with your adorable young girls in your sweet happy card!

Anonymous said...

LOL! I about busted a gut when I scrolled down and read the sentiment that accompanies that image - HILARIOUS! :-D That reminds me of the movie Steel Magnolias, which I absolutely loved. It's funny what we each consider to be our 'worst' work. Fun to look back and laugh at ourselves a bit.

Your new card is adorable. A lovely, fitting replacement. ;-) Nicely done!

Annette Allen said...

such a fun blog hop.. I love how we grow as crafters.. I think that we get inspired by each other and our minds go wild from there.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your sweet comment..

Happy Crafting..

Leigh Penner said...

Okay, your card totally made me laugh, Darnell! Those women are just too funny looking! Great sentiment though-- very fun!
I love your new card, though.... very pretty paper-piecing!

Loly Borda said...

Oh Darnell, I'm so thankful for your sense of humour, every time I visit you I have a good laugh... love your second card, and the sentiment on the first cracked me up, I can use it with my sisters... TFS.

Unknown said...

That sounds like a great sentiment. Your card isn't that ugly, but the second one is definitely a huge improvement! LOL, this has been so much fun.

Claire said...

Erm, dare I say it Darnell, I have seen you do better cards! But you have to admit, it was worth getting the stamp just for the fantastic sentiment!

Inkyfingers said...

Hope you had a great Easter and April Fools Day Darnelle. I had to smile at your ugliest card but I think I have many that would challenge it for the title! How our tastes change over time. Love the friend to friend card and you paper piecing is awesome.

Hugs
Carol x

Suzanne said...

Oh, Darnell, no...thank you!!!!

I laughed at this card. I don't know why - not because of you...I think because of the stamp image itself. So hilarious.

Your second card - um, hello. that is one of the sweetest cards I've seen in a while.

Thanks for joining the hop! I love coming by here. You make me smile and your little LITS messages remind me to step back from the stress of daily life and just smile and enjoy myself. Thank you so much, Darnell!

Vickie Z said...

First of all....thanks for stopping by my blog and becoming a follower! Secondly, your ladies do seem a bit cranky....maybe the gossip wasn't good btwn them (that sentiment just cracks me up)!! Love the new card you made!! I'm still slowly making my way around everyone's blogs- have had such fun and chuckles with this blog hop!!

Anonymous said...

Chuckle chuckle ... those 'mature' ladies' expressions are priceless ... though I think the so sweet paper pieced girlies seem to be enjoying their chat rather better! Anita :)

Jean said...

Love the patterned paper in card # 2 ~ those girls are clearly having more fun than the ladies in card # 1! Happy to hear you had a Happy April Fool's Day.

canadian_liner said...

Thanks for visiting my blog for the Ugliest Card Ever, Darnell. Even if you weren't happy about the execution on your "worst" card here, the expressions on those two gossipy faces were worth stamping. Your second card is a cute version of two friends sitting together... Happy spring!