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!

November 3, 2013

It's Tracey's Birthday! (ATSM; PS pp; STB; SSS)

Happy Sunday, World and Happy Birthday, Tracey!

There is a big birthday party happening today for Tracey, a card artist who is a sweet friend much-admired in our stamping community.  Her amazing blog is called In My Creative Opinion.  I feel like Tracey is The Professor of CAS (clean and simple) and her blog is a classroom through which I learn.
 
You can find Tracey's party and cake over at The Organizer's blog (otherwise known as the inimitable Joyce from Cards-by-the-Sea).  Here is the link  Thank you, Joyce, for organizing this fun party!  This party for sweet Tracey is going to be open for a whole week if you would like to make her a card and add it to the party gallery.  I hope you will! 
 
To design my card for Tracey, I CASEd this beautiful card of hers:
tracey_CQC213
And I used this picture perfect photo inspiration from Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge:
 Thusly armed, I made this card:
I masked and stamped three rows of greens, yelloranges, and purples using a leaf stamp and then overstamped that with a water droplet stamp.  Here is the inside:
Happy Birthday, Tracey, and many, many more!!
~~~
I'm also entering my card in these current challenges:
~~~
My PhotoIt is my absolute delight to welcome our newest friends!  Many of you already know and love them. 

On the right is "Benzi" of Benzi Stampz!  She has been blogging since 2010 and is an award-winning card artist.  You'll be doing yourself a huge favor if you visit her wonderful blog!
My Photo
On the left is the winsome and talented Mina from Pinkbuds.  Mina has been blogging since 2008!  You'll be totally inspired by the wonderful cards at her site!

Welcome, Benzi and Mina, and thank you so much for joining the party!
 
~~~
A couple of months ago I purchased a mini butterfly bush and I thought you might enjoy seeing how it is still thriving even though our temperatures are really starting to drop.  (Our full-size bushes in the front yard have long since stopped producing blooms.)
 
If you look closely in the lower center of this close-up, you'll see a Monarch butter fly, also a surprise to see this time of the year!
~~~

Enjoy your day!  No, seriously, enjoy.  LITS*  
 
As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment and/or join as a follower!  Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor! 
 
*Life Is Too Short!  
 
Paper:  PTI vintage cream; SU! elegant eggplant
Stamps:  SU! leaf and front sediment; Paper Smooches
  inside sediment from "I Heart Art"; water droplets by
  Ryn's Designs
Ink:  SU! markers; eggplant pad
Die:  Lil' Inkers Stitched Rectangles

67 comments:

Nonni said...

Beautiful stamping and colors. Love it!

Irene said...

A beautiful card Darnell with brilliant stamping and colours.
luv
irene
xxxx

Hannelie said...

Wow! was my first second and third word!
She's going to LOVE it!
Beautiful card Darnell!

Ustvarjalni utrinki Tamara P. said...

GORGEOUS CARDS,
and fotos
amazing work
love it
bhugs and lovely Sunday
Tamara

Sammy said...

Gorgeous, as always! Tracey is going to love it! x

Lyn said...

Totally gorgeous card and that droplet stamp is amazing.

Deborah Frings said...

What a fabulous card! Love the shaded leaves and the water droplets look so real!! Great work. Thanks so much for playing along with ASM this week!

stampwithsandy said...

Gorgeous card Darnell! I love the beautiful colors, and I must find me one of those water droplet stamps, I love it! Tracey is going to love this, too!

Michelle said...

Wow! Great CASE of Tracey's card while using the inspiration photo. Your card is perfect!! Super work, Darnell!

Julia Aston said...

What a lovely 'pile' of beautiful leaves Darnell! a wonderful inspired card - and I just LOVE the 'crafty' sentiment too!

Gerrina said...

Beautiful cards! What great colours! Have a creative week, Gerrina

Ardyth said...

Love how you've cased Tracey's card - great colours and textures from the overlapping stamps!

sandie said...

love all your cards but the card for ARSM is just stunning, the water droplets look so real. Thanks for joining us at ATSM

Sue said...

Stunning card Darnell! lots of huggles Sue xxxxxxxxxxx

Colleen said...

Beautiful card for Tracey, Darnell...love the colors...so yummy!

Lisa Elton said...

Perfect CASE of Tracey's card Darnell she is going to love this!!

Mrs.D said...

Darnell, Gosh that card is beautiful, so simple but stunning.
Your friend is going to be very blessed with it.
Chris

Tenia Nelson said...

What a gorgeous card!!

Nan G said...

Great card! Love the colors and the way you've used the leaf stamp. What did you use to get the perfect stitching outline!? Have a fab Sunday!

Tracey McNeely said...

Darnell this is so gorgeous and wow you CASE'd my card and used the PS inspiration photo just perfectly! Now I want to make a card just like the one you made for me, love that water-droplet stamp. Thank you so much my dear friend, you are always so supportive and encourage me so much. Have a great day! xoxo

jimlynn said...

Darnell, this is sensational!!! LOVE all those wonderful colors and the design. SO pretty and know she's going to love it.
Those water droplets are just right!!
Lynn

Sue - said...

Beautiful colours for the leaves and the addition of those water droplets is sheer genius. x Sue

Unknown said...

Oh my Darnell, I swooned over your card! I just have to find that raindrop stamp! Thanks so much for all of your inspiration!

Linda said...

Darnell, your card is so beautiful. Love that you cased one of Tracey's cards to make this beauty.

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday to Tracey - she's going to love your inspired card Dippy. You've used my favourite water droplets stamp - isn't it just gorgeous. Love how they look on the leaves.

Hugs.

Karendipity xxx

Virginia L. said...

Beautiful CASing of Tracey's card! I also love your take on PS Sparks challenge! Totally gorgeous, Darnell!

Loll said...

Gorgeous design Dolly!! Lolly xx

Jenny said...

Such a beautiful take on the photo Darnell and I love the water droplets too :0)
Thanks for playing along at PS Sparks this week :0)
Jenny x

Bonnie said...

Wow, Darnell, this is awesome! Such a wonderful tribute to a wonderful stamper!

Harriet Skelly said...

What a gorgeous card Darnell - I love the colors and that water droplet image is really cool! Fabulous stamping!

Canonbury creations said...

Wow Darnell the nicest card I've seen for a while! Love how you created it and have pinned it so I can CASE it in the future:)
Val x

alexandra s.m. said...

Oh my! I love your card Darnell and these drops work like a trompe l'oeil! Brilliant!!
Thank You~

Shannon J said...

Oh this is soooo pretty, Darnell! Extra sweet that you personalized it for Tracey with a CASE of her card! You are one special, caring, thoughtful lady!

Joyce said...

Brilliant card, and so sweet that you case'd Tracey's card. I absolutely adore those water drop stamps. They are so realistic. What stamps are they? Thanks so much for partying at Tracey's linky birthday party.

MackieMade Paper Creations said...

Incredible job matching your stamping and coloring to the challenge photo! I gotta get that droplet stamp!!!
I am sure Tracy loves your card!!!

Bobby said...

I love the "rainbow" of leaves but the water droplets really blew me away. I forgot about that stamp and it was perfect for this card.

Karen M said...

Your card is so stunning Darnell - I love the beautiful colours and the design looks fab! What a lovely card to make for tracey - she is also a treasure in our stamping world:) Hugs xx

Carol L said...

What a stunning card this is! I absolutely love it!!

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Hi Darnell, Your card is gorgeous with the fabulous stamping. Your take on the photo is wonderful right down to the water droplets :) Hope you had a great weekend, Hugs, Shirleyx

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous Work!!! Thanks so much for joining us at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!!! - Ashli :)

Cathy Weber said...

Such a beautiful rainbow of colors Darnell...those water droplets look so realistic and I am sure Tracey will love this card!

Dianne said...

Well Miss Darnell,look what Tracy's inspiration and the love you added has produced a stunningly beautiful card, the colors of the leaves are fabulous,and my all time favorite stamp, the water drops,excellent interpretation on both cards,love how you decorated the inside, things made with love are the best.. Thanks for sharing Benzi blog she is a wonderful card artist, and dear Mina, her cards are fabulous, her coloring is perfect..
Thanks for sharing the magic happening in your garden.. Hope you have a wonderful week..

Marybeth said...

Well, I am late to the party. Or I show up a few days too soon. Ugg!
Oh my goodness this is STUNNING! I bet this is also a winner! I love everything about this.Love the way you overlapped the leaves.
You sure know how to welcome new bloggers. I think that is wonderful and I wish I would have done the same a long time ago.

Susanne Vargas said...

What a gorgeous card, Darnell! Love the colors and you used that water droplet stamp that I have been meaning to order forever!

Greta said...

Artistic & beautiful--wonderful card for Tracey's celebration! And what fun to see the butterfly & flowers!

Kim Heggins said...

As always, fabulous cards my friend! I am sure Tracey will be so happy with your case of her card, such a sweet way to say Happy Birthday! See you soon.

Jean said...

LOVE this CASE of Tracey's card ~ absolutely fabulous!!!

Lyndal said...

FABULOUS birthday card!!!

Jessi Fogan said...

Those water droplets completely MAKE that card, Darnell! Stunning!

Inkyfingers said...

Oh wow, Darnell, I love this CAS card and I must get the water droplet stamp - I have never seen anything like it. Where is it from if I might ask? Love the little plant and so great to see a butterfly at this time of year.
Mwaah! as you would say.
Carol xx

Robin said...

Wow Darnell! That card you made is awesome!!! I'm wondering if I could use a water drop stamp like that for painting? It is so beautiful and I can see all of your cards winning competitions!!! Have a wonderful week! Hugs!

Robin said...

Oops! I forgot to mention a thank you for sharing your new bush and the butterfly! Its too cold here now but I am going to get a few bushes next Spring. Hugs!

cm said...

WOW!! A stunning card! You have certainly mastered well the lessons of CAS Tracey has shared; indeed, this beauty sees you at the top of the class! The water droplet is perfect; realistically perfect!! Oh, to see some flowering plants - alas, the foot of snow we acquired over the weekend has put a halt to that! Thank you for sharing your 'pretties' with us...ummm, how long 'til Spring? Hugs, c

Anonymous said...

Oh My Goodness, Darnell, this is such a fabulous card for Tracey ... those gorgeous colours are so perfectly complemented with the water droplets ... awesome, really, awesome! Anita :)

Jeanne J. said...

What a gorgeous card for Tracey. I can't believe all the layers of color and those water drops look absolutely real! Stunning!

Judy1223 said...

Darnell, this is quite a beauty! Those water droplets are amazing, and the leaves are gorgeous colors, so rich! Tracey will be nothing less than thrilled with this card!

Geri said...

...catching up on the last couple of days of posts and I see that you have been on one heck of a beautifully creative roll! The chevron card - clean, simple, graphic gloriousness! The leaf card...well you had me at the water droplets (to think that it is a stamp!!!). The colors in this challenge really are pretty and you did them proud with your two creations! Sweet purple mats!

Love the flowers pics and the Monarch butterfly! We are apparently surround by snow (over one foot just a couple hours north of us) but so far, we have dodged the white stuff!

maria f. said...

Absolutely beautiful CASE. Your leaves are luscious. Reminds me I have a NBUS water droplet stamp to ink up... There ain't enough time in the day.

Sue said...

This is gorgeous, Darnell! The leaves stamped over the raindrops in those lovely colours looks amazing.

Laurie Unger said...

Love this - the colors you used are wonderful!

Savannah O'Gwynn said...

WOW! 62 comments! How do you do it??? Well-- it's your creations and posts:) LOL! But still-- WOW!

LOVE this card-- love the water drops and the layered leaves! GORGEOUS color too! FAB x100000:) THANKS so much for playing along with the Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge! Hope you join in the fun this week for the STRIPE trend watch challenge;)

Mandy said...

Gorgeous card Darnell, so elegant and pretty.
Thanks for joining us at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
hugs
Mandy xx

Alanna said...

This is so gorgeous. I love the stamping you did and how it's framed with those stitched mats.

Craftychris said...

ooh this card is beautiful! Fabulous stamping and I am loving the colours. The pretty bush is gorgeous too! xx

Renee said...

Gorgeous inspiration...
gorgeous card and I know she loves it! :)

Ryn Tanaka said...

Hey Darnell, you interpreted that photo so well!!! Love what you did. Your followers left some really lovely comments as well. I'll definitely add this to my next customer creations blog post :)

MackieMade Paper Creations said...

Congratulations, Darnell! You are an Honorble addict! Yay!