I'm Up at {CASE}ing Genius!

Hi there!

Here we are again, whooshed around to a bright, cleanly-laundered Monday, fresh as a daisy!

Today is a super-duper day for me as I am honored to be up on Kelly Latevola's blog You and Your Big Dreams as her featured genius! Yup, moi! 

Every Monday morning, Kelly publishes her unique {CASE}ing Genius series where she showcases different card artists she admires. It is a HUGE compliment to me that Kelly is interviewing and {CASE}ing me for her latest feature and I hope you will pop over and check it out!

If you haven't already, I have no doubt that you will fall in love with Kelly as I have done! After wards, search "genius" on her blog and the entire series will appear to delight and inspire you!

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As many of you may remember, I previously DJKased Kelly here. Today I thought it would be fun to reciprocate's Kelly's compliment and thank her for including me in her series by doing another DJKase. This time the card I chose from Kelly's varied and plentiful array of card art is this one. 

And here is my DJKASE:

For this one-layer card, I used leaf stamps from SU. I stamped them with a Kaleidoscope "Autumn Leaves" ink pad. I wasn't happy with how distinct the ink color separations were using the pad, so I used Distress Inks and a water brush to blend (and add to) the colors. Kelly is a huge proponent of using micron pens to outline images, so ala Kelly, I used a Pigma Micron 01 in brown to outline the leaves and the markings. I love the definition it gives! The sediment is from SU.

Thank you again, Kelly, for this enormous honor! I very much appreciate that you do this series which either introduces us to new card artists, or allows us to become better acquainted with fellow artists we have already met in Blogland.

I think the true genius here is YOU!! 

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Challenges

• Inkspirational Challenge: One-Layer Card.
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

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New Friends Corner

I am so tickled to introduce you to two new friends of the Playhouse:

Kelly of Sandcastle Stamper. Kelly lives in Miami and she has been blogging since 2009. She is the mother of four who began scrapbooking when she was 16 years old.  In addition to paper art, she is an aspiring writer who enjoys reading, writing book reviews, volunteering at her children's schools, and spending time at the beach. She is a card artist who serves on design teams and enjoys entering challenges. I think you will enjoy her fun, sweetly-layered, and colorful cards!

Tina Z. of Treebug. Tina is from Slovenia. She is a  fairly new blogger who just began her blog in April of this year. She makes delightful cards, has a passion for the environment, and loves, loves, loves to enter challenges. It would be so wonderful if you visited, followed, and left some encouraging and supportive words for Tina! (And Kelly!)

Thank you for joining, ladies, and welcome to the Playhouse.

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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 join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

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Posies and Plaid

Greetings!

We've whooshed through another week to another Friday! In fact, it's the last Friday of another month down the drain! Slurp!

But never mind about that. It is my pleasure to help you halt time for a few minutes while you are here enjoying this reminder: we are halfway through the current challenge at Uniko. It is an honor for me to be co-chairing the podium as Guest Designer with the sensational Wiebke! 

Are you playing along yet? The challenge is "SUMMER" and, as a twist, you have the option of using this fun photo inspiration:

Last week a lot of you wondered what the story was on this charming house. Do fairies live here? Ganomes? Ginger cookies dressed up as human boys and girls?

No, none of those things. This sweet home^ is in the town of Valentine, Cherry County, Nebraska. The home was originally built in 1922 by the mayor, Rutherford Harvey, for his bride. Rutherford was lucky enough to marry one of the daughters of Edward Valentine, the town's founding father. Her name was Lacey.

The Harvey-Valentines were well-loved by the citizens of Valentine. Together they had five children: Lavender, Lilac, Persimmon, Rose, and Pepperoni. All of the adult children and their children currently live in other fairy tale houses on the 750-acre homestead. This main home is the residence of Lavender and Lilac, both widowed. Once a year, the entire family opens their hearts and homes (and homes with hearts) to the public to celebrate "SUMMER" from August 21-September 4! Here at Uniko, and we hope in all of Blogland, we are celebrating right along with them!

My cousin Eunice happens to be the Foyer Florist for Rose (who, if you can believe it, married Stephen Bush!). I made this card as an inspiration for Eunice and to inspire you to play in the challenge.

I used a white base and a green marbled mat from an ancient set of blank cards that I've had forever. The flower box was made with a Poppystamps die "Grand Window Box." The pretty posies are from the Uniko set "Beautiful Blooms II" and the white heat-embossed kite-tail leaves are from the Uniko set "Natures Treasures I."

I do hope you will join in the fun at Uniko! I know there are tons of details in the photo that you can draw inspiration from. Or just make a card with flip-flops or sunshine or anything that makes you think of summer!

Today's Twofer

I've made a QACAS Christmas Card.

The papers are a garden green from SU and a lovely light green unknown textured paper from my stash. The red and green plaid is also from GKW. The NBUS "Season's Greetings" die and holly are from Avery Elle. I added some red gems to plump up the berries and that's it, friends. This was so simps considering the festive result! And it's easy to mail!

Challenges

• Addicted to Stamps and More: CAS (clean and simple).
• CASology: Cue Card: Plaid.
• Merry Monday Christmas Card Challenge: Light green, dark green, and red.
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes.

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Hark!

Time is running out for linking sponsors, so if you are on a DT for a company that you think might want to sponsor this next NBUS Challenge, have them contact me at darnell dot knauss at gmail dot com. Thank you!

Details

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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 join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

^Everything regarding the home is a total lie. I'd love to hear what you think the story is!

PS to Sandi. I couldn't respond to your no-reply email. It's from Technique Tuesday. Thank you for the head's up so I could edit my post!

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It's the 25th ~ Time for PTI and Rudolph!

Happy 25th Day of August 2015!

I hope you're having a great day! When I can, I like to play in two challenges that occur on the 25th of every month, so that makes it an automatic twofer day!

First up:

After masking the top of the card base at an angle, I first heat-embossed the NBUS PTI outline "Vintage Linens" stamps in black. Then, using the PTI photo inspiration below as, well, inspiration, I stamped the solid stamps in PTI inks: orange zest, scarlet jewel, raspberry fizz, and spring moss. The sediment is SU. 

When I removed the mask, I was horrified to find the scarlet jewel ink had bleed through my mask onto the white card base. That little booboo was quickly fixed by adding the PTI classic kraft ribbon and a swirly paperclip. Truth be told, it was another one of those happy accidents as it looks so much better dressed! (Don't we all, really?)

Challenges

• August 2015 Blog Hop Challenge for Papertrey Ink: Photo Inspiration.
• Less Is More: Sketch Inspiration.

  

Today's Twofer

Switching gears to Christmas I made this:

This OLC is adorned with NBUS Technique Tuesday "Chickadees" stamps which I purchased over a year ago. (Slap!) I'm not sure if I have used the "Jolly" die from Lil Inkers before, but I can tell you that the gold lamé paper from Tim Holtz is NBUS and I had a heck of a time cutting it. The red sparkly side embellies are Washi tape. The sweet little santa hats are from Memory Box. I drew a bit of ground for the Santabirds to stand on and then enhanced their beaks and feet with a gold At you Spica pen.

After making this card, and enjoying a minute of Hammy doing a dozen summer salts to signify his pleasure, I took some photos.

When the above photo appeared on the monitor, however, I sat with my head leaning over my left shoulder. To me, Mr. Santabird and Mrs. Santabird look adorable in their cute santa hats. Fine. But doesn't it seem like Mrs. Santabird is looking at something that isn't there?

Well, I thought so, too, so I gave them some privacy for a brief 30-minute gestation period and now they are a family!! This time even I did a couple three summer salts!

Ah. That's better!

I know there is a baby bird in the Chickadee set, but I wanted a baby who was returning mama's gaze, so I used this cutie-patootie stamp from Paper Smooches "My Peeps" set.

(That explains why the Missus has a "Well, who are YOU?!" look on her face. We won't mention that the Mister simply looks clueless.)

Challenges

• Happy Little Stampers August Christmas Challenge: Sparkle.
• One-Layer Christmas Card Challenge: Christmas Card (w/o twist).
• Rudolph Days: Christmas Card.

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Hark!

Details

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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 join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

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W-O-W and NBUS Challenge News

Happy Sunday Hello! Thank you for stopping by the Playhouse!

The other day when I had my watering can out to make my Uniko GD card, Hammy and I got to talking about how much we love white-on-white (or, as I like to say, W-O-W) cards and how it's been over two years since we've made one.

That was quickly remedied with this:

and, of course, the inside completion of the sediment, thus:

As you can see, this is a "die-happy" card, which is often the case with W-O-W cards. Oh, haha, now I can "die happy!" Settle down. We mustn't have that!

The dies are: Impression Obsession: "Die053-M" (long-stemmed hearts); Memory Box: "Garden Watering Can"; Simon Says Stamp: "Be," "Butterfly Tendrils" (NBUS) (butterflies only), and "Oh Happy Day" (happy only).

Challenges

• Pixie's Snippets Playground: Use your snippets.
• Shopping Our Stash: Layer It On Me.
• Simply Create Too: Anything Goes.

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NBUS #5 IS COMING!

I've only got the onefer for you today, because I have a big pronouncement! Some of you have been asking, nay, clamoring for another NBUS** challenge and I agree, it is way past time for one!

As you know, I have been holding a new challenge with every hunnert followers that join, but that has slowed down, so I've made the executive decision to hold two NBUS challenges a year from now on: one in March and one in September!

September is right around the corner so mark your calendars and start your engines!

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NEW AND BECITING:  SPONSORS!!!

I'm happy to announce that there are companies you know and love who will be sponsors for this next challenge, so there will be even MORE prizes to be won!! 

If you are a company owner or a Design Team member, feel free to contact me about sponsorship for your company! But hurry, the challenge date is fast approaching!  

(Contact: darnell dot knauss at gmail dot com.)

Go forth and climb your Mt. NBUS and start excavating! The challenge theme is "Anything Goes." I know those creative juices are already at work and I can't wait to see what you make!

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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 join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

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Guest Designing for UNIKO!

 Hello, my lovelies!

I'm tickled pink to have whooshed through the week so I could come to you today as Guest Designer for Uniko Challenge #24!

A lot of you are familiar with the lovely Beverley Brown, owner, operator, and stamp designer of Uniko, and card artist extraordinaire! Oh, and we mustn't forget she's also the mother of twin boys who are now up and walking and giving Bev a workout every minute they are awake! As a grandmother of twin boys, I know what my DDIL went through with her active toddlers, so Bev has my utmost respect!

I was honored when Bev asked me to guest design for this SUMMER challenge which will run from today through September 4th. For an extra twist, here is a beautiful summer inspiration photo for you:

And here is my card:

I used a pink watering can cut using the Memory Box die, "Garden Watering Can." The small flower is from my miscellaneous small flower stamps and the NBUS leaves are from Uniko's set, "Nature's Treasures I." The flowers and leaves were colored with my SU markers. They were then winked and dotted. The NBUS sediment is from Uniko's set, "Simply Said Birthday." Both card panels were embossed with the Lil' Inker stitched rectangle dies. 

There are also prizes to be won for those who join in! For details, please pop over to the Uniko Challenge. You'll also see what my fellow Guest Designer Wiebke and the uber-talented Design Team have created to inspire you! Summer is ending way too soon, so let's keep it alive for the next two weeks! I can't wait to see your wonderful works of art!

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New Friend Corner

I am so pleased to welcome a new friend today! Her name is Barb Williams and her blog is Barb's Faraway Crafts. Barb is fairly new to Blogland, having just started her delightful blog in February of this year! Barb lives in Northants and you'll notice on her side bar that she and I share a love for little tiny craft houses! Barb has been crafty since she was a child in one form or another. She started making cards seven years ago and really enjoys stamping. I love her fabulous card designs and I think you will, too! It would be a treat if you could take a minute to visit Barb, follow her, and welcome her to our kind and supportive community!

Thank you for joining, Barb, and welcome to the Playhouse!

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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 join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

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