Hello, Stamplings!
Welcome to the crest of the week! Now all you have to do is ride it on into the weekend!
I'm very happy to say that my first cataract surgery went off without a hitch yesterday! I wrote most of this post earlier in case my eye was blurry, which it still is, but all is well. Thank you all so much for your well wishes!
Up first today is a simple one-layer card:
Welcome to the crest of the week! Now all you have to do is ride it on into the weekend!
I'm very happy to say that my first cataract surgery went off without a hitch yesterday! I wrote most of this post earlier in case my eye was blurry, which it still is, but all is well. Thank you all so much for your well wishes!
Up first today is a simple one-layer card:
I don't buy many wooden stamps any more, but when I was at Mike's recently, the stamp I used for this card jumped out at me from the display. I do love an image where the artist does 90% of the work by carving natural shading into the artwork. All I had to do was color the rubber directly with my Ziggies markers, give it a spritz, and stamp it on watercolor paper! Scrumplicious!
The NBUS stamp is from Inkadinkado. It's liberally winked, which you can see better below. The sentiment is from Penny Black's "Sweet Wishes."
Challenges
- CAS Watercolour January Challenge: Birthday.
- HLS January Watercolour Challenge: AG with option of sequins.
Evolution
Sometimes I'm not sure how far I want to go with a design, even with a clean-and-simple-one-layer card like the above. I'm sure you've had that feeling, right? I've always set up my card across the room when I think it might be done. It helps me get the "big picture" better than having it under my nose. Then last year it occurred to Hammy that I could use my point-and-shoot camera to help me better "evolve" my card design because when it is up on the computer screen, I can see it the way you will see it.
In other words, I can take a photo of my card at the very CASest stage, see it up on the big monitor and stop ... or add a little sumpin' sumpin', take another photo, ... etc., etc. It takes a bit more time, but it is very freeing to indulge in experimenting with design this way and it helps me know when I've arrived at that "AHA" moment when I'm happy with my card! (And even if I go too far, I still have a perfectly fine card for donating or giving away.)
So, for instance, Stage One:
Above is how my card today started out. Very very CAS. Just the image colored, spritzed, and stamped, and the sediment stamped in black ink. Which I'm good with. I like very minimalist CAS, but if I cock my head, I start to wonder, hmmm ...?
Stage Two.
,
Above is the same card, but with the addition of winking and splattering and sequints. You will notice that the green colors of the bottle have spread a bit, which winking will do. It's okay (only I wish Hammy hadn't added quite so many splatters), but hmmm, something is still missing ...
Stage Three.
In other words, I can take a photo of my card at the very CASest stage, see it up on the big monitor and stop ... or add a little sumpin' sumpin', take another photo, ... etc., etc. It takes a bit more time, but it is very freeing to indulge in experimenting with design this way and it helps me know when I've arrived at that "AHA" moment when I'm happy with my card! (And even if I go too far, I still have a perfectly fine card for donating or giving away.)
So, for instance, Stage One:
Stage Two.
,Stage Three.
AHA!! Above is the same card, but it needed some dementia, so I added a bit of a marker line to show the inside bottle bottom and I added a shadow. Wallah! NOW I'm done!
Here is a closeup of the winkle which refused to show in any of the other photos:
In a slew of flowers, I have a spotlight single flower to share:
This is SU's Corner Garden stamp. It's a delight to color, but coloring it can take a while, so if you don't have time, it lends itself nicely to spotlighting. I spotlit one blossom by stamping it on a Brusho background snippet and fussy-cutting it. QACAS!
Challenges
- CASology: Glimmer.
- The Flower Challenge: Spotlight stamping.
- HLS CAS Challenge: Friendship.
- Pixie's Snippets Playground: Use those snippets!
Since this is such a short post 😇, I'll remind you that we are halfway through the first Twofer Card Challenge! The challenge ends January 24, 2018, at 10:00 AM (PST).
Thank you so much to everyone who has played! I couldn't be more thrilled by your enthusiastic response and the number of you who have already joined in! The gallery is just bursting with inspiration! My awesome Design Team and I can feel the love and support and it means the world to us. More importantly, it's obvious you are having fun and we love that! Mwah!
Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*
As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and a 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 to return the favor!
*Life is too short!
To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling: Click CTL + Home. Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post. Click page down to reach the end of the post. Click Comments and the pop-up box opens. Click "Jump to Comment Form" and wallah, no more car pool tunnel! Mwah! p.s. If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!
79 comments:
So glad your surgery went well Darnell. And wow! Love seeing the evolution of your gorgeous card. Fabulous at every stage!
So glad the surgery has gone well.
I have much more of a "how much to add on and how much to leave off" problem with inkier, messier, artsier cards. I look at other people's work and it looks stunning - mine just looks a mess, and it always leaves me thinking "How did they know to add THAT splodge there and THAT bit of a stamp over there?". Maybe like you they are photographing every step.
Jane
Fabulous cards Darnell - I love the step by step evolution of your first card. Glad to hear your surgery was successful.
Kath x
Hi Darnell, Glad your op went ok.
Loving nthe cards. Sue
So glad your surgery went well Darnell. I have to say I like all three versions of your card. Sorry I haven’t been able to join in the Twofer challenge yet, I’m having crafting withdrawal symptoms, as I can only squeeze, and I do mean squeeze, into my craft room occasionally, then I have to try and get ahead with my DT cards. I will be so, so glad when this Reno is finished! xx
So pleased your surgery went well, you are braver than I Gunga Din! I'm not squeamish normally but I've always been a bit when it comes to eyes.
I'm like you and often take a pic before I press on and possibly 'ruin' a project!
Fab selection of cards, the flower stamped on the panel of Brusho looks so striking. :)
Happy that the old eyes are working a bit better Darnell (well one of them at least!!!!). Lovely card matey. xxx
Your cards are adorable and love the images, great colours too.
Valerija xx
So pleased that the first eye is now done and all is OK Darnell, and two fabulous cards on view today. Thanks for showing the evolution of the pretty bottle and flower, and that fabulous large floral display looks wonderful with the one highlighted flower in such a beautiful colour for this spotlight technique. x
They're both just beautiful! I do like the splatters you added on the first card. Gives it that extra oomph! Two great cards......
And more importantly......you're going to have two great eyes again! So glad the surgery on number 1 went well. Number 2 will be just as easy too
Lynn
Two beautiful cards Darnell and love the evolution of the 1st card...sometimes I stare at mine for awhile too to know when they are done! Too bad I don't have a Hammy to help me out with that process...there is Brinkley, but well, you know...he's just a dog! Cute, but still just a dog!! So glad to hear your eye surgery went well and hope the next one goes just as well! Take care!! :0)
So happy to hear that your procedure went well. Yay for good news! Your cards are delightful. I like how you plan to help your cards evolve as you say. I liked all the flavors you showed us! And the spotlight card is so pretty. Thanks for the reminder that one doesn't have to color it all in if time and desire is limited! Have a happy day!
Ah, I have had the same idea on photographing any step to choose if stay or continue adding something! :D But sadly I haven't time enough for experiment this way to play... So I have never done it! LOL
Your CAS is THE PERFECTION!! LOVE so much the little changes applied, so artistic and very clever!! Very well done! It's a piece of Art!
Brilliant choice for the second one, too. The brushos give a fab special touch to the only one coloured flower!
I somehow missed your last post, so as well as missing your fabulous cards, I missed your bit about going in for a little op. Glad everything went well and good luck with your next op. Gorgeous cards on this post too, I love the idea of taking photos along the way of making a card. Sometimes it's difficult to know when to stop and when to add a bit more. xx
Two wonderful cards Darnell. I love how the first turned out from the first photo to the finished card - I think you got the recipe just right with that one.... And the second is fabulous with that splash of colour.
I'm so glad to hear the surgery went well xx
Glad to hear your surgery went well!! Love your cards!
Pleased that your procedure went well Darnell. What fantastically colourful cards today and I loved you showing your process for the first card, I can see what you mean...must remember that for CAS cards xx
Hi Darnell,
Glad your first surgery went well and that you feel like squinting at the monitor for a bit! Thanks for a peek at your card in stages. It really helped me to see the development of the design. Sometimes I quit too soon and at other times, probably not soon enough.
Wishing ou well as you go through the next surgery.
Hugs and prayers,
Christine
Dear Darnell, I'm glad to hear, that first surgery was well. Lucky us, that you wrote some posts in advance. Flower Twofer is a wonderful art. I like both cards.
Hugs,
Sonja
Happy to read stage one for the eyes was a success and you are feeling good! thanks for your pictures showing the stages of your thought process and you know, I love CAS also, but those splatters do take it up a notch! And then to add the shadows, perfection!! Have a great week! Heart Hugs!
I should have visited the blog before I emailed. I'm so glad things went off without a hitch and you are doing well. Using the camera is a wonderful idea. I always see things after I post that I didn't see IRL. What a difference it made just adding that line at the bottom of the bottle and the little shadow.
Great cards Darnell!
Glad you're feeling well after the surgery. Sure love your eye for what the CAS card needed. I must admit, I saw that shadow very first thing and thought, "how cool". Was even wondering if it was part of the stamp. And I love your splatters! Beautiful blue bloom in your spotlight too.
Love the evolution of your card, which you so kindly shared. It turned out beautifully, I might add! It looked good at stage one, looked good at stage two, and looks spectacular at stage three! The details you've added to your card make is extra-extra special. Your spotlighted flower card is gorgeous!! That single bloom in vibrant colors against the black and white ones really shines. You've got the knack!! Glad to know you're on the road to recovery with the first eye, and I know you'll do just fine with the second one too. Will keep you in my prayers! xo Bev
Gorgeous CAS first card and it is so good to see how you got the eventual finished card. Such a pretty second card and love that technique. So glad the operation went well yesterday Darnell and here's to a speedy recovery...sending hugs x
I love both your cards, but think the first one is my favourite, it's gorgeous. Interesting to see how the look changes too with each stage. I do struggle with CAS and especially one layer. Pleased to hear your op went well x
First off, so happy that your initial surgery went well and that you can actually see...(kidding). Secondly, Darwin would be proud of your evolutionary explanation...easy to see why you're so brilliant. That image is simple but lovely to look at and you colored it perfectly.
Not to worry, your blurry visions should improve day by day.
Glad your cataract surgery went well and you ate back to making beautiful cards!
Back to comment again to say thank you for joining in with the HLS Watercolor Challenge!
Great idea to photography your card to see if it needs more. I love the way it evolved. It is PERFECT ... and perfectly CAS. Love the dimension by adding the shadow to the bottom of the vase. Great work Dolly! Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Watercolour!
Beautiful spotlight card. I have done this technique so rarely, but it is very effective. Your coloured flower is beautiful. Lolly xx
It is very pretty and I like how you showed the 3 stages. I sometimes set my cards aside to see if I think it is done, too!
I am glad your surgery went well!
I am glad your surgery went well!! I LOVE your card. I also thank you for showing the evolution of the card. Great design!!
Hi Darnell,
so glad your eye surgery went well.
When my Mum had hers done years ago she looked like she had done 2 rounds with Mike Tyson, but she did bruise easily.
The upside was she could read a paper without her glasses after that.
Such super twofers this time around as always they are expertly created and designed.
You are a super CAS designer.
Your colouring of the images is excellent also.
Love and big crafty hugs from my house to yours. Jenny L.
So happy to hear your surgery went so well. TFS the happy news, Dolly.
Love your beautiful new shadowed stamp and your CAS card samples. I liked them all.
TFS and take care. Hugs..
Your cards are so gorgeous! I am glad the cataract surgery went well too.
The cards are beautiful in each stage of coloring, and I'm beyond thankful your eye surgery went well too! I could use a fresh flower right about now in the middle of this latest round of snow :)
Thank goodness your eye surgery went well! And, of course, your card is scrumptious! And I can SO relate to the "Is this done yet?" syndrome :) Hugs!!
Very pleased to hear that the surgery went well and that your new challenge is going great guns too.
Two beautiful creations and love the shade of green and the colour of the flower, can't decide if I like with or with out he splatters but both are tip top.
Super card with the spot light on just one of the flowers.
Kath x
What a wonderful stamp that jumped at you! I often take a picture then add. That way if I ruin it with my addition, I can still post it. And sometimes I take another picture after I see it on the computer. It shows what my blurry eyes miss! Love how you've colored one flower in your garden scene too. And a pretty flower it is! Glad the surgery went well. Good luck on the other one now. And thanks for sharing with us at CAS Watercolour!
Very glad to hear the first carrots have been dealt with and that you aren’t uncomfortable or prone. Result! Love the card, and again, wonder why I don’t see things like the bottle needing a shadow and a ring I the base to anchor it. Blooming clever. (Do you see what I did therej
So happy your surgery went well Darnell and your card is gorgeous! huggles Sue xx
Excuse me but can I stop winking yet? The cat keeps giving me funny looks and The Docs getting quite the wrong idea!! Glad your little eye op went ok. hugs Mrs A.
Yay for the great outcome on the eye surgery!
Thanks to you I just learned that I can color on rubber stamps with my Zigs. Geez! Another "I'm late to the party". Thanks for the tip. Please pass on more. Seriously. [Bunny]
So glad to hear your cataract surgery went well!! I love the dimension and sparkle and splats you added to your first card! The shadows are just perfectly! I love the spotlight flower too! Beautiful, as always! Hugs!
So glad the surgery went well, don't over do it with the eyes, they need a little rest for May :)
Love the towfer cards and I can see why you had to buy the bottle stamp, it's so versatile.XXX
Fantastic cards - I must say that I do love the 'shine' on the bottle in the first picture. So glad to hear that your eye operation was a success :-) xxxxxxxxxxxxx
So glad the first cataract surgery went well - good luck with the second. And then you'll have happy eyes ready for our retreat in May! Love your great CAS birthday card - I've always liked flowers in various bottles (I have a little collection of them - real bottles that is, not stamps - I line them up on the mantel with flowers from my garden in the summer).
Gorgeous cards! Loved learning about the steps you take to finish a card. I often change little bits after I see them up on the computer, so I think I should follow your lead and look at them BEFORE I post them.
So glad the surgery went well.
Love your cards. I have the SU corner stamp and love the idea of colouring only one flower - thanks for the tip!
Hi Darnell ...... so glad to hear the surgery went well.
What a pretty card, lovely image and you've created an amazing watercolour look. It's great to see the stages it went through too. Thank you for playing along with the HLS challenges xx
Love, love, love your evovling card pictures Darnell - brilliant! I find to get WOS to photograph well, I have to do ut under electric light, and alter the settings on my camera...
Great to hear you surgery went well - I have not been around blogland much of late as life here has been crazy busy, so in case I don't get back, all the best for the other surgery. It's my turn on the 25th, when I am having an 'entangled nerve' in my right arm released...
Blessings
Maxine
I love all the versions of your CAS card Darnell, what a great idea to take photos along the way!
Pleased to hear your op was successful, now you know what to expect for the other eye.
Janice x
Two stunning cards. I'm relieved that the surgery went well, sending lots of healing vibes x
Love the original card and its evolution. The second is a stunner too. And I'm so glad your surgery went well xoxo
Your cards are beautiful. How fun to see the "evolution!" So glad your surgery went well. Good luck with the next one, too.
Fabulous cards Darnell, I love all 3 versions of your first card they all look wonderful and your second card is beautiful with the pop of colour.
Glad your eye surgery went well :)
Hugs Kaz xx
Glad the surgery went well.
Gorgeous cards, loving the vase... so artsy fartsy!
Wow! I would have thought the Stage One was perfect, but you made it even better! Also, a gorgeous flower stamp. It begs to be colored, but it does take soooo long sometimes. Your idea for it is beautifully QACAS! Good to hear your cataract surgery was also QACAS!
So pleased you're rocking and rolling already, Darnell ... excellent news! Your spotlit brusho flower is just delicious ... and I loved seeing the evolution of your bottle bloom ... with each extra design feature, it became more and more lovely! LYAMYMA ... ETROYW! Big hugs & bisous, Anita :)
Delighted to hear that Stage One eye surgery went well! Found any dust bunnies hiding around the house yet - I told you that a friend had prfessional cleaner come in and give her house a real blitz after she had her surgery and could see well once again.
LOVE how your CAS card evolved - only wish I had the time to take several photos along the way - am usually in a frazzled heap when I reach the end and only then do I even think of taking a photo! Good idea though. Love your Snippets card - that spotlight technique is such fun to do and does save a ton of work!
Take care and good luck for Stage Two. BTW, I'll be over with my Twofers cards but am likely to race in at the last minute - story of my life really!
Hugs
Di xx
Hi Darnell, how wonderful that stage one of your surgery went well. Fingers crossed that you will be able to say the same about stage two.
Love the way you've used that Inkadinkado stamp. Yes, it's a bonus when the stamp itself provides some of the shading but still, you do all the work in designing the card and choosing the colours. And using the Wink of Stella, of course. The watercolour look to this image is phenomenal. Thanks so much for joining us at the HLS January Watercolour challenge.
Glad to hear surgery went well & good luck with the next one. So interesting seeing the progression of your card & boy did you nail it in the end! Great idea to use a fussy cut flower for the spotlight! Sending hugs, Greta
First, I am so glad your surgery went well. That's great news. I love seeing the stages of your card. Each was beautiful, and the card definitely is totally awesome at the end. For me, the splatters and shadow did the trick. Your spotlight card really pops. Take care!
Wonderful to hear that your surgery went well Darnell! Both your cards are fabulous! Love how you kept adding to the first one and love how the flower pops on the second!
Hugs, Sherry x
Loose Stitches and Unraveled Threads
First Dee I am so pleased that the surgery went well. Loving your gorgeous cards too, thank you for sharing the second one over at 'The Flower Challenge' and we hope to see you there again soon ;) hugs Viv DT xx
Happy your surgery went well..I love both of your cards.. Never thought to color just one flower but love it. Your first card has the right amount of “stuff”.
Glad to hear your surgery went well. I am loving seeing the evolution of your card and the finished product...the shadow is the clincher for sure. Fabulous card Darnell. I am back from California and in search of something appropriately feathered for the twofer.
Hi, Darnell! Another great two-fer post! Love the watercolor effect on the first and the spotlight technique on the second.
First of all Darnell, I'm so happy your surgery went well, wishing you a speedy recovery.
And thank you for sharing your second card with us at THE FLOWER CHALLENGE, this is one of my favorite background stamps from Stampin' Up!, you spotlighted that gorgeous bloom beautifully.
Hugs,
Maria Rodriguez.DT
It was fun to see the different stages your card went through and the end result is just lovely! I also sometimes take pictures of my cards in progress as it is true that when you see them on a screen they look different. Although I only use the small screen of my phone because it takes less time (but it might be less effective...)
The spotlit (is that a word? It's not underlined...) flower card is also very pretty!
Hope your recovery continues to go well and the second surgery will, too!
wonderful cards!
hugs
Soooo glad your first surgery went well my friend! I love your first card, a gorgeous stamp, and I love seeing all the different stages of its creation - each one looked wonderful! Such a cool idea to see how it's coming too! Your spotlight card is also gorgeous, love the Brusho flower! Hugs! xxxxxxx
I knew your surgery would be fine, Darnell, and now on to better things - before the next one. ;) I like the way you think and although I have often thought myself that I should display my card on the big screen before finalizing it, I never do. For the same reason you mentioned. Time. Maybe taking that time is what makes a good cardmaker great. Your final touches were the perfect way to make your card great.
Sorry I missed this post! So glad to hear your surgery went well and best of luck with #2! Your first card is wonderful and certainly evolved into quite the beauty! The highlight design is gorgeous! The Brushos have amazing colors.
Hi Darnell, back again to say thanks for joining us at HLS, I missed it the first time around. Doh! :)
Both of these are gorgeous, Darnell! Beautiful, bold colors and such pretty images!!! I love the selective coloring on your CASology design! CAS done right! :)
Thanks so much for playing along with us over at CASology!
Oooh, I love the progression of your card and especially got all excited about your final addition of the shadow. Isn't it fun how little details take a card from yes, to YES!!!
Glad to hear your cataract surgery went well and I'm sure you're going to have a whole new outlook with your brand new eyes. I had cataract surgery some years ago and was shocked to see how much brighter and brilliant colors appeared.
These are ever so lovely and make me smile!!
I love all your cards, Darnell. The first is an amazing watercolor effect. I love the flower's appearance, it is not so limited and it flows gently. The second card catches the eye to your beautiful dyed flower. Everything looks beautiful.
Thank you for joining the game at HLS CAS.
hugs,
BozenA DT HLS
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