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!

February 22, 2018

Lots of Love!

Hello, Stamplings!

How are you? I don't know about where you are, but here in America, we are having the weirdest winter of bitter cold one day and summery hot the next day! It's really no wonder there is so much sickness going around when our immune systems don't know whether to wear sandals or snow boots!

We are settling back in after our fun long weekend adventure with the boys. Hammy was chafing at the bit to get on the computer and see what challenges were beckoning. (Warning: this is a Big Mug o' Beverage post.)

We started with this number:
Here we have an OLC that fits the bill for a coupla three favorite challenges. I paper-pieced the doodled flower stamp, watercolored the hills and the little doggie with his heart, added the sediment, and added the score lines at the top. Of course, the heart is winked, but doesn't show. That doggie is an old wooden stamp and the sediment is modern, but aren't the two of them perfect for each other?!

(I know my watercoloring looks a little puddly, but that wasn't from my paints, that was from a certain little doggie getting piddly, as dogs do.)

Challenges
~~~

Twinfers

Wait. What? Yes, that's right. Please don't confuse these next two cards as the kind of twofers we like to see in the Twofer Challenge, because these twofers are identical designs ~ that makes them Twinfers!

First, a birthday card:
I wondered how the fabulous Heartstrings die from Concord & 9th would look cut from this red and white foil and vellum paper from SU. The paper is in a candy cane pattern, so I've only ever used it for Christmas, but why limit it to that? Above is the heart cut from the textured paper and then painstakingly inlaid with all those pieces of vellum. 

BTW, that beautifully textured white paper was a gift from my friend Sue after I complimented her one day on the paper she used. Did I mention she sent it from the UK to America?! Card artists are such kind and generous folk!

Challenges
Snippets Playground Badge

Below is the outline part of the die-cut heart, made into a Hello card:
That makes your eyes go a little bonkers though, doesn't it?! Sorry. I'm not loving the flag sentiment banners on these two cards. I mean, I love them, as such, but I wish I'd gone with something smaller that didn't compete with the heart for focus pocus. We live and learn. Sadly, sometimes that happens after the foam tape has stuck to the card!

~~~

I'll leave you with some photos of our weekend with Adam and Henry.
They are hardy young men! That is me in the upper right photo all bundled up at the bottom of the rock. It was about 52 degrees and blowing a gale, but those imps are in shorts! We had a great time!

~~~

Enjoy your day! (Me, not so much cuz I'm off to the dentist to get another crown!) But, seriously, you enjoy yours! 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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74 comments:

Kath said...

Fabulous cards Darnell and love your Twinfers too! The weather is very changeable here too. We've had lots of rain over the past few weeks but this weekend is forecast to be cold and dry to we're heading to Cornwall in our campervan!
Kath x

Sue said...

Hi Darnell, The cards are fab.

Glad you had a nice weekend with Adam and Henry.

We are having the same kind of weather. -4 here today, but only a couple of days ago we had 6.

You take care.



Hugs
Sue

Jane Willis said...

Ugh, you used the d****** word! Hope they are gentle with you.
Love the cards, especially the first, so many gorgeous elements all coming together in one lovely layer.
Jane

Julie B said...

Such a pretty paper pieced bouquet and two fab die cut heart cards.
Our weather is weird also, after a few days of 'milder' weather the thermometer is set to plummet over the next few days! :)

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

Three gorgeous cards Darnell and lovely photos of you and the grandsons.

Sue xx

Carole said...

Wonderful paper pieced flowers and cute doggy...yes that sentiment fits well with him. My favourite heart die..and different ways of using it!...your heart rocks! Glad you enjoyed your weekend with the boys...our weather here is cold one day and warmer the next...then back to cold again with the threat of snow...and this is global warming???? xxx

StirYourCreativity said...

Beautiful cards!! Especially the puppy holding the heart :)

Bunny said...

That would be me all bundled up in the picture. I'd have on gloves, too. Probably long underwear. Yes, people have long underwear in Florida.

So sorry you're going to get a crown. We have to save our teeth though. I'll be praying for no anxiety and no pain. Hopefully the day will go quickly and you'll wake up tomorrow feeling pretty dadgummed good. Make sure Hammy goes with you and takes care of you after.

Pretty cards and you're right about the paper crafters. They are generous and thoughtful. [Bunny]

My Card Attic: Hazel said...

Great cards Darnell! Thanks for sharing your lovely family with us again! It looks like you and the boys had fun (even if it was cold). Good luck at the dentist! Have a good day my friend! Love & Hugs. Hazel xx
My Card Attic

Bunny said...

I forgot to tell you how much I really liked the dog card. It is so cute. Somehow that doesn't sound right. "The dog card". [Bunny]

Marilyn said...

Adorable card with the little puppy!!, love your twinfers also! We too been having crazy weather here where I live!! We have been having Sprintime weather here with temps in the 80’s the last two weeks. But I’m not complaining. I love it. Give me hot weather instead of cold weather anytime.

Cat Craig said...

It looks like you had a wonderful weekend albeit cooler. We just had tow 70+ degree days and today its back to rain. (for me thats good - I love rain).

How clever to use that paper for something other than holiday fare. I think it looks fab.

Pat said...

Three gorgeous cards Darnell, and I love your cute little doggie and that heart die is speaking to me, it is so beautiful, and you have dressed it in it's Sunday best with the pretty paper. So pleased you had a great weekend with the boys and love these photos, and hope your visit to the dentist goes OK, not the nicest trip to have to make. x

Sheila H said...

You come up with the coolest words, Darnell. Twinfer makes me smile! I love that heart die. And your doggie card is so sweet. The flowers and the hills are just perfect.

Donna said...

What a fun post, fabulous cards and grandson pictures!!!

Ros Crawford said...

What fabulous cards! I love your paper pieced flowers... That's a gorgeous stamp! And I ALWAYS enjoy seeing your photos... As for the weather, it nearly always cold here... Roll on Spring!

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Beautiful cards Darnell, love the watercolouring on the top and the 'twinfers' are awesome, the heart die cut is fabulous. Beautiful photographs as well, thanks for sharing. Enjoy your weather, ours is up and down as well, very cold, mild, lots of snow and then rain... arghhhh ! Hugs & Cheers Shirleyxx

Mac Mable said...

Your first card is so adorable and love how you've mixed the stamps together, heartwarming card x Yey to the next two, always great to get two cards from the one die cut. Your 'Imps' are hardy and handsome...Thanks for sharing x

Colleen said...

I just love your stories almost as much as your cards!! Looks like you had quite the adventure with your two growing grandsons! Heart Hugs, friend!

Loll said...

SO SWEET!! Love your adorable doggie holding a heart in his mouth. The paper pieced flowers are pretty!! Great design, great techniques, great watercolouring, my friend! TMI on the piddling! :)Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Watercolour!

Your foil and vellum hearts are gorgeous. Great to get Twinfers too. Looks like you had a great time away with the boys. So funny to see one in a t-shirt and the other in a fleece pullover. It looked cold, but sunny. xx

Leslie Miller said...

Oh, gosh, Darnell, your doggie card is so stinkin', puddlin' adorable! I love everything about it. The dog with the heart and the sentiment -- perfect! Really love those cute, happy flowers, and they're an ideal choice for paper piecing, especially with the flowery paper. Can't get enough of looking at that card! I didn't think "Christmas" at all when I looked at your candy cane-striped heart card. It looks great, and I like the one that makes my eyes go bonkers, too. It's a neat effect! Looks like you had a beautiful weekend. I'm always amazed to see kids running around in shorts and tee shirts while I'm all bundled up like you. After a beautiful stretch of weather we're all up in wintertime again here. Yup, crazy!

ionabunny said...

Gorgeous cards. Love your piddly dog and the paper pieced flowers but Hammy forgot the Lost Coast challenge of More than two legs. I like the first heart much better than the second. Like you say the thin stripes are a bit strobe-like and I think the white banner on the first is a much fresher and cleanerer look. That heart is a lovely die cut. Hugz. https://lostcoastportaltocreativity.blogspot.no/2018/02/challenge-47-more-than-two-legs.html

Redanne said...

Each one is beautiful, I love the cute dog on the first one and the stripey background on the second 'twinfer' works for me!

Lovely to see photos of your days away, Adam and Henry seem to grow a couple of inches each time you show their photos, they grow up so fast!

Take care my friend. Hugs, Annie xxx

conil said...

you've returned to your cradmaking with a vengeance. That first card is so adorable and adroitly assembled with different stamps & paper piecing...I'm just amazed. And I believe that "Christmas" paper is lovely with the heart. I'm partial to stripes anyway but this product takes it up a notch.
As far as the weather is concerned...I have no words. It's just a mish-mash.
Hugs my friend.

Sarah said...

Oh how I love the "piddly" pup!! Such a great card and the hearts look amazing in the candy cane paper. No shorts for us any time soon!! We are expecting some chilly weather here in the UK for the next week or so which will be very welcome after all the rain we have had xx

jimlynn said...

Perfect cards and photos too! So glad y'all had a good time. They're growing up fast aren't they!
Lynn

JoAnn said...

Great cards. I just love that cute doggie and the sentiment on the first one. Those hearts are lovely on the "twinfers". Thanks for sharing.
Glad you had a good weekend with Adam and Henry. Love the photos.

Verna Angerhofer said...

What wonderful cards. I love the first one a great deal as it is so darling. And, the twinfers are so fantastic too. What a great heart design. You certainly used it well for two great looks. Oh, those temps you had sounded so nice and warm to me. And, some people around here wear shorts all year around outside in the winter months. Yikes! Makes me shiver to just look at them.

Glittered Paws said...

Awww...love your first card - so sweet and appeals to my senses. The two-twinfers are eye catching - I think they would be great for a guy card. Enjoy seeing your beautiful pictures.

Kathleen said...

Three fabulous cards, the little dog is so cute and love the flowers.
The two hear cards are a super design and love the colours of the background hearts and the teeny tiny splatters.
Great photos too.

Kath x

Alice (scrAPpamondo) said...

Adorable cards, that with the cute doggie is so sweet! Love the twinfers, too great design!
Your grandsons look so happy and wild :D Such lovely boys!

BożenA said...

I am very impressed with these three beautiful cards, Darnell! The first one is so cute, I love this pooch and these amazing flowers from flowers. The second card is very interesting, the vertical and concentric strips look so interesting. And the third card with this amazing heart is simply a real championship. The perfect choice of paper for the dies !!
It must have been a special and wonderful time spent with grandchildren :-)
Big hugs,
BozenA

Monika/Buzsy said...

What a sweet puppy card. Love the whimsical flowers with the paper piecing. The heart cards are so pretty! That die is amazing! I love how you can use the positive and negative pieces of the die-cut! So cool! It has been a weird winter... we had 70F yesterday, than snow and 32F today... hm!

Cheryl W. said...

Wow! You've been busy. Great cards, all. I think my favorite, though is the first one with the tail-waggin' doggie. Love those paper-pieced flowers on it, too.

Christine Alexander said...

love that adorable little dog. All dogs have my heart, and the texture of your watercolouring or the doggy piddly looks wonderful :)
your second card is well so snazzy, love it.
thanks for joining us at CAS Watercolour

Carol H. said...

Love how you paper pieced the little flowers! Such a sweet card, and gosh, that doggie is adorable! Great twin-fer cards too! Who’d have thought to use the candy cane striped paper behind the heart die that way?! Great idea! Your grandsons are so cute and looks like you had a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing! Hugs! :)

Birgit said...

It looks like your trip was a great one and 50F sounds quite warm to me:) I love you’re cards which are bright with the white but great doses of colour. The heart one seems intricate and I love the flower petals

nancy littrell said...

TFS all 3 of your cards, Darnell. So pleased you entered your 1st card in our CAS Watercolour hearts challenge. Always fun seeing new photos of your adventures with the boys..I would have been bundled up too. We even had an inch of snow yesterday on the OR coast. It has melted, but suppose to get down to 25 tonight..brrrrr! Happy Stamping my friend. Hugs.

oldpunca said...

Fabulous card with the dog in love and lovely paper pieced blooms. Thank you for the new word: twinfer :-) I will not mix it up with twofer. :-)
You have mixed weather and we have snow. Two months too late we finaly have a Christmas feeling. :-)
Thank you for the lovely photos of your trip with grandsons. They are groving up very fast. :-)
Have a nice weekend!
Hugs,
Sonja

Gerrina said...

Love the pics and great cards! The one with the dog and heart is super! Hugs, Gerrina

Carole Pollard said...

Another set of brilliant cards with very lovely designs I just wish we could get one warm day in the UK its been freezing for weeks now. So glad you had a lovely time with your grandsons they look very special boys Love and hugs Carole x

Carol L said...

I'm marveling over those cards you put together and I really like that heart die done 2 ways! Cute pooch on the 1st card too. Great photos of a fun time you had with the twins - thanks for sharing a piece of your fun getaway with us and I hope the dentist appointment went well, but then again - there is NO fun in having any dental procedure done is there? If only you could send hammy in your place for that unpleasantry!!

maria f. said...

Purty cards. Good choice to try out that Christmas paper - it does not look Christmas at all. As for those darling, but obviously hot-blooded boys, it appears a great time was had by all. How wonderful.

Em Louise Fairley said...

Gorgeous cards, Darnell. Hope you're not too sore from the dental work xoxo

Cara said...

Fabulous cards, you did make me laugh with your puddle/piddle comment!

Brenda in IN said...

That puppy is adorable and the paper pieced flowers are so cute. That is a sweet card. I love that you used the Christmas paper for the background of the hearts. That is a great die and you used it to it's potential! Beautiful cards. Wow, what scenery you had on your getaway. Boys always find something to do even if they couldn't fish. My heart would be hammering watching them climb that rock!

Bonnie said...

A twinfer! I love that! You do have a special way with words, my friend! And your twinfer candy cane paper hearts are delicious! I love your paper pieced flowers and the smiling pup! Even if he does piddle!

Happy Dance said...

Will you tell those boys to stop growing?!! They look like young men already, for Pete's sake! How lucky that you all spent time together enjoying each other's company. Love that puppy card! He's given your hills lots of interest, if you ask me. And those pretty flowers all paper pieced look fabulous. Fun, fun card. That C9 die on your 'twinfers' is so cool. Love the peppermint paper, too! Our Lizzy checks my cupboard all year round for peppermints...and yep, this grandma keeps some in there just for her! These are fun, sweet and cool looking heart cards. Just like you...Awwwww.... : ) xo Bev

Lisa T said...

Three lovely cards Darnell - and always a good old chuckle to go with it! I really loved that white textured paper, I will keep my eyes peeled when I go crafty shopping for some. I hope the weather decides to behave itself again soon, and we get proper Spring coming our way soon. Have a lovely weekend, sending hugs, Lisa x

Viv said...

Oh so many yummy cards here Dee! love them all but esp. the beautiful paper pieced one. Such lovely flowers and delicate water colouring too.Thanks for sharing with us over at 'The Flower Challenge' once more. Our weather keeps changing too here, been mostly grey and cold and gonna be extra freezing next week too...-4 or -6 at night ...oh my! Enjoy your weekend Dee ;) hugs Viv

Di said...

Three fabulous cards Darnell - and I do so love how you used the string heart die for two very different looks! Clever girl.

I did giggle about you dithering over whether to go in the draw for the HOME die - if I read it right you decided against it. But, I just bet that die is firmly on your wish list - or maybe even ordered already :)

Lovely to see you in the Snippets Playground.

Hugs

Di xx

Jane said...

What fab cards Darnell, that heart die is terrific. Lovely photos of your time with your grandsons.Enjoy the weekend xx

Tracey McNeely said...

Two adorable cards Darnell! I love that puppy! Your grandsons are growing!! Wow!

Lisa Elton said...

Oh those sweet paper pieced flowers, gah, love them! Another line up of wonderful cards Darnell. The twins are growing up way too fast! The kid up the street stands at the bus stop, in the dark, 5 below in shorts!

Sybrina K said...

Darnell, Just popping in to see what crafty fun you've been up to. Came for the cards, stayed for the adorable pics!

Bobby said...

That smiling, heart carrying dog is so cute, Darnell. I can't believe he piddled on your paper. ;) That heart die has been really popular and fitting it with striped vellum is a new application that looks wonderful. And the fact you can used the negative and positive is another positive.

Keep It Sweet and Simple said...

The weather is definitely like that over her in Yorkshire too. Next week we are expecting 'the beast from the east'!! Whatever that is.. lol.
Love your cards. So nice when two stamps go together beautifully , like in your doggy card. And, your 'twinnfer' is fabulous.
Looks like everyone was having fun getting out and about.
xxx

Craftychris said...

Fabulous cards! The doggy one is soooo sweet and I love the flowers. I did smile at the piddly watercolour! The heart cards are really cool too. Gorgeous photos - looks like you had such fun with the twins. Hugs xxxxxxx

OH Babs said...

Fun and creative cards Darnell. What I love are all the photos you take scenic and family. Oh our California kids does not matter the weather they love their shorts and one of the twins is shoeless - I love it. Your garden photos are always inspiring. Last night it was in the 30's. :) B

Anita in France said...

Sweet and whimsical blooms with that cute pup, Darnell ... and cool use of those heart strings dies ... funky and kind of groovy! The boys (and you!) are the stars of the show today though ... so many smiles ... they're getting more and more handsome! LYAMYMA ... HYCIOK! Big hugs & bisous, Anita :)

Fikreta said...

beautiful cards!
love them all!
hugs

Liz said...

Three fabulous cards, Darnell. I love the paper pieced flowers on the first card. The heart die cut on the Twinfer cards is beautiful, so striking. Thanks for sharing your photos of your weekend. It's been freezing her today, I even took a blanket to the football to try and keep warm! Hope everything went well at the dentist. xx

KandA said...

Three wonderful cards Darnell, the heartstring die is fabulous but that little doggy has stolen my heart and I love the paper pieced flowers.

Super photos of the boys and it looks like you had a fun time xx

Nancy said...

I always love your stories as much as your cards Darnell! Looks like you had fun with your two growing grandsons! Love your heart die cut Birthday card! I think that die cut will get lots of use! Now that puppy card stole my heart! Thanks for being in our gallery at Seize the Birthday! HUGS!

Greta said...

Terrific pictures of your fun weekend, Darnell! Hard to imagine being in shorts--they ARE hardy kiddos! Wonderful cards with that neat foil, but oh boy am I loving your paper pieced flowers! I really should do that but never think of it--thanks for the inspiration!

TK said...

Your pup is adorbs and I love his little piddy mess on the "hills", just where those piddles are meant to be! As for your Twinfers -- I really like them but my mind was a little bent on how you did the first until I looked at the positive on the second card -- wow! You're a rockstar, oh and yes, I'm totally bummed that I have missed your Twofer Challenge!!!

nwilliams6 said...

These are all wonderful. The puppy card is sooooo sweet and I love those heart die cards - super cool with the foil paper. Super creations and super great pictures you shared too. Your posts are always so awesome!!!

Julie B said...

Back again to say thanks for sharing with us at HLS CAS.
The threatened snow is staring to appear this morning and the wind is bitter! :)

Ruth said...

Looks like you had a wonderful time with your two lovely boys. 52 degrees sounds chilly, but boys are clearly hardy. LOVE your card for the Flower Challenge. Sadly I've had to come off the team. My time and stress levels weren't coping very well. I also LOVE that you used Christmas paper for the hearts - we do like to limit ourselves too much don't we. Finally catching up on my blog posts! xx

Susanne Vargas said...

Twinfers???? Your play with words always makes me chuckle! Great cards and fun pictures of you long weekend!

Linda said...

Sorry for the late visit .... still playing catch up after the move.
Lovely showcase of cards as always .... love the funky heart die! Thank you for playing along with the HLS Challenge.
Great set of photos too ..... was it with kids, they just don't feel the cold. We've got snow here on the island at the moment, not a lot but .... it's bitterly cold. Our little man his happy though .... the schools are closed.
Take care hun xx

Karenladd said...

Awk!! You're killing me with these cute dog cards!! I'm going backwards in reading your blog posts, so just saw the two doggie Christmas cards and now this adorable one with the candy box heart. Your water-coloring looks fabulous actually...and the puddly look is very artsy fartsy in my opinion.
Just looking at the photos of Henry and Adam in their shorts makes me grab for my mittens! Especially today, when it's rainy, and windy, and altogether too cold.
Sounds like you've had your share of dental work lately and you have my sympathies. I have had waaaaay too much time in the dentist's chair these past several months and will finally get my final dental implant put in two weeks. I guess we should be glad that we have such a service and can afford it but really...

conil said...

Your puppy card captured the paper piecing hearts of The Flower Challenge peeps just like it captured mine. Congratulations on your HM.

MRS DUCK said...

Hi Darnell
A superb hearty selection lol!!!
They boys are looking all grown up and 52 degrees is positively tropical lol!!!
Best wishes.
Ang x