Hello Stamplings!
Happy first Monday of the month of June in the nineteenth year of the 21st century! Unbeleevable! I hope you had a wonderful weekend welcoming June and letting May go.
I had plans yesterday, but they went out the window when I walked into some computer webs where I found a couple of challenges ... Less Is More wants us to emboss less than a third of our card and the Color Throwdown provided me with not only colors to use, but photo inspiration, as well.
I believe the Altenew Mega Succulent has been around for a while, but they recently had a great sale, so now I own it and I was delighted to have a play with it. I heat-embossed it in black and then watercolored it with my Ziggies. I stitched the kraft panel with an MFT die and then used a Lil Inker diagonal die to cut the succulent panel. The NBUS sediment from "Messages for Everyday" by Simon Says Stamp was also black heat-embossed.
Hammy winked it all over, of course.
Twofer
Well, natch, I was left with a beautiful succulent with a giant gaping hole in the middle, so I couldn't let it go to waste now could I?
Challenges
- Pixie's Snippets Playground: Anything snippets goes.
- Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything goes.
- Watercooler Wednesday: Anything goes.
Milestone
We had a celebration this weekend as the grandtwins Adam and Henry graduated from 8th grade! Many of you have been following along as these boys have grown from toddlers into young men. You'll know that Henry normally sports longer hair than his brother, but now, due to a botched haircut that required correction, we are back to not being able to tell them apart! Help!!
~~~
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!
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!
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 a 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!)
You have created two gorgeous cards and what a clever way to do it! That succulent looks amazing (in both cards!) . Wonderful photo of your grandsons - such handsome young men!
ReplyDeleteTwo gorgeous cards Darnell, I love the colours you've used. A fabulous photo of your grandson's too.
ReplyDeleteSue xx
Isn't it great when you can do two cards in one go ? And your two cards are absolutely "succulent", Darnell. This BIG succulent flower is just wonderful and you watercolour it so beautifully ! Love your designs too with this diagonal die cut, it's great ! And WOW, your two grandsons have really grown and they have definitely your smile ! Thanks so much for sharing and for playing along at Less is More. Hugs x
ReplyDeleteHi Darnell, Love both the cards.
ReplyDeleteThose boys are growing up so fast.
Hope you are having a good day. Sue
What a beautiful photo of your son, Darnell!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I llllllove BOTH your GORGEOUS cards!!! Thank you for the inspiration. Hugs, my friend.
Loving both cards from the mega succulent Darnell...you definitely aced both challenges with that one stamp! And boy oh boy do the twins look the same now with the short hair...guess you're going to have to rely on personalities now rather than looks to tell them apart! I had twin brothers but they were fraternal twins, so no issues telling them apart! And the boys will start high school next Fall? I thought they were just toddlers last year?!! Guess I'm getting older than I thought...good reason to stop thinking I think! Have a great week my friend!! Hugs. :0)
ReplyDeleteFab colouring Darnell and a beautiful stamp. Very creative to make the second card using the rest if the first! The boys look fab x
ReplyDeleteThe coloring on your succulent stamp is very pretty, Darnell! I really like how you got two lovely cards from it, too. Your grandsons are quite the handsome young men. I'll bet they'll have the girls swooning as they enter high school! Congratulations to them Exciting times ahead. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteLove your beautiful cards. The coloring is amazing. Love the diagonal die. Congrats to your grandsons. They are very handsome young men.
ReplyDeleteTwo fabulous cards Darnell and the succulent image is so pretty and love that diagonal strip against the kraft card on the first, and then the way you have used the rest of the image with a diagonal sentiment strip on the second, and what a wonderful gift from Loll. The boys are looking great and the quizzical look on the faces of both the dogs cracked me up. Apart from their ages they look like twins too. Congratulations to both Adam and Henry on their Grade 8 graduation. x
ReplyDeleteGreat cards. Love the colors.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture of the grandtwins. I think we've all had a botched hair cut. For anyone that has long hair that is a nightmare. Actually any botched hair cut is no fun. [Bunny]`
Beautiful soft water color on both cards and great that you got a Twofer. The twins do look alike now. At least they could part their hair on opposite sides! Good think the dogs aren't the same size or they would be twins!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome twofer, Dolly! This succulent is beautiful both ways! I'll bet the boys will have a lot of fun now that it's hard to tell them apart! Both of them are so handsome! It's hard to believe they will be off to high school this year!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards! The boys are growing up!
ReplyDeleteBoth are wonderful and so pretty cards,
ReplyDeleteI agree it doesn't seem possible to be so far into the 21st century, not when it seemed so far away when I was young! As for your boys, how wonderful to have identical twins, my Dad was one, and as a little girl I waved to my Uncle thinking it was my Dad LOL.
Faith x
These cards are great, I am so envious of you having that stamp as it has been on my wish list for a long time. Love how you made 2 cards for the price of one brilliant. Lovely colouring too xx
ReplyDeleteTwo gorgeous cards Darnell - really pretty, beutiful colours. Love both the designs and isn't it fab to get two cards from one panel. I don't know about not being able to tell the boys apart, I bet I wouldn't manage to tell the dogs apart either! have a great week, Lisa xx
ReplyDeleteThese are 2 great cards with a soft touch 2 both and i love the way you covered the hole in the second card and the use of the soft colours. Your twin grandkids are so cute especially next to the doggies. i am so glad you had a great weekend
ReplyDeletetwo great cards Darnell, I always love the option of a twofer when making cards. Wonderful soft colours :)
ReplyDeleteAh!!! Such gorgeous way to use both the embossed stripe and its leftover!!! :D Love your watercolouring, so sweet! Hammy's splatters and sparkling details are the best LOL :D
ReplyDeleteHugs
...Forgot to say a couple of BIG CONGRATS to your grands for their graduations!! Hooray!!
ReplyDeleteThat succulent is successfully and beautifully colored. Like the way you were clever enough to use the whole image. Those boys are so handsome. Bet you're glad they choose to dress differently.
ReplyDeleteOooh, that succulent stamp is beautiful - large and small and you (and Hammy) have coloured it wonderfully. I love that you used both parts, your cards are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteAdam and Henry are so handsome, but they do look identical now - I bet they could have a lot of fun with family and friends! Hugs, Annie xxx
Great use of that huge stamp. Love that you took the time to make two. Nice to see the grands as well...have a great week.
ReplyDeleteI love how your mind works with making twofers :) These cards are wonderful and each has it's own fabulous look! Speaking of looks, I never realized the twins were identical until I saw this photo! Hair does make a completely different look eh? They are so handsome and growing up so quickly! Bravo on their graduation. Now as they enter their later teen years, they'll probably love being identical and tricking everyone with playing who's who at school! LOL
ReplyDeleteThe cards are gorgeous, as are both boys xoxo
ReplyDeleteFabulous to get the two cards from that wonderful succulent plant stamp Darnell x. You have coloured it so prettily and of course loving Hammy's winking x Of course love the both cards but the first one is extra special.....Talking about special those two young boys are so handsome and loving the two dogs too ....Congratulations to them both x
ReplyDeleteWow, wow, wow..... no, you sure could not waste that gorgeous plant...yay for you and finding the perfect use for each part!
ReplyDeleteDarnell, two fabulous cards! I love that your got two-fer-one! The embossing and color selection is so pretty. Thanks for joining us at Watercooler Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteOf course you had to use the rest of the image. I was sure you had a second card coming, but I didn't scroll ahead... I waited and was rewarded. That is one BIG succulent and you colored it so delicately and beautifully. It's interesting to see each NBUS as you share it. I'm always curious as to which stamps my friends choose to buy. Look at those boys! When I started 9th it was considered high school. Is it middle school now? They're really growing up!
ReplyDeleteLove how you've accentuated the positive and not eliminated the negative! These are beautiful Darnell and your colors are perfect. I can't believe how those handsome boys have grown. High school next year...NO!!!
ReplyDeleteThat really is a mega succulent image - and so pretty. Love your cards! The boys are growing up so fast. Before you know it you'll be posting high school graduation pictures. Very handsome young men.
ReplyDeleteLynn
Two lovely cards! Thanks for joining us at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges!
ReplyDeleteDelightful cards and I love the slant.
ReplyDeleteOMG the boys are off to high school. Driving is right around the corner. Ek!
LOVE that the puppy dogs are included in the picture with the growing boys--& aren't they just the cutest! It is hard to believe it's been that many years since I first saw pictures of them! Great way to get 2 cards with that beautiful stamp & I love the colors you used, Darnell!
ReplyDeleteGreat coloring on that succulent and you used ALL the parts perfectly! Me? I woulda cut that center out and left the rest for decomposition... that makes you magical! Congrats to the boys!
ReplyDeleteTwo beautiful cards Dolly. LOVE the CAS version with the stitched strip and kraft background. AWESOME!! And LOVE how you've used the "leftovers". This reminds me of our cut-up stamping technique. Love the colours you've used on your succulent. BEAUTIFUL! Love, Lolly
ReplyDeleteYou managed to create two beautiful cards from one image. Wish I could subtract a piece of my middle and make someone lovely from it. I'd have her do half the housework, ALL the cooking and make the bed for me every day.
ReplyDeleteThose boys are sure growing up! And handsomely, too. Before you know it, they'll be bringing someone special around to meet their Gran.
Two beautiful cards. Love the winking on the first one.
ReplyDeleteYou, Darnell, waste a perfectly good succulent image with a gaping hole in it? I think not. And the results? Stunning! As if you meant to do that all along. Love it! Thanks so much for joining our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge this week.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to create two fabulous cards, love the succulent image.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo of the boys, they're growing up so fast xx
Two beautiful cards Darnell, I love a good twofer! Thanks for joining us at Less is More for our embossing challenge and at Watercooler Wednesday as well!
ReplyDeleteYes another month gone and yet again I missed Twofer - I need to keep an eye on that window lol!
ReplyDeleteI love your cards especially the one with the diagonal snippet. I knew I shouldn't have come here today as I love succulents and now need that stamp......
Lovely pic of the grandtwins
Lynn x
Clever clever way to make two cards and both so very beautiful too!! Oh my, the twins will be freshmen next year, so hard to believe, and what handsome young men then are!! PS: glad your stamps from DD arrived safely, I went to town numerous times and then realized I had forgot to take them...old minds and all that...lol!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome cards and a incredible idea how to get two cards out of one motiv. The big bloom is perfectly embossed and perfectly coloured. I like gentle colours.
ReplyDeleteBut this time, my friend, the two good looking young men are the stars of your post. :-) Thank you for sharing.
Have a nice day!
Hugs, Sonja
Two lovely cards from one amazing large succulent stamp...LOVE! Thanks so much for joining us and rocking the throwdown colors!
ReplyDeleteWow, I am loving this mega succulent stamp Auntie! It looks so cool and fun to work with. Your first card is so CAS and pretty on that kraft background. I love the way you watercolored your succulent and I love that Hammy made it sparkle. The subtle splatters are so pretty on your second card and I love seeing more of the succulent on this one. I am also loving the diagonal die you used. Oh goodness, the twin really are hard to tell apart now!!! Yikes, I see some fun trickery come from them in the future. lol As handsome as the boys are, the pups are also stealing the scene. So beautiful they are! Hugs, Brenda
ReplyDeleteNatch! They are both mondo beautiful! I think the best part of succulent stamps is adding pinkish purple to green, and you mastered that! Those boys! Congratulations to the 8th grade graduates! Was the botched haircut a plot planned by Grandma to get him to cut his hair? Did you slip the barber a fiver? I'll be calling you soon...
ReplyDeleteThese are two gorgeous card designs. I am loving succulents designs myself recently so I was so inspired when I saw yours. I love the coloring of the succulent too.
ReplyDeleteLovely cards Darnell, the glimmer looks great and I love the sentiment on the first. Your Grandsons really are a handsome pair xx
ReplyDeleteWow, these are awesome!
ReplyDeleteArrgghhh! I could have sworn I had left a comment here but I can't see it now - my apologies for seeming to ignore such a splendid (and CAS) make, perfect for the LIM challenge too
ReplyDeleteHappy Wednesday
Kathyk
Fabulous snippets card Darnell - and I love the first one as well! And your grand sons are such lovely looking young men - like peas in a pod!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Di xx
Two beautiful cards Darnell and two gorgeous young men
ReplyDeleteAnne
Love the two cards you created from the pieces of the same panel.
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on your grandsons' 8th grade graduation. Best wishes to them as they enter high school!
I find it inspiring to see how the same stamp can be used in such different ways. Clever and appealing designs!
ReplyDeleteI love that you colored this once but used it for two cards!! Such a cool idea!! Will be using this idea for a future card!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to use only a portion of that stamp. I have it, too, but I find it too tedious to color it all in.... lazy me....now you gave ma a solution!
ReplyDeleteWhat handsome grandsons you have Darnell (no doubt they take after their nana!) And your two-fer cards are brilliant. I love that you got to use both parts of your coloured image. But I must say....that little panel on the kraft card really pops! Wonderful work as usual, and thanks so much for playing along with us at Less is More xx
ReplyDeleteWait a minute...identical twin grandsons AND twin dogs??!! Or am I just seeing double? Such handsome boys, and I know you enjoy the heck out of them!
ReplyDeleteThat mega-succulent card is mega-fabuloso...and aren't you the clever one to use both the main stamped image and the cut out strip!
That is such a luscious succulent, Darnell ... on both cards ... lovely with the kraft ... and of course, Hammy worked wonders with the winking! So, the botched haircut was the culprit ... I liked my idea better ... tee hee ... after all, they are such good looking young men! LYAMYBLMA! Big hugs and bisous, Anita :)
ReplyDeleteYou really are the mistress of thrift Darnell - love the way you have made one image make two cards without looking miserly!! Hammy did a wonderful job of the winking - he really is a master of it, but then he has an awesome tutor!
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Maxine