Hello Stamplings!
Welcome to the fresh, clean, open slate of a Monday morning! Isn't it beciting to look forward to the possibilities of what this week will bring? I hope it's everything good for you!
We're plugging along here, cozy inside while gale-force winds are blowing outside so strongly that a panel of fence blew down near the Playhouse. Fortunately, I was able to help our neighbor prop it up until it can be fixed. On Friday, we will see the doctor for the first time since The Mister's surgery and get an x-ray to see how the back reconstruction looks. 🤞
In the meantime, it's Twofer Challenge Time again!
The prompt is pears?
No, no, we give you a little more leeway than that. This month the prompt is 🍎🍐FRUIT 🍒🍇and the fruit of my Twofer is a Penny Black "Perfect Pear" stamp.
Onefer
I kept this square card design very QACAS (quick and clean and simple) by repeatedly stamping the image in charcoal ink using my MISTI. This stamp has wonderful shading built right in. I darked the shaded areas with a colored pencil and added some more freckles to the pear. A simple black card base and a hello sediment and wallah! I love how it looks like a black and white photograph or sketch.
Twofer
I stamped the image using a light beige ink to give it the no-line watercolor look and then I painted in with my Ziggies. I added outines to the branch and leaves with colored markers.
Because it is difficult to make two different designs when you use a very large image like this pear stamp, you have to think outside the ol' boxeroo. I love the look of this stamp as a whole delicious pear (below), but for a TCC design, I put on my big crafty paper panties and disected it. Gasp!
As you can see it was filled with golden juiciness and it schplattered all over everything! Don't be silly. Pears don't have golden juice, although they look like they might. No, the wonderful shimmery gold was Hammy's doing. I'm so glad he's back from Lost Wages, even if he is a bit tuckered out from all the fun he had!🂡🂡🂤🂧
Anywaze, I could have made two cards at that point, each using half of the pear, but I've done that look a few times, so this time I put the two halves back-to-back on a card base to make an unexpected design. I added a strip of Altenew gold Washi tape down the center to cover the seam and then gold heat-embossed the sediment.
I enjoy coloring this pear with my Ziggies for a no-line look, so I made another card. Hmmm. It might look like there is a weird line below the sediment, but it snot. You may have to click to enlarge to see that the sediment is stamped on a fishtail die cut. The frame is NBUS from Waffle Flower called, "Stitched Layers." The top of the banner needed a little sumpin sumpin, so I finished off the card with a twine bow.
Challenges
- Day of the Month Club: Send a friend a card.
- HLS Watercolor Challenge: Anything Goes. Optional: bling.
- Pixie's Snippets Playground: Use your snippets. I used snippets for the frame and the fishtail banner.
- Watercooler Wednesday: Heidi's Challenge~Anything Goes with a feminine twist.
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I hope you'll gather your fruit and come play in the February Twofer Card Challenge #24. The talented Design Team and our Guest Designer Sonja have exceptional inspiration waiting for you there!
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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 when I can!
*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!)
Hi Darnell, Hope the fence panel can be put back easily.
ReplyDeleteWe had storm force winds yesterday and a fair bit of damage in the village, with tress, walls and even a chimney down. Also fence panels gone. No one knows where. Then we had torrential rain, with the wind blowing it around like snow. The road looked like a river, with the wind blowing the rain along it.
Still strong winds for a few more days, but not as strong as yesterday. Today the wind is icy cold, but the sun is out right now.
Loving the cards.
Hope your hubby is still doing well and all is ok at the hospital.
Hope you have a good start to the week. Sue
Excellent work with that large stamp to produce three-fer - certainly covered the two-fer challenge and more!!
ReplyDeleteFabulous artwork Darnell using the lovely pear design and 3 super cards.
ReplyDeletewe've also got strong winds here yesterday was awful but thankfully our fence panels are still standing...
Anne
All three of your cards are beautiful! Love your coloring!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
Marilyn ❤️
I LOVE these cards, the "photo" one is is gorgeous and your colouring of those pairs in the others is stupendous, they have a wonderful shine about them, great design too.
ReplyDeleteWe have strong winds etc, with today, heavy hail and rain showers, all come from across the pond as a present from the US. We have been lucky with just a couple of small twiggy branches from a couple of our trees around. But, the sound of the wind has certainly let us know it's here. (No not my tummy, I promise).
Faith x
Delicious pears are on your blog today. :-) I like the retro look of black-white CAS. Your thinking out-of-the-box card is amazing. I would never get idea to cut the motif. And a great coloring to! Also on the third card. Amazing threefer. :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a great week with great news!
Hugs, Sonja
I love how you've done the first pear in charcoal like a photograph or sketch! Very artsy! And cutting the watercolored pear and putting the pieces back to back was a brilliant idea! Love the gold with it! The last card is beautifully colored and framed! Fingers crossed that Kevin is healing as expected. xoxo
ReplyDeleteWe only had light winds with our snow yesterday. Got about 3-4 inches, but it's February in Wisconsin...what else should we expect, right?! Thankfully, I don't have to shovel. Hope your fence issues, and The Mister's back both resolve quickly. I'm mad about your study of pear in charcoal. It's gorgeous. Very, very cool. You've not only colored your second card wonderfully (those leaves!!), but cutting it in half was so daring. Not sure I'd have the courage to be so creative. It's wonderful! Love the gold touches. That last card though...It looks like you could pick that pear right off that branch. Beautifully done. Love that frame, too. Love this trio. Sending hugs. xo Bev
ReplyDeleteOh how delicious...your split pear is fabulous along with hammys touch of goldeness. I am seriously loving that gray pear...so artsy and fabulous looks like it needs to be framed and hung on a wall!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous idea, Darnell! Both your cards are fabulous! Kisses!!!
ReplyDeleteThey are all gorgeous, Darnell xoxo
ReplyDeleteDelish pears Darnell! Love the old timey gray/black one. You did wonders on the other 2 cards with your ziggies! I hope the Mister is healing well. No wind here just lots of sunshine. Hugs to all, Nan and the Girls
ReplyDeleteOkay, these cards are perfect. I love what you did and how your mind works. I'll have to start using the old noodle to come up with something. I think I'll go eat a bowl of Froot Loops to help me. [Bunny]
ReplyDeleteWow, I really like the charcoal look for the pear. It looks like a print from the art gallery. Beautiful zig coloring on your other cards. I hope hubby's report comes back and shows he is healing well. As always, Hammy did a great job splattering and I hope he had a great time away.
ReplyDeleteFabulous cards Darnell, love the pear images and your brilliant colouring, all beautifully designed.
ReplyDeleteHopefully your Husband's report will be good, Kate x
Your cards are simply wonderful. hope the winds have calmed down.
ReplyDeleteYour cards are all gorgeous, but I'm stumped. The black and white image (awesome!) looks like it was done with the no-line technique and am trying to figure out if all the shading on that card is built into the stamp or if you colored that image in yourself. Then I go to the colored images (also awesome!!), and I'm seeing black outlines around only parts of the image and colored shading. Did you ink up separate parts of the stamp with different colored inks before shading, or hand draw the various outlines, or something else? No matter how you did it, they all came out great! And your layout with the divided image is so cool!
ReplyDeleteHope all looks great on Friday.
Best wishes on x-ray results, hope that Mister's back reconstruction is going well!
ReplyDeleteStunning cards, your pears look so pretty in grey shades as well in colourful tones with golden splatters! And the last one is awesome, our colouring with Zig markers is just perfect!
Hugs
That was a pretty big wind! WOW!!!
ReplyDeleteHope everything looks good at the doctor with the back too.
VERY pretty cards Darnell!
Lynn
All Three of your cards are truly so beautiful love the designs the colour tones and the images...we are going through bad winds and rain at present l hope your fence panel holds until it’s fixed and the xrays look good for the Mister take care x
ReplyDeleteYour pears, beautifully coloured, look good enough to eat Darnell, and love the monochrome version too, great contrast against the black card and also with the white on black sentiment too. Then your coloured version looks great cut up the middle with the gold tape to join them together, such a great design idea, and then a threefer looking so bright and pretty with a wonderful die cut pattern on the frame and finished perfectly with the baker's twine and sentiment. I hope The Mister's x-ray shows everything is looking good and that he continues to steadily improve and that there is no further damage to your fence. We have had heavy winds and rain here too, but no damage, and the rain has stopped now which is good. x
ReplyDeleteYour cards are all so well designed and gorgeous and the pears look amazing anyway you used them. I love the dissected design. That is inspiring! Glad the wind did not blow your playhouse down too.
ReplyDeleteLove you threesome of pears. Really into the b/w photography look. Saves a lot of time coloring too. Have to go through my collection to see what fruits I have.
ReplyDeleteCreative & beautiful cards using that wonderful PB stamp, Darnell! The first one does look like a B&W photo! Hoping Kevin gets a good report Friday & that the weather improves. Funny you guys are having worse weather than we are. In fact, it's really like Spring except for the low night temps.
ReplyDeleteOf course I'll play as soon as I settle on the fruit to use. This pear is one of my favorite PB images...it looks so elegant in just tones of grey, like your first card. So clever to split it for your second...you win the creative star, today. Also love it with your excellent coloring...gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteHope the Mister is feeling better and that his appointment goes well He deserves a gold star (speaking of stars).
These are wonderful! I have never tried doing a stamp colored in gray scale. Very creative!
ReplyDeleteWonderful colouring of those pears, they look just delicious. Sorry to hear you have had destructive winds too. I stayed indoors all day yesterday because of the wind, I hate it xx
ReplyDeleteOh my stars Darnell...these pears are wonderful!! Such a lovely stamp and, as always, you have found alternative ways to make good use of it xx
ReplyDeleteYay to Hammy being back at home x.....But sorry to hear about the fence x.
ReplyDeleteI sincerely hope all goes well with the Mister's X-ray and the reconstruction.
After my full knee replacement...the extreme pain, the recovery time etc the last thing I wanted to be told was that it was not aligned properly or some such thing so I know exactly how he feels and what he is thinking.
Happily everything was great and so is my knee but it takes time x.
Darnell both of your cards are so elegant and classy with great colouring/stamping. The monotone one is striking and artsy. The second one has an eye catching design and card number three is absolutely beautiful.
You have spoilt us with the three cards and what a stunner of a stamp Darnell x.
Nice design and I really like the elegance of the charcoal.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed for the mister. BBB
Fabulous three-fer, my friend! Especially love the pear done with charcoal ink. It's so artsy - I LOVE IT! Great colouring on both the other pear cards. Your no line is fantastic! Love, Lolly
ReplyDeleteYay for you for creating not two but three cards using this lovely stamp. They are all pretty, but I adore your charcoal version, and I admire Hammy's schplattering skills. I really hope I can play along this month. January was gone before it even started, or so it seemed.
ReplyDeleteHappy to read (in your previous post) that Kevin is on the mend and I hope the X-rays will confirm that the reconstruction went well. DH had his new scans last week and both his lungs and his abdomen are looking fine.
Kali evdomada! Have a good week!
Marianne x
My goodness, Darnell, a three-fer? You've certainly done justice to the Penny Black pear stamp set. Love the black and white. It wound up looking just like a charcoal sketch, especially with the lovely shading. Love the two coloured samples. You've really brought the pear to life and given it dimension with your colouring and shading. Beautiful work, as always. Thanks so much for sharing this week for our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.
ReplyDeleteAll the very best to Mister for Friday, I will keep everything crossed that all goes well.
ReplyDeleteThree cards, wow, each one is gorgeous. I do love how you split the pear and the single coloured pear is beautiful, the colouring makes it look so realistic. I do love the monochrome one though, it is very classy and reminds me of a plate in an old horticultural book.
We are still suffering the effects of storm Ciara and apparently Dennis is on his way to bring us even more flooding (we are fine), and crazy weather. I think snow would be preferable - lol. Take care my friend. Hugs, Annie xxxx
Oh wow Darnell, these are incredible! I cant' decide between the fresh lovely colored pears or the amazing charcoal version. Oh heck... I love them all!
ReplyDeleteTechnically, I'm here for the third card, but WOW - I love the look of the first in glorious black and white! (and greys...) Brilliant way to mix it up to use the stamp in an entirely different way for your twofer. And awesome colouring on both! Thanks for joining us at Happy Little Stampers for the Watercolour Challenge!
ReplyDeleteDarnell...absolutely gorgeous pears!
ReplyDeleteWeren't those winds just awful? Glad you were able to get some help to prop your fence up before Nellie made a run for it. Our Toby was nearly blown off the end of his leash when he had his daily walk..eek!
ReplyDeleteThose pear cards are just wonderful and what a creative design with the pear halves on the outside edges of your card, instead of the inside. The gold splatters are a lovely reminder of sunshine and warm days that helped ripen this fruit.
Hope that the doctors like what they see when the Mister has his X-ray, and that he's healing well.
Oh. My. Goodness!!!! - three different and stunning cards from this one amazing stamp Darnell - you and Hammy have excelled yourselves. <3
ReplyDeleteDo hope the Mister is well on the mend and that the surgery will be deemed as being successful
Blessings
Maxine
What a nice pear! Love the black and white version, very classy. Your no line colouring looks amazing .... they look good enough to eat.
ReplyDeleteHope your weather's calmed down ..... we've had strong winds since the weekend. No boats sailing, flights disrupted, trees down and flooding. Its blowing a right old hoolie today.
Hope everything goes well at the hospital xx
So glad to see I wasn't the only one making a Threefer this time around! Your pear stamp is beautiful Darnell and while I love both of the colorful pear cards, I really REALLY love your black & white pear card...that is one STUNNING card my friend! This was a fun prompt this month and I'm excited to see what everyone comes up with! Continued prayers being sent for the Mister as he heals, and for patience for you as continue with your nursing duties! :0)
ReplyDeleteWow, your pear is GORGEOUS! Your no line coloring is first rate. Very pretty card. We are so pleased that you joined us this week at Watercooler Wednesday. Karen - DT
ReplyDeleteOh, my! The pear stamp is beautiful and all three cards are stunners! Whether colored or monochromatic... what a showstopper! You're a pretty darned good colorer you know, Darnell. I hope you're sufficiently proud of these gorgeous cards. Hoping The Mister gets good news on Friday!
ReplyDeleteyour cards are amazing, darnell. I love the sunny colors and the black and white version. great!
ReplyDeleteHugs, BożenA
I'm sorry, Darnell, for the mistake that came in spelling your name. This is my first cat attempt, stopping with the translator on the phone and I did not notice this error. I am on vacation and I do not have access to my laptop.
ReplyDeleteBożena xx
I am mesmerized, Darnell. These have to be some of your best work. That black and white pear is magnificent and the no-line coloring is outstanding. Great color and shading. I had to keep going back and looking at them.
ReplyDeleteoh these are so wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYour b/w pear card is stunning, Darnell! It looks so artsy. The lemon yellows brighten up the internet though. You've inspired me to look into the wooden stamp drawers for a pear or apple waiting to jump out of the dark.
ReplyDeleteLove all three of your cards, Darnell! That stamp is awesome. I especially like how you split the pear...very original! Hope all is well with you. Hugs, Sharyn
ReplyDeleteTerrific cards, Darnell! The first is pretty in it's simplicity, but I also equally love the two halves made whole :oP
ReplyDeleteThree extraordinary cards. Everyone inspires me in their own way. I am glad and thank you for showing a card at DotMCC. Gundi
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful stamp . . . with which you've made not one, not two, but THREE beautiful cards. Your colouring-in with the Ziggies is awesome. Really.
ReplyDeleteSarn xxx
You really did a fabulouse Threefer, Darnell! What a brilliant idea to cut the pear in half!! Love the monochrome version too, it looks really quite effective, ......but today I prefer the coloured version, it looks much yummier!! ;) Thank you so much for playing along with us at DotMCC. Rosi x
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful cards these are Darnell - your inventiveness and talents are just amazing. Ooopsie about the fence panel - been some high winds here too but thankfully everything stayed intact.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear Kevin is coming along fine, fingers crossed for the Doctor's appointment and positive news.
Hugs
Di xx
Three great cards - you really brought this stamp to life on all of them.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the fence - we had the storm here but no damage, but now Storm Dennis is on the way....
Oh my gosh, Darnell...I am so impressed with all three cards! I really love how you created the black and white card so much! It does look like a photograph to me, especially with your subtle details! I must say that I'm partial to your no-line watercoloring on these gorgeous lemons, too...WOW! You have mastered working with your Zig markers and I LOVE how you blended the colors! Can't wait to play along :)
ReplyDeleteTwo fabulous cards, Darnell! Love the very CAS one done in charcoal ink - it is so artistic and classy! And your yellow twofer and threefer ones are so cheerful!
ReplyDeleteWow - great threefer Darnell and I love the challenge! It was indeed a challenge!! Beautiful pear image used to perfection on all three cards but my fave is the duo panels. Glad your playhouse wasn't damaged in the winds!! Good luck on Friday!
ReplyDeleteDid you send your winds our way? We had gale force winds (named "Sabine") for the last three days. Today is calmer. We lucked out, other than garbage blown all over the place no structural damage around us.
ReplyDeleteBoy, girl, your Zigging is magnificent. Love that juicy yellow pear. But I'm also loving that B/W version. So classy.
What a gorgeous stamp and you made such beautiful cards! I LOVE them... Your watercolouring is perfection! I'm sure that the doctor visit will go well and hope that the Mister is already feeling much better. Have a lovely day... We are expecting another storm!
ReplyDeleteGosh, those pears are just luscious, Darnell ... there's such an artsy, elegant, stylish look to the monochrome one ... and your colouring is awesome on your second card. Hammy did a great job with the splattering ... perfect gold touches to go with the golden pairs. Lovely to see a threefer ... it positively glows! Hope the wild winds have dropped ... they're here again today! LYAMYHMA! Big hugs and bisous, Anita :)
ReplyDeleteDid you know the link from the Twofer Challenge Blog comes up with a blank page rather than this lovely post? I'd fix it but don't have access. A:)
Sorry I'm a little late to the party, but I certainly wanted to come over to tell you how gorgeous you are! Okay, how gorgeous your cards are! Okay, both! I love that black and white with your bit of pencil. It looks like a hand drawn piece of art. Such a great way to use a large image by cutting it in half! Your no line coloring is, like I said before, gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWow,stunning cards!!!
ReplyDeleteA lovely trio of cards. Love them all!
ReplyDeleteAwesome colouring, loved both cards..Thank you for joining in Happy little stampers this month
ReplyDeleteSwapna Patil(DT)
The wind has been relentless this year, we have had it too. Though it was going to take the roof off and blow out the windows a few times. Your twofer, threefer cards are amazing Auntie! The pear stamp you used is amazing! I love how the first card looks like a pencil drawing, it is amazing looking. Sorry for so many amazing's, but can't be helped! You are really great at those Ziggie's Auntie and it shows with your next two cards. I love the coloring you did on these two cards, no line coloring to boot. Wouldn't it be something if pears did have that color of juice?! I love the golden juice and Hammy was on to something with that. Hope he is rested up by now. Hugs, Brenda
ReplyDeleteYour pears looks so fresh and delicious looking! Wonderful coloring!
ReplyDeleteThank you for participating in the Happy Little Stampers watercolor challenge & we hope you will join us again in the next HLS Challenge!.
Anna – Design Team member at Happy Little Stampers
Visit my blog - Crafty Anna Studio.
You can also find me on Instagram - CraftyAnna Studio
Thank you!
I can not decide which card I love the most. All three are gorgeous and unique. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI wish all the best to your hubby as well.
They both look great! Nice to see what colour does... I wouldn't be able to pick a favorite... Hugs, Gerrina
ReplyDeleteThat is some wonderful coloring, but it also looks intriguing in grey! Fabulous Twofer! I wish I'd had time to play along....doesn't look good... Thank you so much for playing along with us at DotMCC! Hugs, Cornelia
ReplyDeleteThree wonderful cards, Darnell. I don't know which one is my favorite, because each of them has a different detail that attracts my attention. Great suggestions for the Twofer challenge.
ReplyDeletehugs,
BożenA
Knew that pear was perfect...Day of the Month card thought so, too. Congrats.
ReplyDelete