Hello Stamplings!
I have to say, it's hard keeping our chins up after this Easter weekend of severe winter weather in many states and devastating tornadoes in many others. What in the world is going on with the weather? As if the virus wasn't enough of a test! My heart and prayers go out to any of you who have been impacted.
As for us, we were fortunate to have a lovely weekend, although it was surreal because we usually have a houseful. We did have a great video chat with the prodigals and we are looking forward to having our postponed holiday and long-overdue hugs as soon as we can.
Onefer
I meant to post this card yesterday, but then I started doing a complete purge and clean of the Playhouse just to be doing something productive and distracting and I forgot all about my post. You know how much I love me some purging and cleaning!
The two cards today were made as part of my recent campaign to use all the focus pocuses in my BOB (box o' bits). I colored the lilies (from PTI) with my Ziggies and had Hammy wink them while we were at our Indiana retreat.
Challenges
- CAS Watercolour: Spring Flowers.
- The Flower Challenge: Spring/Autumn.
- Make My Monday: Spring Flowers.
Twofer
This card panel was made at last year's ESCR retreat in Vancouver. We all smooched backgrounds and then Susan taught us how to bleach our images with splashless bleach. I added bling to the flower centers and two sediment strips from Simon Says Stamp which I framed in black. It seemed an appropriate greeting for someone right now. (Maybe I should send it to myself!)
Challenges
- Alphabet Challenge: A is for Anything Goes.
- CAS Mix Up: Bleaching. (Plus stamping and ink blending - smooching.)
- TIME OUT: Inspired by Words.
~~~
Since I'm a little out of shorts today, I'll leave you with these funnies shared by friends. It's important to keep our senses of humor and there are some very clever people out there helping make sure we do that!
This morning I saw my neighbor talking to her cat. It was obvious that she thought her cat understood her. I came into the house and told my dog. We laughed a lot.
~~~
Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!* Take care, stay in, and keep safe!
*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!)
74 comments:
2 wonderful cards Darnell, both bright and cheerful, just what we all need. Great finds in your bits box too, mine needs topping up lol! Take care, Cathy x
Fabulous splashes of colour from your blog today ...these are beautiful floral cards with sentiments that seem very apt. Like you, I usually have a houseful at Easter, so we missed it this year. Hopefully , when the virus recedes we'll all be able to have big get-togethers with our loved ones. (In my case, I'm hoping it'll be my daughter's wedding in August! She is worrying that it'll never happen....!)
First off sending you lots of hugs and secondly-what stunning cards! Love the pink base of the first and gorgeous colouring and wow to the second. What gorgeous background and I so love how the flowers look with the touches of colour and you know I alway love the enamel dots and yes...we love the sentiment is oh so true...have a look at #56 Frikreta's sentiment.....this is what I always try to live by! Thanks for your lovely comment on our blog and joining us at Time Out xx
Two fab cards Darnell, love the bright pink background for the first.
After a gorgeous weekend, we had a severe frost last night, so pleased I held off on sowing seeds in the veg garden! Rain had been forecast for Sunday evening but all we got was a light show as someone to the north had a thunderstorm. No rain forecast for a week or two now, what has happened to April showers?
We are all trying to find things to occupy our minds these days, even crafting is difficult to settle to. So keep strong and look forward to those hugs. Keep safe and sane. :)
Hi Darnell, Loving the cards.
You keep safe and well. Sue
Two wonderful spring cards. I like coloring of lilies at the first card. The second card with bleaching of blooms is awesome. Amazing design and appropriate sentiment for the current situation. I can understand how you miss your darlings. I depend of video calls with my darling for years now. And it is still hard.
Be safe! Hugs, Sonja
Oh Darnell I hear you - I have so much time to be doing things, but end up wasting so much of it... Loved your funny, about the cat and dog, but the image did not show :(. Like you I am missing family and hugs
Loving your cards, and so glad Hammy had fun at the retreat sparkling things up for you .
Stay safe
Blessings
Maxine
Two wonderful cards Darnell. I particularly like the bleached effect. Fortunately the weather here was lovely, sunny and warm so we were able to go for our permitted daily walk in the woods nearby. Since giving up some of the DT work my mojo has gone missing big time. Hope it comes back soon! Sending hugs and keep safe xx
Two fantastic cards Darnell, I love the bleached effect one and the great sentiment on it too. Glad to say our weather here in the south of the UK was wonderful during the Easter weekend. It's turned a colder now, but still sunny.
Take care and stay safe
Sue xx
Two wonderful cards Darnell love the floral images and colours used so spring like and the sentiment is so appropriate for the time we are living in - your right regarding the weather it really did go cold 🥶 we have a lovely day today so will be venturing in the garden take care x
Beautiful cards Darnell, particularly impressed with the second one with the bleached out image, what a great technique and you couldn't have found a better sentiment for the current situation.
This was definitely the quietest strangest Easter I've ever had...at least we had wonderful weather for most of the weekend.
xx
You made me smile with this poat; first 2 beautiful cards (Loove the 2nd one) and the text and the little story; always so good to read your posts! Espescially in these strange times... Stay healthy and save, hugs, Gerrina
Oh your cards are lovely!! A breath of fresh air today... I'm sorry to hear about the weather - To be honest we haven't heard much about anything other than the virus... Like there is no other news! My thoughts and prayers are with all my friends and those affected... Be safe lovely lady
Bless you Darnell, sorry to hear you're out of shorts. It's sometimes hard to keep our chins up but you're right, things WILL get easier. In the meantime crafting, funnies and purging and cleaning up will have to step in to distract us! Also Bill Bryson in my case (not the man himself obviously, but his hilarious books!) Love the cat and dog funny today and it is too true :D Your cards are absolutely beautiful as always. The blue/green background of the second is gorgeous and with the bleached flowers it's like being at the bottom of a lake in a magical garden. The first is my favourite though - those zippy colours, the textured frame, the gorgeous lilies, the way the sentiment fits so neatly in the shape the fallen leaf makes... all so beautiful! Sending Mwahs, Vicky x
I agree completely regarding the weather! I so feel for the people affected by the tornadoes. We got several inches of snow and a hard freeze for a couple of nights. Sheesh, MOther Nature, when can we catch a break. Your cards are beautiful, Darnell! That first one with the pink...so eye catching. REally like the background on the second, too. So pretty. Good for you for braving the cleaning and purging of the playhouse! I wish you good look. Then you can wish me some luck because I want to do the same to my crafty space. Maybe I should call it my playroom?? We shall see. Meantime, I'll be wishing for the day you are able to give your family the love and hugs they are missing these days. Have a good day.
The weather has been crazy. We had the hottest March on record. The storms last night were hard and it looks like we'll get another strong storm today.
Lovely cards. Good job on cleaning a little bit of the playhouse and the cat/dog story was funny. I needed that. I went and told Woolfie The Bear. He went and told Clarence the Cicada. I know, we have weird pets.
[Bunny]
Your lilies are bright and beautiful and I can't help but feel happy looking at them! Love your bleached flowers! I don't remember seeing that stamp! It sure worked perfectly for the bleach technique! Thanks so much for sharing with us at CAS Watercolour and CAS Mix Up! Keep that chin up, my friend!
Both cards are gorgeous, Darnell xoxo
Both are so beautiful, one vibrant and lovely and the other so peaceful and with a wonderful sentiment. Your cat and dog joke made me laugh.
I'm not sure what is going on in the world, with extremes of every kind of thing, we are certainly being put through the wringer. Some more than others.
Keep safe and well
Faith x
I love both of these bright, spring cards. The sentiment on the second card is so true, it will get easier. All we have to do it wait it out and stay home. Easter was not the usual day we normally have here either and talking just isn't the same. We have postponed two events with the family now and I hope by May 23rd when the birthdays for two of my grands are here, we will be able to get together again. I don't get the funny unless it was about cats not understanding. I know dogs understand because Molly understood every single thing I said to her and she replied!
Beautiful floral cards. Love the colors of the lilies,and the background on the other card is gorgeous too. Thanks for sharing with us at Make My Monday Challenge.
Cindy
2 lovely colourful and cheery cards today Darnell. Sorry to hear about the terrible weather in some places over there. Things are so strange at the moment. Thanks for the jokes, they did bring a smile xx
Two beautiful cards. Love them both.
Great little sign too - may have to try the mask inside now.
Lynn
Such beautiful flowers, Darnell. Just what I need to think Spring when it's snowing outside. Yes, it's snowing in Michigan right now. I don't know what splashless bleach is but I do love the bleaching technique and I bet you could use water to remove the smooshed background since it's water reactive.
Your cards are GORGEOUS, Darnell. The first reminds me of stained glass a bit, and I love your bleaching technique on the second. The colors are beautiful together, and the sentiment is perfect. I just about spit out my coffee when is saw the mask quote. I have never cooked and eaten so much in my life. Last night I made a list of all of the things I cooked/baked/grilled since 3/13 when this all started here in NJ - I was shocked. Anyway, hang in there, and thank you so much for joining us at Time Out with your lovely creation. I am also thrilled that you started a new NBUS - just saw that today. Can't wait to play. Be well.
I like the funnies--thanks for sharing, Darnell! Your cards are just beautiful--some of my favorites! Gorgeous weather up here, too. We've actually used air conditioning which used to not happen until July! My lilacs have multiple blooms after years of maybe a couple, so I'm thrilled! Apparently the huge Sequoia in our neighbor's yard was keeping things too dark. They had it pruned quite a ways up from the ground & that's the only thing different this year. Thinking of you & our plans that were. So glad we did the retreat last year--little did we know!
Oh I LOVE the pretty lily card. Your pink border really draws the eye in to the beautifully colored flowers. The second card with the amazing bleached flowers is so cool. Another technique on my list I need to try again.
I am getting a bit funky about being stuck in the house with no one to talk to but my family and my dog. I am thankful I have them, though, because I could not imagine being alone in all this!! Thank you for the little funnies on your blog today!! They always make me SMILE!
Thanks so much for sharing your pretty cards. Both are wonderful. I should clean out too more in my craft areas. I am getting overloaded with too much schtuff. LOL But the idea does not work well with how my body is working these up and down weather days. So I am afraid I have made very little progress. And, with social distancing it is only me and hubby to see it. And hubby hurt himself and pulled a muscle in his back so he is needing more of my attention. I had an old lift chair and he slept in that so it wasn't so hard to get up at night when nature called. Getting out of a bed was killing pain and the noise from his groans were waking me up too. But we are fine otherwise and hope the same for you.
Two beautiful cards Darnell, gorgeous floral images and coloured so beautifully.
How awful for your fellow countrymen, I had no idea the the USA was experiencing such dreadful weather, yes as if the virus wasn't enough to be going on with.
Your funnies are brilliant, especially your conversation with the dog. I talk to my cat all the time, Alistair asks me how I know that he speaks English...Teallach is a rescue cat, could be Polish....mind you he does look at my funny sometimes lol, keep laughling, Kate x
Such beautiful cards!It does seem like we are all going a bit stir crazy. Luckily we have a 3 year old and 1 old grandchildren to keep us entertained.
Two BEAUTIFUL cards Darnell and definitely both appropriate for what's going on in our world today! Your Lily's are water colored so beautifully and I love the bright colors too...they totally make me think SPRING!! And your bleached card is just as lovely too! And YAY to you for cleaning and purging yesterday! I started back in January but then got busy and now just can't seem to find the ooomph to finish...but I am definitely more organized than I was before January! Hahaha!! Thanks so much for sharing with us at CAS Watercolour...we always enjoy seeing your works of art in our gallery! Hugs. :0)
Two super cards Darnell your lily card colours are very eye catching and love your bleaching technique card.. its bad enough having the virus without having to contend with the hurricanes ...I should be clearing out my craft room but at the moment I’m busy doing others things....well that’s my excuse..
Anne
I'm so glad your humor hasn't deserted you and that you cleaned out the Playhouse...now, can you come and clean/purge my craft room. I keep hoping Marie Kando will show up at my door and do the deed, but, alas, to no avail. Anywho...looks like you made the most of your bits and bobs with these to card beauties. You've inspired me to try a bit of that myself.
Both cards are beautiful! I hadn't thought to try bleaching a smooshed background, so thanks for the idea!
Two beautiful spring cards today sis! love the watercoloring on the lilies and the pretty bleach technique on the 2nd - thanks for the smiles brought with your little funnies too! glad to hear you are safe and well - I need to clean my craft room too but can't seem to make myself start it! UGH! Thanks for joining us at CAS Watercolor! xx
Two lovely floral cards Darnell! Bright happy blooms to perk us all up!
Gorgeous card with the bleached flowers, and the background is so soft and pretty! Thanks for joining us at the Alphabet Challenge!
Melanie
Two beautiful cards, Darnel. I love the sound of that splashless bleach technique and the look it gives.
Enjoyed the jokes...I am thinking of making a sign for the fridge door that says
Close the door, you are just bored!!!!!
Loved your funnies at the end of your post Darnell...Thanks for sharing x.
The vibrancy of your first card is so happy and uplifting x. Wow to your second card with a great and effective technique x. Do keep safe my friend x.
Two beautiful cards Dolly! These happy coloured flowers make me smile ... and we need all we can get of that! I LOVE your bleached flowers with your favourite colours smooshed in the background. Thanks so much for sharing with us at CAS Watercolour and CAS Mix Up! Love, Lolly
If you are out of shorts I'll keep this brief!!..lol. Seriously hope tomorrow is a better day for you. Your cards are lovely and I bet the play house is gleaming now. All we seem to hear about here is that wretched virus so I have decided to cocoon myself away from news.... and be happy! keep smiling....and virtual hugs xx
Lovely cards Darnell. Glad you had a lovely and bright Easter. Ours was another day of rain, and yesterday too, but today blue skies.
Stay safe. B
As always, you managed to give me a smile - the C19 advice certainly applies in this house! If only we had a dog or a cat.... we have a little field mouse that comes into our garden each day and I swear David does have a little chat with it...
Both cards are beautiful, I really love the bleach one, I have not tried that technique for a while. Take care and keep well. Hugs, Annie xxx
Darnell, two wonderful cards. I have to say I am crushing on your bleached card. I will have to try that some day. I'll bet I have a bleach pen around here somewhere. Take care, stay safe, and hugs.
Gorgeous cards! Thanks for the laugh too. Needed it.
Thanks for the laughs at the end of your post, Darnell. So you love cleaning and purging! Maybe when this is over, I'll buy you a flight to Vancouver and you can clean and purge my craft room!!! Even with having to stay home so much, I'm not getting it done!
Thanks for the shout-out to me for the bleaching technique! Love your card and the great sentiment. Likewise the first card.
Easter was a bit bleak, wasn't it? I usually get together with about 12-15 friends and we have a fabulous Easter brunch. Sure missed it. But the chocolates I'd ordered on-line from my favourite Vancouver chocolate shop arrived last Wednesday and I'd stocked the freezer with hot cross buns so consoled myself with those.
Two gorgeous cards Darnell, so bright and beautiful with the pink mat to accompany the lilies, and then the bleached flowers popping brilliantly against the bright blue and yellow background, and I love the yellow flower centres and the very apt sentiment. The funnies are great too. x
As always two great creations with lvoely images and colours and sentiment. A great post as always.
Well, I have not always been a great fan of some of the new technology but it has really been a 'God send' in these troubled times. I miss the hugs, even at 15 and 11 (nearly 12 Grandma) they are still into giving us huge hugs.
They say "it never rains, but it pours' Son-in-Laws Dad has Parkinson's, he got out of bed the other night and wife got up to see if he was ok, didn't put the light on, tripped over something and cut her head open, had to rushed to hospital, the last place you want to go these day. Turns out that her Hubby also has a blood clot on his brain and has to have an operation to remove it. No-one can visit.
On a lighter note our weather hasn't been too bad.
Kath x
Your cards are just lovely and I wish I had a dozen of the 2nd version to send out - they're perfect under the circumstances! I cannot stop laughing at the breaking news, and I can definitely relate to that one! LOL
Hello Darnell, do hope this finds you well. I am finally getting a little crafty urge back and had to pop in and see what you were up to! Love your cards today. Inspiration to try different techniques! And...my mask doesn't keep me from eating, I can just sneak that cookie right under the mask LOL!
Thanks so much for your friendship dear Darnell!
♥ Sue Kment
Both cards are wonderful! Keep on keepin on!
Beautiful cards, Darnell, and your second literally knocked my socks off! I just love that technique (tho I haven't tried it), and your images are beautiful
Great cards. Twofer is a fav.
Thanks for the laugh - I might need to start wearing a mask for that exact reason! My kids are filling their spare time cooking (cause they have so much and don't think cleaning is a suitable spare time activity! - like I do haha).
Two beautiful cards Darnell, pink is the perfect colour for spring. I love those bold flowers and your bleached background is awesome with the light touches of blue left behind.Tthat was such a fun technique :)
Your flower cards are so lovely. And the sentiment on the second one is so appropriate right now--for all of us. Glad to hear you had a nice Easter weekend. The snow from our Easter storm is slowly melting. It's slow because it was only in the 30s F for a high temp today. What in the world????? It's supposed to get down to 18 degrees tonight. Good grief! Let's have Spring already!
Beautiful cards, kind thoughts and thank you for the added smile at the end of your post, much appreciated and much needed.
How bright and beautiful are those lilies, Darnell ... beautifully winked by Hammy! Perfect sentiment on your bleachy blooms ... yes, it will get better ... hope is always around. The smooshy background is dreamy ... and I love the pop of yellow from the enamel dots! Thanks so much for playing along with us at Time Out! Thanks too for the funnies ... the cat/dog one had me laughing out loud ... great start to the day! Happy purging and cleaning ... keep smiling, dear friend! LYAMYEDMA ... CTW? Big hugs and bisous, Anita :)
Strange isn’t it, some days I’m full of what I’m going to get done and enjoying the time at home, other days it all becomes a bit one foot in front of the other. These are the days that you need to do what takes your fancy and video call someone, I’ve found that it’s often for the want of company....MeBart is still working And you just feel sometimes that you’re on your own with it all. Lovely cards, and yep, the sediment on the second is wholly applicable. Send it to someone, it’ll make you feel better! Then go hug himself and get back to that desk!xxx
Two fabulous cards ..... I love the bleach design.
The Easter weekend was definitely different. Instead of the usual roast, and a table surrounded with family and friends, it was just hubby and I and the BBQ, and surprisingly no chocolate!!
We're all going to have some serious catching up to do when we get through this ..... looking forward to that!! Sending love and hugs xx
Two absolutely beautiful cards! I especially love the second one with the bleached flowers and the gorgeous background. I think there are going to be some serious hugathons happening when things get easier. But it's worth the difficulties to beat this thing. Take care and stay safe my friend, thinking about you as always! xxxxxxx
Pretty cards Darnell!
have a great day!
Marilyn❤
Hi Darnell! These are two wonderful cards and I love the bleaching technique you used! Thanks so much for joining us at the Alphabet Challenge for our 10th Anniversary!
Rachelle - DT : )
Well your second card has gone out to us all now so no keeping to your self. . Love the colours. Keeping safe and well and trying to sit on hands . Have put hair up in a twiirl ( it is long enough now as not being seen by hairdresser who likes to have a snip behind my back ) so’s not to fiddle with it. Hugs Mrs A.
What gorgeous spring cards, you are doing great with your BOB box! Love the indoor mask idea!
Wonderful bright Spring cards Darnell😊...sure to add some sunshine to friends day.....amidst these trying times, so your little jokes and fab write ups always spread the love...the four cats here definitely know what I'm saying... hugs and stay safe Robyn ps thanks for sharing with CAS Watercolour
It does my heart good to see your two beautiful cards today, Darnell. All that pretty color and inky wonderfulness and flowers. It's hard to imagine having all these amazing focal pieces in your BOB, but I'm glad they're making a showing now. Thanks for the funnies, too! That first bit is all too true. Maybe I should try wearing a mask at home.
Both cards are gorgeous! I am going to have to learn more about bleaching! Your playhouse is fabulous and every inch of space has a definite use and purpose. The view isn't bad either. Thanks for joining us at Make My Monday challenges!
Two beautiful cards, both fitting for the times we are finding ourselves in. I find the pink on striking. The simple image and bold colors look fantastic. The colors on the second are more muted, and beautifully mixed together.
Beautiful cards and I love the first one it looks like a beautiful stain-glass window. Love the colors you used on both of them as well! Thanks for playing along with us at The Flower Challenge!
Gorgeous cards...so colorful and bright. Very inspirational.
Creative Heart Designs
Gorgeous cards!
Love these! I especially love the bleached card. I am definitely going to need to try that!!
Your cards are lovely! Thank you for playing along with us at Make My Monday!
Hugs,
Mary Ellen
blog - https://www.creativetimewithme.com/
Beautiful spring card, fresh colors make me smile. The second card made with an amazing whitening technique gives hope that some of my hopeless colored backgrounds can be used one day. Two beautiful cards, Darnell.
I also laughed today with my cats from my husband :-))
BożenA xoxo
Post a Comment