Hello Stamplings!
I hope you are doing well and hanging in there. I mean that. It's hard. Like so many of you, my mojo is laying around like a 17-year-old dog in the sunshine. "Hey," you yell, "Hey, get up!"
Nope. Not happening. The dog just shoots you the eyeball as if to say, "Go walk yourself."
So what do we do? We turn to many of the wonderful challenges that are plugging along, coming up with brilliant ideas and inspirational designs to help us keep interested and active in this hobby we love.
A burrow around Blogland lead me to this:
Less Is More is looking for clean and simple border cards. Hammy and I put our heads together and discovered that we both thought of the definition of border that represents the horizon. Webster gives one of its definition as, "the edge or boundary of something, or the part near it."
I have a small box of letterpress cards and envelopes that I purchased a few years ago. I'm not sure now what I was spose to do with them, but I grabbed one for this card. I used a piece of tape and blended both DIs and DOs in peeled paint, bundled sage, salty ocean, and wilted violet to make the border between the ground and the sky, representing a new day. The ink loved the letterpress paper and I'm happy to find a way to play with it.
The NBUS sediment is from the "I Like Your Style" set which was sold as part of the Simon Says Stamp 2013 Card Kit! I chose it because I decided to send this card to Verna, getting lonelier every day in the small care home she's in. It's heartbreaking to think of how many men and women are alone around the world because of Covid.
Challenges
- AAA Cards: One layer ~ no option.
- Color Throwdown.
- Less Is More: Borders.
- STAMPlorations: June CAS Challenge. A/G.
Twofer
Next, I saw that the current Flower Challenge is looking for navy (plus one other color) flowers, so I grabbed my NBUS Penny Black slapstick "Fabulous" stamp and did my favorite direct-to-stamp technique using SU markers and a spritz bottle to create a watercolor look. I find all these PB slapstick stamps lend themselves so well to this technique. The Happy Day sediment is from GKW. Hammy added some winking and I finished it off with a trio of dew drops.
Challenges
- Addicted to Stamps and More: Holiday. (Happy 8th Birthday!!)
- The Flower Challenge: Navy and one other colour.
- ModSquad: Watercolor.
- NBUS. Never-before-used-schtuff.
- Penny Black Saturday Challenge: A/G ~ optional spots and/or stripes.
Nellie
The yard is ablaze with color from lantana, butterfly bush, two white oleander trees, and various potted plants (not shown). The Mister placed his beloved companion on the wall for a late afternoon portrait to share with you.
~~~
Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!* Stay safe. Please.
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!)
86 comments:
Two brilliant cards as ever - challenges certainly help when Mr Mojo takes a hike!!
Both are beautiful !!
Both of these cards show how utterly stunning simplicity is when done properly. Gorgeous!
Love both your cards Darnell and I also think challenges kick start you when your mojo has gone
Anne
Your LI card is such a great interpretation of the theme Darnell, I love it's simplicity.
Your second flowery one is equally beautiful but in a totally different way.
I agree with you about inspiration, challenges are a great help to the mojo. Keep safe and sane. :)
Two wonderful cards so brave with that first one I am rubbish at CAS in any form so am in awe Love those blue flowers so vibrant Thanks for sharing your garden photo So pretty someone works very hard on your yard Love and hugs Carole x
The flower card is so beautiful, but the first card is so stunning! Great so super CAS! Enjoy your sunday!
Two gorgeous cards Darnell. My mojo is all over the place at the moment. One day I have lots of ideas and not enough time to get them all done and the next nothing and plenty of time. Hope you're having a great weekend?
Sue xx
Loving your cards Darnell, you and Hammy are a great team :). Give him a rub from me for helping inspire you to inspire us.
Loving the photo of Nellie - just as well she is the Mister's dog, and does not get jealous of Hammy.
Stay safe
Blessings
Maxine
Love both of your beautiful cards! Love the simple look. Love your colorful garden and cute dog
Have a great day!
Marilyn❤
Beautiful cards, Darnell! That first one is really poignant. So simple, but so uplifting. And the flowers. Oh my gosh, so very pretty! That little Nellie is adorable. I need to get over thinking of Nellie Oleson from Little House on the Prairie when I hear Nellie, though. Keep sharing adorable pictures of your sweet Nellie and that could change. :) Have a lovely day.
both cards are perfection ... I really like the one of just the horizon ... it could mean so many things
D, I adore your horizon … and the texture of this letterpress paper. Verna will love it, too!
=]
[if you think she'd enjoy another, please share her address privately?]
I just LOVE the sunrise card with it's amazing simplicity and perfect sentiment, but those blue flowers won me over completely! Fabulous makes, and I think I might be that 17 yr old dog lazing away with no get=up=and=go! LOL
Awesome inking for your horizon card, Dolly! Your blending and evenness of colors is amazing! Wish I could do that! Love, love, love your beautiful blue flower! The happy sentiment is a perfect companion for it! Thanks for a peek of your garden and sweet Nelly!
Both are just Glorious cards Darnell, I love the simplicity but full of impact first card and the beautiful floral card which is fabulous in blue and green, as the saying goes "blue and green should never be seen without a colour in between", however I argue that, just look at this fabulous card and the sky and trees!
Love your garden and hubby's pal.
Take care
Faith x
Two gorgeous cards Darnell, beautiful colors and so cheery! Good picture of Mellor and your lovely garden! Hugs, Donna
Well, there is no sign of your mojo being missing on these cards. They are both fantastic but my favourite is the horizon, just gorgeous, well done xx
I love that beautiful horizon, such sweet simplicity that gives you the feels! The spritzed navy flowers are drop dead gorge! 😁
Simply SMASHING makes in fab colours and your garden pix arae triffik too
Happy Sunday
Kathyk
Your cards are both so gorgeous and wonderful. Sorry for the short comments and not visiting all the time. Internet is still a bugger for me.
Love me some CAS colorful cards...surely, Verna will, as well. Your bold blue flowere is simply gorgeous. Very artsy fartsy and beautiful.
Well I am so loving your "border" card, loving where yours and Hammy's mind went on this challenge. I am so loving the horizon you both made, it is stunning to say the least. Talking about stunning, oh my gosh, your two is just that! That is a fabulous stamp and I love your color combo. Two stunning CAS cards! Yes, it is heartbreaking to know people are all alone since Covid hit. It really breaks my heart at those who passed from this all alone. Just hurts the heart so much. Love the picture the Mister took of his companion and the flowers, both Nellie and the flowers are just beautiful! A nice place to shelter in place! Hugs, Brenda
I agree...surfing the web for inspiration for card challenges and You Tube techniques has been helpful for giving my weak mojo a boost! I LOVED your clever and creative border sunset design on your watercolor paper. Beautiful texture and simplicity. Gorgeous watercolored Penny Black flowers card too. Thanks to you and Mister for sharing your beautiful blooming plants and sweet Nellie:-) Stay safe and Creative, my dear friend. Hugs...Nancy
Wonderful cards. Especially love that blue flower one.
I am in LOVE with your horizon card Dolly! It's so creative and beautful. The sentiment is perfection. Your navy flower is gorgeous. What a beautiful image that looks amazing in dark blue. Great work on both cards. Nellie is looking lovingly at Mister as he takes her pictures. So sweet among your lovely garden border. Love, Lolly
Darnell, your horizon card is awesome. AWESOME. Hugz
Two beautiful cards, Darnell - just love the serene horizon card and the fabulous blue flower! Awww - sweet photo of Nellie enjoying the outdoors; she's a comfort I'm sure!
Beautiful cards.
What lovely cards today, Darnell. Love the CAS border card but the flower card takes my breath away! So very beautiful my friend, and that is obviously a technique I need to practice when my mojo eventually returns! Lovely garden and doggie picture too.
Hugs
Carol x
Hi Darnell, tow gorgeous card, I love the simplicity of the first one, wonderful colours and the floral image is so pretty.
Lovely plants and a sweet little Nellie, great photo, Kate x
Two fabulous creations, fabulous CAS card and a super use of the PB stamp, can't get my head around these, have a few but, while I have tried them never made a card with them. Yours is superb.
Fab photo and Misters companion looks like a statue,
Keep safe.
Kath x
Love the simplicity of your horizon card; great border interpretation! And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your water color stamped floral card - so pretty! And Nellie looks cute as usual!
What a wonderful take on border! I do like your first card very much. Fantastic color combo and perfect CAS. Can't be better. Navy blue flower is fantastic too. Super use of a big motif and great technique. Amazing photo of Nellie among flowers. Cute. :-)
Have a great day!
Hugs, Sonja
What a peaceful and gorgeous horizon, Darnell! I love this card! The colors and your ink blending is splendid.
The navy flowers are fabulous! The shade of the blue goes so well with the shade of the green (leaves).
Adorable Nellie looks so proud of knowing how to be photogenic! ;-)
Hideko xx
Well I'd sure say you found your mojo with these two beautiful cards!!! I LOVE the horizon line you created with the Distress inks. So beautiful!! And, of course, I LOVE the blue flowers that being one of my two favorite colors! That's such a fun technique that I need to do more often! So glad you are well my friend! Many hugs!
Wonderful cards Darnell, that horizon line is beautiful, love the intensity of those colours and the letterpress looks so touchable! The direct marker technique on the stamped flowers has worked beautifully too, love the watercoloured look. Take care, Cathy x
That horizon is BREATHTAKING. Just wow!! I love the painting and the colors. The second card with the gorgeous navy bloom-LOVE. Stunning creations!!
That horizon card is fabulous and a winner in my book. Loving too your blue blooms. I think your mojo was listening. Hugs.
Stunning cards!
Two amazing clean and simple cards Darnell!
Absolutely beautiful floral card!
Thank you and we hope you will join us again in the next ATSM Challenge!.
Anna – Design Team member at Addicted to Stamps and More
Visit my blog - Crafty Anna Studio.
You can also find me on Instagram - CraftyAnna Studio
Thank you!
I can honestly say, I've never been so lackadaisical. That's a word, right? I think I must work better under a least a little bit of pressure. I love your cards today. The border on the first card is really stunning. Love the texture of that card base, too. Your blue flowers on the second card are beautiful. In my mind's eye, I can see the pretty sparkle that Hammy added. Stay well, take time to play.
Two beautiful cards, Darnell! LOVE the flowers on your second card, it looks like an impressionist painting!
Cute doggie photo too :-)
Two fabulous cards! What a wonderful horizon on the first card - gorgeous colours and blending! And be still my beating heart - the second card has my favourite shades of blue - so fresh against the white card base.
Nellie is so cute! Glad you have lots of color in your yard to lift your spirits. Can't the home bring Verna outside & let her have a visitor with a mask 6 ft away? I know some homes up here are doing that. Did she enjoy the bunch of cards we all sent? I'd be glad to send her another one, if she'd enjoy it. Hope she liked seeing the picture of you & me I included. The first card is just brilliant & the flower is a stunner! It would qualify at ModSquad if the challenge isn't closed.
Hi Darnell, Loving the cards.
Nellie looks so bright white in the photo.
Hope you have a good start to the week. Sue
I think you found the perfect way to use these cardbases. Very pretty and calming scene. Thank you for playing at AAA Cards and Less is More
Two beautiful cards, the floral design is gorgeous but, my favourite has to be the LIM one. I love the simplicity of it, and what an amazing job with the ink blending. Great take on the challenge theme.
Thank you too for the pretty card you sent ..... just what I need right now
Love and hugs xx
Love both your beautiful cards. The wonderful inking along with the simplicity of the first makes it sublime! Verna will love it and it will cheer her up for sure, bless her. Your second is beautifully inked in those glorious colours making the flower look gorgeous! Nellie, of course, looks cute as a button! Take care and stay safe my friend. Hugs xxxxxxxxx
Fabulous cards! I adore that navy flower card! And would you look at Nellie all pretty and cute... Awww!
They are all gorgeous, including Nellie! xoxo
I don't know where I'd be without our card challenges! You've come up with some gorgeous cards here. The horizon is so beautifully CAS and the colours and the blending are perfect. I think you may have kickstarted my mojo with your pretty floral card. I quite often colour a stamp with markers, huff and stamp for a coloured image but I'd forgotten that you can spritz for a watercolour effect! Whoopeee! Off I go...
Vicky x
PS Tell Nellie she's adorable and give her a little scritch for me, just under her left ear :)
Two great cards Darnell, your edgy card is striking. Love the simplicity and the great sentiment and love the loose watercolour effect of the PB card.
Look at Nellie posing for her photo shot, so photogenic :)
Both are so unique and both are so beautiful!! Nellie in the flowers is adorable, I want to hug her!! I have zero mojo and a few days ago I thought about chucking it all, and then some new stuff came in, still no mojo but at least I have hung in there!!
Oh my goodness I love the simplicity of your first card, the border! Then your spritzy watercoloured flowers, so pretty! Posed for the camera, so cute!
The border card is beautiful, the colour combo is just perfect, I am sure it will be truly welcomed by Verna. The flower card is stunning, I love that stamp!
Nellie looks just adorable, as always - Mister posed her very well! Hugs, Annie xxx
What fabulous ink blending on your border card! Clean and simple, but definitely packs a punch. Thanks for joining us for this week's Color Throwdown!
Oh how I love your horizon, this is incredible Darnell! Wonderful cards today and a sweet little Nellie!
LOVE both cards! The first makes such a statement in its CAS style and the second, well just beautiful flowers in a pretty color!
Maybe we all need some of that letterpress paper, Darnell. The way the ink spread leaving a dark line for the horizon is glorious. I do love a good PB slapstick stamp and your flowers are beautiful. Thanks for sharing them with us at The Flower Challenge.
I spotted this amazing card (horizon) in the LIM gallery, Darnell. It is absolutely stunning and gorgeous. Your flower card is too, but the horizon really got me. I LOVE the sentiment. Just wonderful all around.
And I meant to add, that your comment about all of the lonely people in care facilities and sending Verna her your wonderful card also really hit me. My mother is 97 and in a memory care facility. We haven't seen her for months, and I can't imagine how she and her fellow residents must feel. She did contract the virus, and is perfectly fine now. It wasn't her time. Anyway, thank you for sharing... xx
Great cards Darnell and especially like the first one and the sentiment - nice CAS card. Enjoy the email I sent you.
Oh my goodness, your watercolor stamping is just gorgeous. I love everything about this card!!! Great take on the challenge, thank you so much for participating this week at the Mod Squad Challenge
Judy~ Mod Squad Challenge Designer
{Judy's Happy Place} Stop by and see me!!!
Congratulations on your Mod Squad Challenge win!! Well deserved!!! :)
Beautiful in its simplicity! Thanks for playing at AAA Cards, hope to see you join in with future challenges too. Stay safe and keep crafting!
OMFG was just commenting on challenge entries and saw your entry Darnell....its freakin amazing!! The technique suits those flowers perfectly and makes me want to do it now myself. Its one stunning card and I'm so happy to see you at The Flower Challenge. By the way, maybe my mojo is on holiday with your mojo?? Funny how you can go thru months of creating and suddenly hit a wall. Your incredibly CAS card with the horizon is genius and couldn't be more perfect. If you see my mojo can you please send it home?? xxxx
Congrats on the ModSquad shout out!
Oh I love your horizon idea and the fab sentiment! The blue PB bloom is superbly stamped/coloured - stunning! Thanks so much for joining in the PBSC! I am thinking of you too! hugs x
I love your ‘horizon’ card such a clever idea! I think all of the ‘mojos’ are on a cruise together somewhere relaxing in the sun and drinking wine, taking advantage of the quiet holiday spots!
Thanks for joining in with the challenge at Less is More.
Take care x
A visit to your blog always puts a smile on my dial! Your border card is perfect for our challenge over at Less is More and I love the look of that letterpress paper. Also perfect for our OLC challenge over at AAA Cards. Thanks for joining in on the fun.
Well OK it was the gorgeous watercolour flower that drew me here it's fantastic and I love how you enter your own challenge hahaha. Seeing the first one and the cleverly thought out design of the first card captured my imagination as well. Fantastic makes lave them both. x
Darnell, I absolutely adore both of your cards! The beach one has the most gorgeous ink blending, and I love the imagination of you and Hammy and how you created such a fun card from such a simple idea. And the faux watercolour flower is simply stunning, it's a piece of art all onto itself!
Thank you for playing along with the STAMPlorations CAS Challenge. We hope to see you back again soon! Karola, DT, InvisiblePinkCards
Who'd have thought a simple horizon would be so full of impact, Darnell ... well ... you! And Hammy, of course! It's brilliant ... my imagination just drifted off into it ... it might just stay! Your blooms are stunning ... artsy, elegant and stylish ... beautiful! Isn't your garden looking wonderful ... as Nellie is too ... what a cutie! LYAMYEDMA! Big hugs and bisous, Anita :)
Beautiful cards! I LOVE your watercolour flower, of course! I love those PB stamps. It is absolutely stunning, Darnell. Thanks so much for playing along at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge xx
Fantastic Card Darnell, actually they are both fabulous. That flower stamp, the flower colouring looks amazing. Perfectly done my friend. Thank you so much for joining us at The Flower Challenge and we hope to see you there again soon. Aileen DesignTeam
Two great cards, Darnell! Your second card is just stunning! Well done! :)
First..sorry I am so late commenting Dee, yes my mojo has gone lately too! love both of your cards, the horizon one is just sooo perfect. The one for our challenge is glorious too, another awesome card mf. Thanks for sharing with us over at 'The Flower Challenge'.Love the garden pics and Nellie too of course ;) hugs Vee xx
The first card ... took my speech away because it is so amazing and leaves me stunned. This is stunningly beautiful, Darnell. As if I were looking at the horizon without disturbing me, the vastness of the earth and the sky ... I would like to be in this place, this is the place I miss and you made me realize it with this card.
The second card is also bad, I love how you colored this stamp.
Hugs,
BożenA
Congrats...your gorgeous navy blue flowers charmed the pants off The Flower Challenge folks, as well. Knew that card was going places. Good for you.
These are both fabulous Darnell! Using the horizon is just genius, and your stamping has made that flower look so full of life - just beautiful!
Thanks so much for play at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge!
Helen x
Congratulations on winning the Flowers Challenge :-)
congrats on your Flower Challenge win -- this one's a true winner, Darnell!
Many congratulations with The Flower challenge win Darnell and what a worthy winner. Both of your cards are stunning and Nellie is super adorable x.
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