Hello Stamplings!
I'm going to get right to it in case our power goes out. Thank you for all your messages of concern. The fires are immense and burning on all sides of the Bay Area and up and down the whole state. It is hell for firefighters and the air quality for everyone has been declared unhealthy. The weather conditions today and tomorrow may stir up more unusual thunderstorms with very little rain, but lots of lightning. 
are welcome.
are welcome.
The CAS Christmas Card Challenge for August is calling for "Twelve Days of Christmas" and I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with a way to play. Finally, all that wracking paid off:
On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
nine ladies dancing . . .
You don't want to know how many iterations of this card ended up in the bin. I had dancers in rows, and dancers in a semi-circle, and dancers in a demitasse. You name it, I tried it. This version came about after I saw the current sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch (thank you to them) which I turned on its side. It was too much fiddling to use the Misti, so I stamped them all by hand with an acrylic block and I would get to number six and biff it. Next time, it was number seven. You get the idea.
The little ballerina dancer started out as a tightrope walker in a NBUS circus-themed set of stamps and dies from Wplus9 that I've had since 2011. Not a lot of circus prompts out there, but it is a really cute set and I'm chuffed to finally be able to ink up one of the stamps. But first I had to perform surgery on the young lady to remove the umbrella over her head and the tightrope on either side and between her legs. I kanicked her right calf, but she's a real trooper and carried on.
The sediment, also NBUS, is from Inkadinkado. Drawing those little Christmas hats required much smaller hands than mine, so once again Hammy saved the day!
Challenges
- CAS Christmas Card: Twelve days of Christmas.
- CAS(E) This Sketch.
- Krafty Chicks: CAS (clean and simple).
- NBUS #17
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These are a few cards I made a while back using another sheet of gorgeous Alexandra Renke pp!
On the one hand it feels a bit like cheating, but on the other hand, her art is truly that, art, and why not make lovely cards with it to share with friends and family? On the other hand. Oh, no, that's two, that's all you get.
The Vagaries of Age
Those of you who have been dedicated friends since I started this bloggeroo may remember I once had a Pity Party for myself because I put my back out while walking down an aisle at Costco and stepping on an pile of air! Yup, air!
Unfortunately, I keep doing those things, but nowadays the injuries are because a) I have a cute little dog, and b) I forget how old I am. A coupla weeks ago I was running around the patio, stopping quickly and lunging towards Nellie which makes her tear off and do "zoomies" around the yard. It's tons of fun until someone gets hurt. Someone aged and (ahem) chubby who forgets she's aged and chubby and turns sharply to run the other way only to pull up short in complete agony because of a stubbed toe.
Stubbed? On what? Shirley, you can't call it a stubbed toe when there is literally nothing to stub it on! Shirley, you can't call it a stubbed toe when the pain is so intense it feels like the toe has been hacked completely off? Pain so intense that it caused me to quickly limp into the house, down the hall, and stick my entire foot into the cool water of the toilet! Yup, that intense.
We can't be outside because of the smoke and little dogs need exercise. So yesterday we did inside zoomies running up and down the hallway.
Now I know where my right hip socket is. 😬
I don't like knowing where my hip socket is. I prolly would have had a few more good years with it if only the age and weight I am up inside my head matched reality. I'm always giving The Mister a hard time for living on Planet Delusional. Turns out he has a cute place there.
~~~
Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy, but be safe! 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!)
I really didn't think 2020 could throw anything more at us and then it went "OK, I've burned down Australia, flooded half of England, blown up Beirut, released killer hornets, launched a devastating pandemic.... now what's next? I know, I'll burn down California." Disclaimer: Those aren't all the disasters that have happened this year, just the ones I can remember after a sleepless night.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, your cards are all gorgeous and I agree that beautiful paper is a work of art in itself and deserves to be given the starring role.
I was worrying about you and fires, I hope you get some rain and that everything will be all right.
ReplyDeleteOh no, and your toe, I can imagine how it hurts because I have some similar experiences with fingers on my feet, oh yes and ahhh. I hope you will be feeling better soon.
And your cards are fantastic, I love your dancers, so clever and stunning composition.
Sending hugs and prayers xx
Brilliant card and well done for persevering with it to completion. Hope there is soon some rain to cancel out the awful fires. Take care and extra care when zooming around with your little dog.
ReplyDeleteHi Darnell. ..you card is great and pleased you didn’t give up on it....just been looking the fires on the news so sad for people loosing their homes I can’t imagine what it’s like....I bet your toe is painful ..you need to be careful when playing with Nellie...take care
ReplyDeleteAnne
Hi Darnell, Loving the cards.
ReplyDeleteHope the fires keep away fromn you and they can get them under control.
Years ago I had a double bed where the two bottom lergs were actually metal. It i8s amazing I never boke a toe the number of times I would catch my foot on them. Never been bad enough to stick my foot down the loo though:) LOL
Hope you have a lovely day. Sue
Your dancing ladies are tops, so creative and love how you gave the stamp a new life!! All the other cards are gorgeous, I have bought paper just to use like you did, but aackkkk, it is still in the NBUS form!! I surely hope the fires stay away from you, it is very dry here in Michigan in my neck of the woods too!! I hope your toe~hip~body feels better soon...take care!! Give little Nellie a big hug from me, she is the sweetest!!
ReplyDeleteSo - if I brave everything that 2020 so far has thrown at us and bring a water cannon to carve a way through the fires will I be able to get to the Playhouse???? Mmmmmm.... not that I want to see you (and your big sorry for itself toe) or cuddle Hammy or play zoomies with Nellie or even go that nice Planet where I am skinny, have perfect eyesight and all my bits (ahem) are in the correct place.... it's all to do with can I get there with my mask and swag bag to steal those papers??? Workin' on it.
ReplyDeleteSo I guess you know I love the cards.
Sway those hips baby!!!!
(oh and next time spare us the details of the toilet and the toe story?? An image now with me for the rest of my day) xxxx
Fabulous card Darnell, a brilliant idea and the finished result was worth the effort, glad you persevered with it! The batch of cards that you created with that gorgeous paper are beautiful.
ReplyDeletePlaying with the dog can be a dangerous pastime! Hope your poor toe soon gets better- hope those terrible fires don't come any closer.
Keep safe
xx
Love your cards! I don't thing 2020 is turning out such a good year for us. I have a cousin who lives in California and they had to evacuate for a few days. They are back home now. As for us in my neck of the woods, we have two Hurricanes coming into the Gulf at the same time(Yes I said two) and looks like we will get hit with both of them. Hopefully they will change course before it get near us. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteMarilyn💖
Oh Darnell! Your cards are wonderful, even if it did take you a minute to get the dancers right. It was worth the effort, but not sure it was safe taking a deep breath before your next effort. Yikes. The cards with the beautiful paper are just that, so beautiful. I am SO sorry your state is burning again. Ours is, too, but not nearly as scarily as CA. I hope and pray that everyone gets relief soon. Mother Nature is sure trying to get our attention these days. Awwww, hope your toe and hip feel better really soon, too. Life is really tough these days, but you can head toward Planet Delusional any time, right? Big gentle hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteYou did an amazing job altering the tightrope walker to a dancer with a hat and getting her stamped perfectly 9 times (without a positioner!); all the effort to make it work paid off!! Love the cards you created with the patterned paper as well. Praying that you remain safe and that your toe and hip feel better.
ReplyDeleteYour card and work of art cards are beautiful! I bet if you look in your trash bin today your mistakes will look better. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs, Donna
ReplyDeleteMy hat goes off to you for stamping those ballerinas all in a row and getting their hats straight! I think I would have given up after the first try and stuck with the first day of Christmas! But you persevered and came up with a fabulous card for this theme. I have a different pack of AR papers and love how easy it is to make a fabulous card. I too feel like it's cheating a bit but not enough to make it stay in that hoarding pile. A set of these cards makes a wonderful gift for non-cardmaking friends! Stay safe and NO MORE ZOOMIES!
ReplyDeleteAfter knowing you all these years, I had no idea you were such an accomplished surgeon. You did an amazing job creating these sweet dancers. I remember when you got this gorgeous paper and you did it proud. I hate cutting into mine but now you have inspired me. I worry about you all the time in the midst of these fires. It is the most awful thing, along with the storms in the gulf. I am going to share a quick tip with you - zoomies are for dogs, not adults. Please baby that hip and toe and take care.
ReplyDeleteLeave it to you to fit nine dancers on a card for the 12 Days of Christmas, Darnell - so flipping adorable with their Santa hats too!! Beautiful set with the patterned paper; I love all the flowers! Sending hugs and prayers for you during those terrible fires and now for all your injuries!! I won't say be careful because you'll probably forget - that's what we do! I told myself that when I tripped over a diecutting plate that I had propped beside my table... Anyway - take care, you!!
ReplyDeleteOh poor you, it sounds like one helluva sore toe, getting older and all it comes with sucks. It's almost like you have to do a risk assessment before you do anything....just incase.
ReplyDeleteI love your dancing ladies, it's super design.
Awful about the fires, hoping it can be brought to control, take care, Kate x
Darnell, I am not surprised you posted beautiful cards and musings. I plan on using the Christmas card idea! hopefully, I can find all the componts so I can make those Rockettes this year!
ReplyDeleteI think your little snips off the circus lady is just perfect, the card is ingenious and your sentiment is just right for those ladies. The designer papers are just so beautiful and HAD to be made into cards, Gorgeous images and cards.
ReplyDeleteAge? OH! I feel for you, why is it so easy to do these things, what is it about adding a few years that make things like this happen? Not even inside is safe as it used to be. I banged my arm on the door handle going through the door this week, nasty bruise too.
Keep safe and I hope the fires won't last long.
Faith x
Impressed with your creativity with the dancers and Hammy's hat making skills are awesome. Stay safe. It appears 2020 keeps coming up with more and more disasters to put us in our place. Hugz
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you persevered and got a fantastic and wonderful card design. I am so sorry that while playing with your little one you got injured though. I forget sometimes myself that I can’t do all the things my body used to do either. And please stay safe from the fires. I will be praying for all who are in danger.
ReplyDeleteThe dancing ladies are delightful. Reminds me of the Nutcracker Ballet. Gorgeous papers do make beautiful cards a snap so let them take center stage. Oh my, you have certainly had your troubles. Praying those fires stay away. If you get desperate, pack up and come to Indiana where we are having very pleasant summer weather.
ReplyDeleteI am praying hard for you and everyone else in CA that are dealing with these fires Auntie! I pray the fire stays far away from you! I pray for the helicopter man that lost his life fighting this fire, I pray for his family. I am praying for everyone. It is so awful and hurts to watch the news on these fires. So unreal! I can't image a storm with little rain but lots of lightning. My prayers will continue to go up for CA and it's people. I am also praying that these hurricanes don't hit the Gulf Coast line. So much destruction from mother nature could happen and is happening!
ReplyDeleteI recognized the CAS(E) This Sketch right away in this card Auntie! What a great job of stamp surgery you did on this little ballerina dancer! She is perfect for the sketch now and I'm totally in awe of you that you thought to use her as "9 dancing ladies" for the Christmas song theme that CAS Christmas Card Challenge has going on right now! The sketch was perfect for it! I love your take and I love how your 9 dancing ladies came out. I thought those hats were already on their heads, only to learn that you drew them on, again I'm in awe! That paper is stunning and there is nothing wrong with letting it do all the work for you! I agree, it is paper that needs to be shared so other's can love it too. These cards are stunning and so what if they are easy....not cheating, just making the best of stunning paper!
Well, I must be related to you as I can throw my back out by stepping on air too. lol I could always and still can stub my toe on the ground, don't have to hit a thing, just catch the toe on the ground. How does that work?! lol I can feel your pain on the toe while playing with Nellie-I so know that pain. Do we ever learn?? If only our bodies were as young as our minds! Not fair that it is that way. No, mommies and their little doggies can't be outside, so exercise is needed inside. Zoomies always inflict some kind of pain on the mommies. Don't ask me how I know! I'm so sorry about the toe, but even more sorry about the hip. I don't like knowing where it is either. I love that you are always giving The Mister a hard time about living on Planet Delusional, but love that you love how cute of a place he has there. lol I don't mean to be mean, but I had a good chuckle out of this story, but yet at the same time feel each pain you had! Hope things are feeling better soon and prayers are going up! Love and Hugs, Brenda
Delusional is where I live, too. I'm on cul-de-sac called Stupid Circle, right off Idiot Avenue. Drop by when you're feeling up to it. Hope that toe and your hip are temporary discomforts and heal quickly. Oh, BTW, thanks for the toilet tip...I'll probably need it.
ReplyDeleteYou "ladies dancing" are perfection...you wracked right. Love that they look like the Rockettes. I'm betting they'll be a winner. You're also right about Alexandra Renke. She's never put anything out that I don't swoon over and her papers make gorgeous cards. All one needs is a sentiment and it's done.
Stay safe, my friend. Praying for all the firefighters and the families impacted by the current conflagration. Also staying inside to avoid the air...feel so sorry for those who have to work in it.
What a fantastic card and I am so pleased the little ballerina looks so sprightly after her surgery!! Love the Santa hats too. Thinking of you over there, just when we thought that 2020 couldn't possibly get any worse. I hope your poor toe and hip are o the road to recovery!! xx
ReplyDeleteMy trip to Radio City Music Hall in 1986 was only one step above your coordinated dancers, D!
ReplyDeleteCould there have been a little turbulence in the air on your deck?
Take it easy, my friend! Sending healing hugs, but nice gentle ones.
=]
Well first up, praise the Lord that Trump finally declared the emergency for California and it has been all over our news reports today, with pictures of the fires. OMGoodness the smoke haze looks like London fog in the 60's. I hope you get some respite from the poor air quality soon. I too, feel for the fireworkers who must be totally exhausted, but I hope that Canada and the other States send in some support to help out soon. I don't pray often but I am doing so now! Keep as safe and well as you can under the circumstances...
ReplyDeleteThe Christmas card was a genius idea and most definitely worth all that wracking of the brain.
Those Alexandra Renke papers are stunning, as are the beautiful cards you created. I really must try harder to cut up some of mine so that others can enjoy them too!
I am now going to reprimand you, you are most definitely not chubby. But, I do understand the falling over and/or the twisting bit. I am sorry about your toe and even more sorry about your hip, I hope that both ease soon but when they do, please just remember the pain and don't put yourself in that situation again! Reprimand over. Please take care, look after yourselves and I pray that things get back to some kind of normality soon. Big hugs, Annie xxx
Dr. Darnell, you managed to perform surgery on the ballerina so it just makes good sense when you stubbed your toe to put it in the toilet. I do commiserate because when I was young my mother said I was going to take a toe or two off as we were always barefoot and I was the one that always stubbed my toes. Unbearable pain so I feel for you. Doing the zoomies indoors sound like pure danger. Real danger. Oh the lengths we go to for a little fun these days. We can all sympathize with the COVID 15. Dadgummit! It's real.
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness we are praying for your state. My brother lives there too and my sister in law's family. Terrible. Big hugs. [Bunny]
Fabulous is your card Darnell and l am also pleased you didn’t give up on it the end result is amazing just love those 9 figures and their hats ..so worrying are the fires the smoke looks frightening seeing it on the news and the weather isn’t helping l just hope rain arrives and lots of it take care and stay safe and don’t over do it inside with your exercising xx
ReplyDeleteI can't decide which I love more, your cards or your narratives. All those fires in California are downright scary! I have several friends there and check the maps many times a day as if I could actually do something from my perch in Maryland to make them all stop. Sending lots of hope, hugs, and prayers is about it. Oh! And watch your step, nobody needs an injury now, least of all you. Take care!
ReplyDeleteDarnell, stay safe indoors with all those fires. The air quality must be awful. The bonus of staying in is we get to see these wonderful cards. Your tightrope walkers make for wonderful ballerinas. Love the black and red colour combo :)
ReplyDeleteYour dancers remind me of a perfect Rocketts line. Fabluous card and I hope you'll be having a chicken dinner because It looks like a winner to me. As for your AR PP cards...they are stunning and great paper makes fabulous cards. Sorry to hear you are injuring yourself right and left thats not fun. I hope you are healing and feeling better soon. Try to keep breathing with all that bad air quality. Glad my Dad's in Utah and doesn't have to deal with fires. That was the one thing I hated about Cali. Sending hugs and love.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is such a clever interpretation, Darnell! It was worth trying many times! Love the design!
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed with your precise surgery skills. I had to see the original image of the tightrope walker stamp so I googled it. You and Hammy did such a wonderful job of not stamping the tightrope and the umbrella times 9, and adding the holiday hat to each of them.
I hope your toe will heal soon (Ouch!) and please stay safe.
Thank you so much for sharing this awesome card with us at CAS Christmas!
Hideko xx
Ouch Darnell!!! You sound like me with the running into things. I absolutely LOVE that patterned paper!! You're right. It is a work of art. Wow! Your 12 Days of Christmas card is awesome! No way I would have been able to hand draw the Santa hat.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the good thing. Your card turned out incredibly cute and you clearly have the patience of a saint to stamp all those ladies holding the line in perfect alignment! Love the older cards too - very pretty. Now for the less than good news - I am SO sorry you're once again dealing with wild fires raging across your state. Who'dathunk this would happened again so soon? I thought the fires destroyed everything a year ago and yet there you are again, right in the middle of another one. Prayers for your safety - and hopefully you won't have to evacuate! So sorry about your mishap with the toe and hip. I feel most days as if I'm being held together with glue. My mind is still 20 yrs old but it sure isn't in sync with this ole fuddy duddy body of mine! Take care of yourself my friend! I hope the coming week is less stressful for you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant creation, you must have the patience of a Saint, oh just seen the lady above has already said that, ah well, great minds think alike. Some stunners too using the lovely papers, when you get papers like that, they don't need anything else as they speak for themselves.
ReplyDeleteKeep safe, from the virus and the fires.
Kath x
Aw Darnell another classic case of you thinking outside the box and a fabulous card is the result !I feel your pain in the area of multiple stamping impressed you made it to 6or 7!I can't do past 2...and feel your pain in other ways too as an oldie that decided that it was a good idea to walk on her knees with wee man across the living room floor and pop something went - 2weeks later pain has gone but swelling is still causing me problems getting on my trousers🙈
ReplyDeleteTake care and stay safe x
The Christmas card is amazing and a fabulous take on the sketch! Love the collection of cards you created using that gorgeous patterned paper! And I hope the toe and the hip get better. This getting old business sucks!
ReplyDeleteThe Rockettes have nothing on your group of holiday gals! Terrific cards today Darnell. Sure hope you feel better soon and God rains on those fires. XO
ReplyDeleteBrilliant take on the Christmas theme Darnell, such a great card and worth all that effort! Hope rain comes soon to help with those dreadful fires. Maybe just throw something other than yourself for Nellie to chase lol! Might be safer, please take care, hugs, Cathy x
ReplyDeleteWow Darnell how clever of you to surgically remove bits of the tightrope walker to make her into a ballet dancer and produce this row of beautifully stamped silhouettes, and going uphill to, not an easy feat. I love their santa hats too, and the line holding them all together makes a great place to put the pretty red ornate sentiment, also the beautiful Alexander Renke papers rightly need mothing more than a sentiment on each, and voila six wonderful cards. These fires you have in the bay sound awful and so devastating for everyone who has got caught up in them, and hope that there will be an end to them soon, and that the air will begin to improve. In the meantime hope your stubbed/not stubbed toe is nearly better. I think our older bodies do not take too kindly to any sharp movements these days, and our hip joints are likewise a little stiffer than they used to be. Stay safe! x
ReplyDeleteWow! Great wracking, cuz your card is fabulous! AND hand-drawn hats!!! As for the others, her papers are just so fabulous how can you not share with the world the beauty?!
ReplyDeleteAnd then for your poor body parts! I'll be praying for you because of the fires AND the pain! Getting old is NOT for sissies! Hope you're feeling well soon and have learned a few maneuvers that don't hurt :o)
I like your cute Christmas card and the cards made with the Alexandra Renke paper...I was one of the lucky people who found one of those cards in my mailbox. So soft and pretty.
ReplyDeleteI was worried about you with the fires (and my family and friends who live in California...I know that they have had to evacuate many times with these fires. As far as I know they are all OK.
Please take care, Jima and I keep you and your family in our prayers.
I am so very sorry for all Californians who have had to flee those awful fires and others who have had to endure the poor air quality because of the smoke. It's so scary. But I know there are also kind and generous people there who will offer a helping hand to those affected. This awful year cannot end too soon!
ReplyDeleteYour cards have cheered me up and taken my mind off all the bad news. I love your dainty dancers and the pretty paper cards. I was also glad to read that you occasionally do surgery on your stamps, too.
So...moving on to the bodily injuries...just keep playing, dancing, and shaking your booty. Because when you stop, that's when it all really goes to pot. Stay well, stay safe.
Your persistants (sp?) paid off...Love your sweet ballet girls Christmas card, Dolly. Do not love your scary and unhealthy outdoors though. So scary and so sorry so many thousands in CA are effected plus adjoining states to the east. We are so thankful for our normal North winds we get in the Summer months on our beautiful Oregon coast, that are keeping your smoke safely away:-) I wish I could share our air and cooler temperatures with you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteGeesh...and now you have 2 big ow..wee's to remind you of your age, etc. Take care and sit and throw a ball or toy for your pup to chase. Love your pretty paper cards too. Not cheating, especially if you mail them...we need to help out our postal service and shut in friends. Stay Safe and do Love your stories, but...no more ow-wee's...OK! Love and Many Big Hugs...Nancy
Awesome 12 Days of Christmas card Dolly! I love your nine ladies dancing! Great that you were able to do surgery on your circus lady and turn her into a dancer. I LOVE the sweet little Santa hats on each one. :) Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Christmas!
ReplyDeleteOh Dolly, I'm so sorry you've injured youself twice recently. Time to relax your hip and put your toe up. :) Mister will have to take over the zoomies duty for a little while. Why is it when we look in the mirror, we see ourselves many years younger and a lot lighter than we really are??!
Take care sweet friend. Love, Lolly
Top marks for creativity and perseverance, Darnell! I’m sure I would have given up and tried something else after the first or second failed attempt. I love Hammy's contribution of the little Santa hats. And the pp cards are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, it’s a joy watching dogs having zoomies, especially whippets cos it’s so fast! And they’re so skitty that you don’t have to chase them to set them off, you can do it from the comfort of your armchair 😄
I hope the wildfires are either brought under control soon or die out. What a year it’s been already, and it’s only August! Keep calm and carry on crafting xx
Ups! It must be really painful. The age has nothing to do with it. It can happen to everyone who is running thru the patio. With the dog or without. :-) Take care and try to rest a little.
ReplyDeleteMy thougs are with you and with all fighting with the fire. I hope the rain will come soon.
Your card with nine little balerinas is fantastic. It is hard to imagine to stamp with the hand and get such a great result. Super clever take of the sketch.
This designer paper is really beautiful. With the little addo of sentiment you've created fabulous cards.
Take care! Hugs, Sonja
WOW! Well done you for stamping all those dancing ladies .... they're perfect!!
ReplyDeleteYour patterned paper cards are simply beautiful, I don't know how you managed to cut into those papers, you were braver than I!
I do hope those wildfires die out soon. Stay safe my friend and no more zoomies!!!
Sending hugs xx
Thank you Darnell for an awesome and much needed giggle - not only over your surgical procedures to produce your card, also that Hammy had a hand (paw??) in the drawing of the hats - he's such a clever little fellow! A stunning card that the pair of you produced!!
ReplyDeleteI know the relationship about the mind's perceptions and the bodily realities - old age ain't for wimps!! I fell over the accelerator cord for my sewing machine the other day, and had a huge bruise on one arm where I hit it on an open draw, and the landed on my other hand, the thumb on that hand is still giving me heaps ... and I am supposed to be packing up the house ready to move!!
I am praying for you that you are safe from the fires
Blessings
Maxine
Can I just say clever ... or rather CLEVER, Darnell ... those nine dancers are so perfectly co-ordinated ... and so festive in their itsy bitsy Santa hats ... such a fun Christmas card! Gorgeous Alexandre Renke pp makes ... yep, it is stunning paper ... and it takes an expert eye to find just the right section for such delicious cards! Keeping you close in prayer, my dear friend, with all those fires, poor air quality, toe injury and hip protestations. Heal well and soon ... see you in Delusionalopolis! LYAMYHAHMA ... SLFTCF! Big hugs and bisous, Anita :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card, Darnell. Sorry you're in so much pain and peril xoxo
ReplyDeleteI do so enjoy your blog, Darnell! Not that you are injured, but the part about the right hip socket, rang so close to home. We have been walking everyday since COVID (Working from home now) and I am sitting with the heating pad on my hip. I am not alone! Loved your cards, too!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, Darnell...I feel so badly for you! I've been worried about you with the fires and I am praying for rain! I am now going to pray that your toe and hip will heal quickly so you can get back to your ol' self, my friend :)
ReplyDeleteThe cards you created with your Alexandra Renke papers are absolutely gorgeous! You chose the most perfect patterns, and I love them all!
I'm totally smitten with your 9 ladies dancing, too! Great idea to use the sketch from CTS for your design...I think they look like the Rockettes from Radio City Music Hall in NYC :)
Thank you so much for playing along with us at CAS Christmas...we always enjoy seeing your creations in our gallery! Sending lots of healing hugs to you...2020 can't end soon enough! Barb xx
Oh Darnell! I am sad that you are injured but glad that you can smile and make me smile. I think we all live in that delusionsal world.
ReplyDeleteOh Dee I have been so worried about you! I hope those terrible fires stay away from you and your family. Sorry about your poor toe, I am always rushing about and doing stuff like that also. Love your gorgeous cards of course too, those sweet dancing ladies...and all the ones which didn't make the cut too, what a palava! love the patterned ones too, fabulous images and they make great cards too. Stay safe my friend and keep on making those amazing cards ;) hugs Vee xx
ReplyDeleteDearest Darnell. Happy to see you’re able to post, but so concerned when I see the news report. The fires just looks awful. Praying for some rain and a miracle Mother Nature will turn things around. And your poor toe and hip!... together, Gerald and I can relate. A week ago Gerald ripped one of his toenails completely off and yesterday, my back and hip is out - again! Aaargh! 😡
ReplyDeleteOn a brighter note, your Christmas card is so adorable with those cute little Santa hats. Amazing job modifying the stamp and then stamping with an acrylic block! Way to persevere and keep trying. I think I’ve forgotten how to stamp without my MISTI. Thanks for joining us at CAS Christmas.
Take care and stay safe. 💙
Good heavens, Darnell! By the time I got to the end I forgot where I started... but wait... it was with your nine ladies dancing. I assumed they were ballerinas, but no. You were very dedicated to getting this card done, and it turned out super cute! Love the sentiment, too, and those tiny hats are the best! I know the feeling about cheating, but those Alexandra Renke cards are ahhhh-mazing! I'm sooooo sorry about your toe and then your hip! I get nervous anytime my hips or knees are bothering me. I'd like to keep the ones I have. I hope your toe isn't broken and your hip will be okay. I wonder how much longer the state of California can hold up under all these fires. I've seen the map that shows where and how many are burning. Such sorrow from all of it.
ReplyDeleteFabulous cards Darnell, especially your dancing ladies.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're recovering from your injuries - I too often forget that my body is older than my mind!
Look after yourself.
Kath x
Nothing can make you realize your age until your DIL says about herself and my son "We're not a young as we used to be". If they're not young, what does that make me. lol And you. We just have to slow down and it will all work out.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for the 12 Days challenge, Darnell. Stamping in a row can be frustrating but you pulled it off, surgery and all.
Great job on the Twelve Days of Christmas card! And those other cards are sure beautiful. Oh, my - bummer about your toe. Ouchie, ouchie! And your hip. So sorry. Take care and stay safe.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards!
ReplyDeletelove them all!
Firstly the cards are fabulous! Love the surgery on the tightrope walker. She really sounds like a trooper. And your arty cards are just so pretty!
ReplyDeleteNow I feel for you with the air quality as it sounds like where we were at the start of the year (seems like eons ago now!). Trust you stay safe.
I know I shouldn't laugh but your story and visions of zoomies was just too funny. Hope nothing serious or I would feel bad for having a little chuckle! Hope you have forgotten where you hip socket is by now.
YIKES Darnell, you are certainly in the wars! That fresh air has a lot to answer for!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping the air quality is, at least, a little improved today, one horrendous worry for you all out there, the firefighters are marvelous to say the least, take care!
Fabulous card created through all the trauma and the selection of other cards are so pretty
June x
I love the dansers card! But you had to do a lot to get a real clean card! And the a. Renke designs are ones I love too; so dreamy...
ReplyDeleteMy body reminds me every morning something that my brains seems not to get around; my brains think I'm still below 30 years! But my body says it is up 50.... Maybe we should behave more like our age? I know I can't do that always... even with some pain here and there as a result :) Maybe it is safer to put all of that energy in stamping? Hugs, Gerrina
You have no idea how much pleasure I get from reading your blog. This post, apart from the gorgeous artwork had me in stitches. Sorry but your description of you limping down the corridor to the toilet and sticking your foot in it did make me smile. Although I also felt a bit squirmy at your unfortunate accident. Loved the picture!
ReplyDeleteDarnell, you are better than all the pills on the pharmacy shelf. You are a tonic. Love you.
Hugs, Neet xx
So.... those aren't the kind of ladies dancing MY hubby wants to see, Christmas or not. Also, why would any sane person want to know where their hip socket it? Keep that thing protected under a thick padding I say!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your foot and back Darnell, and your get a way cut way too short and full of smoke.
ReplyDeleteGuess we are soooo blessed to have our crafty world and joy of creating. I do think this is taking a toll on so many of us.
Love the story behind the dancing girls as it turned out to be a very fun Christmas card!
Love the cards made with the patterned paper ! So beautiful!
Take care you two ! Thanks for the chuckle late in the day
Love and hugs to you
I am still laughing imagining all the renditions of the stampings you did of your dancer AND all the surgery you performed - well - your card is PERFECT all lined up and evenly stamped - SO clever and thanks for sharing with us at CAS Christmas Sis - I have similar body issues now and then - hope your toe and hip take pity on you and stop hurting soon and I'm praying for the fires to get put out over there.... xxxxx
ReplyDeleteLove this card!
ReplyDeleteSuch great and inventive use of that circus tight rope walker stamp. It is wonderful how you have turned her into a beautiful ballerina. So sorry to hear about your trials and tribulations, I feel it. mainly because I have been there. Hoe the fires get sorted soon, breathing that air must be horrid and frightening xx
ReplyDeleteOh no--so sorry about your injuries! I know just what you're talking about. We do the zoomies with Fritz, too. Lately I've been thinking I really need to just flap my arms & act like I'm going to run--but NO running! Leave that to the pups! The Christmas card is brilliant & the pp is stunning!
ReplyDeleteDarnell,
ReplyDeleteHow you entertain us with your stories! Sorry for the mishaps! I can't see these dancers without thinking of your hurt toe! But I love the cards and your blog.Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful cards and beautiful self with us!
A great modern design for your holiday card. In contrast, your cards with AR graphics are stunning. Are these peppers very expensive? Because they look like a million dollars.
ReplyDeletexx
Sorry for the fires and devastations, and also for your feet. Hope you are going better now and the fires are under control or, even better, stopped.
ReplyDeleteYour the dancers card is just stunning, delightful!! Well done!!
I know it must be awful not being able to go outside but with the smoke I know it's best. As I told my littles, when they were little, running in the house is okay as long as a path is cleared before things that mommy likes are safely out of the way. However, we did have our share of stubbed toes and rug burns! I wish I could send some of our rain down to Cali to help with the fires! Too many of my people are being affected by them. :( Adorable card with the 12 ballerinas!
ReplyDelete