Hello Stamplings!
I hope you are doing well and that you've enjoyed this first day of the Merry Month of May! I wanted to get back into card-making and there is one sure thing that inspires me and gets my mojo flowing ~ challenges! I so appreciate all the challenges out there in our little corner of Blogland and all the hard work the owners and Design Teams do to keep them going!
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There are challenges ending that call for flowers and some that call for balloons, so I decided to combine the two on one card. Why not?! Especially if you have a bunch of flowers and balloons already cut (and in some cases, colored) in your stash. I don't know why I didn't think of it before and, wait, what? Okay, it was Hammy!🐹Mwah!
I still have a few sheets left in that Lawn Fawn plaid paper pad, but all the other elements of this card, including the sediment, were in my bits box. I only had to put it all together and glossify the flowers and balloons to add some schine.
Challenges
- Cut It Up: What's in your garden?
- Seize the Birthday: A/G with the option: Balloons.
- Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers: F is for flowers.
Twofer
For my Christmas card, I was inspired by the Just Us Girls challenge where the brief is to "Case a DT Member." I chose to CASE my friend Lisa. (You can find her card when you click on her name.) I used my NBUS "Layered Poinsettia" die from Spellbinders. I actually used two different shades of red card stock for definition, but it looks the same in the photo.😕
In the background are several doilies cut from an ancient PTI die. It might even still be NBUS, too, but if not, I haven't used in since the last century. Thank you, Lisa, for showing me such a pretty way to use them on a card!
Challenges
- Just Us Girls: CASE a Designer.
- Krafty Chicks: All Occasions.
- Snippets Playground: Everything except the card base was cut from snippets!
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I will leave you with a few collages of my fun adventures in April! The first two below are from visits to friends and friends of friends in the great state of Colorado! I had so much fun, although packing was a challenge because the temps were 82 one day and 32 and snowing the next! I especially loved the snow because we don't get that where I live in California, but I had to enjoy it quickly. It was gone in a matter of hours and the temps rose again.
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And The Mister and I finally got away to the coast to celebrate our Covid-belated 50th, 51st, and 52nd wedding anniversaries!
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We managed to find a lighthouse we haven't visited in the past, which was also near the site of an elephant seal rookery.
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And on the way, was the site of one of the many "super blooms" of native wildflowers California has experienced this spring because of the unusually high rainfall we had over the winter months. It's even more spectacular in real life and our timing was perfect!
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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!
*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!)
54 comments:
Genius, using balloons and flowers, why not indeed, and love the doilies setting off the poinsettias, a great idea. What lovely pictures you’ve shared, that super bloom looks amazing! Happy Anniversaries xxx
Fun card Dolly! Love the flowers and balloons together ... it's a celebration! Wodnerful photos of your time away with girlfriends. Crazy weather ... you must have changed clothes several times a day to keep up with the temperature changes! :) And great get away for you and the Mister. What a lovely spot to sit, relax and look at the water. The field of blooms is spectacular! Happy belated 50th, 51st, and 52nd anniversary, my dear friends! Love, Lolly
Two great cards as always and thanks for sharing the beautiful photographs of your adventures.
Such delightful cards Darnell - great use of your 'bits' and awesome glossifying!! You didn't let Hammy loose with the Glossy Accents did you?? I could image the 'fun' he could have ;)
Those wee doilies are so sweet there - I think I have that die too, from a
v-e-r-y- long time ago - thanks for inspiring me
Blessings
Maxine
Great cards, especially the doyley one... May have to CASE that one myself!!
What a super April you've had, thanks for sharing your wonderful photos.
Xx
Two fabulous cards Darnell and wonderful photos from your recent trip.
Sue xx
Oh, I absolutely love the first card with the balloon-flowers and the normal ones! Such clever idea you have had!
Beautiful Christmas card too!
Wonderful selection of photos, it seems you have had some wonderful days on your trips! Especially love the blooming of wildflowers, wow!
Such beautiful flowers! Both in card form and in real life. I'm so happy for you to have been able to go see your friends in our crazy weather state and that you and the mister got to fully celebrate your anninversaries.Those wildflowers are gorgeous. Almost ast pretty as your happy smile. Thanks so much for sharing, Darnell!
The flowers look so pretty floating among the balloons. And those poinsettias are spectacular. Your trips look fun. Being from the Midwest, I love the coast wherever it might be.
Fun post! Great cards for the challenges - thanks for joining in at STB and JUGS. Looks like fun times with friends and hubby too. 😊
Your cards are amazing, Darnell, and how great to use up some "bits." Such a pretty poinsettia. Thanks for sharing the photos. Looks like a great time with friends and friends of friends, and the super-bloom is beautiful!
Two wonderful cards, and I'm especially fond of the poinsettia card with those striking traditional Christmas colors! Great photos of your trip to Colorado and anniversary trips too! Congrats on 52 years together too! Butch and I were just short of our 54th. I LOVE the pic of you in those beautiful fields of flowers! Just gorgeous! So glad you were able to do all the traveling and visiting you'll always remember :)
What a brilliant idea to combine flowers and balloons! It looks like you had a great April-that wildflower field (and you) looks gorgeous!
Love both your cards especially the top one with those shiny flowers and plaid background and how satisfying to have been able to put it together with bits from your stash - result. thanks for sharing some picks from your recent adventures. looks like you have had some great times xx
Two beautiful cards and so many wonderful photos! Fun times!!!
Lynn
I'm so pleased that you managed to get away for a nice long holiday Darnell, and love all your photos and also you and The Mister having some time to celebrate your last three anniversaries all in one wonderful holiday..absolutely gorgeous scenery, and wow those wild flowers must have been a magnificent sight to see. Now on to your cards, both beautiful and I love the yellow flowers and green balloons with that oh so pretty green plaid background, and then the super poinsettias, and what a great way to use the delightful doily die cuts as a background..brilliant! x
Aww, I love the combination of the balloons and flowers. Thank you for joining our Cut it Up "What's in your Garden" challenge.
Hugs,
Larelyn (CIU owner)
Wonderful Spring and chrimbo cards Darnell. Thank you for sharing your adventure pics with us, what memories xx
I love the way the balloons float among the flowers, Darnell, or it is the other way around? Your poinsettia is a wonderful CASE of Lisa's card. Thanks so much for supporting our new challenge prompt at Just Us Girls.
Your photos are fantastic. So glad you had a chance to visit friends but also that you and The Mister had a little romantic getaway. Glad you're now back to card making. I missed you.
This is a great post, full of news! Love the cards
and the photos! Congratulations on your anniversaries!
Sharon xoxoxoxo
Two wonderful cards, Darnell! Flowers and balloons are the perfect birthday treat. I'm so honored that you CASEd my card and you've done it beautifully! The die cut doilies in the background look marvelous with those pops of red from the poinsettias. So happy you joined us at Just Us Girls! Thanks for sharing your travel photos. My favorite is the one of you among all of those beautiful flowers!
Pretty flowers and balloons and a great idea to add both to a birthday card, Dolly! Gorgeous poinsettias too! Looks like you had a lot of fun on your travels with friends and hubby! Love those wildflowers and what a beautiful picture of you in the field with them!
Your cards are wonderful, as usual, but, oh, my, those pics of flowers took my breath away. We have scant few blossoms here in Minnesota as it hasn't warmed sufficiently for them, yet. We have seen a large group of elephant seals on the California coast when we visited one year. According to the information available, they congregated at that specific place each year to mate. They were so interesting to watch as they displayed their bravado by barking and fighting amongst themselves.
Two lovely cards Darnell, love the vivid colours of your balloon card great idea...poinsettia are Christmas aren't they beautiful
THank you for sharing photos of your adventures and pleased to hear you managed to celebrate your anniversaries..
Anne x
Two fab cards and some wonderful memories of your travels. Love those swathes of wild flowers, so pretty. :)
Belated Anniversary Wishes! Your get-away looks wonderful, and although I'm glad to have my daughter and her family much closer to us, I do miss our opportunities to get to the California (and later) the Oregon coast. Not anything quite that spectacular in Wisconsin. Love the photos almost as much as your beautiful cards! The poinsettias are especially beautiful!
Beautiful cards and wonderful pictures of your trips.
SO much to comment on this very interesting and beautiful post Darnell, Your getaways look gorgeous and your card is so beautiful too. I would like to write a thousand words, but I'm afraid time is short, just to say, thank you for sharing such wonderful times in your life.
Faiht x
Fab creations as always and thanks for sharing some of your adventure / travel pics :)
Thanks for playing along (again) with Edna and the sisterhood of snarky stampers!
WOW - loving the photo's of your adventures - especially the wildflower meadows.
I love the flowers and balloons card, and thank you for submitting the pretty poinsettia Christmas card as homework to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND. Come up to the treehouse to find out what illicit goodies I have inside my satchel while Miss Di isn’t looking! x
Wonderful cards Darnell - and of course I love your poinsrttia snippets card, very clever trick with the doilies! I loved seeing all your happy photos - did you STAY in the lighthouse to sleep? What fun - and how funny about the temperature swings in Colarado. It snows here and usually we then have grey slushy roads for ages! Which then freeze overnight to become like ice rinks. Oy vey - the great English/UK weather!
Hugs
Di xx
Gorgeous cards Darnell and fabulous photo's too! hugs Sue x
Beautiful creations!!! Thanks so much for participating in our CUT IT UP challenge!!! I appreciate that you play along and I enjoy visiting your blog!! Have a happy crafty day!! Deanne at A Little Bit O’ Paper
Wonderful cards!
gorgeous photos!
Two lovely cards. Love the birthday card with the lovely flowers and balloons, great combination. Thanks for sharing it with us at Seize the Birthday.
Love your poinsettia card too - so pretty. Glad you had all the wonderful adventures with your friends and the Mister. Love the photos, especially the one of you with all the pretty field of flowers. TFS
Beautiful cards, Darnell. Love the pix too xoxo
Your card with the yellow flowers and green balloons fills my eyes with happiness, Darnell! It's beautifully done and such a great idea for a birthday card. I'll try to remember it. Too many notes in my head. Your poinsettia card is another. I just now had to stop halfway through my comment and pull out some old Spellbinders decorative circles so I can remember to make a similar background. That's how easily distracted I am. It works beautifully with your poinsettias. As for your adventures, you're living life and I love it! I feel like mine is on hold for the time being, but I keep telling myself it's temporary. We did have our first picnic of the year last Friday. It was a good day with friends, and the dogs enjoyed it even though Wally had to stay at the picnic table with the guys while the girls, including LuLu, went for a walk.
Wonderful cards Darnell and beautiful photos of you lovely trips. Looks like you girls had a good time too. xx
Pretty cars! Love your photos
Have a great day!
marilyn
Enjoyed all your fabulous pictures. Your cards are stunning, so bright and cheerful!
What a bright and summery yellow and green birthday card Sis! Will definitely bring happy vibes to the receiver - and I just love that spellbinders poinsettia die set - I have it too and often forget to use it! Note to self......and what fabulous photos of all of your adventures - how wonderful!! I bet being in the super bloom fields was just unbelievable - how fortunate they were there as you passed through! Julia xx
First... Colorado?! Why did you not take ME? Oh cuz it was YOUR vacation. Hope you enjoyed it and the company.
Second, two great cards -- the first being bright and cheery and made with bits, win/win. The second one is a great CASE of Lisa with your beautiful poinsettias.
Lastly, it sounds like you've had a great month or two and congrats to you and the Mister. The coast looks beautiful too, but I kinda miss Colorado's beauty too
So glad you and Kevin got to do some traveling, Darnell - gorgeous photos!! Love your cards too - pretty flowers w/balloons and great doily background for your layered poinsettias!!
Wonderful cards Darnell, love the balloons with flowers and those gorgeous flower pics, Cathy x
Gorgeous makes as always, Darnell! Thanks for getting floral with the sisters, Jo x
Wow Darnell your post is amazing firstly both cards are gorgeous love the balloons and flowers nice and bright colours and lovely sentiment too on your first card second card l adore poinsettias and yours are the best sure l have that die set nice touch with the gems and background, and what fabulous photos of all of you having a wonderful time nice that you had lots too celebrate covid really did put a cap on it but so pleased you was able to do it now sending lots of love x
I love seeing your adventures!!! It all looks very amazing. As are your cards. Loving the bright fun colors you chose for our challenge. Thanks so much for playing with the Sisterhood!!!
Your tales of travel and celebration were perfect with the two pretty cards intro. I think most of us enjoy your card crafting but it's the stories that keep us coming back for more. Happy Anniversary!
I do love your cards Darnell - esp the blooms b'loons! Fabulous photos of your trip away but glad you're back and hopefully full of inspiration! hugs, Kate!
Your birthday card is so fun Auntie, love how bright and cheery it is! Why not indeed combine flowers and balloons?!! I love it! Love the poinsettia card too, who can resist a gorgeous poinsettia, not me! Your trip looked amazing! The weather has been all over the place here as well. Although we didn't see any snow, we did get warm and then cold again. Lots of rain though. My friend in CA said the wildflowers were gorgeous from all the rain you guys got and now I can definitely see it they are! I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in person! So amazing looking and a sight that I could look at all day. Or get lost in with a book book with all those flower around me. LOL Thanks for sharing a photo of them! Hugs, Brenda
Two fabulous cards! Gorgeous pics of your holidays, those flowers are absolutely wonderful! Sorry I’m a bit late commenting - life just seems to get in the way sometimes!
Sorry I'm so late in commenting on this post! Love all your photos from your travels, especially the ones of the superbloom - I would love to see that! Two fabulous cards, especially the poinsettia one - love the way you laid it out with two poinsettias and the doilies in the background!
Pure magic balloons and blooms !!! only you could have thought of that and card number two with its dynamic florals so breathtakingly beautiful. Thanks for the glimpse into your life so lovely to see you having fun and congratulations on all of those missed anniversaries although you don't look old enough to have been married so long.
Marie
Love your cards.
So glad you and the mister got to celebrate finally! Great holiday snaps.
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