Hello Stamplings!
I hope you are all doing well and that my American friends had a warm and delicious Thanksgiving holiday weekend! We had a great time and enjoyed seeing the grandtwins again! (It's certainly time to be thankful for stretchy fabrics!) And now we only have 27 days until Christmas! You're welcome. Do you need some help getting up?
This month our Group of Seven Cardmakers enjoyed smooching with cling wrap and alcoholic inks. It's been a few years since I've done this technique and it was inky and fun. You can find instructions, video links, and lots of excellent examples over on the website. Here are my results:
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I decided to use some gloss acrylic sprays that I've had for a long time and never used before. One set is called Splash and the other set is by Dina Wakley. I used glossy paper, so it was doubly-glossy! Then it was fun figuring out how to make them into much-need Christmas cards in unexpected colors.
When you get a chance to try or re-try this technique, there is a link over on the Group of Seven site for you to share your results. We always love it when you show how we have inspired you!
And speaking of Christmas cards, here are my completed cards, so far.
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They are mostly one or two layers to make it easier and more economical to mail. I only have another inch to go and I can start the not-as-fun part of finishing the insides and envelopes. (Didn't we decide that it would be okay to just send the front panels, like post cards? Hmmm, no, I guess they would be pretty messed up going through the mail machinery, huh? Never mind.) It feels good to have most of them done and to have made a huge dent this year in my stash of Christmas die-cuts and patterned paper!
Taking a Break
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I plan to keep NBUS active, however. I love that it keeps me connected and your fantastic gallery entries tell me how much you love being prompted to use your unused schtuff! I also love seeing what you snagged at holiday sales and/or got for Christmas!
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Enjoy your holidays, however you celebrate, and thank you for your friendship and support! Mwah from me and Hammy!🐹💕
Life is too short!
Love the icy blue panels you've created here Darnell.
ReplyDeleteTake time for yourself and come back refreshed! Happy holidays! :)
Beautiful Darnell, now I will have to pull out my glossy sprays and my AI's with this technique- so clever of you :)
ReplyDeleteOMG..Wow X's 5, Dolly!!! I LOVE how you used your Alcohol inks and glossy paper..Gorgeous colors and cells. I already was thinking of trying that technique and now will definitely be trying it soon!!! Your stack of Christmas cards translates into How Many? I have enough cards almost 60, but still need a few tags for my Crumcake cookies trays...sorry the cookies are only for local family and friends...too fragile for shipping..Darn!
ReplyDeleteDenny and I had a fabulously restful and fun Thanksgiving trailer camping for 5 days at Cape Blanco OR St Park...only an hour and 15 min drive from home:-) Now ready to finish getting the rest of my Christmas cards ready to ship...I sent my International cards 10 days ago:-)
Have fun cleaning your playhouse and getting ready for Christmas, my dear friend and thank you for your sweet comment on my Cling Wrap cards. Love and Big Hugs to you, Kevin and all the family plus all the dogs:-) Nancy
Well, just look at you sis - randomly smooching all over the place --um I mean smooshing! And all that alcohol imbibed - um I mean alcohol inks smooshed! Love the backgrounds you created here and all 5 of your lovely cards created! I'm glad you recognized that you need to take a break - we tend to run ourselves down trying to do it all I think - Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving - and will enjoy the coming Christmas Season! Julia xx
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your break, already looking forward to seeing you return ... WHEN you are ready
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, thank you so much for your continued encouragement to use NBUS
Merry Christmas and a Happy (and peaceful) New Year to you, your family and your readers
Kathyk
Fabulous cards Darnell, cool technique so I'm going to find time to play. I've been absent a lot from my blog too.. and hope I'm refreshed for the new year... take it easy, enjoy your family, home and life and keep well..hugs Robyn
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun technique, Darnell and I love your results! The Joy card with the pinks, oranges and little white pines is my favorite. Enjoy your holidays and your break, my friend. Thanks YOU for your friendship and support as well XO
ReplyDeleteYour glossy blue designs look amazing! I love the shine, which makes it perfect for holiday cards. Your gold-accented card is beautiful, too. I've been working hard on my holiday cards. I only need to make another 15 or so for my personal use and a couple of dozen to donate. It's good your taking some time to do more important things. We'll miss you, but that will make it all the nicer to receive your posts when you do have time to blog again.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gaggle of gorgeous cards! I love the colors you used, and even better that you made them into Christmas cards.
ReplyDeleteAs for you? Rest well, my Friend!
Wonderful that you got to spend Thanksgiving with the grandtwins! I bet you had a fun time! :)
ReplyDeleteLOVELY cards using the cling wrap. Your cards are gorgeous and I love the non-traditional colours for Christmas with your last two. I haven't done an alcohol ink version for a long time, so that is next on my list --- thank you for the inspiration.
Great work on getting the majority of your cards ready to mail. That's a one big heap of cards! :) It's nice to be in the home stretch.
Enjoy your break from blogging. Hope you get lots of rest and relaxation in among the work plans, my friend. Love you, Lolly
That looks like a great technique and you've made some great cards as always. Enjoy your well-earned break and hope to see you back when you've caught up with yourself.
ReplyDeleteHappy holiday season to you my friend. Thank you for all you do and share. I so appreciate your creativity and generosity, enthusiasm and humor. The cards you shared today are beautiful. I vaguely remember a technique using cling wrap. May have to check out the links. You have a wonderful stack of beauty to share. My creative urge to make cards is just starting to reignite. I hope I can fan it so that next year I have a stack like yours. Warm crafty hugs!
ReplyDeleteWonderful smooched cards and they look great as Christmas cards. Your gold and white card is so elegant. Enjoy your break and get through the holidays.
ReplyDeleteYou achieved some gorgeous results with the AI and sprays, Darnell - beautiful cards, each and every one!! Stunning snowflake card to all of us too! I used some pre-printed card inside panels from Taylored Expressions - they really saved me with those cards that don't have white insides!
ReplyDeleteHi Darnell, what a beautiful selection of cards, the designs are fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI don't blog, so much either, it's so time consuming, and often I'm just too tired. This getting old just sucks, take care, Kate x
I love those incredible inkies Darnell, gorgeous colours. Enjoy your timeout and see you soon xx
ReplyDeleteAmazing array of cards Darnell, surely smooching with cling wrap was so fun to do and your backgrounds are really smashing! Well done with your pile of cards! Wow!
ReplyDeleteLove the white and gold snowflakes card, so elegant and cheerful!
Enjoy your time, we all need a break sometime, and it seems that you will be full busy!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance!
Hugs
Beautiful cards, Darnell. I just finished my cards for the most part. Will make a couple for stragglers for sure. Enjoy your time off to the extent the projects don't take too much energy. Hugs, and Happy Holidays.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, those backgrounds are amazing and I love all the shine and bright colours. You have converted them into cards brilliantly. I find the hardest bit about making Christmas cards is writing them, but you are right doing the inside can become a bit of a drag even though, to my mind anyway, it has to be done. Don't feel bad about taking a break. we all know how time consuming keeping ontop of things can be and so priorities have to be set xx
ReplyDeleteI LOve your clingy smooshed cards, D! I'm choosing the pink/yellow/orange as my most favorite today!
ReplyDeleteTake care, rest up, but most of all enjoy your holidays with your family! xx
=] M
Smooching? I thought that was what we did while snuggling on the couch with our best beau. ;) lol Love this technique and how your cards turned out, Darnell. I may have to wait until my brace comes off before I try it because I usually have ink all over when I play with alcohol inks or Brusho powders. Taking a break is a good thing although mine has driven me crazy because I'm anxious to get back into it. You will be seeing me in NBUS since I now have a mountain which is very unlike me.
ReplyDeleteSupersmooching, and a beautiful card!
ReplyDeleteI have just finished the inserts for
sixty cards -computer paper cut to size,
stamped greeting and glued in! Now for
signing and the envelopes! To think we do
this every year! Merry Christmas Darnell,
and a Happy New Year! Enjoy your break!
What a great variety of backgrounds and colors with your cling wrap technique, Dolly! Five awesome Christmas cards! It final card with the embossed vellum and gold snowflake swag is so classy and elegant. Enjoy your break and I hope it won't be too long. We'll keep in touch but I'll miss your way with words and seeing what you and Hammy are creating. Mwah!
ReplyDeleteWell those gloss acrylic sprays definitely gave fabulous results Darnell, and what wonderful colours too and the cells from the creased clingfilm are wonderfully defined and the blue tones of the first three are my particular favourites, but the others are beautiful too. What a stack of cards you have been beavering away at, and you certainly deserve a break. I'm glad you had a good Thanksgiving too. x
ReplyDeleteYour cards are exquisite! I need to try that technique. I’m sorry to hear that you will be taking a break from blogging, but we do need to take care of things other than crafting, unfortunately. We will miss your humorous posts and look forward to your return. Have a blessed and peaceful Christmas and New Year!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness Darnell, you were certainly busy with that technique - and WHAT a pile of cards!!
ReplyDeleteI will miss you and your fabulous posts, and catching up on Hammy's antics, but if you need to take a break, then do so - I am also contemplating doing likewise as I am in the middle of moving (again) This time into my 'apartment' attached to the back of my daughter's house - as a result of that, and my bout of pneumonia and prolonged recovery time, there are no Christmas cards being posted from me this year.
Christmas blessings to you and yours
Love
Maxine
AWESOME cards with awesome colors that you made work for Christmas cards Darnell! Quite impressed with your stack of already made cards too! (BTW, how many cards are in an "inch"??) My cards are done but now comes the hard part for me too to address them and actually get them sent out on time...why can't that part be as much fun as making them?!!! Have aa wonderful December my friend and take care!! Hugs. :0)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards, Darnell. Enjoy your well earned break. Merry Christmas! xoxo
ReplyDeleteGosh Darnell your card stack is like mine most ready with stamps to be posted out.....stunning cards as always you pick such good colours too enjoy your break we all need to take time out sometime x
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards, I like the smooched backgrounds. Enjoy your break, see you soon! Merry Christmas if you are not back.
ReplyDeletebeautiful BEAUTIFUL cards Darnell, I haven't tried this technique and I must as it looks like really good fun! You have done so well on your cards, and deserve a much needed break to catch up on life. I hope that you and the Mister are okay. I also hope that you have a wonderful rest over the holiday period. I probably won't be mailing cards out this year, I have decided that I will donate to a charity in memory of dad. It seems a waste of the cards I have made but prices have shot through the roof, nothing seems to get there on time and I think my money is better spent somewhere else this year :-(.
ReplyDeleteSuper set of cards! I’m not blogging very much either these days, just seem to have lots going on especially now in the run up to Christmas. Enjoy your break, and have a wonderful Christmas. xxx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely collection of cards, Darnell! I love the set of blue ones, and the fact that you created so many cards with one technique. Your pile of cards is impressive! We decided to send photo cards to a majority of folks this year, but I am still creating cards for quite a few--and still have a ways to go! I do think if I continue to use all my NBUS I'll have a few left over for next year! Enjoy the break--and I hope it's as productive as you need it to be. Happy holidays!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to see the boys over Thanksgiving. Looks like a neat technique with beautiful results! Good for you taking time off to do things needed around the house. I may not blog very often, but I manage to avoid doing the needed house chores--haha! Love the snowflake card! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteAll these cards are fantastic, Darnell! The Cling Wrap texture is so clear that it looks 3D. The blue ones, in particular, look like pieces of ice. I love the variety of your designs.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a relaxing holiday season and can take good care of both things and yourself! Enjoy your break!
Hideko xx
That is a very tall stack of cards, Darnell!! And that is the fun part, isn't it? I was able to get my cards all finished up in the last few days and they went to the post office this morning. I don't make as many as you, do, though - only about 77 or so. What a gorgeous card, too!
ReplyDeleteYou got stunning results with the AI and cling wrap! I must try that. I've only ever done cling wrap with regular inks or powdered inks like Brushos or Magicals. Love the blue ones especially - they have a great icy winter feeling.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and your family a happy and blessed Christmas! Enjoy your break (but hurry back - we will miss your musings)! Hugs, Kate!
ReplyDeleteThis produces such beautiful results. The only problem is I am guilty of making tons of backgrounds in one go then wondering what to do with them. I like the idea of Christmas postcards 😂
ReplyDeleteGoodness, Darnell, you got amazing results with your smooshing! The blues are downright other-worldly. I'm the fortunate recipient of that gorgeous pink-hued card. Interesting texture and soooo beautiful! I was all for the postcard idea, but I would think do a card front like a postcard, but mail in an envelope. That would be so nice for Christmas cards. Think of the family photo postcards that come in envelopes. It would be like that. Heck, some of those aren't even signed other than the script that is part of the postcard. Enjoy your break. I'm on a partial break but not necessarily planned. There is just no time. I have a bunch of posts scheduled, but it's been forever since I visited blogs, as you can see by this late comment. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful selection of cards!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card and very smoothing in nice colors....
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your holiday break and take care ....
Happy New Year 🥂 crafting greetz Epie
I clearly missed this post from way back in November but I hope you enjoyed a great Christmas and my wish for you today is that the new year brings you both better health, family fun time, and lots of love and energy! Sending hugs from coast to coast on this New Year's eve! Take care of yourself and keep smiling - it makes people wonder what you're up to *wink*
ReplyDeleteHope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas Darnell! Hope the stretchy fabrics have enabled you to carry on with the Playhouse reorganisation too ;) Think I might have to actually let the seams out on my stretchy pants which is a lowering thought! Luckily I have two golden personal trainers and I should imagine Nellie is pretty good in that department too. Thank you for all your wonderful inspiration here and your encouragement over at NBUS too. Happy new year! Vicky x
ReplyDeleteDarnell I haven't been by in so long and I see you have taken a hiatus! Your smooshed backgrounds are fabulous! A technique I forget to use!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome cards.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are enjoying your blogging break and gettng loads of jobs done.