A site for my handmade cards, accompanied by my photos and written meanderings which are occasionally witty, often tongue-in-cheek, and rarely profound. Beginning in June 2013, you'll also see lots of NBUS, which is an acronym I coined for Never-Before-Used-Schtuff. Note: my Privacy Policy can be found at a tab below and you can find my NBUS Challenge online. I hope you'll join in the fun there! Thanks for coming by! Have a beverage and enjoy!

May 6, 2024

Cinco de Say What?

Hello Stamplings!

May? As in May? I can't with this whooshing of time lately. I'm sorry to mention it, but ... okay, I won't mention it. I'll just point 👉  🎅. 

Never mind that man! Spring is barely getting a foothold in this half of the world, so today let's talk about flowers!

Onefer
I found this beautiful stamp (with stencils) at the store near Portland. It's from Pink Fresh, called, "Magnolia Pattern." It's an interesting stencil design because the stencils are cut so that only some of the flowers and leaves are open to be blended with color. It's easier to show you than to explain; here is the image that comes with the stamp:
Cool, huh?! But I was in the mood to paint, so I heat-embossed the image in white onto watercolor paper and then colored the entire image with my Ziggies. It was a bit of a challenge figuring out what was a flower/leaf and what was an empty spot, so I think next time I will heat-emboss it in a color I can see. 

After painting, I felt like it needed something more, so I did an all-over blending of the panel with CP Shea Butter. And after that, I took a large clean blending brush and buffed the panel to clean off the white embossed lines. This card is even prettier in real life, thanks to the winkling by my furry helpers!

Twofer
From bold to pastels, this card is a QACAS design. This SU stamp is not NBUS ... just neglected. For some reason, it resurfaced on the quagmire of my (oft-deflated) brain balloon. I colored the stamp with markers, spritzed, and stamped the image, cutely. The sediment is from Penny Black. Just to be differ'nt, I added a two-toned border with the same lilac and lime markers, which Blogger might show on your screen as lavender and lemon? Or olive and grape? Or melon and iris? Sigh.


Here's my new calendar graphic for May, which is clickable on the side bar. 
I hope you enjoyed my I = Inky features today and I'd love to see your designs if you want to play along! As a reminder, this is not a challenge. It's just a little schedule I put together to keep the mojo juices flowing and you're welcome to use it, too. It's been 14 weeks and so far I'm still juiced and the Pinterest Board is coming along nicely.

~~~

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! 

Happy Mother's Day next Sunday to all who celebrate and lots of love and hugs to those of you for whom this is a sad day. The "mother" part is sad for me, but the "being a mother" part is very happy! Mwah!

*Life is too short!
Challenges:

Onefer: The Flower Challenge (Colour your flower); Seize the Birthday (off the edge); Double D (pretty florals).
Twofer: Color Hues (lilac and lime); Krafty Chicks (stamps).

45 comments:

Julie B said...

Stunning Darnell, love the way you've inked the background in that soft cream ink. :)

!neke said...

Great card Darnell !!!
Love the picture of Hammy !!!
groeten Ineke

Carol L said...

That first card is a knock-out with all the great coloring and embossing. It turned out just gorgeous! The 2nd is such a subtle and serene card too with those lovely images. Great work on both of them. Wishing you a great mother's day this Sunday - I hope it's a fun one for you.

Kathyk said...

FAB-u-LOUS!

Happy Monday

Kathyk

Jeanne said...

Lovely cards, Darnell! I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day next week!

designbydonna said...

I love the vibrant colors of the gorgeous painted blossoms .Love the dandelion too. Thank for reminding me, I have that stamp too. Just have to pull it out and use it this week.

Bonnie said...

OMG! Let me get my jaw off the floor! I love, love, love that first card with the beautifully colored flowers! WOWZA! And I love the sweetness of the second card with the dandelion fluff floating in the air! You inked amazingly this month, my friend!

Aquarius said...

Love the vibrancy of your beautifully painted floral card which is spectacular. The second more delicate one is also beautiful but in a different way. Variety is the spice of life. Like you, I find it hard to believe that it is May already 😊

I Card Everyone said...

I just had a visit from Julie B. who mentioned that we had used the same image - fabulous minds?? I'm going back to the drawing board, D - your water-colored panel is extraordinarily beautiful!
Loving the birthday wishes, too!
=]

Vicki Dutcher said...

That first floral card is fabulous! Love the blending of your coloring. Thanks for sharing at STB

Karen said...

I love that PFS Magnolia Pattern, and you've done a beautiful job of watercoloring the entire panel. No evidence of your difficulty determining leaf from flower. It's just gorgeous. I have so many "neglected" stamps--never thought to use that adjective, but I won't forget it. Your Twofer is a wonderful CAS design. Have a great week! I imagine you're having lovely weather now. Still chilly at home and here in Wisconsin where we're visiting for a week or so.

Marcia Hill said...

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Absolutely LOVE your 1st card with the PFS Magnolia's Darnell! You sure know how to use those Zigs (I have a set of 24 that I never ever use...want them for replacements??) and make magic with them! And I love the soft colored background too! Thanks so much for sharing that one with us at The Flower Challenge! And your 2nd QACAS is just as lovely with the lilac and lime green shades my friend...it makes me smile as we're seeing those in our yard right now...well maybe not in those colors, but you know what I mean! Right??!! Thanks for sharing this one with us at Color Hues too! Hope you have a great week and a wonderful Mother's Day too!! Hugs. :0)

brandco2450@gmail.com said...

From one extreme to the other!
They are both awesome!

Gail L said...

They are both fabulous!
I thought I had that (unused) SU stamp!
Mine is different!?
Beautiful!
Have a great week!

Leslie Miller said...

Darnell, your second card is as pretty and sweet and clean as your first is magnificent! I do love color, especially in flowers, and your magnolia card has plenty of it, all combined and blended in the best way. The finished product doesn't appear as though you had a bit of hesitation as to what was where. Thank you for sharing this gorgeousness with us at Double D!

Sue said...

Gorgeous cards Darnell! and I agree the months are just whooshing by hugs Sue x

Cindy Beach said...

Oh, such a wonderful post, Darnell! The painted magnolias are gorgeous and I love the colors you used for this stunning design. The CAS card packs a punch with the lovely borders and pretty images. Thanks for joining us at Color Hues!

Nancy said...

I am in agreement with Bonnie, your first card is just jaw dropping gorgeous. You did a wonderful job watercoloring with your Zigs. The colors are just so vibrant. As for card number two, I think the colors are a perfect match for our graphic and I love the CAS design. You certainly have inspired me with this post and I am going to tray very hard to get out my zigs this week. Thanks for playing at Seize the Birthday and Color Hues, my friend.

Lynette said...

The second card is great, but that first card is awesome, Darnell!! So, so pretty! Wow, I can't believe it's been fourteen weeks already that you've been using your "schedule"!

Robyn Oliver said...

"Loud clapping" --- Your first card is absolutely beautiful Darnell... love the colours - wonderful. The second is lovely too - very CAS and soft.. have a super creative May, hugs Robyn

Cheryl W. said...

These cards are just scrumptious--both of them! I love, love, love how you painted the first one with your Zigs. The color-blending is perfect. And the spritzed dandelions made me want to blow the seeds off the stem and make a wish. So pretty in those pastels! I think your mojo calendar is working. I should probably give it a try...but I need to clean and organize that cramped crafting space of mine first. lol

Christine Alexander said...

oooh two beautiful cards, your watercolouring is spectacular and the dandelion puffs so delicate ♥

Cathy said...

Beautiful cards Darnell, you are a maestro at colouring with zigs, that card is just so pretty! Love the soft colours in the 2nd one too. Thankyou also for playing along at Seize the Birthday, Cathy x

Ashwini Rao said...

Wow! I am surprised what you've achieved with the Zigs - I find them hard to use if the paper isn't smooth. Lovely and skillful bit of coloring. Really gorgeous! Thank you so much for joining us at the Seize the Birthday challenge!

Brenda in IN said...

A stunning Magnolia card with gorgeous colors. I admire your talent with Zig markers. The coloring and shading is beautiful and adding the Shea Butter to it is awesome. The dandelion card captured my back yard perfectly only mine are not in those pretty colors. My border is a fence but I like yours better.

Barbara said...

Darnell, I think you know by now that your first card is a gob stopping creation. I love the wonderful bright colors that smack you in the face when you see it. But I do love the simplicity of your second card as well. For showing us how differently you can create. I much appreciate your linking up with us at Double D Challenge.

Bobby said...

I don't know how those magnolias can be any more beautiful IRL, Darnell. That card is spectacular!!! I love the softness of the dandelion one. I used to have a dandelion stamp and never used it so I think it's long gone. That would make a great sympathy card too. Happy Mother's Day!

HilaryJane said...

14 weeks, wow, time does fly. Two gorgeous cards, but that first one is something else. I love it. I looked at that Pink Fresh stamp when I was spending my birthday money, but unfortunately I plumped for something else instead. you have made it look amazing xx

Alice (scrAPpamondo) said...

Absolutely LOVE that Magnolias stamp and the white embossing no-line look with your wonderful colouring!!! WOW!! A masterpiece!! So much work, but such magnificent result!
Also the CAS card is beautiful.
Hugs

Linda W. (ScrappinBari) said...

Just love all the texture on your watercolored floral, Darnell, and the delicate blossoms are so pretty on card two!!

Lisa Elton said...

Oh my goodness, Darnell, your stenciled card is frame worthy! A new favorite from you, my friend! Love your QACAS little number too!

Cat Craig said...

Stunning coloring on that first card. Love the dandelion as well.

TK said...

GORGEOUS, Darnell! Wow, that first card is a stunner. Love the second card for it's QACAS design and prettily blended border -- two sweet cards!

JoAnn said...

Wow, this is stunning. You did a great job coloring the flowers. Love both of your cards. Thanks for playing along with us at Seize the Birthday.

shirley-bee said...

Now didn’t your mama tell you it’s rude to point? Especially in May!😆

I love your gorgeous magnolia blossom card, very apt for my off the edge challenge at Seize The Birthday, as magnolias always look like they’re spilling off the edge of the trees when they’re in full bloom - gorgeous! I also love how you’ve alternated the colours on your second card, very elegant and balanced.

Thanks for playing along at STB 🥳

Ink Outside The Box With Diane said...

Wow, twofer! Love your watercolor card with all the bold and vibrant colours. Way to get your craft on! I also like the CAS approach on the dandelion wishes card. Thanks for joining us at Krafty Chicks Challenge this past week for our Stamp theme :) Hope you join us again soon.
Diane - DT KCC

kiwimeskreations said...

Oh what a bee-utiful twofer Darnell - I know how difficult it is to colour white embossing on a white base... you did very well, and it's good to hear you are keeping the furry boys busy winking.
The dandelion card is exquisite... to me the 'frame' is pink and lemon
Blessings
Maxine

Em Louise Fairley said...

Both cards are beautiful, Darnell xoxo

Tracey McNeely said...

Leave it to you to always have a twofer card. Both of these are really fabulous. I love what you did with the PF Magnolias, it looks completely different but also amazing! I haven't had my ZIGs out in such a long time, feeling inspired now on to the dandelions, who would love to see them in Lilac and Lime! That is such a lovely stamp set and makes a lovely birthday card. Thank you so much for sharing with us at the Color Hues!

Jeanne H said...

Hey, not Cinco anything, it was my birthday! teehee Yes, beautiful flower card and yes, lovely coloring. Hugs from MN where dandelions are out in full force.

Darlene said...

Ugh Gulp! Let me catch my breath!! Okay ... I'm okay now! LOL
That first card took my breath away and I just can't stop looking at it! Your coloring/design are exquisite! LOVE it.

Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Double D challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back often.

Darlene
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS
Co-Owner … Can You Handle the Pressure, Double D, Four Seasons, Peace On Earth, Stencil Fun, Simply Clean & Simple, Two Old Bats, Triple B, Word Power

Pat said...

This magnolia stamp is gorgeous Darnell, and your watercolouring is fabulous together with the white embossing, and more wonderful inkiness on the second using markers straight to stamp and spritzed and it looks great in the pretty lilac and lime, and the two tone border using the same colours coordinates beautifully. I was away for a week down in Cornwall so didn't get to participate in the I.D.E.A.S. for Week 1, but will pick up the baton this week I hope. x

I Card Everyone said...

And here's me back again to thank you for sharing this beauty with us at The Flower Challenge! Stunning, I'm tellin' ya!
=]

Loll said...

Definitely a WOW card, Dolly! This is gorgeous. I love the colours you've used and your watercoloring is amazing. Beautiful, beautiful card. Your QCAS card is adorable. Everyone loves those wispy flowers where you can blow the seeds and make a wish. :) Great work!! Love, Lolly

Stef Perry said...

It's hard to add more to what's already been said, but I am absolutely floored (but not surprised by your talent) by the gorgeous color combinations you achieved with your Zigs on the first card. What a stunning creation, Darnell! Adding the Shea Butter to the background was a brilliant move as well. Thank you so much for sharing with us at The Flower Challenge!