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!

July 25, 2012

WOYWW 164; Dynamic Duos #12, Part Tuos

Happy Wednesday!

On my workdesk this week I'm working on making journals.


I make them for a little nearby boutique, and as gifts.  I find inexpensive ones at local dollar stores or big lot stores and then put a lovely cover on them.  (You can see some other cover ideas at the top of this Home page at the "My Journals" tab.)  Inside the journals I hide a few colored vellum pages of inspiration which I print on my computer and cut down to size.  I imagine it being a lovely surprise to whomever receives a journal  as a gift.  Inspirational quotes such as:


If you are losing your leisure,
look out.
You may be losing your soul.

Logan P. Smith

~~~

Spend the afternoon.

You can't take it with you.

Annie Dillard


Head over to the fabulous Julia's website What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday (WOYWW) and join in the snoop-de-doo!

~~~

I've made another card for the very fantastic challenge Dynamic Duos, where this week (which is running out) the challenge is poppy parade and basic black.  There is a wee bit of time left if you want to play along!



I did this card especially for Victoria who missed seeing any critters on my card yesterday!  How's this, sugah bean?


For the background stripes, I simply cut strips of the two colors of paper, taped them together on the back side and then cut it to fit.  The hedgie image is embossed.  Who doesn't love hedgies?  Just to be honest, those are stickered ladybugs, not punched ones, so no extra credit.

It's a play day today.  I'm taking my LTBFF out to lunch for her benchmark birthday and to see the new Meryl Streep comedy, "Hope Springs."  Hmmm, well, okay, not.   I just checked the movie listings and that movie doesn't open until August 10th.   Bummer. 

How the word "benchmark" came to be was that in 1904 there were these three lads playing tag in the park.  Every time a game was over, the winner would go to the nearest bench and make a mark with his jack knife.  The youngest, I forget his name, got so excited when he won, that he didn't even notice the old lady sitting there on the bench.  She was appalled at their defacing the park benches, so she snapped him up, threw him over her knee, and gave him a good spanking.  As she set him upright, she snapped, "There!  That's a bench mark you'll not soon forget!"

I'm so pleased to have another follower join the journey over t'here!  Please lay down your scissors and give a warm welcome to Carole of Carole's Creative Critters ~ hey, speaking of "critters!"   Thank you, Carole!

Enjoy the day!  As always, thank you for stopping by to visit.   Special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower or leave a comment!

Paper:  SU white, black, poppy parade
Stamp:  Penny Black, "Ladybug 'n
  Hedgehog 1433E
Ink:  Memento black; no-name black
  embossing powder; SU pp marker
Stickers:  EK Success "Mini Ladies"
  52-20063

29 comments:

CraftygasheadZo said...

Oh wow you do look busy! Take care & enjoy this week's desk hop/nose/snoop. Zo xx 69

Eliza said...

Whata clever idear for the journals and to add quotes on vellum to be found later, brilliant. Love your desk always something interesting on it.

Eliza #16

Redanne said...

Hi Darnell, I just popped over to have a look at your journals, they are gorgeous, I do hope others will take the time to have a look. Love the hedgie, he is so cute on that flower and really like the stripes too. Crafty hugs, Anne x #21

Sandy Trefger said...

Love you sweet card, cute critter! :) And love the idea of adding some inspiration into your journals. What a nice surprise for those who receive them!
~Sandy #118 WOYWW
sandy's crafty creations

Bonnie said...

Love those beautiful journals, Darnell! What a wonderful idea to hide little inspirational surprises inside. This critter is adorable. I'm sure Victoria will love it! I do.

Victoria said...

This little sugah bean, she says YES!!!! Love it! I thought my ears were burning, must have been you talking about me! :)
These journals look brilliant. I'm waiting the 'back to school' sales over here so that I can snaffle up some cheap notebooks and do them up fancy like. Love the idea of hiding nice quotations inside.... do you sneak any Darnell specials in there as well? Cos that would make the recipient laugh!
Happy WOYWW! from no.25 (my age!)

Princess Judy Palmer said...

Great bench mark story! Here are work, groups of people take bench marking trips often. I don't think they are marking actual benches though, but it this place who can say for sure? The little journals are darling and they make excellent gifts. I like the sweet little hedgy card with his striped background. The ladybug stickers are a nice touch.

Tracey McNeely said...

What an adorable image Darnell, great job on the background.

shirley-bee said...

Aw, this is so sweet. I like the way you've used ladybird stickers to reflect the one on the stamp. Love the jazzy background.

Ardyth said...

LOVE the bold black and red striped frame and the matching pops of colour from the lady bugs! Now, come on and get fruity for CASology! lol!

Amanda said...

Gorgeous journals, love the idea of a surprise inside too. Can't believe how tidy it s after seeing the twins in there the other day. Hugs, Amanda x

Kara Lynne said...

Fun hedgie and bugs. I loved looking at your journals. I know I saw them earlier when I first saw your site, but forgot that you did that - such a great idea.

Lisa Elton said...

Darnell this is as cute as can be, love the glossy lady bugs! Thanks for playing along with us at Dynamic Duos!

Allisa said...

Love the little bit of color you added to your image. Thanks for playing with us at Dynamic Duos!

Craftychris said...

Those journals are a lovely idea. I popped to your journal section and had a look, they are fabulous! Your critter card is gorgeous too - its the cutest! xx

May said...

Your journals are Gorgeous...just had a wee look.. AmAzing work... Have a great week, Hugs May x x x#11

Unknown said...

Hi Darnell. Thanks for popping to see me. You know as soon as I told everyone the sun was shinning on my blog post it promptly went back in for the morning! Last time I do that! I love idea to put the inspirational pages in you pretty journals for folk to find. I recently read a blog post were people were leaving small works of art - like tags in places for strangers to happen upon. Happy WOYWW to you from Helen 39

scrappymo! said...

The journals look great and I love the bit about the random vellum quotes.
So far I haven't solved my photo problem. Hopefully i get some more good advice.
I am thinking i might need to buy a tripod to keep the camera level.

Di said...

Super hedgie card and I do love the hidden quotes you add to those journals, what a thrill for someone finding them :)

Snort, I did feel like I was showing my dirty underwear when I posted the pile of cr*p (aka craft stuff) piled on the bed on WOYWW yesterday. Hey ho, at least it's honest as you so kindly said :)

Belated Happy WOYWW, Di xx #13

Shoshi said...

Great journals, Darnell, and I love the inspirational bits to put inside! Great idea.

Thanks for your nice comment on my blog, and I'm glad you liked my annotated photo this week. No great computer skills - easy-peasy with my desk top publishing software! Several people have mentioned it so next week I'll try and remember to write a bit about it.

Happy WOYWW,
Shoshi #51

Mary Jo said...

Holy Cow! I was side tracked checking out your Craft playhouse! :)
What an amazing fun place to have a scrap room :)

Mary Jo #96

Julia Dunnit said...

The journals are lovely..the quotes are a lovely idea. Must be lovely to come upon one.

Neesie said...

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I really MUST get a journal.
Your's is inspiring ;D
Look at that sun outside the window!
I love the little hedgehog...he's so cute.
Thanks for visiting my place earlier...I'm so late desk hopping.
Belated Happy WOYWW ~ Neesie #20

Kim S said...

Hedgie is WONDERFUL made even more so by your fabulous diagonals...so simple and such an impact!! I'm glad you're liking Dynamis Duos!

Susan Joyce said...

Adorable card Darnell, love the very sweet image. Thanks for joining us this week at Dynamic Duos.

paige said...

So happy you joined us this week at Dynamic Duos with your cute card!

Queen Lightwell said...

What a great idea to snazzy up the journals like that! I always wondered if one could do something like that, but I worried that with the flexible front ones whatever I put on there would just come right off when it was "flexed"...do you have to use a special glue or anything to make sure the fronts don't come off? Well, your hedgie card is darling, too and I love the little hedgehog images! Thanks for sharing all this with us. :) Sorry I'm so late visiting you (back) this week...it was finals week so, ugh. But I am finished with the final classes for my Bachelors degree now so woohoo! Craft on! :)
Deeyll #144

Jean said...

You are right ~ what's not to love about Penny Black's Hedgies? ~ The red and black diagonal stripes are a perfect background too!

Whimcees said...

Hello!

Your workdesk is so inviting - especially with the window! I checked out your journals - beautifully done! Wishing you a happy day today!

Hugs,

Barbara Diane