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!

October 25, 2012

Papertrey October Blog Hop Challenge; and Sarn's Rudolph Day Challenge

Hello Crafters!!

I don't know if there was less notice given in the past for the monthly PTI blog hops, or if I just paid more notice to my notice this time.  However it happened, I was really drawn to this challenge posted a few days ago by Nichole of {capture the moment}.  Nichole presented us with wonderful non-traditional holiday colors and picture inspirations for us to draw from in making our cards for the hoppity-hippity.
 
For zample, here's the one I chose for my inspiration:


and here is the card I made.  We've been having our first rain in about six months(!).  I was happy to capture this during a brief late-afternoon break in the clouds.

 
I had a devil of a time using that framed stamp in a twin offset like that.  When the idea formed on the brain drawing board, I knew enough to try it out on scratch paper first.  And second, third, fourth, eighth.  There were a lot of choices in the stamp set (or others) for which words to use, where.  Even using the Stampamajig, it was all as fidgety and irregular as pantyhose from the Seconds Sale.  But practice makes (close enough to) perfect, and I think it was worth it!  I topped it off with some pretties and I may even try this layout again sometime.  I think it would be cute with cupcakes for a birthday card and so forth.
 
That was a O'lotta Fun challenge, Nichole ~ thank you! It was really a stretch for me to use those colors for a Christmas card!

Thanks to a head's up from another challenge hostess, Sandra ("Sarn") of Stamping For Pleasure, I'm also entering my card in her "Rudolph Day Challenge."  The winner will receive an adorable Penny Black Slapstick stamp!  Thanks for the invite, Sarn!
 
Enjoy!   I'm getting to the center of the volcano at work and will even be putting in some hours Saturday and Sunday.  Neverthepessimist, I'm hoping to manage a couple of my fave CAS challenges in the next few days, but energy may be flagging and I'm almost out of the Hugh Mongus second bag of candy we bought for the Halloween scallywags.  Chocolate rules! 

Do children still enjoy receiving a shiny penny in their treat bags, I wonder?
 
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:  PTI white, simply chartreuse, Hawaiian
  shores, and aqua mist; stocking trim from 
  "velvet" paper, unknown source
Stamp:  PTI Framed, vol. 4, no. 77
Die:  PTI Christmas Stockings
Twine:  doodlebug design, inc.
Button and bling from stash
Pop Dots

26 comments:

Kim S said...

The news people that I have on as I am crafting this morning were just complaining about the houses that gave pennies for Halloween - funny you should mention it too!!

The practice was worth it. I love the double framed look!

Amanda said...

Gorgeous card, I may even join in in the future as I now have some fab PTI goodies. Hugs, Amanda x

Anonymous said...

Darnell, love this card. Clean and simple. I like those intersecting rectangles.

Inkyfingers said...

I love how your squares interconnect and the design is so original. Don't be working too hard now!!!

Ardyth said...

Love the card - what a great idea to interconnect the frames like that! Second, you don't have time for polishing pennies (they're becoming extinct here in Canada), so you better buy more chocolate. You can say I said so! lol! Hope things are going well at work!

Unknown said...

Such a fun card! Love the cute stocking with the fluffy trim!

Kelly Griglione said...

Those frames are great, Darnell! Way to stick with it!

Tracey McNeely said...

Darnell your card is fantastic, I am so glad you kept trying. Results are fabulous!

Carole said...

Tricky and skillful you delighted again. Be well, rest well and lay off the chocolate. tsk tsk

The-crafty-corner said...

Very clean card Darlene-colours look really good :) You keep eating that candy hunni-whatever gets you through !-give those little ones a shiny penny instead(you don't want to be responsible for cavities now do you?)tee hee !! :) xx

Unknown said...

Great PTI challenge and you certainly rose to it Dippy! Great card even though you had problems with the lining up. Agree they are unusual colours for a Christmas card, but it really works. I'm sure Mister will provide some more Hugh Mongus goodies for your future well being......Although we aren't quite so "trick or treat" orientated over here we have got some pretty edible lityle monsters in the village who may just be brave enough to knock on the door.......so I'm going to make some chocolate covered honeycomb for them. Tony's hoping they don't knock!!! lol My feet fit very well under my desk... not sure what you're alluding to Dippy! Mind you I normally don't sit down when I'm crafting......... We should be starting work on the new workshop tomorrow so if you don't hear from me for a while you know why!

Hugs.

Karen xxx

Joyce said...

Cute card. I love those stockings, and especially the trim.

Michelle said...

Darnell, the effort was worth it! this is a gorgeous card! Good luck with that volcano. ;-)

Geri said...

Great job with this card! I admire your grit and your determination to get it looking fabulous. The colors look great....I'm thinking we are going to be seeing a whole lot more of the non-traditional stuff this holiday season!

Just bought our first bag of H'ween goodies. 90 chocolate bars....we should have them finished by noon tomorrow!!!

Karen B. said...

Oh these are adorable! What a cool way to use the color combo!

Bonnie said...

I'm impressed that you got those squares so straight! I'd probably still be trying. I kinda like these colors, even for Christmas!

Jen W. said...

This rocks! Go you for conquering the Framed stamps! Those things make me say a lot of bad words which is really annoying considering how desperate I was to buy them in the first place!

Marybeth said...

And here I thought that framed stamp would make everything easier. Good to know. Well, it was worth all the effort , because this is gorgeous. Love the stockings. I think it's a great color combo too! Take care friend.

Jacquie Southas said...

love the offset squares & sentiments - worth the effort!

Sarn said...

Great festive card Darnell.

My Rudolph Day challenge is currently running if you're interesed in entering your card. You could win a Penny Black stamp . . . THAT got your tension didn't it?!

Hugs
Sarn xxx

Carol L said...

Great card, and I just LOVE those framed sentiment words! NJ on that!
I recently found a penny, picked it up and said to myself "find a penny, pick it up - all day long you'll have good luck." My luck has changed dramatically since then! Thanks for sharing my happiness with winning the new CFC stamps!! I will never turn down a shiny penny......just saying :)

Anonymous said...

Pennies for the trick or treaters, that's more than they'll get from me!!! I like PTI stuff, just don't like PTI prices!! As you know, I like unconventional colours for Christmas, and the result was worth the effort. You're the only person I know who names her candy.....

Hugs
Brenda

scrappymo! said...

Love the bold sort of graphic look those lined boxes make around your fab stockings...Nice fluffy stockings!!!

Sarn said...

Wahoo! Thanks for joining in with my challenge Darnell.

Good luck in the draw (not the drawer! LOL!)

Hugs
Sarn xx

Jean said...

Love the frames which are absolutely perfect! It is strange how long some CAS cards take forever. Love your take on these colors!

Brenda said...

Oh I love your card!!! I love the inspired colors and I loved the frames with the words! The stocking are just too cute, what a fabulous card!