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!

June 27, 2013

LIM #125; MUSE #23; NBUS #13; SSS ~ Celebrate!

Greetings Card Peeps!

This is the card I was planning to post yesterday and I'm going to appliqué it to the following challenges, in no peculiar order:
 
Less Is More.  Per the request of our delightful hostess, Chrissie, we are to make cards for the birthday of our other delightful hostess, Jen.  I hope you like the card, Jen, and that you have many, many more birthdays!  And I hope you knocked the cele out of brate for this one!
 
 
Simon Says Stamp challenge where the theme is the always well-loved "Anything Goes!"  Please note there are going to be TWO lucky winners this week!


MUSE Card Club.  I've been missing the recent MUSE challenges, darn it, but I had to make time to play along and CASE this great card made by Anita (in France), the talented Guest Designer this week. 
Muse
Anita always comes up with really clever cards!  Here is the card she made, as our Muse, for us to CASE:
 
I mediately thought of another NBUS (never-before-used-schtuff) that I could use for my CASE of Anita's card:  Washi tape from Love My Tapes called "pastel birds on a wife."  While that does create a pretty funny visual, I meant to say wire, birds on a wire
 

I kept Anita's linear design elements, framed matting, sea quints, and similar sediment.  Thanks, Anita!  (I think it's very "Jen" as well.)
 
~~~

Be Careful


This morning when I went into the kitchen, I smelled something foul.  It wasn't too, too bad, so I took the garbage out, even though it had just gone out the night before.  I had breakfast and went to exercise.  When I got back home, it was pretty bad when I walked in the door.  It smelled like a dead animal.  I recognized the smell because it happened to us once before about ten years ago.  It is NAH-ASSTY if you've never smelt it.

Pinterest
That's what this smelled like again.  Bleep.

If I'd made a video of the next few minutes, it prolly woulda gone viral.  I proceeded to narrow the smell down to the kitchen / hall area and set to sniffing like a bloodhound seeking out a steak sammich.  I opened doors, I stood on chairs, I got down on all fours and sniffed along the floor boards.  Nothing.
 
Hours went by.  I sat at the computer, catching up on some emails.  I got a headache.  I went out to the Playhouse, came back in and oooofftah, Meg!  It was getting worse.  I looked up carcass removal on the Cobweb and dialed the number, thinking why do we still say we "dialed" a number when, in fact, we punch them?  I got an answering machine and hung up.  Mister was due home in a couple of hours so I thought maybe I should wait for a second opinion.

Another hour went by and I started the sprinklers because we are spose to be in the triple digis here again for the next few days and my new plants were audibly gasping.  I went back to the kitchen to turn on the microwave timer (over the stove) as a reminder to change the sprinkler to the next area of lawn.  Once again, right there, right by the stove, I literally clasped by hand over my mouth and nose because the stench was so bad.  There, I thought, right there, it had to be something stuck in the wall behind the stove.  
 
Involuntarily, I also took three steps back from the stove, my hand still over my nose and mouth.  My eyes were darting around the area, as if somehow I would magically be blessed with x-ray vision.  And they fell on the burner knobs.  The two on the right were turned on.  Turned on just enough for gas to be escaping.  For hours and hours, filling the closed-up house.  Bleep The Bleep.  I turned them off, then turned off the a/c, opened all the windows, and put the fan up.

That coulda been bad.  Real bad.

Now I'm not going to say that Mister did it just because he'd been in the kitchen earlier having breakfast and I noticed the smell first thing when I walked in, because honestly, my fat tukus could have bumped against the knobs on my way to the coffee.  We'll never know.  But kids, if you are keeping a "One Hunnert Ways My Parents Are Losing It" chart, please put this one in Dad's column.  You know, the one with a lot fewer checks in it than my column.
 
I'm very thankful.  Very, very thankful.  And pretty cheesed off at myself for not being able to distinguish the smell of gas from the smell of a dead animal.

This has been a public service announcement.

~~~
 
Enjoy your day, because you never know when you might blow your own self to kingdom come!  No, seriously, enjoy.  In fact, Celebrate!!  LITS*!  (Now you know why I keep saying that.)

Thank you for coming by to visit.  Special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment and/or join as a follower!
 
*Life Is Too Short!   
 
Paper:  PTI true black, white
Stamp:  Paper Smooch "Metropolis"
Ink:  Versafine onyx black
Washi:  Love My Tapes "Pastel Birds on a Wire"
Sequins:  stash (GKW)

69 comments:

MackieMade Paper Creations said...

Well...I am very glad you didn't blow your house up! It might be awfully cramped if ya had to move into the playhouse!!

Love your card! You rocked the challenge !

Bonnie said...

Oh, my, I'm sure glad you didn't light up! They really should change the smell of gas to something else. It does smell like a dead animal and I've thought something crawled up in the grill more than once. Thankfully you realized what it was before...

On a lighter note, I love that Washi and it would have jumped in my bag for sure if I'd ever seen it. Course I don't get out much. Two year olds aren't fun to shop with! But if I see it online....

Loll said...

Hi Dolly. So glad you figured it out and are now safe - YIKES!! I think the kids could put a check mark in both columns on this one :)

Love the washi tape ... so fun! And a fabulous CASE of Anita's wonderful card. Lolly xx

Lisa Elton said...

Thanks be to GOD!!! Holy cow Darnell that was a close one girl, glad you're okay. Love this colorful bird card, fun washi!!

Carol L said...

That had to be a scary experience, but I'm so glad you figured it out before a catastrophe happened! I love those birds on the wire - what a totally cute and fun card! I do like the first one too, but the birds just stole me away :)
No more playing KA-BOOM!!!

Jen W. said...

I LOVE your take on Anita's card, Darnell! It's so perfect and I'm having a "Why didn't I think of that?" moment! It's definitely got my vote this week.

As for your gas incident - YIKES! So glad you solved the problem before disaster struck and is it wrong for me to say that a little part of me breathed a sigh of relief that you didn't have to remove a dead something or other from the walls?

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi Darnell wow is that ever scarey now we know how insidious it could be!!
God is good, and mercifully you found it in time because you persisted looking you see!!!

.. well what fab cards these up above and below love the heart one as well you busy little Vegemite, Shaz in oz.x

Ardyth said...

Oh my gosh - I'm just glad you're safe! Wow! And I love your card - the drama of the black and the pops of bright colour make it so very fun! Thanks for playing along (and you didn't even need the weekend!)

Unknown said...

Love this card! Your birds are adorable, all lined up.

So glad you and your house are still in one piece!

Kara Lynne said...

Well I wish I could go there right now and hug your living body! You know, come to think of it, would our blogging friends know if we were "gone"? Do you think our husbands would put out a final post? Okay, I digest (I think that's a Darnellism). That has to be THE best CASE job! That bird washi tape, WOW, love it!

Brenda said...

Wow,what a scary experience. I am so glad that you are safe!

Beautiful card! Love that Washi Tape. I recently purchased a "black and white" version, but I like your version better.

scrappymo! said...

Well, thank goodness you did not have to light a match for anything!!!
Whew! Glad you are still in one piece.

Loving the card...amazing what a little washi tape can do...
Brilliant!

stampwithsandy said...

OMG Darnell, I was reading in all seriousness until you said "you never know when you might blow yourself up"! So happy that your found the cause before you decided to make yourself a cup of tea. Sheesh, gas smells like a dead animal? Good to know. Well I love your birds on a wife and sequints too and happy you are here another day! Hugs :) Sandy

Sue said...

Your card is fabulous, I love those colourful birds and the sequins around the sentiment look great.
So glad you discovered what the smell was before it was too late and thanks for the public service announcement!
Sue xx

Sue - said...

So glad you solved the nasty smell before you lit up or succumbed to the fumes. Your card is great - love the tape.

shirley-bee said...

I predict a winner - glad you'll be around to see if I'm right ;)

Jessi Fogan said...

Oh man! Stink is stink - hard to tell sometimes what KIND it is. I'm just glad you figured it out in time to not, you know, explode. Yikes.
Love that washi tape - the pops of black with the pastels are just awesome.

Gillian R said...

Oh me! What a day you had, so glad you are safe though.

Love your card, that washi tape is fab

Stempelomi said...

oops...be carefull my dear!

lovely card!

Beanie said...

Oh you were so lucky Darnell!

Sorry I haven't been around... work is manic and step-Dad was staying and to be honest.. I've lost my mojo!
However, a chance encounter with a lady in the village post office has led to a request for a christening card so I'm going to go play in the shed later!

Ustvarjalni utrinki Tamara P. said...

Gorgeous cards,
have a great weekend
hugs Tamara

Karen M said...

Love your gorgeous bird card Darnell - it seems we both had the same thoughts on the challenge this week:)I really hope I have fixed my blogger to make life a little easier for my lovely friends and thankyou for your help - I had no idea it was doing those weird things - hugs xx

Anonymous said...

OMG I just love the birds on the wire. Beautiful and simple card.

Kristie Goulet said...

EEEK! So glad you are ok and found out what was causing that horrible smell.

As for your card, I thought you had die cut all those colorful birds out when looking at this in the gallery but so much easier using cool washi tape! Love it!

Happy Dance said...

So glad you are safe. Good thing you didn't light a candle to cover up the smell!!! Now to your card...WASHI TAPE????!!!! Totally brilliant. Like Kristie, I too had thought you die cut all the little birdies. This is even more brilliant. Killer card, and a right perfect nod to Anita's card. Love, love, and more love this. Have a great weekend. Bev

Kim S said...

OMGsh lady - I'm ready your story, laughing, getting ready to share my most recent carcass removal story (with a real carcass) - and then I got to the end and realized how bad that could have been! I am so glad you found that burner button and all is well. And, yes, it should likely go on the tally for hubby!!

I love your birds - they are definitely ready to celebrate in their limes and pinks and turquoises!!

Viv said...

Yikes and hold on to yer hollyhocks....poor Dr Arnell you could have been gasseted!!!.... so frightening for you, glad you noticed what it was in the end.Such a beautiful card yet again, love those cute birdies on their wires. have a lovely weekend,(and step away from the gas) hugs :) Viv xx

jimlynn said...

Love these!!! The birds on the wire are awesome.
Glad you didn't blow yourself up!!! VERY scary! Also glad you finally discovered the problem. I've had the exact same thing happen to me and it does have a nasty odor.
Lynn

Brandi said...

Those birds on a wire are so cute!

Barb Ghig said...

Oh-em-gee!!! I'm so glad you're ok, Darnell!!! And really glad you figured out the problem...so scary!

Thank you for the reminder that LITS...your card is absolutely fabulous, too! I love the fun colors you chose for the birds...so tweet!

Jeanne H said...

Me too - am glad you are OK. I did know about the awful smell of gas leaking, but had forgotten. Thanks, Darnell for the warning. And yes, those birdies are darling. Hugs!

MagsB said...

Oh my, Darnell, what a frightening experience! I'm so glad everything is ok. <3

Your card is terrific, I love those birdies! (@Like a biiird... On the wiiiire' - showing my age here, I remember that song the first time round!!)

Thanks for your e-mail, I'm sorry I haven't replied yet, and thanks very much indeed for your lovely comment on my blog! 'I get by with a little help from my friends'!!

with lots of love,

Mags B xxxxx

Anonymous said...

My goodness, Darnell, that was a close call ... so happy you're safe and sound! Simply splendid card ... the washi tape birds on a wife/wire are so sweet ... and I love the boldness of the black with the pops of colour! Thanks so much for your sweet words and for playing along! Anita :)

Unknown said...

OMG Dippy..........so glad you didn't light the stove or a cigarette or you'da been toast - without using the toaster! Can you get a detector thingamebob to put on the ceiling? That was WAY to close for comfort! Love the card....those cute birds on the washi tape are brilliant. So glad you're safe :o)

Hugs.

Karendipity xxx

Hettie said...

Wooh that was a close one Mrs! Your shed could have been a bit cramped if you hadn't sniffed out the problem!
Great card tho!
Hugs
xx

Kim Heggins said...

Wow...you are so lucky and I am soooo happy to hear you are safe. Now on to your card...just too darn cute. I love you Washi Tape with those sweet little bunch of birdies. Love it. No more cooking on the store for you or for Mister! Eat out from now on.

OH Babs said...

1. Getting old is for the birds. Hee hee
2. I love those birds. They are washi tape?
3. We once had a horrendous odor and it was a dead mouse. I was on my hands and knees smelling the carpet trying to determine if it was the dog. The smell lingered way to long. At the time we lived in the mountains.
4. Last. Our omg worse senior moment that my mister did was putting a plastic microwave lid on a recently turned off gas burner.

Kate said...

Firstly I love your take on Anita's muse card Darnell just stunning ...love those little bidires :)
Secondly thank god you found the gas was leaking before anything terrible happened...Ive had that before ...my own stupidity and i get a awful headache when there is gas about.
Kate x

Craftychris said...

OMG! Thank goodness you realised what it was - what would we do without you!!! Love the card - those little birdies look fabulous xx

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Hi Darnell, love your LIM birthday card, great CASE. The colourful birds on the wires are so cool! I read with great interest your stinky story and you had me wondering what the heck was smelling so bad. It's a good thing that gas stinks. Have a great weekend, Shirleyx

cm said...

Darnell, your episode certainly had the potential to be serious, and like everyone else, I'm sooooo glad the outcome was positive. BUT, and this is a huge BUT, your recounting the tale (especially the image of your scent-sleuthing as being viral-video material) was hilarious! I know, I know - having a snicker at your situation is naughty, but...you made me do it! As for the Mister being the *likely* suspect, let's just say my husband has been *known* to do similar things (and protest vehemently that he hasn't...but we know the truth...). Your card is a wonderful 'take' on Anita's MUSE challenge (and can you believe I'm stumped on what to create myself! That darn white space!!). Love the card; love that you're safe! Hope your Saturday is fantastic! Long weekend here in Canada. Yayyyy!!!
c

Judy Cook said...

Oh I'm so glad you figured that out and everything was okay. That could have been disastrous. Glad you are okay. I have to say though that one of my favorite things is reading your blog and the way you describe things in your daily life. Cracks me up and gives me a smile every time. Thanks for the smiles and stay safe.

Linda said...

Darnell, what a great take on the challenge. Love your card.

Vicky Hayes said...

Thank you for the public service announcement Darnell and thank goodness you are safe. I regularly turn on the washing machine with my derriere but have stopped short of the hob so far...

I love the 'birds on a wire' card but please, pretty please can we have the Hitchcock-inspired 'birds on a wife' card soon?!

Hugs, Vicky x

Dianne said...

Well Missy I'm so happy all is okay, but you had me howling, I can just picture you sniffing around, too funny, I too loooove that tape it looks fab on the card,I'm gonna make some:O), thanks for sharing..I do so enjoy my visits here ^-^..

Claire said...

I had no idea you'd used washi tape...I thought you'd use a die that I've got...it's almost identical. Looks great and so perfectly CAS...glad you didn't blow the house up!

Anonymous said...

Oh gosh...so happy you are alright, Darnell. Last winter, while home alone, I drove into the garage after dinner with my bestie aound 10:30 pm. On the way home, my brother called and I chatted with him til I drove into my garage. I put down the garage door, went in the house, went to my stamp center to finish off a card and ended up there for two hours (you know how that happens). Went back upstairs and watched a taped TV show to get tired. As I started to go up to my bedroom upstairs, I had one of those thoughts-Did I put the garage door down? I opened the door to the garage and Whoosh- gasping at the smell, realized I had left the car running for 2 hours in a closed gaarge and almost went to bed! I wonder what would have happened if I had not noticed that? PTL for watching out for us!

Unknown said...

Phew - you were lucky - so glad to know you're safe and sound.

Nan G said...

Yikes! So relieved with the ending of your story!! Cool bird stamp.

Judy1223 said...

Well,, its a god thing you didn't light a match or it would have been disastrous! Yikes!

I love your card...washi tape, so clever...had to take a closer look!

Anonymous said...

Glad that you survived the dangerous smell! Super card - love that tape!

Michelle said...

OMG, Darnell!!! I'm so glad you aren't a smoker! I was truly expecting you to find a dead rat, a dead rat would have been better in some ways! I'm really glad you have the playhouse, too, because a whole day in the house with the gas going could have ended badly, even without being blown up by a random spark. Phew! Glad of the happy ending.

I actually came by to tell you how much I love your card... but you distracted me again with your awesome story telling prowess. ;-)

Greta said...

Oh my goodness, Darnell! I'm so glad, too, you're still here to tell us to celebrate the day! Funny now, but could have been so serious. On to your card, which is just so neat--love it!

Lyndal said...

Perfect card Darnell!!!
...and that's just one more reason why smokin' is bad for your health!!!

Tara Cardwell said...

That washi tape is adorable - perfect way to interpret Anita's card. Would like to see you do birds on a wife though lol!
Tara

Cathy said...

Hi Darnell, Whew! Thank goodness you noticed the gas on and TFS 'cos now we'll all be OCD about turning the knobs off!!

Love your card. I must get some washi tape :) Cathy x

Sue - said...

Congratulations on your Muse win!!

ThePurplePlace said...

WOOHOO! I was so excited when I saw that you were this week's WINNER over at the MUSE Challenge!!!

So HAPPY for you and I think your card was fabulous!!!

CONGRATULATIONS~~! You rocked it!!

shirley-bee said...

Yay, I was right!! Congratulations, it's a fab card!

Jean said...

Congrats on your win ~ what a fantastic card with this washi tape! So glad you figured out it was a gas leak ~ before anything happened!

Anonymous said...

Yippee ... woo-hoo, Darnell ... how brilliant ... you got top spot at Muse! Congratulations ... I'm sooo happy for you! Anita :)

Joyce said...

Well, I've been busted for forgetting to vote at Muse--because if I had seen your card, I would have voted, and you made it to the top without little old me anyway. Fab card, and I should not fall so far behind. And, so glad you discovered your gas leak. Thank goodness for bad smelling gas, right?

Bobby said...

Yay for you and your CASology win!! And double yay for finding the leaking gas in time. Such a scary thought but let's not go there.

MackieMade Paper Creations said...

Yay!!! You won top honors at MUSE!!! Congrats!!!!

Lyndal said...

HUGE CONGRATS for your MUSE win too :) :) :)

wienerhoneymooners said...

CELEBRATE- Celebrate, you had better celebrate your NO1 MUSE winning!!!!

Just love it! Awesome job Darnell!!

OH Babs said...

Congrats on your win. Stay cool - we have been in the Gold Country this week so I know what you are going through.

Marybeth said...

I came here to say congratulations! Looks like I need to say Thank God you found out it was the gas and turned it off in time ! Oh my Gosh ....Darnell! Oh ya ...congrats !!!!!!!!!!
Happy 4th!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your Muse Top Pick-- well deserved and how fun it was a NBUS card--aren't you glad you used it? Yippee!