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!

March 15, 2014

Creating With Color and Water ~ NBUS #113

Well, hello! I'm so happy to see you!!

I had a wonderful time with my friends at the Scrapbook Expo on Friday. Even getting there early, it was crowded, but fun! An hour in, my resolve not to buy any more goodies to add to Mt. NBUS dissolved and I ended up spending {cough} dollars.

I have to say it was a bit deflating to spend over a hunnert dollars in one booth and have my purchases be handed to me in what we used to call a "penny" bag!! Although, OTOH, I will say clear stamps do make it easy to fool the Mister since I can fit dozens and dozens of them into my purse.

Seriously, you know, these clear stamp sets are an incredible bargain. Not that many years ago, each of those images in that pack of, say, six to twelve stamps, or more, would have been sold to you in wood, as individual stamps, with individual prices on them! You may, of course, borrow my brilliant rationalizing any time your mister raises an eyebrow over your stamp stash.

After we exhausted ourselves and our wallets we went out to lunch to celebrate Kim's upcoming birthday on the 20th. The darling waiter took our picture. (I'm sorry I hadn't had a chance to change out of my referee clothes before it was time to head to the Expo.)
Harriet, Darnell, Kim
I came home filled with motivation. I have been watching the days click by on the new challenge being hosted by the sweet and brilliant card artist, Virginia Lu, called Virginia's View Challenge. Virginia is so respected and admired that she has almost 300 entries in her very first posting! Impressive!! We love you, Virginia! And she is so kind that she is personally leaving thoughtful comments on every entry!
After making several attempts to watercolor using Gelatos and pencils and markers and spritzers and wodka gimlets, I finally came up with a card I'm pleased with. My first attempts were with bold colors in an effort to play in the current CASE Study, but I just wasn't feeling it. I will need to work on that a bit more. The results worked better for me when I lightened the coloring to springlike aqua/minty green, yellow, and coral.

I scribbled my SU markers onto an acrylic block, spritzed it with water, and "stamped" it onto watercolor paper. The image is a NBUS freebie from a magazine from my friend Shirley. (The magazine is Craft Stamper, per my friend KathyK.) To corral the coral, etc., I doodled a frame around them.

I'm also entering my card in this month's One-Layer Simplicity Challenge, which is being hosted this month by the fantastic card artist Karen of Snippets. Karen wants us to "Just Add Water" to our cards.
OLS
~~~

Short and sweet today. I have another card for you, but I'll post it tomorrow so this doesn't get too long.

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 leave a comment and/or join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor! 
  
 
*Life Is Too Short!

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Mwah!

62 comments:

Kathleen said...

Brilliant card and nothing better than playing along with friends.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Kath x

Suze Bain said...

Are you trying to tell me Mister doesn't read your blog! You're going to have one bulging purse but what could be nicer than shopping and lunching with friends. Your one layer card is fab, lovely colours and great doodling! Xx

Irish Cherokee said...

Nice soothing colors Darnell. Pastels are my choice.

Just came back from a craft show. Was going to leave the wallet at home but didn't now I'm sorry. Spent TOO MUCH. Can't even look cross and wave an pseudo angry finger at DW since I am just as guilty.LOL. Had fun through.

Blessings

Kathyk said...

Sounds like you had a fabbylicious time with your pals (and your credit card!). You and your pals looks o happy in the photo

I take it the magazine was Craft Stamper as I recognise the free image on your fabulous creation, Darnell.

Have a great Sunday breaking out the new stash!

Kathyk

Craft-E-Place said...

Another brilliant card - I love your doodled frame.
Elaine

Di said...

Oh Darnell, I really had to giggle here. You go spend a fortune on new stamps and then use a freebie for this fabby card! We're all the same I guess :)

Lovely photo of you BTW.

Hugs

Di xx

Pat said...

I love the pastel colours darnell, and the image with paint brushes is so appropriate. You always seem to have a stamp to fit the challenge. Looks from the photo as if a good time was had by all. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. x

Barb Ghig said...

Beautiful water coloring, Darnell! I love the pretty jar and brushes, and the doodled frames you created for this card are perfect with the artistic theme...I'll have to remember that!

How wonderful that you were able to squeeze dozens of clear stamp sets into your purse...you go, girl! I carry an oversized handbag at all times for that very reason :-)

Sue said...

This is fab Darnell sounds like you all had a great time! huggles Sue xxx

laurie said...

Wow I need to try this! I love it!

I know how you feel....I ended up at my favorite craft store today, I held it down to one stamp set, but it was hard!

Virginia L. said...

Darnell, aren't you a SWEETIE! You and your friends look absolutely FABULOUS! ( I like your new profile pic, BTW). I can see why it's easily to shell out over $100 in one booth (LOL)!! You have chosen a artsy and homy image to use all that lovely water-colors! I love the yellow in the middle as a focus! So glad that you link up to the first Virginia's View Challenge. Your post and comment truly warm my heart! xoxo

G Peplow said...

Brilliant card Darnell, soft background and great colour choice:D Glad to see you having lots of fun, our hobby is an expensive one !! Have a great week!! :D xx

Ardyth said...

Once again, the perfect stamp and the perfect treatment for this double-challenge card! Love the soft colours and the crisp stamping of the image! Looks like fun with Harriet and Kim, too! Thanks for joining us at OLS!

Lisa Elton said...

All those little bits and bobs do add up quickly don't they!! Seems to happen at the grocery store too!! You definitely were inspired Darnell because this is one fabulous card!! One of my faves from you for sure!

Aileen said...

Lovely card BUT whats this, you used a freebie instead of one of the new stamps. Nice freebie by the way. Colours work nicely on the card too.

Jacquie Southas said...

I spent most of my allowance on stencils at the Expo last year - hoping you left some stamp sets for us :) Love the soft water colors and doddled framed!

Bobby said...

What fun you three must have had. Can't wait to see what you bought so you'll have to label the NBUS as expos. Love the card, What a perfect stamp for a watercolor card.

Benzi said...

Love the image and how you achieved the bg. Very pretty!!!

Looks as if you girls were having loads of fun. Girl days are great.

Craftychris said...

I am glad you had such a nice time at the show and bought lots of goodies! Your card is fabulous! I love the background, such a cool technique and lovely colours xx

Cathy said...

Gorgeous pastel card Darnell, great technique. The doodled frame is perfect for it. Lovely pic of you all too :) Cathy x

Shannon J said...

Not many things could be better than meeting up with bloggie friends!! Fab photo of the three of you!! I noticed your bulging purse is not in the shot. Good way to hide the evidence!! Love the card! You water colour like a pro! SO pretty! And how did you get that stamped image so crisp on the wc paper?! I'm in awe :)

Anonymous said...

Fabulous background effect Darnell-it made a fabby card.
That is such a lovely piccy of you :)
I have set up a little "mini Blog"so i can start playing in challenges again(i have missed it so)and i can join in commenting again-yey!
Have a great day,hugs,Nessa xxXX

Unknown said...

Looks like you had a brilliant day Dippy and love your rationale re the clear stamps.......perfect! Such a pretty wateroloured card which you finished brilliantly with the doodled frame.

Hugs.

Karendipity xxx

Sammy said...

Such a gorgeous card Darnell! I LOVE it!
I was also at a craft show yesterday, and I'd been saving up for AGES. Still, as far as hubby is concerned, I only spent half of what I actually did! lol. x

shirley-bee said...

Great pic of the three of you! Just think how much money you've saved by buying clear stamps instead of wooden ;) love your sweet card with the doodled border - did you realise you now own a JOFY stamp? (Jo Firth Young - she designed the freebie for Craft Stamper). I'm a mine of useless information.

Ustvarjalni utrinki Tamara P. said...

Gorgeous card
fantastic image and your personal touch
have a blessed Sunday
hugs Tamara

Inkyfingers said...

What a fabulous water colour card Darnell and I love the doodling - such a clever touch. You make me smile about the new schtuff you bought. I'm with Oscar Wilde? In that "i can resist anything except temptation"! Thanks for your kind words.
Hugs
Carol x

Meg said...

Darnell your card is fantastic - I think a scrapbook expo would be a dangerous place for me. It wouldn't even be a question of not spending - it would jsut be a question of how much! Have a great day!

Beth said...

Gorgeous card Darnell, I really like your doodly frame around the colour :-)

Beth xx

Redanne said...

What a lovely photo of you and your crafty pals! I love that Craft Stamper freebie stamp (not used mine...) and that is a great technique you employed with it, the result is simply gorgeous.

I went to a craft show with my friend Mo yesterday and I am too ashamed to admit just how much I spent! If we had a mortgage, we would be re-mortgaging at this end! Have a happy Sunday Darnell. Big hugs, Annie xx

Carol L said...

The doodling around the stamped image adds the perfect touch to make this a stand-out card! Great photo of you three also! Thanks for the smuggling tips too :)

Andrea said...

LOL darnell love your rationale....aren't we naughty we all do the same I sneak in little packages all the time..then protest how I've had it for ages or was free with a magazine !.. enjoy your new stash and looks like you had a fun time too with friends. As for the card love the look and the soft but textured colours ..been colouring myself with paint this weekend will share when its finished it's not soft and pretty but its good to try new things!!(so I'm told) have a great week ahead and thanks for another great post Andrea x

Irene said...

Wonderful pastel colours Darnell, and a great picture.
luv
irene
xxxx

Ros Crawford said...

Wonderful card and what a great photo!

stampwithsandy said...

Wow, I love this Darnell! The watercolor background is gorgeous, as is the stamped image and your expert doodling!

Hannelie said...

I love your card Darnell!
How great to meet with blog friends AND do some crafty shopping.
Lucky girls!

Brenda said...

I love this card Darnell! I love how you did that color block background and I love your doodling. Wish I could doodling and it come out looking like that. lol I'm sorry for not visiting much, I signed on to visit through Bloglovin' but don't see you in the list very often. I will have to put your blog in my list of fav's and then maybe I can get over more! So sorry, now I've got some catching up to do. Hugs!

Anita in France said...

Sent my em before this arrived in my Feedly, Darnell ... must've seen that fab photo at Kim's or Harriet's before you posted it ... so now I know there's NBUS! What fun! Also fun and gorgeous is your card ... lovely soft colours and simply stunning doodling ... a perfect style with the image! Anita :)

Sharon Underwood said...

Love the frame you created around the image here, Darnell! So glad you got to go to the Expo, even though you did spend some $$. Looks like you had a great time, which is the whole point, right? Oh, and more stamps...yea!

Petra Swart said...

Boy, I know the feeling of spending to much on craft goodies and having DH all upset about it!!! But then, some things you just can't carry on living without, hey!! It's most probably a good thing that we live in a small town with very limited stuff available in the line of crafting, otherwise I might have blown the whole month's budget on stamps and more and more paper!!
Your card is sooo beautiful, Darnell - loving the frame you've doodled around it - perfect!! The soft colours work so well - very pretty!!
Greetings from Africa!!
Have a great Sunday!!

Keep It Sweet and Simple said...

Really pretty, pastel card, with a perfect doodled frame.
Caroline xxx

Sue - said...

Sounds like you had a great day Darnell. Love the soft watercolour look of your card.

Bonnie said...

I love these soft colors and that frame is doodled very well! And you found the perfect image for this watercolor challenge!

Tracey McNeely said...

Fabulous watercolour and so envious that you got to see your girls at the Expo! ;) Lovely photo of the three of you!

Geri said...

... so did we both subconsciously plan to wear stripes for our photos? You three chicks look fabulous with smiles that light up the world!

This water color card is gorgeous! I love the soft colors and how they blend together, yet maintain the 'block' of color! Perfect image too!

Did you 'doodle' the frame?

Geri said...

Duh me! Should have looked at the image more closely because I see now that it is actually one image!!!

Lee-Anne said...

Sounds like a fun time with friends, Darnell! And who can resist just one more stamp...or perhaps a few more :) Your card is lovely...the soft colors and just perfect!

Dianne said...

Hello Miss Darnell, I'm so happy you had a wonderful day with your friends and we knew you would come home with a few goodies,thank goodness I don't have to see any raised eyebrows, hahah.. you created a beautiful water color background, I like that stamps, and a grrrrreat border, and I like your referee clothes, you all look Marvelous, thanks for sharing..

Susanne Vargas said...

That's such a cute stamp! Great background, too and love your doodled frame!
Sounds like you had a great time at the Expo! Looking forward to see what you create with your new goodies!
Have a great week!
Hugs!

MaryH said...

OK, Darnell, you just gave me the key to what I'm doing wrong on this water color bit. I don't have the wodka gimlet to hand! Gotta be my problem. You sure did great on this one. Super well done, and I'm loving your doodley border too. Gotta check out this magazine, cuz I keep hearing about it. Talked to a Brit gal in the NC stamp store last week, and she subscribes to it. Again, had a good chuckle or 3 reading this. I like your rationalization, and thanks for the leave to use some of your shopping excuses too. We all need that. My resolve weakens by the time I hit the door. Never mind going in the 1st booth. TFS & hugs.

Colleen Dietrich said...

What a pretty card! The colors are soft, and the card looks so professional, like I'd see it on the shelves of oh, shall we say, Hallmark?

Please tell Harriet I say hello if you see her again. We used to be teamies long ago at Mark's Finest Papers. Thanks!

JD/ Jill said...

Super job on your card. Is there anything you can't do?

I'm glad that my mister in a post above mine...admitted that he was just as guilty at the stamp show we went to as me...we BOTH overspent...Yikes! But it was fun!

Joyce said...

So jealous of your lunch and shopping spree. I hope Kim told you I said hi! Fab card, too.

Princess Judy Palmer said...

We had the stamp and scrap expo in town this past weekend--first booth and $90 later. I think the old man was worried it would be $90 at every booth, but oh no. We did go back to that first booth and give them $40 more later because... well, we didn't want them to starve.

Love the soft and sweet card. That image is perfect for your water colored background. Your doodle frame really holds it all together nicely.

Pia S said...

I've never tried this acrylic block technique before, but I very much like the effect... Beautiful soft color palette!

Nora Noll said...

This came out so pretty!!! I LOVE the soft colors you did. Way better then my creation for this challenge!!

Marybeth said...

The three of you look beautiful! Such youthful faces and smiles ...no fair! Sounds like a fun day.. You lucky ducks!
Love your card...and I have been wanting to play in that new challenge..... Wonderful watercolor BG

Karen Davis said...

I have just done a card using this stamp block technique!! It gives such a fabulous effect. I love the card you created using it. Such soft colours. The wee black border and central image look wonderful on it.

Karen Petitt said...

I was lucky enough to receive a set of the gelato's for Crimbo and I'm not quite sure what to do with them lol!
So I may copy and case you again sweetie - I love these pretty soft colours you have achieved on this beautiful card and I think I may have that stamp somewhere too lol!
xx

cm said...

Fun-ness plus, Darnell! First, a shopping spree; second, a shopping spree with friends (super yayyyy), and third, an amazing card that's perfect for Virginia's challenge! Gorgeous! You 'almost' make me want to give water-colouring another try...almost...
Hugs~c

Rosmarie said...

This is just amazing!! Love Love Love it!
Rosi x

jimlynn said...

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Love this one!!

Looks like a good time was had by all. So much fun.
Lynn