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!

January 28, 2016

Hearts and Flowers

Hey, there! I hope your week is rolling along smoothly for you!

I wonder why roller blades went out of fashion so quickly. I've said before how I used to love roller skating as a kid. I was too old for roller blades when they became popular, but I would think the young'ns would love them and still use them. Instead, they have hoverboards that don't even hover except when they're bursting into flames.

Okay, then.

I have two items on the menu to share today.

First up is a card for this week's "Adore" challenge at CASology:
The stitched rectangle is by Lil' Inker. The clear heart bling is from SU. The NBUS sediment is unmarked. The stitched capital I is from my alphabet stash, which container is as big and as unused as my heart container was, sooo ... anyone in need of some alphabet letters?

Gosh, I spose you could say I adore you so much that my hearts bleed for you. Eu! No! That's a bit violent, Shirley. How about instead we describe it as hearts flowing down a river of watercolored cotton candy punctuated with sugary splatters? Yummo!

I'm also playing with:
SIP Tic Tac Toe 32 800

~~~

The other challenge that spoke to me yesterday was the Muse Challenge. Not only is it challenge #150, but my sweet Scottish friend Jenni Murray has joined the Design Team, which means her card is up for CASEing this week.
The e/f is Cross-Stitch Frame Borders by Memory Box. The silver embossed French script stamp is En Francois by SU. The NBUS sediment is Inkadinkado from my friend Brenda. The flower stamp and die are Vintage Linens by PTI. The flower centers are Liquid Pearls, which are partially smashed because the card fell over on its face during the windy photoshoot. Oops.

Here is Jenni's beautiful card:
I loved Jenni's design so much that I pretty much did a complete DJKASE copy of it using different products. I followed Jenni's panel design, watercolor washing my embossed script panel, and I topped that off with a floral sprig and white-on-black sediment layer. I would recommend a crisp chardonnay with that.

Congratulations on the DT appointment, Jenni!

I'm also playing in the "Anything Goes" challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.
In other news ~~

RE: REfollowing

I spoke too soon about the loss of followers not being too bad. After several days of up and down ticks of only four-five followers, I lost 33 overnight! (Wish that were pounds!) You can read about what's happening here.

Please NOTE something I forgot to tell you when we talked about this last time. There is a second action you must take in order to make it go back to how it was. In addition to signing up for a free Google account, you also have to REclick to join as a follower because you have been dropped by Blogger. You can rejoin using the blue button on the side bar that says "Join This Site." Thank you! Every time I visit a blog by Blogger now, I click the "Join" blue button to double-check that I'm still hooked up with you. It's a bit of a nuisance, but there you have it.

Great Minds

You know how sometimes we feel like we are so unique artistically, but then we hear that it's hard to put a copyright on creativity because what we might think up could just as easily be thought up by someone else's hamster?

And you know how I posted just such a cool and unusual card in my last post with the double-die-cityscape cut-out? Well, you have to check out this card by my friend Ros of Mikey's Mom! On the very same day, she also posted a card using a double-die-cityscape cut-out on her card!!

You have to admit, that's goose-pimply.

A Discount!

I'm so happy to announce that my friend and teacher, Deepti Malik, is offering all of my followers a 50% discount off the price of her excellent watercolor class! To sign up, click Watercolor Cards Class at Craftsy.com. Thank you for your generosity, Dee!!

Giveaways!

Don't forget the GIVEAWAYS page at the top of my blog home page! 
This one closes at noon PST tomorrow, FRIDAY the 29th!

~~~

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! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

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102 comments:

Kath said...

Two fabulous cards - love the techniques you have used in both.
Kath x

Di said...

Hi Darnell! Lovely cards there! I especially like the second one with the stitching effect. The followers business is a real mess. I've always used a Google account yet appear to be being kicked off some blogs. Like you am now checking each blog I visit :-(

Hugs

Di xx

Jane Willis said...

I found this morning that Mr Google had unilaterally unfollowed me from several blogs, yours seems to be an exception as you were still there in my Blobber feed, looking very lonely. I sooooo much prefer Bloglovin, it doesn't boss us around like Google does.
Jane

TK said...

Wonderful cards, Darnell! So sorry you didn't catch the photo BEFORE the topple on the second one...

Tina Z. said...

so lovely cards and great techniques with lovely colours ...
yes, it's a mess about refollowing - I've always used my google account but I lost some blogs that I followed ... so I am doing the same as you - checking every blog if I am still following it ...

Dr Sonia S V said...

Both your cards are beautiful and yes the loss of followers has been huge the past two days...I lost nearly 80 since yesterday and the numbers are decreasing by the hour...sad since we craft bloggers treasure each follower so much

Unknown said...

Absolutely gorgeous cards. Thank you for the link and the discount opportunity - it may just go on my never ending to do list.

Stamps and Paper said...

Two love;y card and techniques Darnell...

Anne

Lindsey said...

Both lovely cards. Love the soft watercolour feel to your hearts x Lindsey Uniko DT

Sue said...

Both lovely cards.

Hope you are having a good day. Sue

Lynn said...

Well...you didn't lose me :) Love love love your cards as always!

KandA said...

These are both such beautiful cards Darnell. Just checked and I'm still a follower xx

Creative world said...

Such a beautiful card's Darnell :)

Marilyn said...

Beautiful cards!!

Birgit said...

Stunning! Both cards are simply stunning!! I so am wanting to play along with CASE-ing Jenni's card and now your sweet card is even more inspiration. Love both of these!!

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

I lost 40 followers this past week! Yikes! I love love love your cards ... I think the hearts one is so fun!!!! And I had to laugh at your Hoverboard comment ... I work for a credit card company, the chargeback/dispute department... and oh man! have we had SO MANY disputes on the hoverboards ... lol! It is crazy!!!!!!!!!!1

Pat said...

Two beautiful cards Darnell and I adore your watercolour highlighted hearts flowing down the card in that pretty way, and then the lovely flowers lying on the inked script and those gorgeous cross stitched mats which show the flowers off so perfectly which is a great CASEing of Jenni's elegant Muse creation. Mr Blogger seems to have left me intact so far!! x

Jeanne said...

Wonderful cards, Darnell. Your descriptions are so funny! Thanks for the giggle. I'm sorry that you are having issues with Blogger. I hope things work out in the end. Why do people have to mess with stuff and make things more difficult?? Hope it gets squared away quickly. Thanks for sharing your great cards!!

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Both are gorgeous, yikes, I thought did I say something about violet? ha ha.. Love the hearts, the white backgrounds, the inkiness on the top and layers on the 2nd (great CASE). I hope you are doing well, it's been rather hectic here, hope life slows down a little. Hugs, Shirleyxx

Nan G said...

Fab cards this week Darnell!! Thought maybe you'd cut your finger, ya know, nasty paper cut or such, and you were going to artfully use the smear. So glad that's not what it was. :) Hugs

designbydonna said...

Very pretty cards. That river of hearts is a great look. I especially like all the textures, layers, and the pretty pink on that flower card.

My Card Attic: Hazel said...

Both stunning creations Darnell my friend!! Your second description of that first beauty was so much more apt! ;) Have a lovely day! Hazel xx

Leslee said...

Gorgeous cards. Loving the hearts running through the water coloured space.

Maria Rodriguez. said...

Oh Darnell, this cards are beautiful, when I saw the first one, I imagined a pretty and colorful smoke stack created by burning LOVE, it's so creative.
The second one is truly lovely, every time I see this set of dies I want them, I think I like this cross stitch design better than the simple stitch. Beautiful colored blooms, love the details of the pearl centers.
Thank you for sharing, see you at the galleries.
Hugs,
Maria Rodriguez.

Sarah said...

A couple of beauties today Darnell. I loved roller skating as a girl and encouraged my boys too when they were small, they each had a pair of Fisher Price skates!! xx

Valerija said...

Wonderful cards.
Have a nice day!
Valerija xx

Kathyk said...

FABULOUS makes missus, love that torrent of hearts!

Hope you got my e-mail regarding your travel plans!

I lost eight followers overnight myself, Darnell ... or should that read DARN IT!

All the best

Kathyk

Krisha said...

BEAUTIFUL Darnell!!
I like the technique of the floating hearts. With the hearts being clear makes it quite eye catching.

I had seen your CASE card, but yours is truly just as lovely.

So far I've only lost about 6 followers, but I don't have nearly the amount of followers you have.....but time will tell.

Shelly said...

Two sweet and pretty cards, Darnell!!
And you had me laughing about those hoverboards! lol Yeah, none of those things for my kids. And memories of good old fashion roller skates...the skate rink was the ultimate hang out on Fridays/Saturdays when I was a kid. Good times. ;)

Julia Aston said...

Beautiful watercoloring swooshing around your hearts Darnell - at first I thought they were cut outs! and your flower is just lovely on your 2nd creation!

Ardyth said...

Wonderful cards, as always! Love the stitching on your 3 panels and the pretty soft pink! So great to see you at Muse this week, my friend!

Canonbury creations said...

Your tumbling hearts are gorgeous Darnell but your case of Jenni's card is wonderful!
Val x

Cat Craig said...

Fabulous cards again today Darnell. Interesting coincidence about the double cut left overs. It does make a stunning color shape for cards...just wait someone will create the die to do just that!

Princess Judy Palmer said...

Oh Dung! I had to re-re-re-refollow you again today and I show up with the cat stamp picture. That isn't the photo related to my Google account but it didn't give me options. It is all too weird. So is my reading your sentence and then stopping before it was over: "the stitched capital I is from my alphabet stash, which container is as big and as unused as my heart"

Ummmm what? Your heart isn't unused! Oh! Keep reading, Judy!

I like that heart card. I have a line of pawprints like that and now I know what to do with it! Your DJKased card is mucho awesome-o too. That's PJ Spanglish for way cool.

Maybe I should follow you with my work Google. They wouldn't dare kick off something work related would they??!!!

Princess Judy Palmer said...

Nope, won't let me join with my work Google. It actually said "unauthorized" so probably I'm gonna get sent to the principal's office now.

Alice (scrAPpamondo) said...

Today's cards are both so pretty! Love them, so different but both very impressive!

Geri said...

#1 Beauty - Your 'hearts flowing down a river of watercolored cotton candy punctuated with sugary splatters' is definitely YUMMY! 'Sweet' SU hearts.

#2 Beauty - Love the texture, love the cross stitched borders and ADORE your images and colors! Soooooo elegant and sooooo pretty!

Thanks for the update on Blogger (haven't been over to visit my own blog for ages so don't even know if it was affected!)

I see that you have listed the sweet 'heart of hearts' die so thinkin' that I might throw my name into the hat!

Jan Clothier said...

Two utterly wonderful cards here Darnell. I smiled at your description of the river of blood vs cotton candy (which we call Candy Floss in New Zealand). If someone forced me to name a favourite would be the second one but it would impossible to choose between yours and the original. They are both SUPERB.

Carol L said...

I love the adore card with those colorful hearts seeping sugary sweetness! (Howzat for a description? LOL I lost 30 followers overnight too, and I'm soon gonna call Rhonda Rousey to contend with Google if this keeps up! LOL

Verna Angerhofer said...

Two fantastic cards and love both of them. As to my followers, I best check my blog and see if I lost more. I don't have that many to begin with so I would be in trouble if I did. I see I am still connected to yours though.

Em Louise Fairley said...

Gorgeous cards, as always, Darnell! And yep, Google is being a right pain in the butt! Grr! I'll reactivate here now.
Hugs,
Em

Brenda said...

Goodness, two fabulous card Auntie! I love the hearts/adore you card. Simple watercoloring and splatters then the perfect sentiment-just gorgeous! Oh my then look at this CASE card, Wow! It is simple stunning! Love the way you added just a touch of coloring on the flower, the panels with the X's are so cool and of course I am just loving the linen paper. The sentiment is nice in black and white, goes so well ont his card. Brenda is such a sweetie! I thought the squished pearls only happen to me when my card fell over trying to photograph it. lol Glad to know it happens to you too at times! Anyway a great CASE on Jenni's beautiful card. Hugs, Brenda

Redanne said...

Oh I love those cascaded hearts, what a romantic card, beautifully crafted - love, love, love it - lots! Your second card is beautiful too, the flowers are so pretty!

It's official, I don't like Blogger!!! Hugs, Anne xx

conil said...

There you go...doppelganger creativity. Find folks doing the same stuff as I am, frequently. So believe both your's and Ros' cards are so different that they do now resemble each other, though. These new cards are real eye candy...those tumbling hearts made me smile. And your CASE of Jenni's card is amazing. Don't know how you managed it, but I get a softer, more vintage feel from it. Truly gorgeous. Thanks, by the way, for the blogger bloop update.

Sue said...

Hi Darnell, Two beautiful cards. Your colour work is amazing and I love your hearts card design with that wonderful inky background.
Sue...xxx

SHartl said...

Your cards are both beautiful, but I especially like the cascading hearts with the watercolor splash. What a great way to use that stitched alphabet letter!

Alanna said...

What fun cards. I love the cascading hearts and the watercolor look on your first card and those flowers are just beautiful on your second card.

Jenni's Jems said...

oh darnell I just adore these from the tumbling hearts to your Muse one which is just gorgeous!.... thank you my friend for joining in this week.this card is a winner in my eyes!x

Kathleen said...

Two brat cards, very novel idea with the water coloured, waterfall of heart and I love the design and images on your second card.

Kath x

Sazzle Dazzle said...

A duo of beauty and awesomeness Darnell and I like the idea of a river of hearts! Great to see you play along at Uniko with this one and it's RED at ATCAS this week if you fancy popping it in there too! Thanks so much. Sarah x

oldpunca said...

I'm amazed about your card with hearts. I like your water colouring and little drops of colour around. Also wonderful CASEing of Jennis card. :-)
Hugs, Sonja

Babs said...

Hi Darnell I just popped in to say I think your cards are simply amazing, love the one with the hearts but for me I just adore the one with the flowers absolutely gorgeous..x

Lynette said...

Great cards, Darnell! I especially love the heart one.

Jean said...

BEautiful!!

Mimi said...

Wasn't sure how you could follow up the bleeding hearts card (haha, i love it), but your CASE'd card rocks, too! Booyah, you got the mojo flow going!

patrap777 said...

I love both of your cards, but hat second one is just stunning! I love the flowers and the soft colors. Thank you so much for sharing. Good luck with the blogging glitches!

Sue from Oregon said...

Well your cards make me goose-bumply too! They are all so lovely!!!

adele holcomb said...

Thanks for the tip -- I just rejoined. Pretty cards, as always!

Pam said...

Two more lovely cards! The watercolor around your hearts is so awesome & your second card is just gorgeous. I'm still getting email notifications, so I think I'm okay.

Marisa said...

Hearts and flowers, two of my favorite things :) Love the touch of water colouring with the cascading hearts - like a flowing river of hearts - and the flower card is gorgeous!! Thanks for the info re: blogger. I dropped 15 overnight and was wondering what the heck was up!

Susanne Vargas said...

Your cotton candy cloud sprinkled with hearts is adorable and your take on the Muse fabulous! No matter what kind of style you use for your cards, they always look pretty!

Dana M said...

Beautiful cards Darnell. I just love your water coloring.

My theory - nobody could figure out how to stop :)

Lisa Elton said...

Another fabulous pari of cards Darnell! Love the pretty flowers and soft pink on your second!

Greta said...

I love the Muse inspiration & yours is just as fabulous, Darnell! I say winner!! The heart card is fun, too!

Cheryl W. said...

Your cards today are fab, as usual. I especially loved your CASE card. So pretty!

kiwimeskreations said...

Love your hearts in the river card Darnell - the clear bling hearts look like cut outs. The floral card is gorgeous too.
My followers have been dropping too - never mind, I am not defined by who may, or may not, follow me. Good for the ego though :-)
Blessings
Maxine

Linda said...

I'm still here hun ...... Blogger's playing around with my followers too, they're disappearing as we speak!
Two fabulous cards ..... love the watercolouring. Enjoy your weekend xx

Sarah G said...

Two beauties - the cotton candy cascade of hearts looks fabulous and you have done a great DJKASE of Jenni's Muse inspiration. Lovely designs and a blog post that made me smile....who could ask for more?!

ike said...

Fantastic !! What super awesome cards :-D xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anita in France said...

What a delicious cascade of delightful hearts, Darnell ... like your second description of them best ... sounds so yummy! Beautiful take on Jenni's Muse ... lovely layers, beautiful blooms ... and of course that elegant French script ... magnifique, mon amie! Miss you! Hugs & bisous, Anita :)

Gerrina said...

Wow, your casecard is so elegant and beautiful! And the hearts look great grungy-artsy; good to see something else as the standard hearts!! Hope you have a fun weekend planned!

KT Fit Kitty said...

These are gorgeous, Darnell! I especially love the second card - so pretty! Have a great weekend!

Brenda in IN said...

Your Valentine card is so pretty, no matter what you call it! The cas of Jenni's card is just beautiful. I love the stitched frames and the flowers with their sparkly centers. I must tell you I tried to see if I was still a follower and got the message "This webpage has a redirect loop" with an err too many-redirects. I also got the same message when I tried to join this site. I deleted my cookies, although I was really in the mood for the chocolate chips ones, and that still did not work so I'm at a loss. I tried on two different days and also on some other blogs and got the same message. Duh!

Lindsey said...

Nicely done on all the challenges! Since I'm looking at a couple of them myself, I thought I'd stop in and say how beautiful these two cards are.

Jacquie Southas said...

Love the the watercolor plume of hearts, Darnell! I'm pretty sure the "adore you" is from SSS Always :) Thanks for joining us at the CASology challenge this week!

Suzanne C said...

Beautiful cards. The beautiful die cut hearts with the watercolor wash is so artsy and pretty! The flowers are gorgeous. Thanks for playing along with us in the "Love is in the Air" challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge this week!

Unknown said...

Two beautiful cards Dippy. Love the negative hearts on the first one and you did a brilliant CASe of the second card - that's really effective.

Hugs.

Karendipity xxx

Michelle said...

Darnell, I was totally enjoying your hearts until you pointed out that the background MAY look a bit like blood. Now I can't unsee it, haha! Your flowers are GORGEOUS! I had wondered about my followers. I'd forgotten the changes. I only lost about 10 followers in total and my numbers have been wildly going up and down for a week. I think some people have chosen to unfollow, some unwillingly unfollowed and came back, and others started following. I'm completely confused. ;-)

Helen F. said...

Darnell, love these two cards and techniques. The second one is a lovely CASE and I adore the hearts flowing down a river of watercolored cotton candy punctuated with sugary splatters ;-)
PS: I double checked to be sure I'm still a happy follower~I've got enough problems with my computer crash and 2 printers biting the dust in the last couple of weeks and trying to maneuver around a NEW computer with Windows 10 :( Don't need Google messing with me!

Unknown said...

Thank you for joining us at Stamp, Ink, Paper this week!! Love your card!! It is just so FUN!! And now I want cotton candy!! :)

Ros Crawford said...

Haha! I'm laughing at your comment about the hover boards ... so true!
Adorable cards here my friend - Gorgeous CASing there for the Muse.
There are times when great minds should not think alike ... Times like friday evening when I somehow managed to throw my cell phone into the washing up... I kid you not! By time it was discovered it was useless... Thankfully the government here awarded me my pension and gave me back pay ... A new phone was thus purchased... Gotta be more in the "now"
Have a beautiful day and thanks so much for the shout!

Anonymous said...

I was definitely thinking hearts rolling down a waterfall of watercoloured cotton candy, Darnell! How could it possibly be anything else? It has such a playful, adorable feel. Your MUSE card is LOVE-ly too! Love those cross-stitched mats! I must admit, as much as I tried to embrace the rollerblading era, they left me with a painful coccyx. Sometimes persistence can be painful! Love that you joined us over at CASology this week!

OH Babs said...

I am arriving here from your post for CASology. I thought the hearts were punched, interesting. I posted a card but dang I forgot how "the mind is a terrible thing to waste." Hugs

Joyce said...

What a wonderful card you made for our Adore challenge. Love the combination of stitching, water colors and die cuts. Also, love your MUSE--a stunner as well. Thanks so much for playing along at CASology this week.

ThePurplePlace said...

Woweeeeeeeeeeee! All your cards are wonderful...I spotted one at Muse and had to come by...to my delight I found all the others! Love your talent!!

Hugs and Happy Crafting...
~ Lisa

Laurie Unger said...

Those clear hearts on the top card a way kewl! Thanks for link and discounted watercolor card class! Cant' wait to dig in.

Hannelie said...

I LOVE the tumbling hearts Darnell! Fab take on the muse too!
Thanks for joining us at CASology !

JD/ Jill said...

Your cards are wonderful! I especially like your second one!

Olga Fink said...

I love your cards so much! as usual you are very inspiring! xoxo Olga

Marybeth said...

Both cards are gorgeous! I love the watercolor open hearts,that is beautiful! Oh my gosh your second card is simply gorgeous my friend,wow!
If I would have read your blog sooner I could have saved myself from wondering why I lost 4 bloggers in one day,I was wondering what I did or said that would make 4 leave at the same time:) hope it's a blogger thing.
You always keep us informed,thanks ! I wish it was lbs too

Donna said...

Ok... These two cards are just the best. I love them, Darnell. Can't say more than that. X

Barb Ghig said...

Two gorgeous cards, Darnell! I really love your take on Jenni's Muse card...your flowers are so pretty!
I re-signed up to follow you on Google, so I'm all set :)

Marilyn said...

Beautiful take and CASE on Jenni's card, Darnell. Gorgeous flowers.
Many years ago, I used to like Roller Blades ... until I broke my ankle. Now, I want my feet to be planted so I can play lots of golf!!

Greta said...

Congrats on the HM at Muse, my friend! My prediction was almost right & I still say I was right!

cm said...

Your 'hearts flowing down a river of watercolored cotton candy punctuated with sugary splatters': delicious! Craving something sweet right now! Your Muse card is class and elegance...the flowers, the colours, the layers. Eye-candy treats, both!
hugs~c

Mandy said...

Gorgeous cards Darnell! So elegant & I love your water colouring.
Thanks for joining us at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Mandy xx

Bobby said...

I've never seen anything like that heart bling, Darnell. It looks grat with the fountain of cotton candy. Your Muse card is gorgeous and worthy of the HM. I love that PTI stamp set

Melissa L. said...

Lovely cards, Darnell! Congrats on the HM over at Muse! :)

Petra Swart said...

Love your first card with the lovely hearts, Darnell, but the second is my fave!!!! What a stunning CASE of the inspiration card and for sure a winner!!! So beautiful!!!!
Hugz

Tracey McNeely said...

Two beauties, love your watercoloured hearts--I adore it--lol Your take on Muse is perfect too, such a pretty flower! Thank you for sharing with us at Muse!

Deborah Frings said...

This is fab! I do like the hearts cascading down the page. Great work. Thanks so much for playing along with the Uniko Challenge this month! Deborah, DT

Beverley said...

I adore YOU and your cards, simply stunning and inspiring. Thanks so much for sharing and joining in on the Uniko Challenge. Hugs Bev x