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!

May 10, 2012

OLW 87 - Think Outside The Box

Terrific Thursday to you!

Another favorite site challenge of mine is One Layer Wednesday, which is more in my wheelhouse than multi-layer adorned cards.  I wonder why I use the word "wheelhouse" when I have no idea the meaning or the origin.  I wonder if our styles in cards are reflected in our clothing.  I've been known to wear bright colors and, yes, I do have matchy-matchy shoes in colors such as fuschia.  If you've ever worn Enzo Angiolini flats, you can't help but want a pair in all of his delicious, sometimes colorblock colors.  They feel like slippers.  They must not make fuschia any more, but I found these to show you:
Enzo Angiolini - LibertyEnzo Angiolini - Liberty 2

But other than that, my embellishments run to my eyeglasses and that's all anymore.  Clean and simple dressing, clean and simple decor, clean and simple cards, clean and simple living.  If you don't count cussing and martinis.

If you like one layer cards, or want to take a walk on the wild side and try one layer cards, the One Layer Wednesday challenge is there for you.  No pressure, no prizes, just a fun way to stretch your creative consciousness.  Place your right hand just below your belly button, left hand on top of your head, just behind your right ear, breath deep, deeper, deeper still.  Wake up!  And now you are a one-layer card genious.  Far out, man.

I must not have my glasses on today.  I'm definitely having trouble staying focused.  So.  If you click on the above link, it will take you to Susan's blog and on her salad side bar, you will see a list of three other names.  This week's challenge is being hosted by Jennifer at Styles Ink, so click that and you will get all the details.  In a nutshell, we are to make a card that is NOT square or rectangulated.  Like a nutshell.  Why didn't I think of that?

Instead, I looked at my new Nesties and decided to use "Blossom Three" and when I opened the case and saw all of the thin nestled dies, I thought that if I taped the dies to the paper and then watercolored variegated decremental shades of roses and pinks in between the layers of dies, well, it might look something like a blossom, like this:




Or a bull's eye.

We always do close-ups of our cards for our blogorinos and today, for some reason, this card looks like it is 6 feet by 6 feet IRL.  When one of my sisters, who I shall not name, first saw my website, she said, "Okay, but how do you make your cards life-size like that inside your tiny playhouse?"  I realized that if I didn't have a camera, or a computer, and I was literal by nature and believed what I saw with my own eyes, then I would wonder, too.  I simply told her that Mister cuts the lumber for me, just so, and I can fit it in the playhouse no problem.  It's the giant markers that give me trouble when it's a little chilly and Arthur Itis comes for coffee.

Okay, stop the silliness for one second.  I have to plug a company that doesn't know I'm doing this.  I use clear cellophane resealable bags to protect my cards and I needed to order some.  I haven't needed them in a while and my last orders had been placed with a company that now has a $200 minimum, so that no longer works for me.  I went instead to Clear Bags and placed my order.  They do have a $3 "small order" fee, but after comparing other companies, it was still the best price.  I placed the order and a half hour later, a young man called me. 

He wanted to let me know that they were out of stock in the California warehouse, but they had them in Tennessee, so my order would come from there.  Okay.  In addition, he said, "I noticed that it is cheaper for you if we send them through the post office, so your total is $3.50 less."  What?!  I thanked him provulsively!  I mean, who does that in this day and age?!  So I felt the least I could do was give him a plug.  (Boy, there's a word with a ton of different meanings.  Don't worry, I'm going to back away from it.)  Do check out Clear Bags and see if they can serve your product needs.  That kind of service should be celebrated and applauded by spreading the word!

I'm also happy to announce that more sunshine has entered the house with the addition of Gisele of Gigi's Creative Corner and Carol of Stampin Carol as followers!  Thank you so much for joining the party!

Now that two days have gone by without any migraines, it's looking like I will be able to make my trip next Tuesday to see my sisters.  That's a story in itself that I'll share before I go.  It's an Oprah-worthy story.  I miss Oprah.  So I'm going to pull down the suitcase and try on everything I own to pick out just the right outfits and matching flatware.  How old will I be before I stop that ridiculeness?  Anyway, depending, I may have to go shopping for new clothes.  For sure I need new unders and a couple new boulder holders wouldn't hurt.  Well, if they fit right, they wouldn't hurt.  You see how I get going and then I can't stop?  That's it.  I'm pulling the emergency brake for all our sakes.  The day awaits.

Please enjoy ~ and, 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:  Biggie Jr. watercolor
Stamps: None by Westinghouse
Ink:  Marvy markers: blush pink, dusty pink,
  bubble gum pink, Victorian rose, and rose pink
  (not sure if that's the exact order)
Water brush
Pink little blingie flower centers

6 comments:

Ardyth said...

Enjoyed this post! Love your fun writing style - it always makes me giggle! That card does not look like a bullseye - it's very clever and will stand out at OLW!

Bonnie said...

Tee hee, I love your giant flower card! Hee hee, you always make me smile or laugh right out loud.

Jean said...

That's a great card, and a great idea for a one layer card.

Joyce said...

Your card is so pretty, and your post is super funny and sweet today.

Susan said...

Darnell, I love your humor. I think perhaps we are have a similar sense of humor. Love your big flower card/bullseye! Hope you enjoy the visit with your sisters.

Victoria said...

I always love OL cards that give the impression of being multi-layered.... the inking on this is fabulous! Thank you again for being my daily dose of sunshine!