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!

November 29, 2012

CAS(E) Sketch #7; LIM #95 ~ Glamour and Glitz! and Heck The Balls . . .

Morning!  Don't look, but December is standing right behind you!  BOO!
 
My post title reminds me of that old hysterically funny recipe that always makes its way into the annual Cookie Exchange recipe booklet.  You know the one for rum cake, where you put in a little flour, taste the rum, put in a little sugar, taste the rum ... I'll put it at the very end.
 
But let's play cards first.
 
For my sketch today, I did a horizontal take on challenge #7 at CAS(E) This Sketch.  If you haven't played with this new sketch challenge, do check it out.  The design team members are superblee talented and the folks joining in are producing mucho delectivo card inspirations.


Over at the loveable Less Is More, Chrissie has a tour of Mandi's elegant new shop!  It looks so beautiful, Mandi!  Returning to join Chrissie this week as cohost is the wonderful Jen, back from her holiday.  This is week 95 ~ Recipe Week, and the recipe is to make a card with "Glamour and Glitz!"
 
I did this:

 
 
The hanging "ornaments" stamp is one strand from the "My Friend" SU! set.  I repeativated it two and a half times.  But I have to tell you guys, there is amusement all around us and a reason why I put both of those photos in this post.
 
After I made this card and went to photograph it, we were in the midst of a wild windy rain storm.  So I took the picture with the red backdrop inside the Bighouse.  I got distracted as I often do ~ oh, look, an ant ~ and went back to decorating the Christmas tree.  In the middle of belting out "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'" with Lynyrd Skynyrd on his "Christmas Time Again" album, I noticed the sun had come out! 
 
Child, you should have seen this granny go.  I scurried out to the Playhouse and grabbed my card and a cardboard box and some white background paper and put it in the only small spot of sun there was on the wet deck under an umbrella to protect it from the drops still coming off the trees overhead.  I knelt down in a puddle to snap the picture, just as the wind took the whole thing and turned it end-over-tea-kettle.  I think I actually cried out.  By merciful melons, my little card ended up on top of the background paper and not face down in a puddle.  Phew!  I gathered my skirts ~ what?  We aren't on the prairie.  I gathered everything up and tried again.  With success.  Or so I thought.  Just now as I was deciding which photo to post, I saw that I had lost one of my "ornaments" during the dust-up on the deck.  Did you notice?

I know I didn't need to go to all that trouble, but I like to take a photo in the sunlight, if given the opportunity.  Unfortunately we are getting into regular cloudy days, so I'm thinking about setting up a light box.  Last winter I was new to this and hadn't even heard of such things, but now I know that a light box will help me take nicely lit photos.  I hope.  Any tips or how-to-links would be appreciated!
 
~~~
 
With that, I think I'll close this post and do another one with stuff and such about Christmas decorations and rum recipes.  Even I won't read a post if it's TOO long!  Besides, this darn cold is hanging on and a sneeze just caught me unawares and I wet my unnerwares.  I HATE that!  So now I'm off to be distracted by laundry. 
 
Enjoy your day!   No, seriously, enjoy your day.  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; SU! real red
Stamps:  "Joy" from Technique Tuesday;
  "Ornaments" from SU! "My Friend"
Ink:  SU! real red; Brilliance galaxy gold;
  Sakura Gelly Roll Clear Star pen
Nestie snowflake EF
Bling: K&Company and from stash
Corner Chomper

30 comments:

Jackie Rockwell said...

Darnell, I really enjoy your stories! :)

The gems on your card are stunning!!! Sooo BEAUTIFUL! So glad you played along with us in this week's CAS(E) this Sketch!

Allisa said...

Great card, love the gems. I like the red background...........just a thought before you head off into the next storm to try and get the perfect pic! :)

shirley-bee said...

Am I the only one who takes a deep breath of anticipation when I see that there's a new post from you? ;)

Love your devotion to duty in the photography department, and i LOVE the jewelled drops on the card (I hadn't noticed the absent jewel till you pointed it out, then I had to go back and check).

Anonymous said...

Stunningly stunning card, the jewelling is just ... well ... STUNNING! So, I like it!! Both photo's are impressive, as is your tenacity and commitment to taking on the weather! Thanks for the chuckle ... Anita :)

Anonymous said...

That's just lovely Darnell, really beautiful, and I didn't notice the missing gem until you pointed it out so you shouldn't have done that! Loved the stories as usual, tres funny! I know the run cake joke, always makes me laugh, and reminds me of Andrew's Aunt Hazel, but that's another story!! Hope your knickers are dry now!

Hugs
Brenda

Unknown said...

What a fun story to go with your card as always and such a great way of using that stamp set too. Love all the sparkly bling.

Ardyth said...

Gorgeous card. I bought that set (in English and French) for the 'hello'/'bonjour' and this raindrop stamp and have never used it. I love what you did with it!

Anonymous said...

So pretty; the sparkle of the gems is so lovely and the one word is perfect.
Heather T

Redanne said...

Hi Darnell, I never was any good at 'Spot the Difference' pictures and missed the missing jewel entirely - even when I went back a second time but of course I was being dazzled by the said stunning jewels at the time. They are gorgeous and so is your card (both versions). Get rid of that wretched cold now!

Love your post today. Hugs, Annie xx

Geri said...

Gorgeous cards! Where, oh where did you snag those sweet gems? Love the embossed panel.

Bless you!

Michelle said...

You know, I didn't notice the missing gem! So fortunate that your beautiful card didn't end up in a puddle. :-)

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Hi Darnell, how are you ? Having fun as always... and created a beautiful card, I love the ornaments with the 'glam', beautiful ! The story about running outside for a photograph in the sudden sunshine is funny. I did not notice the missing bling until you pointed it out.

Happy Weekend and don't drink too much rum or gin or whatever, go ahead have fun, just don't fall over or sleep with a giant pillow or something :) Cheers, Shirleyx

Carol Cel said...

Beautiful card - and I love your post - as always!

Chrissie said...

Your posts DO make me smile Darnell, but this one had me laughing our loud at one point and I had to mind my unnawares at that moment too!
This is a gorgeous card, those shiny bits are awesome!
I didn't notice the missing bit and both pics are great.
Thanks so much
Chrissie
"Less is More"

Hettie said...

Wow Darnell! This is superb! Love the droplets and so glad this did not get ruined in the rain! I have tried looking really hard but I cannot spot the missing jewel!
Sorry to hear you had a tenna moment too!
xx

Tracey McNeely said...

Love this card Darnell, those gems are so darn pretty such a great take on the sketch. I didn't notice the missing ornament, I was never good at the which picture is different. Thanks for the laugh.

scrappymo! said...

And i thought i was the only one who lost ornaments!
Those pearls and diamonds can be pesky.
I know that some people use the diamond accents...just a drop under the pearl but i am always afraid that it will mark the paper if it seeps out from underneath.

Bonnie said...

What a great job on lining up those ornaments for the second stamp. It's not easy, at least it wasn't here! I hadn't noticed that you were missing a gem in the second photo. Those gems keep dancing off the cards. I keep finding them stuck in the carpet and I know that's not where I put them! Beautiful card, Darnell!

Jen W. said...

LOL! I have quite a collection of photos of cards falling over/flying away! Glad your card avoided having a swim and I wouldn't have noticed the missing gem if you hadn't mentioned it. Love the bright blinginess of it all! Thanks for playing along with CAS(E) This Sketch! this week!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful card but it was dramatic enough with all those ornaments. Did it really need the wind, the rain, the last minute save. Maybe we could call it the Tebow Christmas card.

Marybeth said...

Your card is stunning ,Darnell! I wanted to tell you that first ....it is so elegant ! I have to say my most favorite of yours to date ..gorgeous. Your post is too funny. What we do to get a good photo. Thanks for the laugh !

Kim Heggins said...

You just crack me up!!! As always, I love, love your stories, they just make me laugh out loud! Fabulous card by the way and I love all of the bling, even if one is missing now. Enjoy the rain and looking forward to the rum story!

Jen Nelson said...

fab card darnell

thanks for joining us
Jen x "Less Is More"

maria f. said...

Of course I noticed the missing gem! Bah - you crazy. But I'm with you on photography. I'm not doing the lightbox thing cuz it takes up so much room I've heard. But this time of year is not photo-friendly. It's been dark all day around here the past couple days. I now photograph in the house at the window, but there were times that I would fight with the wind when trying to photograph my card on my patio furniture. I put it up, move back to take the shot, the wind blows it over. Repeat.

None None said...

This is beautiful! I love how you used the SU! stamp set and added your own creative twist. Just stunning! And thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a sweet comment! I'll be back to visit you as I think you have a great blog. :)

Kim S said...

Wow! Were you fast out of the gate on this card!! Love your sprint for sunshine (I'll get back to you on your photo email soon - promise!!)

I just love how blinged out this is - but still gorgeously CAS.

So glad to see you at CAS(E) this Sketch!

Jean said...

Love this glitzy & glamoury card ~ what a great idea to use that stamp for ornaments!!!

Bobby said...

I made a lightbox, such as it is, and I'm not satisfied. I think you still need the right kind of light (you mean my bare bulb just won't do?) I have a dresser in front of my picture window and find I get the truest color with the light shining through the window, not sun but light.

Patrice said...

Great card - Hope you'll link up at 52 Card Pickup this week!

http://www.oldbackporch.com/2012/11/52-card-pickup-week-48.html

Anonymous said...

Oh the woes of taking pics of cards! lol Glad it didn't end up in a puddle because it's fabulous! Love all the bling! Thanks for playing along with CAS(E) this Sketch!