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 5, 2012

OLW #112 ~ Just A Musical Note

Mondays.  Mundane?  I think not.  Few of us can predict prezactly what the week will bring, so think of Mondays as a launch pad into adventure!
The office called.  They want me back.  Punishment will continue until morale improves.  They are bringing me in to do stand-up during the employee water-and-cracker breaks.
I couldn't leave for the day without saying hello and posting my cards for this week's One Layer Wednesday challenge hosted by Ardyth and originally started by the Queen of OLW, Susan Raihala.  OLW doesn't have a big design team, nor sponsors, nor prizes, but the hostesses work hard to bring us ideas each week and I wish more stampers would join in.  I have noticed a lot more interest in CAS (clean and simple) cards across the blog o' sphere (which is awesome!) and, well, you can't get any more CAS than one layer.  I'm just saying.  Gently.
This week Ardyth has challenged us to make one-layer cards Representative (or it can be Senator) of whatever song we might have in our heart.  Naturally my song has a Prelude.

I live in California, the land of fruits and nuts and beautiful golden poppies, our state flower. 

Here's a lovely photo:

Golden Poppy

I have taken some lovely photos of them meself over the centuries, but I can't find them right now when I need them.  We have a really adorable picture somewhere of DS, about five years old, crouched nose-down in a large field of poppies.  We reactivated the pose with the twins, but, of course, I can't find that either, so the above will have to do you.

Naturale mon, someone wrote a song about them in 1917.  A war bride, her name was Leila France, and she had never seen anything like it where she came from.  Near dawn one morning at a table in a corner at Alfonso's on Telegraph, she penned this:

California Poppy Song
Poppies, golden poppies, gleaming in the sun,
Closing up at evening, when the day is done.
Pride of California, flower of our state
Growing from the mountains, to the Golden Gate.
Flower of the hillside, flower of the plain,
Flower of the sunshine, flower of the rain.
California's children, be they far or near,
Love the golden poppy of our state so dear.
You can find a Bob Fox arrangement here, if you want to bang it out on your piano.  It's the kind of song that, if I wanted to torture you to death, I could make up 67 more verses right here, right now. 

I wanted to combine this week's OLW challenge with the CASE study challenge and the pink challenge over at LIM, but apparently that combo hasn't been paid full union wage for last week's gig at The Vine, so I'm doing a solo challenge presentation.

But I made two cards, so neener-neener, who needs a band?!

I even broke out my twinkling H20s, praise buckles and broth!

Ol' Leila had me in such a festive mood after my third screwball with sugar, that I went scrummaging through my Ribbon Remnants and look what I found:



Re-ember when decorative card-making ribbon was the rage before we were invaded by the Washi's?  It's amusing to stay connected to a hobby long enough to notice the revolutions.  I have no musical talent, so I hope the above ribbon music isn't too risk-A, like from a can-can or something.
Enjoy your launch 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! Snigger.  I just realized that some of my follower friends won't know what a can-can is.

A can-can . . .

Poppy

Paper:  PTI white
Stamp:  all Su!
Ink:  PTI black, Marvy markers,
  Twinkling H2Os

Just a Note

Paper:  SU! white
Stamps:  SU! note;
  PTI (?) sentiment
Ink:  PTI black
Ribbon:  Bobbin Ribbon,
  item 90041-1127
Pearl from stash

21 comments:

Kathyk said...

I love your off the wall posts and your work - two lovely cards from you today

Kathyk

Jessi Fogan said...

Now I feel like I should DO the can-can...I'd probably pull a muscle :)
Love the shimmery flowers on the first card, and your funny observation on the second - watching trends come & go is a funny thing. That's why I never throw anything away - it all comes back around eventually, even if you have to store it a while. Bell-bottoms, anyone?

shirley-bee said...

Fabulous shimmery Californian poppies, Darnell! And the Just a Note card is understated elegance.

Congrats on the Honourable Mention at CASology. In fact, all your posts/cards deserve Honourable Mentions!

scrappymo! said...

I will check with the doctor...I think I am not allowed the walking machine (treadmill) or the can can till at least 8 weeks out of hospital! teehee

Both cards are great but I love the last card...the simplicity of the musical ribbon with the phrase is perfect.

Anonymous said...

Love the colour on the poppies Darnell, but I also really love the simplicity of the second one too. As to the can can, if you can then I can and what if a Toucan can!! See what hanging out with you has done for me!

Hugs
Brenda

Ardyth said...

Love you TWO TIMES baby (by the way, that's a Doors' song!) - Your poppies are GLOWING off the page - so pretty with that shimmer and your ribbon/b&W card is the last word in classic simplicity! Thank you so much for your kind words and support, and most of all, for playing along with my challenge this week!

Geri said...

You sure 'can can' create a couple of stunning cards in one day! These are both fabulous. Another creative approach to this challenge: the story, the card, & the sweet, sweet musical tones of both cards.

Anonymous said...

The shimmery shiny poppies are splendid and the notes are so elegant ... love the two, and the story that goes with them.
Also, congratulations on the CASology Honorable Mention ... your perfect card was a perfect choice!
Anita

Di said...

Fabulous cards and a rib ticklin' post as always Darnell! Keep 'em comin'.

Hugs, Di xx

Unknown said...

Two gorgeous cards Dippy. Love the second with the ribbon.....so much nicer than the wishi washi tape that's now the fashion. If I promise to have water and crackers will you come and entertain me? Pretty please.....

Hugs.

Karen xxx

Redanne said...

Love both cards Darnell, but I think the poppy one is stunning, those poppies positively shimmer! Don't leave us for too long....please! Crafty hugs, Anne x

Carol L said...

Oh my gawd, you do stand-up during breaks at work!? You are too flippin' funny, and I always leave your blog cracking up over something you posted! LOL Love the cards AND your wicked sense of humor :)

Jeanne H said...

Too funny! Love your sense of humor and the poppy cards. Miss seeing them ~ I lived in CA for years...but now I love the changing seasons. Hugs

Jules said...

Hi Darnell

Two fabby cards .. .. dare I admit to still being in the era of the decorative card-making ribbon .. .. and with having so much of it I am likely to be using it for a long while to come!! LOL!!!

Loving your musical themed cards and your great post!

I too love Mondays. The start of a new week in which to "make a difference".

Have a good one.

Love Jules xx

Jean said...

First, a big congrats for your honorable mention at CASology! I really like both cards, but I LOVE the first one. The sparkly poppies are lovely and the extra wide masking is just perfect!

Michelle said...

Darnell, your cards are gorgeous! I especially love those bright poppies! I will make an effort to find OLW again. I do love my one layer cards. :-)

Zippy said...

Fabulous cards, love the poppies! xxx

Emily Keaton said...

First, thanks a big bunch for the heads up on my HM over at CASology!! You are too sweet!!

Second, thanks for the multiple laughs brought to me by this post!! You are hilarious :D.

OK, last, this OLW card rocks!! Your masking amongst the beautiful sheet music background is stellar. I love how those poppies twinkle!!

Whimcees said...

Hello!

Your posts always make me smile - you have a wonderfully unique sense of fun and I enjoy it very much! I love your cards - very pretty! We had SNOW today in this part of WI - Whoa, I am so NOT ready! Wishing you a great day!

Hugs,

Barbara Diane

Bonnie said...

Such pretty poppies among the music! And the second card is CAS perfection!

Unknown said...

gorgeous shimmery blooms surrounded by sheet music...genius design! genius i tell you! :)