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 4, 2013

CFC92; Pixie's 62 ~ Wallpaper Paper

Oh, dear, I think it might already be Tuesday morning for some of you, while it's Monday afternoon for me, so I'll just say, Hi!  How's it goin' this Monuesday?

Feel like putting up some wallpaper?  If you're as old as me, you'll say, "No way!"  But if you are young and on trend, you're prolly considering it.  I have a friend (in another part of the country) who was an expert hanger and from what she says and from what I've seen on the home shows on TV, it's coming back and there are some beautiful papers on the market.

Here in Cardville, Michele and her amazing Design Team at CAS-ual Fridays want us to make our own wallpaper to use as designer background paper on our cards. 
So I made a few CAS cards.  These are the stamps I used for my wallpaper designs:
When I first started stamping, I often made my own background patterned paper.  I got a bit out of the habit so I had a good time doing it again today.  You might say I got carried away ala Susan G. or Joyce.

First, I made a couple of cards using the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Calm and Gentle" stamp set.  Once in rainbow colors:
and then in mono chrome colors:
This one makes you tilt your head and squint a little, huh?  What with the "arrows" going east to west, and the words going north to south.  Or is it the other way round?
Then, since we are all SO ready for spring, I thought a few spring showers might be funtastic:
My (apparently giant) butterfly was made with snippets of card scraps, so this one gets to be carried over to the Playground at Miss Di's Pixie's Crafty Snippets.  I'm going to miss my visit next week, so this time I'm going to take two turns on the merry-go-round, maybe even three.  Mmm, or maybe not because then I get too dizzy and no one wants to see my knickers when I fly off into a snitty snowbank.  Ooof.
And lastly, how about a rainbow of love beads?

I'm thinking a sweet tag tucked into that clip will be just the ticket when the time comes to send this card to its new owner, as yet unknown.
~~~
That was fun getting all inky.  I like having the option of making my own paper design or using the wonderful store-bought patterned papers I have.  Sometimes you feel like getting jiggy with the ink, sometimes you don't.
There is still lots of time to play with making your own wallpaper, so I hope you'll join in the fun at CFC!  And the gates are just about nearly always open at Pixie's, so you can go and play there very nearly almost any time.

The end of card talk.
~~~
When we first moved into this house in 1977, every single inch of wall was covered in wallpaper.  Most of it shiny shiny neon bright wallpaper.  Wallpaper that was established upon the walls with Super Glue.  I know you know what I mean.  It makes your stomach ache a little bit remembering the wallpapers you've removed in your lifetime (or watching your mother do it), doesn't it?  And they wonder why us old homemakers smoked and drank. 
Sadly, film was expensive to buy and develop (ha ha) back in the day, so I don't have pictures of all the rooms to share, but I do have a picture of the kitchen (after we replaced the formica countertops with tile) where you can just see the wallpaper border.
That's our little DS who is now 35 with 8-year-old boy twins who have often stood in that very spot.  Awwwwwwwww.  But just look at those awful amber-colored plastic cupboard inserts!  I mean, what were they thinking?!  Oh, yeah, dude, that's right, what were they smoking?!  Then there's the stunning "harvest gold" appliances.  (Yes, the carpet was "avocado green!")  Oh, well . . . every generation thinks the prior generation had taste only in their mouths.

Any wood workers among you will also note that my noncarpenter Mister made sure there were enough corbels under that bar overhang so that even the heaviest visiting acrobatic elephants (or 8-year-olds) had no worries about it breaking off!

Five years ago, we hired it remodeled so it now looks like this:
 
Which I love to pieces, which is good because I'm way too busy playing in my Playhouse to even think about reremodeling again!
~~~

Enjoy your day, or night!  No, seriously, enjoy!  LITS*!

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39 comments:

Hannelie said...

OOHee!! I love your pretty kitchen!
Fresh and lovely!
Your cards look all FABulous!! And yes, I agree that it's great to have the choice of DP's vs gettng inky.
I love living in cardland ( sounds better than blogland!)
My Tuesday is well on its way...
Hugs
Hannelie

JD/ Jill said...

Great cards! You made some really neat "Wall paper" backgrounds there! very creative.

Your kitchen really brings back memories...both the old and the new kitchen. Our house was built over 60 years ago...and I lived with the old original kitchen for over 37 years...when we moved in we did a very small update to it with avocado appliances, and painted the red wood cabinets white. I lived with an avocado range hood till 6 years ago, when we finally updated our kitchen, with a low budget redo...half done by a contractor, and the other half by my husband. no stainless steel appliances (not in the budget) yours look great.

I also remember all the wall paper we had to remove...what a job. My hubby tells me he doesn't care if wallpaper ever comes back...He told me we will NEVER have it again.

Cathy said...

Hi Darnell, love your wallpaper cards! My Mum used to re-wallpaper rooms every couple of years!! Thus, I am a paint girl :)

wienerhoneymooners said...

Love the NEW kitchen! (ahhhh someday mine will bet done too!) I have barn like cabinets and a wall that needs demo. Oh well, dreams are great as it can be anything I want right!...

Your wallpaper cards are great! Love the Thank You!

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Oh that brings back memories.....in our first married house, we had a 'mink' bathroom suite....for that, read Sh#*#y brown. It was truly disgusting but we didn't have enough money to renovate for many years. It was so disgusting!!
Hugs, LLJ xxx

Jules said...

Hi Darnell

What lovely cards you have made by creating your own backgrounds .. . something I do very rarely .. .. but I enjoy it when I do! (A bit like housework LOL!!).

Lovely to see your kitchen transformation. It looks beautiful now .. but the original version sparked some memories off.

I am sure as a child we used to have some of that amber glass (but ours was actually plastic because we kids were all so clumsy) in a door!! the worse thing to admit being that I am sure Dad actually put it there LOL!!!

Hope you have a good day.

Love Jules xx

Sue - said...

Lovely wallpaper cards. Your posts do make me chuckle. I shudder when I think back to some of the wallpaper we had!

tilly said...

super background paper cards, love them all. I come for being young and living with those 'great' colours lol
Tilly

Karen M said...

I love all your gorgeous wallpaper cards Darnell and it sounds like you had fun making them all! I also love your new kitchen but the old one brought back some memories of my parents old kitchen....I am sure it was very fashionable in its day:) Have a great day - hugs xx

Vicky Hayes said...

Oh Darnell I love this back in the day post! Life really does just go on doesn't it! Oh and hold onto your hat because Harvest Gold and Avocado Green will be back in fashion before we know it! Love your extensive gallery of wallpaper cards today - you've inspired me to have a go! Vicky x

Jenni's Jems said...

Love those cards so eyecatching ! and love the pics of the kitchen,when we moved in to our house it had black and red stripes going around the walls and huge circles painted on too unfortunately nobody told us it had went right though to the brick work ! ..well it felt like it as we tried to scrape the paper off! hee he x

Kara said...

Beautiful backgrounds you have created!!

Anonymous said...

Those are really cool cards, I'm loving the last one! Ah the windmills of our mind, that whole "what were we thinking" cry! Love the remodeled kitchen, but I bet you thought that kitchen was the bees knees back in 1977!!

Hugs
Brenda

Claire Grantham said...

Love the remodelled kitchen. My parents bought their house in the 80's it had last been decorated in the 60's - no lie...hideous! Love the cards - especially the one that will have a tag hung off of the clip. Thanks for swinging by my blog. Cx

Kim S said...

Didja have shag carpet too?? I actually kind of miss shag carpet - not the cleaning, but as a kid I just loved laying on the soft carpet reading a book!

I love your cards. This is most definitely a challenge that I will NOT tackle as I just can't put patterns together like this. And you did it with trees!!!

Inkyfingers said...

Great cards Darnell and I especially like the raindrops card - I haven't seen that stamp before. Your back in the day section reminded me of when we moved into our house 30 years ago in May. We had to paint the lounge ceiling 5 times to get rid of the the previous owners nicotine habit, and changing the dark purple hall into a light colour was work of infinite patience. Happy days! I love your remodeled kitchen but your son looks very happy in you old one too! I see the pottery dog? survived the changes and had a family!!
Hugs
Carol x

Allisa said...

Love your raindrop card! Your kitchen makeover is fabulous!

Ustvarjalni utrinki Tamara P. said...

How lovely cards and your kitchen is stunning,
hugs Tamara

Emily Keaton said...

Love those "wallpaper" cards! And the trip down memory lane was fun. I just ADORE the way your kitchen looks now. So classy!

Kristie Goulet said...

Your wallpaper background cards are awesome. I have to tell you that I started to make a card using the drops like in your last card and it did not turn out as beautiful as yours. I made the mistake of coloring the big drops red and they looked like drops of blood. AAAHHHH!!! Not good. hee hee

I still have it sitting on my desk waiting to see if I can somehow restore it to a card.

I absolutely LOVE and am jealous of your beautiful kitchen. WOW! What a difference and so beautiful with all the white. Thanks for sharing. :)

carol (krillsister) said...

Wow! You have been busy. Those wallpaper cards are beautiful.
Your kitchen remodel looks lovely. I am sure you don't mind being there now with the updates.

Lisa's Creative Niche said...

First LOVE all of your cards and def. get me in the mood for spring! And second can I just move in to your kitchen please?! THis is gorgeous!

Hettie said...

Living in a stone built cottage, I have very few walls that can be papered so the ones I do I have posh Laura Ashley papers!! As for your kitchen, my kitchen still looks like a 70s kitchen!! Seriously!! Gawdy orange flowers on stone coloured background! I blinkin' hate it!! Wanna come and remodel mine for me? Oh and pay for it!! Maybe I will paint over the orange flowers with daisies!!
Loving your wallpapers on the cards - didn't you do well!!
Hugs
xx

Bubbles said...

I love all your creations - but especially the spring puddle one - it made me smile :)
Bubbles,
#23 at Pixie's Playground :)

Kim Heggins said...

Fabulous cards as always, I love your take on homemade wall paper, just beautiful. You kitchen is such a dream, so pretty and modern.

Anonymous said...

I really like the last card with the metallic circly-Q. I have these and am always at a loss for how to use them...thanks for inspiring me. Btw...I like all the wallpaper backgrounds.

Anonymous said...

Hi Darnell

I've never stamped a background before so have been a bit stumped for CFC ... thanks so much for the inspiration ... I LOVE the rainbow of love beads!

Now, your 'from a style magazine', stunning kitchen ... something I aspire to post-renovation ... rather like I do with your playhouse!

Anita :)

Bonnie said...

I love the wallpaper on your cards and the lack of it in your kitchen remodel! We had the harvest gold appliances and thought we were so trendy!

Geri said...

Wowzers girl...you are on a crafting crusade here with amazing results! Wouldn't want to have to pick a favorite. Beautiful stuff.

So does anyone remember the MacTak faux wood grain sticky stuff that we used to 'update' or cupboards?And of course, the indoor/outdoor carpet in the kitchen!

My non carpenter Mister likes to use railway spikes to hang the smallest picture so he didn't see a problem with the elephant proof overhang (go figure!)

Your remodeled kitchen is gorgeous! Love the stainless steel applicances. Such a nice sleek and modern look!

Joyce said...

Wow--where to start. I love all of your stamped wallpapers. Every single one. I'm so flattered to receive a mention in your blog. I will go to bed tonight dreaming of my fame. And--I'm drooling over your amazing kitchen.

Aileen said...

Lovely wallpaper......... on your cards and your kitchen re modelled is so bright and shiny! x

Di said...

Fabulous cards Darnell - I do love those trendy wallpapers you created too.

So true that things go round and round - but, we opted for a white kitchen when this house was built about 19 years ago. During a recent makeover all we needed to do was update appliances, worktops, lighting and decor. The lovely white units stayed and look like new. One of my (few) better decisions all those years ago :)

Hugs, Di xx

Bobby said...

Great wallpaper card, Darnell. And that's where wallpaper should stay. We had a big, old house that was completely wallpapered in dark Victorian paper and just not my style. I removed it all and discovered why it was papered - some walls were plaster, some drywall, and some an unknown substance.

donna mikasa said...

You've created a wonderful array of wallpaper! I especially love the last card with the little clip that's waiting to be tagged!

We recently renovated (gutted) our 54 year old kitchen, too. Love your transformation!

mjbest said...

Love your new kitchen. But I wouldn't diss harvest gold and avocado green. The designers came up with those gawdly awful colours and convinced everyone they were all the rage back then. 20 - 30 years from now our grandkids are going to question todays hot colours and designs and wonder what weird illegal substances we and the designers were ingesting.

Love your card by the way.

Sylvia Blum said...

Fantastic "wallpaper" creations, Darnell!!!
Thanks for joining us at CAS-ual Fridays!
Sylvia xx

Debs Willis said...

Tee Hee - we had a dark wood and exposed brick kitchen in the 70's - think we crunched brick dust every meal!!

Like the wallpaper creations too :-)

debs x

Kelly Griglione said...

Yep, you totally pulled a Joyce on this one, Darnell! Wow, so cool to see all that you came up with! My fav is the first one where you used the tree trunks as arrows. How fun is that?! It's got great movement to it, and really emphasizes your sentiment.

So in love with your "new" kitchen! Looks like you've got good taste in home decor too : ) I didn't even notice there were plastic inserts in the cabinets until you pointed them out, but there they are. All plastic-ey and whatnot. Too funny!

Anyway, I need to give you a thanks for joining the fun at CAS-ual Fridays!

Sarn said...

SUPER cards Darnell.

I've over on the swings . . . come over and give me a push would ya!?

Hugs
Sarn xxx