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!

October 27, 2013

Halloleaves ~ ATCAS #25; MFW TT; OLW #163; SOS #124; SSS

Hello!  Happy Sunday!
 
It's a beautiful fall day here, so I'm going outside to enjoy it while it lasts.  (Our temps are spose to drop twenty degrees tomorrow.)   There are still a few challenges which allowed me to squeak in one more Halloween card, a one layer one that's not the least bit spooky. 
  • At the always entertaining and inspiring Moxie Fab World, Cath has give us this spectacular photo inspiration for her "Enthralled by Fall" Tuesday Trigger:

I want to pour milk on that bowl of leaves and eat them with a spoon!  Talk about fiber!
  • The One Layer Wednesday challenge this week is being hosted by the fabuloso Karen on her Snippets site.  Her challenge is for us to use orange on our one-layer cards.
  • At Shopping Our Stash, the brief is "Halloween OR Orange and Black."
Grab Our Badge!
  • And, finally, at Simon Says Stamp, the Wednesday challenge is "Halloween or Halloween Colours."
green_orange_purple_black
My card:

I tried to channel my inner Heather Telford and the rest of you yummy maskers/spongers, but I need lots more practice still to get my banner edges to be crisp.  I fudged and used a colored pencil to firm 'em up.  Wait.  What?  You were just thinking what I was thinking, weren't you?  How great if they could only make pencils to firm up certain other things around here!!

Other than getting the banner edge firm, it's a fun and easy technique.  Once you mask off the area that you don't want stamped, using post-it notes, you can just wildly stamp your images in the different colors.  Really, it's fun and pretty QACAS.
 
~~~
 
Today I have a new friend and a new blogger to welcome and introduce to you.  I hope you will look off into the distance for a minute and remember how it felt to be starting out with your blog and then pop over and give her a warm welcome.  I told her how nice you are.
 
My PhotoHer name is Dora B. and her blog is 7 Cardologists.  Here is a picture of the seven lovely lady "cardologists."  I love that name and wonder why I didn't think of it!  You have previously meet Susanne and I hope the other ladies will join me as subscribers or follow if they have their own blogs.  For today, we are welcoming Dora and wishing her all the best!  Thank you, Dora, and welcome to our party!

~~~

In other news, we have a huge crop of basil going to seed:
When Mister looked at the clump yesterday, he noticed it was jiggling and swaying.  It turns out that sweet little finches LOVE basil seeds!  There must have been 20 or more hidden in there!  We've never noticed them before this year.  True finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae.  Mister promptly decided these are from the subspecies, Italiallidae.
~~~

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 or leave a comment.  Once again someone has written to say that I may not even see her comment, as I have so many.  Please don't ever feel that way!  I see them ALL and I know that I'm very blessed to hear from so many of you.  I treasure each and every one of you and your comments!  Truly. 


 
*Life Is Too Short!

Paper:  PTI white
Stamps:  All SU!
Ink:  SU!  only orange, tangerine tango,
  calypso coral, melon mambo
Enamel dots:  My Mind's Eye


66 comments:

Ardyth said...

Great take on this trigger - love the colours and the overlapping!

Tara Cardwell said...

Stunning take on the trigger Darnell :-D

Anonymous said...

So gorgeous, Darnell !! I love one layer card challenges & you rocked it !!!
Love how you used the pencil to help with your inking !! I will have to remember that !!
Thanks for the bird trivia honey -- & you will be happy to know that my hubby let me sleep all day... As I must have needed it ---spending way too much time yesterday while trying to fix my google drama!! Lol

Ustvarjalni utrinki Tamara P. said...

Love warm colours, fantastic leaves
your card is gorgeous
hugs Tamara






jimlynn said...

Looks pretty perfect to me! Love all the orange and that fall leaves. Very pretty.
That's a ton of basil too!
Lynn

Gillian R said...

Gorgeous Darnell! Looks like a winner to me

Lisa Elton said...

BEAUTIFUL card Darnell, love the layers of leaves!

Sammy said...

Oh Darnell, you never fail to make me laugh! And it turns out your Mister is also of the highly amusing persuasion! :-)

And I absolutely LOVE your card. I'm hopelessly in love with orange at the moment, and I adore the background you've made. At first glance I thought you'd used designer paper, before I realised it was stamped. Beeyouteeful! x

Greta said...

OK--you really did it this time! I so love this card, Darnell! I have lots of finches but none that look like yours. What a fun surprise to find them in the bush!

Sue said...

WOW! This is stunning Darnell, I really love the design and those colours are wonderful.
How fabulous to see those sweet finches feasting on your Basil seeds.
hugs Sue xx

Tenia Nelson said...

Love this card!!

Hettie said...

This is gorgeous Darnell. Love the colours you have used.
Those finches are fabulous too. Tee Hee!
xx

Anonymous said...

Sigh ... this is stunning, Darnell! You've captured the TT so perfectly with your glorious spongeing and inking! What fun finding those finches ... and being quick enough to get a photo or two ... you could be Mrs QACAS ... Quick At Capturing Another Snap! Anita :)

Bobby said...

Your leaves look just like those in the bowl. Keep up the masking good work.

Tracey McNeely said...

Darnell this is gorgeous, I love your leaf prints!

Lyndal said...

FABulous one layer card Darnell - and let me know when you find one of those magic firming-up pencils!!!

Vickie Z said...

Wonderful!! When you find the pencils that firm up everything.....don't forget to let me know!! Growing herbs....I'm so proud of you and so lazy myself....I should Be ashamed to admit that!!

Benzi said...

Darnell, your card is FAB-ulous!!!!! I may get on the internet tonight and look for one of those firm-up markers (not for crafting, though). HAHA
Oh, I need to plant some of that basil. I love those goldfinches when they come to my feeder.

Cornelia (fun stamping) said...

So pretty your card - the pink and orange looks great together. Love the finch in the basil - I thought I'll suggest you make pesto, but that would deprive the finches....

Kim Heggins said...

Simply stunning card Darnell...love those leaves, so beautiful. I love your idea of the firming up pencil and when you find out how to apply it to our bodies, I want in! I love your basil too, I can almost smell it at my house, so pretty.

Glimpses of My Heart said...

This is beautiful! You did an amazing job on this card! i love everything about it. Thanks for sharing with us at Shopping Our Stash this week.
Blessings,
Michelle

Harriet Skelly said...

OMG Darnell this is absolutely stunning - I'd love to know what inks and stamps you used for those leaves- the colors are just fabulous! Thanks fro joining us at ATCAS!

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

So very pretty!

Anonymous said...

Stunning Darnell, I love how your "firmed up the edges" note to self must use a pencil ! Gorgeous colors and a riot of autumn joy on this beauty. Thanks so much Darnell for the informative and entertaining post and for sharing with his at ATCAS.

Marie

Anonymous said...

Stunning Darnell, I love how your "firmed up the edges" note to self must use a pencil ! Gorgeous colors and a riot of autumn joy on this beauty. Thanks so much Darnell for the informative and entertaining post and for sharing with his at ATCAS.

Marie

Brandi said...

This card is gorgeous!

sandie said...

oh I love this Darnell and I know it must have been so much fun stamping away! Thanks for joining us at ATCAS

Ros Crawford said...

Your card is stunning! And thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers ... It's very much appreciated!

Lin said...

Hi Darnell! Love your card, it captures fall to the "t", and that's one of my fave techniques, too! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at the Simon Say Stamp Wednesday Challenge!

shirley-bee said...

Ooh, this is stunning, Darnell, love it!

Jacquie Southas said...

One of the best takes on the TT - love the dreamy, translucent quality on this card! And please get to work on that pencil to "firm up other things" - I would be first in line to buy it!

scrappymo! said...

Looks great...love that inky background, girl!

Nan G said...

Wow! You've hit all the marks with this girl! What's wrong with the edges? Nothing! We can't all be Heather Telfords now can we?! Anyway, I think she uses a super sticky post it note made 'specially for Canadians, cuz it's so cold up there! :)) hugs

Happy Dance said...

Oh Miss Darnell...Another beautiful card. Those leaves look like they'd lift right off the front. Sweet little enamel dots too. Amazing card. Love the finches! This morning I saw and heard a falcon in our backyard...birds are so cool. Bev

Jenny said...

I love your layered stamping, very definitely like the photo and i had to laugh about pouring milk on the leaves, they do look like cereal :0)

Dianne said...

Hahahahaha, bbbrrr drop to 20, ours is hitting O in the night..Only 3 challenges, sorry :),I for one love not spooky,your card is GORGEOUS,I think you did Heather perfectly, those leaves are fantastic, better than any fancy paper, love the orange, half pearls, perfect on the card..
I went and left some love to Dora..
Thank you so much for sharing my brethren visit, are they beautiful. Thanks for feeding them. Hope you have a wonderful creative day.. P.S. we treasure you too..

Unknown said...

Fab card Dippy. Great technique but I'm pretty sure no-one can get one better than Heather! Love your colours and clean banner.........and yes, if you ever find that pencil that will sort out parts of the body then please......PLEASE.........let me know! Love the photos of basil and finches. My pot of Italian basil is just starting to go to seed so I'll keep an eye on any visitors we get. Thanks so much for joining our challenge at A2CAS.

Karendipity xxx

Bonnie said...

I thought it was only me (I) that couldn't do this technique and get a crisp line. I think the last time I tried it I adhered a strip of white over the mess so I wouldn't have to trash it. Course it's not one layer that way. Anyhow, I love these colors and the impressionist look of this beautiful card! Love the finch too!

maria f. said...

So were they yummy? No not the birdies, the leaves with milk, silly! These amazingly stamped beauts on your OLC look pretty scrumptious to moi. We have finches of the I-have-no-clue-what variety that love to hang on my wilting sunflowers and peck out the seeds. Love watching them.

OH Babs said...

Lovely one layer orange leaf card. I too wonder about all the comments you receive, that is a lot of reading -- the price of popularity.

Jean said...

Gorgeous color combination and beautiful stamping!!

MackieMade Paper Creations said...

Love your beautiful fall card!
And you cracked me up with your finch story!!!!

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

The photo inspiration of leaves is gorgeous and so is your card. Love the stamping, colours and your great masking... seems your inner Heather is working. Hugs, Shirleyxx

Susanne Vargas said...

Gorgeous card, Darnell! I am glad you knew how to save it from the trash bin with a colored pencil! Have to remember that trick!
Thank you for your warm welcome of my friend and for also linking to my blog! You are the best!

Nancy Penir said...

Darnell, those leaves leave me drooling! Gorgeous! I can't stop staring at the dimensions and patterns you created. And I wish my basil had lived long enough to seed! It got so hot here, they just shriveled up. Oh well, next year!

Jean said...

OMG, this is absolutely gorgeous ~ and only one layer! This is just perfect and you made it for FIVE challenges. Second, I am very sorry I missed your MUSE challenge; I misunderstood, and thought you would be guest designer for a month. I was planning on catching the next one this week.

Joyce said...

You managed to capture everything essential about that trigger photo in a one layer card. I would have bet that it could not be done. But, you did it. And, can I please have one of your magic pencils....

alexandra s.m. said...

What a rich and fabulously autumnal card Darnell!
Great blogpost, as always ;)
Thank You!

Lindsey said...

Gorgeous!

Vicky Hayes said...

What a gorgeous card Darnell! It's always so much fun to come and visit you here aside from all the fabulous creations you show. Much amused by the firm 'em up pencil - boy, wouldn't you make a million with that! Intrigued by your basil too: never mind the finches (although it's always lovely to find a flock of birds in your vegetation!) but the basil looks very different from ours. Take care, Vicky x

Unknown said...

gorgeous! you've got a gorgeous blend of color but still each leaf is so clean and crisp! beautiful!

Unknown said...
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Viv said...

Thanks for the visit and leaving such nice comments Darnell! Love the awesome colours you've used on this beautiful Halloween Card too.

Karen P said...

Gorgeous yummy colours of autumn and pumpkins and some fabulous leaf stamping. I love leaves and trees and this card is right up my street, so to speak. Stunning work Darnell xx

Cheryl said...

You always make me laugh Darnell (my inner Heather Telford)! Too cute...

Oh, and such beautiful colors in your card. They sure look firm!

Happy Halloween.

Geri said...

Stunning colors! I think you have done a fabulous job sponging! Love how you varied the sizes of the enamel dots - nice touch!

Now, about that firming pencil...I had one when I was around 22 - 23 years old, then some bugger stole it from me....haven't seen it since!

Sweet little bird pic too!

Jenny L said...

Hi Darnell,
fabulous card. I love the colours, and the design of this gem of a card.
Lots of love. Jenny L.

MaryH said...

Gosh, did you ever get a great rendition of those inspiration leaf colors. Now I thought your edges looked just great, and I think you channeled Miss Heather wonderfully well. Autumn colors are my favorites I think, and I really liked the brightness on your sponging. Yep, I could use some pencil firming too! TFS & Hugs

Carol L said...

This is an absolute beauty!! I just love those autumn leaves and panel of white space! Gorgeous!!!

Chriss Blagrave said...

Love your stampiness and colours on the MFW TT ! you stayed so true to the colours.
I have seen those little birds in my basil seeds too! Mostly females, just a few of the colorful males. Nice that you thought to take a photo :)

Kylie said...

Wonderful masking and stamping! I love the results! Thanks so much for playing along at ATCAS xx

Deepti said...

Love the background you created with overlapping of the leaf :)

cm said...

Oh my goodness - how stunning this is! Your colours, your stamping,your *clearly defined* border - the entire card is a dazzling array of gorgeous! Winner, winner for every single challenge you've entered! The "cardologists" - how clever is that! And the finch-laden basil plant -isn't nature amazing! Another day-brightening, smile-making and yes, educational post!! Hugs!
c

Loll said...

Hi Dolly. I LOVE this card!! Amazing design, amazing colors. Definitely will be CASE'ing! Lolly xx

Nonni said...

Another stunner -so beautiful!!

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