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!

January 12, 2022

Krafty Chicks ~ Christmas

Hello Stamplings!

I hope this finds you doing well. If not, hang in there! I have a coupla friends who don't like the expression "hang in there," so I try not to use it much, but sometimes, really, it's the best thing to say. I looked up some alternatives because you can Googlify anything and sure enough, here are some options:

Grin and bear it ~ seems harsher than hang in there. Snap out of it ~ definitely harsher. Soldier on, see it through, keep at it ~ that's all fine, if it's a marathon you're training for, or boxed furniture you are putting together, but when something is out of your control and you just need to be patient and hope for the best? Then we just have to hug ourselves and hang in there.

And, if we're lucky, get crafty!

Thank you to everyone who played in the Krafty Chicks "Stamp Act" challenge last week! It is the second Thursday of January and this week the theme is "Christmas." Here is my card to inspire you:
This beautiful forest is part of the exclusive Simon Says Stamptember 2021 set by Tim Holtz which my friend Harriet kindly let me borrow. It is one of those images which works beautifully using the direct-to-stamp technique for a wonderful loose watercolored look. The sediment is heat-embossed in platinum and the frame is from Pink & Main.

I look forward to seeing your stamped creations! You can find all the details and the linky tool on the Krafty Chicks blog. 

I'm also playing in these challenges:
Twofer
The holly leaves are NBUS from the Simon Says set called "The Magic of Christmas." The NBUS sediment from Gerda Steiner's "Balancing Mouse" was heat-embossed in silver. Hammy had a field day with the schplatters. 

Well, with the gold schplatters anyway. We have a gold spray, but not a silver one, so Hammy thought we could make one out of water and Nuvo glitter drops. It was a clever idea until this happened:
Tip: If it seems like it just needs a little encouragement to come out, don't squeeze the life out of it or you'll squeeze the literal life out of it! Geezopeezo. Did it all land on the desk, you ask? No, of course not, silly. It went all over the floor and all over me ~ somehow missing the critters ~ but I'm now the proud owner of a glitter-schplattered navy sweatshirt, so score!

Challenges


πŸ₯‚In other happy news, The Mister and I are celebrating our 51st wedding anniversary this weekend! We won't be going anywhere right now, but hopefully we can get away to celebrate 50 and 51 ... before 52 rolls around!πŸΎπŸ’• But no matter, every day we are here and together with loved ones is a cause for celebration, especially in these trying times.

[🀫I now know the secret to those marriages that last over 50 years. After 50 years, one or both of you starts to instantly forget what the other one did to tick us off!🀣]

~~~

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! Please let me know you came by so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrollingClick CTL + Home. Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post. Click Page Down to reach the end of the post. Click Comments and a pop-up box opens. Click "Jump to Comment Form" and wallah, no more car pool tunnel! Mwah! (p.s. If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!)

86 comments:

Sue said...

Hib Darnell, Loving the cards.

Hope you have a nice day. Sue

kiwimeskreations said...

Congratulations on 51 years of marriage Darnell - and on the glittered sweatshirt ;) So glad Hammy isn't covered in glitter - he may not have appreciated it, but he certainly made a great job of the gold glitter shplatters. Beautiful cards, and I love that tree image - that is an exquisite card!!
Stay safe
Blessings
Maxine

Julie B said...

Two fab Christmas cards, I kept my NY resolution last year to have all my cards done by the end of November, whether I will this year is up in the air!
Happy 51st Anniversary to you and the Mister for the weekend.

Sandra H said...

Morning Darnell two wonderful cards both Christmassy which l like very much never too early to start and a great way to start the new year they are totally stunning xx

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

Two gorgeous cards Darnell, I'm sure that your sweat shirt looks beautiful too.

Sue xx

Mac Mable said...

As always I so enjoyed reading your post Darnell.
Your Peace Christmas card is beautiful and that stamp sure is perfect for the technique...it looks amazing. Loving all the sparkle on the second one and especially loving the dark card stock and all those gold splats.

Ohhhh sorry about the exploding Nuvo glitter drops and it was good of you to try it out first and let us know the consequences....lol x.
Happy 51st Anniversary to you both and yes everyday is a blessing and it should be celebrated ....so long as you can remember to do so....lol x.
Sending hugs xx

Aquarius said...

Just love the loose watercolour effect of those beautiful trees and the holly leaves are impressively shiny. Shame about the mishap with the glittery bottle - that sort of thing happens and usually proves that a little goes a long way as you found out 🀣. Congratulations on your anniversary. Hugs!!

Lia said...

Darnell, I love your peaceful scenery with the trees!
Lia DT PoE

Gerrina said...

Both cards are beautiful! The 2nd one is so elegant! But the first is my favorite; love the trees! Hugs, Gerrina

Jeanne said...

You have created a couple of beautiful cards, Darnell. I love the loose watercolor look of the first one and the schparkly look of the second. Yay for new, unexpected wardrobe additions. (and bummer, too!). Congratulations on your 51st anniversary! That's fantastic. I do hope, once the pandemic ends you two have a grand celebration of some kind! You deserve it for sure! Hugs!

Unknown said...

Beautiful cards.
Congratulations on your wedding anniversary. 51 years is a wonderful achievement.
Marie Q

Bonnie said...

Happy Anniversary! I hope you do something to make the day special. By the time we can travel again, we'll have forgotten what we were celebrating! Love this forest of snowy trees, my friend! How nice that Harriet let you borrow hers! I love your silver and gold holly and the schplatters that Hammy got on the card! I bet your sweatshirt is very glamorous now!

Stamps and Paper said...

Hello Darnell….two lovely cards ..tge trees are beautiful but my favourite has to be the holly leaves…love the embossing your card is very classy

Anne

Karen said...

Happy Anniversary, Darnell! I love both cards, but especially the first one. It's elegant and simply gorgeous! I had the same experience with Nuvo in November. It flew across my craft room, and even ended up on a framed picture hanging on the wall. Fortunately, it missed the card I was creating for my granddaughter---and eventually it was all cleaned up. Lesson learned.

Diane said...

Wow, beautiful cards and Happy Anniversary! What a fun post, I had to laugh at what you said towards the end, my Mom would of enjoyed this post too, enjoy that purty' navy and gold sweatshirt!! thank you for joining our challenge at Peace On earth!
Diane POE DT
{Nellies Nest}
{Peace On Earth}

Darlene said...

Oh Darnell these cards are both beautiful but I simply LOVE the 1st one ... stunning! YEP ... I've had that same thing happen with my glitter Nuvo ... seems the glitter gets stuck in the opening and then explodes out the side. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! You are correct ... even though Mark & I have only been married half as long (it took me 3 times to find the right man lol) ... every day I have him in my life is a reason to celebrate! Thanks for always making me smile when I come to visit. If I'm ever having a 'down' moment I know where to come for a chuckle & a pick me up!! HUGS
Ooops, almost forgot ... Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Four Seasons Challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back again soon.

Darlene
FOUR SEASONS CHALLENGE
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS

Darlene said...

Well dang ... I still forgot something ... Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Peace On Earth Christmas challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back often. We appreciate your support on our new challenge adventure!!

Darlene
PEACE ON EARTH CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS

Lynette said...

Oh my goodness - those trees are BEAUTIFUL!! So nice that you and Harriet can get together and share supplies. Your second card - with the splatters - is gorgeous, too. Bummer about the sweatshirt. I did that once with a bottle of glue and it went ALL OVER. It hit the top edge of a pile of cardstock and made me a nice tablet as it glued the tops together. Enjoy your anniversary celebration this weekend. Congrats!

Brenda in IN said...

This Christmas card is beautiful, Darnell. The softness and snowy look is so pretty. What a great idea gone bad with the silver glitter spray. The card looks great though. Happy anniversary to you and the Mr. That is a lovely milestone and you will get to celebrate with the family at some point. Maybe even in a restaurant!

Sarn said...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to you and the Mister.

You are SO right in what you say about being together every day. It's a blessing.

LOVING your twofers.

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Sarn said...

Forgot to say: Hope you enjoyed Carol L's flavoured pretzels that she bought up to the Snippets Playground Treehouse. I saw you scoffing them while you had your turn in the comfy chair! LOL!
Hugs, Sarn xxx

Marlena M. said...

OH Darnell you always make me smile! Love your words, you crack me up! Beautiful cards friend~

designbydonna said...

First of all, Happy Anniversary> Hope you have a great day celebrating. Love your cards. Bravo for you--you already have 2 Christmas cards for next year. I can relate to your accident. I had a glob of glitter glue fortunately only on my test paper and not my shirt.

Leanne said...

Wow love these cards, and so happy you are with us this month, Happy Love Day to you as well. Enjoy your day! Hugs, L:)

Kath said...

Fabulous cards Darnell and the glittery sweatshirt too. Congratulations to you and The Mister on your 51st Anniversary. We have our 30th Anniversary this year - where has the time gone?!
Kath x

Carole said...

Two lovely cards Darnell, i like the watercolour idea with the trees and I love the sparkly holly leaves on the other card. Ooopps to your little mishap...I'm holding my hand up to a few of those in my time . Congrats on 51 years together and I hope you can celebrate at some point. xx

Lisa Elton said...

Peace was the perfect sentiment to pair with those pines, what a serene card! And would you look at the sparkle on your twofer ~ wowee, it's marvelous! Happiest of Anniversary wishes to you and the Mister. Perhaps you could wear your newly bedazzled sweatshirt for a romantic dinner. Looks like you have planty of the mix left over... maybe enough to make a gift for the Mister to wear as well??!!

Pat said...

Two fantastic seasonal creations Darnell, and the direct-to-stamp watercoloured trees in that pretty green look beautiful, and the gold and silver holly as a border looks great, and with the wonderfully embossed sentiment strip using vellum which finishes this so well. I have done the same thing with glue being the impatient person. I pressed the life out of it and the glue all ended up on the glass mat, luckily, but was horrid to clear up..the air was rather blue..lol. Happy 51st Anniversary too and hopefully you will get to celebrate properly in the fullness of time. x

Sue - said...

Loving the cards especially the second one! Huge congratulations on 51 years of marriage! I do hope you get to celebrate soon. xx

conil said...

As regards your last sentence of this post...I, too, now know what's saved my marriage. Anyway, good to see that you're still making beautiful Christmas cards in January. By November, you should be fully stocked and ready to address them. Color me impressed.
My slump continues, although I was able to finish Valentine's Day for the family. Other than that, I'm blocked.

Greta said...

Happy, happy anniversary! Laughed at how marriages last over 50 years, but have to say--it also helps that you were youngsters when you got married! Love the Christmas card--great forest image! I have had a similar experience with a bottle of stuff that didn't want to come out, but luckily didn't land on the floor! Anyway--the card is beautiful!

oldpunca said...

Both of your cards are wonderful. I like wonderful winter scene made in loose watercolor technique. Great CAS Christmas card. Silver and gold leaves are very elegant. I like the design.
Congratulation to wedding anniversary! You are right about the secret of the long lasting marriage. :-)
Have a nice day,
Sonja

Cat Craig said...

Congratulations on your 51 years! That is quite an accomplishment.
Lovely cards and I am especially smitten with your gold and silver one.

Rita said...

Hi Darnell. I love both your cards. The textures look wonderful too. Congratulations on your Anniversary and hope there will be lots more to come. Xxxx Hugs Rita xx

Cornelia (fun stamping) said...

Happy Anniversayr! No need to get anywhere - at least you have each other! Oooops, that glitter spatter - those things happen....And your card is a true inspiration! BTW - I am truly happy for the crows!

Donna said...

Oh Darnell, you always make me smile! Your cards are lovely, I like the look of the trees and the holly is so elegant and beautiful on the sparkly card stock. Happy Anniversary!!

Cheryl W. said...

My goodness, those gorgeous trees are the epitome of "peace." Their graceful branches and sturdy trunks have a built-in peace that we can literally breathe in. I love how trees can inspire us. When we visited Sequoia National Park, I was gobsmacked by their gigantic splendor. When we visited New Jersey, New Hampshire and Vermont in October, I was breathless from the flaming colors of those beauties. Your beautiful tree card brought back so many wonderful tree memories.

Your holly card is awesome, too. Silver and gold always add some elegance, especially when you use them together! And BTW, I entered my teacup card into Pixie's Snippets. Thanks for encouraging me to do that. What a fun challenge blog. I'll try to enter in the future, too.

Also, congrats on 51 years of marital bliss. That's amazing, and I hope you enjoy many more years together.

Melanie Hungerford said...

Gorgeous card for our Krafty Chicks challenge! And changing my DT hat to Four Seasons, so glad you joined us there too!

nancy littrell said...

OMG..Two Stunning beautiful Clean and Simple Christmas card designs, my sweet friend. Congratulations Dolly and Mister for celebrating your 51st Anniversary:-) I agree, it is wonderful at times to have a short memory:-) Just still being together is a very special anniversary..I think! We celebrated our 56th last Oct...time sure flies by and each year is filled with wonderful memories..we conveniently forget what we Do NOT want to remember!!! Thank you for joining us at CAS Mix Up with your Gorgeous CAS Loosely watercolored Christmas Trees:-) I LOVE your new stamp. Your stamped holly and beautifully splattered Christmas card is a beauty too. Looks like you have a new crafting only sweatshirt too:-) Love and Hugs dear friend..miss you. Nancy

Christine Alexander said...

Two gorgeous cards Darnell, that's a wonderful stamp for the loose watercolouring :) and OMG your Silver and Gold creation is a stunner. Thanks for joining us at CAS Christmas.
Happy Anniversary ♥ thanks for the info on forgetting what the other has said or done after 50 yrs :)

Karenladd said...

Ooh, your cards are just gorgeous but forgive me if I can't take my eyes off of that exploded Nuvo drops bottle. all I could think of was if any of it got on your clothes...or on surrounding projects...so thank you for leaving me in suspense!
Congratulations on your 51st anniversary, wow! Who needs a flashy, fancy celebration when you can self isolate at home and splatter glitter drops all over yourself?!

Julia Dunnit said...

Gosh, that forest is beautiful, your treatment of it is sublime! Congratulations on your wedding anniversary, that’s a wonderful number isn’t it, I hope you can party over these two very soon, I wonder what you’ll do?!
Bad luck with the Nuvo drops, oh I’ve so been there and it makes me cross for a while! Glad Hammy wasn’t caught in the crossfire though, picking that stuff out of his hair would be as bad as a chewing gum incident!!

Linda said...

Two fabulous Christmas designs. I agree those trees are perfect for this months CAS Mix Up challenge ..... thank you for playing along.
Love the silver and gold Holly design too.
Happy Anniversary to you and the Mister xx

Carol L said...

Congrats on your GD spot, and what wonderful cards you made for the challenge! Congrats on 51 years together too! We just quietly celebrated our 53rd in December and my secret to being together so long is separate bathrooms! (along with your secret too of course) LOL Have a great weekend and always keep smiling. As for me, I'm hanging in there :)

Nan G said...

Hang in there is perfect. As that’s exactly what I am doing. :) LOVE the forest of trees Christmas card! Oh my my….I have splattered myself with stickles a few times. Gave them all away as I can’t squeeze the bottles anymore. And last but most importantly ….HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to you and Mister. Hugs all around, Nan and the Girls

JoAnn said...

Sorry for your mishap. Love your cards. The tree one is so peaceful and serene. Love the gold and silver one, so pretty. TFS

Nancy said...

I totally enjoyed this post from start to finish this morning! Thanks for the morning chuckles. Both cards are as pretty as can be! That tree stamp is just lovely all framed in with the peace placed perfectly! The card you made for Just Us Girls is so eye-catching! You got great coverage on your embossing and I love sentiments on vellum. Sorry about your sweatshirt and Happy Anniversary too! You always brighten my day! Thanks for linking up with us!

Bobby said...

Happy Anniversary, Darnell and Mister!! I love those trees and the sentiment fits the scene perfectly. I've even used it myself. ;) The embossed holly leaves are wonderful. Thanks for sharing that inked and sprayed card with us at Just Us Girls.

HJ said...

Happy 51st Anniversary! You're right about just being together this long is something to celebrate...even it is at home. Your cards are lovely! I love both of them. Your Nuvo oopsie happens to all of us occasionally. I moved my craft studio to a larger bedroom that had a yellow carpet. One of the first things that happened was a black stamp pad flew out of my hand and landed stamp side down!! Of course!! Oh, well. Things happen and life goes on. Enjoy your day!

Lisa T said...

Happy Anniverary Darnell! I hope that you have a wonderful time even though celebrations are not quite what you would hope they would be. Fingers crossed for more celebrations later in the year. Stupid Covid, wrecking everyone's lives. Thank you also for the comment on my blog - so happy that you got that fabulous Gina K kit. It's really nice that my freebie from Gina gave her a return sale, that's a good outcome and makes me happy!

Loving both of your cards although I might have to come over and rein you in.... creating all these Christmas cards so early on in the year. it's exactly what I should be doing, but don't, won't, or can't. I am not sure which of those applies - probably all three!

Love & Hugs, Lisa xx

JulieP said...

Happy Anniversary!!! That's fabulous.

I love the trees. Such a tranquil scene. And I'm impressed with the photography of your sparkly shiny card. Any tips for this amateur?

As for the Nuvo....umm...been there, done that. Ha!

I Card Everyone said...

I see this Winter wonderful scene outside my window, D! Well, close anyway - I'm much happier sitting inside looking at your beautiful cards!
Congratulations on celebrating your 51st - an old gentleman told me his secret to celebrating his 60th... 'by this time, I've fallen in love with my wife at least 6 times!' Never stop falling in love, my friend! xx
=]

Jeanne H said...

Gosh, 51st anniversary...many happy wishes to you and Kevin. Congrats! As for your cards, they both are wonderful, especially the trees. Many thanks for your inspiration and supply inofo on making these two cards. I haven't had the squishing a bottle problem, yet. A Hug and love to you.
P.S. Love the picture of you and your pup!

HilaryJane said...

A very happy anniversary to you, having each other makes a big difference in these trying times. Two great cards, you are getting a head start with your Christmas cards and thanks for the tip re squeezing bottles. That is exactly the sort of thing that happens to me. Thanks for your recent visit to me too xx

Maria said...

Happy Anniversary to you and your husband! I hope you're able to celebrate big some time! Fifty-one years is something to celebrate! Your Christmas cards are gorgeous! Love the pine trees and the white frame! Your second card is just as pretty! And, sorry to hear about your Nuvo drops. I've done the same before, lol! Thank you for your sweet comment on my blog! Hugs!!

Sarah said...

What wonderful cards Darnell, the trees are amazing and I love the way they are framed. Mahoosive CONGRATULATIIONS to you both!! xx

brandco2450@gmail.com said...

Great cards Darnell, and Happy Anniversary to you and the Mister!
One day (soon?) we will have a bit more freedom and then you can
celebrate! In the meantime just hang in there!!!

cuilliesocks said...

Well first of all Darnell, Happy Anniversary to you both, and I'm sure it will be a lovely celebration even although you can't get away,
I always say "chin up" and my friend and yours always responds with "which chin?"
Anyhoo, your cards are gorgeous, I I love them both, take care and keep your chin up, at least you don't have Boris Johnston as a Prime Minister who doesn't know if he's at a party or not.. a pure knobhead, take care, Kate x

Faith A at Daffodil Cards said...

OH! your trees and frame are so elegant, so is your gold and silver card. Your little squeeze certainly went a long way, how lovely to have silver glitter on your your navy sweatshirt! Congratulations to you both on your 51st Anniversary, I hope you can celebrate soon! As for your comment on the secrets to long marriage, Yes! it happens here too! hahahaha
Enjoy your weekend.
Faith x

Alice (scrAPpamondo) said...

Biggest CONGRATS for your 51st wedding anniversary!!
LOVE your cards, especially the first one with those amazing trees and the big inside scallop frame!
Hugs!

Susan said...

Great Christmas Twofer! Of course I'd say that as you know I love Christmas cards the most! The first card is truly fabulous. I love the loose watercoloured look of that lovely tree image. And the peace sentiment just tucks itself in there perfectly. The scalloped borders add tons of interest. And the gold and silver heat embossed holly leaves are beautiful. I had to laugh at the Nuvo glitter drops mishap - what a mess! Thanks for joining us at CAS Christmas with that card!

Vicky Hayes said...

I'm quite keen on 'soldiering on' although I feel the military would pay good money not to have me involved with them in any way! What wonderful cards you've made! I love that gorgeous tree stamp and how clever you are to tuck the sentiment in that little space. The silver and gold card is shimmer-mazing! I'm sorry to hear that a sweatshirt was harmed in the making of it however. Thank you for your Top Tip!! Mwah! Vicky x

Colleen said...

Darnell, I LOVE the first card with the trees, it is a fabulous set of trees! I might need to own that one! And of course I want to thank you for joining us at CAS Christmas with your awesome holly leaves all embossed with silver and gold! It is always a pleasure to see your card in the gallery! and my goodness, congratulations on 51 years! It is a testament to patience and understanding and communications for sure! Love to you both! Heart Hugs, Colleen

Leslie Miller said...

I absolutely love your cards today, each in such different ways. The first is soft and serene and the second quite elegant. Beautiful use of the silver and gold. Sorry about the accident. I have a heck of a time with the Nuvo drops and have to remove and clean the top after each use. Mostly they just sit on a shelf looking pretty. Happy anniversary to you and the Mister, Darnell!

Barb Ghig said...

It's ALWAYS a blast to stop by your blog, Darnell!!! A glitter-schplattered navy sweatshirt? Oh my goodness, that's a riot :) Your cards turned out beautifully, though...I love how you stamped your forest of trees and how you showcased your holly and berries in silver and gold! Both cards are really pretty and are a great addition to your Christmas card collection! Thank you so much for playing along with us at CAS Christmas...it's always a joy to see your gorgeous cards in our gallery ~ xx

frommycraftroom said...

Congratulations on your anniversary and hopefully you get to celebrate before the next one!
I know I shouldn't laugh - sorry the vision of a silver sparkled top has bought a little chuckly to me. I will try to learn from your mishap.

Julia Aston said...

Two lovely designs here sis! and congrats on your 51st! At least you and the Mister can celebrate together right?! I have also popped the top off of a little bottle like this - so I feel your pain and your glitteryness! Your gold and silver holly are SO pretty on the black (gray?) splattered background! thanks for joining in my CAS Christmas challenge! Julia xx

Linby said...

Happy Anniversary to you both x At least you are nice and glittery to celebrate the day! 😁
Love the watercolouring on your first card and the CAS design and such a lovely CAS sparkly card for the second one.

Trina P. said...

A double big congrats to you!!! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰
First off, happy anniversary… enjoy your special day celebrating (especially if it’s at home πŸ˜‰).
Secondly, a well deserved win at Peace on Earth challenge with that gorgeous Christmas card. The watercolored trees look amazing.

Linda said...

Darnell, so fun to read your posts again. Forgotten how funny they are. Love your Silver and Gold card for CAS Christmas. So beautiful. Hope all is well with you. Hugs...Thanks for joining us at CAS Christmas.

Loll said...

LOVE those trees with the direct to stamp loose watercolouring, Dolly! I'm going to have to look them up .... are you the enabler, or is it Harriet??!! :) I LOVE your card ... it's gorgeous. Thanks for sharing iwth us at CAS Mix Up.

And beautiful silver and gold card for CAS Christmas. Wonderful CAS design with lots of shine. Oops with the silver glitter. I'm jealous that I don't have a silver glittery, navy sweatshirt. Maybe you and Hammy could make me one?? Love, Lolly

BoΕΌenA said...

Both cards are stunning, Darnell. In the first one, I love how you guided the colors for the loose watercolor. Epic! In the second card, the golden and silver holly leaves look so nice. And adding a gold spray to the base makes this card shimmer in all its glory. I love adding twinkle sprays to the base. Amazing inspirations, Darnell.
And the splash on the countertop looks very interesting and you can actually be tempted with a New Year's fortune-telling ... like reading coffee grounds :-)
hugs,
BoΕΌenA

Marilyn said...

Beautiful cards! Happy Anniversary to you and the Mister!
Have a great day!
MarilynπŸ’–

Di said...

Both cards are fabulous Darnell! Gosh I love the direct to card stamping - need to refresh my memory on that one - and of course I adore your snippets card. HUGE congratulations on your 51st Anniversary and let's hope you can get to have a party or a trip somewhere nice soon. Having said that, it's just as precious to have time together.

I had to giggle at the Nuvo incident - akin to sticking an insert into a card upside down? Or worse?

Take care my friend!

Hugs

Di xx

Em Louise Fairley said...

Gorgeous cards, Darnell. Happy anniversary to you and the mister xoxo

Sue said...

Congratulations on 51 years of marriage Darnell oh and of course on the glittery sweatshirt! fabulous cards hugs Sue x

R's Rue said...

πŸ’•

sandie said...

Congrats on the Wedding Anniversary!! Best to stay in at the moment but a nice meal and movie is just as good! And these cards are both giving a serene feel, especially the first one-it really does give the 'peace' feel to it and the second...well CAS and glitter what else could we ask for! Hugs my friend xx

Brenda said...

Well, all we can do is hang in there. lol Right now I'm hanging in here with no heat and the house is at 55 degrees, waiting for the repair guy to come. Only in the 30's outside, so thankful that it is in the 50's inside! Wow, these cards are gorgeous Auntie! I love those trees, they are stunning and those holly leaves and berries, looks like I need to search these stamps out and put on my wish list. Love how your cards came out, so beautiful! Yikes, I guess that silver spray that Hammy thought you could make didn't quite work out. On the plus side, you do have a nice glitter-schplattered navy sweatshirt now. lol Happy belated 51 year anniversary!!! You are both so lucky to have each other to grow old with! I'm loving that you have been married for 51 years, so awesome! Blessed indeed! I had to chuckle on your secret to a long marriage, I think that is probably true, it would be for me and I wouldn't have to wait 51 years. lol Lots of love and hugs to you Auntie, Brenda

Ros Crawford said...

Happy Annversary and many congrats on all those years!! Also thank you for your beautiful butterfly birthday card (say that quick) which arrived a few days ago.
Your cards are fabulous but I esecialy LOVE that tree card... What a terrific stamp!
I hope you are keeping well... I have more scans tomorrow just to see what is going on. I'll keep you posted. Stay well and stay crafting ... Ooops about the nuvo stuff!

My Paper Epiphany said...

Your beautifully loose coloured trees are perfect for our challenge at CAS Mix Up! The other other card is gorgeous too! Happy Anniversary too!

Chrissie said...

Well this a quite a bunch my friend... I LOVE those trees and you have done the loose business brilliantly... I love tree stamps at the best of times and that one is just terriff!
Your other cards are equally as gorgeous!
CAS Mix Up thanks you for your company!
Chrissie x

Linda W. (ScrappinBari) said...

Two Christmas beauties, Darnell - and sorry about your crafty disaster! Glad I'm not the only one :)

Karen Letchworth said...

Thanks for sharing your cute little card with us at The Four Seasons Challenge.
Karen L, DT Member
The Four Seasons Challenge Blog

TK said...

Your loose water color is awesome, love that amazing image! And your gold and silver is brilliant, literally!
Sorry about your bottle, hopefully you enjoy your "new" navy sweatshirt, and the rest cleaned up well.

conil said...

Congrats on your well deserved HM win at CAs Mix Up. Loved the card, of course.