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!

August 31, 2022

Bumble Bees and Swirling Silver Snowflakes

Hello Stamplings!

I hope you are doing well! I've been busy traveling, having guests, and working in the garden. No, I haven't. That's a bold-faced lie. 

I don't know where time goes. I blame Covid. Ever since it arrived on the scene, I swear huge chunks of my time just evaporate. Or else I'm not just taking daily naps, I'm taking wide-awake naps sitting at my desk! I asked Hammy, but he didn't answer because he was napping. You see what I mean?!

But, hey, I did manage to make a coupla really complicated, colored, and layered card designs to share. Nope. Stop lying. Slap.

Onefer
How cute is this? And go me for using such ancient goodies! The NBUS sediment is from Paper Smooches. I gold heat-embossed it onto the card base under the vellum: 
Then I overlaid the pretty piece of vellum from Hot Off the Press over the card base. The dotty border and blue-winged bees are printed on it. Over that I attached a resin bee charm that I've had for ages. QACAS!

Challenges
Twofer
For this design I used one of several NBUS (😏) 3D embossing folders I purchased from Simon Says Stamp recently. This one is cleverly called, "Swirling Snowflakes." I have too many sheets of beautiful glittery paper which I find difficult to use, but these 3D e/fs work beautifully with any color! The metal sediment says, "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." I intertwined the silver and white ribbon (ribbon!!) through it and added a snowflake brooch cut in silver.

Challenges

(Hammy has the long Labor Day weekend off. He's gone to visit a friend over on the cool coast because it's going to be 100°-109° here for the next week.)

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I stole this funny from Facebook for your enjoyment!
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Enjoy your days! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse, being a follower, and leaving me some love!

*Life is too short!

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43 comments:

Bonnie said...

This is some awesome vellum, Dolly! Love the bees, especially the 3D one! The snowflakes make me feel a little cooler. Love that embossing folder that makes a great backdrop for the metal sentiment and silver brooch!

Lisa Elton said...

Those bees are too cute! I'll take the paper kind any day. We're having an issue with big bumble bees and now yellow jackets, holy smokes! Love your gorgeous snowflake card. Again, I'll take the paper kind any day!

Lynette said...

Both of your cards are awesome, Darnell - I love them! I also love reading your blog posts - so entertaining. I agree - time flies, or goes somewhere or another.

designbydonna said...

Cute bees. I love the way ellum softens any look. Like the swirly snow E/F too. Your srbbon, sentiment, and snowflake are all that beautiful desing needs. HaHaHa, I think I am already at stge 5! It is so freeing.

LesleyG said...

Buzzing by to say I love how you used that pretty vellum for your simple card, what a great idea, and so is the snowflake one, thanks for the ideas, and making me smile, a lot, and I’m definitely on stage five :) xxx

kiwimeskreations said...

Amazing work as ever Darnell, and a very amusing right/write up - love your use of the bee vellum - that's exquisite, and the embossed sentiment underneath is wonderful. The schparkly Christmas card is gorgeous
Do hope Hammy behaves while he is away - so considerate of you to send him off to avoid the heat...
Blessings
Maxine

Marilyn said...

Beautiful cards! Love your bee card!
Have a great day!
Marilyn ❤️

Jeanne said...

The first card is terrific (or should I say beerific?) Clean and simple and fun! I think the metallic swirling snowflakes are beautiful. I just so enjoy your doable and creative cards, Darnell. The Facebook find is really funny. Thanks for sharing. Please take care during that extreme heat! We've been hot here, but not in the hundreds, thank goodness. Hugs!

Em Louise Fairley said...

Both cards are gorgeous, as always, Darnell xoxo

Stephanie Lanzalotto said...

Two fabulous cards, Darnell. Pretty good work while napping! Seriously, I am with you on the passage of time since COVID struck. Where on earth does it go, and what the heck and I doing with it??? I LOVE those bees. The antennae on the blue-winged ones almost look like eyes. I love the way you did the sentiment. Good ol' Paper Smooches! The swirly snow card is beautiful. I love the simplicity of it, yet it has great impact. Thanks for playing at both Less Is More and Can You Handle The Pressure?. How wonderful to see you in both galleries!

Karen said...

Love them both! The bees are darling, and the sentiment is great! I need to think about using your design for the embossing folder for another set of Christmas cards--love it!

Donna said...

Fabulous collection of cards Darnell. Your bee card is just adorable, I have the same little bee charm is in my craft room! And your Christmas card is amazing, so beautiful! I agree with you on time disappearing-I do not know where it goes. Take care sweet friend.

Brenda in IN said...

I love that bee card. the vellum with dotted frame is lovely. The bees antennas make me think they are smiling. Stunning snowflake card that just shines. A great e/f and snowflake. I am in the last stage of life and happy with it.

Carol L said...

I envy anyone who successfully uses vellum on cards! These 2 CAS beauties are wonderful and I have a little container of those metal sentiments and charms to use up too! Time just flies by for me too and I never seem to get anything accomplished within a reasonable time frame. Best wishes for a fun labor day weekend and I do hope you're able to stay cool in that dreadful heat! We're trying to chill here as well.

Darlene said...

OMG ... both cards are FABULOUS my friend! I hear ya on loosing time ... I've had health issue since May (lost my entire summer) and here it is knocking on the door of Fall! Good Grief! I just want to get back to NORMAL!!!!! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Peace On Earth challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back often. We appreciate your support!

Darlene
PEACE ON EARTH
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS

Darlene said...

Ooops ... forgot (brain dead ya know lol) ... thanks for also sharing your beautiful design with us over on our Can You Handle the Pressure embossing challenge. Gorgeous inspiration!

Cat Craig said...

What cool vellum, love the partial border look. Your second card is a stunner love every little detail. I never thought to emboss glitter paper what a cool idea. Did you have to do anything special to it? Moisture? and I love the ribbon and metal tag. Seems like old things are becoming new again. Seeing a lot of die cut rounds with sentiments on them. Wasn't that a thing about 10 years ago? Lol. Love it.

Alice (scrAPpamondo) said...

Two fabulous CAS cards as always Darnell, just love those cute bees on the partial dotted border and also the embossed snowflakes on the glitter paper in the second one, wow!! I realized that I never tried to emboss glitter paper! Thanks for sharing!
Hugs

Sandra H said...

l love the vellum on your card its so effective and makes a lovely finish loving the bees too, your snowflake card is just as lovely xx

Jenny L said...

Hi Darnell,
I agree where does time seem to go lately I barely get up and it's time for bed again.
Yes I do nap in the morning as I don't sleep well at night with my RLS.
Just wish it was the other way around and I could sleep at night at the right time.
Love your wonderful cards and their super designs.
The first is so sweet with the vellum and those bees.
Love the embossing folder used on the second card it is gorgeous and so lovely.
Love the joke it is so brilliant and those ladies know how to party that's for sure.
Lots of crafty love and hugs from my house to yours. Jenny L.

Linda W. (ScrappinBari) said...

Two wonderful cards, Darnell - just love the buzzy bees and the embossed snowflakes! Fun AI girlfriends with the 5 stages - I'm right there with the final one!!

Gerrina said...

Both cards are great! They both look crisp and fresh! Love that you used NBUS things! Hugs, Gerrina

Leslie Miller said...

That is hands down the cutest piece of vellum I've ever seen! Love how you fit your card to those three challenges. You're so good at that. I get confused if I try too many. Your Swirling Snowflakes are beautiful. You don't need much with all the shimmer and snowflakes. I hear you about the missing blocks of time. How did it get to be September when I'm not sure if I even had a summer? I miss the summer activities. Things are different these days, but the little things are still pretty amazing. Hugs!

Debbie said...

Beautiful cards! (And love your life stages! LOL)
Thanks for playing along at Cardz 4 Galz
Debbie - C4G DT
Debbie's Dash of This and That

Cheryl W. said...

Hey, there, Darnell! I like it when you lie, 'cuz your little fibs are so much fun. So no slapping or reprimands are necessary. he he Your cards are awesome. That vellum is something to bee-hold (see what I did there?). And the Christmas card is gorgeous, but it looks a little too much like the blizzards we have here in Minnesota on occasion. I actually shivered a little, even though it's 80 degrees at 10pm. Keep on crafting, and have a great weekend.

Kathyk said...

Two TOTALLY fabulous cards, Darnell

Happy Friday

Kathyk

Bobby said...

I started off with a chuckle and ended with a giggle on your clever blog today, Darnell. Good for you using ancient items. We all need to get back to those things we've neglected and I plan to do that when I get back to my usual craft space. That bee dotted vellum in darling and I am in love with that swirly, glittery, metal sentiment adorned card.

brandco2450@gmail.com said...

Super post! I love the first card, it's beautiful and uncomplicated!!
I love the second one because it's all about snowflakes and is just
awesome! xoxoxo

Bonnie Lynn said...

I love both of your cards Darnell! Way to go using your sparkling paper too. I think I'm at the "to hell with it" stage. I have no idea where time goes for me either since I got COVID in January. This long haul stuff is for the birds! Heck, anything COVID related is for the birds. Have a fabulous weekend and try to stay cool!

Pat said...

Such cute bees on that super vellum Darnell and love the added sweet bee charm and very apt sentiment, also the twofer using the pretty 3D EF with the swirls and snowflakes is gorgeous, and the metal sentiment plate attached with ribbon works brilliantly. The funny really made me laugh too..these days when I look in the mirror I think who is that grey haired woman, it surely can't be me..lol. x

TK said...

Great cards, both of them! I was, however, glued to my seat in anticipation of how you colored your bees -- then fell promptly off, since I have NO luck finding adorable paper like that!
Equally great is your CAS Christmas Swirls, and ability to use your older products - kudos!
P.S. I resemble that meme above...

Whisper said...

Oooo gorgeous embossing hun and I'm loving the sparkly pearlescent card too, thanks for joining us at Augusts Rudolph Days Challenge, Luv Sam x

Inkyfingers said...

What a lovely pair of cards, Darnell, and I particularly love the swirly embossed one. This looks so classy and I love that you used the little metal plaque - I have several of these in my stash from scrapbooking days and you have inspired me to dig them out. I know what you mean about time whooshing by. I think I am in a time warp because days and weeks are whizzing by and I'm getting nothing done but feel as tired as if I was working 24/7!!! What is going on? Hope you are coping with the heat.
Take care,
Hugs
Carol
PS forgot to say - thanks for sharing with us at Addicted to Stamps and More.

Sue said...

Gorgeous cards Darnell hugs Sue x

Melanie Hungerford said...

That is an amazing snowflake folder, and couldn't be showcased more beautifully than with that shimmery paper. Great card! Thanks for joining us at Can You Handle the Pressure!

Kate said...

I just love the “other worldliness” of vellum! And preprinted with those lovely bees and pretty polka dot border, even better! I love bees… on cards! Not so keen on the real thing as I’ve been stung too many times! And this year we seem to have had more than our fair share of their nastier cousins wasps. Fortunately no casualties but we’ve had to be super vigilant with our drinks!
Your second card is a reminder of the cooler months ahead - which many of us will be looking forward to! I think I have some of those metal charms somewhere squirrelled away!

HilaryJane said...

I know exactly what you mean about time as the exact same thing happens to me. This is why I am so late visiting these stunning cards. You have certainly been showcasing your wonderful CAS style with your recent cards. That bee card is so sweet and that's a great tip for using up that glittery paper, thank you xx

Linby said...

I don't know where the time goes either. I bought a 3d Christmas tree embossing folder that you used last year, as I had to have it, and I haven't used it yet! Two fab cards as always.

Sue - said...

Another two great cards Darnell. The snowflake one is definitely my favourite and so simple to make as well with that gorgeous card! xx

perfectly4med said...

Lovely cards, and I particularly like your onefer bees - great use of the vellum. Thanks for joining us at Less is More.
Neil

JD/ Jill said...

You've made two lovely cards!

Izzy Scrap said...

Two gorgeous cards, Darnell ! The little bees are beautiful and I love the transparency of their wings. Wonderful CAS card. This swirly snow embossing folder is just fabulous and you've made a beautiful Christmas card with it. Simple but very impactful with this shimmery card stock. Thanks for showing me how to use all these glittery papers that I've had in my stash for ages. Thanks so much for sharing and for playing along at ATSM.

Rachel D said...

Such a precious bee card, Darnell. Delightfully layered but still cas and I love the sentiment - so unique! Thanks so much for playing along with us at Perfectly CAS this month!