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!

July 7, 2025

Mirrored Ovals

Hello Stamplings!

I hope you all enjoyed last week and you're ready to bust this new week wide open! Things slow down a little online this time of the year as we spend more time outdoors when the weather is fine. As much as we love paper flowers, there is nothing like the real thing!

If you do have time to garden and craft, this is the first full week of July, which means the motivation I.D.E.A.S. Calendar is I = Ink/Color Mediums.

Onefer
I was also busy last week with my birthday and America's birthday, so I turned to Freshly Made Sketches for inspiration and this is my take on the sketch. The "Lush Greenery" is from Pinkfresh. It comes with two halves, but I only used one-half and stamped it as a mirror image.*

*Edited: I can't change the title after publishing, but I wanted to edit the wording here so it's not confusing. I did not stamp the above in the traditional sense of the "mirror technique." Using my MISTI, I stamped the image once, cleaned the stamp, and removed it from the MISTI. Then I repositioned the stamp on the paper, so that it was "upside down" and butting up against the first image. I inked the stamp, closed the MISTI, and stamped a second image. In that way, they mirrored each other. I hope that makes sense! If not, let me know.

I used my Ziggies to color the greenery and the lads very carefully winked the wee leaves. I used Poppystamps NBUS pointed oval die for the sediment and their pointed rectangle die to add a frame. I used the "aloha" die from Your Next Stamp because it's perfect for a birthday card for my friend who spends half the year in Hawaii! Poor dear.😂🌴🥥

Other Challenges

CAS on Friday: Botanical.
Tic Tac Toe: Diagonal, top left to bottom right: foliage/free/any sediment.
TIME OUT: Travel.



Twofer
I liked how my first card turned out so much that I used the sketch and dies again to make a Christmas design. Like with the first card, I stamped the Magenta poinsettia trio, cleaned the stamp, turned it (the stamp) upside down and stamped it again. Then we painted, winked, and framed them using a sediment from Simon Says Stamp.

Challenges

Holly & Ivy: Anything Christmas Goes.
Jingle Belles: Poinsettia Perfection.
Merry Little Christmas: Anything Christmas Goes.

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I.D.E.A.S. Calendar:  I = Ink/Color Mediums

You will find a linky tool below for you to share your creation using some form of coloring, inking, painting, etc. which might help lift someone out of their creative schlump!

I
 love seeing what you create, visiting you, and pinning your design! Thank you to everyone who visited and linked to the gallery last week. Mwah!
~~~

Enjoy your week! No seriously, enjoy! LITS!

Here's an example from my little friend on enjoying life, taken from the Playhouse window. As always, thank you for visiting and commenting!
*Life is too short!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

38 comments:

Em Louise Fairley said...

They are both beautiful, Darnell xoxo

!neke said...

Great cards Darnell !!!!!

Julie B said...

These look fab Darnell, the frames really hit the spot. Sadly although I've been in the garden it's looking very sad and dry, the usual bounty of the annuals is being tempered by the drought! :)

Jean said...

Love how you did the mirror image. Gorgeous cards. Happy birthday!

Bonnie said...

Either that squirrel is hung over or it's really hot! LOL! I'm loving both of your cards and how you used that sketch! The greenery is so pretty and the pointed oval works perfectly for the sediments! Red poinsettias are my favorites and that makes such a pretty Christmas card!

Donna said...

Two amazing card, great coloring and I like how different they are with the same design! Have a great week Darnell!

Karen said...

Darnell, I love both versions of that sketch. I was especially pleased to see the first one. I recently came across Lush Greenery, and realized I hadn't used it in a very long time. Your card is an inspiration to get it out as soon as I finished with my July goal of getting through as many NBUS products as I can. So far, so good. I had used six new products so far on the 6th of July. Doubt I can keep that up, but every bit counts! Have a wonderful week!

TK said...

Kudos! Mirror stamping, and getting those "halves" in the right spot! I think "I" stands for impressed for me... both cards are fantastic and colorful. It seems as Mr Squirrel also enjoys the flowers, of the real kind!

Aquarius said...

Two gorgeous floral cards - loving the proportions of the oval frame and the colouring and 'winking' of the flowers is great

I Card Everyone said...

I LOve how you've used that PFS stamp, D!
Thanks for planting your pretty perfectly posed posies in our FMS gallery! x
=]

Leslie Miller said...

Such a pretty use of the sketch for both cards, and flawless mirror stamping! I can feel the warmth in the first card, and the second makes me want to bundle up for the chilly holiday season. You're so right about being out in the garden. I wonder how I have time to stamp, but I work it in 'cause I love it so much. Your little friend knows how to enjoy the garden, alright!

Carole said...

Wowsers Darnell...two super duper cards, love them both but the poinsettias really catch the eye. Who's getting ahead for Christmas then?...xx

brandco2450@gmail.com said...

Super cards! Love how the second card became a Christmas card!

Lynette said...

Ooooh, I love both of these, Darnell!! The first especially tickles my fancy. :-) The white space is delightful, and your coloring is great.

HilaryJane said...

That's a great design and I really love the first card. The colours are great xx

Amy O said...

Two fabulous cards!. I love the coloring. Thanks for joining us at Freshly Made Sketches this week!

Nan G said...

Hey Darnell, I love both cards, especially the Christmas. Sorry I missed your birthday last week. I was in hospital for 4 days. I’m home now struggling to regain strength and get back on my feet. Hugs, Nan minus the Girls :(

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

I sent you a birthday comment last week Darnell but it never appeared that I can see. Praying for Texas devastating floods and grieving families and live design of those first two cards too.
Praying for you, Shaz in Oz.x

Cat Craig said...

Lovely take on the sketch, Darnell. Both are bold and bright and sure to bring smiles.

Julia Aston said...

Wow sis! two beauties - LOVE the colors you inked on the florals - what a beautiful stamp and wonderful design - and then such a different look with the same design but using lovely red poinsettias with the die cut NOEL sentiment! Julia xx

Gerrina said...

Love that when you can use the same design and make it 'feel'/look so different!
Love your friend pic! Hugs, Gerrina

Susan B said...

Lovely tropical colours on the Aloha card, and perfect traditional Christmas colours on the other. Fabulous twofer!

Linda Callahan said...

Both cards are terrific! Great ideas for the sketch! Glad you joined us at FMS!

Linby said...

Two different but equally bright and beautiful cards. Love the garden pic - I'm sure he can move over and make room for you!

Linda W. (ScrappinBari) said...

Two floral beauties, Darnell - love the delicate flowers on card one and the bold poinsettias on card two! Thanks for then inspiration with inks!! And thanks for sharing your little friend enjoying life in your garden!!

Bobby said...

I'd love a shirt with your aloha design, Darnell. It's so pretty and colorful. When a design works why not make a second and the poinsettia worked great to add another Christmas card to your stash.

Cheryl W. said...

Both of these cards are stunners! I can see where this design could be used for lots of occasions. Thanks for inspiring us all once again.

Stampin with Liz Design said...

These are amazing!! Thanks for playing along at CAS on Friday Challenges!

dj said...

So pretty...I love your color combo choice!! Thanks for joining the fun and playing along with our clean and simple BOTANICAL challenge over at CAS on Friday!! Deb Horst, DT #312

Kate said...

Happy belated 4th July! Wow, love both of these soooo much - and I'm not usually a fan of sketches! Just a thought, since "aloha" makes me think of an exotic travel destination, it would be perfect for the current Time Out Challenge! Hugs, Kate!

Pat said...

Both cards are gorgeous using the sketch Darnell, and love the colours and the pierced outer frame and pierced oval sentiment plate with the two different die cut words added...both work brilliantly. That squirrel looks totally 'pooped' taking a much needed lie down. x

Carol said...

Absolutely beautiful colors and design Darnell, and I see the FMS sketch in your card as well as our Time Out Travel theme. The dies you used have such nice details that don't overshadow the focal point at all. Such a nice clean card. Thanks so much for playing along with us at TO!!!!

kiwimeskreations said...

Oh your poor friend, having to spend six of every twelve months in Hawaii ... I would willing trade places ;)
Two beautiful cards, Darnell, and I love that you simply turned the stamp to create the doubled image - perfect. A great sketch also... I may just have to keep that in mind one of these days.
Give the wee boys a rub from me, they have been working so very hard
Blessings
Maxine

lauren bergold said...

Oh WOW! Both of these cards are incredibly lovely and a sort of masterclass on how you can use the same "recipe" to save time and effort and yet still make absolutely unique cards each time! So happy you could join our festive floral and foliage fun at Jingle Belles!

Nancy said...

Absolutely lovely! Thanks for playing along with our Travel themed challenge at Time Out Challenges!

SmilynStef said...

love how you positioned your sentiment surrounded by all of those lovely blooms ... so glad you shared your Poinsettia Perfection with us at Jingle Belles.

Kate said...

Congrats Darnell! Your aloha card was (deservedly) chosen as our top pick for our Travel Challenge at Time Out! All the deets are on the Time Out Challenge Blog - I do hope you will join us as our guest in a few weeks!
Hugs, Kate!

LesleyG said...

Congratulations on your time out win Darnell ! It made me smile how your generosity came full circle. I was chuffed to have my sailing card below, and I also had a lovely email from your other winner of your giveaway away 😉😘