Hello Stamplings!
I hope you are doing well as we whoosh around to the last Monday of February! I'm pickled tink that I managed to post every Monday this month and I so appreciate of all of you visiting and commenting!
I have to admit I "stretched" the title of the post a bit. It should say, "Play More Cards Day" and it was yesterday and only for the day and they don't mean handmade cards, but in the pocket of my tan jacket in the back of the closet you'll find a creative license under the name Art Blanch which allows me libations.
So, hurrazah, let's make more cards this week! It is also the fourth week of the month on my I.D.E.A.S. calendar, so woohoo, A = Anything Goes!
Onefer
Goodness, I'll wait while you get your sunglasses! In fact, I'll grab mine, too! The sun turned my springy lime green into sassy Char Truz! I used a NBUS stencil from the "Rising Wildflowers" set from Pinkfresh Studio. The die was out of stock, but rather than tossing the stencil on Mt. NBUS, I went to work blending CP inks and then I went over parts of the flowers with my watercolor pencils for a little more dementia.
The scalloped frame is from Pink & Main, the NBUS "birthday" die is from Poppystamps, and the tiny "happy" is ancient from WPlus9.
Challenges: Addicted to Stamps and More (Make Your Mark); Colorful Options (Pink/Purple); and Pinkfresh Studio (February).
Twofer
When I saw Lisa's Mood Board at Just Us Girls, this design quickly came to mind. When Hammy is over at Daphne's playing with Stanley (and Daphne's dwarf hamster Dwayne), she often gets out her tea set for make-believe. It all starts out well, but before oolong, the lads start scampering, sending everything arse over teacup ~ literally. Fortunately, Daph is a light-heated lass and their antics send her off into peals of laughter!
I used a NBUS coffee mug die from Simon Says Stamp, cut from a snippet of pretty pp. The hamster stamps and dies are from Your Next Stamp and Your Next Die. The window die is from Poppystamps and I backed it with vellum patterned with silver leaves. It still needed a little sumpthin, so I added some silver baseboard as a ground and fern bits cut from silver using a NBUS "Dainty Ferns Die" from Waffle Flower. The NBUS sediments are from Pinkfresh Studio.
Additional Challenges: Alphabet (V for Volume); Inkspirational (Mug); Critter Crazy (Anything Goes); and Snippets Playground (Use Your Snippets ~ I remembered to take a photo!).
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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! I'm becited to see all your cards this week!♣️🎴
*Life is too short!
Those cheeky chaps made me smile Darnell and you're right about the first, it certainly brightened up a grey morning, of which there has been a lot recently. In fact there have been places in the UK that have had rain everyday so far in 2026 and here feels like one of them, no spring prep in my garden yet! :)
ReplyDeleteDarnell, they are beautiful and cute! xoxo
ReplyDeleteSuch bright and happy cards this week, Darnell. Love it. I also love the antics of your furry friends! Have a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteYou done good, my friend by posting all month. It's good to have you back in Blogland and seeing what you are creating (and what the boys are up to). What bright and pretty cards to start the week with!
ReplyDeleteYour coffee cup is filled with fun! Thanks for joining in at JUGS
ReplyDeleteLove both creations Darnell; I always find myself smiling big when reading your fun posts too! Thank you for sharing your *heartfelt* :) mug design at INkspirational~ (you bring out the punny in me friend)
ReplyDeletePretty - and fun! - cards, Darnell. And I always love your entertaining posts. :-)
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see you're making cards, Darnell! The first one is an eye catcher for sure--beautiful! Very cute mug card and love the window in the background!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are awesome, and great use of color on your first one! Your second is a very sweet scene, one which will bring a smile. It's great to see you making some time for yourself, keeping your juju going and unwinding. However, I do see the sense of humor has stayed in tact and your story made me giggle! What a sight to see the "kids" playing and causing a ruckus.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card designs, like the colors and ink blending, cheerful and uplifting!
ReplyDeleteSuch cheery cards today. I am definitely feeling that spring is coming. Thank you xx
ReplyDeleteSomeone is going to receive a most bright and cheery birthday card and I'll wager they'll love it! My camera does that with certain shades of green. I love your frolicking hamster critters! The critters and the mug look great cut from the paper. It appears as though they were colored and shaded that way. It's been nice to see you every Monday this month, Darnell!
ReplyDeleteLove your cards Darnell, especially that adorable bear card which is perfect for Lisa's mood board. Your stenciled flowers are bright and cheerful.
ReplyDeleteLove your bright flowers - such a great idea, Darnell, to add some watercolor after stenciling. Must remember that one! Love your sweet mug with the critters hanging on for dear life. Thanks for bringing a smile today!!
ReplyDeleteSo good to see your creations again. I've been a bit absent too so this is my first time seeing you in the new year. Love the hammys, and obviously the tale that goes with the creation. Your first card is a fabulous bringing of spring time.
ReplyDeleteThe bright colors of your first card are very welcome here where winter has a grip on us all! At least we were spared the awful blizzard they got on the coast. I love that Birthday die-wonderful font and stands up against all those gorgeous florals. Your hamsters are adorable, and I always get a good chuckle from your commentary! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThe first is so bright and pretty Darnell, and I love the stencilled flowers and the inverted scalloped frame works so well. The three cheeky hamsters look great in and around the pretty pink mug on the second, and the die cut window with the leafy vellum gives the illusion of hanging greenery outside, and the buff coloured textured card works well as the base...two brilliant cards! x
ReplyDeleteTwo marvelous makes, my friend! The first so bright and happy. Just what so many need with this snowy cold weather. Your JUGs entry is too darn cute! Love hammy and his pals to bits. Thanks for playing along this week!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have posted! I always get inspired! Here in both I love jow you combined very bold colors with more neutrals'it make them pop! Hugs, Gerrina
ReplyDeleteThose hamsters def know how to have fun! I just hope they don't hurt themselves, climbing around on that mug. They make a cute scene, though. Your first card is so bright and happy, it almost made me believe that Spring is actually on its way. Things are still pretty cold and grim here in Minnesota.
ReplyDeleteTwo bright and cheerful cards, thanks for brightening my day! Xxx
ReplyDeleteA beautiful and bright card to cheer us up in this gloomy weather. Your second card is so fun and playful.
ReplyDeleteSuper cards from the cheerful mix of colors to the fun and cute critters, we are honored to have you join our challenge at Colorful Options!
ReplyDeleteDiane CO DT
{Nellies Nest}
{Colorful Options}
Darnell... great to see you in the Just Us Girls gallery with two amazing cards!
ReplyDeleteYou know the way to brighten a dreary day, Darnell. Your pink flowers are lovely with the bright green and how fun to have those hamsters playing in a hot tub, I mean mug. So glad you are having fun creating again.
ReplyDeleteFabulous Twofer post Darnell. Love your zingy birthday card (I put my sunnies on, thanks for waiting!).
ReplyDeleteAlso adore the cute Snippets card with hammy and friends.
Thanks for coming to play in the Snippets Playground. See you behind the bike sheds for a snifter later. xxx
Brilliant Twofer, Darnell. Your first card is so bright and cheerful and I love the cute design of your second card.
ReplyDeleteLiz xx
Great cards. I'm so glad you're slowly getting back into cardmaking. I hope Kevin is doing much better and his health is returning to normal. And you'll be able to devote more time to your art. I'm thinking that when Kevin was forced to stay home, you might have gotten him interested in crafting. You'd have three helpers :-)
ReplyDeleteHugs to you and Kevin
BożenA
This upbeat and amusing post has cheered me as usual and I love the idea of a 'making more cards' day. Thank you so much for your good wishes and the offer of a shot of wodka behind the bike sheds 🤣🤣in the Playground.
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to see your posts and seems your getting back into it with these beautiful and bright cards both are truly stunning x
ReplyDeleteTwo bright and happy designs sis! The floral bday really pops with that 'lime green?' or maybe bright yellow?! And your critters are just adorable having fun in their mug! thanks for sharing with us at Inkspirational: Visual prompt! Julia xx
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful to see you playing and making cards again, my sweet friend!! These are are AWESOME! LOVE the pretty pink stenciled flowers - gorgeous! And the hamsters in the mug made me smile ... we can all use a smile these days! :) I was hoping to play along this month with your return of IDEAS, but time was limited in the studio and the mojo wasn't around when there was a little time. xx
ReplyDeleteStill smiling after seeing those adorable hamsters in the mug! And your floral birthday card was a real mood booster in those vibrant colours - it's quite a grey day here today. So glad you're getting more time for making cards! I need to get back to it after two weeks of being a couch potato watching the Olympics!!
ReplyDeleteHow great to see you in the Playground Darnell! LOVE the hammies snippets card. Is it me - my eyes literally pained at the vivid chartreuse and pink - much as I love the card. Since the cataract surgeries I also feel pain when the sun unexpectedly shines in my peepers.
ReplyDeleteShades are my best friend!
Hugs, and one for Kevin too!
Di xx
You were right about the need for sunglasses for the first card - very pretty though! I love Hammy in the coffee mug! xx
ReplyDeleteGreat to see hammy and friend having fun ….. so cute . The first one almost blinded me it was awesome a wonderful bit of sunshine much needed I. My part of the world ….. grey and wet lol xxx
ReplyDeleteIt's so good to see you back in gear, my friend, and you have not lost your form one little bit! Your bright florals are bringing sunshine to a very cloudy day here, and the frolicking hammies are so cute. I hope you are well, and I'm sending lots of love.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Carol xxx
PS Thanks for coming to play at Adducted to Stamps and More.
Cute cards. The cup full of critters is wonderful. Thanks for sharing over at Alphabet challenge
ReplyDeleteLove the hamster card! and your post in general. Thanks for continuing to post and brighten my day!
ReplyDelete