NBUS #5 Ends Soon! And a Bevie of Birthday Wishes!

Greetings!

If you are looking for my NBUS Challenge #5, click here!

Sadly, the challenge is ending at 11:55 pm PST on Friday, September 18, 2015! That's very soon! Again, thank you so much to all of you who have already played along and been so enthusiastically supportive of using your NBUS! I appreciate it!

It may be New Year's before I get around to your entry post to thank you personally, but I will get there eventually! I am visiting participants in monochronological order. (Well, it should be a word, right? That's one at a time, in the order entered!)

I also want to again thank the magnificent paper craft companies who are generously supporting me on ride #5! If you haven't already, please stop by their blogs when you can and leave a personal thank you! We would all love to have them come back and support the next NBUS Challenge! There are a LOT of amazing prizes being offered!

Finally, as a last reminder, please make sure you are following the rules!

And to all of my new followers: in order for me to find you and introduce you in my New Friends Corner, please make sure you leave me a comment or email me (darnell dot knauss at gmail dot com) to let me know the name of your blog ~ or let me know if don't have a blog. Thank you! I will be introducing you over the next few weeks.

I'll be back on Sunday to post the names of all the winners! Good luck, everyone!

~~~

So? How are you? I hope your week is going well! 

I was able to get out to the Playhouse and make a card last Sunday, but I held off posting it until today because today is my friend Bev's birthday. Naturally, I call her Bevie! She is a fellow BABE, she makes outstanding cards, and she writes a delightful blog called Happy Dance. (You know you're gonna love someone with a blog name like that!) Aside from her artistic bloggie self, Bevie is a wonderful, kind, funny, fun-loving, and supportive friend. And she loves music!

Very often inside her blog, you will find Bevie hosting marvelous birthday parties for others. Today our mutual friend and fellow BABE Anita of My Papercraft World is turning the tables and hosting a virtual birthday party for Bevie! Please drop in to wish the Birthday Girl a Happy Birthday and stay to enjoy some virtual cake and bevieges!

Happy Birthday, my friend! I send you a bevie of birthday wishes!

Here is my card:

I applied three rows of NBUS musical Washi tape from Tape Works to my white card base and then I ran it through the BS with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. I stamped the SU sediment in between the scales. On a separate snippet I made a miniature version and applied it off-set, inspired by the sketch below.

My card still needed a little somethin' somethin.' You know the feeling. Then Hammy remembered we had a few of these ancient small punches and one of them was a musical note ...

Walla! Just the juezz this QACAS card needed for a finished look!

Challenges

• CAS-ual Fridays CAS Challenge: Musical.
• STAMPlorations September Challenge: Theme and Sketch. I actually made a "DJKASE" of my friend and STAMPlorations Designer, Julie B! Check out her card here!

The Mister

We've had a bit of a setback on the surgery recovery. Kevin has been having severe pain and swelling in his calf and foot, far worse pain than the site of the hamstring reattachment. He has had this condition before when he has had leg hematomas, so we weren't overly concerned. The doctor, however, was concerned when we saw him for a follow-up visit yesterday. He wanted to rule out that the cause was DVT (blood clots), so we were sent for an immediate ultrasound. Unfortunately, the results were positive. He is now on medication to break up the clots and once that takes affect, he should be a lot more comfortable. We dodged a bullet there! Thank you again for all you thoughtful comments, your cards, and your prayers!

Fires

On a final note to this colossal post, I'm happy to report we are fortunate not to be in the direct line of any of California's raging firestorms. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who have lost their lives or property due to the infernos. The fires currently burning throughout the state are causing these stunning and vibrant red sunsets. Beautiful, but bittersweet.

~~~

Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*

*Life is too short!

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Birthday Sunflower

Hello, my friends!

If you are looking for my NBUS Challenge #5, click here!

Thank you to all of you who have already played and left appreciative and supportive comments! I am way behind on commenting, but I have noticed that a lot of you are visiting each other and the sponsors and leaving some love. That makes me very happy and sends Hammy squeeing off the walls!

We are halfway through the ten-day NBUS Challenge #5, so head's up if you are intending to join in the fun! Which I sincerely hope you are! It ends at 11:55 PM PST on September 18, 2015.

~~~

Today I only have a onefer for you. I have several friends with September and October birthdays and I love using My Favorite Things "Splendid Sunflower" Die-Namics die and coordinating stamp for fall birthdays.

All the papers are snippets from my stash. The e/f is "Distressed Stripes" by Cuttlebug. The sediment is also MFT from the "LJD Pretty Poppies" set.

You knew that sunflowers turn their heads to face the sun throughout the day, but did you know that the sunflower head is actually composed of hundreds of individual flowers joined together?

Challenges

• Addicted to Stamps and More: Anything Goes.
• MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge
• MFT Card Design Superstar Card Contest
• Pixie's Snippets Playground: Use your snippets.
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Coordinating Dies and Stamps.

Surgery Update

The Mister came through surgery just fine! I'm not gonna lie, it's a bummer being him, except for he's lucky to have Nurse Nelly shower him with love and attention! I'm happy to report that he has been an excellent patient. Thank you for understanding that I'm a bit scattered and distracted and not managing much time on the computer. And thank you from both of us for the fantastic cards he is receiving!

I did sneak out to make today's card while he was napping. It was another blistering hot day here today. I glanced out my window at one point and saw this:

It truly made me giggle out loud! I was so happy I had the camera on the desk so I could take pictures. It was as if this little squirrel friend was expressing sympathy for the Mister's temporarily useless leg! 

No? Well, okay, he was just hot as blazes and stretched out on the cool(er) limb in the shade. Here are a couple more shots I took:

When I stepped out of the Playhouse a few minutes later, the little squirrel just stayed there, only a couple of feet from me. We had a lovely conversation while Hammy watched from inside on the window ledge. It's good for him to see me talking with other furry critters once in a while so he doesn't take me for granite.

It's possible I'm battier than normal and we are only on day 4 of a 42-day recovery. Whee!

~~~

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!

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It's Here! NBUS Challenge #5!

Welcome!

Today is the Big Day!! NBUS CHALLENGE #5 IS HERE!

Let's get right to it! If you're like me, when you play in a challenge you want to know three things:

1. The theme.
2. The dates.
3. The rules.

So here you go!

Anything Goes!

12:05 a.m. PST on September 8, 2015 to 

11:55 p.m. PST on September 18, 2015

• You must use a NBUS item on your creation and indicate what it is. It doesn't matter if it is old or new, although that old virginal schtuff would really like some attention!
• This challenge is a thank you to my followers, so to be eligible for a prize, please join via the blue "Join This Site" button on my side bar.
• Cut and paste the NBUS badge into your post or on your side bar and include a link back to the challenge post.
• Please enter only four other challenges in addition to this one for a total of five.
• Link up your creation using the Inlinkz button at the bottom of this challenge in the usual way.
• You may enter a total of three times. New work only please.
• HAVE FUN!!

If you don't have a blog and want to play or need any further information, please click HERE for further details and contact information.

Wait. What? There are prizes? Well, yes indeed there are! You saw the tease yesterday, now here is the list of generous sponsors and their prizes in alpha betty order!

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps

Prize:  New Holiday Stamp Set 
(to be released to the public on 10-3-15) 
and Fri-Die (Value over $30)

_____________________________________________________

djkardkreations

Prizes:  FIVE (5) $25 gift certificates - Winner's Choice
_____________________________________________________

Happy Little Stampers

Two Prizes:  One Stamp Set each - Winner's Choice

_____________________________________________________

MHK Designs

Prize:  Three Digi's from Mynnette Kitchens Etsy Shop - Winner's Choice

_____________________________________________________

Paper Smooches

Prizes:  TWO $25 Gift Certificates

_____________________________________________________

Poppystamps

Prize:  Die of Winner's Choice (Value $20)

_____________________________________________________

Precious Remembrance Shop

Prize:  Coffee Love Stamp Set

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Rubber Dance Stamps

Three Prizes:  One $25 Gift Certificate / 

Two Grab Bags (Value $30 Each)

_____________________________________________________

Serendipity Stamps

Prize:  $20 Gift Certificate

_____________________________________________________

STAMPlorations

Prize:  $25 Gift Certificate

_____________________________________________________

Technique Tuesday

Prize:  $25 Gift Certificate

_____________________________________________________

The Twinery

Prize:   $20 Gift Certificate

_____________________________________________________

Top Dog Dies

Prize:  $20 Gift Certificate

_____________________________________________________

Uniko Stamps

Prize:  One Stamp Set - Winner's Choice

_____________________________________________________

Waltzingmouse Stamps
Prize:  L20 GBP Gift Card 

(Approximately $30 Value US)

_____________________________________________________

Winnie & Walter

Prize:  $25 Gift Certificate

_____________________________________________________

Your Next Stamp

Prize:  $25 Gift Certificate

_____________________________________________________

I mean, is that COOL or what?!! Thank you, awesome companies, for sponsoring NBUS Challenge #5! And thanks again to Jeanne!

The above wonderful sponsor logos are occupying the first Inlinkz thumbnails below in the order received. I hope that you will show your appreciation for their sponsorship by visiting these fabulous companies! You will be rewarded when you visit them not only by the products they offer, but by the special prizes some of them are offering for NBUS participants on their blogs! Go see!

SELECTION OF PRIZES

Because you are all my friends, I could never select one of you over another, so I will use Dr. Random and Mrs. Dot Org to choose the prize winners. They will work throughout the night and day on September 19th. I will notify the sponsors of the winners' names via email on September 19th and then Hammy and I will have a wodka to celebrate another successful challenge thanks to them and to all of you!

On Sunday, September 20, 2015, I will post the names of all the winners and their prizes!

GO!

I can't wait to see the beautiful creations you make and enter below using one or more item of Never-Before-Used Schtuff!!

If you have any questions, please email darnell dot knauss at gmail dot com.

Thank you very much for participating and for being incredible followers and supporters! Your friendship and your cheerleading comments keep me going! Hammy and I appreciate you very much!

~~~

Enjoy your day! Enjoy the challenge! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*

*Life is too short!

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An InLinkz Link-up

W-O-W and NBUS Challenge News

Happy Sunday Hello! Thank you for stopping by the Playhouse!

The other day when I had my watering can out to make my Uniko GD card, Hammy and I got to talking about how much we love white-on-white (or, as I like to say, W-O-W) cards and how it's been over two years since we've made one.

That was quickly remedied with this:

and, of course, the inside completion of the sediment, thus:

As you can see, this is a "die-happy" card, which is often the case with W-O-W cards. Oh, haha, now I can "die happy!" Settle down. We mustn't have that!

The dies are: Impression Obsession: "Die053-M" (long-stemmed hearts); Memory Box: "Garden Watering Can"; Simon Says Stamp: "Be," "Butterfly Tendrils" (NBUS) (butterflies only), and "Oh Happy Day" (happy only).

Challenges

• Pixie's Snippets Playground: Use your snippets.
• Shopping Our Stash: Layer It On Me.
• Simply Create Too: Anything Goes.

~~~

NBUS #5 IS COMING!

I've only got the onefer for you today, because I have a big pronouncement! Some of you have been asking, nay, clamoring for another NBUS** challenge and I agree, it is way past time for one!

As you know, I have been holding a new challenge with every hunnert followers that join, but that has slowed down, so I've made the executive decision to hold two NBUS challenges a year from now on: one in March and one in September!

September is right around the corner so mark your calendars and start your engines!

~~~

NEW AND BECITING:  SPONSORS!!!

I'm happy to announce that there are companies you know and love who will be sponsors for this next challenge, so there will be even MORE prizes to be won!! 

If you are a company owner or a Design Team member, feel free to contact me about sponsorship for your company! But hurry, the challenge date is fast approaching!  

(Contact: darnell dot knauss at gmail dot com.)

Go forth and climb your Mt. NBUS and start excavating! The challenge theme is "Anything Goes." I know those creative juices are already at work and I can't wait to see what you make!

~~~

~~~

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 scrolling:

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me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!