Fruit Cocktail, Anyone?

Hello Stamplings!

How are you? Happy St. Patrick's Day! Mother Nature is putting on her usual March theatrical productions across the universe. I hope she sits down and has a Guinness so everyone can get a break!

I was hoping to start posting more often, but now that I'm fully vaccinated, I am catching up on appointments that I have had to put off for a year. Doctors and dentists are going to be swarmed with appointments.

Swarm is one of those words that sounds like what it does, huh? Still, you can't help but think it might have been used for a situation like a fierce workout where you end up all sweaty and warm. "How are you?" asks your friend. "Swarm!" you reply. 

In my case, I'd be all sweaty and HOT, so I guess my reply would be "Shot!"

Okay, okay, moving on, I've got two fruity cards for you today:

There is only one week left in the current Twofer Card Challenge where the prompt is YOUR CHOICE! I know, right? So if you are making a card for something else, you can make two and play in Twofer! Win-win! You can use any stamp, stencil, or die you want; you just have to use it on both cards and make them distinctly different design layouts for different occasions. 

For my Twofer reminder inspiration for you, I am using an awesome NBUS set of stamps called, "Layered Citrus." They were designed for STAMPlorations by my friend Shirley Bee. I had to have the set the minute I saw it, but then you know how it goes ... it got put away and ingored.

Onefer

Slurp! For this birthday card, I used an old cocktail glass from a company no longer in business. While Hammy glossified the drinkie poo and the juicy slab of lemon, I die cut the enjoy die from Penny Black several times and glued the stack together. Passing that to his nibs to be glossified, I stamped a shadow and adhered the linen panel (embossed with wonky stitches from MFT) onto a shiny gold mat. The design was finished by attaching the glass, wedge of lemon, and sediment.

Challenges

• Alphabet Challenge: Y is for Yellow.
  
• Retro Rubber: Anything goes. The layered slices set is from 2018.
  
• Simply Create Too: Wet or Dry Embossing.

Twofer

Doesn't this look refreshing? I think this will bring a smile and much-needed hugs to a dear friend. The shadowed hugs die is from PTI. I used the remaining slices in Shirley's set for this design. I stamped the outline, then overstamped the insides in various citrus colors and then fussy-cut them. After they were dry from Hammy's glossifying, I adhered them to a scored snippet of linen card to make the second design cohesivate with the first design. 

Hic. Sorry, my typing is slurring from just looking at card number one!

Challenges

• Addicted to Stamps and More: Make your mark.
  
• Happy House: The color orange.
  
• HLS Anything Goes With Dies: March A/G.

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I can't wait to see which stamp, die, or stencil you choose for your prompt and the two distinctly different designs you create with it for two different occasions. You can find a list of occasions on the challenge side bar.

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Enjoy your day! 
No, seriously, enjoy and stay safe! 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: Click 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!)

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.

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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!

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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!

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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! 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:

Click 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 the pop-up box opens.
Click Jump to Comment Form; no more car pool tunnel! Mwah!
If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave
me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!

July CCC Reveal and DJKASE #33

Hi Everybody! Happy Weak End!!

And Happy First Day of August 2015! (I'm not even going to give it the satisfaction of talking about how it whooshed in here like a speeding locomotive.)

On a positive note, it is time to reveal the cards those of us sent and received who partysipated in Deborah Nolan's (Society of Stampaholics) July Card Chain Challenge.

Here is my card:

Made by me and sent to Janet (Mauritias) of Swanlady Impressions

I used the Lil Inker stitched rectangle on the card base and the stitched oval for the peek-a-boo opening. The paper behind the opening and the stapled ribbons are by SU. The NBUS sediment is from Kaiser Craft's "Friendship Sentiments" set. QACAS!

I followed the friendship theme and sketch option below. Next to it is the beautiful card I was fortunate to receive from the talented Marga from Spain, whose blog is My Crafty Inspiration.

  

It would be lovely if you could visit Marga! I think Deborah's challenge is really a fun way to send Happy Mail all over the world and make new card pen pals, so I hope you'll check it out and join in!

Today's Twofer

My second card today is a twofer inside a twofer, so to speak, because 1) I made another Christmas card, and 2), I squeezed in a DJKASE for July! 

I am bemused at how the sun angle makes it look like my Rudolph's right eye is lidded and half-closed in a wink, as if having two differently sized eyeballs wasn't oddball enough! It gives him even more of a "Yo, dude, waz up?" expression. Up close you can see that he doesn't even have an eyelid IRL:

The striped fishtail banner is from MFT. The scallop frame is cut from felt using a NBUS Nestabilities die called "Lacey Squares." The wee reindeer is from Paper Smooches "Santa Paws" set. And the NBUS "Joy" is from Winnie & Walter.

And who is my DJKASE inspiration? I'm delighted to say my honoree is my friend Jane Willis of Onions and Paper. Jane's blog name refers to the fact that she provides us with mouthwatering recipes for food in addition to her outstanding recipes for cards! Of course, me and the hamster are all over that combo plate!

Here is Jane's May Rudolph Day card which I pretty much COPIed.

Made by Jane Willis

I just fell in love with this adorable card! I took some liberties with the layout, but the focus pocus is pretty much the same. I loved the pop of stripe on Jane's card, so I used a striped pp for my fish-tail banner. After the blizzard fiasco in my last post, I know Jane will forgive me for not drawing faux snowflakes around and about my reindeer! 

Thank you, Jane, for the inspiration! It was a pleasure to DJKASE you! (For other honorees, see the tab at the top of my blog.)

Challenges

• Paper Smooches SPARKS: Anything Goes. [Paper Smooches Stamps]
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes.
• Simply Create Too: Anything Goes.
• Christmas Card Challenges: Anything Goes.
• Freshly Made Sketches. You might think I used the same Deborah CCC sketch as the first card above, but in the ironical ways of Blogland, check out the current FMS sketch!

 

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Cookies

Oh, crumbs, why did They come up with the word "cookies" to refer to our blog history? Why couldn't they just call them "crumbs?" Or "doo-doo" or "ka ka" or some other descriptor of scat left behind that doesn't involve getting me all excited and salivating for cookies? Anythistles, I noticed a little deeliebob has appeared next to my "Overview" title in my Design page. When I clicked on it, I found this notice:

"European Union laws require you to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require you to obtain consent. 

As a courtesy, we have added a notice on your blog to explain Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies. 

You are responsible for confirming this notice actually works for your blog and that it displays. If you employ other cookies, for example by adding third party features, this notice may not work for you. Learn more about this notice and your responsibilities."

If I understand it correctly, it's now the law of the land in Europe and Google makes it sound pretty dire if you don't have the banner on your site, so I'm leaving it alone. I can also assure you that I don't advertise for anybody nor knowingly provide your information to anyone.

But I mean, aren't cookies just a necessary evil both in the Land of Interwebs and as they relate to waistline spread? We just involuntarily leave our crumbs behind, don't we? I mean, when any of us from any country clicks around the Webs, don't we know that you know that I know that they know that you know that I know that they know where we've been, right? You know what I'm sayin'?

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Speaking of cookies, I went out to a belated birthday lunch with my friend Donna a couple of days ago. (Yes, that's right, I celebrate all month. Can I get an Amen?) I ate a very healthy lunch, but as I was leaving, I saw something in the Temptation Counter than melted all my resolve to be a good girl.

I'm a sucker for a cinnamon roll and this beauty was the Mother of all Cinnamon Rolls!

I put the coffee cup next to it for scale so you can see how decadent and gynormous it was. (Eek, don't mention scale!)

I hope Europe doesn't have a law against publishing photos of cinnamon rolls! Oops. Now I've done it.

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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! 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:

Click CTL + Home. 
Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post.
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If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave
me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!

Light It Up For Autism Awareness Blog Hop

Hello there!

Thank you so much for whooshing your way through another month of 2015 to get here! I hope you had a wonderful April Fool's Day! I can't tell you about the joke I played on the Mister because this is a family blog.

And today I have very special family event for you. I am here as both a participant and a sponsor for the Light It Up Blue For Autism Awareness Blog Hop! Just as cancer has touched all of our lives in one form or another, so now has autism. The current statistics for children experiencing some form of autism is sobering as 1 in 68 children and their families are now affected, which impacts all of society. When you make your charitable contributions for this year, I hope you will consider Autism Speaks as one of your contributions. Thank you!

The Light It Up for Autism Awareness Blog Hop is the brainchild of our fellow bloggers, Veronica Z of So Many Stamps So Little Time and Tenia Nelson of Jazzy Paper Designs. Both of these blogs will have an Inlinkz button for you to add your card to the gallery, just like you do for any card challenge. Veronica and Tenia have put a lot of time and effort into making this hop happen. Please make sure you thank them!

In addition, on Veronica's blog you will see there are MANY fantastic sponsors supporting Autism Awareness and I'm delighted to be one of them. I'm happy to be donating four (4) $25 gift cards of the winner's choice and I am making a matching donation to Autism Speaks.

You can see the complete list of sponsors/prizes HERE on Veronica's blog. If you would like a chance to win a prize from one of these sponsors, leave a comment on this blog and/or any of the other blogs participating in today's hop. 

Winners will be chosen at random and announced
on Veronica's blog on Monday, April 6th!

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My "blue" card for today's hop is one I made a while ago for a bloggie friend, but never posted. It was waiting for this special occasion. 

I also decorated the inside:

I won't keep you. Hop along! Make sure you leave comments here and along the hop for a chance at the great prizes! Thank you!

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Challenges

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Happy Birthday
• Simply Create Too: Anything Goes
• Uniko Studio: Anything Goes

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Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy.  LITS!* Thank you for your support of the hop today!!

  

 

*Life Is Too Short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling:

Click CTL + Home. 
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City Crafter Challenge Guest Star ~ Go Ombré and DJKASEing Sarah

Hello and Happy Twosday! I hope you had a lovely weekend and I hope your week delights you!

If you are looking for my NBUS Challenge #4, click HERE. 

Thank you to everyone who has already played!

Today it is my pleasure to be Guest Starring for another week at the City Crafter Challenge Blog! For this week's challenge, we are celebrating ombré! You may use any color of the rainbow for your ombré range.

Because I can't seem to get enough of turkoyce and teal and aqua, that was the range I chose for my inspiration cards for you.

Darnell's card

For my first card, I used some of Anita's paper and did a watercolor ombré wash using my water brush and markers and set it aside to dry. On my card front, I cut an oval using my Sizzix die and once my painted paper was dry, I cut an oval from it and inlaid it into the oval card opening. Over that I adhered the die-cut "Prim Poppy" from Memory Box and topped it off with an oval die-cut frame. The sediment is from SU. I cut it in half to be able to place one word over the other. It was inked with Kaleidacolor blue breeze.

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I hope you will be able to join in this week at City Crafter! We'd love to see you there!

And, remember, 

if you use any never-before-used schtuffs,

 you can also enter your card in my NBUS Challenge #4! 

Have fun!

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DJKASE of Sarah

Over at Less Is More this week, the brief is to CASE one of the DT's cards. (Of course, I want to add it to my DJKASE tab at the top, so I'll call it a DJKASE.) I chose Sazzle Dazzle Sarah's card design, which is below. I hope you can see the inspiration in both of my cards today!

Sarah's card

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For my second card (for Easter), I did make a shaker:

In order to accommodate my shaker, my oval sits on top on this card. The fun bead shakers are from Pretty Pink Posh. Even though it looks like I glued all those loose beads in a funky row, I dinnit. They just hung there like that for the picture, all orderly and patient. Except for that one guy. There's one in every crowd, isn't there?

The ingredients for this card are the same as for my first card, except for the sediment which is from the NBUS Waltzingmouse set, "Compact Sentiments."

Thank you, Sarah, for the privilege of DJKASEing one of your excellent works of card art ~ twice!!

Other Challenges

• Addicted to Stamps and More: Anything Goes.
• Just Add Ink: Eggs or Ovals.
• Simply Create Too: Easter of Bunnies.

The challenge links will provide you with details on rules, sponsors, and prizes.

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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 leave a comment and/or 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:

Click 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 the pop-up box opens.
Click Jump to Comment Form; no more car pool tunnel! Mwah!
If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave
me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!