Sending Big Ranunculi Hugs

Greetings, Stamplings!

I hope your week is starting out well! If not, I have some hugs for you! Even if you're doing great, I have some hugs for you!

Can you believe my Mt. NBUS excavations have taken me all the way back to Papertrey Ink's 2013 release?! I love ranunculus flowers, so I have no idea why these plump blossoms were still in my never-been-used-schtuff! 

The sediment is from "Big Scripty Greetings" by Simon Says Stamp. I think I will make a few more of these pretty flowers in different colors while I have all the goodies out. For the leaves, I sprinkled on three different colors of e/p from two different companies which I've never tried before. I don't mean I've never tried the companies before, I mean I've never tried that technique before and I have to say I like the variegation.

But I do have a question about embossing powder for you: what makes the coverage "bubble" sometimes? Is my Versamark getting old (I cover the image very well) or is it the quality of the e/p?

~~~

Check out these ranunculi from the garden right now! 

You can see where I got my color inspiration, but Mother Nature did a way better job with hers! Those layers are just exquisite.

~~~

Thank you to everyone who is joining in my April Boo-Boo Hop and NBUS Challenge #11 just for fun! Linky below until April 11!

April Fool's Day has passed, but you can still share your boo-boos if you want, or just show us your NBUS! Hammy and I are enjoying all your entries!

Enjoy your day!  No, seriously, enjoy! 

*Life is too short!

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CTS GD ~ You're On My Mind

Greetings! 

I'm home safe with Hammy and we're reunited with the Mister! It was a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience and I'm happy to be home!

I'm interrupting my ongoing travel diary to present this scheduled post which came about as a result of a happy win at Case This Sketch back in April. I am honored to be here today as the Guest Designer for the current challenge!

Here is the challenge sketch:

And here is my card to inspire you:

When I saw the sketch, my ancient wooden stamp called "Pecking Order" by artist Carolyn Shores Wright immediately came to mind. In the past I have colored the image with colored pencils, but for today's cards I used my KGT paints for their rich and creamy color. I used an oval frame for my sediment to mimic the plump little bird bodies. And then I was stymied by what sediment to use. I think I went through my very large sediment inventory three times round, but nothing really rang my chimes, so I set the card aside.

A few days later I happened to be writing a note inside a "thinking of you" card. As I wrote to let my friend know she was on my mind, Hammy ran out from under my arm and pointed at my CTS card which was sitting there. Aha! A perfect sediment to send a caring card and also punny because that poor birdie holding the sediment has three other birdies literally ON his mind! And since I couldn't find the exact stamp I wanted in my collection, I just wrote it out by hand.

~~~

While I had my paints out for this detailed stamp, I took the trouble to paint two images. For my twofer, I fussy cut the image and trimmed it to fit the card base, nestling in my vertical "thank you" sediment from Endless Creations.

I hope you will be able to join the challenge with your own unique take on the sketch! There are so many possibilities! Click over to CAS(E) This Sketch! to see the other incredible cards from the Design Team!

~~~

As soon as I can (allowing for jet lag), I will be back to continue with my last few days in England!

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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Outside My Window ~ RIP Karendipity

Hi Every Body!

I hope you are doing well and that signs of spring are budding forth where you are. Or perhaps you live where things are cooling off and fall is peeking around the corner. Wherever you are, I hope you're safe and snug. Or better yet, snuggling.

I'm feeling better and able to spend a bit more time on the computer. I can tell you that if you want to take a bloggie break, you really need to take a computer break. Otherwise . . .

I've been slowly visiting all the marvelous NBUS partypants and as I drove around Blogland, I couldn't help but see the challenges you all are playing in. I don't get too distracted if I sneak on the computer while the hamsters are sleeping, but if they are up and peaking over my shoulder, well, all kinds of creative chaos ensueciates and the next thing I know we all want to play!

So what happened was we happened to see the current challenge at Less is More is, "What's Outside Your Window?" First of all, what a fun idea for a challenge! Second of all, I just happened to have something worth sharing right outside my window this very week, so how could I not NOT join in!

Those of you who are long-time friends will not be surprised that this is my card representing my view:

We are so fortunate to have these delightful little creatures visit all year long! For my card I used a very old piece of twinkly light blue card for the sky. The watercolored hummingbird is made using a die from Taylored Expressions called "Hovering By." The sediment is from "Compact Sentiments" by Waltzingmouse. (I'm so sorry she is going out of business.)

I used a snippet of textured red paper for the feeder top and a snippet of yellow for the little tiny die-cut flowers. The holder is a snippet of mirri paper and the base of the feeder was cut from a piece of vellum using an oval die from The Stamps of Life.

I have to say that feeder base of vellum to represent water is pretty genius. You've got Hannahbelle to thank for that. She finished her dinner before the others and rode on my head over to where I keep my speshellity paper.

She ran down my arm and was bouncing up and down on my hand as I was flicking through the vellum. When I pulled out this one, thinking it was clear, she made that funny little barking sound she makes when she wants me to focus.

I mean, seriously, these hamsters are worth their trouble! I've got too many of them and I really should give some away, but the older I'm getting, the more of them I need!

Challenges

• Addicted to Stamps and More: Anything Goes.
• Less Is More: What's Outside Your Window?
• Pixie's Snippets Playground: Use your snippets.
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Food and Drink. (In this case, for hummingbirds!)

~~~

And now let's get to what's outside my winder . . .

What happened was, the day before yesterday's day before, I was at the patio door to go out to the Playhouse and I had to stop and wait because a hummer was at the feeder. The Mister was sitting there on the couch so we both watched. We were particularly enchanted because this little dude had a patch of white on him, unlike any of the usual hummers we see.

So we watched. And we watched. And we watched. And he never moved. Well, you don't have to tell me three times. I scootched off and got the camera.

I quietly opened the patio door and walked a couple of steps out and took a coupla photos and then a coupla more steps and a coupla more photos. As I got closer and I'm talking to him, I could see that he was just a tiny baby and the white we were seeing was a fluffy baby feather.

Isn't he sweet? I was so tickled because once again ~ for the third straight time ~ I recently had a mama hummingbird build a nest where I could see it and once again ~ for the third straight time ~ a blue scrub jay came and took the eggs for breakfast. I know it's nature, but it's still upsetting to see it happen. So I don't know where this little guy came from, but we were delighted to know at least one nest had survived somewhere in the neighborhood.

Anywiddle, by now a few minutes had gone by and I'm thinking I'm the world's best hummingbird whisperer. I am close enough to reach out and touch him and you can see from the photo that he had his eyes tightly closed as if I were hypnotizing him.

(If only my brain wasn't made of hamster food, I would have been smart enough to be recording all this on camera for you. But I wasn't and so you will have to just imagine what happened next.)

All of a sudden out of right field, here came a male hummingbird. He flapped and fluttered right next to me and the baby. I involuntarily stepped back when he swooped in and then I watched mesmerized as the male hummingbird quite literally kicked the baby in the head! The baby hummer woke up with a startle and they both darted off!

It was the darnedest thing. At first I thought it was an attack, but once I saw the photos, I'm pretty sure that the tiny newling really did fall asleep and that was his daddy who swooped in. He could see that I was getting way too close for comfort so he had to get him out of there, even if he had to kick him to do it!

And that's what's been happening outside my window!

RIP Karendipity

I'm so very grateful for moments like the above that can take us to a happy place where bombs don't go off and friends don't die before their time. This is my second such loss this year and it's only March.

Yesterday, I received the very sad news that my dear bloggie friend Karen Bourke of Serendipity Dragonfly lost her long battle with cancer in the early hours of the morning. She and I hit it off when I first moved to Blogland four years ago. I called her Karendipity in that way I do and, not to be outdone, she immediately started calling me Dippy!

The news of her passing is especially sad because we were so looking forward to meeting each other in July during my trip to England and I was planning to spend two days with Karen and her husband Tony. My heart goes out to him and to her family, especially to her sister Val Nolan, who also lives in our community, over at Canonbury Creations.

I think it is so serendipitious that my post today was already written about the baby hummer because Karen loved it when I shared about them. This was what she said in a comment on a post of mine a year ago April:

"I am so jealous of your hummers - I think they are the most amazing birds but don't see any down here in Somerset!"

Rest in peace, my friend, and free of pain. I like to think that The Craft Room in heaven just got a whole lot more talented and filled with a whole lot more laughter! And I like to think you have hummingbirds perched on your shoulders!

~~~

Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS ~ life is too short!

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!

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Amour, Anita and a Few Hydrangeas

Well, hello again!

Look at me ~ post toasties two days in a row! I had to come back today because today is a special occasion. It is the birthday of my lovely friend and fellow BABE, Anita Raffo of My Papercraft World. Happy Birthday, Anita! I hope you enjoy your very special day!

In honor of Anita, I made this one-layer card (OLC) for the current CASEplorations Challenge over at STAMPlorations where Anita is the featured card artist!

Before I tell you what I did, just check out these THREE amazing cards Anita made! Don't they get you reenthused to want to CASE her and play along?!

WOW, Anita!

For my card I used the same color schemer as Anita did and I used the same design ideas of border elements, a simple sediment, and a bit of bling. My border was made by watercoloring with my Ziggies through a "Nested Circles" STAMPlorations stencil. Don't they look like sugared citrus candies? The sediment is from "Noteworthy," also by STAMPlorations. 

I'm also entering this card in Kathy's 30 Day Coloring Challenge.

~~~

And then, well, here's what happened. I went in to take a nap and I asked Hammy & Co. to clean up my desk, but when I came back they had done just the opposite. Oy. My basket of newest NBUS was tipped over and stamp sets and dies were all over the floor. 

Have you ever noticed that you can almost anagram HAMMY into MAYHEM?

As we were picking everything up, Hestor pointed out my new "Mondo Hydrangea" stamp/die set from Ellen Hutson and reminded me that the current challenge at Less Is More Challenge is to "make a one-layered card with a stem." 

You don't say? So I made this:

I stamped the image with Archival black and then did a simple watercoloring with my Ziggies. The sediment is from Uniko's "Simply Said Birthday," which I off-set to make a better composed situation. BTW, LIM is having  DT call, so head's up!

[Sometimes I get a glimpse of a brand-new-to-card-making-blogs visitor who reads my blog (or yours) with a HUGE question mark over her head! So, translation: By the way, Less is More is having a Design Team call, so head's up!]

I'm also entering Addicted to CAS where the code word is "Bloom."

~~~

And then the sun came out and this happened: 

The hydrangea stamp is very large, so I got to thinking that it might be neat to just stamp it over some random wet-on-wet watercoloring and I think I thunk right. For someone who really does like to color inside the lines, I have to say I'm in love with how this turned out! It's very Shirley Bee.

I just wet my watercolor paper and used a small brush to plop drops of color and let them play. I made an ever-widening mass until when I held the stamp in the air over it, I could see that the painted section was about the right size to fit the stamp. Does that make sense? Those odd-looking line-like sections are from pouncing on the wet watercolors with a balled-up tissue. Hey, what can I say? Why not?

I waited until the paint was dry and then I stamped the flower in Archival ink. The sediment by Penny Black was stamped in SU brilliant blue. I'm entering this in the current One-Layer Simplicity Challenge. The theme is "Friend," which is where this card is headed.

~~~

There's more? Yup. It would be illegal to put the set away without making at least one card using the die, right?

I think you can see that the hydrangea is literally winked.  The background is a piece of K and Company pp from my stash and it makes me happy to use it. The sediment is from the "Year-Round Puns" set by Papertrey Ink and I think it, too, is NBUS. I know the butterfly is. It is cut from the "Small Butterfly Frame" by WPlus9 in both white linen paper and a lilac vellum.

I haven't played in Mrs. A.'s Butterfly Challenge for a long time, so I'm taking my card over there. The theme for the current challenge is, "S Is For Stamping and/or Sapphire."

~~~

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

Thanks for hanging in there through this long one! And, as always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and taking 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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Finally! NBUS #6!

The next semi-annual NBUS (Never-Before-Used Schtuff) Challenge is just around the corner! Mark your calendars for two weeks from today!! Wheet!! If you are new to NBUS and would like more information, please click here.

Valentine Purgitation and Ephie Tag/Card

Hello, Stampers and Scrappers and Friends!

I hope you're having an excellent week!

I'm hamstering away in the Playhouse and making slooooow progress. The emphasis the last few days has been on Valentines.

Let's just be Frank, shall we? Or I'll be Frank and you can be Melody. Over the years I have gathered a million sheets of heart patterned paper and so much paraphafemeril in the shape of stickers and geegaws and whatnots for making Valentines that I have a huge 12 x 12 container dedicated to the holiday.

This is what I'm talking about:

It's hard to get a scale of how much is in that mess.

The thing is, after making Christmas cards by the dozens for weeks on end just a month ago, I can't get all becited about repeating the process so soon! Here in America a lot of us continue the grade school tradition of sending Valentines to all our friends, but I know my friends in other countries only make Valentines for their sweethearts, so they are somewhat surprised to receive a Valentine. 

Last year I just said fahgett about it, other than making a couple three Valentines. Well, that's all fine and dandy and it's a decision I'll make again this year, but that means my VD stash will never go down!

So seeing as how we at the Playhouse have declared this to be the year we stop the repetitive madness, I sorted, and purged, and got creative:

Most of these will be used for February birthday cards or anniversary cards. They are QACAS designs, but it felt great to go through and clean out that container! I obviously used very little of the pp, but I cut what I wanted to keep into 6x12 sheets and incorporated them into my pp drawers. I'm sorry that sounds wrong, but I mean what else would you call it?

Now what can I put in this beautiful empty container?

Aacckk, NO! Stop it! The Hamettes can use it for their make-believe Playschool and that's it!

ETA: Michele reminded me about Winter's annual Valentine Cards from the Heart Card Drive. Winter collects and distributes Valentine cards to children's hospitals every year. If you would like to help, she needs your cards by the end of January. You can find all the details and rules via the link!

~~~

I also took a little time to make this tag:

Tracey has an adorable ephielant tag up on Tag You're It and I had the WPlus9 sweet "Bubble Talk" stamp set and dies up on Mt. NBUS, so this worked out perfectly. The tag was made with a "Stitched Main Street Tag" by Poppystamps. The background was smooched using DIs and acetate.

I'm also entering Addicted to Stamps and More, where the theme is "Anything Goes" and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, where the theme is "New" and they are featuring WPlus9 products.

 

~~~

After wards I turned it into a card:

Embossed border is "Stately" by Craft Concepts.

I am entering the Happy Little Stampers challenges: CASE the Designer (Kylie Purtell) and CAS Challenge (Smooshing).

I'm also entering the photo inspiration part of the Fusion Card Challenge. Congratulations to Fusion on their 2nd anniversary and cheers to many more years!! If you haven't been over to see this anniversary post, you need to take the time to do so. There is a hit parade of some of Blogland's most talented card artists joining the DT as guests providing TONS of gorgeous inspiration for this celebration!!

~~~

Keyboard

Do you have trouble with the letters wearing off your keyboard? Haha, that sounded like the beginning of a commercial, but, really, do you? It's so frustrating. I type a lot so I seem to need a new one every year. They are inexpensive, but still. And who knew that a person uses the "r" and "t" more often than any other keys? Or is that just me because there is an r and a t in hamster? And craft, create, and dessert?

Anywaffle, I understand that you can get permanent laser engraved keyboards, but the Mister tells me to be cautious because he thinks the letters will wear off those, too. Have any of you purchased such a keyboard? If so, can you please share the name of the manufacturer and whether you would recommend it or not recommend it. Thank you!

~~~

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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Don't forget the Giveaways Page!

You Take a Mask and Strip Down

Good Morning!

I hope you are enjoying the fresh clean slate of a Monday morning with the promise of a great week ahead!

I'm delighted to let you know that the recalcitrant Hammy has surfaced! He ran out of money in Abilene and had to ride freight on a train bound for Glory. Luckily, he was standing near the door when the engine hit a loose rail. As he tumbled down the embankment and landed on his Senses, he realized the Playhouse is all the adventure he needs!

So I'm dashing in to post these cards and then I'm driving downtown to the bus station to pick up a tuckered-out hamster. It's a happy day for me and I'm wishing you a happy day, too!

For this first card, I masked off my strip and then sponged my oceanic horizon with Distress Inks. The dolphins are from an ancient unmarked wooden stamp and the NBUS sediment is from PTI. I think it would make a great manly birthday card or just a great card to let someone know I was thinking of them.

Challenges

• CASology: Aquatic.
• Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge: Masking.
• One-Layer Simplicity Challenge: Strip Down.

Today's Twofer

For this card, I stamped my image from Technique Tuesday's "R&R" and then masked the sides and watercolored the horizon. The NBUS sediment is from the same set. I am sending this one off to someone newly retired.

Challenges

• AAA Cards: Maskerade.
• City Crafter Challenge: Mood Board.

~~~

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. 
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Click Page Down to reach the end of the post.
Click Comments and the pop-up box opens.
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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!