Darling Darnell ;)

Its already October, omg!! Though I would like time to move slowly yet I eagerly wait for Fridays to introduce you all to our masterminds in the crafting community... With great pleasure, would love to welcome the kind-hearted, talented and sweet Darnell:

Name: Darnell J Knauss
Blog: djkardkreations

I would like to thank Noor for the wonderful honor of being featured on Fascinating Fridays post!  Your past  honorees are extraordinary card makers and it is a thrill to be in their company!

1.  Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I live in the Bay Area of northern California with Kevin, my very tolerant and supportive husband of 42 years.  We have a son, DDIL, and handsome, brilliant, funny, and identically twin grandsons, Adam and Henry, eight years old.
 

2. How and when did you start crafting? 

I've always loved art, doodling, drawing, and coloring.  I even did a little oil painting in the last century.  I started making cards in early 2002 after being invited to a Stampin' Up! party by a coworker. The addiction was immediate.  I made cards on a desk in the unfinished garage for ten years and then moved to my "Playhouse" three years ago when we landscaped the back yard.

3. From where do you draw your inspiration? 

In the old days I drew inspiration from stamping magazines, and other magazines like National Geographic and Sunset, and from my own photos.  Today, my inspiration comes from other card artists' awe-mazing blogs, challenge blogs, online classes, everyday products around me, and from my own photos.  Now when I walk through life, I find myself consciously aware of designs on products, clothing, etc.  Here is a card I made after pulling out an old Spirograph game to play with the twins:

On a personal note, I draw another kind of inspiration every day from the friendships I have made blogging in this outgoing, generous, and caring community!

4. How would you describe your style? 

Definitely clean and simple, what I like to call "CASlicious."  I often try to incorporate humor or whimsy into my cards.

5. What are the 5 top tools in your crafting space? 

Paper cutter, paper scorer, Tombow tape runner, Stamp-a-ma-jig, and Big Shot.

6. What’s your favorite technique?

I still love coloring my stamps with markers and then stamping the image, sometimes spritzing first for a watercolor effect.  I also love paper-piecing, which I just discovered a couple of years ago.  This is still one of my favorite cards and one of the very first cards I paper-pieced:

The "hair" is made from a bird feather.  This card still sits in my craft room and makes me smile every time I look at it!

A few months ago, I started what I consider to be a new technique.  I realized that I had a tremendous amount of stamps and other products that I call "NBUS" for "never-been-used stuff."  Because new stamps and paper and other products are put away when I get them (I'm clutterphobic), I often forgot about them, even as organized as I am!  So I started a personal NBUS movement and a number of my blogging friends have joined in.  Now I take a NBUS item and then go try and find a sketch, color, or theme challenge to incorporate my item, or just make a card using it without a challenge.  Making this NBUS technique an everyday part of both making my cards and blogging has really helped me use my fantastic goodies.
 

7. What are your go-to colors? 

Greens, aquas, lavenders.  The reason I love color challenges so much is because they force me to use colors I might not normally reach for, like orange.

8. Do you sell your projects?  
Not at present.  I used to sell in a small boutique.  (Occasionally a friend will commission a set of cards and insist on paying ;)

9. What do you do when you aren’t crafting? Job? Other hobbies and interests? 

Wait.  What?  You mean crafters have time to do other things when they aren't crafting and blogging?!  I am a part-time legal assistant for a law firm representing school districts, but I'm happily retiring at the end of this year.  My other primary interests are confounding my husband, grandmothering, lunching with friends, and gardening.
 

10. Are you currently designing for any blog?  
No, although I do occasionally have the honor of  participating as a guest designer.

Here is another favorite card that I paper-pieced:

And here's a card that is an all-time favorite in terms of the thousands of views it has registered both on my blog and on my Pinterest board:

The funny thing is, I almost didn't post this card!  We are our own worst critics and we need to stop doing that and be kinder to ourselves! Thanks again, Noor!