Hello … bonjour! It was a wonderful surprise to get an email from my sweet friend, the lovely Tracey McNeely recently, asking if I’d like to be her Creative Guest at Inspired By All The Little Things. Erm … well, that response took less than a nano second … YES! So, here I am this afternoon, thrilled, honoured and excited to share with you a couple of cards I made based on this beautiful inspiration photo … isn’t it a stunner?
Here’s the first, a kind of in-reverse take on it …
A popped up white card panel, sponged in the centre with three Distress Inks (in order, from the outside going in … Dried Marigold, Abandoned Coral, Picked Raspberry), lightly splattered with water droplets. The die cut white frame and bloom are from Simply Graphic (courtesy of the lovely Maria) and were adhered flat over the ink, with the petals left free to be all drifty and dimensional. The sentiment is from Winnie & Walter and there’s some Lawn Fawn pierced detailing along the panel edges. In my photo here, the variations in background colour didn’t come out as well as I’d hoped (though IRL they’re rather delicious!) … so I made another card to show you all those splendid shades …
A watercolour card panel stamped with the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Hydrangea (from my Lake House stash), wet on wet watercoloured with Distress Inks (same shades as above, plus Shabby Shutters and Mowed Lawn for the stems), with the centres done in pearly silver drops. The sentiment is from SSS, white embossed on a black strip. The strip was adhered flat to the card base and the watercolour panel was split and popped up over it.
How would you like to play along and be inspired by that spectacular bloom? I’d love it if you had time to join in! All the details, plus an abundance of amazing cards from the Design Team, (and a short interview with little old me!) are over at the Inspired By blog … do go and enjoy a browse … and maybe get those crafty fingers walking!
My florals are also heading to (badges below) …
Card 1
Addicted to Stamps & More – Anything Goes
Seize The Birthday – No Option
SSS Wednesday – Anything Goes
Card 2
Addicted to Stamps & More – Anything Goes
Less is More – Watercolour
Seize The Birthday – No Option
SSS Monday – Heavy Metal (just a touch in the flower centres!)
SSS Wednesday – Anything Goes
Hope your weekend is either starting, or turning out to be, wonderful! Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy! Anita 🙂
My Papercraft World 
Hi Anita!
This is so beautiful! Love your interpretation of the amazing photo. Crisp fresh and fantastic !
Thank you so much for including my name in you inspiration list. You made my day… really hope to join this week!
Hugs
Two amazing cards, congrats on the well deserved GD spot! Your watercolor card is stunning Anita, I was just trying to watercolor with DI:s the other day and it was hopeless… I think I need different type of watercolor paper or something! Anyway, your colors look so rich and wonderfully blended. Love the pearly drops too. Thanks for joining us at Less Is More!
Rather delicious colours indeed! So perfectly CAS on the first card, with a unique style and love the white die cut against those glorious colours. Amazing second card with fantastic colouring. Sure does show off those delicious colours. Thank you for stunning inspiration. Good to find out a little more about you too over on the blog x
Wonderful! I don’t understand how you made that soft, soft background on the first card without a starting outside a masked area (to wear a little of the ink off). The hydrangea is one of my favourites stamsp (beside the much loved ranunculus!). When I colour it with watercolours it*s quite a splashy (and messy, one could argue) affiair. Yours is beaitiful. Tell me, pearly silver drops, is that the same as liquid pearls, or do you use another brand? They are perfect for the hydrangea.
Congrats on being an inspired designer! I do love the colors you used with a simple die cut on top. I like to do that combo too. Hugs!
Oh, darn, Tracey got to you first!! Congratulations on being a fabulous Guest Designer for Inspired By, Anita! You’ve rocked the challenge with your two superb cards, brilliantly colored!! Thank you for the inspiration! LYAMYMAAWIHAYF!! Hugs, Darnell
Those colors are like a big warm, luscious hug. They envelope the eye and make it dance with delight. How gorgeous both these cards are. Graphic and feminine floral…what a grand combination. You’ve done your Guest Design gig proud. Congratulation.s
Two gorgeously beautiful cards! Love the colours and the wonderful design of both! xxx
congrats on your creative guest spot, anita!!! it is so very deserved!! your cards are simply amazing, my friend!!
Two absolutely stunning cards. Both beauties…congrats on the well deserved guest design spot!
these are both so wonderful Anita, but it’s that fab hydrangea that has my heart today!
From graphic to gorgeous, Anita. Not that the graphic one isn’t gorgeous too. The colors blend so well together. Congrats on being a guest designer.
I am so excited that you are my guest this week Anita! Both of your cards are just gorgeous and yes you may have just introduced me to my next favourite Distress Ink blend!! Thank you sweet friend for being my guest! xoxo
Two simply stunning cards, absolutely love the colours you have used and again on your first card the use of the card stock that you so often use is just sensational. It just gives such an amazing look to your cards, I am always in awe of them. Stunning.
Quite stunning, Anita! Love those gorgeous colors! The simple, graphic look of the first card is striking and I adore the luscious hydrangea!
Two fab makes and lovely colour choices
Kathyk
Anita, I’m swooning over both of these and in particular your gorgeous colour combinations. Those pinky, orangy, reds pop fantastically against the stark white card bases and look so chic and sophisticated. Excellent water coloured bloom on the second one and it’s always great to see you playing along at Less is More. Thanks so much. x
Congratulations on the guest designer spot. Well deserved!! This color combination has to be just about my very favorite ever!! Your cards are gorgeous. I adore your “reverse” take on the first card. That white silhouette pops beautifully. And the hydrangea…makes me want to swoon. Stunning! Thank you SO much for sharing!! 🙂
Congratulations on guest designing for Inspired By All the Little Things! Your cards are beautiful!
Anita… absolutely love both your cards. I only hope I can do you justice as I head off to make something for Inspired by all the Little Things. BTW… you are are not the only one without a cell phone though we are definitely in the minority! I just refuse, landlines meet my needs and the extra time and $$$ go into my favorite hobby!
Congrats on your Guest Designer spot, Anita! You have created 2 really stunning cards! I love your clever “In-reverse” idea on the first one and your Mondo Hydrangea is absolutely GORGEOUS! You have certainly inspired me with your designs…Love them both!
Two simply stunning cards! I love the vibrancy of the colours … fabulous!
Anita, well done. You’ve taken that inspiration photo and used that lucious color to perfection. Congrats !
These are absolutely stunning! You have proven that simple can be powerful. I adore your color palette and how each card uses the same types of colors, yet each one it totally unique and original. I also like the clean crisp look of these. Thank you for sharing your inspiring work with us here at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. I always look forward to your entries!
Totally LOVE your great CAS design! It’s so great to “meet” you and have you guesting with us this week!
What a gorgeous pair of cards Anita and the colours are just perfect.
Thanks for joining us at ATSM.
Hugs
Carol x
Super that you are guest designer! And your card just pops of the screen; beautiful vibrant and loose design! Hugs, Gerrina
You are such a wonderful guest, who wouldn’t want you, and all the beautiful inspiration you bring to the table? Anita, your cards are gorgeous – love the little bloom Maria provided, and the idea that the color can come in a different, and beautiful way… xx
=]
C’est superbe, Anita ! J’adore les 2 cartes avec ce magnifique mélange de roses. En fait je ne saurais dire laquelle je préfère car dans un style différent, elles sont splendides toutes les deux. J’adore la première avec ce joli die cut blanc qui ressort si bien sur ce fond rose. Une très belle interprétation de la photo inspiration. Et j’en profite pour te dire Félicitations pour être GD ! Mais j’adore aussi la seconde, peut être aussi parce que l’hortensia est ma fleur préférée ! C’est une merveille ! Merci beaucoup de partager et de jouer avec nous cette semaine à Less is More !
Gorgeous colors, Anita! I need to write these down so I can remember! I LOVE the delicate die cut and frame! And the big hydrangea is gorgeous in these colors!
Both your cards are very beautiful, Anita! LOVE the colours. Thanks for playing along Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge. Gayatri xx
Your first card made me gasp out loud, Anita! I LOVE that design. Very unique and creative. Beautiful colours and love that white die-cut flower and frame. Amazing!! And then came the second card … another WOW! The variations of colours on the petals blend perfectly together. The black sentiment adds a pop of drama. Two inspiring cards! xx
A huge congrats on guesting Anita!! Your cards are both amazing and so pretty!
Both cards are super gorgeous! Great to see you in the ATSM gallery. Hope you will join us again soon. Nandini, DT
Fabulous cards! I love the richness of those pinks; so pretty! So glad you could join us this week at Inspired By!
Beautiful Card! I especially liked your 3 toned sponged background. Congrats on your guest designer position.
Congrats on your GDT spot Anita and you have nailed this challenge pic! Your 1st card is amazing! I don’t know how you managed to get those distress colours blended so well in the middle of the card! The floral card is beautifully coloured too, Cathy x
Hi Anita! Welcome as our guest this week. Both of your cards are beautiful! Great interpretation!
Congratulations on your GD spot! Tracey couldn’t have picked a better one! Both of your cards made my jaw drop! They are simply spectacular! That delicate white die cut on the first and the masterful coloring of the hydrangea took my breath away!
Congrats on your DT spot, well deserved, and 2 just gorgeous cards. I love the blaze of happy colors on each one, and especially #1 with the pretty diecut. The way you’ve radiated the color on that one is just awesome. Also great work on the petal shading in #2…looks so realistic, and wonderful with the deep bold black sentiment. TFS & Happy wkend. Hugs
Congratulations on your GD spot. Both of your cards are so very pretty.
Hi Anita!
Two beauties…I don’t know how you achieved such splendid shades! It’s a magical post and congrats on being the guest designer and providing such creative inspiration 😘😘
Beautiful cards Anita. Thanks for joining us at Seize the Birthday.
Congrats on the guest designer spot.
Congrats and oh so deserving! Your cards are lovely as always! Thanks for being with us at Seize the Birthday…I love having your work in our gallery!
Fun comment turn out you got! Love the coloring on your hb card — really pretty. hanks for joining in at STB
Congrats on your GD spot – you’ve sure done a superb job, Anita! I swooned when I saw that beauty with the white die cuts. Again. Those colors are magnificent. But then your second card really blew me away. So crisp. And clean. And amazingly colored. You certainly picked a perfect trio of DI. I must try that one. Off to read your bit at Inspired…
Awww. Thanks for the shout out, my friend! Cheers to this fun craft we love!
Congrats on your GDT stint – what a stunner – the first card – my favorite – it just hits you! I like your second card too, but it is more conventional, so in my book #1 wins!!!
Congratulations on your guest DT gig. Your cards just POP with the lovely way you used the colors. STUNNING design!!
Belated congratulations on your GD role and oh, what lovelies you’ve brought as inspiration! Smitten with your drifty and dimensional die cut on the first; the background is perfect! Dazzling colours on your hydrangea. Once again, in awe…
Hugs~c
These are both total stunner, Anita, and I love those gorgeous colours. I spy another awesome Simply Graphic die cut! Enjoyed reading your little interview and I am in awe of your lack of cell phone. Maybe one day I’ll get there…