Hello … bonjour! We’re splashing into August’s Twofer this morning with a prompt that gives you so many options for your creativity! This month we’re playing with all things related to …
Here’s where my imagination drifted off to …
… a fun shaker hello card and a celebratory birthday card … with two common images on each one, both from Julie Ebersole at Essentials By Ellen … Strands die for the oceans and Arctic Pals for the narwhal/whales. Here’s a closer look at each card …
A simple design with a square panel in the top two thirds of the card, with the sentiment placed directly below it … which I made into a shaker. The base card was masked and ombré blended with Distress Inks (Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon, Tumble Glass), then splattered/spritzed with shimmer spray. So that I could have the two whales heading towards one another, one narwhal was stamped as usual, the other was reverse stamped. They were both coloured with alcohol markers, trimmed out … and had their horns removed (painlessly!). They were adhered to the blended ocean. I die cut the ‘waves’ into a panel of white card, stamped the sentiment (from the same Arctic Pals set) and then it was just a matter of creating the shaker element with acetate, craft foam and a whole heap of sequins and seed beads. How about a closer look at these pals amid all their watery shimmer …
My twofer is another conventional use of the ocean/image …
The design here consists of a strip along the bottom third of the card, an image overlapping it (or underlapping in this case) and the sentiment in the top right. The narwhal and the main sentiment (from Pinkfresh Studio … thanks for the loan, Judith!) were stamped and silver heat embossed … and I stamped the secondary sentiment (from the same set) in blue. The ocean was made from the previous card’s positive cuttings … they were coloured with alcohol markers in cool, watery colours and adhered flat to the base, over the narwhal. I covered the waves and the narwhal with lots of shimmer … and added splatters … concentrated around the narwhal breaching … ’cause it would make a lot of splash! As narwhals live in the Arctic, I wanted to keep the colours as icy as possible … looks chilly to me …
Voilà … my two distinctly different designs … for two distinctly different occasions … using the same die and stamp!
How about joining us with some nautical, ocean related images of your own … we’d love to see you in our gallery! All the details about how to play along are over at Twofer … together with heaps of splendid inspiration from the DT. We’re delighted to have the talented Natalie from Nat’s Hobby Corner (on Instagram) as our Guest Designer … welcome Natalie! If you haven’t met Natalie yet, do go over … you’ll find heaps of fabulous, clean, fresh cards … and photo’s of beautiful blooms and all things nature to enjoy! Even if you have met, why not pop over anyway … you can always say hello while you’re there (if you’re on Instagram that is … sorry, Natalie I’m not, so I’m saying hello here 🙂
My whale pals are swimming over to …
Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Add A Die Cut
Watercooler Wednesday – Feminine Anything Goes
… and that breaching narhwal is splashing into …
Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes
Seize The Birthday – Anything Goes … No Toppings
Simon Says Stamp Monday – Happy Birthday … Congratulations on nine fabulous years, ladies!
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Add A Die Cut
Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy! Anita 🙂
My Papercraft World 
Love them both…clean and simple and stylish …CASAS x
I’m gob-smacked, Anita!!! I adore that die and have NEVER seen anyone use the leftovers – well you’ve started something wonderful, my friend, and shaken things up beautifully!! Two wonderful cards!!
[now where did I put that wavy die…xx]
=]
Anita, brilliant use of the positive and negatives of your wavy die! Love the whales and narwals too. Fabulous cards.
Your imagination is on fire, Anita! These are two awesome cards!
Sorry, just one sec. Your designs so effectively evoked the icy cold water, I had to go get my sweater! These are both so YOU and so very well executed, Anita! Clean and crisp and schparkly … and with a shaker thrown in for good measure! You did a smashing job of using those leedle gray cells of yours, my friend! LYAMYMA! TTYS! Hugs, Darnell
Oh my, a terrific twofer in so many ways. Love that your narwahl also became a beluga whale and that you used the negative portions of the shaker as a dreamy environment for the second. Brilliant way to recycle in the most beautiful way.
Beautiful cards, Anita! I love how you created a conversation between the 2 whales on your shaker card and how you added sparkle to both designs! Great idea to use the positive cuttings on your 2nd card and I love how you colored the waves…Two lovely nautical cards, my friend! Barb xx
Such an awesome Twofer! Almost used the same die cut, but then changed my mind…Love it, that you used the little wavy scraps for your second card. Very thrifty!
Love your shaker card and also love your silver whale card in the icy Arctic. Well done! xoxo
Love your cards, Anita! The first with it’s brilliant, sparkly dark blue waters and the second with its icy blues are fabulous!
Fabulous cards Anita and love how you used the same stamps and dies in each….very creative x. Stunning shaker card and love the reverse stamping too x. The shimmer on the second is so pretty and the narwal is super cute x.
Beautiful how you used the positive and negative diecut and the fish so different ! And I love those colours,,, Hugs, Gerrina
Fantastic twofer, Anita! Just love your whales and waves on both cards! So clever to use the waves from the negative on card two and I love the colors you used! Wonderful shaker element on card one too!!
What a brilliant way to use this stamp and die. Thanks for sharing them with us at Seize the Birthday.
Barbara DT
Two FABULOUS cards Anita! You can always get me right off with a shaker card, and I just LOVE the die you used to make your ocean scene! I especially love how you used the positive pieces in the 2nd card and shined them all up to make it look icy cold! You outdid yourself this month my friend…love, LOVE them both!! Hugs. :0)
Anita, your whales/narwhal are just the most precious sea creatures! Oh how I love the thin waves over the beautiful blue hues and shaker bits for them to play in! The colors of your icy waters is fantastic along with the sea spray! I love how the narwhal’s horn follows the line of the sentiment! What a wonderful twofer!
Oh Gosh, these are beautiful cards for Twofer. I love the waves on both cards and the silver shimmer does look icy. I’m happy no narwhal’s were hurt during the surgery to become whales.
These are both fabulous! I love the colours you chose to give the ‘icy feel’!
Wow, what a great way to use the positive and negative parts of that wavy die! Two incredible cards Anita!!
Two amazing cards Anita-I had to read to see how you created the waves in the first as it looks so good-I think you mean you just cut them yourself? Anyway it looks so effective and I adore the shimmer on the second.
What a gorgeous pair of cards, Anita. Love the nautical scenes and how clever to use the fall away from the first card to create the ocean on the second one. Love the watery colours and gentle shimmer too!
Hugs
Carol x
Anita both of these are such fabulous cards. I adore your shaker and the embossed lines are fabulous! Sending hugs! xo
These are both FABULOUS!! I like that you used the scraps from the first card to make the second. I wish I could do this more!! LOVE both of these cards equally-could not pick a favorite.
Your cold and icy designs are a perfect place to visit on a hot summer day! You did an amazing job with this theme. Great idea to use both the positive and negative waves and I love the shaker and sparkles!
What fun cards! I love the shaker especially.
Delightful nautical scenes Anita (you probably already knowI have a soft spot for the sea). What I love about your design is the use of the leftover bits. I always find these hard to throw out so extra kudos to you for incorporating them into your 2nd design
You already know that I love these two sweet cards! And you made me check my Evernote to see if I had the same EBE set… Because I loved the penguins, I don’t think I’d remembered the narwhals in this same set – now, after seeing your cards, I might have to break it out again and use them! Love all the shimmer and sparkle on both cards, and especially love the shaker bits. Gorgeous cards, dear friend. Hope all is well with you and sending you hugs across the pond. xoxoxoxo
Wow, wow, wow Anita! What amazing cards you’ve made both with the die and with the whales. I love the creativity that prompted you to remove the horns in the first (thanks for letting us know it was painless!) and to make such a beautiful shaker card in such glorious colours. I adore the second card in those chilly colours too and LOVE that the horn of the narwahl lines up with the sentiment!
Amazing how different your ocean animals look when coloured and embossed. The vivid ocean looks wonderful on the shaker card and the die cut breaks up the colour nicely. The shimmer and embossing in the second card adds just the right amount of sparkle!
You are rocking this challenge! Love the pair of these!!!