Twofer Card Challenge #39 – Sunshine

Hello … bonjour! Welcome to our fun new challenge at Twofer, where we’re inviting you to brighten your already bright day with our prompt for June …

I chose to make both my cards conventional this month … one for a birthday, the other to give someone a smile (encouragement/friendship). My common image is a fun sun from Simon Says Stamp’s Happy & Smile stamp set. Here’s a closer look at each one …

This used to be one of my favourite designs … a strip of colour along the lower third line of my card, with an image and sentiment over it … though it’s been a while since I used it. The fresh stripes of sponged blue put me in mind of a summer sky or ocean … and with the sun (in his cool, shiny shades) taking the place of the ‘a’ in the stacked, die cut ‘hooray’ (from Neat and Tangled), I’m thinking beach party! That’s a birthday beach party by the way … thanks to the white heat embossed secondary sentiment from Simon Says Stamp. Want to see how shiny those cool shades really are …

My second card has me smiling every time I look at it …

The window design lent itself to an unconventionally sized slimline card … it’s 21 x 7.5 cm (roughly 8 x 3 inches) … half an A4 sheet folded across the long edge. I cut the windows individually using a die from Concord & 9th, marked the card base where the openings were and stamped the happy sun gradually rising through the morning. Each sun was masked so that the sky behind them could be sponged with distress inks … and when that was done, I added a good dose of sparkle to them (see below for a little more detail). The Avery Elle sentiment was stamped onto the window panel before I popped it up on craft foam onto the card base.

How about lighting up our gallery with some sunshine of your own … we’d love to see you and your two distinctly different designs there! Details of how to play along, including rules and FAQs are over at the Twofer blog … together with loads of delicious inspiration from the DT.  We’re delighted to have two wonderful Guest Designers joining us this month … Veana and Daphne … welcome ladies!  Do go and enjoy a visit with these talented artists … and let yourself be inspired. You can always say hello while you’re there too!

My birthday card is heading to …

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Less is More – Favourite Technique … I love to use stacked die cuts

NBUS – Anything Goes … first trip out for that fabulous scripty hooray

… and those sun filled windows are joining in at …

Papercraft Challenges – Anything Goes

Retro Rubber – Summer Breeze … the sun image is at least four years old

Uniko – Anything Goes … with the die cuts option

Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

Twofer Card Challenge #25 – Spring Animals

Hello … bonjour!  Our fun March challenge has just launched at Twofer … and this month we’re inviting some Spring Animals to play with us …

… mine are spring chicks …

A bright rainbow Just Because card … and a sweet, sunny Hello card … with some long legged chicks from Technique Tuesday as the common image.   Here’s a closer look at each one …

On this card, my design is a set of panels across the centre of the card, with the sentiment spread out underneath them.  They were die cut with Hero Arts Infinity Dies and each one was stamped with the long legged chick.  The chicks were then masked and I sponged two colours of distress ink on each one to create an ombré style rainbow.  The sentiment (from Concord & 9th) was stamped onto the base card and I mounted each little chick panel over it on craft foam.

I went with another conventional use of the chicks on my twofer …

Here there’s an ombré sponged and stacked hello die cut from Winnie & Walter (NLIB) set along the lower third of the card.  The alcohol marker coloured long legged chick and his little friend were perched on top of the word … and the supplementary chickie sentiment (Waltzing Mouse Stamps, also NLIB) was stamped underneath it.  The crimped frame on the card base is from The Greetery.

How about joining us with some Spring Animals of your own … we’d love to see you (and them) in our gallery!  All the details about how to play along, including rules and FAQs are over at the Twofer blog … together with heaps of splendid inspiration from the DT.  We’re delighted to have two super talented Guest Designers joining us this month … Bobby from Bits and Pieces … and Brenda from Inkspired To Stamp … welcome ladies!  If you haven’t met these fabulous artists yet, do go over and enjoy a wander through their blogs … you’ll have a splendid time finding inspiration galore!  Even if you are familiar with their work, why not pop along anyway … you can always say hello while you’re there!

My rainbow panel chicks are heading to …

Happy Little Stampers CAS – Favourite Technique … Ombré Blending

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Inkspirational – Animal:  Real or Magical (hope chickies count!)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Something Feminine

… and those chickie chums are joining in at …

Happy Little Stampers CAS – Favourite Technique … Ombré Blending

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Inkspirational – Animal:  Real or Magical (hope chickies count!)

Less Is More – Big And Small … big sentiment, little chicks

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Something Feminine

Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

            

     

A New Challenge At Time Out – #154 – We Challenge You To Be … Affectionate!

Hello … bonjour!  Our fun new challenge has just started at Time Out … and this fortnight We Challenge You To Be … Affectionate!  Here’s my CAS take on it …

I recently saw a card with a halo of ink blended around a die cut image (sorry, don’t recall where) … and thought that doing the same thing with a heart would make it seem as though it was glowing with affection!  My heart is from Winnie & Walter (NLIB) … die cut from a piece of masking paper the same size as the card front.  I used the negative part first to cover the card and stencilled the pattern (Tin Roof from CAS-ual Fridays) into the space twice, offsetting it the second time.  Once it was dry, I covered the stencilling with the positive heart mask, removed the negative mask and blended over the same colour inks to create the warm halo.  I stamped the sweet sentiment from Ellen Hutson (Hello) and Winnie & Walter (Sweetie) … and added shimmery White Blizzard Nuvo Drops around the sentiment and on the stencilled dots.  How about a closer look at the sparkle …

      

How will you interpret ‘affectionate’?  We’d love to see what you create in our gallery!  This time round, we’re sponsored by CAS-ual Fridays (thanks, Michele!) … our winner, as voted for by the DT, will receive a $25 GC … and will be invited to guest design with us in a future challenge.  Details are over at Time Out … where you’ll find heaps of inspiring ideas from our  fabulous DT … and from our talented Guest Designer, Mugdha from Craftomania.  Why not pop over for a visit with Mugdha … you’ll find plenty of lovely inspiration … and you can always say hello while you’re there!

My card is heading to …

AAA Cards – One Layer … No Polar Animal Optional Twist

Less Is More – Off Centre One Layer Card

Perfectly CAS – One Layer

Simon Says Stamp Monday – All Loved Up

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Anything Goes

Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

          

    

A New Challenge At Time Out – #141 – Relaxation!

Hello … bonjour!  Our new, deliciously chilled out challenge has just started at Time Out … this fortnight we have a theme for you to play with … it’s Relaxation … with the option of making a one layer card!  Here’s where I went with it …

        

… to me, relaxation includes doing just what you love, especially on your birthday … and when doing that, I’m rather partial to scrumptious, frosty, birthday ice cream … yum … sigh!  My card is an uber CAS, almost one layer one … with the main sentiment from Newton’s Nook and the supplementary one from Simon Says Stamp, both clear heat embossed over black stamping.  The ice cream cone is a Penny Black Stickeroo … adhered to card stock, trimmed out, popped up on craft foam … with the ice cream scoops covered with Spectrum Noir Shimmer Pen and topped off with a double layer of Glossy Accents.  How about a closer look at those scoops …

Voila … relaxation on a card!

         

How will you interpret our theme … and will you use our optional one layer twist?  What’s your idea of Relaxation … being at the beach, walking in the woods, reading a great book, sharing a meal with friends, crafting … or something completely different?  Wherever your imagination takes you, we’d love to see what you create in our gallery.  This time around, we’re sponsored by Newton’s Nook … who are offering a US$25 GC to a randomly drawn player who uses the optional twist.  As usual, our overall winner will be chosen by the DT … and will be invited to guest design with us in a future challenge.  Details are over at the Time Out blog … along with loads of fabulous inspiration from our brilliant DT … and from our talented Guest Designer, Marieke.  Why not pop over for a visit with Marieke … I’m certain you’ll enjoy wandering through her beautifully coloured, wonderfully detailed, amazing scenes!

My ice cream cone is going over to …

AAA Cards – One Image … with the option of positivity

CASology – Shimmer

Less Is More – Small Images

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Bright and Cheerful

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Anything Goes

Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy! Anita 🙂

        

               

A New Challenge At Time Out – #140 – Home Sweet Home Inspiration

Hello … bonjour!  Welcome to our new challenge at Time Out … this fortnight, we have a delicious, beach house style image to inspire you (a little further down).  Here’s my take on it …

… and here’s the cool inspiration picture …

My focus was on the neutral colours, the framed photograph and flowers on the console table and the wavy edge along the bottom edge of the table.  The intricate rose image is from Craft Emotions via Topflight Stamps (Botanical Rose Garden 1 – retired I think), and was stamped onto a Winnie & Walter scalloped, pierced, die cut panel in CP Twilight ink.  I added the sentiment (from Simply Graphic – it translates as Happy Birthday) in the same ink and scored a double frame round the stamping to mimic the photo frame.  The finished panel was popped up on craft foam onto an oyster grey card base.

          

What draws your eye in our Home Sweet Home photo … the colours, shapes, beach house feel … or something else?  Wherever your creative imagination takes you, we’d love to see your card in our gallery!  This fortnight, we’re sponsored by Topflight Stamps … our winner, as chosen by the Design Team, will receive a $25 GC to the store, as well as being invited to guest design with us in a future challenge.  All the details are over at the Time Out blog, along with plenty of ideas from the DT to inspire you … it’s so worth a visit!

I’m playing along at …

AAA Cards – Maxi White Space … No Optional Twist of Christmas In July

AAA Birthday – For The Girls

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Less is More – Celebrations

Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

        

         

Twofer Card Challenge #18 – Garden

Hello … bonjour!   We’ve just planted our new challenge over at Twofer this morning … this month we’re inviting you to join us in the …

… here’s what grew in mine …

… a sweep of garden flowers to celebrate a birthday … and a bed full of blooms to say hello, both featuring a large image from Pinkfresh Studio’s Fleur 1 (now retired, though a similar style set is here).  Here’s a closer look at each one …

… first, a one layer card with the large image stamped slightly off the card in the bottom left corner.  I added some additional individual flowers and leaves (also Pinkfresh Studio) … and some doodling … to fill in gaps and create the sweep of garden plants down the folded edge and across the bottom of the card.  It was all loosely watercoloured with Zigs and a water brush.  The sentiment, from Winnie & Walter and Clearly Besotted, runs along the imaginary line at the top one third of the card and was stamped in Delicata Silver (to match the garden stamping).

My twofer is another conventional use of the image …

… this time stamped in Versafine black into the middle of a die cut, scalloped, pierced panel (from Winnie & Walter) … and grounded in the earth along the bottom on a simple, scripty sentiment from Technique Tuesday.  I coloured the image with Catherine Pooler and Distress Inks, added some little black gems to the larger flower centres and popped the panel up on craft foam onto the card base.

Voilà … my two distinctly different designs … for two distinctly different occasions … using the same stamp!

How might you interpret our ‘Garden’ prompt?  We’d love to see you in our gallery with your two distinctly different takes on it!  All the details you need, including rules and FAQs, are over at the Twofer blog … along with heaps of gorgeous ideas from the DT to help spark your imagination.  This month, we also have bitter-sweet news of some changes in the Team … as we bid a fond farewell to the inspirational Loll, who is stepping down as a Designer (though, we’re pleased to say, is staying on as Administrator) … and a happy hello and warm welcome to the very talented Cat from Cat Luvs Paper, who has joined us.  Our Guest Designers are our winners from May’s challenge … Kathy from My Asperations and Robyn from Waterlily Cards by Robyn … welcome ladies!  Do go and enjoy a visit with Kathy and Robyn … you’ll find lots of loveliness to explore … and you can always say hello while you’re there!

My sweep of garden flowers is heading to …

AAA Birthday – For The Girls

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour – Anything Goes, No Wings Option

Less Is More – Celebrations

Seize The Birthday – Anything Goes, No Sunshine Topping

The Flower Challenge – Pretty Pastels

… and my blooming flower bed is joining in at …

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour – Anything Goes, No Wings Option

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

The Flower Challenge – Pretty Pastels

Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

                 

               

A New Challenge At Time Out – #130 – Unique

Hello … bonjour!  We have a really fun new challenge for you at Time Out this fortnight, where We Challenge You To Be … Unique!   Here’s my take on it …

              

… a unique birthday candle … a one layer card that’s completely QACAS (quick and clean and simple in Darnell-ese).  It was made with a sentiment and a leaf image from Catherine Pooler’s Say It In Diamonds … and there are heaps more yummy diamond images and sentiments in the set that are just longing to be played with … I’ve just dipped my toe in the water with this card!  The sentiment was stamped and double heat embossed to give it a lovely waxy shine … and the ‘flame’ was stamped, watercoloured with Distress Inks, shimmered up with Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle and layered with a coat of Glossy Accents.  I sponged a halo of Distress Ink around the flame to add a touch of glow.  That was it … truly QACAS … and unique!  How about a closer look at the shimmer and waxy shine …

         

How will you interpret ‘unique’ … we’d love to see what you create in our gallery!  This time round, we’re sponsored by Catherine Pooler (thanks, Catherine!) … our winner, as voted for by the DT, will receive a bag of goodies from the store … and will be invited to guest design with us in a future challenge.  All the details are over at the Time Out blog … where you’ll also find loads of inspiring ideas from our brilliant DT … and from our talented Guest Designer, Elizabeth from Paper Sweetness.  Why not pop over and check out Elizabeth’s blog … there’s a whole heap of deliciousness just waiting to be explored and enjoyed!

My candle is going to be glowing at …

AAA Cards – One Corner … no optional music twist

Inkspirational – Use Your Stash

Less is More – One Layer Focus On The Sentiment … still celebrating your 8th birthday, ladies!

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Anything Goes

Watercooler Wednesday – All About Occasions

Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

                 

       

A Pretty Posy!

Hello … bonjour!  It’s been a while since I just played along with a few challenges … actually it’s been a looooong time, I checked … all the way back to August last year.  There’ve been DT cards here in the meantime and they’re always heaps of fun to do, but this evening, I just played … it was quite liberating!  Here’s the pretty posy I came up with, inspired by a few challenges …

This one layer card was stamped with some of my favourite Papertrey stylised blooms from a set called One Big Happy, which I think was a giveaway during a Stamp-a-faire a few years ago and is no longer available.  I paired it with a Papertrey favourite sentiment set, Birthday Cheer.  My colours of navy and yellow (with a neutral for the leaves) were inspired by the 8th birthday celebration at Less Is More … congratulations, ladies, here’s to many more successful years!  Everything was simply stamped (after masking where necessary) and I added white dots on the petals and black dots on the flower centres.  I thought of adding a sequin/gem/jewel drop or three but came to the conclusion that these lovely bold colours are enough to carry the design as it is.  Voilà!

Here’s where I’m playing along …

AAA Cards – One Layer … without the love option

Less Is More – Navy and Yellow … if the addition of a neutral isn’t ok, please feel free to delete

Papertrey – Laurie’s Fabulous Favourites … One Big Happy is mine this week.

Short and sweet tonight … thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

         

Twofer Card Challenge #12 – Birds

Hello … bonjour!  Welcome to our first Twofer Card Challenge of 2019!  This month, we have a fabulous prompt that will have ideas popping all over your creative brain … it’s …

… it might even be happening already!  Here are my feathered friends …

My common image here is that happy little waving penguin, from Arctic Pals by Essentials By Ellen, used conventionally on both cards … isn’t he a cutie?  Actually, all the stamps I used are from the same set, designed by Julie Ebersole … I love it!  Here’s a closer look at the first …

Here, my penguin is saying a heap of hello’s to his pal just across the ice.  They were stamped onto a white card panel, coloured with alcohol markers and grounded with a touch of grey pencil. The eyes on both were altered using white and black gel pens so that they look as though they’re glancing at one another … and  I added Glossy Accents (carefully!) to the eyes and the beaks.  The cracked ice background (that’s how I see it!) is from Winnie and Walter (Multifaceted Cutaway) … cut from grey card and adhered flat to the base.  I doodled a dotted frame around the penguin panel … and popped the panel up on craft foam over the ice.

My twofer penguin …

         

… sending Happy Brrrthday wishes from behind his iceberg.  This little scene was built up on a white card panel using stamping and masking … I added a touch of colour to the penguin’s beak … and some shading and frosting to the icebergs (you can see the shimmer better in the first photo if you go in close).  The finished panel was adhered flat to a card base that had been sponged along the edges to match the icebergs.

Voilà … my two distinctly different designs … for two distinctly different occasions … using the same stamp!

How might you interpret ‘Birds’?  We’d love to see you in our gallery with your two takes on it!  All the details you need are over at the Twofer blog … along with plenty of fine, feathery ideas from the the DT to spark your imagination.  We’re delighted to have two Guest Designers with us this month … a warm welcome to Izzy from Izzyscrap and Sonja from Old Punca.  Do go and have a visit with both Izzy and Sonja … not only will you find their brilliant Twofer cards, you’ll also enjoy a whole heap of wonderful inspiration to meander through … and you can always leave them some love while you’re there!

My happy pals are wandering off to …

Happy Little Stampers – Anything Goes With Dies

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Use Something New … my penguins

Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday – Try Something New … my penguins

… and my surprise birthday friend is celebrating at …

CASology – Frozen

Less Is More – Water … icebergs are frozen water!

Watercooler Wednesday – All About Occasions

Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

                  

          

A New Challenge At Time Out – #124 – We Challenge You To Be … Joyful!

Hello … bonjour!  Our fabulous new challenge starts this morning at Time Out.  This fortnight … We Challenge You To Be … Joyful!  There’s aren’t too many things more joyful than Christmas … so that’s where I went with our theme …

I stamped and gold heat embossed the berry sprig and main sentiment from Uniko (Originally Organic, All Occasion Sentiments 4), plus the supplementary sentiment from Simon Says Stamp.  The sprig was coloured with zigs, had the berries Wink of Stella’d and covered with Glossy Accents … and I added a scattering of red gems over the already embossed gold dots.  They appear dark in the photo for some reason … IRL they’re a good match for the berries.  Voilà … a one layer QACAS (quick and clean and simple in Darnell-ese), joyful, Christmas card!

Where will our challenge take your creative imagination … to a joyful occasion, as mine did … to to something bright and happy … to a joyful melody … or elsewhere?  Wherever it takes you, we’d love to see what you create!  This time round, we’re sponsored by Uniko  (thanks, Bev!) … our  winner, as voted for by the DT, will receive a in stock stamp set of their choice … and as usual, will be invited to guest design with us in a future challenge.  All the details are over at Time Out, along with plenty of fabulous inspiration from our wonderful DT … and from our super talented Guest Designer, Chrissie from Simply One Of A Kind.  Why not pop over and have a meander through Chrissie’s blog … she has the most delicious CAS cards to enjoy!

I’m playing along at …

Clean And Simple On Friday – Make A Christmas Card

Inkspirational – Anything Christmas Goes

Less Is More – Holiday One Layer Card

SSS Monday – B Is For … berries

SSS Work It Wednesday – Ho Ho Holiday

Hope your Christmas preparations are coming along splendidly!  Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂