Twofer Card Challenge #34 – Flowers

Hello … bonjour … and Happy New Year … Bonne Année! May this year be blessed with good health, joy, hope and creativity for us all.  Welcome back, too, after my six week blogland break … it’s great to be here again! Over at Twofer ,we’re leaping into our fourth year of challenges … with plenty of delicious prompts to inspire you … and some changes to the Design Team. We’re saying a very fond farewell to the lovely and super talented Kara and Cat … and saying a warm and happy hello to our new team members, Sonja and Bonnie … welcome, ladies! If you’ve played along at Twofer before, you’ll know how much fun it is to create two distinctly different designs for two different occasions using the same stamps, dies or stencils … and if you haven’t yet joined us … why not give it a go? This month we have one of my favourite card making themes to tempt you … and I’m pretty sure you’ll be itching to dig out your supplies when you see the prompt. It’s …

I created a bold, dramatic ‘just because’ card … and a bright, spring-like ‘beautiful day’ card … using this gorgeous Summer Sketches bloom from The Greetery. Here’s a closer look at each one …

This is one of my go-to clean and simple designs … the image is centred on the card and the sentiment (from Catherine Pooler) is stamped just below it. I added subtle detail by embossing a frame with a die from Spellbinders and doing a little splattering. There’s also a touch of shimmer and shine on the flowers and stamens, which you can see better here …

I stayed with the conventional use of the flower for my second card …

This is another CAS design … albeit a little fuller than the first. Here, the outline flowers were gold embossed in diagonally opposite corners of the card to form a frame around the WPlus9 sentiment (also gold embossed), before being over stamped with the solid images. I added some Nuvo drops to match and added interest by double scoring the two empty corners.

How about joining us with some flowers 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 fabulous Guest Designers joining us this month … Viv from Viv’s Visuals … and Brenda from Inkspired To Stamp … welcome ladies!  If you haven’t met these talented artists yet, do go and enjoy a wander through their blogs … you’ll find 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 single floral sprig is heading to …

CAS Mix Up – Splatters (plus dry embossing and stamping)

Color Hues – Red and Grey (happy to be playing along at last!)

Watercooler Wednesday – Anything Goes with a Feminine Twist

… and my spring florals are joining in at …

Addicted to CAS – Emboss

Krafty Chicks – Stamp Act

The Flower Challenge – Heat/Dry Embossing

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

A New Challenge At Time Out – #159 – Inspired By Words

Hello … bonjour!  Our wonderful new challenge has just started over at Time Out … for the next fortnight, we’d like you to be Inspired By Words … if you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.  Those who are regular visitors here will know of my love of flowers … and will understand what I was drawn to in Cicero’s words … a garden …

     

On the base card, I used a mask and blended a circle of soft Distress Ink colours, reminiscent of a warm gentle sunrise.  The die cuts are all from Simply Graphic (a gift from Judith, thanks, my friend!) … the flowery edged circle was cut into a panel that matches the card base … and the leafy additions were arranged along the right side of it.  Everything was adhered flat to the base … with the leaves left free at the top to wave gently in the breeze!  The sentiment (a little hello) is also from Simply Graphic.

Most of the time, I only share one card for Time Out … but today is a little different, as this will be my last post as a member of the Design Team.  After close to six years of being part of this warm, encouraging and artistic team, stepping down wasn’t an easy decision to make … and I will miss being closely involved with such a fabulous challenge and such a talented group of card makers.  I would like to say an enormous thank you to my lovely friend … our wonderful and inspirational leader, Sandie, for her confidence and faith in me as a new designer … and to all my teamies, past and present, for sharing freely their support, kindness and talent over the years.  Thanks to all of you too, friends and players … it’s been a delight to see so many fantastic cards in our gallery week after week.  My final Time Out DT card is a bit of fun … and I hope it might bring you a smile.  Here, there’s a little guy happily living in the ‘garden’ …

The greenery is from Concord & 9th, cut from Distress Ink smooshed card stock, which is growing right alongside the stamped gravel path (Annabelle Stamps – NLIB).  The friendly escargot came ready stamped from Michele (merci, my friend) … and is popping out from the greenery to wish the recipient a happy birthday (in French as he’s multi-lingual … he also speaks English … and Snail, of course).  As it’s spring, he’s developed a lovely shimmer … and shine (a description he much prefers, rather than the s**** word more commonly associated with snails) .  You can tell from the look on his face he’s quite rightly proud of it … take a peek …

     

Where will Cicero’s wise words take your creativity?  You can use any or all of them to inspire your card … we’d love it if you played along with us.  We’re sponsored this fortnight by Newton’s Nook … our winner, as voted for by the DT, will be offered a $25 store credit … and as usual, will be invited to Guest Design with the team in a future challenge.  All the details are over at Time Out, along with heaps of lovely inspiration from our splendid DT!

My first card will be joining in the fun at …

Inkspirational – Spring

Papercraft Challenges – Pastel Colours

Perfectly CAS – Die Cuts

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Mood Board … bottom left (below)

The Flower Challenge – Spring/Autumn

… and Monsieur Escargot will be shining at …

AAA Cards – Made in Minutes (just under 15 … ultra quick for me!)

AAA Birthday – Dots and/or Stripes (that dotty gravel!)

Addicted to Stamps And More – Clean And Simple

CAS on Friday – Black, White And One Colour

The Male Room – Make Me Laugh

I hope and pray that you’re all continuing to stay safe and well out there … keep crafting and keep smiling 🙂 .  Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

           

             

          

     

Time Out Challenge #157 – A Reminder!

Hello … bonjour!  I’m popping in to remind you that we’re still celebrating our 6th birthday at Time Out … and to let you know there’s still almost a week to join us in our latest challenge.  Our theme this fortnight is (unsurprisingly!) Birthday … and there’s an optional twist of die cutting or fussy cutting.  I chose not to twist …

     

The floral bouquet is from WPlus9, stamped in Versafine Onyx Black onto a panel of mixed media card.  I coloured it with Zigs and a water brush, doodled some highlights on flower centres and tiny buds with a white gel pen … and added a sentiment from Simon.  The finished panel was edged top and bottom with slender strips of black … and was popped up on craft foam onto a matching base card.

        

How about making a birthday card and celebrating with us?  If you use our optional twist of die cutting or fussy cutting, you’ll be in with a random chance of winning a US$40 GC prize from our fabulous sponsor, STAMPlorations (thanks, Shery!).  Our overall winner will be chosen by the DT … and will be invited to guest design with us in a future challenge.  All the details are over at Time Out … along with heaps of delicious inspiration from our wonderful DT … and from our talented Guest Designer, Christine at Experiments In Craft.  Do go over for a visit with Christine … you won’t want to miss a gentle meander through her inspiring blog!

I’m playing along with …

AAA Birthday – Flowers

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour – Anything Goes … with the Flower option

The Flower Challenge – Anything Goes

The Paper Players – Clean And Simple Spring Flowers

I do hope you’re all staying safe and well out there.  Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

       

      

A Flower Cluster … Or Two!

Hello … bonjour … hope your week is starting well!  Today I have a couple of cards to share, the first of which is going to be joining in some current challenges (see below).  The second, which is similar, is a bonus … and was fun to make look slightly different, even though the basic design and main supplies were the same.  Here’s the first …

The leaves and flowers were die cut from coloured cardstock … I sponged over Distress Ink to give them depth … and used a white gel pen to add definition and highlights.  They’re arranged on various levels of foam dots on a die cut striped pp panel, which had been adhered flat to the card base.  The sentiment is from Simon … all the die cuts are from Concord & 9th.

Here’s my bonus card …

I dropped the design from the upper third to the lower third of the card … used the same floral and leafy die cuts, this time in yellow with black detailing (also sponged with Distress Ink) … and cut a banner from the same striped pp.  The sentiment, from Simon, was stamped onto a foam mounted banner that was trimmed to mimic the pp strip.  Voilà … similar … though just a little  different … I like them both equally … d’you have a favourite?

I’m joining in the fun at …

Color Throwdown – Lavender, Green, Grey

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Seize The Birthday – Show Me Your White Space

The Flower Challenge – Add Leaves

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 – #149 – Celebrations

Hello … bonjour!  Our new challenge has just started at Time Out … and this fortnight we have a theme for you to play with.  It’s Celebrations … with optional twist of making a one layer card if you’d like to.  I chose not to twist … here’s where I went with our theme …

My floral image is from Altenew (Charmed) … stamped in Versafine onto a white card panel and loosely watercoloured with Zigs.  I added some black splatters (with the bouquet gently covered up), adhered a white embossed sentiment with foam tape and drizzled Stickles into the flower centres.  The base card was edged on one side with black and white washi tape and the panel was attached flat to it.  I’m pretty certain that it was the lovely Therese at Lost in Paper who inspired me with a card she made using this set, with chunky glitter in the centres (in shades of pink, if memory serves).  I loved it … and finally got to try a version of my own!  Thanks, Therese, for the inspiration!  Here’s a closer look at all the sparkle and variegated colour …

          

How will you interpret our Celebrations theme … and will you use our optional one layer twist?  We’d love to see what you create in our gallery.  This time around, we’re sponsored by Altenew who are offering a US$20 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 Time Out … along with loads of fabulous inspiration from our brilliant DT … and from our talented Guest Designer, Christine at Experiments in Craft.  Why not pop over for a visit with Christine … you can enjoy a wander through all the loveliness on offer at her blog … and say hello while you’re there!

I’m playing along at …

Addicted to CAS – Birthday … Happy 7th Birthday, ladies … what a fabulous milestone!

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour – Anything Goes (No Animal Option)

Papercraft Challenges – Birthdays

The Flower Challenge – Add Spots or Stripes (mine are diagonal stripes)

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

                

A New Challenge At Time Out – #147 – Inspired By Words

Hello … bonjour … long time no see!  This year has been a busy one outside of blogland and as a result I’ve not been here a great deal, though I have (mostly) stayed in touch with what you’ve all been creating while I haven’t been!  This last couple of weeks, however, have been especially full … and that’s meant there’s been almost no opportunity to visit everyone, outside of my DT commitments.  So, to those of you who haven’t seen or heard from me recently … thank you for your patience and understanding … normal service will be resumed shortly!

I’m here today because our new challenge at Time Out has just started … and this fortnight, we’re Inspired By Words … Dream Big, Be Grateful, Give Love, Laugh Lots.   Here’s where I went with those words …

On a white pierced, scalloped card panel cut with a Winnie & Walter die, I stamped these lovely words and delicate single floral stem from Uniko’s You Are, Yes You stamp set.  The stem was curved to create the sense of a smile … and the flower head balances the offset ‘loved’ in the sentiment.  I coloured the bloom with Zigs, covered it with lots of shimmer and added some sparkling gems to finish off.  The scalloped panel was added to a matching mat and then popped up onto the card base on craft foam.  You can see more of the shimmer here (even though it’s a little out of focus!) …

        

Where will our words take your creativity?  You can use any or all of them to inspire your card … we’d love it if you played along with us.  We’re sponsored this time around by Uniko (thanks, Bev!) who are offering our winner, as voted for by the DT, an in-stock stamp set of their choice.  As usual, our winner will also be invited to be our Guest Designer for a future challenge.  The details are over at Time Out, along with heaps of lovely inspiration from our fabulous DT, which I know you won’t want to miss!

My card will be going into the gallery at …

CAS on Friday – Big Sentiment or Word

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour – Anything Goes Optional Botanical

The Flower Challenge – Clean and Simple

The Paper Players – Clean and Simple – Say It Loud

Thanks so much for coming by (especially when I haven’t been doing), your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

       

       

A New Challenge At Time Out – #146 – We Challenge You To Be … Encouraging!

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

This dainty, floral wreath and that sweet sentiment are from Newton’s Nook (Happy Little Thoughts).  They were stamped on a Concord & 9th stitched die cut circle, the wreath was coloured with Distress Inks in soft autumn colours … and a few of those tiny blossoms were shimmered with Wink of Stella and topped with Glossy Accents.  The circle was mounted onto a die cut black circle (Hero Arts) and was popped up on craft foam onto a base card that I scored Laurie Willison style.  How about a look at those little details …

          

How will you interpret ‘encouraging’?  We’d love to see what you create in our gallery!  This time round, we’re sponsored by Newton’s Nook (thanks, Jen and Jeff!) … 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, Shawna from The Grand Stampede.  Why not pop over for a visit with Shawna … you’ll find tons of fantastic inspiration … and you can always say hello while you’re there!

My autumn coloured wreath is heading to …

Addicted To Stamps And More – Make Your Mark

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour – Anything Goes, Optional Botanical

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Fall/Autumn

The Flower Challenge – CAS

Uniko – Anything Goes, Option Autumn

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 – #135 – Inspired By Words

Hello … bonjour!  Our new challenge at Time Out has just started … and we have an ‘Inspired By Words’ theme for you to join in with for the next two weeks … it’s a quote from Teddy Roosevelt … keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.  Here’s where I went with it …

        

My focus was on both the ‘ground‘ and the ‘stars‘ part of the quote … the latter you’ll see a little better further down.  Don’t know that I’ve made a shaped card before … and it was fun to try it for a change.  I cut two single circles with a Hero Arts Infinity die, scored the back one close to the top to create a hinge, adhered the two together above the crease … and trimmed a sliver of card off the bottom so it would stand upright.  The resulting circular card was masked so that I could blend distress inks over it to create the grassy ground and dusky sky, while still retaining the white border.  Once the blending was done, I sprayed Shimmer Spritz over it all to create the sense of glimmery stars.  The single white bloom die is from Poppy Stamps (retired) and the embossed circular frame is from Memory Box (Stitched Maple Circle Frame) … they were both adhered flat to the background.  I white heat embossed the Avery Elle sentiment and finished off with a sprinkling of clear dewdrops.  Here’s a closer look at the starry sparkle …

       

Where will our words take your creativity?  You can use any or all of them to inspire your card … we’d love it if you played along with us.  We’re sponsored this time around by Poppy Stamps and are delighted to have the lovely Jeanne from their Design Team joining us with a card on her own blog, A Kept Life.  Our overall winner, as voted for by our DT, will receive a $20 GD from Poppy Stamps 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 heaps of lovely inspiration from our fabulous DT, and from our super talented Guest Designer, Michele, from I Card Everyone.  Do go and enjoy an inspiring and delicious visit with both Jeanne and Michele … you’ll find heaps of fantastic ideas and brilliant cards to explore … and you can always say hello while you’re there!

I’m playing along at …

Addicted to Stamps And More – Photo Inspiration (below) … top left!

The Flower Challenge – Embossing (Heat or Dry) … there are both!

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 – #131 – Inspired By Words

Hello … bonjour!  Welcome to a very special Time Out … it’s our 5th birthday!  Congratulations to Sandie and to the whole Design Team … it’s an honour and a joy to have been on this wonderful journey with such a committed, talented and delightful group of crafters!  We have an ‘Inspired By Words’ theme for you this fortnight … hugs, kisses and a lot of birthday wishes.  Here’s where I went with it …

As you can tell from the Joyeux Anniversaire (Happy Birthday) sentiment, my focus was on the lots of birthday wishes part of our Inspired By Words phrase.  Those charming wildflowers are from Pink Fresh Studio, simply stamped into the corner of my card and loosely watercoloured with Zigs.  I did some splattering to create the sense of pollen drifting on the breeze over a summer meadow … and embossed the Simply Graphic sentiment onto a snippet of black card, which was popped up on foam tape.

        

Where will our words take your creativity?  You can use any or all of them to inspire your card … we’d love it if you played along and celebrated with us in the gallery.  We’re sponsored for our 5th birthday by STAMPlorations (thanks, Shery!)  … for this very special occasion, there’ll be a $50 GC for our winner … who, as usual, will also be invited to guest design with us in a future challenge.  All the details are over at the Time Out blog, along with heaps of lovely inspiration from our fabulous DT, and from our uber talented, colourist extra-ordinaire Guest Designer, Kara from Bright Hope Creations.  Do go and enjoy a mesmerising visit with the lovely Kara … you’ll find so much amazing creativity and wonderful videos to explore … and you can always say hello while you’re there!

I’m playing along at …

Addicted To Stamps And More – Make Your Mark

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour – No Optional Mist … though there are spatters!

Papercraft Challenges – Clean And Simple

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Feminine/Girlie

The Flower Challenge – Anything Goes

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