Twofer Card Challenge #37 Reminder – Leaves

Hello … bonjour! I’m popping by with some more inspiration to tempt you to play along with us at Twofer this month … there’s a whole week left for you to join in with … 

Once again, as with my first set of Twofer cards last week, my common images here are those delicate Eucalyptus die cuts from Simply Graphic … one for a birthday, one as a spirit lifter. Let’s have a closer look at each one …

This is a deliciously clean design, with the leaves cut in gold and pink, growing right next to the crisp white Concord & 9th stacked die cut. The supplementary sentiment is from Simply Graphic … it’s embossed in white and translates to ‘it’s your day’. The frame was embossed with a Reverse Confetti square die … I don’t have a rectangular one, so did a little extending (similar to partial die cutting).

My second card, while still clean, is a little more layered …

This design began with a sponged panel of Bristol card … in every green Distress Ink hue in my possession. I die cut seven of the open eucalyptus leaves from the different colours and layered them up round a Concord & 9th stitched circle die cut (to guide the shape) … and adhered the circle to the card base. The sentiment was stamped in navy inside the spring wreath (it’s from The Greetery) … and I finished with some tiny blue gems to mimic berries.

So … have you played along with us at Twofer this month?  If you haven’t, why not give it a go … and if you have, do feel free to play again.  We’d love to see your two distinctly different takes on Leaves.  All the details, rules and FAQs are over at the Twofer blog … along with inspiration galore, both from the wonderful DT and from our talented Guest Designers, Alison from Cranberry and Eggplant and Natalie from natshobbycorner at Instagram.  Look forward to seeing you in our gallery!

My birthday card is heading to …

Addicted to Stamps and More – Birthdays

Krafty Chicks – CAS

Seize The Birthday – Anything Goes … No Topping of Spring Flowers

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Clean and Simple

and my spring wreath will be lifting spirits at …

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Shopping Our Stash – Plant Life

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Clean and Simple

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

Twofer Card Challenge #33 – Stars

Hello … bonjour! We’ve just started our last challenge of the year at Twofer … and we have a fun twist that you can use, if you’d like to (see below). In addition, for this month only, in the spirit of joy and giving, our beloved leader, the lovely Darnell, is offering prizes! Check out the Twofer blog for more details. This time round, we inviting you to get twinkling with …

Now … what’s the twist?  Usually at Twofer, your two different designs need to be for two different occasions.  However, because so many of us are working hard to get our Christmas cards made, for this month only, you have the option of foregoing the two different occasions element of our challenge.  So, you may enter two Christmas cards, just as long as your two designs are distinctly different … or you can carry on as usual with two different occasions … it’s up to you!

I chose not to twist and used a Simon Says Stamp die as my common element … there are three sizes of stars that act as flower heads on the twiggy sprigs on my birthday card … and two of the same sizes that appear around the manger on my Christmas card. Here’s a closer look at each one …

I used a Simon border die (retired) across the bottom third of a card panel to ground the stamped twigs (from Concord & 9th). The stars were cut from pearlised card for a little subtle shine (it’s more noticeable on the first photo) … and were adhered flat over the sprigs. I attached the panel to the card base and added a white-embossed-on-black stamped sentiment, plus a die cut and stacked black-over-white word from Simon to finish. Clean and layered I think.

My next card is almost one layer, clean and simple …

On this centred design, the larger star shines it’s light onto the love-filled manger while the smaller ones adorn the garland under the sentiment. The stamped images are all from Taylored Expressions except for the wreath, which is from Newton’s Nook. I did a little pencil colouring on the wreath, added sparkle and shine to the heart and doodled the dots of light with a stylus and gold ink pad. There’s much more shimmer than there appears to be on this photo … look …

How would you like to join us with your two distinctly different takes on stars … we’d love to see what you create in our gallery!  All the details about how to play, including rules/FAQs are over at the Twofer blog … together with heaps of fantastic inspiration from the DT and from our fabulous Guest Designers, Pia from Pia’s Paper and Pearls and Liz from Crafty Sunflower … welcome ladies!  Do go over and have a visit with Pia and Liz … you’re sure to enjoy all the wonderful design inspiration on display at both their blogs … and you can always say hello while you’re there too!

My twiggy, starry flowered sprigs are heading to …

Day Of The Month Club – Use Your Head Day (making flowers from stars used my head!)

Seize The Birthday – Anything Goes (no 1, 2, 3 option)

Time Out – Festivals (with the glimmer option)

… and my Christmas manger is joining in at …

Clean and Simple on Friday – Christmas

NBUS – Anything Goes (the TE images are new)

Retro Rubber – Anything Goes (the wreath is much older than a year)

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

Turnabouts Times Two

Hello … bonjour!  Calling in today with a couple of cards made with different Concord & 9th Turnabouts … they’re going to be joining in at some of the fun challenges going on across blogland at the moment.   One’s masculine, one’s feminine … and then there are two extra ones at the end.  Here’s the first …

A one layer graphic card … simply stamped with Concord & 9th‘s Semicircle Turnabout … with a platinum heat embossed sentiment from Winnie & Walter (sadly NLIB).  One semicircle on each line had Glossy Accents layered over the top to add shine and dimension … tricky to photograph though you can probably make out those on the first two rows.  Cool and masculine I think!

This is heading to …

MFT Birthday Project – Circles

MFT Color – White, Sno Cone, Blue Raspberry, Orange Zest (my closest colours)

NBUS – Anything Goes (as long as it’s NBUS) … Missed Darnell‘s return last month so am happy to join in now with this Semicircle Turnabout (first use, though it’s been living here for a while!).

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Anything Goes

The Male Room – Sentiment in Focus

 

         

The next card is softer and feminine … maybe it’s the colours …

Here I used Concord & 9th‘s Bitty Burst … and added a stacked, shimmered, Glossy Accented, die cut sentiment from Simon … with a white heat embossed supplementary label popped up underneath the ‘smile’.  The panel was trimmed and adhered to a 10.5cm (roughly 4.25 inches) square card … which, most unusually for me isn’t white … I’m expanding my horizons!!

This little pretty is playing along at …

Krafty Chicks – Anything Goes

MFT Birthday Project – Circles

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Anything Goes

The Paper Players – Make You Smile

     

    

The change in colour palette and sentiment style gives this Bitty Burst Turnabout a different look.  Here are those extra cards I mentioned earlier … a variation on a theme, though just as much fun with that all that scattered confetti … and deliciously easy to make for quick hello’s.

    

I hope and pray that you are continuing to stay safe and well out there … and that you’re finding fun, happy, joyful things to do to occupy those hands, hearts and minds.  Keep smiling!  Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

Some Spring Flowers

Hello … bonjour!  First today, I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who left such lovely comments following my final Time Out Design Team cards/post … they were soooo appreciated … you warmed my heart and had me smiling all over my face … merci mille fois 🙂 .  In answer to a question that came up a few times … yes, I’ll definitely still be making cards … and will still be around in blogland … just not at Time Out (except as a player that is!).  So, onto a couple of cards (which is why you’re here!) … they both feature sunny spring flowers … and will be going into the galleries of various fun challenges that are going on at the moment.  Here’s the first …

… a simple stamp-layered, colourful, one layer card using an older image from Concord & 9th (Flourish) … and a sentiment from Simon.  This clean, whimsical, bright card is heading to …

Addicted To Stamps And More – Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks – All Occasions … where the lovely Bobby is GD this month

Seize The Birthday – Anything Goes … no Food/Drink option

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Flower Power

The Card Concept – Hello Spring Inspiration (below) … style is CAS/One Layer

     

            

My second card is more layered … though it is still clean …

All the images and the sentiment here are from Papertrey (One Big Happy and Birthday Cheer).  The Happy Birthday was heat embossed in platinum onto a panel of white card … and popped up onto the base.  The stamped and die cut flowers and leaves were then arranged above and below the edges of the panel, some flat to the base, others popped up on different layers of foam tape.  This card is going to be playing along at …

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Ink To Paper Project Reach Out – Flower Cards

Just Us Girls – Photo Inspiration (below)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Flower Power

 

           

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 🙂

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 🙂

           

             

          

     

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 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 🙂

             

      

Twofer Card Challenge #23 – Hearts

Hello … bonjour!  If this is your first visit here for 2020 … Bonne Année/Happy New Year … may it be blessed with good health, joy and creativity for us all!  Talking of creativity, our first Twofer challenge of the year has just started and this month it’s a particularly special one.  It’s our 2nd Blogaversary … and we’re celebrating with some amazing prizes!  Do go over to Twofer for all the details … you really don’t want to miss out on what Darnell has in store for our winners!  So what are we inviting you to showcase this time around?  Take a look at our prompt badge …

My common element is Poppy Stamps‘ Heart Screen (now retired) … with the inside hearts used unconventionally for my Christmas card … and the outline screen used conventionally for my Anniversary card.  Here’s a closer look at each one …

Three lots of hearts were cut from a piece of cardstock I’d smooched and splattered some time ago.  I arranged them into a Christmas tree shape right down the centre of the card and popped them up on different depths of foam dots onto a white panel cut with a die from The Greetery.  I stamped the stand (Papertrey) and popped up the gold foil star (Concord & 9th) … decorated the tree with red gem ornaments … and added shimmer spritz (after masking all but the tree).  The panel was matted onto some co-ordinating DP, which was then adhered to the card base.  A sentiment didn’t fit anywhere very well, so I’ll add a Christmas greeting inside when the time comes.  How about a closer look at all the shooshy colour, dimension and shimmer/shine …

In contrast, my conventional card is subtle and understated …

Here I used a fog grey panel for my ‘thirds’ design.  I white heat embossed the soft, splattery background (Concord & 9th) vertically onto the lower right two thirds of the card and the primary sentiment (Simon) horizontally along the top left two thirds.  The heart screen was cut once in gold foil and twice in white … they were stacked together and adhered over the white background.  The tiny supplementary sentiment (also Simon) was white heat embossed onto a sliver of gold foil card and popped up on foam tape … and I added a scattering of gold hearts (from the inside of the screen).  The panel was trimmed to size and adhered to the card base.

How would you like to join us with your two distinctly different takes on hearts … we’d love to see what you create in our gallery!  All the details about how to play along, including rules and FAQs (and don’t forget those prizes!) are at the Twofer blog … together with heaps of brilliant ideas from the DT to inspire you.  We’re delighted to have two Guest Designers joining us this month, both talented winners of our October challenge …. welcome to Jane from Onions and Paper and to Jacquie from What Did I Do Today?.  If you haven’t met Jane and Jacquie yet, do go over and enjoy a wander through their blogs … you’ll have a splendid time!  Even if you are familiar with their work, why not pop along anyway … you can always say hello while you’re there!

My Christmas tree is heading to …

Happy Little Stampers Christmas – Anything Goes (With Option Trim The Tree)

Poppy Stamps – From The Heart

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Something New (Greetery Frame Die)

The Paper Players – Something New (Greetery Frame Die)

… and my Anniversary card is joining in at …

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Poppy Stamps – From The Heart

The Card Concept – Time To Celebrate Inspiration (my eye was taken with the cluster of golden ornaments and the waxy white candles – Clean and Classy – CAS/Classy & Elegant Style)

Thanks so much for coming by, 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 #20 – Critters

Hello … bonjour!  Our fun September challenge has just launched at Twofer … this month we’re inviting Critters to play with us …

… my critters are little bitty things … A confetti strewn birthday card and a starry, festive Christmas card … with a gift toting Bitty Bear from MFT as my common image (one was coloured as part of our tutorial at the Lake House with the lovely Kara, colourist extraordinaire … the others were coloured especially for today!).  Here’s a closer look at each card …

Here, my design is a circle within a circle with the sentiment placed underneath.  Bitty Bear is the star of the show, set against the softly sponged yellow centre of a halo of celebratory confetti, stamped with Concord & 9th‘s Bitty Burst Turnabout.  The sentiments are both from Simon Says Stamp.  I added shimmer to the gift … and Glossy Accent-ed it, along with some random parts of the confetti and Bear’s eyes and nose.  Here’s a closer look at the shine …

I used Bear conventionally again on my Christmas card …

… in a design that has him and his friends clambering around a large central die cut sentiment that stretches across the width of the card.  The ho ho ho was made up of the first and last letters of Altenew‘s Mega Hello die.  The Bears climbed aboard, I adhered them and the ho ho ho to a panel of pp (yep, I used pp!) and attached the pp to the card base.  The sentiment and gifts were layered generously with shimmer … and I once again added Glossy Accents to the Bears’ eyes and to the gifts.  They chose the red Rudolph noses themselves … they thought it was appropriate for Christmas!  You can see the detail a little better here …

How about joining us with some critters 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 at the Twofer blog … together with heaps of splendid inspiration from the DT.  We’re delighted to have as our Guest Designer, the super talented Nora from A Creative Touch … welcome Nora!  If you haven’t met Nora yet, do go over and enjoy a wander through her blog … you’ll have a splendid time!  Even if you are familiar with her work, why not pop along anyway … you can always say hello while you’re there!

My confetti Bear is heading to …

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Stamp It

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Stamp It

Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday – Celebrate

… and my clambering Bears are joining in at …

Happy Little Stampers Christmas – Anything Goes … no elf option

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Stamp It

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Stamp It

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