Twofer Card Challenge #31 – Trees

Hello … bonjour!  It’s the 10th of the month … and that means we have a delicious new challenge for you at Twofer!  This month we’re inviting you to enjoy some time in the great outdoors (or maybe indoors!) with …

I chose a solid, stylised tree from Waltzing Mouse Stamps (sadly NLIB) as my common image … it appears solo and draped with stars in the middle of my clean Christmas Card … and on my birthday card, it becomes an autumn copse set along an earthy border, with the leaves just beginning to fall .  Here’s a closer look at each one …

Here, I cut a panel of linen card with an MFT Peek-a-Boo stitched die … and used that as a guide for placing my Christmas tree … done in ombré blues … and made frosty with lots of Spectrum Noir shimmer pen.  The starry garland (WMS) and the sentiment (from Winnie and Walter, also NLIB) were silver heat embossed, I stamped the ground for the tree to grow from (Ellen Hutson) and added falling snow (W&W) after masking the tree.  The panel was foam mounted on a card base that had been inked around the edges … and I finished off with a Nuvo drop in silver glitter at the top of the tree.

Here’s a more seasonal take with the same image …

A one layer cream card with an Ellen Hutson border stamped as the earth.  The trees are just changing from summer to autumn colours (courtesy of some rock and roll/finger-dauber inking) … and are grouped together thanks to a little basic masking.  The tiny leaves (from WMS) have already starting to tumble to the ground … and have been blown right the way along the border by the gentle breeze!  The birthday sentiment is from Hero Arts.

How would you like to join us with your two distinctly different takes on trees … we’d love to see what you create 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 brilliant inspiration from the DT and from our fabulous Guest Designers, Helen from Helen’s Craft Haven and Lisa from My Paper Tales … welcome ladies!  Do go over and have a visit with Helen and Lisa … you’re certain to enjoy all the  wonderful design inspiration on display at both their blogs … and you can always say while you’re there too!

My solo Christmas tree is heading to …

Bastel-Traum – CAS (Clean and Simple)

CAS Christmas – Christmas Tree

Die Cut Divas – All Kinds of Holidays (Christmas)

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Use Your Favourite Stamp (my WMS stylised tree)

Watercooler Wednesday – All About Occasions

… and my autumn copse is joining in at …

CASology – September (seasonal changes)

Color Throwdown – Red, Yellow, Cream, Brown

Just Us Girls – Leaves

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Use Your Favourite Stamp (my WMS stylised tree)

Watercooler Wednesday – All About Occasions

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

         

           

    

Twofer Card Challenge #29 – Butterflies

Hello … bonjour!  Our fun July challenge has just launched at Twofer … and this month we’re inviting some delicate, fluttery insects to play with us …

My butterflies are from Uniko … my favourites …

They appear on my Beautiful Day card as a duo, flying along one edge, with the sentiment spread across the middle, between them.  This is for a wedding anniversary … and I liked the design so much, I made another for a different occasion, which I’ll share with you another time.  My You’re So Lovely card (it’s for a birthday) features the butterfly as the centrepiece, with the sentiment nestled in underneath it.  Let’s have a closer look at each one …

I wanted this card to have a dramatic feel to it … and for the colours to appeal to both husband and wife celebrating their anniversary, so chose bold oranges, black and white for the palette (akin to monarchs maybe?).  The butterflies and sentiment (from Altenew) were stamped in Versamark Onyx Black … and the former were coloured and shaded with coloured pencils.  It was going to be a one layer card, but when it was done, I thought it needed a little something extra … the slender strip of striped washi along one side seemed to do the trick!

I went for a much softer look for my birthday card …

Here, I stamped and white heat embossed the butterfly onto a mixed media panel … and watercoloured it with Zigs in rainbow colours.  Once it was dry, the corresponding die was used to cut it out, I stamped the sentiment (from Hero Arts) and embossed a frame round the panel using a couple of Hero Arts Infinity dies.  A piece of dark grey card was adhered onto a mixed media card base, so that it would show through the negative space and the finished panel was popped up over it on craft foam.  I scored along each side of the butterfly where the wings and body meet, folded the wings upwards, added a double layer of foam tape under the body and adhered it into the negative space.

How about joining us with a favourite butterfly of your own … or even a kaleidoscope of them?  Just use the same stamps, dies and/or stencils for your two distinctly different designs, for two different occasions … we’d love to see you (and them) in our gallery!  Details about how to play, including the rules and FAQs, are over at the Twofer blog … along with lepidoptera inspiration galore from the DT!  We’re delighted to have two super talented Guest Designers joining us this month … Barb from Barb’s Studio Creations … and TK from Time 4 Kards … welcome ladies!  I’m pretty certain you’ll know the work of these fabulous artists already … though do go over for a visit and say hello … you’ll so enjoy their brilliant twofers … and you can have a gentle meander through all their other creations too!

My bold butterflies are heading to …

NBUS – Anything Goes (the sentiment had been Never Before Used Schtuff!)

Retro Rubber – Anything Goes (the butterfly stamp is 5+ years old)

The Rainbow Card Challenge – Tantalising Tangerine

Watercooler Wednesday – All About Occasions

ETA:  30 Day Colouring Challenge – Anything Goes

… and the solo flutterer is joining in at …

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Play With Paint (watercolours)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Moving Parts (butterfly wings)

Watercooler Wednesday – All About Occasions

ETA:  30 Day Colouring Challenge – Anything Goes

            

          

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 – #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 🙂

       

                 

A New Challenge At Time Out #143 – 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 takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow.  Here’s where I went with it …

        

As you can see, my focus was on the ‘rainbow‘ element of our words.  I took a white card panel and sponged it in a bevy of scrumptious rainbow colours, making sure to keep any muddy-able colours away from one another.  The panel was cut with Cover Model: Multifaceted Cutaway (from Winnie & Walter) … and I adhered a frame around it, that had been cut with two Hero Arts Infinity Dies.  The little ‘happy’ sentiment (from Simon Says Stamp) was stamped onto the frame, then I adhered the panel onto the card base using tiny slivers of foam tape.  The main sentiment is from Winnie & Walter, cut out of black cardstock, embossed in clear, dotted with silver pen (to mimic either rivets or jewels, depending on the recipient) and adhered/popped up over the rainbow.

        

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 Winnie & Walter (thanks, Shay!) … our winner, as voted for by the DT, will receive a $25 GC … and as usual, will be invited to guest design with us in a future challenge.  The details are over at Time Out, along with heaps of lovely inspiration from our fabulous DT … and from our talented Guest Designer, Arlene from Sunday Stamper Papercrafts.   Do go and enjoy a visit with Arlene … there are so many inspiring designs to enjoy … and you can always say hello while you’re there!

I’m playing along at …

Addicted To Stamps And More – Anything Goes

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday – S Is For … Sponging (and Simon for that tiny sentiment!)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday – Celebrate

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 – #133 – Embellishments (Two Or More)

Hello … bonjour!  We’ve just started our delicious new challenge at Time Out … this fortnight we have a theme for you … it’s Embellishments (Two Or More) … with the option of making a one layer card.  Here’s where I went with it …

As you can see, I decided not to go for the one layer option, but created lots of dimension in my smooshed and splattered leafy wreath, with three layers of the Memory Box Stitched Maple Circle Frame (thanks, Jeanne!), all intertwined and popped up on foam dots.  Even though these lovely leaves are maple, they put me in mind of the vines that surround us … hence my colour palette of spring-fresh greens and purples.  Yes, I know the pearly ‘grapes’ look almost black, but they really are purple (see just below, you can see the hint of colour!).  The sentiment is from Reverse Confetti, stamped and white heat embossed onto some coloured card stock, die cut with a Hero Arts Infinity circle die and adhered flat inside the wreath.  I used a miniscule gem to top the i in beautiful … my second embellishment.

       

How will you interpret our Embellishments (Two Or More) theme … and will you use our optional one layer twist?  There are so many different goodies you can use to dress up your card … we’d love to see what you create in our gallery.  This fortnight, we’re sponsored by Birch Press Design who are offering a $20 GV to a randomly drawn player who uses the one layer option.  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 lovely inspiration from our brilliant DT … from the amazing Jeanne, who is on the Birch Press Design Team and blogs at A Kept Life … and from our talented and returning Guest Designer, Andrea at K and A Creative Moments.  Why not pop over for a visit with Jeanne and Andrea … you’ll love what you find … and you can always say hello while you’re there!

My vine wreath is playing along at …

Addicted to Stamps and More – Anything Goes

CAS on Friday – Spring

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Inkspirational – Pop It Up

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – No Designer Paper

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

       

               

A New Challenge At Time Out – #129 – Retro

Hello … bonjour … and a Happy Saint Valentine’s Day to you!  It was a delight to see you all the other day after my playtime (and thanks so much for all your warm and encouraging words 🙂 ) … and it’s lovely to be back so soon!  At Time Out this fortnight, we have a theme for you … it’s a style one … Retro … with an optional twist of making your card one layer.  Here’s what I did …

Retro really isn’t a style I’ve explored very much, so I resorted to Pinterest for ideas … and loved the 1960s colours and icons that were there … this design is a blend of lots of them.  These little retro telephones are from Avery Elle (thanks, Darnell!) … stamped into a grid pattern, courtesy of Misti … coated with Spectrum Noir Sparkle … and Rainbow Drop’d in the centre of each dial.  The simple scripty sentiment is from Hero Arts.  Here’s a close up of the shimmer and shine … and those delicious pastel-y colours …

         

How will you interpret Retro … and will you use our optional one layer twist?  There are so many ways to ignite your creative imagination with this theme … if, like me, you’re not sure which way to go, why not check out Pinterest as I did.  We’d love to see what you create in our gallery.  This fortnight, we’re sponsored by Funky Fossil Designs (thanks, Sarah!) … our winner, as voted for by the DT, will receive three stencils of their choice from the store … and as usual, will be invited to guest design with us in a future challenge.  Details are over at the Time Out blog … along with heaps of inspiration from our brilliant DT … and from our talented Guest Designer, Esther from Shoregirl’s Creations.  Why not pop over for a visit with Esther … there are gorgeous projects to explore and enjoy … and you can always say hello while you’re there!

My little telephones are going to be ringing their bells at …

Happy Little Stampers CAS – Friends

Papercraft Challenges – Something New (those sweet telephones)

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

       

A New Challenge At Time Out – #127 – Inspired By Words

Hello … bonjour!  Our fabulous new challenge has just started at Time Out this morning … this time we’re Inspired By Words … you are only as strong as the tables you dance on, the drinks you mix and the friends you roll with.  Here’s where I went with it …         

My focus was on the friends you roll with part of our Inspired By Words phrase.  I stamped and heat embossed those delicate, dreamy flowers (now retired Truth Is from CAS-ual Fridays) in silver onto the card base, after masking off a small section of the stems to leave space for the sentiment.  The flowers were watercoloured with Zigs and I added tiny splatters in the same colours onto the background.  The main sentiment is from CAS-ual Fridays (Mon Ami) and the secondary one is from Simon Says Stamp (Tiny Words).  I created a frame for my blossoms by die cutting a rectangle (Hero Arts) into a card panel that matches the base … and popped the frame up on foam tape over my finished image.  The shine on the embossing is rather delicious  … this might give you a better idea of what it’s like in real life …

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 joined us in the gallery.  We’re sponsored by CAS-ual Fridays (thanks, Michele!) .. our winner will win a $25GC … 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, along with our talented Guest Designer, Claire from String Bows.  Do go and have a fun visit with Claire … you’ll find so much clean and simple loveliness to explore … and you can always say hello while you’re there!

My blooms are going to be drifting off to …

Addicted To Stamps And More – Clean And Simple

Clean And Simple On Friday – Flowers

Happy Little Stampers Dies – Anything Goes

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour – No Optional Texture

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Clean And Simple

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

          

                    

 

A New Challenge At Time Out – #125 – Inspired By Words

Hello … bonjour!  Hope your Christmas preparations are coming along nicely … or are even complete … for those well organised souls among us!  Over at Time Out we’re starting a fresh new challenge today … this fortnight we’re Inspired By Words … Celebrate…Friends…Family…Life!   Here’s where I went with our words … celebrating the Greatest Gift of All …

         

A one layer card … with the bottom third masked off, I stamped the starry background in Delicata silver and gold, courtesy of two turns of the Concord & 9th Bitty Burst Turnabout.  The Holy Family in the stable and the sentiment come from Hero Arts … and were stamped using Tsukineko Brilliance Black … the stable into the space between the ‘stars’ … and the sentiment grounding the scene.  It’s deliciously shimmery IRL … though of course I couldn’t capture that with my photo!

Where will our words take your creativity?  You can use any or all of them to inspire your card … we’d love if it you joined us in the gallery.  We’re sponsored by STAMPlorations (thanks, Shery!) … our overall winner (as voted for by the DT) will win a $15GC … and there’ll be a random draw from all the entries for a goodie bag of stamps or dies.  As usual, our winner will also be invited to design with us in a future challenge.  All the details are over at Time Out, along with heaps of scrumptious inspiration from our wonderful DT … and from our uber talented Guest Designer, my lovely friend, Michele from I Card Everyone.  Pretty sure you’ll know Michele and her always amazing cards … if not, you need to!  Either way, do pop over for a visit … enjoy a gentle wander through all the gorgeousness on offer … and say hello while you’re there … you’ll love it!

My Christmas card is joining in at …

A Blog Named Hero – Winter … Christmas is a winter celebration … at least in France!

Clean And Simple On Friday – Make A Christmas Card #2

Happy Little Stampers Christmas – Anything Goes (No Optional Snow Twist)

Simon Says Stamp – Christmas Card Day

Uniko – Celebrate (With Optional Gold Twist)

Finally, I’d like to wish you and all those you love … a truly Blessed and Happy Christmas, filled with peace, hope and joy … and comfort for those of you who are missing someone dear at this special time of year.  Thanks so much for coming by … your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂

                     

        

 

Bonne Année 2018!

Hello … bonjour!  There are just a few hours left of the old year … and so many to look forward to and make the most of in the coming one!  Très Bonne Année … A Very Happy New Year … may God bless you with health, joy, love and creativity throughout 2018 … and beyond!  I’m back today with some more of my Christmas designs for this season … first up, some silvery white on white snowflakes …

I believe the embossed snowflakes on the white panel are from SU … not sure as they were part of my Lake House stash.  They’re embellished with dots of silver and a stamped sentiment in silver from Concord & 9th (Silent Night) … and are mounted on a base that was swiped with Delicata silver around the edges.

I apologise in advance for the photo on this next snowflake one … don’t know what I did with the lighting here … and this was the best I could do with Picasa!

A one layer card with the sentiment (SSS) silver heat embossed and coloured with Zig brush markers … and the snowflakes (Hero Arts) stamped in Delicata silver.

More snowflakes on this next one …

This is one of those QACAS cards (quick and easy CAS in Darnellese).  A panel of designer cardstock,  already foiled with snowflakes … with a silver foil die cut sentiment (MFT) inlaid into it … all attached to a card base.  The shimmer and shine is fabulous IRL … you can see just a little of it in the reflection on the desk top.

Here’s another similar one …

Different designer cardstock, foiled in gold, with the MFT inlaid sentiment in festive red.  Again, you can see the shine of the foil in the desk top … seems those stars are slipping off the card!

Finally, a cute little tag …

These happy little birds are from Lawn Fawn … they’re frolicking against an ombré sponged Papertrey tag and are topped with a heat embossed sentiment from Uniko/SSS.  You might be able to see that their warm winter woolies are coated with Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents.

I’m sending all these projects to SSS Wednesday where Anything Goes this week … and the sweet tag to Lawn Fawnatics, where we’re using a favourite Lawn Fawn set (Winter Sparrows).

I’m off to celebrate shortly … hope you’ll be seeing in the new year in style!  Thanks so much for coming by … today and all through 2017.  I always say it and I always mean it … your visits and comments are always a joy!  Anita 🙂