Anika *Day 4*

I'm sorry to say that this is our last day of inspiration with Anika. :( But you can always check out more of her fun cards on her BLOG and PHOTOSTREAM. Isn't today's card by Anika great? I love those fun coffee cups and her bold paper choices for her paper piecing. This would make the perfect card to hold a Starbucks gift card for its recipient!
Here is my take:

The floral pieces, Penny Black 30-041 Flowers & Wishes, were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then distressed with Brushed Corduroy, Broken China, and Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The flowers were colored using Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Stamper's Big Brush Markers. Card base scored using Martha Stewart Score Board and then inked with Antique Linen Distress Ink. Sentiment by Penny Black, 30-032 Enjoy Life.

Thanks so much to Anika for allowing me to share her work this week! And thanks to all of you for visiting and for your sweet comments. See you tomorrow with a fun inspiration piece from my beautiful niece and next week with a new featured artist, a giveaway, and some BIG, BIG, BIG announcements! :) Hhhmmm... should I give you a little teaser to think about this weekend? Okay, here it is:

See ya tomorrow! :)

Anika *Day 3* {2nd Post for Today}

I promised lots of cards yesterday so here is my second post for today. :) If you didn't see this morning's earlier post, I hope you'll scroll down and check it out. Here's our next inspiration card by Anika:I have to say that Anika's use of this floral stamp by Penny Black is one of the most unique ways I've seen it stamped. I love how she cut out the flowers and extended them beyond the background. The color scheme is so striking, too!
Here is my take. I kept Anika's overall layout but switched up the colors:
This card was created using a faux watercolor technique which I am sharing over on the FABER-CASTELL DESIGN MEMORY CRAFT blog today. I hope you can pop over and visit. :) If you do, you will see another card featuring this technique and step by step directions on how to achieve the look. Here's a little peek at that other card:

Thanks again for all of your visits! See you tomorrow with another lovely card by Anika!

Anika *Day 2*

Here's our next paper pieced beauty by Anika: And here's my take: The flower, Penny Black 4159K Sundial, was stamped onto 2 different patterned papers and then inked with Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick Distress Ink. The center lines on each petal were colored with Copic Markers. Each flower was cut out (omitting some petals on the flower stamped on text) and then layered. Flower center is Candi dot with twine. The leaves were created using petals from the flower and were colored with a Faber-Castell Design Memory Crafter Stamper's Big Brush Marker. Background created by lightly inking white cardstock with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink and then spritzing with Glimmer Mist. Sentiment by Penny Black, 30-064 Good Catch.

See you tomorrow with LOTS of cards- I have a big post prepared for ya! :)

Inspired by...Anika

I'm so thrilled to announce that this week's featured stamper is Anika! She has a fresh style that is sure to inspire. You can see lots of her fab cards on her BLOG and PHOTOSTREAM. I know you'll want to check it out! :) Here's our first inspiration card by Anika: I love Anika's paper piecing on her flowers! What great colors, too. And finally, that yellow/orange strip with the sentiment is a great finishing touch-- don't you just love the way the one leaf extends over the edge?
Here is my take:

I began by stamping the flowers, Penny Black3601J Pansy Party, with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. They were stamped on the die cut piece (Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 7) and once again on another piece of white cardstock. The die cut piece was distressed with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink. Next, I colored the flowers on the plain white cardstock using Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Stamper's Big Brush Markers. The flowers were then cut out and adhered to the die cut piece. The sentiment, Penny Black 30-064 Good Catch, was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and then distressed with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink. The background was embossed (Cuttlebug Swiss Dots) and then inked with Broken China Distress Ink.

Thanks so much for visiting! See you tomorrow with Anika's next inspiration card. HUGS!