I went with an iconic image of the ocean shore -- the lighthouse. My stamp in common is a PSX dated 1999. Holy cow, 20 years! I purge my stamp collection regularly, but this one has survived because it's the only lighthouse I have. I've made a birthday card and a sympathy card.
The birthday card is stamped in Memento London Fog, colored with Copics on Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar white, and designed with Mintay Marina papers. It has a bright and cheerful look with a few different things going on in the layout. The sentiments are from a couple of different Power Poppy sets.
The sympathy card is stamped in Ranger Archival (Wendy Vecchi) Shadow Grey ink and watercolored on 140 lb Fabriano Artistico Extra White watercolor paper. This paper is definitely whiter than most WC papers, but not an extreme white. Behind it is SU's Whisper White. The difference between these two whites is negligible enough for it to work without much contrast. Most importantly is that the Fabriano is excellent quality paper.
For the sympathy card I made a simple design with very soft coloring. I used Tombow markers which can give me either a very vibrant look or this dilute, faded look. The image panel is cut with Spellbinders Scored and Pierced Rectangles, and an Amy Design Fishing Net gives texture to the background.
That's it for my Twofer contribution. Glad I had something I could color for this prompt. It's an old stamp, but the image is ageless.
Hop over to the Twofer Challenge Blog and see what the team and our Guest Designer, Natalie, are sharing. Great stuff there! Read Darnell's explanation of the prompt and the rules, and then see what you can come up with. We'd love to have you join us in the gallery. Have a wonderful day!
OMG!! I love these cards! The birthday version is perfect and done as a sympathy card it's lovely! Awesome job, my friend! Hugs!!
ReplyDeleteDarn girl you ROCKED this challenge for sure! Leslie, both these cards are amazing! Wow, love the sympathy card, watercoloured so soft and airy, love the fish net die cut in the background - stunning card! and the birthday is just so 'nautical' with the lighthouse, fish tale flags, and the little 'take joy' tag. You use Mintay papers very well! I must confess I believe I have this exact stamp from PSX. Actually I have a few of the 'lighthouse' stamps from PSX, there are some stamps you can't part with. Thanks for inspiring me so early this morning, love when you do! Hope your having a great day!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, its incredible the different looks you achieved with your coloring on the lighthouses. Beautifully designed cards.
ReplyDeleteboth beautiful, but I really like the Thinking of You card. Soft and dreamy. Have a great day
ReplyDeleteJust WOW, Leslie! Your coloring is out of this world brilliant on both these designs! They both look like images from a book or magazine! I love the bold primary colors of joyful birthday card with the perfect bleached driftwood background and the sympathy card is soft and serene and comforting. Love that e/f you used! Hugs, Darnell
ReplyDeleteLeslie, you certainly have a flair for bringing out special feelings in your creations - one so vibrant and full of happiness and joy, and the other sweet, serene, and soulful. The shading on each of the lighthouse blocks is pretty incredible, considering how small they are! How do you DO it? I love both of your twofers! hugs, de
ReplyDeleteFrom clean and simple to decked and decadent. Love both card designs.The pastel colors on the watercolr is soothing and the bright copics aare so happy. these really show your versatility.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous nautical colour scheme on your birthday card, Leslie ... fantastic colouring on the lighthouse ... and lovely layering with the nautical icons! Your sympathy card has a wonderful calm, gentle glow to it with the soft watercolouring and subtle white on white textured fish net background! They're both brilliant! Hugs, Anita :)
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, outstanding doesn't even seem to say enough. You did a super amazing job of coloring this lighthouse totally different, I seem to get more amazed by your talent all the time. I really like the traditional colors in the birthday card, and the wood background with it and the fun sentiment tag.
ReplyDeleteI will have to say that the sympathy card is my favorite, maybe because the coloring is so different, like you said with such softness, so simple but so wonderful at the same time, once again you have knocked it out of the park!!
Leslie, wow, those images are incredible. I'm a sucker for lighthouses :)
ReplyDeleteTwo beautiful lighthouse scenes for different occasions. Your coloring of the same scenes looks so different. I Love your fishing net texture on your 2nd card. TFS Hugs..Nancy
ReplyDeleteBoth of your cards are excellent! I can never get over what creative talent you have. All of the elements work together. On the birthday card, I like how you cut the little banners so that a sailboat showed up on each one. It's that attention to detail that make your cards spectacular. BTW, thank you so much for the "retirement" card you sent me. That was so thoughtful.
ReplyDeleteBoth cards are just fabulous my friend! I love how you can use the same image and give it two totally different looks! GREAT job!
ReplyDeleteYour coloring is so inspiring, Leslie, whether it's with Copics or watercolor! Two gorgeous cards!
ReplyDeleteFabulous twofer, Leslie! I can see why that lighthouse has survived your purges (what are those by the way?? Don't happen at my house...). Adore your coloring, both are perfect for the final card. Love all the layers on card one and the diecut that looks like netting on card two!!
ReplyDeleteGreat twofer cards! I like the red, white and blue for the birthday card with the small banners! I don't think you can go wrong with lighthouses. Your sympathy card is so calming. I'm glad you didn't get rid of this stamp! Hope you are having a good road trip!
ReplyDeleteGreat Twofers.
ReplyDeleteSuch a classic lighthouse image, I can see how it keeps its place in the craft room! Not only did you color them both beautifully, but the details on both cards are wonderful as well! I love the papers and flag bunting that capture that nautical theme so well on your birthday card. That fish net die is so cool too!
ReplyDeleteI love that lighthouse as a sympathy card, it is so serene. I love the fun paper on your other card. It is very nautical with the bright lighthouse.
ReplyDeleteWOW!! What beautiful cards. I love how you made the sympathy with the Tombow's. I don't think I could get such a soft look!! I am too heavy handed!!
ReplyDeleteFabulous twofer cards.. and love the lighthouses (we have a ton of them here in Michigan)..I have a couple of old lighthouse stamps I need to ink up, you always inspire me....oh, and great use of the Mintay papers!!
ReplyDeleteBoth beautiful cards- love the light house stamp and the delicate watercolouring -love the banners and great B.paper on the first
ReplyDeleteCarol x
Oh my... Such artistry! These are incredible. Two totally different cards and I love them both!
ReplyDeleteIf I walk down half a block, I can look out over Lake Michigan and see our Wind Point Lighthouse. It's a view I never tire of! So naturally, I'm mad about your cards, Leslie! That birthday card is stunning with all those nautical colors and your design is impeccable. The wood grain paper is the perfect compliment to your design. And that beautifully colored sympathy card is wonderful. I love the white net; it gives the right amount of texture and ties into the nautical theme so well - I'd have never thought to use a fishing net! Brilliant girl!! Love these cards!! : ) Bev
ReplyDeleteBoth of these are wonderful and I totally need that netting die you used as its a great background. Way to use both ways with this lighthouse image.
ReplyDeleteTwo absolutely wonderful nautical cards, Leslie! I really love them both. The softness of the second one is so appropriate for a sympathy card and the birthday card is so cheerful.
ReplyDeleteTwo gorgeous cards and such a super stamp xx
ReplyDeleteIt's my first time at this challenge and I just cannot get over how brilliant everyone is at creating such different looks from their stamps! These are amazing Leslie - I especially like the soft look of the second.
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