LOD 2025 - February 26 - A Whimsical Adventure

A Whimsical Adventure is our Daily Crush for today!
February 26th


This Love Our Designers event is a fun event to just scrap with products from a favorite designer or try a new (to you) designer. It’s all about having fun and celebrating the uniqueness of all our Lilypad Designers!

A Whimsical Adventure can be found here:

Store: https://the-lilypad.com/store/A-WhimsicalAdventure/
Newsletter signup https://rebrand.ly/sq47mpk
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OAWADesigns
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/a_whimsical_adventure
TLP username: AnjaDD

A Whimsical Adventure is having a 50% off sale today Feb. 26th, only, on her entire store, so don't miss out on those goodies you have been eyeing and want to have in your stash! Just click on the ad below that will take you directly to her store so you can peruse and grab those goodies at an awesome price!



I have asked A Whimsical Adventure's Creative Team for some questions for Anja to answer. Let's get to know her better!
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Q: Do you have a specific or preferred time to design (morning, noon, evening, night), or do you do it spontaneously?
A: I pretty much work all day—there’s rarely a day when I don’t work at all. Honestly, I work too much, even on weekends unless we have something planned. I wake up early, partly because of my sleep issues. But there’s something peaceful about working when everything is completely silent. I love that quiet. I usually work until around 6 in the evening, unless I have an appointment, something else to do, or just no inspiration (which happens too). So, yeah—pretty long days! I do take a break around noon, usually from 12 to 2, to eat, do some household chores, and step away from the screen for a bit.

Q: How did you decide to become a designer?
A: It started back in 2011 when I was looking for inspiration for my final project in graphic design school. I stumbled upon a digital scrapbooking site and had no idea what it was, but it immediately caught my attention. I had just finished learning Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and I thought, I need to come back to this. This is what I want to do with my photos.

I think the very first kit I ever bought was from ScrapGirls! I quickly became obsessed and joined several creative teams, but before long, I felt the urge to create my own designs. In November 2015, I opened my Etsy shop—and now, here we are, 10 years later!

Q: How long have you been a designer?
A: Well, that was kind of answered in the last question!

Q: What inspires your products?
A: Pretty much anything, really. I’ve always been a huge fan of fantasy and sci-fi—it’s been a lifelong love. Maybe it’s a form of escapism? I don’t know, but fantasy worlds like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones are my absolute favorites. I’m also drawn to mystical and spiritual themes, like what I explored in my Wheel of the Year series. Those deeper, symbolic elements really fascinate me and often find their way into my work.

Everything I create has a story behind it—a concept that ties it all together. I find it hard to describe my own style, but I think this comes close: a blend of shabby elegance with vintage influences, featuring muted colors, aged textures, and an intentional imperfection that makes designs feel timeworn and full of character. I’m drawn to fairytales, fantasy, and spiritual symbolism, always aiming to spark imagination and add a little magic to every collection.

Q: Your characters are so creative. Do you base them on folklore, legends, or pure imagination?
A: A bit of both! I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to details—if something exists in folklore or mythology, I like to research it first. I want to make sure I capture the key features and typical traits of that creature or character. But sometimes, if something doesn’t exist (yet!), that’s when my imagination takes over. I look at both existing vintage public domain images and what I can bring to life through AI. It’s always a mix of research, creativity, and what’s possible with the tools I have.

I apply that same level of detail to other things too—if I’m making a spider, it’s going to have eight legs, not six. If it’s a frog, it’s going to have the right number of toes. Rodents, birds, anatomy in general—I always make sure the details are correct before I finalize anything. It’s important to me that the foundations are accurate, fantasy or not.

Q: Do you have a favorite color?
A: Not really… but I do tend to gravitate toward colors that feel aged, faded, or rich. There’s something about those tones that just speaks to me.

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
A: I live in a quiet Belgian village with my husband, daughter, and two rescue cats, surrounded by meadows and a forest. I love living here, but if I could pick anywhere? Probably Norway or Sweden.

I’ve been following a TV series where a Belgian journalist visits Belgians who moved to Norway, and wow… the landscapes, the peace, the space! In Belgium, we live so close together, and I really don’t like hot summer temperatures. I could totally see myself in a cozy cabin in a snowy landscape, with everything I need around me so I wouldn’t have to go outside much. That sounds like the dream!

***Make sure you read all the way down to the end to see a fun contest Anja has in store for us!!***
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As for me, besides being a Polly, I am also part of Anja's Creative Team, and I love making pages with all of her goodies. She has a vast array of product from papers to elements, masks, templates, overlays and ephemera just to name a few things. I love to blend things and make pages using all of Anja's goodies.

A Whimsical Adventure has lots of themes from romance, mystery, fantasy, vintage and the like. There is something to fit all your stash needs to scrap those wonderful photos or even photo-less pages too!

Here are some of the pages I have made with all AWA goodies: (credits in gallery)



To coincide with today's LOD Event, Anja has added a gorgeous collection to her store that should not be missed. It is called Shaded Stories No. 2 - Moonlit Hush.. This collection is a stunner and a must have!



Anja's Creative Team made some pages with it to inspire you!

Sylvia:


Dorina:


Marilyn:


Ana Santos:


Geraldine:


and my page:


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Now for more fun!

A Whimsical Adventure "Love Our Designers" – Fun Q&A & Giveaway!
Answer these five questions for a chance to win one of these prizes:

One winner will receive a 20% discount for my shop
One winner will receive a 35% discount for my shop
One winner will receive my next BYOC collection for free!

Winners will be chosen randomly from all participants!

1. Which of my collections or kits have you used (or are most drawn to), and why?
2. What do you think is the most recognizable feature of my style? (e.g., textures, colors, themes, atmosphere…)
3. My collections often revolve around a theme. What new theme would you love to see from me?
4. If you could describe my designs in just three words, what would they be?
5. Which of my past collections do you think deserves a ‘sequel’ or an expanded version?

How to enter: Simply reply with your answers! You don’t need to answer in full detail—just share your thoughts. Winners will be randomly selected on March 16th.

*****Winners have been posted here*****

We can’t wait to read your responses!

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Let's have some more fun!!

Create a layout using (mostly) A Whimsical Adventure products. Make sure it meets the gallery guidelines of 50% TLP product. Add it to the A Whimsical Adventure Designer Gallery and Come share it in this thread with your contest answers to AWA's 5 questions!!!
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Thank you for your support and for being part of A Whimsical Adventure's Love Our Designer event!

Don't forget to stop by the Love Our Designers forum daily to see who the next designer crush will be.

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While I am a Polly and also on Anja's Creative team, I am still going to answer her questions

1. Which of my collections or kits have you used (or are most drawn to), and why? I love all of Anja's kits that I have in my stash. I love them all for various reasons, but the vintage feel to them and the textures make it easy for me to scrap with. I love the new one released today Moonlit Hush for it's lightness and airy feel!
2. What do you think is the most recognizable feature of my style? (e.g., textures, colors, themes, atmosphere…) Texture and color for sure. The painterly aspect and vintage style really speaks to me!
3. My collections often revolve around a theme. What new theme would you love to see from me? I don't know if coffee is a theme, but I love coffee collections! Lots of creme and shades of browns
4. If you could describe my designs in just three words, what would they be? Textured, Airy, Painterly
5. Which of my past collections do you think deserves a ‘sequel’ or an expanded version? One of my favorites is the Irish one "Lucky Charms and Clovers" I love this collection and anything more to it makes me smile!

The page I made with the Moonlit Hush collection!