Thanks In A Row

Hello everyone,

I've a really fun thank you card today which has taken advantage of a number of different challenges. Sunday's Card Positioning System sketch was the starting off point. There is an 'Anything Goes' challenge at The Paper Players this week. Tuesday's My Time To Craft challenge is to use either dry or heat embossing. Finally, Friday's Res-Q Challenge is to 'Get In Line'.

The background paper is Stampin' Up More Mustard textured with the Cuttlebug Oriental Weave dry embossing folder. The patterned paper is BasicGrey Pyrus. The sentiment, Stampin' Up Warmest Regards, is stamped in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla and layered on a piece of Not Quite Navy. The embellishments are rust Oregon Raindrops.

I love this card. I wanted to do a thank you that was a little more masculine. I'm not sure if it has worked but I'll be able to use this card regardless. I love the Oregon Raindrops on the rows of pears. I think it looks really cool.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Happy Birthday

Hello everyone,

My mojo is on a roll and I loved Friday's Clean and Simple Stamping sketch so much I just had to craft a second card. I've taken a few liberties with ribbon and embellishments but my Mom is looking for a really special birthday card for one of her friends and the card just cried for some extras.

The card base is from Recollections. The patterned paper is DCWV Floral Print layered on Stampin' Up Certainly Celery. The ribbon is Dollarama Crafts. The sentiment is Papertrey Ink Wreath for All Seasons. The embellishments are Hero Arts Metallic Décor.

Purple and green have to be one of my favourite colour combinations and this DCWV paper just works! The ribbon and embellishments add just that little extra sparkle. I know my mom and her friend will love this card.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

For You Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's card is for a friend who has been ill but is now, hopefully, on the mend. I found a new blog this week, Card Makin' Mamas, and took advantage of the most recent sketch challenge to craft a great card.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Old Olive textured with the Sizzix Flourish dry embossing plate. The vertical elements are BasicGrey Green At Heart layered on Close To My Heart Smokey Plum. The ribbon is Offray. The focal element is Stampin' Up Vintage Labels sentiment and BasicGrey Aura flourishes stamped on Whisper White and layered on more Close To My Heart Smokey Plum. The embellishments are Amuse Pretty Pearls.

I love absolutely everything about this card! The colours work great together, the pearls and flourishes make it feminine. Of course, the BasicGrey paper brings it all together. It so great when a card just comes together and really works.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Girly Get Well

Hello everyone,

One of my sisters had surgery this week so, of course, I just had to make her a card. From the moment I surfed this week's Clean and Simple Stamping sketch, I knew I would use it in a card. It is the type of sketch that I just love!

The card base is from Recollections. The bottom layer is Close To My Heart Watermelon. The vertical strips are Cosmo Cricket DeLovely. The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages stamped with Stampin' Up Tempting Turquoise. The embellishments are Paper Company Studio Flowers and Frills Jewels.

I love this cheerful card. I think it will really cheer up my sister and I can't wait to get in the mail. This is a great sketch. It is one that I could use over and over again with absolutely any card. Seeing as I've still a large number of thank you cards on my list, I would expect to see one using this sketch.

Please enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Razzleberried Thank You

Hello everyone,

I've yet another thank you card tonight. I found Thursday's Eat, Sleep, Stamp sketch really appealing so I used it to get inspired. This card also works for today's Winter Wonderland challenge which is to craft a 'sentiment focused' project.


The background paper is Stampin' Up textured Rich Razzleberry. The patterned elements are Rich Razzleberry designer series paper layered on Canford Silver. The vertical strip is more Canford Silver textured with Sizzix Circle Circus plate. The focal element is Stampin' Up Whisper White layered on Rich Razzleberry. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Curvy Verses. The embellishments are Hero Arts Metallic Décor.

Next to thank you cards, I obviously have Rich Razzleberry inundating my mojo. I love the Rich Razzleberry, white and silver combination. It is so striking. I also love being able to carry over all the circles from element to element as it goes a long way to bring the card together.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Get Well Card II

Hello everyone,

Today I'm showcasing a second card for my colleague. One of her friends commissioned a custom card for her. I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch to get started.

The paper is all Stampin' Up - Cottage Wall, Whisper White and Rich Razzleberry. The image is also Stampin' Up, Happy Moments, as is the grosgrain Rich Razzleberry ribbon. The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages. The bow is from Offray ribbon. The embellishments are Kaiser Scrapbook Mixed Flowers rhinestones.

I love this card and I'm confident that my colleague will also love it. This is such a sweet image and it works so beautifully with the Cottage Wall paper - by far one of my favourite papers ever.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Get Well Soon

Hello everyone,

A colleague has just undergone cancer surgery so, in a break from thank you cards, I've made her a get well soon card. I used Friday's Get Sketchy Card Challenge to get started. This card also fits today's 'Anything Goes' challenge at the Sisterhood of Crafters.

The paper for this card is all Stampin' Up - Night of Navy, Whisper White, Orchid Opulence and Cottage Wall. The embellishment is Keepsakes Memories from Multicrafts. The sentiment is Annabelle Stamps Sentimental Bluebells. The Cottage Wall paper is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

This is the perfect card for my colleague. She loves navy, burgundy and just a little bit of glitter in her cards so this was a no brainer.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Thank You

Hello everyone,

Another thank you card tonight. This one uses this week's Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge as a starting point.

The background paper is Stampin' Up textured Soft Suede. The patterned paper is all BasicGrey Granola. The image, Penny Black Inclinations, is stamped in Soft Suede ink on Very Vanilla. The sentiment, Stampin' Up Warmest Regards, is also stamped in Soft Suede ink on Very Vanilla. Both the image and sentiment elements are layered on more BasicGrey Granola.

I really like this card. The blues, browns, and creams are a colour combination which I find particularly appealing. I was aiming for a masculine card but with the image, I'm not convinced. I suspect it will be used for a 'couple' thank you and it will really work in that respect.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Generous Thank You

Hello everyone,

I give fair warning that all I'll be making the next while will be thank you cards. My wonderful daughter has, graciously, and thankfully, taken on three of the eight cards that have been commissioned. I actually think it will be an interesting experience to see exactly how creative I can be with thank you cards. Today's jumping off point is Saturday's Stamping 411 sketch challenge.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Soft Sky dry embossed with the Cuttlebug Oriental Weave folder. The patterned paper is DCWV Green Stack, trimmed with Martha Stewart Gothic Arches border punch and layered on a piece of Certainly Celery. The sentiment, stamped on Whisper White and layered on more Certainly Celery, is Papertrey Ink Signature Greetings. The ribbon is Dollarama Crafts. The embellishments are Kiwi Oregon Raindrops.

I love this card. It is so full of texture which just adds interest to what really is a rather simple card. I was really looking to make a masculine card and I'm happy with the results. I will have no problem giving this to the male it was intended for.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

One Of Many Thanks

Hello everyone,

Would you believe I still have the drive to craft Christmas cards and of course, Valentines is just around the corner but, I have been asked to make a number of thank you cards - eight to be exact. I also have eight thank you card to make for the vendors who have made contributions to 'Crop Til You Drop'. It will be interesting to see how creative I can be with so many Thank You cards. The jumping off point for today's thank you card is this week's Stars and Stamps sketch.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Sahara Sand. The vertical papers are atd Story Of Us. The sentiment, Penny Black Thanks, Thanks, is stamped on Very Vanilla in Nick Bantock Charcoal Grey and layered on a scrap of Sahara Sand.

I think this is the perfect masculine thanks you card. It is clean and simple, no frills, no fuss. I find Stars and Stamps sketches really appealing. They provide dimensions, which though I don't always follow, do make putting a card together much easier when my mind is mush. I also appreciate the simplicity of the sketches which allows for fancying up or clean and crisp. Worth checking out if you're looking for either option.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Wordy Wishes II

Hello everyone,

I'm casing myself with this card. It is the second card I'd planned for last night. This is the male version of the Happy Birthday card for this week's One-Layer Wednesday challenge which was to use only words, no images.

The card base is Recollections. The images are Close To My Heart Celebration, Studio G, Sweet 'n Sassy Birthday Greetings, Annabelle Stamps Sentimental Bluebells, Stampin' Up It's Your Birthday and Papertrey Ink Wreath For All Seasons. The inks are Nick Bantock Cerulean Azure, Prussian Blue and Deep Turquoise, and Stampin' Up Pacific Point, Marina Mist, Brilliant Blue and Night of Navy.

I love this card as much as I love the feminine version from yesterday. It is absolutely perfect for a male card. I could see myself do any number of cards with simple sentiments, in this layout and monochromatic colours.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Wordy Wishes

Hello everyone,

A really quick card tonight. This week's One Layer Wednesday challenge is to use only sentiments, no images. I thought this was a great challenge and imagined this card as soon as I read the challenge.

The card base is from Recollections. The sentiments are Sweet 'n Sassy Birthday Greetings, Studio G, and Stampin' Up It's Your Birthday. The ink is Stampin' Up Melon Mambo, Pretty In Pink, Pink Passion, Positively Pink, Rose Romance and Studio G pink.

I love this card. It is exactly as I'd pictured it in my mind and that always thrills me. I'm hoping that the lines around the first 'happy' won't count as an image but I might be stretching that just a tad. I had plans to do exactly the same card in blue tonight but life got in the way so I'll plan that card for another time. I think this will look so awesome in blue for a man.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Another Sick Niece

Hello everyone,

I've made another 'get well' card tonight because I've another niece who is under the weather. She is the sister of the niece for whom I made yesterday's card. I'm really feeling sorry for my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. This card meets yesterday's Papertake Weekly challenge to use ribbons and pearls.

The background paper is BasicGrey Eva layered on Stampin' Up Wild Wasabi and Close To My Heart Vineyard Berry. The ribbon is American Crafts Red Ruffles. The images are Bazzill Basics Pink Posies Chip Toppers. The pearls are from Annabelle. The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages stamped on Whisper White and layered on Pink Pirouette.

I love this card. Pink, green and burgundy are a favourite colour combination and the BasicGrey paper really pulls this all together so well. I wanted to have a youthful and cheery card and this certainly works. I know my niece will love this card.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Thinking of You

Hello everyone,

I found out today that one of my nieces, who has a compromised immune system, is in the local children's hospital battling the flu. I just had to make her a card that I hope will cheer her up, if only a little. I used today's Inspirational Card Sketches challenge as a starting point and combined it with My Time To Craft's 'spots and dots' challenge.

The background paper is BasicGrey Lemonade layered on Stampin' Up Daffodil Delight. The sticker is Bazzill Basics Little Girl Chip Toppers. The two rectangular elements are scraps of Certainly Celery and Rose Red which have been textured with Cuttlebug's Swiss Dots dry embossing folder. The sentiment is of unknown origin but probably Studio G. The embellishments are also of unknown origin but possibly Making Memories which are attached to a scrap of Shimmery White. The entire card is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

I really like this card. It is bright and cheerful and perfect for a really ill little girl. I really like how well elements from so many different companies combined so wonderfully. This is why I love cardmaking!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Sympathy Poppies

Hello everyone,

I got the rest of my sympathy cards crafted last night but didn't manage to get them posted. These two cards are for a colleague who lost her mother last week. This colleague is a colourful person. She always wears eclectic jewelry and her office is chock-a-block full of plants and colourful trinkets. Needless to say, I made these sympathy cards more bright and cheerful than usual because it was much more suited to the wonderful woman receiving them.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Daffodil Delight textured with Sizzix Small Dots. The patterned layer is DCWV Green Stack. The image, Stampendous Poppy Trio, is stamped on Whisper White and coloured with Martha Stewart Opaque Spring Colour markers, Adirondack Red Pepper marker and Bic Rambunctious Red. It is sponged with Daffodil Delight ink and layered on a scrap of Basic Black. The sentiment is Verve Forever In Our Hearts. The embellishments are Peggy's Pretties.

The card base is Recollections. The image, stamped on Whisper White and layered on a scrap of red of unknown origin and a piece of Stampin' Up Handsome Hunter, is Stampendous Poppy Stems. The image is coloured with Bic's Rambunctious Red. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Warmest Regards. The embellishments are Crafts Gem Chic.

I really love both these cards. They are wonderfully different and so suited to my colleague. I know she'll appreciate them.

Please enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Sorry Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Would you believe I've had this card made since Thursday but have been to exhausted to even think about posting it. This is one of the four sympathy cards I've got on my plate at the moment. Look for another post later today with the other two cards.


The card base is from Recollections. The image is DeNami Design. The leaves of the image are coloured with Sakura Silver Shadow Gelly Roll pens. The sentiments is Gina K Botanicals. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Licorice Opaques.

As difficult as sympathy cards are, I really love this card. I know the recipient has a soft spot for different shades of blue which is why I've kept to these tones. I just found the Sakura Silver Shadow pens this week and couldn't help but buy them given how much I just love the Gold Shadow pens. I wasn't disappointed.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Simple Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Would you believe, I've four sympathy cards on my plate today. Two colleagues and a close friend all lost parents over the past two weeks. It is a terrible time of year to endure such a loss. Gratefully, this week's One Layer Wednesday challenge from Jennifer Styles is to craft a card with bare plants which I find very suitable for sympathy cards.

The card base is from Recollections. The image is Gina K Tree Silhouettes stamped in Stampin' Up Crumb Cake. The sentiment is Verve Forever In Our Hearts stamped in Early Espresso. The glitter is Stampendous Crystal Snow. The embellishments are Hero Arts Pearls.

I've done a similar card to this once before only it was an all grey affair called Birds and Trees. For a sympathy card, I loved it as much as I love this one.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Crafty Valentine

Hello everyone,

As much as I love doing Christmas cards, and have vowed to keep at them, Valentines Day is fast approaching and I need to build up the stash. I found a new blog challenge for today's card, City Crafter provided a great sketch that I used as a jumping off point.

The background paper is Making Memories Love Struck. The ribbon is from American Crafts which is layered on a strip of Stampin' Up Rose Red. The image is TPC Studio Hugs & Kisses stamped on Very Vanilla and layered on a scrap of Rose Red. The heart is Sizzix Embosslits Scalloped Heart of Hearts in Very Vanilla. The brad is Recollections. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Short & Sweet.

I'm pretty pleased with this first Valentine of the year. I used a couple of leftover elements from last year with a sketch that brought is all together easily. I really love the business of the background paper, it really reminds me of a patchwork quilt which fits the 'crafty' aspect of the card.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Anything Christmas

Hello everyone,

Today's card was crafted for the latest ABC Christmas challenge which is 'A' for Anything Goes.

The card base is Recollections Pearlized Gold dry embossed with a Cuttlebug Winter Wonderland folder. The vertical strip is Stampin' Up Garden Green and Cherry Cobbler. The ribbon is Michael's Special Value. The images are Stampin' Up Delightful Decorations stamped on Very Vanilla in Cherry Cobbler and Wild Wasabi and heat embossed with Close To My Heart Silver Pearl. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Bitty Sparkles.

I've had this layout ruminating in my brain for quite a while and I'm really happy with the results. This is a great stamp set and it is really effective when punched out.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Green Christmas

Hello everyone,

Does it ever feel wonderful to be carding again! Today's card uses Sunday's Card Positioning Systems sketch. It also fits today's 365 Cards challenge which is to create an elegant card; the Color Chef Challenge is to craft a tone on tone project; and Ooh La La Creations is looking for bling.

The card base is Recollections Pearlized Gold. The background paper is Debbie Mumm Harvest & Holiday. The vertical strip is DCWV Glitter card stock. The focal image, Stampin' Up Serene Snowflakes, is stamped in Early Espresso on a piece of Old Olive. The sentiment is Papertrey Ink Signature Christmas. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Bitty Sparkles.

I love this card. It is quite elegant and the bling adds the perfect amount of sparkle. I'm not sure I covered tone on tone very well; it seems perhaps more monochromatic but I love it anyway. The Serene Snowflakes set is one that I've loved using from the moment I got it and I love all the stamps in the set.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Happy New Year

Hello everyone,

I know it's been a while since I've posted but I've not even made a card since New Year's Eve. I came down with kidney stones in the early hours of the new year and it's taken me a week to get it together. I never want to go through that again as long as I live.

I am still so not done with crafting Christmas cards so that is what's on tap for today's card. I used today's Stars and Stamps sketch to get started.

The card base is from Recollections. The paper is all Little Yellow Bicycle 25 Days of Christmas. The sentiment is Papertrey Ink Signature Christmas. The sticker is Hot Off The Press Elegant Holly.

I just love the Little Yellow Bicycle paper. It really is a joy to use and is so rich and elegant, a card comes together easily. I picked up these sentiment stamps because I've seen Susan Raihala use them on her Simplicity blog and just love them.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle