Birthday Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today I'm presenting the last of my nieces birthday cards. I went out of the box for this card and I couldn't be more pleased with the results.

The background paper is textured Stampin' Up Dusty Durango. The printed paper is BasicGrey Green At Heart layered on Close To My Heart Smokey Plum which was textured with Couture Creations Entangle dry embossing folder. The image is Gina K Hope Grows, coloured with Tombow markers, stamped on Whisper White and layered on Green At Heart. The sentiment is Gina K Garden Silhouettes. The embellishments are Amuse Creative Candy White Pretty Pearls.

I'm very pleased with this card. This particular niece is very feminine but also bright and colourful. I wouldn't necessarily have chosen the plum and orange to work together put I pulled the palette from the BasicGrey paper and found it really works. I've loved this particular bird stamp from the moment I laid eyes upon it and I am certainly not disappointed.

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

Gisèle

Happy 14th Birthday

Hello everyone,

Today is my darling daughter's 14th birthday. Where does the time go?
The background is origami paper layered on Canford Gold. The images are Stamp Magick Mini Pandas stamped in black VersaFine and layered on QuicKutz Tropical QuickStripz. The sentiment is Denami Upright Happy Birthday stamped in Stampin' Up Melon Mambo on Whisper White and layered on more Canford Gold.
My daughter has a deep love for panda bears so cards for her are really a no-brainer. I particularly love these little guys. The origami paper suits the theme better than I pictured. Happy Birthday my darling girl!
I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.
Gisèle

One Sheet Thank Yous

Hello everyone,

Today's cards were crafted for a girlfriend who needed a whole pile of thank you cards for her son's daycare providers. I have this great animal print paper, which I actually picked up with her son in mind and I figured a one sheet wonder would give the best bang for the buck.


The printed paper is Stampin' Up Tall Tales. The remaining paper, also Stampin' Up, is Brilliant Blue, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, So Saffron and Whisper White. The sentiments are Annabelle Stamps Sentimental Bluebells, Gina K Tag Lines, Hero Arts Thank You Messages, Hero Arts Small Greetings, Impression Obsession Vertical Greetings, and Stampin' Up Curly Cute. The embellishments are Multicrafts Keepsake Memories, Oregon Raindrops, Recollections Epoxy Stickers and bits and pieces of unknown origin. The butterflies are Sizzix Embosslits Beautiful Wings which were glittered with Glitter Ritz Micro Fine Glitter. There is also some highlighted with Sakura's Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.

This was a really fun project. I love using a one sheet wonder template to make a dozen cards really quickly. The only new papers used in this project was the really fun patterned paper and the card bases, everything else is scrap. These are great cards and I know my girlfriend will be thrilled.

I hope you enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Special Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's card is for a very close girlfriend who has a friend who recently suffered a tragic loss.


The background layers are Stampin' Up Dusty Durango and Handsome Hunter. The focal paper is recently acquired origami paper layered on Dusty Durango. The sentiment is Gina K Garden Silhouettes. The embellishments are Multicrafts Keepsakes Memories.

While this card is not necessarily traditional, my girlfriend just loved this particular piece of paper. Her friend is a big proponent of organ donation and I was told that green is the colour for this cause. I placed the brads on the diagonal to mimic the angles in the paper and it couldn't have worked more beautifully. While sympathy cards are among the least pleasant cards to craft, I think this one will work perfectly to express the sentiment.

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

Gisèle

Happy Birthday

Hello everyone,

A colleague asked me to craft a birthday card for her mother. She wanted purple and bling - too easy.

The background paper is Close To My Heart Petal. The patterned paper is BasicGrey Kioshi layered on Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant. The sentiment is Denami Upright Happy Birthday stamped in black Versafine. The embellishments are Kaisercraft pearls.

I love this card. I have only a few sheets of the Kioshi paper which inspire me each time I look at them. The paper just screams for the pearls. I probably could have done some colouring with my Sakura pen but I'm really trying to restrain myself. I think my colleague will love this card and frankly, I think it's perfect for mother.

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

Gisèle

Niecely Dotted

Hello everyone,

Today I'm posting another of my nieces birthday cards.

The paper is Autumn Leave Fashionfolio (as is the focal oval) and Stampin' Up Pink Passion. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Curly Cute. The ribbon is Michael's Dashes, Dots and Checks. The embellishments are Fire Engine Oregon Raindrops.

I really wanted to craft a cheery and youthful card. I love this card! The pinks and oranges are exactly what I intended and are perfect for one of my young nieces.

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

Gisèle

Girly Birthday

Hello everyone,

I've a bunch of girls birthdays coming up in the next few weeks and I've realized that I better get moving on them.

The gold background paper is of unknown origin. The middle layers are Shinwazome Chiyogami origami paper layered on Stampin' Up Lavender Lace. The sentiment, Stampin' Up Well Scripted, is stamped on Whisper White and layered on a scrap of Lavender Lace. The butterfly, Marianne Creatables Butterfly LR0114, is die cut from Pretty In Pink. The embellishments are Hero Arts Metallic Décor. The outline of each layer is highlighted with Sakura's Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.

In the registration package I received at a recent crop, I got a spectacular piece of origami paper which inspired me to see what other origami papers I could find. Well, I discovered tons of papers online and was as inspired as much this time around as I was last time. This card is for one of my nieces who is turning eleven and loves everything oriental. I figure I couldn't go wrong with the pink and purple which are found in the origami paper. I think this is the perfect card for her.

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

Gisèle

Hello everyone,

Today's card is a redo that I've had sitting on my desk for ages. The old card, http://istamppaperink.blogspot.com/2010/06/beautiful-butterflies.html, originally posted last June, has never been a favourite. It was a challenge card that went horribly wrong. I pulled it from my stash with the intention of improving it however, in the final analysis, the only part worth saving was the base.

The card base is Stampin' Up Kraft. The layers are Basic Black and Urban Oasis. The sentiment is Gina K Hope Grows stamped on Baja Breeze. The embellishments are Licorice, Denim and Kiwi Oregon Raindrops.

This is such a better card than the black and green butterflies. I love the Urban Oasis designer series paper and these polka dots are really great!

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

Gisèle

Simple Sympathy

Hello everyone,

This card was commissioned by one of my colleagues. She asked for something special for a long-retired colleague whose husband has just passed away. You hate having to craft these types of cards but it helps to know that a handmade card goes a long, long way to expressing a well of sympathy.

The paper is My Mind's Eye Trés Jolie "Baby" (Girl) Floral, Corail Papier and Stampin' Up Dusty Durango, Basic Black and Very Vanilla. The border of the black layer was made with Martha's Stewart's Raindrop corner and border punches. The sentiment is Gina K Fanciful Tags. The embellishments are Pumpkin Oregon Raindrops.

These cards can be difficult to so I decided I wanted to craft a sympathy card that was not as traditional as usual and I think I succeeded. I was inspired by the warmth and design of the Trés Jolie paper. I just kept layering and layering and could have easily kept going. I'm quite pleased with this card and I hope it offers some solace to the recipient.

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

Gisèle

Get Well Buddy

Hello everyone,

Today's card is crafted for one of my colleagues who underwent surgery this past week. I wanted to make him something special without going 'over-the-top'.


The background paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Basic Black. The sentiment is Gina K Labeled With Love stamped in VersaMark Black VersaFine on a piece of Whisper White that was stamped with Gina K Timeless Textures and layered on Basic Black and Mellow Moss. The embellishments are Multicrafts Keepsake Memories.

I can't believe I've another 12x12 sheet of paper that has no markings of origin. I've had this sheet of paper for ages and have kind of been hoarding it. I love the blocks of colour but didn't realize how challenging it would be to work with however that may just be because I wanted to keep this card really understated. None-the-less I love this card and think it is the perfect card for a male colleague.

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

Gisèle

Golfers Birthday

Hello everyone,

I thought I'd take a week break from challenging myself and craft some of the cards on my 'to do' list. My father-in-law's 70th birthday is this week and as he is an avid golfer, this card almost crafted itself.

The background papers are Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip and Bashful Blue. The blue layer was textured with Sizzix Small Dots Texture Plate. The patterned paper is My Mind's Eye Wild Asparagus Birthday Boy Plaid. The image, A Muse Putter, is stamped in Chocolate Chip on Whisper White and layered on more Chocolate Chip. The sentiment is Kaisercraft Occasions.

This is a great card for my father-in-law. I love this rather simple card. I love how I managed to coordinate the colours from the patterned paper which reminded me of those wonky slacks worn by some many golfers. I also have to say how pleased I am with the stamp which I bought on a whim. It was worth it.

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

Gisèle

Birthday Greetings

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the seventh and final card in my 12x12 paper challenge. This card is all the little scraps that were leftover from my previous card. I used the entire sheet excepts for three teeny, tiny bits.

The background paper is Close To My Heart Hollyhock layered under Stampin' Up Certainly Celery which was stamped with Hero Arts Old Letter Writing in VersaMark. The sentiment is Annabelle Stamps Sentimental Bluebells, stamped in Melon Mambo on Whisper White. The embellishments are Crystal Stickers Cream Mosaics.

This was possibly the most challenging card in this series. Trying to figure out how to use up all the little bits took more than a little patience. Once the layers were assembled I thought I needed a little umph so I went looking through my embellishments stash and as soon as I saw these square stickers I knew exactly how to use them. I am pretty pleased with the results and I love this card.

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

Gisèle

Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday

Hello everyone,

This is the sixth card in my paper challenge. I'm moving towards finding interesting ways to use leftover pieces.


The background paper is Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant textured with Couture Creations Royalty dry embossing folder. The vertical strips are of unknown origin. The sentiment is Penny Black Happy, Happy stamped on Whisper White and layered on Certainly Celery and Close To My Heart Hollyhock. The embellishments are Multicrafts Keepsake Memories and Close To My Heart Bitty Sparkles.

I love this card. It was a challenge to get the patterned paper somewhat even but I persisted. The layering scraps were also scraps from my previous cards. I love the embellishments this time around. It was the first time I mixed two different brands and I think it is very impactful.

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

Gisèle

Hello everyone,

This is the fifth card in my 12x12 paper challenge. It didn't even make it into my stash.

The background paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Certainly Celery. The sentiment, Papertrey Ink Signature Greetings, is stamped on Close To My Heart Cotton Candy and layered on Stampin' Up Whisper White and Certainly Celery. The border of the Certainly Celery layer was punched with Martha Stewart's String Lace punch. The embellishments are Crafts from the Dollarstore.

This has to be one of my favourites in this series. It gave me the opportunity to play with the Martha Stewart Punch Around The Corner set that I've had for ages but haven't really explored all its possibilities. I'm also really impressed with the Dollarstore embellishments which worked wonderfully. I'm pretty sure this card's recipient will love it!

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

Gisèle

Birthday Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's card is another in the single 12x12 paper series that I challenged myself to craft.

The background paper is of unknown origin. The image, Gina K Spring Blooms, is coloured with Tombow markers and stamped on Stampin' Up Whisper White. This focal image is layered on Close To My Heart Hollyhock and Parchment. These layers are repeated for the sentiment, Gina K Framed Greeting. The brads are Keepsake Memories from Multicrafts.
I just love this card. I really had to play with the placement of the sentiment because I didn't want it to appear as just an add-on. I thought it was rather ingenious to use the brad. It took some very careful manoeuvring because, of course, I'd already attached the image to the card.
I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.
Gisèle

Happy Experiment

Hello everyone,

After yesterday's successful experiment with a single stamp, I've decided to work on a series with one specific printed paper to see what I could craft. In addition to two earlier cards I crafted with this particular paper, I wanted to use up the entire 12 x 12 sheet in one fell swoop.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant upon which is layered a piece of Whisper White and Soft Sky that was textured with Cuttlebug's Floral Fantasy dry embossing folder. The printed paper is of unknown origin. The sentiment, Kaisercraft Occasions, stamped on Whisper White and layered on Close To My Heart Hollyhock and Parchment. The embellishments are Crafts. The entire card is highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.

Of all the cards in this series which feature this spectacular printed floral paper, this is my least favourite. I figure I tried to incorporate too many different elements and colours in a single card. I would have done much better to repeat layers of Elegant Eggplant and Soft Sky instead of bringing in two additional colours. This rather surprised me given that all the colours appear in the printed paper. Live and learn. I still love the paper and this it's a great card.

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

Gisèle

Spring Two For One

Hello everyone,

I was inspired by my colouring efforts with the bell card that I posted yesterday and I've come to the conclusion that if I'm ever going to be happy with my colouring, I must practise. I bought this Hero Arts stamp a while ago with the idea that it would be a good stamp on which to practise. After many attempts, I had two images with which I was happy so I decided to make two card, exactly the same, except for colour.



The image is Hero Arts Tall Flower. It was stamped on Stampin' Up Whisper White in Early Espresso and clear heat embossed, after which it was coloured with Faber-Castell markers. The image is layered on Bordering Blue and Blush Blossom which was textured with Cuttlebug's Perfectly Paisley. The bottom layer, Stampin' Up Mellow Moss and So Saffron, was stamped with Hero Arts Old Letter Writing in VersaMark. The second layer is BasicGrey Marjolaine and Porcelain. The sentiment is Gina K Labeled With Love. The embellishments are Martha Stewart White Dimensional Mini Pearls.

This was an interesting exercise which only goes to show why I so love cardmaking. Everything is exactly the same except for the colours and the cards couldn't be more different but both turned out lovely. I'm not super excited about my colouring efforts but it is not the worst I've ever done and practise will surely help.

I hope you enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Hello everyone,

Today's card is for a colleague who has just finished cancer treatment. Apparently the hospital has a bell for patients to ring when their treatment is over. My colleague is too shy to ring the bell so we brought the bell to her.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry Designer Series Paper. The image, from IClipart.com is coloured with Ranger Adirondack Raisin marker, painted with burgundy Shimmerz and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen. The sentiment is Gina K Block Greetings layered Night of Navy which textured with Creative Expressions Flourish dry embossing folder. The embellishments are Multicrafts Keepsake Memories.

I have to say this is not exactly my favourite card ever. This is the first time I've used a coloured a digital image and it took me four tries before I was satisfied. I obviously need to practise. My colleague's friend, who commissioned this card, is absolutely thrilled. I also know that these colours, with some additional sparkle, is a favourite of my colleague.

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

Gisèle

Birthday Wishes

Hello again everyone,

I was looking through my blog and it appears that the card I thought I posted on Wednesday night has disappeared. I'm wondering if it has something to do with yesterdays maintenance. Either that or I'm going crazy. No matter, you get a two for one today.

The background paper is of unknown origin. The solid layer is Stampin' Up Pale Plum, textured with Sizzix Retro Circles dry embossing folder and highlighted with Sakura's Clear Star Gelly Roll pen. The image, Stampin' Up Embrace Life, and sentiment, Gina K Block Greetings, are stamped in Nick Bantock Damson Plum on Whisper White and layered on Old Olive.

Like my earlier post, this card is all about the background paper. It is so wonderfully feminine. It is also seriously versatile with tons of different colours that can be built upon. I love this card and don't think it will last all that long in my stash.

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

Gisèle

Hello everyone,

Blogger wasn't working last night so I couldn't post the last of my 'Crop For The Cure' cards.

The background layer is Stampin' Up Old Olive. The floral paper is of unknown origin, layered on Elegant Eggplant. The sentiment is from Magenta, stamped in Nick Bantock Damson Plum on Whisper White and layered on Elegant Eggplant. The embellishments are from Prima.

I truly love this card. The paper, where I bought it, I don't remember, is very inspiring. I also fell in love with the embellishments from the first moment I saw them so you could expect to see more. This really is a very simple card that looks like a million bucks!

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

Gisèle

Brightest Best Wishes

Hello everyone,

I've another of my crop cards for you today. This just may be one of the best cards I've ever crafted.

The background paper is Prima Fairy Flora Collection - Garden Party. The butterflies are Sizzix Embosslits Beautiful Wings in Stampin' Up Certainly Celery, which was glittered, and yellow plastic of unknown origin. The sentiment is Gina K Block Greetings. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Bitty Sparkles.

I love this card. The Prima paper is absolutely gorgeous and could give BasicGrey a run for my money. This was a really, really simple card and is actually quite clean though it doesn't look like it. I think this card will stay in my personal stash and be sent to someone very special.

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

Gisèle

Happy Birthday

Hello everyone,

My registration package at Saturday's marathon 'Crop For The Cure' contained a striking piece of origami paper. This card almost made itself and I'm now on the hunt for more paper.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Old Olive. The origami paper, of unknown origin, is layer on Very Vanilla that was heat embossed with Close To My Heart gold embossing powder. The sentiment is Gina K Fanciful Tags. The embellishments are Pebbles Pearl Candy Dots. The butterfly is from Dimensional Stickers.

I wish the photo did justice to this card. It is strikingly beautiful. The origami paper is utterly gorgeous. I can't wait to create more cards and I'm excited about trying to find more similar paper. I had forgotten to bring and metallic papers with me on Saturday so improvised by heat embossing. I think it actually works better because it provided just a little more texture to the card and compliments the texture of the origami paper in a way I had not intended.

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

Gisèle

My Mom's Card

Happy Mother's Day,

I was 'Cropping for the Cure' all day yesterday and had a really wonderful time. I didn't get as much accomplished as I had hoped (I never do) but I did make a card for my own mother.

The background paper, of unknown origin, is layered on Stampin' Up Night of Navy. The sentiment is Kaisercraft Occasions stamped in Nick Bantock Prussian Blue on Whisper White and layered on Pale Plum and Night of Navy. The ribbon is Michael's Celebrate It, Sheer Creations. The embellishments are Martha Stewart Pastel Mini Pearls.

I love this card. The background paper is so beautiful it makes its own statement and sure makes crafting a card so very easy. There possibilities are endless. I know Mom will love this card.

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

Gisèle

One Layered Circles

Hello everyone,

It's been a bit since I've done a One Layer Wednesdays challenge but as soon as I read Susan Raihala's post this week, I knew exactly what I wanted to create.

The card base is Recollections. The images are Stampin' Up Circle Circus. The ink is Nick Bantock Damson Plum and Deep Turquoise and Stampin' Up Wild Wasabi, Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, Daffodil Delight and Melon Mambo. The images were heat embossed with Close To My Heart Silver Pearl. The sentiment is Hero Arts Thank You Messages.

This card is exactly what I pictured. I love it! I've used this multi-coloured, Silver Pearl embossed technique before and it is so beautiful. When you first stamp the images it looks awful but once the Silver Pearl is embossed, it is awesome!

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

Gisèle

More Mother's Day

Hello everyone,

I was so inspired by yesterday's vintage Mother's Day card that I crafted another.

The papers on this card include BasicGrey Ambrosia and Stampin' Up Ruby Red and Early Espresso. The textured layers were achieved with Crafts Concepts Venus embossing folder. The sentiment is Stampin' Up All Holidays. The embellishments are White Opal Liquid Pearls.

I really love this card. The brown and red work so well together. Is there nothing that doesn't work with BasicGrey paper. This is the first time I've used Liquid Pearls and I found it was OK. I was expecting it to be like Stickles but found it a lot runnier so it was much harder to control. The effect is still quite lovely though.

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

Gisèle

Mother

Hello everyone,

I just love getting new stamps! Gina K. delivered today and so inspired this Mother's Day card.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Pink Pirouette textured with Couture Creations Entangle dry embossing folder. The remaining layers are BasicGrey Bittersweet and Stampin' Up Soft Suede and Whisper White. The image is Gina K Branching Out and the sentiment is Spring Blooms. The embellishments are Pebbles and Dollar Store.

I really love this card. It is so soft and sweet. I wanted to make a rather girly Mom's card. Pink and brown is a real classic colour combination and the Bittersweet paper just plays that combo beautifully. I resisted the urge to use my Sakura Clear Star pen to add sparkle but wanted to keep a more vintage feeling.

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

Gisèle

Happy Mother's Day

Hello everyone,

I'm working diligently on my stash of Mother's Day cards. Today's card is based on Saturday's Stamping 411 sketch and Sunday's "Mums the Word" Stamptacular Sunday Challenge.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Not Quite Navy which is textured with Sizzix Bead Strings textured plate. The printed paper is BasicGrey Marjolaine layered on Stampin' Up Certainly Celery. The sentiment is Inkadinkado Happy Days stamped on Very Vanilla in Certainly Celery ink. The ribbon is of unknown origin while the embellishments are from the Dollar Store.

I love this card. Once again I turned to BasicGrey to find a paper which would inspire. I love this colour combination and I think this is a nice, fresh card. My Mother's Day stamp stash is quite limited but this is one I really like because it is substantial enough to use as a focal point.

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

Gisèle

More Mothers

Hello everyone,

I've been off playing tourist in my hometown with a visiting cousin from England so my cardmaking mojo has taken a back seat to exhaustion. The wonderful visit ended today so I figure I better get moving on my Mother's Day card stash.

The background paper is BasicGrey Hello Luscious layered on Stampin' Up Early Espresso. The focal sentiment, Inkadinkado Happy Days, is stamped in Bermuda Bay on Very Vanilla and layered on Bermuda Bay and Early Espresso. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Mocha Opaques.

I think this is a great card. It has a very vintage feeling which I unexpected really like. I spent a fair bit of time looking through my paper stash for inspiration. I knew BasicGrey would provide a great paper and I really wanted to use something different. I think this works wonderfully.

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

Gisèle