Two Step Poppies

Hello everyone,

I had a chance to go through my card stash and I've made a list of cards that need to be crafted.  I'll be working on them, slowly but surely.

The image is Rubbernecker Watercolor Poppies stamped in Close To My Heart Slate and Tombow 228 and 679.  The background was masked and sponged with Close To My Heart Whisper and Stampin' Up Crumbcake.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Best Wishes stamped in Tombow 679 and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishments are Forever In Time Pearl Strips.

I was in the mood for a simple, single layer for today's card.  I wish I had not chosen such a dark purple as it really covers the bottom layer of the image.  I do love the sponged background layer as it provides a wonderful base for this great poppy.  I also love how the image and the sentiment go over the edge of the background!

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

Gisèle

Heart Song

Hello everyone,

Today is our 24th wedding anniversary and this is the card I crafted for my better half.

The printed papers are Carta Bella Beautiful Moments.  The images is Stampin' Up Creative Elements stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla, highlighted with Sakura Red Gelly Roll pen and layered on more Carta Bella Beautiful Moments.  The sentiment is Gina K Because of You stamped in Close To My Heart Hollyhock and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishment is Recollections.

In hindsight this card may be just a titch to feminine for my husband but he'll survive.  I really liked all the words on the background layer.  I don't necessarily think its strictly anniversary paper but I didn't really care because it just speaks to our marriage.  I debated adding more Sakura Clear Star to the image but I think that kind of sparkly would have just been too much for hubby!

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

Gisèle

Butterflies In Blue

Hello everyone,

Today's card uses a Close To My Heart stamp set that I've had since October but hadn't yet inked.

The printed paper is brandless from the dollar store, layered on Close To My Heart Twilight.  The image is Close To My Heart Your Own Kind of Wonderful stamped in Twilight ink on Recollections White and layered on more Twilight and Recollections.  The images were highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Express Yourself stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishments are brandless from the dollar store.

I think this is a truly beautiful card.  I love these butterflies!  I couldn't have worked the colours any better if I'd tried.  I stamped multiple times from one inking.  It was the more subtle effect that I felt coordinated better with the printed background paper.  The embellishments are the same beautiful shade of blue/green.

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

Gisèle

Softly Neutral

Hello everyone,

The intention for today's card was to craft a masculine card.  It turned out softer than I intended but I think it still works.

The printed papers are Momenta Patty Young layered on Close To My Heart Paper Fundamentals Basics Assortment.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart For Every Occasion stamped in Close To My Heart Whisper ink on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Paper Fundamentals and Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishments are Fabricland.

There is a heck of a lot of herringbone on this card but I'm hoping because it's all rather subtle that it will work for someone.  Other than the busy pattern, this is actually a really neutral card.  A pretty neutral layout too.

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

Gisèle

Simply For You

Hello everyone,

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  I'm pre-posting a few rather generic cards that I crafted before Christmas so I can take a few days off blogging to spend time with my family.

The printed paper is Momenta Niamh Fitzsimons layered on Stampin' Up Pale Plum and Smokey Slate.  The sentiment is Avery Elle Oh Happy Day stamped in Smokey Slate on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Pale Plum.  The embellishments are Stampin' Up Papillon Potpourri stamped in Pale Plum on Recollections Vanilla.  The butterflies are highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.

I was in the mood for pretty when I crafted this card.  I got this pad of Momenta paper a while ago and haven't really played with it much.  It has some really lovely sheets that are the perfect scale for smaller cards.  After all the Christmas cards from the past few months, I was ready to break out some butterflies and these Stampin' Up stamps are beautiful.  I picked up the coordinating punch when I bought them as it can be easier to punch than to die-cut.

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

Gisèle

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope you and your family have a wonderful day!

The printed papers are Kaisercraft Twig & Berry.  The sentiment Denami Design stamped in Stampin' Up Bravo Burgundy and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen and Pentel Sunburst Metallic Gel pen.  The holly is Dresden Gold Foil from 32 Degrees North highlighted with Copic R39.

A classic card for Christmas Day!

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

Gisèle

Decking The Chalkboard

Hello everyone,

I love today's Christmas card!

The printed paper is October Afternoon Silent Night layered on Core'dinations Jim Holtz Kraft Core Shattered Collection.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Christmas Messages stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Core'dinations.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.

This great paper makes for a very quick and easy card.  I love the red, black and vanilla colour combination.  The chalkboard effect is all the rage right now and though I don't often get on board the latest crazes, this is one I couldn't resist.  The elements are really very minimal with the red ribbon adding just that little extra interest.  This is a favourite layout, one I use frequently.

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

Gisèle

Pretty Pink Snowflakes

Hello everyone,

I'm wrapping up posting the last of my Christmas cards.  I could easily keep crafting them, but it's almost time to put them aside for a little bit.

The printed papers are Wild Rose Studio Holly Lane.  The images are Stampin' Up Serene Snowflakes stamped on Recollections Vanilla in Melon Mambo, heat embossed with Close To My Heart Silver Pearl embossing powder and layered on more Holly Lane.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Seasonal Sayings Christmas also stamped in Melon Mambo on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Holly Lane.  The embellishments are Crafts Rhinestones.

I was really drawn to this pink snowflake patterned paper so decided to run with it and craft a card that is rather traditional with a non-traditional twist.  The pink embossed snowflakes are really pretty and the little clear sparkles really add another pop of sparkle.  I debated adding more sparkles to the snowflakes and it would have worked beautifully either way but I decided less is more.

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

Gisèle

Ornaments In A Row

Hello everyone,

This is the last glittered Christmas card that I've been hoarding.

The image is Peel-Offs Xmas Balls glittered with Light Gold Jewel Glitter Ritz and Crystal Glitter Ritz Cool Highlight.  The images are affixed to Stampin' Up Brushed Gold and shimmery white and Recollections silver foil.  The sentiment is Bonnidee Xmas Wording 3 stamped in Early Espresso and heat embossed with Close To My Heart Silver Pearl embossing powder.

I love this card!  There is nothing else I can say.

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

Gisèle

Glittering Dove

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another Christmas card that I've been hoarding for the past year.  It was time to share.

The card base is Artois Klondike.  The image is Elizabeth Crafts Designs glittered with Martha Stewart Peridot and Fine Crystal glitter, Light Gold Jewel Glitter Ritz, Classic Red Glamour Glittter, and Crystal Glitter Ritz Warm Highlight glitter.  The sentiment is Penny Black A Wish For Peace heat embossed with Close To My Heart gold embossing powder.

This photo doesn't do the card justice.  The card base has a wonderful shimmer that works beautifully with the glitter in the dove.  When I finished this card, I couldn't believe that I had actually made it!  I often glitter a whole bunch of these images at the same time because it is really labour intensive and really, really messy!  If I could only craft glitter Christmas cards, I'd think I'd died and gone to heaven.

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

Gisèle

Glittering Ornament Pair

Hello everyone,

As I was organizing myself to write Christmas cards last weekend, I came across three glittered cards that I was hoarding.  I so loved them that I didn't want to use them!  I also discovered that I hadn't blogged them. They are now in the mail and I'm posting them for posterity!

The images are Peel-Offs Xmas Balls glittered with Martha Stewart Carrara Marble, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise and Sterling Silver glitter.  The ornaments are layered on Recollections Silver and a shimmery blue and a shimmery white of unknown origins.  The sentiment is Gina K Merry & Bright stamped in Stampin' Up Taken With Teal on Whisper White.

This is one of my most favourite cards that I've ever crafted!  I have held on to it for over a year but decided it needed to be shared.

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

Gisèle

Harlequins For Him

Hello everyone,

What's a set of all occasion cards without a masculine birthday card.

The printed paper is Little Yellow Bicycle Blue Harlequin layered on Stampin' Up Certainly Celery and a textured blue Bazzill.  The image is Close To My Heart Fabulous You stamped in Certainly Celery and Baja Breeze on Whisper White and layered on more Certainly Celery and Bazzill.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Night of Navy.  The embellishments are Fabricland.

There is nothing about this card that I don't love!  The colours are great, the harlequins are wonderful and there is just enough shimmer to make me happy.  I actually selected this paper because I wanted to use this harlequin stamp.  It is somewhat rustic/vintage and works great with the sentiment.  I wish I had some harlequin embellishments but these angled squares don't work too badly.

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

Gisèle

Fantastically Floral

Hello everyone,

I couldn't craft a set of cards without sticking in a 'thank you' and I wanted to craft it pretty!

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade.  The images are Close To My Heart A Budding Friendship stamped in Night of Navy, Certainly Celery, Mauve Mist, and Baja Breeze,  The sentiment is Inkadinkado Thank You Words stamped in Night of Navy on Whisper White, highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen and layered on more Lucky Limeade and Whisper White.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

I just can't get enough of this Close To My Heart set.  I love the two-steps stamp technique, it is the perfect answer for someone who can't colour worth beans.  I really tried to mimic the flowers in the printed paper and think I did a pretty decent job.  I don't know if that actually speaks to my creativity or to my stash of papers and stamps!  I actually found the printed paper element already together when I was looking for paper for this card.  I can't, for the life of me, remember what I was going to do with it.  Frankly, I'm so pleased with this card that it doesn't matter.

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

Gisèle

Lovely Lines

Hello everyone,

After the last three kid cards, I decided to move on to a little more adult, but not too adult.

The printed paper is Momenta Amylee Weeks layered on Stampin' Up Basic Black and Lucky Limeade.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Whisper White and layered on more Lucky Limeade and Basic Black.  The ribbon is Hobby Lobby Decorative Trim.

I just love this green, white and black colour combination.  Once I'd put together the base layer with the printed paper I wasn't sure where I was going to go next.  As I was looking through the stash of birthday sentiments, I found this one which works so very well with the printed paper.  After I figured that out, I decided to layer it with punched circles, something very Stampin' Up, which I've not done it while.  Excellent results!

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

Gisèle

Busy And Bright

Hello everyone,

This is my last 'kid' card of the gift set I've been working on.

The printed papers are Me & My Big Ideas Mambi Sheets layered on Stampin' Up Pale Plum and Lucky Limeade.  The sentiment is Rubber Cafe Happy Birthday C-385 stamped in Night of Navy on Recollections White, highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen, and layered on more Pale Plum and Lucky Limeade.  The butterflies are Stampin' Up Flight of the Butterfly stamped and punched from Pale Plum, Lucky Limeade and Wild Wasabi and Night of Navy.  The butterflies are heat embossed with Stampendous Kaleidoscope embossing powder.

I wanted to craft a really fun and cheerful card and this one certainly fits that bill.  This is the greatest paper for making kid cards.  There are so many elements incorporated which provide a multitude of options.  There are also a ton of different colours and because it is so busy, you don't have to worry about perfect colour matches.  In this case, I was particularly inspired by the butterfly in the bottom left, giving me the perfect excuse to use the Flight of the Butterflies stamps and the handy coordinating punch.

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

Gisèle

Dinos, Dinos, Dinos

Hello everyone,

I couldn't craft some kid cards without doing something typically boy!

The printed paper is Little Yellow Bicycle Dinos All Over layered on Recollections White and a blue of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Wacky Wishes stamped in Wild Wasabi on Recollections White and layered on more blue.  The embellishment is Dress It Up.

I've used this dinosaur paper before and was equally thrilled with the results.  These dinosaurs are too darn cute!  I love the variety of colour in this paper.  It really does give plenty of options for layering.  The embellishment is actually a button but I just trim off the anchors from the underside so it will lie flat on the card.  I'll have to find more because this was my last dinosaur.  I do have a couple of dinosaur stickers but they clash terribly with the paper.

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

Gisèle

Sweet Little Chickie

Hello everyone,

Today's card, as well as the next couple, are cute kid cards.

The printed paper is DCWV Nana's Kids layered on atd yellow and Recollections Vanilla and Lilac.  The yellow layer was textured with Spellbinders M-Bossabilities Whimsy and highlighted with Lavender Stickles.  The sentiment is BoBunny stamped in Stampin' Up Lavender Lace ink on Recollections Vanilla.

This card is intended for a little girl hence the pink, purple and yellow.  It's was so much fun to let my inner little girl out!  I hadn't originally intended to emboss the yellow layer but once I added that extra texture, I'm glad I did because it really works with the rest of the card.  I'm really glad I picked up these BoBunny sentiments, there is quite a variety of sentiments and they're so much fun.

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

Gisèle

Natural Sympathy

Hello everyone,

I'm working on some Christmas gift sets.  It's been a lot of fun to just craft cards for whatever occasion grabs me.\

The image is Woodware Going To Seed stamped in ColorBox and Stampin' Up River Rock on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Close To My Heart Petal and more River Rock.  The sentiment is Avery Elle Oh Happy Day stamped in Close To My Heart Slate.

I played with this focal panel for quite a while before I got a result that pleased me. This Woodware stamp is relatively large and on one of my attempts I tried to colour the elements but it didn't make a very nice impression.  When I used different inks on the entire stamps and then made the impressions, it worked beautifully.  The trick was finding ink colours which worked well together.  I thought about using a few pearls next to the sentiment but after I'd stamped it, I rather liked the simplicity.

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

Gisèle

Baby Boy Blue

Hello everyone,

Today's card was commissioned by a colleague who wanted a French baby card.

The printed paper is DCWV Nana's Kids layered on Close To My Heart Lilac Mist and Recollections Vanilla.  The image is Inkadinkado Baby Animals stamped in Stampin' Up Bordering Blue on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1, stamped in Close To My Heart Indian Corn Blue.  The image element is layered on more Lilac Mist and Vanilla.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.

My colleague provided me an image from the mother-to-be's registry which gave me the inspiration for the image and colour combination.  I realize that many of my recent cards are using this image/sentiment stamping combination and I apologize if it seems to be getting old, but I just love it!  This is also a tried and true layout that I can't seem to get away from at the moment.  Still the results always seem to work so it's hard to move on to something else.

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

Gisèle

Postcard Bliss

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the final one in the Christmas card series that I crafted for a class of beginners from the office.

The image is Inkadinkado stamped in Stampin' Up Blackberry Bliss on Recollections White.  The image is highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen and layered on Mossy Meadow and Blackberry Bliss.

With only four elements, this card should be quick and easy, and it is.  Unfortunately with this large and complex an image, stamping a good impression is a challenge, especially for beginners.  It doesn't help that the new Stampin' Up ink pads take a fair bit of practice.  I actually should have used one of the older colours with the cloth ink pads because it would have been easier for the girls to get good impressions right out of the gate.  I'm not going to diatribe on the Stampin' Up ink pads but suffice it to say, I won't be buying any more, any time soon.

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

Gisèle

Holly Swirls

Hello everyone,

Today's card is one of the more traditional is this series.

The printed paper is Authentique Festive layered on Stampin' Up Ridinghood Red and Mossy Meadow.  The Ridinghood Red layer was textured with Sizzix Holly Swirls.  The sentiment is Stampabilities Merry Christmas 07 stamped in Mossy Meadow on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Ridinghood Red and Mossy Meadow.  The embellishments are Eye Outlet Enamel Dots.

I couldn't design a Christmas card without using some holly paper, my most favourite Christmas image.  This is one of those cards that looks much more complicated than it really is.  There are multiple elements and layers as well as some wonderful holly texture.  Everything was pre-prepared for the ladies so I think they'll be surprised by how all these pieces will come together.

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

Gisèle

Sweet Snowman

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas card is one of the more non-traditional in this series.

The printed paper is atd Snow Days layered on Stampin' Up Basic Black and Close To My Heart Twilight.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Wishes Come True stamped in Juniper ink on Recollections White, highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen, and layered on more Basic Black.  The embellishments are Creative Impressions snowflake brads highlighted with White Opal Liquid Pearls.

I so love these cute little snowmen.  The blue, white and black together is one of my favourite non-traditional Christmas colour combinations.  I hadn't intended to add any embellishments but once I had the sentiment in place, I felt it needed more.  It also will give the ladies a chance to use a paper piercing tool.  I think they'll like it.

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

Gisèle

Candy Cute

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas card is intended to just be fun.

The printed paper is K&Company Tim Coffey layered on a textured green Bazzill.  The sentiment is Verses Rubber Stamps Christmas Time Treasure stamped in Close To My Heart Ruby ink on Recollections Vanilla and layered on DCWV Silky Smooth.  The embellishments are K&Company Tim Coffey Grand Adhesions dimensional stickers.

This is another super simple card which, using great printed paper, a couple of great stickers, and an awesome sentiment, makes for a really great result.  I'm taking an entire set of these stickers so the ladies can choose those which they like the most.

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

Gisèle

Cute Country Christmas

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another Christmas card for my upcoming beginners class.

The printed paper is K&Company Tim Coffey layered on Stampin' Up Ridinghood Red.  The sentiment is Penny Black Holly Xmas stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and coloured with Copics G94 and R35.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.

This is another super simple card but it is so very different from yesterday's.  It is country and cute thanks to this lovely plaid paper.  Along with simple and impactful, I want to give the group a real variety of cards so they can, hopefully, see the infinite possibilities of card making.

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

Gisèle

Decking Holiday Stamps

Hello everyone,

The next few posts are Christmas cards that I crafted for a beginners class composed of colleagues who successfully bid on this 'prize' that I offered for a charity auction.

The printed paper is Stampin' Up Letters To Santa layered on Ridinghood Red and Early Espresso.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Merry & Type stamped in Ridinghood Red on Recollections White and layered on more Early Espresso and Ridinghood Red.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap red baby bling.

All the cards in this series are designed to be easy but impactful.  The women who are participating in this class have never done any kind of card making and I'm not certain if they are at all crafty.  I really want to ensure that they will be satisfied with the results.  Using amazing printed paper, I think this card will be a big hit.

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

Gisèle

Birthday Arches

Hello everyone,

Today's post is for a birthday card for my former boss.  He was a wonderful man to work with and he moved on much too soon.

The printed paper is BasicGrey Oxford 'Fencing' layered on Stampin' Up Not Quite Navy and Bravo Burgundy.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Not Quite Navy.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Round Durables.

This card was crafted very simply.  I just took advantage of busy print on the paper and kept everything else very clean and simple.  My boss has a real affinity for the Middle East and I felt this paper really evoked the feel of the region in both shapes and colours.

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

Gisèle

Gone To The Dogs

Hello everyone,

Today's card was commissioned for an individual who is retiring.  She loves her dogs which was a fun theme to work from.

The printed paper is DCWV Pets Stack layered on Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip and Baja Breeze.  The Chocolate Chip layer was textured with Darice Paw Print Background embossing folder.  The images are Pebbles Cats and Dogs Dimensional Stickers.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Early Espresso ink and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.

This was such a fun card!  That sticker is one happy dog just as you should be in retirement.  This was a really wonderful card to craft.  I love playing with unexpected themes.  It is so unusual to pair retirement with dogs.  I'm sure it could have been a disaster but this result was spectacular.

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

Gisèle

More Wings In A Row

Hello everyone,

I was so happy with yesterday's card I just couldn't put that beautiful butterfly paper away.

The printed paper is Kaisercraft Bonjour Collection "Dijon".  The vertical strips are textured Bazzill and Quickutz Dreamscape.  The background image is Hero Arts French Writing With Butterfly.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages stamped in Close To My Heart Whisper ink on Recollections Vanilla.  The pearl embellishments are of unknown origin.

I wanted to case yesterday's card but not exactly.  I decided to play a bit with this word stamp because the butterfly looks very much like the ones on the printed paper.  I also decided to round the corners of the vertical strips instead of making banners.  I'm as happy with this results and I was with yesterday's.  I plan to use this as part of a gift set.

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

Gisèle

Wings In a Row

Hello everyone,

Today's card was crafted for a friend and colleague whose birthday was Sunday.  She is one really busy lady so I wanted to make sure her card was really special.

The printed paper is Kaisercraft Bonjour Collection "Dijon".  The vertical strips are textured Bazzill and Quickutz Dreamscape.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages stamped in Close To My Heart Whisper ink on Recollections Vanilla.  The pearl embellishments are of unknown origin.

I've always loved this sheet of butterflies.  The pale colours mixed with the shimmer is a really wonderful combination.  I don't have much left so I use it really sparingly.  Whenever I pull it out, I always think I need to pair it with a metallic but it doesn't work at all.  I found these three strips in my scrap bin and they couldn't have worked better!

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

Gisèle

Painted Floral

Hello everyone,

The birthday of one of my girlfriends is coming up and I crafted this special card for her.

The printed papers are Silverthorne Designs layered on Penny Black Green/Blue Canvas and Close To My Heart Petal.  The image is Memory Box Tissue Flower stamped in Stampin' Up River Rock on Recollections Vanilla and painted with LuminArte Blue Ice, Chiffon Pink, Icy Iris, and Sage Twinkling H2Os.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Mossy Meadow and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The ribbon is Offray.

I love this printed paper.  It is actually wrapping paper that I found in a specialty stationary store.  I couldn't resist.  I chose this Memory Box image because I felt it it worked incredibly well with the paper.  Once I finished painting the image, I couldn't have been more pleased.  I suspect I'll use this image every time I use this paper.

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

Gisèle

Snowflake Special

Hello everyone,

Today is the last card is the Christmas series that a colleague commissioned.

The printed paper is My Mind's Eye Mistletoe Magic layered on Stampin' Up Ridinghood Red, Recollections White and Close To My Heart Juniper.  The Ridinghood Red layer was textured with Darice Snowflakes embossing folder and highlighted with Diamond Stickles.  The ribbon is Michaels.

One great thing about crafting holiday/winter seasonal cards without sentiments is that it really brings out one's creativity. Adding interest with the texture was somewhat key on this card.  You don't see it all that well in this photo but this folder ties in really well with the printed paper.  I also was very careful to align the printed paper as it makes it appear as though it's a single element.  I'm very happy with the results.  My colleague oohed and awed!

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

Gisèle

Glittered Garland

Hello everyone,

Today's card is another in the commissioned Christmas series I've been crafting.

The printed paper is an atd Snow Days layered on Close To My Heart Sweet Leaf and Twilight.  The images are Close To My Heart Cheer, glitter rub-ons.  The embellishment is Doodlebug Frosty Flakes braddies highlighted with Turquoise Stickles.

Another quick and easy holiday card.  I've had these rub on in my stash for a long time but have not really used them because they are a right pain and the results are less than satisfactory.  Basically, it is a two part image - a sticky rub-on image that once adhered to paper, the glitter is rubbed on.  I find the blue and silver glitter sheets work quite well but the green is awful.  These embellishments are not the least bit forgiving so it's basically a one shot deal.  I don't think these are even available any more, for now obvious reasons.

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

Gisèle

Winter Beauty

Hello everyone,

Today's card can only be described as a true winter beauty.

The printed paper is BoBunny Powder Mountain Morning layered on Recollections White and Stampin' Up Ballet Blue.  The image is BoBunny Powder Mountain stamped in Ballet Blue on Recollections White.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Recollections White Glitter adhesive dots.

I didn't realize when I bought this stamp set that I actually had a couple of sheets of the coordinating paper in my stash.  A very happy accident!  This was a really quick and easy card thanks to the great paper and a tried and true layout.  It would be extremely easy to add any type of sentiment in a dark blue or black ink.  Realistically, You could probably pull off a dozen of these cards in a little over an hour.

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

Gisèle

Birds, Balls and Boughs

Hello everyone,

After a short distraction, I'm back to posting the Christmas card series that was commissioned by colleague.

The printed paper is Kaisercraft Santa's List 'BonBon' layered on Close To My Heart Tulip and a textured green Bazzill.  The images are Stampendous Christmas Holly Set stamped in Sweet Leaf ink on Recollections White and layered on more Tulip and Bazzill.  The sentiment is Stampavie Holiday Wishes stamped in Tulip.  Both the images and sentiment are highlighted with Sakura Clear Star and Green Gelly Roll pens,  The embellishments are Queen & Company Shamrock Green pearls.

My colleague wanted only one more traditional card with a sentiment (all the rest were winter-themed, sentimentless) so I went to town with this one.  I love the multicoloured Kaisercraft paper as it allows for a multitude of layering options.  The images are all a great scale for a card and also offer a whole lot of options for the addition of stamped images.

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

Gisèle

Grandpa Is A Blessing

Hello everyone,

Today's card is for my Grandfather who, with my Grandmother injured, may just need a pick-me-up.  He is one of the most wonderful men I've ever met in my life, a good and true blessing.

The image is Stampin' Up Wetlands stamped on Recollections Vanilla with Stampin' Up Crumb Cake and River Rock, and Close To My Heart Slate and Whisper inks.  The image is layered on a Close To My Heart paper but the collection is unknown.  The sentiment is Gina K Mehndi Wishes stamped in Always Artichoke.  The embellishments are Eyelet Outlet Enamel Dots.

It took me a couple of tries (OK five!) to get this image exactly as I wanted it.  I smudged and fudged but persevered and the results were exactly what I wanted.  My Grandfather has been under such incredible stress with my Grandmother ill and I wanted to tell him that he is a real blessing and a real gift to use all!

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

Gisèle

Only Good Thoughts

Hello everyone,

A short while ago, my Grandmother broke her hip.  She's been healing well and is now in rehab.  I wanted to make her a special card to help keep her spirits up!

The image is Close To My Heart A Budding Friendship stamped on Recollections Vanilla with Close To My Heart Blush, Cotton Candy and Hollyhock, and Stampin' Up Certainly Celery, Crushed Curry, Daffodil Delight and Pear Pizzazz.  The image is layered on Close To My Heart Hollyhock and Blush, and Stampin' Up Certainly Celery which was textured with Darice Flower embossing folder.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Too Kind stamped in Close To My Heart Ponderosa Pine on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishment is Craft Medley.

This is one really cheerful card!  I love this particular two-step stamp.  It is one of the easiest I have in my stash.  The pink and green is such a very happy colour combination.  I hadn't originally intended to use any other embellishments but when I found this simple gold butterfly I knew it would be just perfect!  I pretty confident that this card will give my Grandmother a whole lot of cheer!

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

Gisèle

Mama's Card

Hello everyone,

Today is my mother's birthday and I've crafted her a very special card.

The printed paper is Jillibean Soup layered on Stampin' Up Real Red and Kraft.  The image is Art Impressions Strawberry (I2288) stamped in Tombow 228 and 835 on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Real Red and Kraft.  The sentiment is Just Rite Clear Large Fancy Sentiments stamped in Early Espresso.  The embellishments are BoBunny Elf Magic jewels.

Anything 'strawberry' always catches my eye because my mother is known to just love them.  When I found this particular stamp on the Art Impressions Web Site, I knew I was going to put it in my cart.  While I usually shy away from really unique and 'one-off' type stamps, there are times such as this one where my resistance fails.

Happy Birthday Mom!

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

Gisèle

Brush Stoked Tree

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another in a set of Christmas cards I'm crafting for a colleague.

The printed paper is BoBunny Mistletoe layered on Bazzill and Simple Stories December Documented.  The image is Stampin' Up Work of Art stamped in Close To My Heart Tulip and Sweet Leaf on Recollections White and layered on more Simple Stories.  The embellishments are Little Yellow Bicycle Jewel stickers.

This card is cased from this card that I crafted for a box set that was sold at the charity card sale a few weeks back. I loved the clean and simple results back then but I think I favour this one even more.  I love the multicoloured tree coordinating with the printed paper. Once I figured out the colours, this card came together really quickly.  As I've said before, it's awesome when a card virtually crafts itself.

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

Gisèle

Snow Trees

Hello everyone,

One of my colleagues commissioned a very unique set of Christmas cards.  She asked for non-traditional, seasonal as opposed to Christmas, and predominantly sentimentless.  She did want one French, traditionally Christmas card in the set.  It was a tall order but a lot of fun to craft.

The printed paper is Echo Park Winter Wishes layered on Stampin' Up Baja Breeze and Close To My Heart Smoky Plum.  The images are Stampin' Up Gorgeous Grunge stamped in Smoky Plum and Penny Black Joyous stamped in Baja Breeze on Recollections White and layered on more Baja Breeze and Smoky Plum.  The paper and images are highlighted with Stampendous White Crystal Snow.

I do think this is a really great card.  It's not an obvious holiday card more like a winter card.  You could really use it for any occasion over the winter.  It took me a while to work out the image until I decided to mimic the trees on the printed paper by stamping really fine lines.  I also really love the colours in this card.  Completely modern and nontraditional.

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

Gisèle

Purple Happiness

Hello everyone,

Today's card was commissioned by a girlfriend who is standing in a wedding and wanted something special for the bride.

The printed paper is Kaisercraft Violet Crush layered on Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant and Basic Black.  The sentiment is Verve Love Story stamped in Elegant Eggplant on Whisper White.  The butterfly is Ranger alcohol inked paper that was glittered with Glitter Ritz microfine transparent glitter.  The embellishments are Mark Richards 3mm silver metals.

I love this card!  The bride's colours are purple and I've just been waiting to play with these Kaisercraft papers.  The butterfly was actually punched from a tiny scrap of glittered paper that has been in my scrap bin for ages.  I debated adding some ribbon to the card, which I really like on wedding cards, but decided the little bits of silver bling would be enough.  I wish that every card was crafted so easily.

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

Gisèle

Poinsettia Collection VI

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the last post in this particular series.

The printed papers are Kaisercraft St Nicholas layered layered on textured Bazzill.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Merry Christmas Writing stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Very Vanilla and layered on more St Nicholas, Ridinghood Red and green textured Bazzill.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.

This is another one of those pretty clean and simple cards.  I wanted it quite different from the rest of this series and this fits the bill.  This paper is so spectacular it didn't really need much to make it shine.  I've had this little bow sitting on my workspace for quite a while, just waiting for the right card.

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

Gisèle

Poinsettia Collection V

Hello everyone,

The second to last card in this poinsettia series.

The images are Penny Black Christmas Narrative and Technique Tuesday Fanfare stamped in StazOn Black Cherry on Recollections Vanilla, layered on Stampin' Up Real Red and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.

I'm really happy with this card.  When my friend asked for poinsettia card, I decided I would use different images for the series.  This card is very different from the rest.  Clean, simple and monochromatic.  The results are just great and make this card really special.

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

Gisèle

Poinsettia Collection IV

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the fourth in the latest poinsettia collection I've been crafting for a friend.

The printed paper is BasicGrey Jovial layered on textured Bazzill.  The image is Penny Black Joyous stamped in Towbow and Faber-Castell markers on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Stampin' Up Basic Black and more textured Bazzill.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Holiday Sayings stamped in Versafine and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The ribbon is Crafts and Multicrafts.  The embellishments are Queen & Company Marble Wizard Rox.

I was so happy with the last card which I crafted with this image that when my friend asked for poinsettia cards I knew I would use this stamp again.  This time I decided to use a number of different colours on the flowers.  The unfortunate thing with this stamp set is that it's an acrylic and even though I've repeatedly conditioned it, I'm still not fussy with the stamped image.  I've even tried previous inking with VersaMark and it's still not great.  I'm not sure if the problem is mine or the stamp.  I'll have to keep playing with it and see.  I'll keep you posted.

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

Gisèle

Poinsettia Collection III

Hello everyone,

I have my third poinsettia card for you today.

The printed paper is K&Company Yuletide Die Cut layered on Stampin' Up Ridinghood Red.  The image is Penny Black Joyous stamped in Tombow 098 and 856 on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Bonnidee C'est Noel stamped in Always Artichoke.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.

This was the most challenging card in this series.  I wanted to take advantage of the scalloped edge of the printed paper and attempted to compliment it with additional fancy edged layers.  I was completely over thinking the layers and ended playing with too many options.  I like the final results but am not sure it was worth the angst to get there.

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

Gisèle

Poinsettia Collection II

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the second in the 'poinsettia collection' that I crafted for a friend.

The printed paper is Wild Rose Studio A Robin's Christmas layered on a textured green Bazzill and Stampin' Up Ridinghood Red.  The image is Stampin' Up Christmas Blessings stamped in Always Artichoke on Whisper White and layered on Ridinghood Red.  The flowers are painted with LuminArte Poppy Red Twinkling H2Os and Pentel Sunburst Metallic Gold and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The sentiment is Stampavie Holiday Wishes stamped in Always Artichoke and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.

I only recently found this Wild Rose Studio paper and I'm in love with it!  The images are just so different that it gets my mojo flowing.  I didn't want to use a 'heavy' poinsettia image with this sheet of simple flowers so this Stampin' Up set was perfect.  I also wanted to use a horizontal stamp in the vertical, as is currently the rage, and this particular sentiment seemed to really suit the fluid lines of the image.  Overall, I really think this card worked really well.

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

Gisèle

Poinsettia Collection I

Hello everyone,

A friend of mine recently discovered some of the poinsettia cards I've been posting and requested a set for herself.  I had a great time going through all my poinsettia stamps to craft her a series of great cards that I will be posting over the next few days.

The printed paper is K&Company SW Glad Tidings layered on textured red and green Bazzill.  The image is Stampin' Up Watercolor Winter stamped in Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Bravo Burgundy, Ridinghood Red and Always Artichoke on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Bazzill and Recollections.  The sentiment is Bonnidee Xmas Wording 3 stamped in Early Espresso and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishments are ZVA Creative jewels.

This is, by far, my favourite poinsettia stamp.  The two layers make for beautiful results every single time.  It was this particular set that got me hooked on two-step stamps.  I wanted to creative some extra interest by stamping the flowers in different colours but the Cherry Cobbler came out much darker than I wanted.  It's still interesting, just darker than I wanted.

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

Gisèle

The Farmer Is Forty!

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the last of the milestone birthday cards commissioned by one of my colleagues.

The printed paper is Stampin' Up Well Worn layered on Close To My Heart and a navy of unknown origin.  The images are Paperhouse 3D stickers.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday stamped in Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishments are American Crafts Elements brads.

This card is for my colleague's husband who is turning forty next month.  They are hobby farmers in their spare time.  There will be a surprise party for him in a few weeks as they really want to get him on this particular milestone.  I tried to keep everything rather neutral and simple so these great farm stickers would be really prominent.  I'm so grateful for stickers when I making cards like these.

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

Gisèle

Sweet Sixteen

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another commissioned card for a milestone birthday.

The printed paper is DCWV Girl Stack layered on Worldwin Chrome Silver Foil and Close To My Heart Dutch Blue.  The images are Recollections.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Stampin' Up Whisper White and layered on more Dutch Blue.  Both layers were cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 13.  The ribbon is Hobby Lobby decorative trim and Multicrafts.

This card is for a soon to be sixteen year old hockey player.  She doesn't do girly!  She is a goalie so I was quite thrilled to find a goalie stick sticker!  A real coup!  I especially enjoy crafting these types of custom cards.  I like to think they are equally special for both the receiver as well as the giver.

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

Gisèle

Bonne Fête

Hello everyone,

The next few posts are for cards commissioned by a colleague whose got some birthdays coming up in the next few weeks.

The image is Paperhouse 3D sticker affixed to Stampin' Up Whisper White and layered on Elegant Eggplant and a brushed gold of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Bonnidée French Wording #1 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The cording is Hobby Lobby decorative trim.  The number is from a set of stamps of unknown origin also stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Whisper White.

This card is for a dairy farm with a penchant for Crown Royal.  At first I didn't know what I was going to craft for this card until I decided to replicate that distinct royal purple bag that is used to envelope the bottle.  The cow of course, pays tribute to the farmer.  I'm pretty confident that he'll love this special birthday card.

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

Gisèle

And We Will Remember Them

Hello everyone,

I always like to make a sympathy card on Remembrance Day.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Ruby Red and Recollections Vanilla.  The image is Stampendous Poppy Stems stamped in Tombow 098 and 856 on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Ruby Red.  The sentiment is Verve Forever In Our Hearts stamped in Early Espresso.  The poppies are highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap Le Creme Say It With Pearls.

Lest We Forget.

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

Gisèle