Lovely Levered Garden

Hello everyone,

A colleague recently requested a special birthday card for her aunt.  I decided it was the perfect opportunity to try a fancy fold card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Hello Honey.  The printed paper is Stampin' Up English Garden.  The images are Stampin' Up Garden In Bloom stamped on Bazzill White in Garden Green, Crushed Currey, Lost Lagoon, Pear Pizzazz, and Close To My Heart Blush and Sunset.  The stamped butterflies are highlighted with Wink of Stella Clear 999.  The images and printed paper are layered on Blushing Bride, Hello Honey and Mossy Meadow.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Joyful Birthday stamped in Mossy Meadow on Bazzill White and layered on more Mossy Meadow.  The embellishments are Petal Pink Liquid Pearls.

This was not my first attempt at this levered card, it was my third.  It was a challenge, to say the very least.  I ended up fiddling with card bases, images and printed papers until I almost gave up.  Once I finally figured it out, it came together pretty well.  I even managed to salvage the other two attempts.  It was all totally worth it as I ended up with three pretty great cards.

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

Gisèle

Angles, Arches And Domes

Hello everyone,

The nephew of a girlfriend recently got engaged and she asked me for a special card.

The images and printed paper are TaDa Moscow layered on Close To My Heart Ocean and Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade.  The images are stamped on Recollections White in Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive and Taken With Teal and layered on Elegant Eggplant.  The sentiment is Avery Elle So Happy stamped in Elegant Eggplant on Recollections White and layered on Elegant Eggplant.  The card is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

I felt this engagement card needed some wedding pizzazz but as it's for a nephew, I didn't want it to be overly frou frou or girly.  This paper proved absolutely perfect!  This is the second card in which I've used this paper and if I'd been more careful cutting, I think I could have easily taken advantage of more of the overall design.  I love the colours and felt the images were suitably elegant.  In my mind, this is pretty much a perfect engagement card.

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

Gisèle

Baby Boy Blue

Hello everyone,

I'm posting a lovely baby boy card today.

The printed paper is Karen Foster Bedtime Friends layered on Bazzill Bitter Chocolate and Blue.  The images are Inkadinkado Baby Animals stamped in Baja Breeze on Stampin' Up Very Vanilla and layered on more Bitter Chocolate.  The sentiment is Penny Black Baby Baby stamped in Early Espresso.  The embellishments are Platinum Liquid Pearls.

If this card looks familiar it's because I crafted a very similar card in January.  I really goofed in the brad placement so ended up starting from scratch.  I didn't want to throw out this baby animal paper (I only have a single sheet) as I'd hoped to be able to salvage at least some of it.  Once the frustration had passed, I realized that I only needed to enlarge the sentiment panel.  I used the images in the background to help cover some of the large amount of white space that could easily overwhelm the airy sentiment.  I used blue ink to help blend in somewhat with the background.  I wish I could have found a way to leave the giraffe's head in the bottom right corner revealed, but at the time, I didn't have any brilliant ideas.

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

Gisèle

Sympathy Leaves

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the final French sympathy card I crafted for my neighbor.

The background image is Close To My Heart Brushstrokes stamped in Whisper and Stampin' Up River Rock and Smoky Slate.  The image is Inkadinkado stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 also stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

This card is awesome!  It was so quick and easy - less than five minutes once I'd picked out the background colours.  I'd come across this stamp when I was going through my stash and thought it would be perfect for a sympathy card.  I'd actually like try painting this image as I'd image with some interesting blending, the results could be spectacular.

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

Gisèle

Pink Blooms

Hello everyone,

Today's French sympathy card uses another leftover image that I had stamped a long, long time ago.

The image is Magenta coloured with a variety of Stampin' Up watercolour crayons, spritzed with water, stamped on watercolour paper and layered on Stampin' Up Old Olive and Close To My Heart Pixie.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Flamingo Dots.

I suspect one of the reasons why I'd left this image aside is because the impressions is not as sharp as I'd like.  I used to much water when spritzing.  In hindsight, this image is perfectly fine - thus why I decided to use it after all.  This is not one of my favourite embellishments placements.  It's not as interesting or creative as it could have been.  I do however like how it coordinates with the pink so that makes me capable or living with it.

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

Gisèle

Condolence Roses

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another French sympathy card for my neighbor using a leftover image.

The image is Hero Arts Delicate Rose stems stamped in StazOn Olive Green, painted with a variety of LuminArte Twinkling H2Os on watercolour paper and layered on Stampin' Up Garden Green.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The ribbon is American Crafts.  The embellishment is a pearl of unknown origin.

Sometimes card just work and this is absolutely one of those.  I love the peach and green together.  I also love the results of this painting effort.  It's so wonderful!  I wish I had thought to write the paint colours on the back of the image so I could replicate it.  This was a great image to paint - simple and straightforward - not requiring lots of different colours or complex shading.

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

Gisèle

Wings of Condolence

Hello everyone,

Today's sympathy card uses another image that I'd stamped ages ago and hadn't yet used.

The printed paper is S.E.I Sunny Day.  The image is Stampin' Up Watercolor Wings stamped in StazOn Metallic Gold, Stampin' Up Lost Lagoon and Midnight Muse, and Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections Vanilla.  The image was die cut with Sizzix Bold Butterfly Framelits.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Midnight Muse on Recollection Vanilla.The ribbon is American Crafts.

There is some rather vintage about this card.  The colours, blue and yellow, and the patterned paper are likely the reason.  I was, at first, inclined to add some embellishments but this butterfly is large and by placing it in the 'sweet spot' on top of the ribbon, it really didn't need anything else.  As I look at this photo, I believe I could have lowered the sentiment just a little bit but, that's hindsight.  I still think this is a great card in all its simplicity.

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

Gisèle

Beautiful Blue Bloom

Hello everyone,

Today's sympathy card is another painted black magic card.

The image is Annabelle Stamps Square Posies stamped in Ranger Glacier White on Recollections Black, heat embossed with Stampin' Up white embossing powder, and layered on Close To My Heart Spring Iris, and Recollections White and Black.  The image is painted with LuminArte Blue Ice, Ice, Evening Primrose and Garden Jade.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishments are pearls of unknown origin.

I thought yesterday's card turned out so well I thought I'd use this last already painted image.  I love how it's cool in comparison to yesterday's warm orange.  I should have placed the pearls a little higher but I do think the upside down triangle adds some great interest.  I decided to place the sentiment under the image so it would be different from yesterday.  This turned out to be another great result overall.

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

Gisèle

A Condolence Lily

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the start of a new series of sympathy cards that I crafted for my neighbor.  Her stash was depleted and she hadn't had a chance to build it up.

The image is Annabelle Stamps Square Posies stamped in Ranger Glacier White on Recollections Black, heat embossed with Stampin' Up white embossing powder and layered on Close To My Heart Orange, and Recollections White and Black.  The image is painted with LuminArte Ice, Moss Agate and Persimmon.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishments are My Mind's Eye Collectable "Notable Cute" enamel dots.

The image for today's card is one that I'd painted in January when I crafted this card and this card.  I didn't have any plans for these images when I'd first painted them.  I just wanted to play with paints and this quasi black magic technique.  I particularly like the pop of orange against the black.  My neighbor needed French sympathy cards and this particular set of sentiments has some really great sentiments in lovely fonts.

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

Gisèle

A Field Of Butterflies

Hello everyone,

Today is the last of the thank you card series I've been working on for the past couple of weeks.

The image is Sentimentally Yours Butterfly Field Collection stamped in Close To My Heart Slate on Stampin' Up Whisper White and layered on Blackberry Bliss and Close To My Heart Slate. The image is highlighted with LuminArte Bolivian Blue, Poppy Red, Vavoom Red, Wild Plum and Wine & Roses.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Say It All stamped in Blackberry Bliss.  The embellishments are Marianne Design Butterflies.

The last couple of cards were interesting backgrounds over stamped with images.  In this particular case, this is just one large stamp.  I love the stamp but am not crazy about using a single colour.  Given its an acrylic stamp, I find it challenging to colour so the impression actually works.  I decided to try painting the butterflies and highlighting the flowers with Twinkling H2Os.  It was a good decision because the results were better than I could have hoped for.  The layers really help make the entire card work.

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

Gisèle

A Butterfly Trio

Hello everyone,

I was so utterly happy with yesterday's card that I wan't to try to another version.

The background is Stampin' Up Watercolor Wash stamped in Close To My Heart Whisper.  The image and sentiment are Woodware Butterfly Flourish stamped in Tsukineko Brilliance Pearlescent Crimson and Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishments are Platinum Liquid Pearls.

I like this card.  It's a great card.  I just don't love it like I do yesterday's card. This grey and crimson colour combination does work great together.  I suspect that the stylized washed background is too informal for the formal flourishes and butterflies image.  I think the layers are what I particularly miss.  I wish I'd gotten the Liquid Pearls sized and spaces more evenly.  Not a bad card but I could have done better.

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

Gisèle

So Remarkably Simple

Hello everyone,

Today's thank you card is one of my favourite in this entire series.

The background image is Stampin' Up You've Got This stamped in River Rock on Whisper White and layered on Basic Black and River Rock.  The top layer image is Hero Arts Dandelion stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The sentiment is Verve Amazing Wishes also stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishments are Kaisercraft Black Pearl Strips.

I love, love, love this card.  I want to makes dozens of them!  I envision the same style and layout with different colours, flowers and sentiments.  I wish I had started playing with this background stamp eons ago.  It is utterly perfect for this type of card.  I suppose you could do a one layer card but I think the layering makes the image pop all the more.  Card greatness!

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

Gisèle

Shimmer and Pearls

Hello everyone,

Today's thank you card uses another image that I'd had in my stash for months.

The image is Hero Arts Delicate Rose Stems stamped in StazOn Olive Green on watercolour paper and painted with a variety of LuminArte Twinkling H2Os.  The image is layered on Close To My Heart Smoothie and Topiary.  The sentiment is Verve Amazing Wishes stamped in StazOn Olive Green.  The embellishments are Marianne Design Butterflies.

I think this may be one of the first images that I practiced painting with Twinkling H2Os.  I loved the results but, for the life of me, can't figure out why I never used it.  I suspect it has to do with coordinating with the peachy/orange colour.  Obviously I never though to check out the drawer with the Close To My Heart papers because this Smoothie is perfect.  I couldn't craft at least one of these thank you cards without placing the horizontal sentiment on the vertical.

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

Gisèle

Brushed Thanks

Hello everyone,

I saw a card on Pinterest and just couldn't resist casing it.  Beautiful!

The images are Stampin' Up Gorgeous Grunge and Close To My Heart Brushstrokes stamped in Stampin' Up Crushed Curry, Certainly Celery and Pool Party, and Close To My Heart Blush and Sunset on Whisper White and layered on Stampin' Up Basic Black.  The sentiments are Close To My Heart A Thousand Thanks, Stampin' Up Another Thank You and Hero Arts Another Thank You stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

I'm absolutely in love with brushstrokes and grunge!  It doesn't seem to matter the colour, it always seems to work.  The inspiration for this card is all Pinterest.  This card is a little busier and spread out.  I thought the Basic Black layer was a great idea because it really doesn't make the words pop.  I also added splatters because I felt it softened the overall look.

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

Gisèle

Big, Bold & Beautiful

Hello everyone,

Today's thank you card uses one of the beautiful butterflies that I've had laying around my desk for months.

The printed paper is Prima "Reflections" Kashana layered on Stampin' Up Bravo Burgundy.  The image is Stampin' Up Watercolor Wings stamped in StazOn Metallic Gold, Versafine Onyx Black, Blackberry Bliss and Midnight Muse on Recollections Vanilla.  The butterfly was die cut with Sizzix Bold Butterfly Framelits and layered on Bravo Burgundy and Recollections Vanilla banners die cut from Sizzix Banners Framelits. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in Bravo Burgundy on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Bravo Burgundy.

After I first stamped this butterfly I wasn't sure how I'd end up using it, so I just set it aside.  When it came to crafting all these thank you cards, I was determined to use up some of these elements that I'd had laying around.  I couldn't believe it when I found this printed paper that worked so perfectly with the colours in this butterfly.  The style of the butter and paper work as well together as the colours.  It's so nice when surprises like that happen and the results are so beautiful.

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

Gisèle

Peaches and Pistachios

Hello everyone,

Another interestingly folded thank you card today!

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Sweet Sorbet layered on Pistachio Pudding and Whisper White.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart A Thousand Thanks stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The ribbon is American Crafts.  The embellishments are Crystal Stickers 2mm clear elements.

While I was looking for an quilt card on Pinterest I came across this really interesting chevron pattern.  It isn't difficult and I really like the dimension of the triangles.  Like quilting though, you have to be extremely precise otherwise the edges just won't line up.  I wasn't sure about this paper at first but I thought the hint of black and the small scale would work well.  I'm not all that fussy on the green and peach but it's not the worst colour combination I've ever used.

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

Gisèle

A Vintage Thank You

Hello everyone,

I love crafting quilted cards but some are easier than others.  Of course, it helps when you use the correct measurements the first time around.

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Springtime Vintage layered on Very Vanilla, Rose Red and Always Artichoke.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Four You stamped in Always Artichoke and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishments are Petal Pink and Avocado Liquid Pearls.

For the life of me, I can't remember the name of this particular pattern.  I've gone through a number of my Pinterest boards without much luck.  I hope I don't want to craft another one like this because I'll be out of luck.  This is actually my second attempt because I used the wrong dimensions the first time around.  I love the movement of the star points.  I'm not certain this is the best design, but I wanted a vintage feel and this paper is just perfect.

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

Gisèle

Pretty As A Peacock

Hello everyone,

Today's thank you card is all about the beautiful peacock.

The printed papers are Close To My Heart Magnifique highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The image is Close To My Heart Brushstrokes stamped in Stampin' Up Pool Party and Crumbcake.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart A Thousand Thanks stamped in Close To My Heart Peacock on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Blue Epoxy Bubbles.

I love this peacock.  There are only a couple of sheets in this collection that have this beautiful bird so I've saved it for some really special cards.  I love the blues, greens and creams in the image.  It makes for such a striking combination.  The swirls and flourishes are so beautiful.  The layout was kept extraordinarily simple because I didn't want to so anything that would cover up too much of the printed paper.

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

Gisèle

Dog Gone Thanks

Hello everyone,

Today's thank you card is for my girlfriend's husband.  He loves my dog!

The printed paper is Chatter Box Botanico Stripe layered on Stampin' Up Soft Suede. Baja Breeze, and Recollections White.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thank You Messages stamped in Soft Suede on Recollections White.

This is another masculine card so my rule of thumb is to keep it simple and straightforward.  I love the colours in this striped paper.  I originally intended to make this a horizontal card but the photo just didn't fit that well.  This vertical is a better fit for the photo and I actually think the horizontal stripes makes the card more interesting overall.  It's unexpected but excellent.

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

Gisèle

Fresh Veggies

Hello everyone,

One of our very generous grocery donors provides our fundraiser a grocery gift certificate so I always make him an appropriately themed thank you card.

The printed paper is Jillibean Soup "Fresh Vegetable Soup" Baby Carrots layered on Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant and Garden Green.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Another Thank You stamped in Elegant Eggplant on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Elegant Eggplant.  The embellishments are Recollections Cork Dots.

I love this Jillibean paper.  It is so much fun.  It makes for the perfect card for a grocer.  There so many colours that coordinate well.  I didn't realize until I started posting, that the solid colours I chose were eggplant and garden - it was a complete coincidence.  As this is a masculine card, I kept the layout simple and the embellishments natural.

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

Gisèle

Watercoloured Blues

Hello everyone,

Today's thank you card uses another image that's been in my stash for eons.

The image is Magenta, stamped in water-spritzed Stampin' Up watercolour crayons on watercolour paper.  The image is layered on Stampin' Up International Bazaar and blue Bazzill.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Express Yourself stamped in Tsukineko Brilliance Mediterranean Blue on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishments are Royal Blue Liquid Pearls.

I can't figure out why this image was in my stash for so long.  It's a pretty good impression and the colour is great!  I decided to switch it up a little by placing the image on an angle.  I'm not as happy with the Liquid Pearls on this card.  They came out rather thick and they didn't spread very evenly.  I wonder if it's getting rather old thus the rather uneven application.  Loving these blues regardless!

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

Gisèle

Watercolored Blooms

Hello everyone,

Today's thank you card uses an images that I've had in my stash for months, if not years.

The image is Magenta, coloured with Stampin' Up watercolor crayons, spritzed with water and stamped on watercolour paper.  The layering purple papers are Bazzill.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thank You messages stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The banners are Ranger Alcohol inked glossy paper.  The embellishments are Majestic Purple Liquid Pearls.

This is an image that I did when I was experimenting with watercolour crayons.  I can't even remember when it was but I know it was a long, long time ago.  The images is a little undefined as I applied too much water but, on the whole, it's not that bad.  This can be a challenging technique.  I find it doesn't work on acrylic stamps, only red rubber.  There is also a very fine line between too much water or not enough.  I always try it on a piece of scrap first, although even that doesn't guarantee results.

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

Gisèle

Peach Calla Thanks

Hello everyone,

It's rare that when I'm playing around with stamps and paints that I craft but a single card, especially when the results are pleasing.

The image is Stampin' Up Remarkable You stamped in StazOn Jet Black on Recollections White and layered on Close To My Heart Smoothie.  The image is painted with LuminArte Fuzzy Peach, Lemongrass, Mango Mamba and Playful Peony Twinkling H2Os.  The sentiment is Inkadinkado Thank You Words stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishment is Marianne Design Flowers.

The first time I attempted painting these calla images, it was an utter disaster so I put the stamp back in its case and ignored it.  I was feeling adventurous so decided to give them another try.  These images are actually perfect for a novice painter, they're not too complicated and they are large enough that you don't need to be perfect.  I often hesitate to use 'peach' as I find it difficult to coordinate.  In this case, the Fuzzy Peach Twinkling H2Os work beautifully with the Smoothies.  I thought the white layer was inspired, it so makes the flowers pop!

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

Gisèle

Purple Calla Thanks

Hello everyone,

My girlfriend and I recently hosted a charity Crop fundraising which wouldn't have been a success without the help of so many people.  The next dozen or so posts will be the thank you cards I've crafted.

The printed papers are Momenta Textured Cardstock and K&Company Susan Winget Nature.  The image is Stampin' Up Remarkable You stamped in StazOn Jet Black on Recollections White and painted with LuminArte Lemongrass, Mango Mamba, Royal Orchid and Wild Plum Twinkling H2Os.  The sentiment is Inkadinkado Thank You Words stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more Momenta and K&Company.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Purple Glitter Gems.

I really love crafting these thank you cards.  It gives me a chance to try new things, play with stamps and experiment.  I had painted these callas a while ago and was just looking for an excuse to put them on a card.  I ended up placing the sentiment on this angle because as I was painting, there was a single purple drip that needed to be covered.  This worked beautifully.  Never underestimate the effectiveness of a paint drip to try something new.

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

Gisèle

A Special Twentieth

Hello everyone,

One of my colleagues commissioned this milestone birthday card for her daughter.

The printed papers are DCWV Green Stack.  The background images are Close To My Heart Brush Strokes stamped in Stampin' Up Crumbcake and Wild Wasabi, and Close To My Heart Sweet Leaf on Recollections White.  The images are Stampin' Up Life In The Forest stamped in Versafine Onyx Black. The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The name and number are Creative Expressions Sentimentally Yours Elegant Alphabet and Numbers stamped in Wild Wasabi and Verafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The embellishments are Avocado Liquid Pearls.

This card is so custom!  My colleague wanted something really special for her daughter's 20th birthday.  It was a lot of fun to talk about her daughter's likes and I think I hit it pretty close.  She's a girl who loves the outdoors and had a raccoon stuffed toy ('Raccoony') as a child.  I really liked Friday's card so tried another overlapping circle card.  I didn't want to colour (given it's not my forte) but got the idea for over-stamping from this card on Pinterest.  It couldn't have worked out better.

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

Gisèle

Earth Toned Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last of the sympathy cards I've been working on lately.

The image is Stampin' Up Watercolor Wings stamped in StazOn Metallic Gold, Tsukineko Brilliance Starlite Black and Pearlescent Crimson, and Versafine Onyx Black.  The butterfly is layered on a shimmery copper and red of unknown origin and Stampin' Up More Mustard and Really Rust.  The More Mustard layer was stamped with Heartfelt Creations Large Elegant Word Background in More Mustard ink.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Bloom With Hope stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishments are of unknown origin.

This is a butterfly that I'd stamped when I first got this set and was doing some experimenting.  I thought it was perfect for an autumn inspired sympathy card.  I'd also come across these shimmery copper and red papers that had been in my stash for eons.  This layout is a favourite and with all different types of papers used for layering, it's pretty interesting.

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

Gisèle

Sympathy Poppies

Hello everyone,

I've still got a couple of sympathy cards to post.

The image is Eccentric Images Poppy stamped in StazOn Jet Black on Recollections Vanilla and painted with LuminArte Poppy and Mango Mamba Twinkling H2Os.  The sentiment is BoBunny Sentiments also stamped in StazOn Jet Black.  The focal element is layered on Stampin' Up Basic Black and a red of unknown origin.

I had a version of these poppies stamped and painted that I'd never used but when I started putting the layout together, I wasn't happy with the painting I'd done.  It was one of my early efforts.  I really liked the overall idea so decided to do a 'redo'.  These results are much better.  I purposely didn't paint to the edge for each petal because I wanted to see hints of the paper.  I thought it worked well with the 'distressed' font style of the sentiment.  I used this red background because it has a textured look to it, even though the red doesn't match the poppies perfectly.  A great result.

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

Gisèle

Goodbye Bruce

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a card that I crafted for a colleague whose dog has passed away.

The printed paper is Close To My Heart (an unknown collection) layered on Stampin' Up Basic Grey.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Say It All stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishments are Recollections Cork Dots.

I had so many photos to choose from that I couldn't pick just one.  I decided to punch all these circles and overlap them into a collage.  I thought the different sized cork dots at some of the intersections of the photos made the overall layout more interesting.  This little pup was so cute.  He was a great friend for my colleague and she will miss him terribly.

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

Gisèle

Naturally Sympathetic

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another sympathy card for my stash.

The images are Close To My Heart Fallen Leaves stamped in Stampin' Up Soft Suede, Crumbcake, Creamy Caramel, More Mustard and Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Bazzill Bitter Chocolate and Ranger alcohol inked glossy paper.  The sentiment is Verve Forever In Our Hearts stamped in Early Espresso.  The embellishments are My Mind's Eye Sleigh Bells Ring wood dots.

If you've not already realized it, I absolutely love alcohol inked papers.  It doesn't matter the colours, I just love them.  I felt this brown/tan version would be perfect for a more masculine sympathy card.  It also gave me a chance to try this Close To My Heart set which I picked up in the fall but had yet to try.  I chose to use these wooden dots because they are really cool and are perfect for this card.

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

Gisèle

Serene Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's card should have been posted a couple of days ago.

The image is Stampin' Up Serene Silhouettes stamped in Soft Suede on Very Vanilla and layered on Soft Suede and Ranger alcohol inked glossy paper.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in Soft Suede.  The embellishments are of unknown origin.

This card is almost a replica of this card from earlier this year.  I loved the first one so much I just had to repeat it.  There is just something about the alcohol inked glossy paper that I find utterly appealing.  It really works well for sympathy cards and my stash of these cards is, unfortunately, depleted.

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

Gisèle