Shaving Cream Swirled

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a card using the shaving cream technique.

The background paper uses the shaving cream technique with a variety of Stampin' Up Re-inkers applied to a Bazzill white, and is layered on Stampin' Up Blackberry Bliss.  The focal panel was stamped with Stampin' Up Playful Backgrounds in Taken With Teal (2nd impression) on Recollections White and is layered on more Blackberry Bliss.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Petal Palette stamped in Blackberry Bliss.  The embellishments are Crafts Rhinestone Strips.

My daughter had a challenging sorority panel to craft and we came up with the idea of using the shaving cream technique to get the effect she wanted.  It was messy!  There was enough leftover shaving cream for me to do up a couple of papers for carding.  I really love the colours she used.  This technique makes for some really spectacular background papers and I love crafting these types of cards.

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

Gisèle

PS - These cards smell really nice too!

Warm And Bright

Hello everyone,

The next few posts are cards that I crafted using some interesting backgrounds that I've made over the past while.

The image is Hero Arts Pop Stems stamped in Altenew Firebrick and highlighted with Diamond Stickles.  The vertical panel is a piece of watercolour paper sprinkled with Brilliant Red and Yellow Brusho and spritzed with water.  The piece was textured with Couture Creations Entangle embossing folder and sprayed with Tattered Angels Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Mist.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Perfect Punches stamped in Altenew Firebrick on Recollections White and highlighted with more Diamond Stickles.

I had seen a couple of videos using Brusho so when I saw it in the recent Stampin' Up catalog I decided to give it a try.  This piece turned out particularly well, some of the others, not so much.  I thought this piece would make for a great warm, bright and sunshiny card, perfect for a cold and dreary February day.  It's such a happy and cheerful result.

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

Gisèle

More Quilted Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a commissioned card that I crafted somewhat on the fly.

The printed papers are BasicGrey Eva.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Birthday Blossoms stamped in Bravo Burgundy.  The pinwheel is highlighted with White Opal Liquid Pearls.

My girlfriend requested a 'quilt' card for her cousin-in-law who is a quilter.  I was under a time crunch over the weekend so decided to 'case' the previous pinwheel cards that I've crafted over the past number of months.  I've discovered that once the papers have been selected, this is actually a very quick and easy card that so very striking.  It probably helps that I've crafted at least three other very similar cards.

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

Gisèle

Love On Ice

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a really unique wedding card that was commissioned by a girlfriend.

The printed paper is Martha Stewart Frosty Elegance layered on Paper Accents Glossy Mirror Silver and K & Company Julianne.  The sentiment is Penny Black Full of Life stamped in Altenew Pure Graphite on Stampin' Up Whisper White and layered on more Glossy Mirror Silver.  The ribbon is from Michael's and the snowflake embellishment is of unknown origin.

The couple who will be receiving this card had their first date while skating, their first kiss while skating, the proposal while skating and their wedding photos will be on skates.  What a beautiful story!  My girlfriend asked for a special ice-themed wedding card.  I love this Martha Stewart paper and this sentiment is one of my favourites for a wedding card.  It's all shiny and icey and perfect for this couple!

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

Gisèle

So Beautiful

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the final card in the series commissioned by a girlfriend.

The image is Close To My Heart You Are Beautiful stamped in Altenew Silver Stone, Buttercream, Mountain Mist, Sea Glass, Rose Quartz and Soft Lilac on Recollections White.  The image panel is layered on Close To My Heart Pansy Purple and Ranger Alcohol inked glossy paper.  The embellishments are Crafts Rhinestone Strips.

My girlfriend often addresses her friend as "Beautiful" so I knew this would be the perfect card for her to include in her commission.  I also wanted to use up some more of the alcohol inked glossy paper that I have in my stash and this particular piece is a favourite with the blending of blues, purples and pinks.  I also love this two-step stamp set as it's a really easy one to use.  Overall, a great card!

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

Gisèle

Dandelion In Blue

Hello everyone,

Today's card is a non-traditional dandelion card.

The image is Magenta stamped in Color Box Pinwheel Mosaic ink on Recollections White and layered on a piece of Ranger Alcohol inked glossy paper and a teal Bazzill.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Happy To Be Friends stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The banners were punched from Paper Accents Glossy Mirror Silver.  The card is highlighted with Mermaid and Diamond Stickles.

I love this card!  This Magenta image is a great one as it's simplicity makes it pretty easy to ink or colour.  I've used it both ways and am never disappointed.  The stems were perfect for adding a horizontal sentiment on the vertical and it really pops in black ink.  The different shades of blue just put me in a happy place.

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

Gisèle

Glittering Goodness

Hello everyone,

I'm back to posting the series of general purpose cards commissioned by one of my girlfriends.

The image is IndigoBlu Ink Plat Butterfly stamped in Stampin' Up Blackberry Bliss on Very Vanilla and layered on a glittered gold of unknown origin and Blackberry Bliss.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Express Yourself stamped in Blackberry Bliss on more Very Vanilla and highlighted with Gold Stickles.

I recently crafted this card for my girlfriend for her birthday so I thought she'd get a kick out of another card with the same image in her commission.  I really love this stamp and wanted to see how it looked in a different ink colour.  I choose Blackberry Bliss because it is a really striking purple and the Stampin' Up ink pad is particularly juicy so it makes for much easier inking.  I wasn't particularly happy with the Wink of Stella and Sakura Clear Star glittering the last time I used this image so decided to forgo that element all together.  The gold Stickles works well enough with the glittered gold paper so there was no real need to add more sparkle.

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

Gisèle

Dandelion Seeds

Hello everyone,

Today's post is an extra special card in this commissioned series.

The background image is Hero Arts La Letter stamped in Close To My Heart Pebble on Recollections White.  The focal image is Hero Arts Dandelion stamped in Altenew Industrial Diamond and highlighted with Star Dust Stickles.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Happy Wishes stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The image panel is layered on a Momenta Silver and Stampin' Up Basic Black.

My girlfriend and I are both military brats and I recently learned that dandelions are the official flower of military brats because we are "Children of the world, blown to all corners of the world, we bloom anywhere!".  I just couldn't resist crafting her a dandelion card.  I love this particular image as the stem is perfect for an interesting sentiment placement.  I'm loving the black and white colour scheme, it's very sophisticated, even for a dandelion/military brat!

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

Gisèle

A Little Birdie

Hello everyone,

After being so happy with yesterday's card I decided to try another new stamp set and a favourite technique.

The image is Stampin' Up Petal Palette coloured with Tombow 055, 076, 098, 126, 837, 977, N35 and N57, and stamped on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Stampin' Up River Rock and Close To My Heart Barn Red.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Six-Sided Sampler stamped in Close To My Heart Slate ink.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Mocha Opaques.

I seem to keep going back to the nature tones/themes for this commission.  I picked up this stamp set especially for this sweet bird image which is just the perfect scale for cards and offers great colouring opportunities.  While I used markers for this card, I know it will also look wonderful done in watercolour crayons.  I experimented with the branch, using two different greens, and I think it turned out quite well.  This sentiment covers up a 'mistake' as the first impression was done with too light an ink colour.  I ended up brushing the edge of the oval along the ink pad to add just a hint of an outline so it wouldn't blend in with the background quite so much.

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

Gisèle

Celebrate Blue

Hello everyone,

Today's card is a real beauty!

The images and sentiment are Stampin' Up Birthday Blossoms stamped in Altenew Permanent Black on Recollections White and coloured with Chameleon BL3, YO2, GR1 and GR2.  The image panel is layered on Close To My Heart Crystal Blue.  The embellishments are Recollections Adhesive Faux Pearls.

Play time with a new stamp set and Chameleon markers has resulted in this beautiful card!  I wanted to move away from the nature tones and do something light and bright.  This is a great set for colouring as the images are not overly intricate.  I played with a variety of colours and shading but ended up most happy with the blue flowers.  I'm very impressed with the Chameleon markers as they are wonderful for shading once you get the hang of how long to infuse the colouring nib with the toning medium.

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

Gisèle

Simply Celebrated

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a simple celebration card.

The printed paper is Cosmo Cricket Art Angel layered on Recollections Kraft.  The image is Stampin' Up Good Things Grow stamped in Soft Suede on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is cut from Recollections Vanilla with the Avery Elle Sentimental die.  The embellishments are Recollections Faux Pearl Adhesives.

These last few cards really have a natural sense about them that I'd not originally planned.  I've had this set of stamps, bought second-hand, for eons but haven't really used them so I felt this was a great opportunity.  I love the card but I'm also getting a few mixed signals in that the image is quite simple and serene which may not be the best way to convey a celebration.  I feel the wheat stems work with the stems in the paper however so maybe it all balances out and I'm just over thinking.  These images are not the easiest to use as you've got to get the ink on fairly evenly or it turns out terribly.  Fingers crossed that it will work for my girlfriend.

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

Gisèle

Terrific Toadstools

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another birthday card in this latest commissioned series.

The printed paper is DCWV Green Stack layered on a red and green Bazzill.  The sentiment is Avery Elle Brushed stamped on Recollections White in Stampin' Up Early Espresso and layered on more green Bazzill. The embellishments are Crafts and are highlighted with Lime Green Stickles.

When I was looking for papers for my girlfriend's cards, I came across this somewhat funky toadstool paper that I thought she'd find appealing.  This is obviously a really simple card.  Rows of images such as this can be, I find, limiting in terms of layouts.  I offset the sentiment to the left to add interest.  Finding embellishments in the perfect coordinating colours was just an utter fluke!

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

Gisèle

Interestingly Inked

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a more general purpose card.

The printed paper is My Mind's Eye Vanity Fair layered on Stampin' Up Bravo Burgundy.  The image is Stampin' Up Just Believe stamped in Tsukineko Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate, Rust and Thyme on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in more Tsukineko Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate.  The banners were punched from more Bravo Burgundy.  The embellishments are brads of unknown origin.

One great thing about larger commissions such as this is that I have an opportunity to experiment.  I decided to try playing with inking.  The few Tsukineko inks I have are ovals which are easier to play with on these bigger stamps.  I particularly love this image and using only three colours of ink, I think I got a nice variety of colour on the image.  The ink colours don't match the background paper perfectly but it still works just fine.  The Kraft card base makes this card even more interesting.

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

Gisèle

Panda Love

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the valentine I crafted for my daughter.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections Red.  The image is Inkadinkado Heart stamped in Stampin' Up Real Red on Recollections White.  The panda is Stamp Magik Mini Pandas stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on more Recollections White.  The sentiment is Gina K Tag Lines stamped in Versafine Onyx Black. The card is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

My daughter has always loved pandas and I don't think I ever crafted her a valentine with a panda.  This is another simple valentine with a focus on the heart and panda.  I had to do some fussy cutting with is certainly not something I do often.  I had originally planned to have the panda peek out from behind the heart but I the masking escaped me. This little guy works equally well.

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

Gisèle

For Hubby

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the valentine I crafted for my husband.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections Black and Bazzill Red.  The sentiment is TPC Studio Hugs & Kisses stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Enamel Hearts.

This awesome printed paper makes for an awesome valentine!  I love the 'graffiti' feel of the paper and I think it couldn't work better for a masculine card, even with the few touches of pink.  The layout is super simple to take full advantage of the great paper.  I'm so happy with the result and I know hubby will be happy too.

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

Gisèle

Fall Flavour

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a great autumn inspired neutral birthday card.

The printed paper is Camscan layered on a brown and rust Bazzill.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Best Wishes stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more rust.  The banner was punched from more brown.  The brads are of unknown origin.

My girlfriend has two sons and a daughter so I wanted to include some more neutral birthday cards in her assortment.  I love this autumn paper with the great maple leaf image and the lovely colours.  I used a kraft card base and chose brown and rust with which to coordinate as it just added to the overall fall theme.  I even found some copper coloured brads!  I especially love the layout with the sentiment seemingly hanging from the banner.  A great result!

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

Gisèle

Truckin' It

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the birthday card is crafted for my girlfriend's two-year-old grandson.

The printed paper is Echo Park Little Man layered on a yellow Bazzill.  The sentiment is Flonz Happy Birthday stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The images are Twin Seven Stickers.

I'm so happy with this card!  It's absolutely perfect for a little guy who is totally into trucks.  I love the bright yellow background as it plays really well with the images in the printed paper and also the stickers.  It's a very simple card as there is no point in getting too elaborate with a toddler's card.  He'll love the trucks though, I'm sure.

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

Gisèle

Rockin' It

Hello everyone,

The next dozen or so posts are cards commissioned by a girlfriend who was looking for a dozen assorted cards including one for a grand daughter and a grandson.

The printed paper is DCWV Rockstar layered on DCWV Glitzy Glitter.  The sentiment is Flonz Happy Birthday stamped in Altenew Razzleberry on Recollections White and layered on more Glitzy Glitter.  The images are Stickah Stickers.  The card is highlighted with Silver Stickles.

My girlfriend has an eight year old grand daughter who is into hip hop.  I know nothing of hip hop!  After a little Googling, I figured a little glitter and pink would be a good start.  It's all about the music and though these stickers are more 'Rocker' than 'Hip Hop' I still think it works.  What eight year old doesn't have a soft spot for pink glitter?

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

Gisèle

Beautiful In Blue

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card I crafted for a girlfriend who celebrated her special day in late January.

The image is IndigoBlu Ink Splat Butterfly stamped in Close To My Heart Peacock on Recollections White and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen and Wink of Stella Clear 999.  The image is layered on Close To My Heart Peacock and Paper Accents Glossy Mirror Silver.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday heat embossed with Stampin' Up white embossing powder on Close To My Heart Peacock.

When I came across this stamp at my local scrapbook shop, I just had to put it in my basket.  It combines the grunge and butterfly graphics that I find so appealing.  I hadn't intended to glitter it up quite so much but after I'd applied the Sakura pen, I wasn't happy with the results so attempted to improve the shading with the Wink of Stella.  It's helped, but likely would have been more pleasing if I'd just left it alone in the first place.  Less can be more!  I really love the stamp and had a great time choosing which colour I'd use.  The layers are the new light/dark Close To My Heart paper and it worked wonderfully for this card.

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

Gisèle

Sympathy In Flight

Hello everyone,

Today's is the last sympathy card recently commissioned by a girlfriend.

The image is Stampin' Up Swallowtail stamped in Tsukineko Brilliance Lightning Black, Pearlescent Chocolate and Pearlescent Crimson.  The sentiment is Gina K Labeled With Love stamped in Lightning Black.  The card is highlighted with Copper Liquid Pearls.

I actually cased myself when I crafted today's card as it's a sympathy version of this birthday card that I crafted last October.  This is one of my favourite stamps and I think it's appropriate for any type of card.  I chose to use the Tsukineko inks again because I wasn't at all pleased with the result from my Stampin' Up inks spots.  Whether it was the colours I used or just that the impression showed the colour delineations too starkly, the results were awful.  The inks used on this and on October's card blend so beautifully and work together beautifully.  I did apply more copper Liquid Pearls on this card and think I'm getting better at the 'random' placement.

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

Gisèle

Palest Pinwheel

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the second commissioned by a girlfriend.

The printed papers are Docrafts Papermania Lucy Cromwell.  The sentiment is Gina Marie All Seasons stamped in Altenew Pure Graphite.  The pinwheel is highlighted with Platinum Liquid Pearls.

My girlfriend requested one the sympathy cards be quilt-themed in pinks and purples.  I went through a number of papers before I settled on this Papermania set because the tones were more muted.  I couldn't bring myself to craft a bright pinwheel for a sympathy card.  I used a small, simple sentiment so the focus would remain on the pinwheel.  I wasn't sure about this card until I'd finished and I actually think it turned out quite well.  Who knew!

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

Gisèle

Special Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's card is one of three sympathy cards commissioned by a girlfriend.

The background was stamped with Stampin' Up You've Got This and Gorgeous Grunge stamped in Altenew Sea Breeze.  The image is Altenew Extra Special stamped in Altenew Forest Glades, Frayed Leaf, Pure Graphite. Starlight, Tide Blue and Turquoise on Bazzill CS White and cut with the coordinating die.  The sentiment is Creative Expressions "Petite Scribbled Sentiments" Occasions stamped in Pure Graphite.  The image and sentiment are highlighted with Platinum Liquid Pearls.

I truly believe that not all sympathy cards need to be dark and dreary.  I think you can effectively express your sympathy with colour and hope.  This beautiful sprig of blue flowers is, to me, hopeful.  I didn't like the starkness of the flowers against the white card base so I decided to use the lightest ink in this Altenew colour set to stamp a background.  I offset the more solid of the two backgrounds using it to 'ground' the flowers.  I like the results and it actually turned out better than I intended.

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

Gisèle

Winnie Baby

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a baby shower card commissioned for a girlfriend.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Night of Navy.  Winnie the Pooh was assembled from a variety of punched pieces in a mustard and red Bazzill and black.  Pooh's eyebrows and mouth were added with Tombow N15.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Tin of Cards stamped in Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim on Recollections White and layered on more red Bazzill.

As sad as yesterday's card was to craft, today's card was a lot of fun.  The baby shower was Winnie the Pooh themed so I tried my hand at Winnie the Pooh punch art.  He's not the perfect Pooh Bear but you can certainly tell what I was trying to accomplish.  It was actually a lot of fun once I stopped trying to be so exact.  I love how he really pops against the blues in the printed paper.  This turned out to be a great baby boy card.

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

Gisèle

So Precious

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a sympathy card commissioned by a girlfriend.

The printed paper is Graphic 45 "Little Darlings" Precious Posy layered on Close To My Heart Smoothie and a green Bazzill.  The sentiment is Verve Forever In Our Hearts stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Smoothie and green Bazzill.  The butterfly is cut from more Smoothie with Joy Crafts Vintage Flourishes 6003/0023 die.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Bitty Pearl Opaques.

This card was crafted for the family of a newborn baby girl.  I've never been asked to craft such a sympathy card and I thought about it for quite a while before I started crafting.  While the occasion is extraordinarily sad, I didn't feel it would be appropriate to use dark and somber colours.  I chose this pink and green printed paper because it isn't especially 'baby' but is still sweet and pretty.  The sentiment is extremely heartfelt and I think expresses the wishes of my girlfriend.

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

Gisèle

A Tag For You

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a wine bottle tag requested by my mother.

The tag base is Bazzill Walnut Cream.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections Black.  The medallion is Jim Holtz Ranger Distress Collection Core'dinations Worn Lipstick trimmed with Martha Stewart's Swirling Lace Punch.  The sentiment is Avery Elle Oh Happy Day stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Walnut Cream and layered on more Worn Lipstick and Black.  The sentiment panel is highlighted with Rouge Liquid Pearls.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

My mother quite liked the wine bottle tags I showcased over the holidays and asked me to make her one to have on hand.  I decided to go a little on the girly side using a pink/white/black colour combination.  I also went all out with the medallion, embellishments and ribbon.  It was a really nice change from making Christmas tags and I love the result.

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

Gisèle

Just Jazzy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another birthday card commissioned by a colleague for her husband.

The printed paper is Forever In Time layered on Stampin' Up Really Rust and Bazzill Bitter Chocolate.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Curly Cute stamped in Altenew Dark Chocolate on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Really Rust.  The banners are Recollection Mercury Glass highlighted with Copper Liquid Pearls.

My colleague's husband likes music and jazz so I just had to use this music inspired paper.  I love the different shades brown and gold in this paper which makes choosing coordinating solids quite straightforward.  I thought the curly sentiment worked especially well with the music notes.  My colleague especially liked how the banners quite mimicked keys.  It's a great result that her husband really appreciated.

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

Gisèle

Resplendent In Red

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card that was commissioned by a colleague for his wife.

The image is Peel-Off's Large Butterfly Outline Sticker glittered with Martha Stewart Carnelian, Garnet, Sterling and Onyx glitter, and Joy Crafts Pearl Glitter.  The image is affixed to Paper Accents Glossy Mirror Silver and Recollections red foil.  The sentiment is Impression Obsession Greeting Set die cut from more Paper Accents Glossy Mirror Silver.

When asking my colleague what his wife liked, he responded shiny, glitter and red.  I took that to heart!  This is an awesome birthday card!  I don't usually do one-off glittered images because it's so messy but this was the best way I knew to incorporate all the things she likes.  It was worth the mess!

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

Gisèle

Sweet Stripes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last of this latest series of birthday and thinking of you cards that were commissioned by a girlfriend's mother.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Sweet Leaf and Blush, and Recollections White.  The sentiment is Just Rite Large Fancy Sentiments  stamped on Bazzill CS White in Versafine Onyx Black and layered on more Sweet Leaf.  The card is highlighted with Fruit Punch Stickles.

I just realized that these last three cards have all been about the geometric printed patterns.  All very different colours and patterns with some really wonderful results.  The colours of these stripes are so vibrant and fresh.  I love how the angled stripes intersect the vertical stripes adding even more interest.  I think the centered sentiment element and the pink Stickles contrasts quite well against the rainbow of stripes.  A great card!

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

Gisèle