Hope Grows Quartet

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a set of four birthday cards using Gina K's Hope Grows stamp set.

Owl Card:  The card base is Craft Smith.  The image is Gina K Hope Grows coloured with Tombow 228, 873, 969, N35 and N57, and stamped on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Inkadinkado Expressions stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The image and sentiment are layered on Close To My Heart Whisper, Stampin' Up Sahara Sand and Recollections Black.

Bird Card:  The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Gina K Hope Grows coloured with Tombow 062, 373, 443 and 491, stamped on Recollections White, and layered on Close To My Heart Lagoon and a brushed silver of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Inkadinkado Caligraphy Celebration stamped in Close To My Heart Lagoon on Recollections White and layered on more Lagoon.  The card is highlighted with Mermaid Stickles.

Flower Card:  The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Gina K Hope Grows coloured with Tombow 055, 228 and 969, stamped on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Gina K Labeled With Love stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The image and sentiment are layered on Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.

Butterfly Card:  The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Gina K Hope Grows coloured with Tombow 062, 761, 800, 873 and N89 and stamped on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Creative Vision Simply Said stamped in Altenew Autumn Blaze on Recollections White.  The image and sentiment are layered on Close To My Heart Tangerine and Recollections Mercury Glass.  The embellishments are TPC Studio Rustic Garden mini jewels.

These are four great cards.  The set is red rubber and the simple line images take marker easily and the impressions are wonderful.  I had a lot of fun with different colours and layers.  Though the four images are from the same set and have the same feel, the cards are all so very different.  The results are really wonderful.

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

Gisèle

Blue Floral Birthday

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely floral birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Penned & Painted stamped in  Altenew Desert Night, Sea Glass, Dusk, Honey Drizzle, Moss, Forest Glades and Frayed Leaf on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Altenew Happy Birthday stamped in Desert Night on Recollections White and layered on Spring Breeze Bazzill.  The card is highlighted with White Opal Liquid Pearls.

This is yet another stamp set that I found in my stash that I don't think I'd used before.  I can't figure out why because it's a great set.  It's a two-step stamp which is pretty easy to use and has great results.  I chose blue this time because it seems like I've done a lot of pink cards in this commission and I needed to switch things up a little bit.  I think I did a pretty great job with the dot placement.  The results are pretty terrific.

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

Gisèle

Another Birthday Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely floral birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Mother's Love stamped in Altenew Moss, Frayed Leaf and Rouge on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday stamped in Altenew Moss.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on Close To My Heart Smoothie and an olive green of unknown origin.  The card is highlighted with Recollections Rhinestone stickers.

This is a fantastic two-step stamp.  It's a particularly easy stamp to use and makes for simple and quick card.  I love the options it offers.  In this particular instance I chose to make it vertical card because I wanted the chance to use a vertical sentiment.  The results are even better than I had imagined.

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

Gisèle

Pretty Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely feminine birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Happy Watercolor stamped in Versafine Onyx Black and Stampin' Up Pale Plum on Recollections White and layered on Recollections Black.  The sentiment is Sweet & Sassy Script Birthdays stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Licorice Opaques.

I love, love, love this card!  Pink, black and white are an all time favourite colour combination that works every single time.  Placing the sentiment on an angle adds more interest and that I've done it more than once in this commission is really out-of-the-box for me.  I could do this card over and over and never fall out of love!

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

Gisèle   

Sunshiny Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a bright and cheery birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The images are Stampin' Up Kinda Eclectic stamped in Altenew Fresh Lemon, Bamboo, Parrot and Tide Blue on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Rubber Cafe Happy Birthday C-385 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on Close To My Heart Canary and a blue Bazzill.

The box of card bases and envelops that I've been using for this commission include a bright green card base that I've found a bit of a challenge to use.  The creativity offered by the Kinda Eclectic stamp set was perfect for this card base.  I'm not a huge fan of 'scenes' but this set is so forgiving and the results were not disappointing.  I suspect the rest of these bright card bases will end up as beautiful Christmas cards.

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

Gisèle

More Spring Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great spring birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Mother's Love stamped in Altenew Frayed Leaf and Lavender Fields on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Creative Expressions Amazing Sentiments stamped in Altenew Deep Iris.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade.  The ribbon is Close To My Heart Spring Harmony organdy.  The flower embellishment is of unknown origin.

It's been a long winter and I'm craving spring thus many of the cards in this commission are a not so subtle longing for warm and sunny days.  I've had this metal flower embellishment in my stash for eons and it was absolutely perfect for this card.  I have just a little bit of this organdy ribbon and I love how it works.  It's a great result.

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

Gisèle

Swallowtail Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card that uses one of my favourite stamps.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Swallowtail stamped in Night of Navy, Brocade Blue, Bordering Blue and Not Quite Navy on a white of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Best Wishes stamped in Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim. The card is highlighted with White Opal Liquid Pearls.

I cased myself when I crafted this card.  I didn't even actually realize until I came across this thank you card.  Obviously I like the diagonal swallowtail image.  This card, in blue, is just as lovely as the thank you card.  I did okay with the placement of the Liquid Pearls and the darker navy sentiment is in the design 'sweet spot'.  Really another great result.

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

Gisèle 

Spring Tulips

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely spring birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Blessed Easter coloured with Tombow 098, 158, 933, 055 and 856 then stamped on Recollections White.  The image panel is layered on a dark green and a yellow Bazzill.  The sentiment is Penny Black Special Wishes stamped in Altenew Moss on Recollections White and highlighted with White Opal Liquid Pearls.

I have a number of tulip stamps but this in one of my favourites.  It is easy to colour with either crayon or marker.  It's also a great scale for smaller cards.  I chose some lovely bright colours to perk up some dreary March days.  The sentiment is placed in the design sweet spot in this very straightforward and favourite layout.  A really great result.

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

Gisèle

Bouquet Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely bouquet birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Great Impressions coloured with Tombow 076, 098,  126, 623 and 636, and stamped on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Flonz Happy Birthday stamped in Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant on more Recollections White.  The image and sentiment elements are layered on Close To My Heart Garden Green.

When I first came across this stamp I was all that impressed but a girlfriend suggest I give it a try.  Once inked and stamped, the image turned out so much better than I envisioned.  The font and scale of the sentiment work great with the image and as I've done with many of these commissioned cards, it anchors the card perfectly.  A truly unexpected but great result.

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

Gisèle

Remarkable Wishes Trio

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great trio of birthday cards.

The card bases are The Paper Studio.  The images are Stampin' Up Remarkable You, coloured with a variety of Tombow markers then stamped on Recollections White.  The sentiments are Creative Expressions Scribbled Sentiments stamped in Altenew Rouge and Moss, and Close To My Heart Cotton Candy.  The images and sentiments are layered on a gold of unknown origin and Close To My Heart Blush and Olive.  The embellishments are Recollections adhesive pearls.

Until now, this stamp set has never been a favourite.  I've always painted or coloured the images and while they turn out okay, I was never wowed.  These cards most certainly wow me!  I just love the simple coloured outlines.  These are actually wonderful images to colour.  The lines in these images are pretty straightforward making it quite easy to apply marker.  I even decided to use the same sentiment just in different colours and love the results even more.

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

Gisèle

An Asian Trio

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely trio of birthday cards.

The card bases are Craft Smith.  The images are Stampin' Up Asian Artistry.

The flower card was stamped with StazOn Timber Brown on Recollections Vanilla and coloured with Faber-Castell watercolour pencil crayons.  The sentiment is Verve Amazing Wishes stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on more Recollections Vanilla.  The image and sentiment are layered on a Groovy Guava banner.

The bird card was coloured with Stampin' Up watercolour crayons then stamped on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Word Puzzle stamped in Old Olive on more Recollections Vanilla.

The grass card was coloured with Stampin' Up watercolour crayons then stamped on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Stampin' Up Midnight Muse.  The sentiment is Kaisercraft Occasions stamped in Altenew Desert Night on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Midnight Muse.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Blue enamel dots.

This is a stamp set that I actually use fairly often because I love each of these images.  The flower colours beautifully and is very forgiving.  The bird and grass images are perfect for watercolour crayons.  I'm always really pleased with the results.

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

Gisèle

Multiple Blooming Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a trio of birthday cards.  They all stem from the same set but turned into three very different and lovely cards.

The card base of the branch card is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Bloom With Hope stamped in StazOn Jet Black on Recollections White and coloured with Reeves and Faber-Castell watercolour pencil crayons.  The image is layered on Stampin' Up Mossy Meadow and Midnight Muse.  The sentiment is Gina Marie All Seasons stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.

The card base of the daisy card is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Bloom With Hope stamped in StazOn Jet Black on Recollections White and coloured with Reeves and Faber-Castell watercolour pencil crayons.  The image is layered on Close To My Heart Sunny Yellow and Stampin' Up Mossy Meadow.  The sentiment is Penny Black Special Wishes stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The embellishments are Echo Park 'Have Faith' enamel dots.

The card base of the purple flower is Craft Smith.  The image is Stampin' Up Bloom With Hope stamped in StazOn Jet Black on Recollections White and coloured with Reeves and Faber-Castell watercolour pencil crayons.  The sentiment is Stampendous Retro Happy Birthday stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The image and sentiment are layered on Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant which was textured with the Cuttlebug Oriental Weave embossing folder.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

I've been quite pleased with my personal challenge to use images for this commission.  I've been a little concerned that I'll run out before I'm finished but that will force me to be even more creative.  I rarely look at more than one image at a time so it's been fun to look at full sets at once.  Once I'd stamped and coloured the images, this trio came together pretty easily and the results are great!

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

Gisèle

Mehndi Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post are four birthday cards using a stamp set I've had for years but don't believe I've ever used.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The images are Gina K Mehndi Wishes. 

The fish image is stamped in Altenew Teal Cave on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Creative Expressions Amazing Sentiments also stamped in Teal Cave on Recollections White.  The image and sentiment are layered on Stampin' Up Bermuda Bay, Recollections White and Recollections Black.

The bird image is stamped in Stampin' Up Blackberry Bliss on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages also stamped in Blackberry Bliss on Recollections White.  The image and sentiment are layered on a piece of Blackberry Bliss textured with Couture Creations Entangle embossing folder, and a white of unknown origin.  The card is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

The horse image is stamped in Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim on Recollections White and is layered on Close To My Heart Grey Wool and Paper Accents Glossy Mirrored Silver.  The sentiment is Altenew Happy Birthday also stamped in Outdoor Denim on Recollections White.

The peacock image is stamped in Altenew Lagoon on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Just Rite Large Fancy Sentiments also stamped in Altenew Lagoon on Recollections White.  Both the image and sentiment are layered on Close To My Heart Lagoon.  The card is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

I didn't use these stamps for so long because I didn't really know what to do with them.  How ridiculous! The images are exceptionally appealing and with a South Asian style, are so beautiful.  By coordinating the ink colours with the card bases and adding neutral and/or appropriately coloured layers, the result is four fantastic birthday cards.

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

Gisèle

Sketched Trio

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a trio of birthday cards using the Stampin' Up Simply Sketched stamp set.

The card bases are The Paper Studio.  The images are Stampin' Up Simply Sketched coloured with a variety of Tombow markers on Recollections White.  The sentiment is also from the Simply Sketched stamp set and is stamped in Altenew Desert Night and Caramel Toffee, and Tombow 757 respectively on Recollections White.  The image/sentiment panel on the blue card is layered on a gold of unknown origin and Close To My Heart Desert Sand.  The image/sentiment panel on the pink card is layered on Close To My Heart Poppy.  The image/sentiment panel on the green card is layered on Close To My Heart Vineyard Berry and Garden Green, and a white of unknown origin.  The ribbon is of unknown origin and the embellishments are Mark Richards 3mm gold metals.

Unless I'm prepping for a class, it is virtually unheard of for me to make repeat cards.  I think this trio may be as close as I'll ever come.  I've made it a personal challenge to use stamped images for this commission of birthday cards so I've not hesitated to use entire sets to make multiple cards but I've always changed up the sentiments.  The sentiment in this set is particularly appealing which is why I decided to use it for all three cards.  These three images take marker particularly well so the images turned out beautifully.  I love the results and am so thrilled that the cards are similar but also so very different.

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

Gisèle

St. Patrick's Birthday

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card that was commissioned by a girlfriend for a colleague whose celebrates her special day on St. Patrick's day.

The image is a dark and medium green Bazzill cut with a heart paper punch and Sizzix Hearts, Paisley Thinlits.  The image is layered on a printed paper of unknown origin and more light and dark green Bazzill.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Express Yourself stamped in Altenew Evergreen on Recollections White.  The ribbon is American Crafts.  The embellishment is Recollections.

Generally, I don't do St. Patrick's day cards so I had no stamps or stickers with which I could draw inspiration.  Thank goodness for Pinterest however because I knew there would be some great punch art ideas for a St. Patrick's themed card.  I found many examples but was drawn to one using small hearts for the stem.  The Hearts Paisley Thinlits was perfect for making these smaller hearts.  My friend was pleased and I hope the recipient was equally happy.

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

Gisèle

Embossed Wings

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another birthday card with embossed images.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The images are Michael Strong Mini Cloisonne Wings stamped in VersaMark on Recollections White and heat embossed with Close To My Heart gold embossing powder.  The image panel is layered on a gold of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Happy Birthday also stamped in VersaMark on Recollections White and heat embossed with Close To My Heart gold embossing powder.

This is another stamp that heat embossed beautifully.  I will admit it took me a couple of tries because I was pressing just a little too hard.  I also forgot to use my embossing buddy which you should always, always, always use for this technique.  I love the gold/white/navy colour combination.  The vertical sentiment couldn't work better.  Once again I debated using some embellishments but was quite satisfied with the final result.

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

Gisèle

Butterfly Beautiful

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a really lovely butterfly birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Michael Strong Cloisonne Butterfly stamped in VersaMark and Altenew Teal Cave on Recollections White and heat embossed with Fun Stamps Peacock Glitter embossing powder.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Altenew Teal Cave on Recollections White.

There is something about this image that I find truly appealing.  I don't know if it's the somewhat African style of the image or the striking colour against the white paper.  The photo doesn't do justice to the final result which has a beautiful shimmer from the embossing powder.  I see so many possibilities with this image that I can't wait to experiment and see what else I can do with it.

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

Gisèle

Such Pretty Poppies

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another birthday card using a stamp I had to dust off.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Rubbernecker Watercolor Poppies stamped in Versafine Onyx Black and Tombow 845, 856, 098 and 158, stamped on Recollections White and layered on Recollections Black.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Botanical Bliss also stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.

This is another OMG result!  I can't believe I've not used this stamp in such a long time.  It's even a two-step stamp which is a real favourite of mine.  I love that the watercolour style of the image means you don't have to make an absolutely perfect impression to get a great result.  I love the reveal of black which seems to make the image pop even more.  The angled sentiment is fun and provides a great anchor for the image.  I'm still resisting the Rubbernecker website but I don't know how long I'll last.

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

Gisèle

Cheerful Cherry Blossoms

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card that had me rediscovering a stamp I'd not used in a long, long time.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Rubbernecker Cherry Blossoms.  The image was coloured with Tombow 772, 076 and 055 then stamped on Recollections White and layered on Close To My Heart Sunflower and Blush.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday stamped in Altenew Moss on Recollections White and layered on more Sunflower.

I've had this stamp in my stash for eons but I had to dust it off to use it for this commission.  It's such a great stamp I can't believe I have not used it for so long.  I used just three colours on the image and it stamped beautifully.  I drew the colours for the layers from the image colours.  It's the perfect scale for this smaller sized cards.  I was so thrilled with the results I went to the website to see what was new.  I resisted!  It was hard!

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

Gisèle

Wonderful Wheat

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card that uses another wonderful Woodware stamp.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The image is Woodware Wheat stamped in Close To My Heart Mink on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Gina K Labeled With Love stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso.

This is one of the quickest and easiest cards I've crafted for this commission.  I think the most challenging aspect was choosing the colours.  I debated adding a layer but I thought the card was just fine as is.  I was prepared to cover up the sentiment if it smooshed but the impression came out just fine.

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

Gisèle

Spectacularly Neutral

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another neutral and natural birthday card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The image is Woodware Going To Seed stamped in Close To My Heart Whisper ink on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Gina K Labeled With Love stamped in Versafine Onyx Black and layered on Close To My Heart Grey Flannel.

I have always, always, always loved this stamp.  For the larger size, it's easy to use and the impression never fails.  I used my MISTI and a brayer for stamping and didn't even need to ink it more than once.  I love the placement of the sentiment which is the perfect anchor for the image.  I wanted to keep this card neutral so I didn't add any embellishments or other extras.

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

Gisèle

Cattail Wishes

Good morning everyone,

Today's post is another lovely natural birthday card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The image is a stamp of unknown origin stamped in StazOn Jet Black on Recollections Vanilla and coloured with a variety of Stampin' Up watercolour crayons.  The image panel is layered on Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip and Close To My Heart Twilight.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Best Wishes stamped in Chocolate Chip.  The embellishments are My Mind's Eye Remarkable "Handsome" enamel dots.

I really love this card.  As a relatively simple line drawing, I didn't stress about colouring within the lines and I used a wetter brush to spread the colour around.  It's much easier to be pleased with the final results that way.  I also love how the colours ended up quite subtle.  The pleasing pop of blue was somewhat unexpected.  The sentiment is perfect in the design 'sweet spot'.  A great neutral and natural result!

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

Gisèle

Autumn Grasses

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a really warm, natural birthday card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The image is Hero Arts Woodland Grasses stamped in Stampin' Up More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie and Really Rust on Recollections Vanilla.  The image panel is layered on Recollections Vanilla and Close To My Heart Gold Rush.  The sentiment is Hero Arts C5594 Happy Birthday stamped in Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip on more Recollections Vanilla and cut with Sizzix Banners Framelits.  The embellishments are TPC Studio Rustic Garden mini jewels.

I so love this card!  The image is so simple and takes multiple inks really well.  It's great vertical image and though I could have easily done a vertical sentiment, I was in the mood for a banner.  By off-setting the image a little more to the left, I was easily able to center the banner.  The two little jewel embellishments are a perfect anchor for the sentiment and the perfect colour as well.

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

Gisèle

A Happy Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a really cheerful and fun floral birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Sunshine Design stamped in StazOn Jet Black on Recollections White and coloured with a variety of Stampin' Up watercolour crayons.  The image panel is layered on Close To My Heart Sunny Yellow.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in StazOn Jet Black on Recollections White and layered on Recollections Black. 

This is a really fun image and is a great scale for a card.  It was great for colouring as the lines of the image are so defined that you can't go a little outside them.  I'd hoped for more of an orange center but it turned out rather brown-ish.  These bright colours are so happy and perfect after a few really colder winter days.

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

Gisèle

Butterfly Pair

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card with a lovely pair of butterflies.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Outlines Lilly & Layla stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White, coloured with a variety of Reeves and Faber-Castell watercolour pencil crayons and is highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on a textured yellow Bazzill and more Recollections White.

I love the simplicity of this image.  It's was wonderful for colouring.  I also loved that the layout of the image allowed the placement of the sentiment in the design 'sweet spot', making this a very quick and easy card to craft.  The blue/yellow/white is a wonderful and fresh colour combination that I love using.  This is a great result.

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

Gisèle

A Pretty Little Bird

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a really pretty birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Inkadinkado stamped in Altenew Rouge on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Curly Cute also stamped in Altenew Rouge on Recollections Vanilla.  The image and sentiment elements are layered on Recollections Mercury Glass.  The card is highlighted with Star Dust Stickles.

This is such a pretty card.  It's not quite as 'pink' as the photo but more of a salmon colour.  I was thrilled to find this Mercury Glass paper in my stash because it coordinates perfectly with the colours used, from the card base, to the ink, to the base paper.  I so love it when all the elements come together so wonderfully.  This is a beautiful stamp that is also perfect for adding Stickles.

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

Gisèle

Autumn Wheat

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last of the French birthday cards in this commission.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Magenta stamped in Stampin' Up Really Rust, Pumpkin Pie and More Mustard on a white of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Pumpkin Pie.  The image and sentiment are layered on Pumpkin Pie and Really Rust.

I really love this stamp.  It's the perfect scale for these smaller card bases.  I used three separate ink colours, applying light to dark.  This image would also be ideal for using the watercolour crayon technique.  The font of the sentiment is a little fussier than I'd like for these wheat stalks but it's not all together terrible.  I debated adding some ribbon or other embellishment but I really like the layered image and sentiment by themselves.  It's a great result.

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

Gisèle

Floral Flourish

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely feminine birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stamp Barn stamped in Stampin' Up Blackberry Bliss on a white of unknown origin and layered on Blackberry Bliss.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday also stamped in Blackberry Bliss on a white of unknown origin and layered on more Blackberry Bliss.  The embellishments are Crafts Rhinestone stickers.

This is a new stamp for me and I can see it being used often.  I used my MISTI for making the impression because I knew it would take a couple of passes to get a solid image.  It's a great image for adding embellishments or Stickles.  I've always loved using these oval punches for layering a sentiment and though it's not in the design 'sweet spot', the flourish allows for perfect placement.

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

Gisèle

Butterfly Trio

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another French birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is The Artful Stamper stamped in StazOn Jet Black on a white of unknown origin and coloured with a variety of Reeves watercolour pencil crayons.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 also stamped in StazOn Jet Black.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on a light green Bazzill and more white of unknown origin. The card is highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.

This is another great image to non-experts to colour.  The lines are simple and the style is very forgiving.  I chose to use pencil crayons because I felt the colours were more subtle in keeping with the card base.  I originally to put the sentiment on a separate element but it didn't pop enough against the white background and really, there was enough space to place it on the image panel.

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

Gisèle

One Little Bird

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a French birthday card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The image is Harmonie stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla, coloured with a variety of Stampin' Up watercolour crayons, and layered on Recollections Kraft.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Recollections Kraft.

This is such a sweet, simple card.  I've had this little bird image for eons but don't use it that often.  With my personal challenge to use more images for this commission, I've been dusting off a number of stamps I've not used in quite some time.  This is the perfect image for a non-colourer because is so simple.  I debated adding embellishments but rather liked the easy layout.  The sentiment is a little more fancy than I'd like but I've but this single french happy birthday sentiment so it just has to do.

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

Gisèle

Sunkissed Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card that I wasn't sure would actually work until the very end.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The background image is Stampin' Up You've Got This stamped in Altenew Sunkissed on a white of unknown origin.  The focal image is Magenta stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso and layered on more Early Espresso.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Perfect Punches stamped in Early Espresso on a more white of unknown origin.

Oranges and browns are not a favourite colour combination but I've a number of these orange/gold card bases that need to be used and I wanted to try a silhouette style that wasn't black.  I thought the Sunkissed kissed background would coordinate well with the card base and the Early Espresso is dark enough for a silhouette.  Black would have been a little too Halloween-like.  I like this sentiment because it coordinates with the large oval punch and I thought, placed just right, would be a nice anchor for the image.  This is a great result even though I wasn't sure of myself the entire time I was crafting it.

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

Gisèle