A Cheerful Stem

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a very feminine floral die cut birthday card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Melon Mambo.  The image is Sizzix Wildflower Stems #1 die cut from Close To My Heart Pear and Melon Mambo and layered on a piece of white of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Gina Marie All Seasons stamped in Altenew Parrot on Recollections White and layered on more Melon Mambo.  The embellishment is Me & My Big Ideas Rhinestone Singles.

I found this piece of textured white in my scrap bin and thought it was perfect for this die cut flower.  The texture is fantastic!  I love how the stem goes right off the paper.  I also find the bannered sentiment, crossing over the stem very appealing.  I messed up when attaching the flower to the stem so I covered it up with a few rhinestones adding a bit of unexpected glitter.  I'm so happy with this card that I'd like to try it in other colours!

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

Gisèle

Butterfly Birthday Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a very pink butterfly birthday card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Melon Mambo.  The image is Memory Box Leaf Print Butterfly stamped in Altenew Coral Berry on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Stampin' Up Melon Mambo, a printed paper of unknown origin and more Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is My Sentiments Exactly Handwritten Sentiments stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Melon Mambo.  The card is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

This card was much more of a challenge than it should have been.  I just couldn't find an appealing layout and was utterly frustrated until I decided to look at the scrap bin of printed paper.  Once I found this love flourished paper, the card came together easily.  I really love the sentiment on an angle, especially when it's in the design sweet spot.  I didn't go overboard with the Stickles which I always find a bit of a relief.

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

Gisèle

Poppy Trio

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely floral birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampendous Poppy Stems stamped in Tombow N35, 055, 126 and 761 on Recollections White and layered on Close To My Heart Blush and Garden Green.  The sentiment is Annabelle Stamps All Things Grow stamped in Altenew Moss on more Recollections White.  The card is highlighted with Fruit Punch Stickles.

This is another stamp I've had in my stash for a long, long time but rarely use because I don't find these poppies all that pretty.  I realize however that stamped in a variety of markers, makes for a much nicer result.  The blending of colours on the petals adds a lot more interest as do the layers and the banner sentiment.  I'm very happy with the final result.

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

Gisèle

Happy Heart

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a wedding card I crafted for friends who are getting married next month.

The card base is Ruby Slippers Bazzill.  The image is Hero Arts Fancy Hearts stamped in Altenew Ruby Red on Recollections White and layered on a glittered silver of unknown origin, and more Ruby Slippers and Recollections White.  The sentiment is Verve Love Story stamped in Altenew Ruby Red on Recollections White and layered on more glittered silver.

I've had this stamp in my stash for eons but rarely use it because I find it challenging to place in a pleasing layout.  In this case, I used a square card base which made all the difference.  I didn't plan for a sentiment but then realized I'd had great success when I used this angled corner sentiment.  I'm so very happy with the result and I hope the happy couple are just as pleased.

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

Gisèle

Warmly Winged

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a warm birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Thanks For Caring stamped in Tombow 873, 933 and 991 on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart For Every Occasion stamped in Close To My Heart Sunset. The image and sentiment are layered on Stampin' Up Groovy Guava and Hello Honey.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.  The flower embellishment, also of unknown origin, is highlighted with Golden Rod Stickles.

This is one of my favourite butterfly images of the many, many butterfly images in my stash.  I love the flourished lines.  The scale is perfect for a smaller sized card base.  It also takes marker really well.  After Saturday's pretty trio card, I wanted to try another card along the same lines.  I actually find this layout quite interesting.  The colours work well together (I kind of surprised myself) and really add to the warmth of the overall scheme.  I wish I had placed the ribbon just a little further from the bottom edge but that's a pretty minor complaint for what's a really great result.

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

Gisèle

A Colourful Stem

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a simple floral birthday card.

The card base is a white Bazzill.  The image is Hero Arts Tall Flower stamped in Tombow 126, 373, 443, 665, 685 on Recollections White and layered on Stampin' Up Taken With Teal.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in Versafine Onyx Black and layered on more Taken With Teal.  The card is highlighted with Mermaid Stickles.

This is yet another card resulting from my 'playing' with new Tombow markers.  I love that it turned out simple and very fresh.  The lines of the image a super easy for applying markers.  The sentiment fits perfectly at the bottom.  It's a wonderful result.

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

Gisèle

Camping Commission

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a special birthday card I crafted for a colleague's mother.

The card base is a white Bazzill.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Real Red and Old Olive.  The sentiment is Microsoft Word layered on more Real Red and Old Olive.  The embellishments are American Crafts mini earth tones glitter brads.

I'd never been asked to craft a camping themed card for a woman's milestone birthday but I aim to please.  I was actually a little worried about the theme until I found this great piece of camping paper in my scrap bin.  I had hoped to add some twine (either a bow or knot) but I really didn't want to cover up any more of this camping paper than necessary.  I really hope this card will work!

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

Gisèle

A Single Stem

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another pretty feminine birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Stampin' Up Thanks For Caring stamped in Tombow 228, 623  and 676 on Recollections White and layered on Stampin' Up Sage Shadow and Blackberry Bliss.  The sentiment is Gina K Labeled With Love stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on a white of unknown origin and layered on Close To My Heart Pansy. 

This image was another experiment with some of the new Tombow markers I recently acquired.  It's a great image for colouring because it's very simple.  With such a small image, I added multiple layers to have it work effectively on this card base.  The card is actually much more purple than the blue in this photo.

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

Gisèle

A Pretty Trio

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a pretty feminine birthday card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The images are Inkadinkado stamped in Altenew Aqualicious, Teal Cave and Galactic Stream stamped on Recollections White and layered on Close To My Heart Peacock.  The sentiment is Creative Expressions More Scribbled Sentiments stamped in Altenew Aqualicious.  The embellishments are Darice self-stick clear gems.

I don't have a particular commission at the moment so I'm experimenting with stamps and colours.  I've always loved a trio layout and this doesn't disappoint.  The stamp is a great scale to punch three squares.  I used both the darker and lighter shade of the Peacock paper and love the contrast.  The flower is perfect for adding a simple gem.

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

Gisèle

Shimmer For You

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a simple all purpose card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The image is Stampin' Up Dandelion Wishes stamped in Tsukineko Brilliance Lightening Black on more Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Itty Bitty Greeting also stamped in Lightening Black.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on a shimmery gold of unknown origin, Recollections Vanilla and My Mind's Eye Cowboy.  The card is highlighted with Mercury Glass Stickles.

I didn't have any particular purpose in mind for this card, I was just experimenting with the image which I'd borrowed from a girlfriend and my stash of Tuskineko cat's eye inks.  The photo doesn't do the card justice as there is a hint of shimmer throughout.  For a very neutral colour palette, it's a card with a lot of depth and interest.  I'm very pleased with the result.

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

Gisèle

Eye Thanks

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a card commissioned by a girlfriend for her eye doctor who is retiring.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is BasicGrey Oxford layered on Close To My Heart Desert Sand and a brushed gold of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Everyday Sayings stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The embellishments are Stampin' Up Metallic Pearls.

My girlfriend had requested an eye glasses theme and I was hesitant to say the least.  That was until I remembered this BasicGrey Oxford collection.  I didn't find anything in the paper pad but I found this one scrap in the envelop of leftovers.  It's all that was left of the piece and I didn't even have to trim to craft this great card.  The eye doctor is not one for glitter so this paper was even more perfect.  Layering it on the Desert Sand and adding a bit of shimmery gold brought everything together beautifully.  It's a great result.

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

Gisèle

Just For You

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another general purpose card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The sentiment and images are Stampin' Up Botanicals For You stamped in Tsukineko Brilliance Pearlescent Crimson, Orchid, Rust and Thyme, and Starlite Black on Recollections White.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on Close To My Heart Grey Wool and Stampin' Up Bravo Burgundy.  The embellishments are Recollections adhesive faux pearls.

When I've no particular commission or holiday cards to craft, I take advantage to play with supplies in my stash.  It should be no surprise that supplies from one card lead to the creation of another.  In this particular case, I had the Tsukineko inks on my desk and wanted to see what I could come up with.  I also thought it would be interesting to use some of the smaller images that I wouldn't normally be drawn to from a set that I chose for the sentiment.  It's a big, bold and wonderful sentiment!  The Starlite Black in which it was stamped adds a bit of shimmer that is particularly appealing and off-setting it to the left of the panel adds more interest.  These little flowers were perfect for adding tiny pearls and I think, brings all elements together.  It was a bit of a challenge to find suitable papers for layering, especially against the bright green card base.  It's a great result that took me out of my comfort zone.

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

Gisèle 

Another Simple Hello

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another 'hello' card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The image is Memory Box First Flight stamped in Tsukineko Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate, Crimson and Rust on Recollections Vanilla.  The image is layered on a shimmery chocolate and a shimmery copper of unknown origin, and more Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Everyday Sayings stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso.

 In the first stamping attempt I used some of my new Tombow markers and it was horrible.  The rubber just didn't take the marker all that well and it looked like a muddy mess.  Still in a playful mood, I pulled out some of the Tsukineko Cat's Eye ink pads in my stash and got the result I was hoping for.  This is a really beautiful card that isn't done justice by this photo.

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

Gisèle

A Simple Hello

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a simple hello card.

The card base is The Paper Studio which was stamped with Stampin' Up Watercolor Wash in VersaMark and Stampin' Up Timeless Textures in Altenew Blush.  The image is Hero Arts Native Grass coloured with Tombow 158, 761 and 772, stamped on Recollections Vanilla, and layered on Close To My Heart Pixie and Garden Green.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Classic Messages stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

Out of all the stamps I have in my stash, this one is, by far, the easiest to colour.  The scale is absolutely perfect for cards.  It is a more horizontal image which I particularly like.  I wanted to add some interest to the card base, without overshadowing the image, so decided to break out the VersaMark.  I wasn't particularly happy with the results so I over-stamped with another background image and the Altenew Blush.  It's is very, very subtle and isn't exactly what I had envisioned.  Still, a great result.

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

Gisèle

So Special

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a card I crafted for a girlfriend.

The card base is Stampin' Up Blackberry Bliss.  The image is Stampin' Up Bloom with Hope coloured with Tombow 055, 126, 676 and 685, then stamped on Recollections White.  The image panel is layered on Stampin' Up Pear Pizzazz, Rich Razzleberry, Paper Accents Mirrored Silver and more Recollections White.  The sentiment is Altenew Extra Special stamped in Blackberry Bliss.  The polka dot ribbon is of unknown origin.

Blackberry Bliss has to be one of my all time favourite Stampin' Up colours.  It is rich and sumptuous and coordinates with so many other colours.  I've so enjoyed using markers recently that I've picked up a few more colours and this was the perfect opportunity to 'play'.  I've so pleased with this card.  The colours, layers and ribbon make for a really wonderful and special result.

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

Gisèle

Father's Day

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the Father's Day card I crafted for my awesome husband.

The card base is Core'dinations.  The images are Paper Roses Golf Accessories die, cut from a variety of scraps, adhered to Recollections White and layered on Recollections Black.  The sentiment is Kaisercraft Occasions stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

I was ecstatic to come across this die cut.  It is the perfect scale for cards.  It will also give me more options when crafting my hubby's cards.  I do get tired of the same old stamps and stickers.  It's also perfect for using tiny bits of scrap paper.  I wasn't quite sure of the golf cart placement and will admit to fussing around with the layout for quite a while.  Heaven help my husband if he does any kind of a critique.

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

Gisèle

Postcard Montage

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card that I crafted for my brother.

The card base is Stampin' Up River Rock.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections Kraft and Stampin' Up Mossy Meadow.  The sentiment is Penny Black Special Wishes stamped in Stampin' Up Soft Suede on a vanilla of unknown origin.  The gold brads are of unknown origin.

This is not the normal birthday card I'd craft for my brother.  It's usually a cat theme or something a little on the funky side.  This card is postcards.  We recently went on a wonderful vacation in British Columbia and I was quite taken with the postcards that my brother wrote and actually mailed.  They'll be a lovely thing to get in the mail.  This printed paper is covered with postcards and I think he'll get a real kick out of it.  I had to be darn careful to make sure I didn't adhere the paper up-side-down.  Though he likely would have gotten a chuckle out it if I had.

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

Gisèle

Teacher Thank You VI

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last of the teacher thank you cards that one of my girlfriends commissioned.

The card base is Recollections White.  The printed paper is DCWV Rock Star Stack layered on a red of unknown origin and Paper Accents Mirrored Silver.  The sentiment is Gina K Labeled With Love stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The embellishments are EK Success Harvest Dots Dimensionals.

This is one of my favourites in this series.  I love the red/black/white/silver colour combination.  This photo doesn't really do this card justice.  It's very challenging to get a good photo with the mirrored silver.  It took me a while to find a suitable sentiment.  Everything I looked at was either too small or too large and I wanted to be sure I had enough room for the red dimensionals.  That little bit of bling just brings it's all together!

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

Gisèle 

Teacher Thank You V

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another teacher thank you card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Old Olive.  The printed paper is DCWV Rock Star Stack layered on Close To My Heart Crystal Blue and a white of unknown origin.  The background image is Stampin' Up You've Got This stamped in Altenew Sand Dunes on a white of unknown origin and layered on more Crystal Blue.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart For Every Occasion stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The star embellishments are of unknown origin.

I think this is a great piece of printed paper.  The guitar is perfectly situated thanks to some careful trimming.  A great piece of printed paper like this one means the rest of the card can be pretty straightforward.  I was a little more creative with the sentiment by using an over-stamping technique.  It adds just that little bit more interest.  It a great result.

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

Gisèle

Teacher Thank You IV

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the fourth in the teacher thank you card series that a girlfriend commissioned.

The card base is Stampin' Up Creamy Caramel.  The printed paper is DCWV Rock Star Stack layered on Recollections Black and more Creamy Caramel.  The sentiment is Impression Obsession Vertical Greetings stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on a white of unknown origin and layered on more Creamy Caramel and Recollections Black.  The embellishments are Fabricland.

I love the font of this sentiment.  It is very 'teacher'!  I also love that it is vertical.  I've never been a fan of Creamy Caramel.  It's really a disgusting brown.  It did however coordinate perfectly with this piece of printed paper.  I think the smaller offset against the black makes this particular Creamy Caramel example quite palatable.  A great result.

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

Gisèle

Teacher Thank You III

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the third teacher thank you card in this series.

The card base is Stampin' Up Pool Party.  The printed paper is DCWV Rock Star Stack layered on Stampin' Up Melon Mambo.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up So Very Much stamped on a white of unknown origin with Melon Mambo ink and layered on more Pool Party.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Rhinestone Flowers highlighted with Diamond and Fruit Punch Stickles.

Though I said I was going to try to keep these cards as neutral (masculine) as possible, this is most certainly not a neutral card.  Oh well!  I really like paisley but this is not the nicest I've ever come across.  It may be the skulls that turn me off.  There is also only a few colours with which you can coordinate - blue or pink.  The teacher who receives this card will appreciate it, the boys, I'm not so certain.

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

Gisèle

Teacher Thank You II

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the second teacher thank you card in this series.

The card base is Paper Accents mirrored silver.  The printed paper is DCWV Rock Star Stack.  The sentiment is Stampin' up Another Thank You stamped in Altenew Dusk on Recollections White and layered on more silver, Recollection White and Close To My Heart Peacock.  The embellishments are Jolee's All That Bling Dimensional Stickers.

This card is particularly special for my girlfriend's family as it's for a teacher who took a special interest in the boys and is now retiring.  Teaching is truly a vocation and it's wonderful to hear of a teacher who imparted an amazing legacy.  My special teacher was Miss Corey in grade five.  We kept in touch for a good 25-30 years until she passed away a few years ago and I was truly affected by the  loss.  I hope this special silver card will do justice to this amazing teacher.

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

Gisèle

Teacher Thank You

Hello everyone,

These next few posts are a teacher thank you series that was commissioned by a girlfriend.  It's that time of year!

The card base is Stampin' Up Baja Breeze.  The printed paper is DCWV Rock Star Stack layered on Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip.  The sentiment is Avery Elle Sentimental Too stamped in Altenew Dark Chocolate on a white of unknown origin.  The card is highlighted with Cinnamon Stickles.

My girlfriend has three boys so this series of cards can't be too feminine even though their teachers are all women.  I don't want them to be embarrassed to give them.  I did a similar series of thank you cards for them last and they were particularly well received.  This is a simple horizontal layout so I could use this great Avery Elle sentiment.  I was going to use the coordinating die cut but didn't have enough Chocolate Chip paper left that would fit.  I can't believe after all these years I'm at the end of the stash of Chocolate Chip.

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

Gisèle

Soft Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a sympathy card for a friend whose father recently passed away.

The card base is Stampin' Up Soft Seafoam.  The image was cut from more Soft Seafoam with a Sizzix Wildflower Stems #2 Thinlits die, layered on a piece of Ranger alcohol inked glossy paper, a white of unknown origin and Close To My Heart Heavenly Blue.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Sincere Expressions stamped in Altenew Dusk on a white of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Recollections Faux Pearl Stickers.

This is a smaller sized card to go with one of the loose envelops I have in my stash.  It was the perfect size for using one of the scraps of alcohol inked papers I also have stashed away.  All the colours flow from the alcohol inked paper.  I chose this particular stem because it was perfect for adding a few small pearls.  A simple sentiment goes with this straight forward layout.

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

Gisèle

Especially Vintage IV

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last card in this vintage series that I crafted for a colleague.

The card base is Recollections.  The vintage paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Soft Seafoam and Pool Party.  The sentiment is Altenew Birthday Builder stamped in Altenew Lagoon.  The embellishments are Multicrafts Keepsake Memories.

This card came together very quickly once I found appropriate solid papers with which to coordinate.  I wanted something softer than the three previous cards.  I've used this layout many times as I always find it pleasing.  I didn't want to adhere the sentiment over the printed paper because it is so very lovely.  I was thrilled to find an ink colour that coordinated so perfectly.  Another wonderful result.

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

Gisèle

Especially Vintage III

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the third of four vintage cards I crafted for a colleague.

The card base is Recollections.  The vintage paper is of unknown origin layered on a teal Bazzill and Stampin' Up Pear Pizzazz.  The sentiment is cut from Close To My Heart Eggplant with a Crafter's Companion Die'sire Happy Birthday die.  The embellishments are Michael's Pastel Damask pearl stickers.

This is not at all close to the card that I envisioned when I started.  I'd planned to use one of the wildflower Thinlits dies and actually had one cut but couldn't come up with a placement that was pleasing.  I decided instead to use a die cut sentiment in a colour that worked with the watercoloured flower.  A much better choice.  It also too me an age to choose embellishments.  I didn't want to use Stickles again but finding these pearls in my stash was no easy task.  All that said, this is a great result.

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

Gisèle

Especially Vintage II

Hello everyone,

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

The card base is Recollections.  The vintage paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Pear Pizzazz.  The sentiment is Creative Expressions Scribbled Sentiments stamped in Altenew Teal Cave.  The card is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

This piece of printed paper is another part of the larger placement.  Again, careful trimming was needed so I didn't lose too much of the beautiful daisy.  This piece also has tons of colours with which to coordinate but I was drawn to the greens.  I used this layout purposely because this sentiment is rather wide and perfect for a larger card.

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

Gisèle

Especially Vintage

Hello everyone,

The next few posts are vintage card that were commissioned by a colleague.

The card base is Recollections.  The vintage paper is of unknown origin layered on a teal Bazzill, a white of unknown origin,and Stampin' Up Pear Pizzazz.  The sentiment is My Sentiments Exactly Handwritten Sentiments stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart blue glitter dots.

The paper for this series of cards is actually a place mat from a birthday planning kit that likely dates back to the 1970s.  This kitten is really darn cute!  I love the watercolour style and the colours are absolutely lovely.  I was careful when I trimmed the paper to ensure that I got as much of this kitten's face as possible.  The sentiment was carefully placed for the same reason.

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

Gisèle

For A Graduate

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a graduation card that was commissioned by a colleague.

The card base is Recollections.  The printed paper is BasicGrey Lauderdale layered on Stampin' Up Rose Red and a green of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in Altenew Permanent Black on Recollections White and layered on more Rose Red and green.  The embellishments are Recollections Rhinestones.

This card is for a young lady graduating from grade school so I wanted something fun and a little funky.  I don't know that this printed paper was intended for a young person but I found the different images appealing and I like the different 'words' and fun designs.  I thought the darker pink and brighter green coordinated really well with the images, though there are so many different colours in the printed paper colour coordination was not an issue.

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

Gisèle

Another Single Stem

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another single stem card.

The card base is Close To My Heart Colonial White.  The background is a piece of Ranger alcohol inked glossy paper layered on DCWV Silky Smooth card stock and a shimmery gold of unknown origin.  The image is Sizzix Thinlits Wildflower Stems #2 cut from a shimmery brown of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Gina Marie All Seasons stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso.

I had so much fun with yesterday's card I couldn't resist crafting another.  I used the #2 set of the series which I picked up at the same time.  I've had this piece of alcohol inked paper in my stash for eons and was just looking for an excuse to use it.  I love the combination of colours on the alcohol inked paper which are the perfect background for this silhouetted stem.  I thought it was ideal for a sympathy card.

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

Gisèle