A Teacup Birthday

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely 'birthday' card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin’ Up Hello Honey.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Stampin’ Up Early Espresso on an ivory of unknown origin and layered on more Hello Honey and Close To My Heart Garnet.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

This is another piece of printed paper that I'm not all that sure about.  It's all teacups with different patterns.  I think it may be just a little too avant-garde when all is said and done because it can be rather difficult to figure out that it's teacups.  I do however love the colours and the different floral patterns. I placed the sentiment right in the center as I wasn't too worried about hiding the printed paper.  I'd hoped to like the final result but it's not a favourite.

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

Gisèle

Fabulously Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a pair of very pretty floral 'birthday' cards.

The card bases are Stampin’ Up Lucky Limeade and Crushed Curry.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on more Lucky Limeade and Crushed Curry.  The sentiments are Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Altenew Industrial Diamond on an ivory of unknown origin and Sweet & Sassy Stamps Script Birthdays stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on Recollections Black.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

Whenever I've come across this paper in my scrap bin I'm never too thrilled with it but, once I've used it on a card, I just love the result.  The background is a light grey which maybe turns me off but the colours are wonderful and the design is perfect for cards.  I had a little fun with ribbon and am thankful that I finally am pleased with my bow-making.  

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

Gisèle

Pretty Plaid

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely plaid 'birthday' card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a white of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Stampin’ Up Happy Thoughts stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The ribbon is American Crafts and the embellishment is of unknown origin.

This is such a lovely and simple card.  I think the minty green and white colour combination is wonderful.  I love the sentiment tucked into the ribbon buckle.  With the printed paper having only two colours (or shades thereof), colour coordination was straightforward so I focused on elements and layout.  The possibilities are endless but I'm quite pleased with the final results here.

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

Gisèle

Winter Woodland Critters

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is yet another wonderful Christmas card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Baja Breeze.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a white of unknown origin and Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The sentiment is Bonnidee C'est Noel stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections White and layered on more Early Espresso.  The brads are American Crafts.

One of my colleagues requested a number of last minute French Christmas cards which I was more than happy to craft!  I love this printed paper and wish I had more of it because every card I've made with it is just awesome.  This colour scheme is a favourite and works perfectly with the printed paper.  I don't have a ton of French sentiments but the few I have work really well.  I chose to use an oft used layout because of the time crunch but it works great!

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

Gisèle

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas everyone!

Today's post is yet another lovely Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The printed papers are American Crafts layered on a green of unknown origin and a red Core'dinations.  The sentiment is from Wish stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more green and red.  The card is highlighted with Holly Stickles.

Yet another striped card!  I couldn't help it!  These are awesome papers and I couldn't just choose one.  I love these vehicles!  The sentiment is perfect in the design 'sweet spot'.  The Stickles adds just that little bit of sparkle which just makes a Christmas card as far as I'm concerned.

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

Gisèle

More Christmas Gifts

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The printed papers are American Crafts Deck the Halls layered on Stampin' Up Basic Grey and a red of unknown origin.  The image/sentiment is from Wish stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more red.  The card is highlighted with Xmas Red Stickles.

I'm really impressed with this card.  I wasn't sure about the grey at first but it just came together beautifully.  My neighbor twisted my arm to pick up this set of Wish stamps and I'm rather impressed with this one.  They are very detailed so I think Versafine is a must to get a good impression.  The pops of red are just awesome!  It's a fantastic result!

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

Gisèle

Awesome Christmas Bits

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is another wonderful Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The printed paper is American Crafts layered on Recollections Black.  The sentiment is Bonnidee Xmas Wording 3 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more Recollections Black.  The embellishments are Crafts Rhinestone Stickers.

It feels as though I've been using this printed paper for ages as it ends up on at least one card each season.  It is however perfect for cards.  The random placement of the 'folk' style images as well as the scale are perfect for cards.  I am loving placing the sentiment on the diagonal!  The font of this sentiment is just perfect with the printed paper.

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

Gisèle

Cheery Thank You

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is a cheerful 'thank you' card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Mango Melody.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a white of unknown origin and Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections White and layered on more Lucky Limeade and Mango Melody.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

This is a very cheerful thank you card with the bright coloured leaves.  It's the first time I've use Mango Melody and it's quite lovely!  I think the jaunty angle of small sentiment is lovely and the way the sentiment element is cut off the edge is great.  The ribbon coordinates perfectly with the Lucky Limeade and the green in the printed paper.  It's a great result!

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

Gisèle

A Panda Hello

Hello everyone,

Today post is a bright and cheerful 'hello' card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The printed paper is an origami paper of unknown origin layered on a gold also of unknown origin.  The image is Local King Rubber Stamps Pandas - 4 stamped in Altenew Jet Black on Recollections White and layered on more gold.  The sentiment is Gina K Pleasant Plurals stamped in Altenew Heart Beat.  The ribbon is American Crafts.  The butterfly brad is Creative Impressions.

This was the first panda image I stamped last weekend.  I love those expressive eyes!  Before trimming the panel, I made certain there was enough room for a simple sentiment.  I've often used origami paper for Asian-style cards.  I love the warm reds in this particular piece.  The hints of gold made it easy to coordinate.  I hadn't originally planned to add a ribbon but like how it balances out the image.  I wish I'd had a panda brad!

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

Gisèle

Footprints

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a bit of a different card than my usual.

The card base is Stampin' Up Whisper White.  The sentiment is Creative Expressions Amazing Sentiments stamped in Altenew Jet Black on Whisper White and layered on Stampin' Up Island Indigo and Whisper White, and a piece of Ranger alcohol inked glossy paper.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

Of course I couldn't craft just one alcohol inked paper card!  This is a favourite piece with different shades of blue and just a titch of pink/purple.  I came across this sentiment when I was looking for the sentiment for yesterday's card.  I didn't even realize it was part of this Creative Expressions stamp set.  Obviously I've not used it before!  I'm sure everyone is familiar with this poem and I thought it eminently appropriate for the types of cards I'm crafting right now.  For some reason, I liked the placement lower on the card rather than centered.  It's a great result.

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

Gisèle

A Friendly Hello

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a really great 'hello' card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Whisper White.  The printed paper is Pink Fresh Studio "Indigo Hills 2" Mesa layered on Stampin' Up Smoky Slate and Close To My Heart Eggplant.  The sentiment is Creative Expressions Celebration Sentiments stamped in Altenew Jet Black on Whisper White and layered on more Eggplant.  The sentiment was cut with the coordinating Creative Expressions Tags & Banners dies.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

I just love this card!  The printed paper is so simple with a such a variety of colours, coordinating is pretty easy.  I love a purple/grey colour combination.  I've had this vertical sentiment set for quite a while but have not played with it as much as I would have liked.  I only recent acquired the coordinating die cut set which really makes using the stamp set so much easier.  I love having something anchor the banner and was thrilled to find this perfect purple ribbon.  I used a flat bow because the card is going to be mailed.

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

Gisèle

Glittered Valentine

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a glittering Valentine that I crafted for my grandmother-in-law.

The card base is Stampin' Up Raspberry Ripple.  The printed paper is American Crafts layered on a shimmery white of unknown origin and more American Crafts Glitter paper.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up A Wish for Everything stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on Crafts Ribbon and more Raspberry Ripple.

My grandmother-in-law is the sweetest woman I've ever known.  She utterly loves whenever I send a card so I decided a custom Valentine would just thrill her to no end.  She loves anything that sparkles or shines so I broke out the glitter paper!  This heart paper isn't the greatest for cards but I carefully placed the sentiment element so I wouldn't cover up too much of the hearts.  She's going to love this card!

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

Gisèle

A Retro Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a fun floral birthday card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections Black.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Altenew Jet Black on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more black.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

As soon as I came across this scrap of daisy paper I knew I'd craft a great birthday card.  I think these daisies are awesome!  I couldn't quite figure out which way was up with this paper as the shadow on the centers suggest it's upside down but the buds go every which way.  It took me a while to find the perfect yellow/gold ribbon for the bow.  I tried red and black ribbon too but the yellow/gold seemed to be the best fit.  It's a great result!

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

Gisèle

Rows of Wreaths

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great French Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The printed paper is American Crafts Deck The Halls layered on Stampin' Up Real Red and Mossy Meadow.  The sentiment is Bonnidée C'est Noël stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more Mossy Meadow and Real Red.  The embellishment is Stampin' Up's Holly Berry Builder punch cut from a felted red ribbon and more Mossy Meadow.

As I've mentioned so many times in the past, I'm not crazy about rows of images but these great wreaths are a great scale for a card.  I actually love the rows which inspired me to use this great vertical stamp.  It took some careful placement so I could also fit in the bow at the top.  I didn't feel the need to add any extra embellishments.  The results are great!

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

Gisèle

Layered for the Holidays

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great Christmas card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Garden Green.  The printed paper is American Crafts "Be Merry" Stockings layered on Stampin' Up Real Red, a white of unknown origin and Recollections Black.  The sentiment is Studio G stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more Recollections Black.  The embellishments are Eyelet Outlet enamel dots.

This is another great piece of printed paper that I've used many times.  I cut it a little smaller so I could play with layers with a variety of reveals.  I love the hints of black which seem to make all the other elements pop.  I felt the font of the sentiment worked particularly well with the simple 'folk art' style images.  The enamels dots anchor the sentiment without adding any extra bulk.

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

Gisèle

Classy Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely birthday card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Watermelon.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Express Yourself stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

Pink and black is a lovely colour combination.  The printed paper has a lovely sheen and a hint of glitter which adds a bit of class to this card.  I love the pop of bright pink.  I think the sentiment jauntily place on an angle adds a little more interest.  I think it all works beautifully together.

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

Gisèle

Sweet Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely and very feminine birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The printed paper is BoBunny Primrose layered on Stampin' Up Soft Suede.  The sentiment is Papercrafts General Sentiments stamped in Stampin' Up Soft Suede on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Soft Suede.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

This is a favourite printed paper.  I love the pink and brown colour combination.  This piece was trimmed carefully so the butterfly wasn't lost.  I was so happy to find this American Crafts brown ribbon.  It coordinates perfectly with the printed paper.  It only took a few tries to get this bow tied which always makes me happy.  It's a great result.

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

Gisèle

A Pink and Grey Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely floral birthday card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Basic Grey.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Penny Black Happy Happy stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more Basic Grey.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

I've always loved a pink and grey colour combination.  The scale of the images is perfect for a card.  The layout is simple and one I've used often.  The ribbon, a simple grey and white check, suits the card wonderfully.

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

Gisèle

Pretty Pink Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely floral birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a white of unknown origin and Recollections Black.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more black .  The ribbon is American Crafts.  The charm and brad embellishments are of unknown origin.

I was so drawn to this piece of printed paper.  I love a pink/black/white colour combination with this particular piece of paper including very subtle hints of yellow and mint green.  It took me quite a white to figure out the embellishments (which hide a knot) but I think the final results work just fine.

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

Gisèle

Cowboy Birthday

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a birthday card I crafted for my husband's upcoming special day.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed papers are Best Creations Inc Cowboy Up layered on Close To My Heart Champagne.  The ribbon is American Crafts.  The embellishment is of unknown origin.

Hubby has always been a fan of the cowboy so instead of a football or golf theme, I thought this year's birthday card would be all about the cowboy!  I'm sure hell get a real kick out of it.  This paper collection has a couple of sheets with these small images that are somewhat difficult to use on a card.  I thought creating a layer with four of the images was inspired.  I didn't add a sentiment because there really was no good place to put it and I'll have special wishes written on the inside.  A much better result than I thought I'd see.

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

Gisèle