Birthday Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today I'm presenting the last of my nieces birthday cards. I went out of the box for this card and I couldn't be more pleased with the results.

The background paper is textured Stampin' Up Dusty Durango. The printed paper is BasicGrey Green At Heart layered on Close To My Heart Smokey Plum which was textured with Couture Creations Entangle dry embossing folder. The image is Gina K Hope Grows, coloured with Tombow markers, stamped on Whisper White and layered on Green At Heart. The sentiment is Gina K Garden Silhouettes. The embellishments are Amuse Creative Candy White Pretty Pearls.

I'm very pleased with this card. This particular niece is very feminine but also bright and colourful. I wouldn't necessarily have chosen the plum and orange to work together put I pulled the palette from the BasicGrey paper and found it really works. I've loved this particular bird stamp from the moment I laid eyes upon it and I am certainly not disappointed.

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

Gisèle

Another Asian Inspired

Hello everyone,

Today's card is another in the Asian-inspired series that I've undertaken. I've actually already sold one of the cards that I blogged about on Saturday. I can't wait to try to replicate it. It may even be better the second time around.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Early Espresso stamped with Sweet Summer and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen. The middle layer is Stampin' Up Perfect Plum textured with Cuttlebug's Oriental Weave dry embossing folder and highlighted with more Sakura Clear Star. The horizontal strips are DCWV Far East Stack. The sentiment is Gina K. Fanciful Tags. The embellishments are Amuse Creative Candy white Pretty Pearls.

Another beautiful card if I do say so myself. One of my favourite new Stampin' Up Colours is Early Espresso. I've yet to find something it doesn't work with and I love using it instead of Basic Black. I can't say enough about the Sakura Clear Star pen. Everything I've used it on has turned out absolutely beautifully. It's been a lot of fun experimenting with it and I can't wait to see what else it can do.

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

Gisèle

Happy Birthdays

Hello everyone,

Every once in a while I craft I card that I absolutely love and have to repeat it over and over. This is the case with today's cards. I tried one, fell in love, and made three more.

The card bases are all Recollections. The paper is Stampin' Up Sage Shadow, Apricot Appeal, Rich Razzleberry, Baja Breeze, Basic Black and Whisper White. The solid papers were dry embossed with Cuttlebug's Victoria folder. The image is Impression Obsession Cover-A-Card Flourishes which are highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen. The sentiments are Waltzingmouse Say It With Style, Stampin' Up Well Scripted and Perfect Punches, and Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Bitty Sparkles and Licorice Opaques, and Amuse Creative Candy White Pretty Pearls.

I see so many possibilities with this simple, yet not clean, card. It all started with a visit to Heather's Stamping Haven and I have to say I'm mightily impressed with this stamp. I've got another that I've not yet tried but anticipate I'll love it just as much. Combined with the Clear Star glitter pen, this image is pretty incredible! As a side note, it was also rather fun to pull out some of my older Stampin' Up paper like Sage Shadow and Apricot Appeal.

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

Gisèle

Birthday Greetings

Hello everyone,

I managed some blog surfing today and came across a couple of appealing challenges. Friday's Less is More provided a recipe to use three squares. Saturday's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge provided the sketch.

The background paper is BasicGrey June Bug. The vertical element is Verve Filigree Fantasy stamped in Nick Bantock Prussian Blue on Close To My Heart Colonial White and layered on a piece of glossy paper which was smooshed with Oregano, Sail Boat Blue, Purple Twilight, Cool Perl, Clover alcohol ink and Blending Solution from Ranger. The sentiment is Annabelle Stamps Sentimental Bluebells. The embellishments are Amuse Creative Candy white Pretty Pearls.

I love this card. The background paper is that mix of blues, greens and purples that I love. The layout is also one that I could use all the time. I don't know why I like this layout so much I suspect it is because it is all neat and tidy. Look for another card with this background paper as all those connecting points just cry out for glitter!

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

Gisèle

Dance, Sing, Love, Live

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I've had a chance to do any blog surfing but today, I squeezed in a visit to my favourites, including One Layer Wednesdays. This week Jennifer Styles is challenging crafters to do something music-related. I don't have any music notes or anything similar in terms of images but I do have this favourite Penny Black stamp which talks about singing and dancing - music-related, right?

The card base is from Recollections. The sentiment is Penny Black Dance, Sing, Love stamped in Nick Bantock Damson Plum. The images are Close To My Heart Adorning Corners also stamped in Nick Bantock Damson Plum and heat embossed with Close To My Heart Silver Pearl embossing powder. The embellishments are Amuse Creative Candy white pretty pearls.

I love this card. It is a perfect one layer card. I really stuck with the rule of thirds for the layout and it worked just like it is suppose to.

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

Gisèle

Thank You Finale

Hello everyone,

This is the last of my compliment of thank you cards for the next while. I'll still be making them, but I don't think I'll post any for a wee bit. Again, I've been too focused to do any blog surfing so I didn't use any challenges for these three cards.

The background paper is BasicGrey Pyrus. The horizontal layers are Close To My Heart Chocolate, Stampin' Up More Mustard and glossy paper smooshed with Denim, Caramel and Espresso Ranger alcohol ink. Martha Stewart's Rain Drop border punch was used on all three layers. The tag is, I believe, from Stampin' Up and was sponged with More Mustard and Really Rust ink. The sentiment is Sweet 'n Sassy Autumn Blessings. The flower brad is Multicrafts Keepsakes Memories.

The background paper is BasicGrey Lily Kate layered on Close To My Heart Buttercup. The sentiment is PaperTrey Ink Signature Greetings, stamped in Nick Bantock Charcoal Grey on Stampin' Up Whisper White. The images are BasicGrey Halvah, layered on Stampin' Up Almost Amethyst. The embellishments are Amuse Creative Candy White Pretty Pearls.

The background paper are vertical strips of Daisy Bucket Sweet Marabella Carmella, Stampin' Up Old Olive and Really Rust. The solid strips were textured with Cuttlebug's Floral Fantasy dry embossing folder. The ribbon is a scrap of unknown origin. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Wonderful Words. The embellishments are Multicrafts Keepsakes Memories.

I think all three cards are just lovely. I've had so much fun mixing products from so many different companies into cards that really work. It has been great to just create and not focus on challenges. I still need to build up my own stash of thank you cards but for the time being, I'm taking a thank you card crafting break. I've some baby cards and anniversary and weddings cards on my 'to do' list so that's probably where I'm headed next.

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

Gisèle

With Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Sad news today. The mother of one of my colleagues passed away today. She had been quite ill but it still is a horrible time of year to lose someone so close.

The background layers are Autumn Leaves Emily. The solid papers are Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant and Whisper White. The Elegant Eggplant layer was textured with Sizzix Elegant Lines dry embossing folder. The sentiment is from the Stamp Barn for Heather's Stamping Haven. The embellishments are Amuse Creative Candy white Pretty Pearls.

I really like this card and am only sorry that it had to be made today. I'm sure at some point, because her mother was so very ill, she will considered her mother's passing a blessing but at the moment, is it just difficult. My colleague is one of the most resilient and smart women I know, so she'll get pass this eventually. I hope this card will, in some small way, help.

Please come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle