Oh Canada!

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a patriotic birthday card.

The card base is of unknown origin.  The printed paper is also of unknown origin layered on a red, black and white Recollections.  The sentiment is Gina K Follow Your Dreams stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more red and black.  The embellishments are TPC Studio Heartfelt Travel jewels.

I just had to craft a birthday card with this paper.  I'm hoping that at least one resident has a July 1st birthday!  With just two colours in the printed paper, choosing a card base and layering colours was limited.  I love how the black layers make everything else pop!  I wanted a bit of a more bold sentiment and this one from Gina K really suits.  It's a great result!

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

Gisèle

Vintage Floral Wishes

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is a really pretty 'birthday' card.

The card base is Stampin’ Up Rose Red.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin’ Up Lucky Limeade and Pink Pirouette.  The sentiment is Gina K Framed Greetings stamped in Altenew Industrial Diamond on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Lucky Limeade and Pink Pirouette.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.

This piece of paper reminds me of an old worn apron and there is something comforting in that.  I love the green bow as it mimics the leaves of the flowers.  The pink/green colour combination is just lovely and works every single time.  Outside the bow, I didn't feel the need to add other embellishments.  Vintage and simple just works!

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

Gisèle

Thirty Years

 Hello everyone,

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

The card base is Recollections Pearlized Gold.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on an ivory also of unknown origin.  The image is Gina K Because of You stamped in Stampin' Up Soft Suede on Recollections Vanilla, heat embossed with Close To My Heart Silver Pearl and layered on a shimmery gold of unknown origin.  The sentiment, also Gina K Because of You, is stamped in Soft Suede on more Recollections Vanilla.

My husband and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in late December.  I think 30 years is pretty awesome and though we couldn't go out to celebrate (pandemic lock down), I wanted him to have a special card.  I love all the different muted golds and ivory as well as all the different layers.  The image and sentiment are an absolute favourite for an anniversary card.

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

Gisèle

Hanging Ornaments

 Hello everyone,

Today's is a lovely ornament Christmas card.

The card base is a mirrored blue of unknown origin.  The printed paper is Heartfelt Creations Snow Kissed layered on Recollections White.  The sentiment is Gina K The Magic of Christmas stamped on Recollections White with Altenew Permanent Black, and layered on more mirrored blue.

I love these hanging ornaments!  I ended up with a full 12x12 sheet so was careful cutting it in order to get at least one, if not two, more cards.  I kept the layout simple because I thought the printed paper was fancy enough.  I debated stamping the sentiment directly on the printed paper but couldn't find a placement that pleased my eye.  No extra embellishments were required!

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

Gis&le

A Fantastic Floral

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is a wonderful floral birthday card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Blackberry Bliss.  The image is The Artful Stamper stamped on Gina K Heavy White with Versafine Onyx Black and painted with LuminArte Razzleberry, Royal Orchid, Black Cherry, Lemongrass, Mango Mamba, Plum Blossom and Green Tea Twinkling H2Os.  The image panel is layered on Stampin' Up Granny Apple Green and Pale Plum.  The sentiment is Gina Marie All Seasons stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and is layered on more Pale Plum.  The flower embellishment is of unknown origin and is highlighted with Fruit Punch Stickles.

I love everything about this card!  The image is an absolute favourite for painting because it is not overly intricate or fussy and if I'm careful, I can stay within the lines.  It also allows for a lot of different colours though I don't always make the best choices.  I try to use a heavier cardstock for painting because there is less chance of warping.  I really love the pop of the Granny Apple Green layer which, to my eye, is perfect against the richness of Blackberry Bliss.  It's a great result!

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

Gisèle

A Natural Arrangement

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely 'thinking of you' card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Hello Honey.  The image is Great Impressions stamped in Tombow N57, 025, 947 and 969 on Recollections White.  The image panel is layered on a brown and a gold of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Gina K Framed Greeting stamped in Altenew Pure Graphite on Recollections White and layered on more gold of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Kaisercraft Dec 25th pearls.

This card has somewhat of a 1970's feel with all of the natural colours.  This was the best impression I managed after about a half dozen attempts.  I love the image and can't quite figure out why it was so problematic to stamp.  I think the sentiment is wonderful in a circle with the two pearls anchoring it to the image panel.  It's a lovely result!

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

Gisèle

A Silver Peacock

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is a beautiful black and silver sentiment-less card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Silver Foil.  The image is Gina K Mehndi Wishes stamped in Altenew Desert Night and heat embossed with Sweet Home Pearl embossing powder on Recollections White.  The image panel is layered on a shimmery white and a shimmery black of unknown origin, and a glittered silver also of unknown origin.

I've had this stamp set for ages but have only used it sparingly because it is so distinct.  That said, the last few times I've crafted sentiment-less cards, I've done a bit of experimenting.  I absolutely love playing with pearl embossing powder because the results are always somewhat of a surprise.  I debated adding a few pearls or jewels but in the end, decided I really love the simplicity of this card.

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

Gisèle

A Peaceful Earth

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a very quick and easy Christmas card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Crumbcake.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a red Bazzill.  The sentiment is Gina K The Magic of Christmas stamped in Altenew Lava Rock on and ivory of unknown origin and layered on more red Bazzill.  The embellishment is an Eyelet Outlet enamel dot.

This is such a wonderful card!  I really like the pop of red in the bird and the layer.  It took me a bit to find this simple sentiment but I thought it was perfect for this rather peaceful scene.  I debated on adding the embellishment but the placement of the sentiment requires and anchor.  I could have used red but thought this taupe enamel dot worked well with the taupe in the printed paper.  It's a great result.

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

Gisèle

A Single Rose

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a simple 'sympathy' card.

The card base is Momenta Textured Cardstock.  The image is Penny Black The Look of Love stamped in Tombow 158, 228 and 772 on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Gina K Pleasant Plurals stamped in Altenew Lava Rock.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on Close To My Heart Blush and more Recollections Vanilla.

This is one of my favourite stamps.  It is really easy to apply marker and the image always stamps beautifully.  I wasn't certain if a rose would be appropriate for a sympathy card but there is something about the simplicity of this image that works.  I chose a more subdued colour and I love the results.

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

Gisèle

Thoughts and Prayers

Hello everyone,

Today's card is another lovely 'sympathy' card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The images and sentiment are Gina K Botanicals stamped in Altenew Minty Mint and Hunter Green and Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishments are Recollections Faux Pearls.

It's been quite a while since I've crafted a card like this one.  More often than not, I draw on multiple manufacturers or sets for the different elements on a card.  In this case, everything comes from this great Botanicals set.  I've always loved the look of 'over-stamping' and this is a great example.  I even managed to stamp the background test pretty straight!  I love the three pearls along the stem, something I've done before.  I'm so pleased with this result that I'll likely case it with the other 'stems' in this seet.

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

Gisèle

Layered Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a more bright 'sympathy' card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The image is Magenta stamped in Tombow 062, 873, and 985 on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Gina K Block Greetings stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on an orange Bazzill and more Recollections Vanilla.

While this sympathy card is a little on the bright side, I think it works because it's very simple and the multiple layers make it more sophisticated.  I rather like the contrast of the simple image and more formal font of the sentiment.  I didn't add any embellishments because, given the bright colours, no more elements were needed.

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

Gisèle

Sympathetic Silhouette

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a great monochromatic sympathy card.

The card base is a green Bazzill and Recollections Vanilla.  The image is Stampin' Up Just Believe stamped in Close To My Heart Heather on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Gina K Framed Greetings stamped in Close To My Heart Slate on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Slate and more Vanilla.  The ribbon is Michael's Special Value.

This is a favourite image for sympathy cards.  The silhouette is wonderful and it works great for monochromatic cards.  I goofed when scoring the card base so I added the vanilla strip on the right edge.  I think it fixed the problem perfectly.  I just needed to be sure to use the same 'vanilla' for the rest of the card.  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

Clean and Simple

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a really fun feminine birthday card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The image is Penny Black Birds on Wire stamped in Tombow N25, 296, 493, 636, 755 and 985 on Recollections White and layered on Recollections Black.  The sentiment is Gina K Pleasant Plurals stamped in Altenew Jet Black on Recollections White and layered on more Recollections White.

This is a much different card than my usual but I had this idea.  It turned out exactly how I'd imagined!  This is a great stamp but not one which I use often.  It's very simple but not all that large so unless left simple, it leaves a fair bit of white space.  In this case, I thought it was perfect for this 'from all of us' sentiment.  I was inspired to use different colours for the birds to make them pop against the black and white.  It's a great result!

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

Gisèle

He Rocks

Hello everyone,

Today's post is card I crafted for my father-in-law.

The card base is Stampin' Up Very Vanilla.  The printed paper is DCWV Rockstar Star layered on Stampin' Up Taken With Teal and Early Espresso.  The sentiment is Gina K Tag Lines stamped in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla.

This is part of series of cards I'm making for family and friends to perk them up with physical distancing.  My father-in-law recently picked up the guitar again and has been having a lot of fun playing.  I thought this guitar card was the perfect way to encourage him while at the same time lifting his spirits.  I can't wait to hear him play!

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

Gisèle

Berry Birthday

Hello everyone,

Today's post is yet another lovely birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The printed paper is Gina K Berries & Vines layered on a red Bazzill.  The sentiment is Avery Elle So Happy stamped in Altenew Starlight on Recollections White and layered on more red Bazzill.  The embellishments are Recollections Rhinestone stickers.

Today's card is a CASE (copy and share everything) of yesterday's card.  What has always amazed me during all the years I've been crafting cards is how different each card is even when layouts are repeated.  Gina K paper is wonderful to work with as it's got a bit of a sheen and trims beautifully.  I picked up this strawberry years ago, thinking of my Mom.

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

Gisèle

O Canada Encore

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another Canadian card crafted for my brother.

The card base is Stampin' Up Crumbcake.  The printed paper is Photoplay "O Canada" Canadian Critters layered on a white of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Gina K Hope Grows stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on a white of unknown origin and layered on a red also of unknown origin.

This is really fun Canadiana paper.  This critters are a hoot!  I love the bear with the bottle of maple syrup.  Like yesterday's paper, this is a great neutral paper with the scale of the images being great for cards.  I purposely kept the layout very simple so as much of the printed paper was a visible as possible.  I didn't add any embellishments because I really couldn't figure out what to use or where to put them.

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

Gisèle

Elegantly For You

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a simple all purpose card.

The card base is Recollections Black.  The image is Stampin' Up (unknown and old) stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Very Vanilla.  The sentiment is Gina K Garden Silhouettes stamped in Close To My Heart Tulip.  The image/sentiment panel is layered on a shimmery ivory of unknown origin and a shimmery grey Bazzill.

Like an earlier sympathy card, I've had this stamped image in my stash for a long, long time.  I'd originally planned to turn this into a sympathy card but it was much to somber in black and grey.  Stamping the simple sentiment in red makes this an elegant card for any occasion.  I love the sophistication!

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

Gisèle

Blue Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a very pretty blue sympathy card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is an unknown Stampin' Up collection layered on Recollections Vanilla and Stampin' Up Pacific Point.  The sentiment is Gina K Botanicals stamped in Altenew Starlight on Recollections Vanilla layered on more Pacific Point and Recollections Vanilla.  The butterfly is cut with a Sizzix Butterflies Framlits die from a watercolour paper of unknown origin.  The butterfly is highlighted with White Opal Liquid Pearls.

This is such a great piece of printed paper.  I love the wonderful shades of blue.  This is the second butterfly I attempted.  The first I'd painted with blue Twinkling H2Os but the contrast just wasn't enough.  This white, textured butterfly pops perfectly!  I love the mixed font of the sentiment, with the second line working especially well with the printed paper.  Another great result!

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

Gisèle

Vintage Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is more of a vintage sympathy card.

The card base is Recollections Kraft.  The printed paper is K & Company Barbara Walton layered on Stampin' Up Raspberry Ripple and Powder Pink.  The sentiment is Gina K Hope Grows stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Powder Pink.  The ribbon is American Crafts.

I liked this sentiment on yesterday's card I decided to use it again.  This is, obviously, an entire different style card.  I thought the vintage style image and the kraft card base were very appropriate for this commission.  The ribbon is applied with a very simple knot and I didn't add any extra embellishment because it just wouldn't fit with the overall feel I was trying to evoke.  It's a great result.

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

Gisèle