Lily Impressions Birthday Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another set of Stampin' Up 'birthday' cards.

The card bases are Stampin’ Up Blackberry Bliss, Bermuda Bay and Petal Pink.  The printed paper is Stampin’ Up Lily Impressions layered on Blackberry Bliss, Bermuda Bay, Petal Pink, Granny Apple Green, Coastal Cabana, Gorgeous Grape, Pretty Peacock, Highland Heather and Strawberry Slush.  The sentiments are Close To My Heart Joyful Birthday stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more Blackberry Bliss, Bermuda Bay, Petal Pink, Granny Apple Green, Coastal Cabana, Gorgeous Grape, Pretty Peacock, Highland Heather and Strawberry Slush.  The embellishments are Stampin’ Up White Organza ribbon, Michael’s Melodies and Lace Pearls, Multicrafts (purple ribbon), white pearls of unknown origin, Stampin’ Up Iridescent pearls and Crafts Rhinestone Stickers.

From the moment I saw this designer series paper, I've loved it!  The colours are just wonderful and I find the style extremely appealing.  I took advantage of the paper to use as many different solid colours as possible and I wasn't at all disappointed in the results.  Though I only used two of the four sentiments in the Close To My Heart set but all four are fantastic and well worth having in a stash.  I had a lot of fun choosing embellishments and layouts because the possibilities were just endless.  I'm so pleased with the results.

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

Gisèle

A Cheerful Argyle

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another very happy 'birthday' card.

The card base is Recollections White Linen Texture.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin’ Up Lucky Limeade and Dusty Durango.  The sentiment is Stampin’ Up Happy Thoughts stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and also layered on Stampin’ Up Lucky Limeade and Dusty Durango.  The embellishments are from Multicrafts.

This is another cheerful card.  This argyle is pretty bright!  The layout is very similar to the card that I posted last Thursday.  I had a heck of a time figuring out if I was using Dusty Durango or Cajun Craze and I'm still not certain I've got it right.  I've had these studs for ages and have them in both silver and gold.  I can't find them any more but still have quite a few left, thank goodness.

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

Gisèle

Another Great Plaid Thanks

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is yet another 'thank you' card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla. The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Handsome Hunter and Soft Suede.  The sentiment is Altenew Many Thanks stamped in Soft Suede on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Handsome Hunter and Soft Suede.  The embellishments are from Multicrafts.

I got a more formal vibe from this plaid.  I don't know if it's the colours or the larger checks.  The simplicity of the layout is a nod to the more formal business aspect of this 'thank you' card commission.  The font of the sentiment is also rather formal though simple.  The three gold studs are my take on manly embellishments.  It's another great result.

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

Gisèle

Ornaments Two Ways

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is a pair of great ornament Christmas cards.

The card bases are Paper Accents Glossy Gold Cardstock.  The images are Stampin' Up Embellished Ornaments stamped in VersaMark on Stampin' Up Very Vanilla and heat embossed in Stampendous Green and Red Tinsel embossing powder.  The die cuts are Sizzix Delicate Ornaments Thinlits cut from a red and a green mirrored paper of unknown origin and more Paper Accents Glossy Gold Cardstock. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on more Stampin' Up Very Vanilla. The ribbon is a green of unknown origin and a sheer red from Multicrafts.

I love these ornaments cards!  I changed things up a little on each card by switching out the ribbon colours and the images.  Though the layout of each card is virtually the same, with each small difference they are still unique.  These ornaments were a lot more work than I thought they'd be due to the sheer repeating of the elements.  It was worth the effort!

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

Gisèle

Simple Thoughts

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another wonderful 'thinking of you' card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Whisper White.  The printed paper was made using shaving cream and a variety of Stampin' Up re-inkers (the shaving cream technique) and is layered on Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry and Taken With Teal, and a white of unknown origin.  The sentiment is My Favorite Things Brushstroke Expressions stamped in Taken With Teal on Whisper White and layered on more Taken With Teal.  The embellishment is a metal flower from Multicrafts and a Crafts brad highlighted with Holiday Cheer Nuvo Glitter Drops.

I used this shaving cream technique on a number of papers a couple of years ago and had a fair bit of leftovers in my stash.  I thought it would be great for this series of cards I've been making for friends and family.  I think the layers on this card are great as they really highlight the swirls of colour in the printed paper.  I think I probably should have re-inked my Taken With Teal stamp pad as the impression of the sentiment is a little on the light side.  It took me a while to figure out an appropriate embellishment and I'm quite happy with the final result.

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

Gisèle

A Striped Kitty

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great cat card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed papers are BasicGrey Urban Prairie layered on Recollections Black.  The 'negative' image is the Stampin' Up cat paper punch.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishments are Multicrafts Keepsake Memories.

This isn't exactly the 'negative' space cat card I intended but it still works okay.  I had intended to cut strips of printed paper and leave more blank space but was distracted by this piece of Urban Prairie paper.  It did still have the strips I was looking for there's just too much of it.  I think the negative image would be more prominent if there was a little more black space on the card.  It's still a great result, I'd just experiment with the idea a little more.

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

Gisèle

A Delicate Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a sweet birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The printed paper is DoCrafts Papermania by Lucy Cromwell layered on a white and grey Recollections.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up It's Your Birthday stamped in Altenew Industrial Diamond on Recollections White.  The ribbon is Multicrafts.  The embellishments is Close To My Heart Pearl Opaques.

I really love this colour combination!  It took me a while to find as I was too focused on the light purple background.  Once I ignored the purple and looked at the butterflies and the stems, it all came together.  I think the font of the sentiment works well with the stems and the colour coordinates so well overall.  It's a wonderful result.

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

Gisèle

More Vintage Inspiration

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another vintage inspired birthday card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The printed paper is BasicGrey Lucille layered on a shimmery dark pink of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Happy Birthday stamped in Stampin' Up Soft Suede on Recollections Vanilla.  The ribbon is Multicrafts.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap LeCreme Baby Bling Pearls.

This is another great piece of printed paper.  I love the big bold flowers!  The colours are warm and were pretty easy for coordinating.  I switched things up with the sentiment by placing it like a tag under the ribbon.  I had to sort through a lot of different ribbons to find something pleasing but am fairly satisfied with this thin sheer gold ribbon.  The extra bling wasn't necessarily needed but the package was just sitting on my desk further to yesterday's card.

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

Gisèle

Simply Seasonal

Hello everyone,

Happy December!  Today's post begins the Christmas cards I've been crafting.

The card base is Stampin' Up Garden Green.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Real Red.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Holly Berry Happiness stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The ribbon is Multicrafts.

This series of Christmas cards were commissioned by a friend.  He is sending them to his clients so I've kept them pretty secular and simple.  This card is very simple, drawing on the great printed paper.  The scale of the images is perfect for a card.  I used a flat bow to make it easy to mail.  I didn't add any extra embellishments because it didn't really need it.  This is a lovely result.

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

Gisèle

Elegantly Vintage

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely and easy birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a light green Bazzill.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages stamped in Altenew Industrial Diamond on Recollections Vanilla.  The ribbon is Multicrafts.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Pearl Opaques.

This is the type of vintage birthday card I love to craft.  The elements are somewhat old fashioned but the layout is quite modern in it's simplicity.  I love the printed paper.  It has great colours for coordinating and the scale is perfect for cards.  The ribbon has a slight sheen and anchors the sentiment perfectly.  It's a great result.

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

Gisèle

Dandelion Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another sympathy card from the series I've been crafting for my neighbor's work.

The card base is Close To My Heart Glacier.  The printed paper is Scrap Within Reach "The Cottage" Artistic layered on Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The sentiment is Serendipity Stamps stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishment is Multicrafts.

I found this card base and printed paper in my bin of bases and envelops, and decided it would make a perfect sympathy card.  The printed paper is not the greatest scale for a card because the images are rather large but I think it works well enough because the layout is extremely simple.  I've not used my Serendipity Stamps stamps in a while and came across this one when I was crafting yesterday's card. 

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

Pretty Pink Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a really sweet and very non-traditional Christmas card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Pink Pirouette.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a shimmery white also of unknown origin.  The sentiment is cut from Dee's Distinctively IME-087 Merry Christmas Small die from a shimmery white Bazzill.  The ribbon is Multicrafts.  The snowflake embellishment was punched from a shimmery pink and a shimmery white Bazzill.  The card is highlighted with Star Dust Stickles.

I just can't craft Christmas cards without including a few that are not at all traditional.  This pink card is just wonderful.  It's a very soft palate with stronger hints of pink in random snowflakes.  There is a bit of shimmer to each element.  The paper was also just perfect for adding hints of Stickles glitter.  A fantastic result!

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

Gisèle

Sweet Santa V

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another pair of teacher Christmas cards.

 



The card bases are Stampin' Up Mint Macaron.  The printed paper is Stampin' Up Home For Christmas.  The printed paper on the left-side card is layered on a white of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Impression Obsession Christmas Sentiments stamped in Altenew Jet Black on a white of unknown origin and layered on Real Red.  The embellishment is Jolee's Boutique Christmas Candy Cane Repeats Dimensional Stickers.  The printed paper on the right-side card is layered on Real Red and Early Espresso.  The sentiment is Impression Obsession Christmas Sentiment stamped in Early Espresso on a white of unknown origin and layered on more Early Espresso.  The ribbon is Multicrafts and the embellishment is a Maildor Cooky sticker.

This is another really cute pair of cards.  All the layouts in this series are pretty straightforward.  There were just too many cards to craft really complex cards (not that my cards are all that complex).  I love the bit of sparkle incorporated in the candy cane embellishment and the reindeer sticker is perfect for a teacher card.

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

Gisèle

Another Mini Hexagon Thanks

Hello everyone,

Today's post uses more hexagon printed paper.

The card base is Stampin' Up Not Quite Navy.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a white of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thank You Messages stamped in Not Quite Navy.  The embellishments are from Multicrafts.

I think this navy and white hexagon makes for a great business thank you card.  It's crisp, clean and simple.  Given the different shades of blue on the printed paper, I could have used a different blue card base but there is something about navy and white that is really striking.  I wish I'd had hexagonal embellishments!

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

Gisèle

Striped Thank You

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another simple and sophisticated thank you card.

The card base is Close To My Heart Daisy White card base.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections Black and Close To My Heart Cotton Candy.  The sentiment is Avery Elle Oh Happy Day stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on a white of unknown origin.  The pink metal flower embellishment is from Mulitcrafts.

Pink, black, white and grey are another fantastic colour combination.  In this particular case, these simple stripes make for a really great card.  I didn't feel the sentiment panel needed any additional layering.  I searched for an embellishment for quite a while and was thrilled to find this pink metal flower that I'd found at Multicrafts ages ago.  It's a great card!

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

Gisèle

Red Jingle Bells

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last of the Christmas cards commissioned by my girlfriend.

The printed paper is Stampin' Up Mistletoe designer series paper layered on Soft Seafoam.  The sentiment is Flonz Merry Christmas 808 stamped in Early Espresso on a white of unknown origin and layered on more Soft Seafoam.  The ribbon is from Multicrafts.  The embellishment is of unknown origin.

At the end of this commission I was struggling a bit for inspiration and whenever that happens I turn to Stampin' Up.  Everything coordinates so perfectly and it makes things so easy.  I love the scale of this paper because it's just perfect for smaller cards.  The ribbon treatment was also interesting but took me some research.  I had remember seeing it on this Simplicity blog post and really liked it because it a pretty flat bow.  This is a very narrow ribbon so bulk wasn't really an issue but I want to ensure the 'bow' would stay horizontal so I could add an embellishment.  I've got the blog post bookmarked now!

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

Gisèle

Just A Little Retro

Hello everyone,

I consider today's birthday card to be just a little bit on the retro side.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Smoothie.  The sentiment is Magenta stamped in Stampin ' Up Mossy Meadow, coloured with Stampin' Up Old Olive Blendabilities and layered on more Smoothie.  The butterfly embellishment is from Multicrafts.

I really love this printed paper.  It's somewhat funky with the odd shaped squares and intersecting lines.  It reminded me of the old space cartoons like the Jetsons - apologies for those too young to remember that show.  This is a new sentiment stamp.  I thought the leaves make is just a little more interesting and with all the birthday cards, I needed just a little something new for the stash.  I think it all came together very nicely.

Today's birthday card post will be the last until August as I'm going to be posting Christmas In July cards for the next month.

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

Gisèle

Cheerful Spring Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely spring birthday card.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on an orange Bazzill.  The sentiment is Gina Marie All Seasons stamped in Altenew Olive on Recollections White.  The butterfly embellishment is from Multicrafts.

With a commission of over 100 cards, I realized quite quickly that I was going to have to keep the cards quite simple.  This is a great example of really quick and easy card.  The background paper is striking!  A simple punched sentiment and a sweet embellishment bring it all together.  A great result!

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

Gisèle

Rockin' Thanks II

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the second rock and roll inspired thank you card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Basic Grey.  The printed paper is DCWV Rock Star layered on a white of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Impression Obsession Vertical Greeting stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on a white of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Multicrafts.

I wasn't so sure a teacher would like the skull aspect of this card but the big guitar in the background should hopefully make up for it and besides, skulls are a pretty common graphic these days.  I do love the black/white/grey colour combination.  With the shiny silver studs, this is a pretty great result.

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

Gisèle