Lovely Lilacs

Hello everyone,

Today's birthday card post is a lovely purple floral.

The printed papers are Stamperia Lilac Flowers.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Four Frames and Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Nick Bantock Damson Plum on Recollections Vanilla.  The pearl embellishments are of unknown origin.

This Stamperia paper that I picked up at a crop last year is really beautiful.  It's double-sided so those sheets I can't use for cards have beautiful patterns on the flip side.  There are great sides for layering as I did on this card.  To top it all, the colours and images are beautiful and so easy to work with.

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

Gisèle

Lucky Blues

Hello everyone,

Today's good luck card is all shades of blue.

The printed paper was crafted using the shaving cream technique and a variety of Stampin' Up and Nick Bantock re-inkers, and was layered on Recollections White and Stampin' Up Pacific Point.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart For Every Occasions stamped in Altenew Desert Night on Recollections White and is layered on more Pacific Point.  The embellishments are Denim Oregon Raindrops.

If I've not said it before, I so love the swirling blues on this paper.  The shaving cream technique is a ton of fun but so very messy!  I made a ton of sheets when I was playing with the shaving cream (and it really is playing!) so I've a lot of sheets in my stash.  This card is fully intended for a male recipient so I kept the layout and embellishments really simple and straightforward.  I love the result!

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

Gisèle

Simple Greetings

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another simple but beautiful Christmas card.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a shimmery white and brown Bazzill.  The sentiment is Papertrey Ink Signature Christmas stamped in Nick Bantock Charcoal Grey on Stampin' Up Whisper White, layered on a banner punched from more brown Bazzill.  The card is highlighted with Mercury Glass Stickles.

This maybe one of my favourite cards so far in this series.  There is something beautiful about this rather neutral card.  I love the layout and the banner.  The Mercury Glass Stickles couldn't work better with the brown and grey colour scheme.  The mojo was flowing when this card came together.

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

Gisèle

Formally Purple

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas card post is 'oh so formal'.

The sentiment is Penny Black A Wonderful Christmas stamped in Nick Bantock Damson Plum on Recollections White and layered on a Bazzill purple and a white textured snowflake paper of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Mark Richards 3 mm silver metal.

I love using purple on Christmas cards.  This purple has a fair bit of red which makes it even better for a Christmas card.  The formal font and large size of this sentiment doesn't leave much room for any image.  I chose to use the little banners because I really like them and I thought it would work for this more formal card.  The silver embellishments are perfect with all the white and purple.  Not a difficult card by any stretch but still just as lovely.

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

Gisèle

Happy Houses

Hello everyone,

I just couldn't resist crafting another card with this fabulous house paper.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a Bazzill Mustard.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Designer Tee stamped in Nick Bantock Chartreuse Leaf on Whisper White.  The ribbon is of unknown origin (likely American Crafts).

As I crafted this card I was thinking it would be one to give as a housewarming.  I deliberately used a thinner ribbon (it was in the scrap drawer) and a very simple and smallish sentiment.  I really wanted these houses to be the focus.  They're so much fun, they shouldn't be covered up.  I really love the pop of the green ribbon.  Both cards turned out so well.

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

Gisèle

For The Kiddies VI

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the final kiddie card in this series.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a Bazzill green.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Sassy Salutations stamped in Nick Bantock Chartreuse Leaf on Stampin' Up Whisper White and layered on a Bazzill red.  The stickers are Twin Seven.

Still inspired by the primary stripes of the earlier boy cards, I found this great chevron paper in my scrap bin.  It was perfect for these funky animal stickers.  The colours coordinate so perfectly you'd think they were from the same company.  I couldn't craft a kid's card without using the Sassy Salutations sentiment as it is one of my all time favourites for these types of cards.  I could easily repeat the quick and simple card over and over.

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

Gisèle

For The Kiddies III

Hello everyone,

Today's kiddie card is another great sticker and paper combination.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Whisper White and Bazzill green.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Tin of Cards stamped in Nick Bantock Chartreuse Leaf on Whisper White.  The stickers are Twin Seven.

I so liked the bright colours and bold stripes of yesterday's robot card I decided to case it for this space card.  These particular primary colours work so very well with the stickers.  I debated making this a vertical card but placing the rocket on an angle just seemed right.  There are a lot of smaller filler stickers in these sets so this sun was perfect to fill the leftover space.  A wonderful result.

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

Gisèle

Spectacular Shades of Blue

Happy New Year everyone!

Today's card uses another treasure I pulled out my stash.

The printed paper was made using the shaving cream technique with a variety of Stampin' Up and Nick Bantock re-inkers on Recollections White and is layered on a white and light blue of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Avery Elle So Happy stamped in Altenew Sapphire on more white of unknown origin and layered on more light blue of unknown origin.  The banners are punched from a scrap of silver of unknown origin and are highlighted with Purple Stickles.

I chose to craft a card using this shaving cream paper because I thought my brother's girlfriend would get a kick out of it.  You can still (and likely will always) catch a scent of shaving cream.  I crafted a whole bunch of shaving cream cards in mid October done with fall colours.  At the same time I was getting messy, I decided to make a few sheets in shades of blue which turned out utterly striking.  I kept this layout particularly simple because I didn't want to cover up too much of the background.  I'm glad I made quite a few of these pieces because they're just amazing!

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

Gisèle

Beautiful Blues

Hello everyone,

Today's card is a commission for a colleague.

The image is Inkadinkado stamped in Nick Bantock Prussian Blue on Recollections White and layered on a chrome silver of unknown origin, more Recollections White, a textured blue of unknown origin and more silver foil.  The image is highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

I love this card.  It's actually very clean and simple but the colours and layers put it over the top!  Nothing beats blue, white and silver, especially for a less traditional Christmas card.  This card is to be mailed so I was asked not to add anything too thick.  The layers don't add a lot of thickness and the Stickles add great sparkles without any extra bulk.  This is another card that I could craft over and over.  I could even envision making it in multiple colours.

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

Gisèle

Itty Bitty Dinos

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another little boy birthday card.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on DCWV All About Girls and a royal blue of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Wacky Wishes stamped in Nick Bantock Prussian Blue on Recollections White.  The dinosaur embellishment are of unknown origin.

This is the cutest darn dinosaur card!  I chose this printed paper because it coordinated so well with the colours of dinosaur embellishments I had on hand.  Like yesterday's card, this is an extremely flexible card layout.  The sentiment and embellishments could be placed anywhere on the card and will look great.  For this sample, I placed the sentiment is the bottom right 'sweet spot' and anchored it with two embellishments.  The other three dinosaurs were place randomly though I was tempted to put them in a straight line.

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

Gisèle

Little Black Birds

Hello everyone,

As dark and dusty as yesterday card was, today's post is much lighter and utterly inspired by nature.

The printed paper is of unknown origin.  The background image is Stampin' Up You've Got This stamped in Nick Bantock Chartreuse Leaf on Whisper White.  The image is Memory Box Thicket Birds stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The sentiment is Creative Expression Amazing Sentiments also stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishments are from Fabricland.

I've taken advantage of crafting such a large number of cards to use some stamps that I don't get to all that often.  This is a very minimalist stamp but it really packs an image punch.  I don't know why I don't use it more often.  The background image is a 'second impression' technique as the green ink would have been a little too strong otherwise.  I chose this background image because it really mirrors the printed background paper.  I debated adding a black ribbon instead of the silver dots.  I thought without the ribbon, the card really is quite neutral and I do this these mirrored silver dots work either way.

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

Gisèle

Pretty And Purple

Hello everyone,

Today's post, as warned, is another birthday card.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on a textured purple also of unknown origin. The sentiment is Hero Art Happy Birthday stamped in Nick Bantock Damson Plum on Bazzill CS White and layered on more purple.  The embellishments are Recollections Glitter Shapes.

When I first choose this paper I figured it would end up a feminine card but now that I see it online, I think it's actually somewhat neutral.  I love all the different tree colours.  It makes for such a cheery card in the dull and grey days of November.  I never imagined I would find glittering dots that actually coordinated with the tree colours.  I can only imagine what that says about my stash.

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

Gisèle

His Birthday

Hello everyone,

Today's post is one of two.  I decided to craft a masculine and feminine birthday card using the same image and sentiment but creating entirely different cards.

The image is Joy Crafts 6410/0334 stamped in Nick Bantock Chartreuse Leaf on Recollections Kraft and layered on a Vanilla of unknown origin, Close To My Heart New England Ivy, and Stampin' Up Well Worn.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Nick Bantock Chartreuse Leaf of more Vanilla and layered on Close To My Heart New England Ivy.  The embellishments are from Fabricland.

I wanted to experiment with stamping on the Kraft paper and decided to use some stamps which have been yet unstamped.  I really loved the natural result of this impression and decided pairing it with this sheet of Well Worn paper would make for a great masculine card.  I think the diagonal angle of the sentiment and the embellishments speak so very well to one another.

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

Gisèle

Blotted Grunge Art

Hello everyone,

Today's post is is another green, white and black colour combination that I just love!

The images are Stampin' Up Gorgeous Grunge and Work of Art and Close To My Heart Ink Blot, stamped in Always Artichoke and Pear Pizzazz, Nick Bantock Chartreuse Leaf, and Close To My Heart Sweet Leaf and Topiary on Very Vanilla, and layered on Recollections Black and Always Artichoke,  The sentiment is Joy Crafts 6410/0308 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

I never ever though I'd like these images are ones that I would turn to so often.  They allow for such quick and easy cards that really pack a great visual punch.  I used multiple shades of green to add some interest and I'd like to think dimension.  It's a really great result.

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

Gisèle

Perfectly Peared

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another charity card.

The textured card base is DCWV.  The printed paper is Cosmo Cricket DeLovely layered on Stampin' Up Whisper White.  The image is Stampin' Up Faith In Nature stamped in Nick Bantock Chartreuse Leaf on Whisper White, layered on Close To My Heart Sweet Leaf and highlighted with Wink of Stella Clear 999.  The sentiment is Waltzingmouse Say It With Style also stamped in Chartreuse Leaf on Whisper White and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The ribbon is Michael's Celebrate It.  The butterfly is K&Co Brenda Walton Vellum Stickers.

This set of Stampin' Up images is one of my favourites but I don't use them all that often because I don't step out of the layers and sentiments box that I'm in.  I'm going to make a concentrated effort to change that with these charity cards.  It's pretty obvious that I paired the paper and the image, what else could really be done here?  I debated adding the ribbon and butterfly but in the end, felt they added texture and interest to what would otherwise be a pretty 'flat' card.  Overall, this card really does it for me.

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

Gisèle

Blossoms Of Blue

Hello everyone,

Now that I've used all the yellow card bases, it's time to move on to the bright green ones.  Again, what the heck was I thinking!

The textured card base is DCWV.  The patterned papers are Cosmo Cricket DeLovely layered with Stampin' Up Whisper White.  The images are Stampin' Up Stippled Blossoms stamped in Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Nick Bantock Chartreuse Leaf, and Close To My Heart Sweet Leaf.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Curly Cute stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishments are Doodlebug mini pearls.

While this printed paper is not an absolute match to the card base, the tone works extremely well, especially layered with white.  I can't quite figure why I love the printed paper so much yet the green card base I'm less than excited about?  I played with a number of images before settling on this favourite two-step stamp.  I was easily able to match the blue colours of the image with those in the paper.  The blue rather calms all that bright green I think.

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

Gisèle

Simple Snowflakes

Hello everyone,

These are the last cards in this latest Christmas set for the charity card sale.

The images are Stampin' Up Work of Art and Little Yellow Bicycle Christmas Magic stamped in Stampin' Up Marina Mist, Nick Bantock Prussian Blue, and Close To My Heart Twilight and Outdoor Denim on Whisper White.  Select images were heat embossed with Stampin' Up White embossing powder.  The sentiments are Kaisercraft Christmas Carol and Magenta stamped in Nick Bantock Prussian Blue on Whisper White.  The image and sentiment elements are layered on Marina Mist.  The embellishments are Daisyds All That Glitters Rhinestone.

I couldn't figure out how to use the Work of Art stamps to make snowflakes so I decided to stamp a background then overstamp with snowflakes in different colours and textures.  I love the results!  It still works with the brush stroke images of the other cards in the sets.  I also wanted to do something in blue to offset the greens and reds of the other three cards.  I'm very happy with these sets and I'm pumped to keep going!

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

Gisèle

A Conundrum

Hello everyone,

A few weeks ago, a friend of ours turned 50.  Her husband organized a surprise birthday party and got her, but good!  Today's post is the card I crafted for her milestone birthday.

The printed paper is Close To My Heart Miracle layered on Sweet Leaf and Crystal Blue.  The images are Stampin' Up Sweet Summer stamped in Sweet Leaf and Baja Breeze on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Joyful Birthday stamped in Nick Bantock Charcoal Grey and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Kaisercraft Denim pearls.

This particular friend doesn't ever come across as particularly girly but I've never met someone who was as engaging, loyal or supportive.  She makes me smile every time I see her.  I thought this card was a great mix of soft and sweet but strong and solid all at the same time.  A bit of a conundrum, much like our friend.

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

Gisèle

Stockings And Snowflakes

Hello everyone,

Moving on from vintage.

The printed paper is My Mind's Eye Winter Wonderland.  The sentiment is Bonnidee C'est Noël stamped in Nick Bantock Deep Turquoise on Recollections Vanilla.  The stickers are Recollections.  The embellishments are TPC Studio Class Act.

This card is all about the stickers.  Once I pulled these pretty stocking stickers out of my stash, it was just a matter of finding some blue scraps to coordinate with them.  This card couldn't have been any easier or simpler.  I originally intended to place the stockings vertically but there wasn't enough room on this card base.  I'm glad there wasn't because I'm pretty pleased with them just like this.

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

Gisèle

All Natural Christmas

Hello everyone,

Another Calgary vacation-inspired Christmas card for you today.

The printed paper is Martha Stewart Frosty Elegance layered on Close To My Heart Desert Sand.  The photos are layered on Close To My Heart Topiary.  The image is Stampin' Up Watercolor Winter stamped in Always Artichoke, Early Espresso and Nick Bantock Van Dyke Brown on Recollections White and layered on Desert Sand and Topiary.  The sentiment is Stampendous Retro Christmas Script stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections White and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishments are from Fabricland.

Though living in Calgary, my cousins are outdoor women at heart and I wanted to send them a couple of Christmas cards that reflect their love of the outdoors.  I thought this particular Martha Stewart paper fit the bill perfectly and it also gave me a chance to do some of my favourite two-step stamping.

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

Gisèle