Challenges Galore

Hello everyone,

It sure feels great to get to some blog surfing. There are some pretty spectacular card making blogs out there. I found two new challenges today and used them and two old favourites to craft this card. Monday's Craft Your Passion Challenge asked for a girly girl card. This week's Papertake Weekly Challenge was 'anything goes' and Desert Islands Crafts Challenge was to pick three items from the itinerary. I chose two or more patterned papers, pearls and a birthday theme. Today's 365 Cards challenge was a really interesting Q&A recipe - favourite colour (blue), favourite design technique (smooshed alcohol ink), favourite embellishment (pearls), least favourite colour (yellow) and favourite card size (6 1/2" x 5").


The background paper is BasicGrey Urban Prairie as is the top layer. The blue layer is glossy paper smooshed with Ranger Pearl Mixative and Butterscotch, Cloudy Blue, Cool Perl and Stream alcohol ink. The sentiment is Annabelle Stamps Sentimental Bluebells stamped in Nick Bantock Deep Turquoise on Stampin' Up Whisper White. The embellishments are also from Annabelle Stamps.

I love everything about this card. Using my least favourite colour was a challenge but as soon as I turned to BasicGrey, I was inspired. This card was so much fun to craft. I usually have a hard time when I use a lot of challenges on one card but this one just worked.

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

Gisèle

Another Sick Niece

Hello everyone,

I've made another 'get well' card tonight because I've another niece who is under the weather. She is the sister of the niece for whom I made yesterday's card. I'm really feeling sorry for my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. This card meets yesterday's Papertake Weekly challenge to use ribbons and pearls.

The background paper is BasicGrey Eva layered on Stampin' Up Wild Wasabi and Close To My Heart Vineyard Berry. The ribbon is American Crafts Red Ruffles. The images are Bazzill Basics Pink Posies Chip Toppers. The pearls are from Annabelle. The sentiment is Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages stamped on Whisper White and layered on Pink Pirouette.

I love this card. Pink, green and burgundy are a favourite colour combination and the BasicGrey paper really pulls this all together so well. I wanted to have a youthful and cheery card and this certainly works. I know my niece will love this card.

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

Gisèle

Many Merry Christmas's

Hello everyone,

This should be one of my last Christmas cards this year although given my depleted stash, I'll have to work hard to build it up again. This card is for one of my best friends. I had a chance to do some blog surfing today and there are any number of challenge for which this card will suit. Last Friday's Stampin' for the Weekend asked for a Christmas card. Saturday's Allsorts challenge was anything goes. Tuesday's A Spoon Full of Sugar was a Christmas challenge and Papertake Weekly's challenge was anything goes. Today's ABC challenge was to keep it simple; the Fab 'n Funky challenge was to do a quick and easy project; the For Fun challenge was anything goes and the Belli challenge was anything goes.

The focal image is Stampin' Up Brushed Gold textured with Crafts-Too Christmas Greeting folder layered on a piece of Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso textured with Sizzix Small Dots. The image was highlighted with Star Dust Stickles.

This was a super easy and very quick card. I've been trying to use this embossing folder since I first picked it up and I'm not disappointed. This card turned out beautifully and my friend will just love it!

Gisèle

Frosty

Hello everyone,

Today's card fulfills a multitude of great challenges. I had only planned to use three challenges but when I looked over my list, it worked for a bunch of challenges. The latest ABC Christmas Challenge is 'V' for vertical with a great sketch to follow. Today's Artful Inkables is a blue, silver and white card. Today's Cards for Men is an anything goes challenge as long as it is for a man. The Flourish Timeless Tuesday Challenge was to embellish with anything but buttons or bows. Papertake Weekly is looking for sparkly and bright. Finally, this week's Tuesday Throwdown was to focus on a sentiment. Whew! I'm glad I didn't plan for all of these otherwise a card likely wouldn't have happened.

The background paper is DCWV Pastels card stock. The navy layer is of unknown origin from the stash, likely Recollections. The silver paper is Recollections and is textured with the Sizzix Ornaments plate. The white strips are Stampin' Up Whisper White textured with Sizzix Small Dots. The ribbons are from Michaels, Celebrate It Holiday and Home & More Classic Collection. The sentiment is Close To My Heart Magical Season stamped in Nick Bantock Charcoal Grey and heat embossed with Silver Pearl. The sentiment was cut and layered with the Spellbinders Labels Three die. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Licorice Opaques.

I love, love, love this card. The blue, silver and white is a favourite colour combination and perfect for a man-card. I was tempted to add some silver Stickles but I figured that would move the card away from manly and I really wanted to craft a card that I could pass along to a male colleague. There is enough sparkle in the ribbon.

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

Gisèle

Christmas Mittens

Hello everyone,

I just couldn't resist this week's Papertake Weekly challenge. It is it's third anniversary and this week's challenge was to pick our favourite challenge from the past three years. It was a ton of fun to go through the blog and see what's been posted and it was impossible to choose just one. I finally decided on the sketch from February 23rd, 2010. The challenges for April 14th, 2008 and November 3rd, 2008 was glitter, gems or sparkle. The challenge for May 11th, 2010 was shiny , sparkly and special. The challenge for July 28th, 2008 was Christmas. The challenge for April 28th, 2008 was embossing. Ultimately, you just had to use all of your favourite things because the variety of the challenges put forward by Papertake weekly will cover absolutely everything a card maker could love!

The card base is from Strathmore. The background paper is Close To My Heart New England Ivy textured with Sizzix Holly and Berries embossing plate. The patterned paper is also Close To My Heart Mistletoe paper packet layered on a piece of Quickutz Quickstripz Manhatten. The red stripe is Quickstripz Tropical. The image is a Close To My Heart Glitter Rub-on adhered to a scrap of Stampin' Up Very Vanilla and layered on a piece of Anna Griffin's Christmas Scrapbook paper pack. The sentiment is Impression Obsession Christmas Sentiments.

This was a really fun card to craft. Going through Papertake Weekly's blog to look at all the challenges was fabulous. What a great group of wonderfully talented card makers. If you have a chance to check it out, take some time to explore the blog, it is so inspiring.

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

Gisèle

Wedding Traditions

Hello everyone,

Today's card is inspired from yesterday's Papertake Weekly Challenge for Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue. I used Techno Stamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch as a starting point. I really wanted to get started using the fabulous stamped images I got in the mail today from my card making blogging buddy, Erin T. and these challenges fit the bill.

The card base is from Recollections. The bottom layer is Stampin' Up Brocade Blue which was punched with Martha Stewart's Optic Drop border punch. The patterned layer is My Mind's Eye Coastal 'Curious'. The ribbon is previously enjoyed and of unknown origin. The image is Waltzingmouse Big Blooms Chrysanthemums and is highlighted with Waterfall Stickles. The bottom oval layer was punched from another Big Blooms Chrysanthemums. The sentiment is American Crafts Wedding which is stamped on a scrap of Stampin' Up Very Vanilla.

The 'something old' is the ribbon. The new is the sentiment. I'm calling the 'something borrowed' the images from Erin T. The blue is pretty self-evident. Overall this is a very traditional wedding card. Overall, I love this card - the colours, the sparkle and just the entire feel. Thanks Erin for the great images, they've got me feeling really creative.

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

Gisèle

Three Challenge Birthday

Hello everyone,

Today's card is based on three challenges. The Play Date Cafe wanted to see blue; My Time To Craft wanted spots; and Papertake Weekly provided the sketch.

Notwithstanding the sentiment, which is Lizzie Anne Little Bits, this is a Stampin' Up card. The background paper is brocade blue textured with Sizzix Small Dots. The patterned paper is Patterns Pack II, some of which is highlighted with Diamond Stickles. The image is Medallion and is also highlighted with Diamond Stickles.

Blue is my favourite colour. I love this card. It was fun to combine all the papers into a very workable card. I also have to say that spots scream for Stickles. I think I use Stickles on the Medallion stamp every time I use it. Oh well, it works for me.

Please enjoy and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Card For Caroline

Hello everyone,

Creativity tonight was lagging terribly. I couldn't even find a challenge that inspired even though today's Papertake Weekly Challenge is an open theme. When I mentioned this to my panda-loving daughter, she said, "Stamp a panda". I've done just that and I'm beyond grateful for her suggestion.

The background papers are DCWV Neutral Textured card stock. The images are Local King Rubber Stamp Panda Bear 4. The images are stamped on glossy paper using a colouring technique learned at last fall's Creativ Festival. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Warm Words. The pearls are from Hero Arts.
I love this card! Considering I couldn't come up with any ideas for a card tonight, this card turned out beautifully. I love being inspired by my daughter. Thanks Caroline.
Please enjoy this panda and come back to SPI again soon.
Gisèle

My Take On Manly

Hello everyone,

I love, love, love today's card. It is inspired by Tuesday's My Time To Craft Make It Manly challenge, while the Papertake Weekly Challenge provided the sketch.

The card base is Stampin' Up Kraft paper. The image, Stampin' Up Lovely As a Tree, is stamped with watercolour crayons on a piece of watercolour paper. It is mounted on a piece of Stampin' Up Always Artichoke and a piece of Ranger alcohol ink (browns and copper mixative) smooshed glossy paper. The sentiment is Sweet 'n Sassy Birthday Greetings. The ribbon is Home & More Classic Collections from Michaels which is mounted on a strip of Always Artichoke.
I'm so excited about this card. The kraft paper wasn't disappointing. It looked terrible before I put all the elements together but is just spectacular finished. I just love how well the watercolour technique and the alcohol ink technique came together so fantastically. I simply love the ribbon, it was one of those purchases that I just couldn't resist. This, to me, is a quintissential manly card.
Please enjoy and come back to SPI again soon.
Gisèle