Wonderfully Wished

Hello everyone,

The next few posts are more cards using Altenew elements that I've been playing with recently - not butterflies - those have all been used.

The background image is Stampin' Up You've Got This stamped in Altenew Lavender Fields and sprayed with Vanilla Smooch Spritz.  The images are Altenew Watercolor Wonders stamped in Deep Iris, Forest Glades, Frayed Leaf, Lavender Fields, Mango Smoothie, Soft Lilac, and Close To My Heart Topiary.  The sentiment is Penny Black Happy, Happy stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

I've only recently received this Watercolor Wonders set and wanted to play with the coordinating dies (and of course Altenew inks).  I ended up with a lot of pieces to use and I've tried to use them in different ways each time.  I really love the result of using a background stamp with layered die cut images. Some of the images were adhered with glue, others with dimensionals, which adds even more interest.  I pulled out some wooden sentiment stamps, with this one being a particular favourite.  I love the different fonts incorporated into one stamp and the size was the perfect scale for this card.

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

Gisèle

Popping Poinsettia

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas card is a very simple die cut poinsettia similar to this card I did recently.

The background is Stampin' Up Soft Suede textured with Craft Concepts Merry Christmas embossing folder, layered on Real Red and sprayed with Vanilla Smooch Spritz.  The poinsettia is die cut with Cottage Cutz Winter Poinsettia Bouquet cut from Stampin' Up Mossy Meadow and a red of unknown origin.  The poinsettias are highlighted with Gilded Gold Stickles.

I had intended to use the same printed paper as I did on yesterday's card but when I placed the poinsettia over the paper, it didn't stand out all that much.  I chose to use this particular embossing folder because there is no need to add a sentiment.  Over all, a great Christmas card.

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

Gisèle

Sweetheart Valentine

Hello everyone,

I know that Valentine's Day was yesterday but I still wanted to post the super sweet card I crafted for my daughter.

The printed paper is Making Memories layered on Close To My Heart Hollyhock and Blush, and Recollections White.  Another Recollections White layer was sponged with Hollyhock and Blush inks, then stamped with Inkadinkado Hearts in more Hollyhock ink and sprayed with Smooch Spritz Vanilla Shimmer.  The sentiment is TPC Studio Hugs & Kisses stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Whisper White.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart red enamel hearts.

I had so much fun crafting this card for my daughter.  As much as I like crafting more masculine Valentines for my husband, it's a joy to super girly for my daughter's Valentine.  Swirls, shimmer, a little bit of candy bling, it all comes together so wonderfully.  I debated using the Versafine for the sentiment element, trying some different options, but decided I liked the pop of the black against all the pinks and reds.

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

Gisèle

Marvelously Muted

Hello everyone,

I decided to take pastel just a little bit further and crafted a thing of beauty.

The printed paper is K&Company Merryweather Rose layered on Stampin' Up Kraft and a scrap of pink of unknown origin.  The image is Stampin' Up Serene Silhouettes stamped in Crumb Cake on Very Vanilla and coloured with Stampin' Up Pastels.  Once coloured, the image was sprayed with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz.  The sentiment is Serendipity stamped in Crumb Cake on Very Vanilla.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Mocha Opaques.

If yesterday's card was out of my normal, this one blows normal out of the water!  I don't ever remember crafting such a soft and pretty card.  It is striking in its softness.  I used a tissue to apply the pastels (which are really chalks) because I hate the applicators that came with the chalks and I wanted this to be very, very muted.

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

Gisèle

Winter Wonderland

Hello everyone,

I don't think I've ever gone so long without posting.  It's been incredibly busy and everything has rather gotten away from me. 

We're in an absolutely frigid spell so I decided to take the cold as inspiration.

The printed paper is BoBunny Powder Mountain layered on Close To My Heart Moonstruck which was textured with Cuttlebug Winter Wonderland embossing folder and spritzed with Smooch Spritz Vanilla Shimmer.  The images are Stampin' Up Serene Snowflakes stamped on Whisper White in Pacific Point and heat embossed with Close To My Heart Silver Pearl.  The sentiment is Verve Glad Tidings also stamped on Whisper White in Pacific Point and layered on more Moonstruck.  The embellishments are BoBunny Powder Mountain jewels.

Isn't this little bunny the cutest?  With the bitter cold outside, it just seemed fitting to cover this card with snowflakes.  The shimmer of the Smooch Spritz is wonderful and this photo just doesn't do it justice.  I suspect that my posts over the next month will be erratic at best.

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

Gisèle

Butterfly Beauty 9

Hello everyone,

Today is card number nine in this latest one sheet wonder series.

The background layer is Stampin' Up Blue Bayou textured with Couture Creations Entangle embossing folder and sprayed with Smooch Spritz Vanilla Shimmer. The printed paper, K&Company SW Nature Butterfly, is layered on More Mustard. The sentiment is Penny Black Special Time stamped in Marina Mist on Very Vanilla. The embellishment is K&Company SW Nature Butterfly pillow stickers.

I love this card. It has been a long time since I shook the Smooch Spritz and it worked perfectly for this card. Between The Smooch and the dry embossing, this background really sets off these two little bits of designer paper.

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

Gisèle

One Sheet Wonder 5 & 6

Hello everyone,

I have the non-traditional Christmas one sheet wonder cards five and six for you today.

The patterned paper is Close To My Heart Wonderland - Let It Snow. The seventeen card bases are a mix of Close To My Heart Grey Flannel, Crystal Blue or Twilight. Additional card bases are DCWV Textured Jeweled; Stampin' Up Blue Bayou, Shimmery White or Whisper White; or Recollections.


The bottom layer is Recollections dry embossed with Sizzix Northern Fleury and spritzed with Vanilla Smooch Spritz. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Curly Cute stamped on Whisper White and layered on Crystal Blue. The focal element is highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Sparkles.


The patterned paper is layered on Whisper White and brushed silver of unknown origin. The image is Rubber Stampede Santa Collage stamped in Bermuda Bay on Whisper White, glittered with Glitter Ritz Cool Transparent microfine glitter and layered on Twilight. The sentiment is Stampavie Tina Wenke Holiday Wishes stamped in Nick Bantock Charcoal Grey on Whisper White and layered on brushed silver. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Bitty Sparkles.

The first card is not my most favourite ever. I like the colours but the layout seems off and there just isn't 'enough' on it. Maybe more bling? More sparkle? Ribbon? I think the second card may be one of the most beautiful cards I've ever crafted. I love absolutely everything about it! If I had to mass produce a card, this one would be it!

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

Gisèle

Happy Holidays

Hello everyone,

I'm still playing with my new LuminArte H2Os and couldn't resist trying my hand at Christmas card.

The background paper is from Recollections which was embossed with Sizzix Holly & Berries texture plate and spritzed with Vanilla Smooch Spritz. The middle layers are Recollections Pearlized Gold and K&Company SW Glad Tidings. The image is Impression Obsession Candy Cane which was stamped in StazOn Black on Stampin' Up Very Vanilla and painted with LuminArte H2Os. The sentiment is My Sentiments Exactly Holiday Sentiments. The embellishments are Crystal Stickers Gold Pearls.

I really like this card. I couldn't resist picking up this stamp because of the holly. A very elegant image and it looks so great painted! This is actually a really simple card with a pretty basic sketch and lots of layers.

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

Gisèle

More Thanks

Hello everyone,

I've another batch of thank you cards that I've crafted over the past few days. Believe it or not, I'm not finished. I've been commissioned by a friend to make another half a dozen thank you cards. After those however, I'm back to anything but thank you cards.

The background paper is Stampin' Up textured Rich Razzleberry. The image, stamped on Stampin' Up Whisper White, is Stampin' Up Medallion, which has been sprayed with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. The patterned paper is Stampin' Up Cottage Wall. The sentiment is Sweet 'n Sassy Autumn Blessing. The embellishments are Multicrafts Keepsakes Memories

The patterned paper is Stampin' Up Elegant Soiree designer paper, layered on Crumb Cake and Baja Breeze. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Lovely Labels, stamped in Nick Bantock Cerulean Azure on Very Vanilla and heat embossed with Close To My Heart silver pearl embossing powder. The sentiment is layered on a scrap of Baja Breeze dry embossed with Sizzix Elegant Lines embossing folder. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Pearl Opaques.

The card base is Recollections. The images, Gina K Botanicals, are stamped in Stampin' Up Perfect Plum and Pale Plum and layered on BasicGrey Kioshi Kiku and Stampin' Up Perfect Plum which was textured with Cuttlebug Swiss Dots dry embossing folder. The embellishments are Close To My Heart Licorice Opaques.

If I do say so myself, these are another three great cards. I can't give you a favourite but I have to say I've had a lot of fun with the background stamp and you should expect to see more of it over the next while. If you read yesterday's post you'll remember that I've recognized that I'm partial to blue, well, I'm also partial to pearls because I've used quite a few on this card making marathon.

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

Gisèle

To Have & To Hold

Hello everyone,

One of my husband's young colleagues is getting married next weekend so a card was needed. I didn't want to do something really traditional so I thought outside the box. I used Friday's Get Sketchy Card Challenge as a jumping off point. Today's Just Us Girls challenge was a wedding card and the One Stop Craft Challenge was looking for texture. For good measure, this week's Paper Play Challenge was 'anything goes'. How could I go wrong?

The background paper, textured with Sizzix Pattern 1, was part of the stash I got at the crop I attended last May. The patterned layer is affixed to a piece of Stampin' Up Shimmery White. The ribbon is Sheer Creations from Michael's. The sentiment, stamped on another piece of Shimmery White, is American Crafts Wedding. The embellishments are Crafts from the dollar store. The entire card was Vanilla Smooch Spritzed.

This is not quite what I pictured in my mind. I don't hate this card but it isn't a favourite. I love the colours together but I don't think it is enough of a wedding card for me. That being said, I suspect my husband's colleague will love it.

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

Gisèle

Out Of The Box, Into The Lagoon

Hello everyone,

Today's card is so out of my comfort zone that I'm still wondering if it is worth posting. It may be one of those cards that was nicer in my mind that in reality. Last Thursday, Simon Says Challenge offered up a really interesting photo for inspiration and while I loved the colours, I couldn't figure out a card that really jazzed me. Monday, however, the Cupcake Craft challenge was to use acetate and that got me thinking of possibilities. It didn't hurt that Monday's Practical Scrappers challenge was to use embossing, a favourite technique.

The inspirational photo.

The card base is from Recollections. The blue paper is BasicGrey Marrakesh, textured with Sizzix Retro Squares and highlighted with Vanilla Smooch Spritz. There is also scraps of acetate, vellum and a textured/flocked piece of white paper of unknown origin. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Wonderful Words which were heat embossed with Close To My Heart Silver Pearl. The embellishments are Peggy's Pretties.

I was trying to evoke a sense of the ice cubes, all rounded squares, shiny and cold. This really is rather abstract and certainly not something I'd normally try. It's not a bad card but in the final analysis, I'm really not sure about it and I'm not confident putting it in the sale pile.

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

Gisèle

Anytime, Everyday

Hello everyone,

I've got a really quick post for you today as I'm heading out to a Stampin' Up Open House to check out everything that is new. I actually used three challenges for this card. Shirley's 2 Girls (S2G) Challenges provided a great sketch, the Stampin' B's Challenge was polka dots, and today's Terrifically Thrilling Thursday was looking for an anytime, everyday card.

The background paper is Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip textured with Sizzix Small Dots. The remaining paper is BasicGrey Bittersweet. The pink rectangle was textured with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. The dark strips and pink focal elements were Vanilla Smooch Spritzed. The sentiment is Gina K Tag Lines.

I must apologize first up for the photo. I just couldn't get a good one. I'm otherwise thrilled with this card. I love this BasicGrey paper and the sketch just lent itself to use a numbering of different sheets from the same pad. I have to say, I'm really pleased with the Smooch Spritz as it adds just that extra little bit of sheen that really makes a card exceptional. I think this would be a great card to give some, just because.

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

Gisèle

Four Challenge Birthday

Hello everyone,

Today's card fulfills four challenges. Mojo Monday provided the sketch. Little Paper Shop provided the colours. The Pink Elephant provided a recipe, three layers, two die cuts and ribbon. The Shabby Tea Room asked for embossing. While I don't usually undertake this many challenges on one card, they all fit together so well that I couldn't help myself.

The patterned paper is Stampin' Up Cottage Wall. The remaining paper is Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry and Whisper White. The Rich Razzleberry is embossed with Sizzix Butterfly Dance. The large butterfly, a Sizzix Bigz Beautiful Butterflies die cut, is textured with Sizzix Ivy Flourishes. The small butterfly is cut with a Sizzix Embosslits Beautiful Wings and Vanilla Smooch Spritzed. The ribbon is Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry 1/2" polka dot grosgrain. The embellishments are Kiwi Oregon Raindrops. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Vintage Labels.

I love this card. This colour combination is one of my favourites. I actually bought three packages of Cottage Wall paper and will be devastated when it is all used. I found today's Mojo sketch rather interesting and I like how it enabled me to showcase different pieces of the Cottage Wall paper.

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

Gisèle

Wedding Blitz

Hello everyone,

I had planned to make baby cards this weekend because I've none in my stash but instead, it looks like it's all about weddings. My mom has requested a wedding card and was actually very specific so it was rather fun to rise to the challenge. I've use today's i{heart}2stamp Sketch For You To Try (SFYTT) as a starting point. Mom wanted a blue bird and the bride and groom initials incorporated in the design.


The background paper is DCWV Floral Prints. The verital strips are Stampin' Up Shimmery White textured with Sizzix Pattern 1 and Vanilla Smooch Spritzed. The blue elements are all glossy paper to which Ranger Adirondack alcohol ink was applied. The initials are Provo Craft Olivia font. The bird and leaves are Sizzix dies and are applied to a scrap of acetate which has been textured with the Victoria Cuttlebug folder.
This is a very pretty card. I love all the blues and white as well as the sparkle. The acetate was a bit of an experiment. My girlfriend Michelle had seen it at a Close To My Heart class and I thought it was a great idea. It may have been just one too many a technique for a single card but it does make for some great texture.
I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.
Gisèle

Happy Retirement

Hello everyone,

I just found out that one of my favourite former bosses is retiring so I just had to make her a card. She is one of the sweetest and most lovely women I've ever had the pleasure to meet. Congratulations Ruth, enjoy your much deserved retirement!

The printed paper is Stampin' Up Raspberry Tart. The red paper is Stampin' Up Rose Red which was trimmed with Martha Stewart's Quilted edge punch and highlighted with Smooch Spritz. The white paper is a scrap of Recollections. The image is Stampin' Up Itty Bitty Buds - a former hostess set. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Warmest Regards from 2006.

I used today's Everything Old Is New Again Challenge which provided a sketch from Splitcoaststampers and asked us to use a retired Stampin' Up stamp set.

I just love this card. Though the paper is retired, it is one of my favourites. I love how this card came together. It was a challenge to center the modern label punch on the Rose Red stripe. Regardless, I know that Ruth is going to love it!

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

Gisèle