A Beautiful Bouquet

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a very pretty feminine birthday card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The image is Hero Arts Delicate Rose Stems stamped in Altenew Permanent Black on Recollections Vanilla and painted with LuminArte Fuzzy Peach and Lemongrass Twinkling H2Os.  The image panel is layered on K&Company Julianne Mat Pad, Bazzill Basics and a light peach of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Joy Crafts Sayings stamped in Altenew Permanent Black.  The embellishments Want 2 Scrap LaCreme Baby Bling Pearls.

When I went to my stash for a birthday card last week I discovered I had only two feminine English birthday cards.  An issue easily remedied with an afternoon of crafting.  This is a favourite.  I've always loved this image!  It is so easy to paint and always turns out beautifully.  I'm heartily satisfied with the layers of peach which are utterly perfect against the vanilla base.

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

Vintage Floral

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a great vintage-styled birthday card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Early Espresso and Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Flonz Happy Birthday stamped in Stampin' Up Soft Suede on an ivory of unknown origin and layered on more Early Espresso.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap LeCreme Baby Bling Pearls.

Cards don't have to be complex to be beautiful and with such a large commission, it's just not feasible to craft a few hundred complex cards.  I adore this paper!  The images are so delicate as are the colours.  I love the contrast with the big, bold sentiment which is in the design 'sweet' spot for maximum impact.  The pearl placement isn't as cohesive as I'd like but it isn't terrible either.

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

Gisèle

Butterfly Blues

Hello everyone,

I'm starting off 2018 by posting all the non-holiday cards I've crafted over the past few months.

The printed paper is Making Cards Wonderful Watercolours layered on Stampin' Up Elegant Eggplant, and a pale blue and green of unknown origin.  The image is Stampendous Butterfly Trio coloured with a variety of Stampin' Up watercolour crayons, spritzed with water and stamped on watercolour paper.  The sentiment is Microsoft Word.  Both the image and sentiment are layered on more Elegant Eggplant.  The card is highlighted with Want 2 Scrap Say It With Pearl White Baby Bling.

This is such a beautiful summery card most welcome on a bitter cold January day.  I really tailored this card to the recipient who loves these colours and the nature theme.  I didn't have these actual French words so I used Microsoft Word and printed them.  It's a great way to get one-off sentiments without having to purchase stamps.  I love the colours and the technique used on this card and am so very pleased with the result.

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

Gisèle

A Little Vintage Christmas

Hello everyone,

Today’s post is another charity card for this month’s ‘Christmas In July’ series.

The patterned paper is of unknown origin layered on Bazzill red and black.  The sentiment is Bonnidee Christmas Wording #3 stamped in Altenew Jet Black on Stampin’ Up Very Vanilla.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap Red Baby Bling.

This vintage-feeling card is pretty simple.  I found the paper among the great donations from Crop A While.  I really love Santa’s image.  I ended up doing a cover-up with the sentiment which hides a partial ‘Merry Christmas’.  It looked really strange when I trimmed the paper to fit the card base so this seemed a pretty obvious solution.  Overall, this card was quick and easy with a really great result.

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

Gisèle

Blooming Beauty

Hello everyone,

Now that I've finished posting Christmas cards, its time to highlight some of the other cards I've crafted over the past few weeks.

The printed paper is Best of K & Company layered on Stampin' Up Crushed Curry and Lucky Limeade.  The images are Stampin' Up Blooming With Kindness stamped in StazOn Olive Green on Very Vanilla and painted with LuminArte Dreamsicle, Fuzzy Peach and Chiffon Pink Twinkling H2Os.  The image layered was lightly sponged with Crumbcake and River Rock.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Bloom With Hope stamped in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla and layered on more Lucky Limeade.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap LeCreme Baby Bling Pearls.

I crafted this card for a girlfriend's early December birthday.  She is surrounded by guys and I especially wanted to give her something super feminine.  This sentiment is perfectly apt for her as she is one of the nicest people I've ever met.  I ended up sponging the flowered layered because the StazOn was just too stark against the card.  That simple technique really softens and made the card more vintage.

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

Gisèle

Oh So Pretty

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas card is all soft and pretty.

The printed paper is Heidi Grace Christmas Holly Leaves layered on a shimmery, metallic blue of unknown origin.  The holly branch is die cut from a shimmery, textured white of unknown origin with a Penny Black Holly Berry die.  The sentiment is Sweet & Sassy Poinsettias in Tsukineko Starlite Black Brilliance ink on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap Say It With Pearls.

I absolutely love this card!  The colours, the shimmer, the layout, the design, there is nothing that I don't love!  I picked up this particular die for a couple of reasons.  I liked that it was holly, duh, and I liked that it wonderfully delicate and light, perfect for cards.  Its much more challenging to use a large die on a card.  I don't think it would be too hard to make this in a more traditional red and green.  I picked up this Tsukineko ink from a sale bin and am so glad I did.  It is a great, dark-ish neutral that isn't black.

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

Gisèle

Bravo Birdie

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last charity card using the beautiful leftover Birds and Blooms and the darker blue DCWV card bases.

The textured card base is DCWV.  The printed paper is Karen Foster Birds and Blooms layered on Momenta Textured Cardstock.  The sentiment is Avery Elle stamped in Close To My Heart Whisper ink on Stampin' Up Whisper White, and layered on more Momenta.  The printed paper is highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap Baby Bling Pearls.

This card took me much longer to craft than I thought it would as I couldn't quite figure out what to do to take best advantage of the printed paper.  I eventually decided to just let the paper be and work with pearls and glitter.  I think it was the right choice.  I don't often mix pearls and glitter but using the two in this case worked really well.  The pearls fit great on the flowers and the glitter is wonderful on the dots.  I love the results and am glad I didn't mess with the layout and extras.

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

Gisèle

Seeds of Sympathy

Hello everyone,

I needed to even up the French sympathy card numbers and I had a new Penny Black I wanted to try.

The background image is Hero Arts Old Letter Writing stamped in Stampin' Up Crumbcake.  The image is Penny Black Delicate Floral stamped in Soft Suede and coloured with Stampin' Up Pastels.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Soft Suede on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Ranger alcohol inked glossy paper.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap LeCreme Baby Bling Pearls.

I wasn't particularly happy with the writing used on Tuesday's card.  It smooshed, though not badly enough for me to throw it aside, it wasn't as crisp as I'd have liked.  I wanted to try the wording again but in an entirely different context, so to speak.  I like this version so much better.  I decided to use the chalks because I wanted to keep it very soft and I find that so much easier to do that with the chalks.

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

Gisèle

Two-Step Flowers

Hello everyone,

I always like to show the beginners group at the Crop how to do some interesting things on their cards.  This particular two-step stamp is extremely easy to use and is very striking.

The printed paper is DoCrafts Papermania Lucy Cromwell layered on Stampin' Up Pink Pirouette and textured Baja Breeze.  The images are Close To My Heart A Budding Friendship stamped in Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze and Crushed Curry inks on Recollections White.  The images are highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The sentiment is also Close To My Heart A Budding Friendship stamped in Crumb Cake on Recollections White.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap Say It With Pearls.

The printed paper on this card is actually different than that which I've prepared for the beginners.  There are only three sheets of each print so I didn't have enough to do four cards.  It comes from the same collection however so I don't imagine it will be a problem.  One of my beginners like to send cards to her grandmother and I thought this would be the perfect 'any occasion' card for her.

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

Gisèle

Happy 2015!

Hello everyone,

After a short break for New Year's Eve, it was wonderful to spend some time fussing to craft today's card.

The printed papers are Stampin' Up Paisley Petals.  The images are also Stampin' Up Paisley Petals stamped in StazOn Olive Green on Recollections Vanilla and painted with LuminArte Dreamsicle, Sage, Spiced Pumpkin Fresh Oregano, Bashful Blue and Bolivian Blue Twinkling H2Os.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker Beautiful Wishes stamped in StazOn Olive Green on Recollections Vanilla.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap LeCreme Say It With Pearls.

It's not often that I really take the time to stamp and paint such an intricate image.  It took me a couple of tries but I'm awfully pleased with the results.  I didn't really try to mimic the colours on the printed paper but I did want them to speak to one another.  I think I managed pretty well.  This has to be one of my favourite sentiments.  I think it is wonderfully eloquent.

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

Gisèle

Decking Holiday Stamps

Hello everyone,

The next few posts are Christmas cards that I crafted for a beginners class composed of colleagues who successfully bid on this 'prize' that I offered for a charity auction.

The printed paper is Stampin' Up Letters To Santa layered on Ridinghood Red and Early Espresso.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Merry & Type stamped in Ridinghood Red on Recollections White and layered on more Early Espresso and Ridinghood Red.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap red baby bling.

All the cards in this series are designed to be easy but impactful.  The women who are participating in this class have never done any kind of card making and I'm not certain if they are at all crafty.  I really want to ensure that they will be satisfied with the results.  Using amazing printed paper, I think this card will be a big hit.

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

Gisèle

And We Will Remember Them

Hello everyone,

I always like to make a sympathy card on Remembrance Day.

The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Ruby Red and Recollections Vanilla.  The image is Stampendous Poppy Stems stamped in Tombow 098 and 856 on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Ruby Red.  The sentiment is Verve Forever In Our Hearts stamped in Early Espresso.  The poppies are highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap Le Creme Say It With Pearls.

Lest We Forget.

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

Gisèle

Heavenly Holly

Hello everyone,

Today's post is of the Holly 'paint stroke' cards.

The image is Art Impressions Holly (UMV2113) coloured with Tombow 228 and 856 on Stampin' Up Very Vanilla and layered on Ridinghood Red.  The sentiments are Cornish Heritage Farms Vintage Christmas Expressions and Bonnidee Christmas Wording 3 stamped in Early Espresso.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap LeCreme Baby Bling pearls.

I think this is my favourite brush stroke stamp.  It isn't as straight forward to ink but it is so awesome when it is stamped!  Overall I kept the card really simple so as not to distract from the fabulous image.

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

Gisèle

Holiday Holly

Hello everyone,

Today's post are for a couple of cards that are a part of box sets for the Fall charity card sale at the office.

The images are DeNami Design stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and highlighted with LuminArte Douglas Fir and Poppy Red Twinkling H2Os.  The French sentiment is Bonnidee C'est Noel also stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The images and sentiments are layered on Simple Stories December Documented Red Snowflake and a textured Bazzill.  The ribbon is Craft Narrows from Michael's.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap Red Baby Bling.

The ribbon on the French card covers up the English sentiment and serves as a very workable foundation for the French sentiment.  I couldn't use the same ribbon placement for the English card so decided to just add a bow.  I am quite pleased with the results.

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

Gisèle

Winter Blues

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another Christmas card in the latest series of French holiday cards I've been crafting.

The printed papers are Kaisercraft Just Believe layered on Bazzill that was textured with the Sizzix Northern Fleury embossing folder.  The sentiment is Bonnidee Layering Trees stamped in Stampin' Up Bravo Burgundy on Recollections Vanilla.  The ribbon is Close To My Heart.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap LeCreme Baby Bling Pearls.

After yesterday's really traditional vintage card I thought I'd try something less traditional but still vintage.  I love the results!  This is a fantastic Christmas card!  In real life, the bottom blue layer is actually much less bright.  Also, the embossed snowflakes are actually more distressed than this photo shows.  I really love playing with leftovers like these and I've had great fun coordinating and layering.

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

Gisèle

A Wonderful Day

Hello everyone,

Today's card is the second wedding card commissioned by a colleague for her mother to give to her brother.

The printed paper is TPC Studio Wedding Silhouette Tapestry Stripe layered on a brushed gold of unknown origin and Stampin' Up Blackberry Bliss.  The sentiment is Inkadinkado stamped in Blackberry Bliss on Very Vanilla.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap LeCreme Say It With Pearls.

The challenge with this card was to make is different enough from yesterday's card but still coordinate it with the wedding invitation.  Using the printed paper and the Blackberry Bliss was key, as was making a horizontal as opposed to a vertical card.  This seems much more formal than yesterday's card and I think it is because of the colour and the printed paper.  Still beautiful and my colleague loved it as much as yesterday's card.  I hope her mother does as well.

I have to add, I'm loving Blackberry Bliss and all the other new in-colours!

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

Gisèle

A Special Day

Hello everyone,

The next couple of cards were commissioned by a colleague whose brother is getting married.  One is for her and tomorrow's card is for her mother.

The paper is Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry and Very Vanilla, and a brushed gold of unknown origin.  The Very Vanilla layer was textured with Sizzix Damask texture plate.  The sentiment is Stampendous Special Messages stamped in Rich Razzleberry on Very Vanilla and layered on more Rich Razzleberry.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap White Say It With Pearls.  The ribbon is Offray.

When my colleague asked me to craft these cards, she loaned me the wedding invitation which I used for inspiration by way of colour and texture.  I actually love the simplicity of this card even though it still seems very formal.  She was so pleased with the results.

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

Gisèle

Big On Butterflies

Hello everyone,

Today's 'get well' card is also for my stash and challenged me from the get go.

The printed paper is My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline Dolled Up "Day" Butterflies layered on Close To My Heart Hollyhock and Olive.  The background is Stampin' Up Butterfly Collection Jumbo Wheel rolled in Hollyhock ink.  The butterflies were die cut with Sizzix Embosslits Beautiful Wings in Hollyhock and Olive.  The hemp is of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap Say It With Pearls.

Could there be any more butterflies on this card?  I've had this wheel for eons but just never managed to get any experimenting with it.  This is a goofed, cover-up card.  Even though I used my wheel guide, I managed a really obvious 'smoosh' with the impression, thus the split placement of the printed paper.  So frustrating, especially after the Swallowtail incident a few days ago.  This is one of those cards where I just seemed to have to keep adding elements before I was even nominally pleased with the results.  Notwithstanding the 'smoosh', I think this wheel has some wonderful possibilities.

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

Gisèle

Pretty Poppy

Hello everyone,

Today's card will help replenish the stash I keep at the office.

The printed paper is DCWV Floral Prints layered on Close To My Heart Garden Green.  The image is Stampin' Up Simply Sketched stamped in Close To My Heart Whisper ink on Whisper White and coloured with Stampin' Up Watercolor crayons.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes.  The focal element is layered on more DCWV Floral Prints and Close To My Heart Vineyard Berry.  The ribbon is Daisy Bucket Designs.  The embellishments are Want 2 Scrap Say It With Pearls.

I love this sympathy card.  Everything just seems to compliment the next.  I've had this ribbon in my stash for a while but just hadn't found the chance to use it.  I'm not disappointed.  It is a paper ribbon which made it very easy to use.  While predominantly red, it has fine threads of many different colours which will make it versatile.

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

Gisèle