Papertake Christmas

Hello everyone,

I decided to use this week's Papertake challenge for tonight's card. The Papertake blog always has something really interesting to inspire and get the creative juices flowing.



The background paper is atd Snow Day. I also used some Stampin' Up Old Olive and a dollar store paper find. The ornament is, once again, the Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink technique. I used an Inkadinkado Cool Christmas image, highlighted with Stickles Burgundy and Green. The ribbon is Michael's Ribbon Bowtique.

I like this card very much. I hope no one is getting tired of the ornaments as I just love the look of these elements and have quite a stash to use up. I was actually quite impressed that I had a stamp that coordinated so well with the atd paper.

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

Gisèle

Christmas Flourish

Hello everyone,

Tonights card is a Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge. I really love the Flourishes blog because there is always something inspiring to be found there.

The paper in this card comes from a number of places including Stampin' Up (Wild Wasabi), atd Holiday Cheer and the dollar store. I textured the Wild Wasabi with the Sizzix Holly and Berries plate. The ribbon is Michaels Ribbon Bowtique. I used the Ranger Adirondack alcohol ink technique on the ornament. The sentiment is Stampin' Up Snow Swirled.

I really love this card. It was easy to put all the elements together and I think the simplicity is very effective.

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

Gisèle

Mojo Masterpiece

Hello everyone,

Today's card is my first Mojo Monday challenge. It truly was a challenge as it had more layers than I've incorporated before. I was rather befuddled with it at first, but once I got methodical, it came together beautifully.


There are a number of different papers at work here including Stampin' Up Christmas Cocoa Specialty paper and Whisper White, atd Holiday Cheer, Bazzill Textures and DCWV Matchmakers textured neutrals. The image is DeNami Design Christmas Tree Script embossed with Close To My Heart Olive embossing powder. The ribbon is from Dollarama and the brads are from Multicrafts. The ornament is a combination of Martha Stewart peridot glitter, Ranger's Adirondack alcohol ink technique and gold Stickles punched with the Stampin' Up Ornament punch.
I am very pleased with this card. The ornaments came about as a happy accident as I was experimenting with alcohol inks over the weekend. Expect to see more of them because I've got a bit of a stash built up and I just love them!
I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.
Gisèle

Sweet Sunday Snow

Hello everyone,

Today's card is inspired by Jennifer McGuire at Two Peas in a Bucket who posted her alcohol inks tutorial videos on Friday. I just love the effect of the alcohol inks on glossy paper and as I've just discovered this technique, it was great to get Jennifer's tutorial. I thought I would use the technique to fulfill two challenges - Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge and yesterday's 365 Cards Snow challenge.



The background paper is atd Snow Day. The next layer is from my scrap box and I couldn't figure out where it's from. It is textured with Sizzix Snowflakes. The circle is cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities. The snowflakes are also from Spellbinders and Maped. The image is Stampin' Up Dasher in StazOn jet black. The senitment is Inkadinkado Warm Holiday Wishes also stamped in StazOn jet black. The ribbon is Michael's Shimmering Crystals.

The circle, the snowflakes and the band under the ribbon are all smooched / pounched with Ranger alcohol inks - denim, cloudy blue, silver mixative and pearl mixative - on Stampin' Up glossy paper. The second layer was also smooched with the same applicator pad. For reference to this technique please go to Jennifer McGuire's video tutorial as she covers this technique quite comprehensively.

Next to holly, I think snowflakes are one of my favourite Christmas images. I love how this card turned out and see so many more possibilities. I hope you enjoy this card as well and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Design Challenge

Hello everyone,

I've decided to really put my card designs out there and try out for a position on a design team. One of my favourite blogs, Just Christmas and Birthday Cards, is looking for three designers and even though I've no formal design training, I'm going to submit a couple of cards. The design call asked for two photos of favourite cards. It was too hard to choose favourites as, unless I totally mess up, I love all of them, so I decided to design two cards from scratch and submit those. My preference is making Christmas cards not only because I love the season, but there is no such thing as too much when it comes to Christmas cards. Frankly though, birthday cards come a close second because you can be so very personal.

I think this just might be my most favourite Christmas card yet. It is so elegantly simple. The card base is from Halcraft. The image is Hero Arts Holly Flourish. I inked the flourish with VersaMark and used my Tombow markers to colour the holly before I stamped onto the card. The flourishes were then embossed with Close to my Heart Silver Pearl embossing powder. I used Shimmerz Evergreen and Burgundy to highlight the holly leaves and berries. The sentiment, on a piece of scrap, is Stampin' Up Short and Sweet, embossed with more Close to my Heart Silver Pearl and punched with the Modern Label punch. The ribbon is Offray Lovely Gold.

The paper for this birthday card is all Stampin' Up. I figure when making a favourite card, use a favourite paper and mine at the moment is Cottage Wall. I combined the Cottage Wall with some Whisper White, Old Olive and Orchid Opulence. The Old Olive was stamped with Stampin' Up's Cornelli Lace jumbo wheel in Old Olive ink. I used a Spellbinders Nestabilities Label to cut the two top elements. The ribbon strip is Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry in which the dots are highlighted with Star Dust Stickles. I also used the Star Dust Stickles to highlight some of the flowers in the Cottage Wall paper. The bow is Offray Lovely Gold. The brads are from either Michaels or Multicraft, I can't remember which but know it is one of those two. Finally, the sentiment is Stampin' Up Yummy in Rich Razzleberry.

I just love both of these cards. They contain elements that I find especially pleasing which when combined, just come together beautifully. Would that all cards worked so well. I don't know that I have enough experience to make the design team, but I sure enjoyed putting these cards together. Cross your fingers for that the Just Christmas and Birthday Cards design team likes them as much as I do.

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

Gisèle

Happy Birthday

Hello everyone,

I started out really liking today's card but in the end, I wish I'd just left it alone. I think it's a case where I fussed with it too much and I should have stopped when I was ahead. I'm not all that happy with the numbers stamps I used but these are the only numbers I have - I have to start looking for a better option. This is a challenge card from Stampin' for the Weekend Challenge Blog which asked us to create a card for a landmark celebration. I chose to do a 29th Birthday because you can use this number over and over and over.

I used My Mind's Eye Wild Asparagus paper for the background. The image is Stampin' Up Birthday Whimsy in Rich Razzleberry on Whisper White. The corners of this element was punched with the Fiskars Lace corner punch. The sentiment is Sweet 'n Sassy Birthday Greetings. The number is from an old set of my daughter's and I've no idea of the brand. The ribbon is So-Facile which I believe was a Dollar Store find. I used Shimmerz Burgundy and Gold Glimmer to highlight QuickKutz Embossing Frame which is also sponged with Rich Razzleberry and Soft Suede. I also used a bit of Platinum Stickles to highlight the image.

Not the worst card I've ever made (those will never be published) but not the best either. Sometimes you should just leave well enough alone!

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

Gisèle

A Challenge Fix

Hello everyone,

Well, the hand is on the mend but after getting my club cards done this afternoon, I really needed a clean and simple (CAS) this evening. I was also itching for a challenge and found the perfect one at the Willow Sketchie Challenge Blog

The paper in this card is all Stampin' Up, Whisper White, Not Quite Navy and Ski Slope Designer Series Paper. The image is Stampin' Up's Scandinavian Season. The sentiment is Penny Black's Banner of Joy. The ribbon is Textured Trios and the brads are from Multicrafts.

I love Christmas cards in non-traditional colours and all shades of blue are a favourite. I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle