Inspiration

I was reading the latest post by Susan Raihala on her blog Simplicity about when you see a card that you love in a magazine or on a blog, it isn't necessary to do everything the same, but to improvise and play around with what you have.  So I thought I would showcase a card I made that was inspired from a card featured in the March 2010 UK edition of Cards.  The original card was by Ann Cox ... and here is my version.

Card Recipe
Stamp: SU Sincere Salutations
Cardstock/Paper: SU Certainly Celery, SU Whisper White, Basic Grey Eva collection
Ink: SU Certainly Celery
Tools/Accessories: Circle punch, Martha Stewart 3 in 1 butterfly punch, Martha Stewart royal butterfly punch, SU scallop edge punch, SU certainly celery ribbon, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, epoxy dome sticker

A la prochaine!  Amitiés.

Nicole

Kristina Werner's Readers' Choice Colour Inspiration No 2

 

Happy Bank Holiday!  Hope you have enjoyed your day despite the cooler weather.  I was up early to go to a car boot sale with my Mum; we managed to get rid of quite a few "unloved" items - books, jewellery, kitchenware, etc - as well as selling some of my unused crafty stash.  The car boot is hosted by the church near my Mum's house and they only hold it on Bank Holidays.  It is quite small but the people are friendly and I usually end up seeing some friends there.  In the church hall they have refreshments, so once we have set up our stall we treat ourselves to a bacon butty each for getting up so early on a bank holiday Monday!  Then later on we have a piece of homemade cake.  No wonder we don't make as much money as we would like - we keep spending (or should that be eating?) the profits LOL!!

This is my card for the colour challenge that is on at Kristina Werner's blog - just about managed to get it in on time!

I knew from the moment I saw the paper in my Basic Grey Wisteria paper pad that I wanted to use that for this challenge, the hardest part was getting a bit of celery green into the card but I finally managed it with the brad - it is green honest!

Card Recipe
Stamp: SU Sincere Salutations
Cardstock/Paper: SU Bordering Blue, SU Whisper White, Basic Grey Wisteria, yellow card from stash (it's actually recycled from Liz Earle packaging)
Ink: PTI Enchanted Evening
Tools/Accessories: Corner Chomper, Martha Stewart punch, Carl daisy punch, SU scallop edge punch, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, PTI Enchanted Evening Ribbon, Papermania green pearl brad, Stickles yellow

A la prochaine!

Amitiés

Nicole

AWOL and SU Bird Punch

Bonjour (although ¡Hola! might be more appropriate)!

I guess you thought I must have been missing in action! Well I suppose I have been in a way. It has been manic at work with all the interviews for the job I mentioned in my last post plus I have been on holiday to Port de Pollença in Northern Mallorca at my favourite hotel for a week with my Mum. It was totally relaxing - until I got back to work (LOL)! Here is a view from our hotel balcony at 8am one morning.

Just looking at this view soothes me! The staff at the hotel are so friendly and helpful - particularly on Reception where Francisco (the Head of the team) makes me practice my Spanish and Emilio jokes with the guests. I have been going to this hotel nearly every year since 2003 - this is from someone who could never understand how some people keep going to the same place year after year! I must confess I do still like to go somewhere new each year, but I just have to go back here once a year to get my "fix" (oh and of course not forgetting my annual Christmas shopping trip to Paris!!)

Anyway, on to a card as this is what this blog is supposed to be about. This is a variation on a theme that I pulled together from ideas taken from other blogs. This card features the fabulous Stampin Up two step bird punch which has been released in the UK Stampin Up Occasions mini catalogue.

Card Recipe

Stamp: Penny Black Happy Birthday

Cardstock/Paper: PTI Kraft, SU Designer Series Sweet Pea

Ink: Brilliance Chocolate

Tools/Accessories: SU Circle Punch, SU Scallop Circle Punch, SU 2 Step Bird Punch, SU Sweet Pea Felt, Ribbon from stash, Stickles, SU Dimensionals

Hope you have been enjoying the recent fabulous weather here in the UK - even better than it was in Mallorca some days!

Amitiés (or perhaps I should "saludos" in line with the slightly Spanish theme of this post?!)

Nicole

Easter Cards

Well I had planned to get this post up in time for the A Passion for Papertrey Easter/Spring Challenge, but it ended up way too late! Just got too much going on at work at the mo! Had 216 applications for a job we advertised - good news I guess from an employer's point of view about a recession plus we don't advertise this job very often and when we do we always get a HUGE response! These applications all have to be double marked so in effect that means 432 applications (well working in the public sector we are so pro-social (if you know what that means you will know which part of the public sector I work in - LOL!)). Anyway (one of my "favourite" words), shown below are some of my cards I made for Easter which I sold at work, together with the easter gifts I made for my family (except the men!).






Card Recipe
Stamps: Penny Black Happy Easter, PTI Take Note
Cardstock: SU Whisper White, PTI Kraft, PTI Summer Sunrise, PTI Spring Moss, PTI Ripe Avocado , PTI Egg Hunt, PTI Bitty Dot Basics, PTI Pretty Pastels
Ink: PTI Ripe Avocado, SU So Saffron
Tools/Accessories: Cuttlebug Circle Die, SU Oval Punch, SU Scallop Border Punch, SU Circle Scallop Punch, Prima Flowers, PTI Spring Moss Ribbon, PTI So Saffron Ribbon, PTI buttons, PTI My Timeless Template Pretty Petal Pocket, Signo White Gel Pen, PTI Large Glassine Bag

Amitiés

Nicole

Happy Mother's Day!

Just a quick post to show the card I made for my own mother on Mother's Day. I can't take any credit for the design as I got the idea for this from my lovely SU demonstrator Michelle Last. She had this flowerpot card as one of the projects when I was part of her Hostess Club last autumn and she has just showcased it on her blog for Mother's Day (please see the post about it and take the opportunity to look at her fabulous card and leave a comment for the chance to win some gorgeous blog candy!). I did change the colours and use my own "style" of flowers. I have to say the card took ages until I got the colours just right - bit of a perfectionist!


Card Recipe
Stamps: Impression Obsession Happy Mother's Day greeting
Cardstock: PTI Kraft, PTI Plum Pudding, PTI Ripe Avocado, SU Very Vanilla, SU Elegant Eggplant,
Ink: PTI Fresh Snow, PTI Plum Pudding, Assorted Papermania & Tombow markers
Accessories/Tools: PTI Satin Plum Pudding ribbon, SU large oval punch, SU scallop oval punch, SU scallop edge punch, SU 5-petal flower punch, Cuttlebug Combo dove die, We R Memory Keepers Crop-a-dile, Stickles, SU stampin dimensionals

Hopefully the card tied in with the flowers I sent my mum. We had a lovely celebratory lunch at one of our favourite restaurants, The Plough at Bolnhurst.

Looking forward to the PTI release tonight and the new SU products coming up in the mini-occasions catalogue next month!

Hope you had a fabulous Mother's Day whether you are either a mother yourself or celebrating your own mother.

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Mother's Day Cards

This Sunday will be Mothering Sunday in the UK so I have been busy making Mother's Day cards to sell at work and thought I would show you just three of them here. The first one is a variation on the card I did in my first post. I have kept the design and layout the same but have used different colours - this is much more my style! In fact this was quickly snapped up by my boss for her mother-in-law (or more accurately she bought it for her husband to give to his mother - hopefully you can see the distinction!).

Card Recipe
Stamps: Clarity Stamp Leafy Swirl H, Impression Obsession Happy Mother's Day, Hero Arts Long Writing Background
Cardstock: SU Whisper White, PTI Enchanted Evening, PTI Ripe Avocado
Ink: PTI Ripe Avocado, Encore Silver
Accessories/Tools: Clear embossing powder, SU scallop border punch, SU Scallop circle punch, SU Certainly Celery twill ribbon, Papermania brad

This second card is a variation on the black & white card in the previous post (although truth be told its actually the other way round - the black & white card is a variation on this one!)


Card Recipe
Stamps: PTI Turning a New Leaf, Impression Obsession Happy Mother's Day
Cardstock: SU Whisper White, SU
Ink: PTI Fresh Snow, Versamark
Accessories/Tools: SU Whisper White grosgrain ribbon, white embossing powder, Basic Grey opaline adhesive pearls

This third card is a variation on cards I have made and sold at other craft events. I love the CAS style on this!

Card Recipe
Stamps: Impression Obsession Mother's Day greeting
Cardstock: SU Very Vanilla
Ink: Brilliance pearlescent ivy
Accessories/Tools: SU Certainly Celery twill ribbon, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, flowers from stash

You will see from the 3 cards displayed in this post that unfortunately I only have one Mother's Day greeting stamp but by using my SU Stamp-a-ma-jig I have been able to get quite a lot of use from it!

It only remains for me to make a card for my own mother for Sunday - and as she has seen all these (in her capacity of "design consultant" - ie: she gives me her feedback on my designs) I need to come up with something else!

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Passion for Papertrey - B&W Challenge

Hi there! Well a bit by the skin of my teeth (pretty typical of me actually!) here is my card for the Black & White Challenge on A Passion for Papertrey. Although I am really into monochromatic at the moment, I do usually add a hint of colour, eg: red or bright pink, so did find this a little difficult!

My card is a take on one that Nichole Heady did when launching the Turning A New Leaf stamp set.

Card Recipe

Stamps: PTI Turning a New Leaf, PTI Signature Greetings
Cardstock: PTI Black, SU Whisper White
Ink: PTI Fresh Snow
Accessories/Tools: SU Whisper White grosgrain ribbon, white embossing powder, clear adhesive gems from stash

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole