Too Late!

Story of my life!  Suddenly saw the Embellish Birds Colour Challenge - however, I was too late and the deadline had already passed to submit an entry!  Anyway, even though it is too late here is my card!

Recipe

Stamps: Hero Arts Birds n Butterflies, Hero Arts Bird Branch Alphabet, WMS Asian Gardens
Cardstock/Paper: SU Very Vanilla, SU Old Olive, PTI Raspberry Fizz
Ink: Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate, PTI Vintage Cream
Tools/Accessories: Cuttlebug Circle Frame die, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, SU Old Olive satin ribbon, Stickles Cinnamon

A la prochaine! Amitiés.

Nicole

Forever Friends - A Passion for Papertrey's Challenge

Just a quick (edited to add: not quite so quick in the end!) post to share my entry for A Passion for Papertrey's current challenge - Forever Friends. Typically it's a bit of a last minute entry but hopefully just in time!

I took the idea for the combination of colours and stamp set from an original post by Nichole Heady but after that went my own way and decided to use my Copics for the first time ever!  I bought them from PTI a few months ago and have been nervous about using them - I keep meaning to go on a course so I can ensure I get the best from them (probably still will at some point).  I was a bit worried about going "outside" the lines of the stamped image, but had read somewhere (apologies can't remember which blog now) that if you are nervous (yes I am - did I already mention that?!) about this to stamp and heat emboss your image - brill idea and it worked - well I think so! 

I also used for the first time the white Filigree embossing powder which I purchased from PTI recently - and I am SO impressed as it is miles better than my previous white embossing powder.  Wish I'd bought this sooner as it's ab fab!  The old one is now going straight in the bin!  I've used one of my favourite crafty stash staples - Craftwork Cards Back2Basics white 5x5 square card blank.  I love this size and use it a lot - although from looking at my blog you wouldn't think so as this is the first time I have shown a card using this!  Of course I had to finish the card off using my We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper.  I so agree with Kristina Werner, when the Corner Chomper came out I so thought I wouldn't need one as I already had some corner rounders that seemed to do the job ok - but this one is far superior and super easy to use!  I now use it on most (but not all!) my projects - and my blog does confirm this!

Anyway well done if you have read through all my ramblings above, now on to the important bit - the CARD in full!

Recipe
Stamps: PTI Flutterby Friend
Cardstock/Paper: Craftwork Cards Back2Basics white 5x5 square card blank, PTI Enchanted Evening, PTI Hawaiian Shores
Ink: Versamark, PTI Enchanted Evening
Tools/Accessories: Cuttlebug Circle Frame die, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, White Filigree detail embossing powder, Copic Sketch (PTI Enchanted Evening set)

I have designed this for a very good friend of mine and will be sending it to her shortly - I want her to know that I have appreciated her support over the years and that I can do the same for her :)

A la prochaine! Amitiés.

Nicole

Tote-ally Cute?!

EDITED TO ADD - MY FAVOURITE PTI CARD FROM 2010

I got the idea for this card layout and design from a card designed by the lovely Dawn McVey and put my own spin on it.  I really loved the colour combo in Kristina Werner's Readers' Choice Colour Inspiration No 3 (which I used in a previous post, although I must admit that this time I haven't used one of the colours - celery) - so combined both to come up with the card below.  I have given this card to my colleague for her birthday tomorrow - hopefully she won't read this post before hand.

A few days after I finished the card I was feeling particularly creative and decided to make a coordinating tote bag for the gift I have given her.

I just LOVE the results and think it is tote-ally cute (LOL!).  When I gave it to Sue yesterday (as she is now on leave) she thought the gift bag was a present in itself!  What do you think?

Recipe
Stamps: Hero Arts Dots & Flowers, PTI Anniversary Set Round & Round, PTI All Booked Up, PTI 2009 Holiday Tags Collection (for "To & From" stamp on reverse of tote gift bag label - which you can't see!) 
Cardstock/Paper: SU Very Vanilla, SU Elegant Eggplant
Ink: Encore Purple, PTI Ripe Avocado, Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate, Versamark
Tools/Accessories: Lauren Meader's Timeless Template Around Town Tote for PTI, PTI Matt Stack 3 Die, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, We R Memory Keepers Crop-a-Dile, SU circle & scallop punches, SU oval punch, SU Old Olive satin ribbon, SU Stampin Dimensionals, Lilac self-adhesive gems from stash, Lilac Stickles

A la prochaine! Amitiés.

Nicole

Butterfly Birthday Wishes

Apologies for the lack of posts - life just gets in the way sometimes!  Thought I would post a card (as this is what this blog is about) that I made about a month ago (just haven't had time to post it).  I took the basic idea for this card from one I had seen on the Paperlicious blog and put my own spin on it.

Recipe
Stamps: PTI Anniversary Set Round & Round
Cardstock/Paper: SU Whisper White, Basic Grey Wisteria 6x6 pad
Ink: PTI Plum Pudding
Tools/Accessories: We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, PTI Plum Pudding satin ribbon, SU circle punch, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, SU Stampin Dimensionals, Purple self-adhesive gems from stash

And this is the arty angle!

A la prochaine!  Amitiés.

Nicole

Race for Life 2010

Long time no speak and this is not even a card making post - apologies!

Yesterday I took part in Bedford's Race for Life (for anyone who doesn't know what this is please visit this website for details).  I normally walk the 5km distance (yes I know it's called a "race" but you are allowed to walk it too!) but decided that it wasn't much of a challenge for me anymore and as this year there was a chance to do 10km instead I decided to "upgrade"!

I completed the course in 1hr 36mins, which I thought was pretty good going as that averages less than 10mins per 1km (remember I was walking!). I even ran the last 100metres from the corner of Bushmead Avenue to the finish line opposite Russell Park (my Mum was at the finish line to witness this in case you don't believe me - LOL!). I met up with a lovely lady Georgie at the start and we decided to walk round together. We had hoped to do it in 1hr 30mins, and at 5km we were on target but by 7km I knew I couldn't quite keep up the pace. I told Georgie to go ahead without me as I knew she could do it but she was determined that as we started together we should finish together and I'm sure if it wasn't for trying to keep up with her, it would have taken me a bit longer! So thanks Georgie! Here is a picture of us just after we finished - doesn't Georgie (on the left) look like she could go round again?

As always reading the captions on people's backs was very moving as was a talk from a woman before the start about her young son and his fight with cancer - I don't think there was a dry eye amongst the 4,000 plus participants!

If anyone wants to donate my online sponsorship page is open until 12 September 2010.

A la prochaine!  Amitiés.

Nicole

Kristina Werner's Readers' Choice Colour Inspiration No 3

Gosh, I am spoiling you - my 3rd post in less than a week! Unlikely that I can promise to keep this up though!

I decided to do a variation on the card in my previous post, take part in the current colour inpsiration challenge on Kristina Werner's blog and also use my first PTI anniversary set for the first time (just shows I have spent far too much money on PTI products in the last 12 months!) all at the same time.  Enjoy!

Recipe
Stamps: Hero Arts Raindrop Background, PTI Round & Round (2009 anniversary set)
Cardstock/Paper: SU Elegant Eggplant, SU Very Vanilla, SU Certainly Celery
Ink: PTI Vintage Cream, PTI Ripe Avocado, Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate
Tools/Accessories: PTI  Mat Stack 1 die, SU circle punch, SU Old Olive satin ribbon, lilac self-adhesive gems from stash, SU stampin dimensionals

And here are some close-ups.

Also just to let you know I will be having a stall at Bedford's REC Midsummer Fayre on Saturday 26 June, 2 pm to 4 pm.  Let's hope the English weather is good that day!  Hope to see you there! (Now I had better get making some more cards as my stock is a bit low...)

A la prochaine!  Amitiés.

Nicole

Rich Razzleberry

Bonjour!  Just a quick post to show a card I cased from Emma's Devotion to the Dream blog which I stumbled across on one of my recent web surfing sessions.  My take on the card has been done using the new SU products which I got from my lovely SU demonstrator Michelle Last.  I just LOVE the Rich Razzleberry colour - I am so pleased we have it in the UK now as I have been coveting it since it came out in the US towards the end of last year!

Recipe
Stamp: SU Sincere Salutations, Hero Arts Raindrop Background
Cardstock/Paper: SU Rich Razzleberry, SU Cottage Wall
Ink: PTI Fresh Snow
Tools/Accessories: SU scallop circle punch, SU Old Olive satin ribbon, Adhesive gems from Hobby House, SU stampin dimensionals

A la prochaine!  Amitiés.

Nicole