Dragonfly Dreams Bee Happy Card from Stampin' Up! - #GDP075

I'm taking part in the Global Design Project for the first time and in my usual style I'm leaving it until the last few hours to submit my entry!

This week's theme is Winged Creatures.

Although I've used the Dragonfly Dreams stamp set, I've actually used the bee image.

I stamped the bee image twice - firstly with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto Whisper White card and then secondly onto vellum with Black Stazon. I coloured in the cardstock stamped bee with a Crushed Curry marker and cut out the body. I then attached the vellum wings that I had stamped onto vellum and used the clear Wink of Stella pen to give some shimmer to the wings. Once this was complete the rest of the card came together quite easily.

And of course no card is complete without a bit of stamping inside - this is how I finished it off...

To make this project you will need:

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Crushed Curry, Vellum, Pop of Pink Specialty DSP ♦ Stamps: Dragonfly Dreams, Labeler Alphabet ♦ Ink: Crushed Curry, Basic Black Marker, Memento Tuxedo Black, Black Stazon ♦ Tools/Acc: Wink of Stella Clear, Stampin' Dimensionals, Stitched Shapes Framelits

You can order from my online shop 24/7 or if you prefer contact me directly.
Enter the code YW2B6QPU during the month of February 2017 when shopping online and you will receive a free gift from me (learn more). And don't forget it's Sale-a-bration time - so for every £45 (excluding P&P) that you spend you can choose a free product from the Sale-a-Bration catalogue up until 31 March 2017.

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Fast Friday - Week 16

After last week's super quick card from the fabulous Hip Hip Hooray card kit, I am back with a "proper" card.

This was inspired by an idea from Connie Stewart and one of her flash cards. I have stepped it up and changed the colours, but you can still see Connie's basic layout and idea. My version was still within my 10 minute time limit though...

You are probably tired of seeing this colour combo - but I do love it so! I also love the current hostess set Banner Greetings and will really miss this when it retires at the end of June.

The challenge this week over at Less is More is a recipe to use a die cut - and as I have used one of my favourite dies - Little Leaves - this should fit the challenge perfectly!

Edited to add - just discovered the Little Leaves Sizzlets die is on the SU retiring list (sob, sob!!) - and it currently has an 25% discount so grab it while you can!

To make this project you will need:

Cardstock/Paper: Coastal Cabana, Basic Black, Whisper White, Vellum ♦ Stamps: Flower Shop, (Hostess 2013/14) ♦ Ink: Black Stazon, Versamark ♦ Tools/Accessories: Big Shot, Mosaic Embossing Folder, Little Leaves Sizzlets die, Pansy punch, Heat Gun, White embossing powder, Basic pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals

You can order from my online shop 24/7 or if you prefer contact me directly.

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Fast Friday - Week 6

Sorry for the delay in posting this week's Fast Friday card. The inspiration this week has come from the latest Less is More challenge to use green and yellow as well as the CAS on Sunday challenge where you have to use markers.

As it will soon be Mother's Day in the UK (Sunday 30 March this year), I decided to add the lovely greeting from Delightful Dozen. Adding colour to crumb cake card can be difficult, so in order to get the colours to pop I first of all coloured the images in with the chalk marker, then coloured the images again with the markers I wanted to use. You do get a slightly mottled effect on the larger areas.  To get the different tones of yellow I coloured some parts of the flowers twice.

To make this project you will need:

Cardstock/Paper: Crumb Cake ♦ Stamps: Vivid Vases, Delightful Dozen ♦ Ink: Black Stazon, Crushed Curry marker, Always Artichoke marker, Pear Pizzazz marker, Old Olive marker ♦ Tools/Accessories: Stamp-a-ma-jig, White chalk marker, Basic pearls

You can order from my online shop 24/7 or if you prefer contact me directly. Don't forget you can choose a free product from the Sale-a-Bration promotion for every £45 (before P&P) that you spend on catalogue items until 31 March 2014.

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Fast Friday - Week 4

This week I have quite a different card which I am entering into the latest challenges on Simply Less is More and CAS on Sunday where the current theme for both of them is Masculine cards. One of the principles of challenges (the clue is in the word itself - LOL!) is to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and I do find masculine cards difficult (you only have to look at the projects on this blog to see there aren't that many)! You may wonder which Stampin' Up! set the wine bottle comes from - well actually none of them. This is a stamp that I created using the Undefined Stamp Carving Kit. When I attended Stampin' Up's European Convention last November I was given (along with all demonstrators) a sample kit to have a play with and the wine bottle is what I came up with in a short space of time (another challenge!). Anyone that knows me will be familiar with the fact that I attend a wine tasting class so will not be surprised by my choice of design! The image is a bit rustic but hopefully it adds to the "charm" (and after all it was my first attempt at using Undefined)!

To make this project you will need:

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White ♦ Stamps: Bring on the Cake (greeting), Teeny Tiny Sentiments (the word 'happy'), Undefined ♦ Ink: Black Stazon, Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Basic Black marker ♦ Tools/Accessories: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Undefined Stamp Carving Kit

You can order from my online shop 24/7 or if you prefer contact me directly. Don't forget you can choose a free product from the Sale-a-Bration promotion for every £45 (before P&P) that you spend on catalogue items until 31 March 2014.

If you are wondering how I got the bottles to line up so neatly I used a pencil and ruler to draw a feint line on my card base and then used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to ensure they were accurately placed and lined up. Incidentally, the creation of the stamp was not included in the 10 minute project time limit as I had already made this previously at Convention.

So how will you be starting your weekend? I'll be at wine tasting - santé!

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Fast Friday - Week 1

Bonjour!

As one of my new year's resolutions I decided I should be posting more frequently on this blog and to incentivise me I decided I would come up with a regular feature!  (OK - I know it is the last day in January so I'm a bit late starting!)

So the theme (as you can hopefully tell from the post title) is "Fast Friday"!  This means you should be able to make the card/project in less than 10 minutes.  Admittedly this will not (always) include my design time.  I find that it is the design/coming up with the idea that takes me the longest!  Do you have that problem? Well if that is the case then I have done the hard work for you!

So let's get started with the first project.... This week I decided I would take the layout from the current Less is More challenge so this really helped in quickening up the design time.  The flowers have been created using the new Petite Petals stamp set and coordinating punch from the new Spring/Summer catalogue (there is a bundle available if you want both and like a bargain!).  Some of the flowers were created using the SAB Sweet Sorbet paper.

To make this project you will need:

Cardstock/Paper: Naturals White, Whisper White, Basic Black, Calypso Coral, SAB Sweet Sorbet DSP ♦ Stamps: Wetlands, Petite Petals ♦ Ink: Stazon, Silver Metallic Encore ♦ Tools/Accessories: Honeycomb embossing folder, basic pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals, Petite Petals punch

You can order from my online shop 24/7 or if you prefer contact me directly.  Don't forget you can choose a free product from the Sale-a-Bration promotion for every £45 (before P&P) that you spend on catalogue items until 31 March 2014.

Have a fantastic weekend!

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Less is More - CASe It! - Week 116

I have not participated in one of the Less is More challenges for quite a while so I thought I would give it a go this week - where the theme is CASe It!  I was really inspired by Jen's card, and have taken the basic layout, colours, embossing and piercing to create my entry.

(Please click on the photo to zoom in)

Recipe
Paper/Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Vellum
Stamps: Summer Silhouettes, Itty Bitty Banners
Ink: Whisper White, Versamark
Tools/Accessories: Pool Party Embossing Powder, White Embossing Powder, Embossing Buddy, Heat Tool, Paper Piercing Tool & Mat, Paper Piercing Occasions Pack, Paper Piercing Essentials Pack, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Beautiful Wings Embosslits, Big Shot, Stampin' Dimensionals, Self-adhesive pearls

I really love Pool Party and am so pleased that as part of the Colour Refresh this will become a permanent edition.  I also love Crumb Cake, although I don't think I have really used the two together before, but they are definitely a match made in heaven!

Hopefully you will notice that the middle leaves (heat embossed with Pool Party embossing powder) on the card have a slight shadow effect.  I used the principle (although added heating embossing) of one of 15 techniques that I learnt recently in a class held by fellow demo Catherine at Michelle Last's Pinkie Weekend in Birmingham.  So how did I create this effect?  Firstly I stamped the leaves in Whisper White ink, allowing them plenty of time to dry (although I did help them along by gently heating with my heat tool).  At the same time I stamped the image on to the clear sheet of the Stamp-a-ma-jig.  I then lined up the image on the Stamp-a-ma-jig, offsetting slightly from the original image.  I then stamped the same image again, this time in Versamark and then put Pool Party embossing powder over the top image - voilà!

Please contact me if you want to order any of the items used on this card.

Edited to add: My card has been chosen as one of the showcased cards for this challenge - squee!  There were so many other fabulous entries that I feel really honoured - thanks Chrissie & Jen!

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Monochrome Fresh Vintage

I'm just loving this SAB Fresh Vintage set and decided to use it for the current Less is More Challenge (week 52), which is a sketch. I haven't entered a challenge for a while, and as this is (was?!) one of my New Year's resolutions I thought I'd better get my skates on and start asap - yes I know we are already in February!!!

Recipe
Card/Paper: SU Naturals Ivory, SU Basic Black; Ink: SU Basic Black; Stamps: SU Thank You Kindly, SU SAB Fresh Vintage; Tools/Accessories: SU Self-adhesive Pearls, SU Embosslits Die Beautiful Wings

The supplies listed above come to: £46.40, which means you would get the SAB stamp set for FREE!  Don't you just love Sale-a-bration?!  Please contact me for more details if you are interested in placing an order.

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Shades of Blue

The latest challenge over at Less Is More is a colour one and the theme is shades of blue.

This is my entry using the negative of the exclusive SU Little Leaves sizzlit die:

Card Receipe
Paper/Card: SU Whisper White, SU Night of Navy, SU Pacific Point, SU Tempting Turquoise
Stamps: SU Clearly for You
Ink: Versamark
Tools/Accessories: Big Shot, SU Little Leaves Sizzlit die, SU corner rounder (punch), SU heat gun, SU Rhinestones, SU White embossing powder, SU stampin dimensionals

This is an arty farty angle, which shows the depth by raising the die-cut negative with lots of foam pads and some lovely bling!

I did have a couple of other attempts!  This second one I like but could image Mandi & Chrissie telling me off for not enough white space!  Also I don't think it has the wow factor that the first one has. So what do you think?

Card Receipe
Paper/Card: SU Whisper White, SU Marina Mist, SU Pacific Point, SU Tempting Turquoise, SU Night of Navy
Stamps: SU En Français
Ink: SU Night of Navy
Tools/Accessories: Big Shot, SU Little Leaves Sizzlit die, SU Rhinestones, SU Whisper White organza ribbon

This last one I really liked but felt was too much of a CASE of card by Carly Robertson and therefore was not appropriate to enter into a challenge. Nevertheless thanks for the inspiration Carly!

Card Receipe
Paper/Card: SU Whisper White, SU Marina Mist
Stamps: SU En Français, SU Curly Cute
Ink: SU Night of Navy, SU markers: Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy, Tempting Turquoise, Marina Mist, Pacific Point
Tools/Accessories: Big Shot, Butterfly die (non-SU), SU Rhinestones, SU Whisper White organza ribbon, SU stampin dimensionals

If you are interested in how you could get hold of the SU exclusive Little Leaves sizzlit die, why not contact me to find out more as I have special offers for July - please see this post for more details.

A la prochaine!  Amitiés!

Nicole

Fun Recipe!

I made this for my cousin's 40th birthday last weekend - hopefully he should have received his card by now (and I doubt very much if he reads this blog!).  I usually find masculine cards quite difficult, but this one was fun!  This is for the latest A Passion for Papertrey challenge (I haven't played along for quite a while).

This time we have a "recipe" and the following ingredients are required:

• a dollop of colour (3 colours plus neutrals if required) - check!
• a sprinkling of buttons (2 buttons) - check!
• a pinch of ribbon (1 ribbon) - check! 

Recipe
Paper/Cardstock: SU Whisper White, SU Basic Black, SU Real Red, Grey card from stash
Stamps: PTI
Ink: SU Basic Black, Red & Grey ink from stash
Tools/Accessories: SU Basic Black 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, SU Stampin Dimensionals, Buttons from stash, Card confetti (40) from stash, PTI dies & impression plate

The card was inspired by a card created by Lisa Johnson.

I've just realised that this card has used my blog colours - coincidence honest!

A la prochaine!  Amitiés!

Nicole

Birthday Butterflies & Two Challenges

Yes I know - a card with more butterflies!  I do love them.  However, this time it was compulsory for me to use them as this is the theme for the latest Less is More challenge!  I have been following this blog since it started, but it is the first time I have entered one of their challenges.  I am also entering the card in the latest CAS-ual Fridays challenge where you must use "bling" - which I have done with the different colour pearls.

I visited my local garden centre over the weekend - just to buy a tomato plant which was a bargain at 99p (particularly as it is a hard to find variety and was quite well grown already).  However, it turned out to be a bit more expensive than that as I also bought ... some lilies, a pot to put them in as well as some gorgeous wrapping paper! So it was not quite such a bargain tomato plant in the end!  Does that ever happen to you?  Anyway I am sure you are wondering where I am going with all this - there is a connection (honest!).  Besides selling plants and anything horticultural, this particular garden centre also has a fabulous homewares department.  One of their latest additions is a range of gorgeous ecru cushions with pastel images appliqued on.  They were rather pricey so I didn't buy one but they did give me the inspiration for this card instead.

Card Recipe
Cardstock/Paper: SU Crumb Cake, SU DSP Springtime Vintage
Ink: SU Whisper White Craft, SU Basic Grey Marker
Stamps: WMS Frame-It
Tools/Accessories: SU Embosslits Beautiful Wings, SU Basic Pearls, Assorted coloured pearls from stash, Signo White Gel pen (available from SU), SU Sponge Daubers, SU dimensionals

As you can see I have once again used the SU Embosslits Beautiful Wings die.  To create the 4th butterfly, I drew dotted lines around a spare die cut with the white gel pen (available in the SU catalogue) and then I used the negative of the die to make a mask which I then sponged with white craft ink (I did it that way round to ensure it lined up correctly with the other butterflies).  In order to ensure the butterfly wings stay slightly raised when I post this card, I have stuck small pieces of SU dimensionals under the butterfly wings.  One other tip - I have lightly curled the top edge of the wings using my "pokey tool" (officially known as a paper-piercing tool).

Did you know the Beautiful Wings die is exclusive to Stampin' Up?  Also it both cuts and embosses at the same time - how cool is that!  If you would like to own this gorgeous die please email me to find out more.

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Wedding Day

My cousin got married at the weekend, so of course I had to make her and her new husband (by the way this is her first and (hopefully) only husband!) a card to celebrate their wonderful day!

Recipe
Card/Paper: SU Shimmery White cardstock, Silver satin card from stash, Printed vellum from stash
Stamps: PTI YOF: Roses
Ink: Versamark
Tools/Accessories: SU Beautiful Wings Embossilits, SU Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder, SU Basic Pearls, Silver embossing power, SU Dimensionals

Hope they have a long & happy future together!

I am submitting this card for the latest challenge at the Lily Pad, which is to make a card using embossing (heat or dry or both - (I managed both!)).

EDITED TO ADD: A photo of the happy couple and the amazing cake made by my aunt!

Amitiés! A la prochaine!

Nicole

PTI Anniversary - Tag Challenge

Bonjour/Good Morning!

Just a quick post to enter into PTI's anniversary challenge - to use one (or more) of the free download tags in a project.  They were all gorgeous, but one of them called "my name" - the cute tag designed by Heather Nichols.

As I have been really busy on Sunday, didn't have much time so this is what I managed to rustle together before going to work to meet the deadline (thank goodness for the 5 hour time difference between the UK and US EST which made this possible!)

Recipe
Cardstock/Paper: PTI Hibiscus Burst, SU Whisper White, SU Old Olive,
Stamps: PTI Simple Sentiments, PTI Turning a New Leaf
Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, Versamark Dazzle
Tools/Accessories: SU Circle Punch, PTI Limitless Layers, Signo White Gel Pen from SU, SU Stampin Dimensionals

A la prochaine! Amitiés

Nicole

Happy Christmas!

Ok so it's a little early to wish you a Happy Christmas, but seeing as I have been MIA from blog land for a while, I can't guarantee whether I'll be able to manage another post before the 25th.

I have been busy making cards for a craft fair as well as for my annual Christmas Open House.  This is where I invite friends, neighbours and colleagues into my home one afternoon with the lure of free mulled wine and mince pies and then I won't let them leave unless they buy at least one card they have the opportunity to purchase some handmade cards and papercraft gifts if they wish, with proceeds going to my favourite charity The Eve Appeal.  For the first time I held it on a Sunday afternoon and I think I had the best turn out ever!

I thought I would showcase one of my favourite cards and because I have used a few PTI products this means it should qualify as an entry for the latest A Passion for Papertrey Challenge.

First I took some PTI Aqua Mist cardstock which I cut and then folded to make a standard sized card.  I then stamped the snow globe image and using a craft knife cut out the inside (this was the trickiest part for me as I'm not a fan of craft knives!). 

I then stamped the polar bear image onto PTI Stamper's Select White cardstock and coloured in his scarf and used a Copic Ciao to make the image pop.  Next I punched the image out with a large circle punch and adhered this to the inside of the card making sure it lined up with the snow globe aperture.

Using white opaque Stazon I stamped the snowflake image onto PTI Clearly Creative cardstock.  When the image was dry I cut it out and stuck it to the inside of the front of the card to fill in the snow globe aperture.  Finally I used some Stickles glue to accent the snowflakes on the acetate and on the greeting (by the way I forgot to mention that I stamped this after stamped the snow globe).

Recipe
Cardstock/Paper: PTI Aqua Mist, PTI Stamper's Select White cardstock, PTI Clearly Creative cardstock
Stamps: Memory Box Fred P Bear (C1409), Memory Box Plain Snowglobe (D1407), Memory Box Snowflake Ball (D933), Printworks Let It Snow! (B2788)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stazon Opaque Cotton White
Tools/Accessories: Tombow 847, Copic Ciao B60, Atyou Spica Clear glitter pen, Stickles Stardust, SU 1¾" circle punch

What do you think?  I must say I think the polar bear is super cute - Memory Box have even given him a name: Fred!

A la prochaine! Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!

Nicole x

Cased Christmas Card

Just a quick post to show the card I have made for the latest A Passion for Papertrey Challenge which is to CASE one of the fabulous PTI Design Team ladies!

It was quite a hard choice as they all come up with some fab inspirational designs.  However, in the end I based my card on this recent card by Maile Belles which I simply adored!  I decided to put a Christmas spin on my version of it!

Recipe
Cardstock/Paper: PTI Enchanted Evening, PTI Spring Rain
Stamps: PTI Fillable Frames No 4, PTI Peace Be Still
Ink: PTI Enchanted Evening, Encore Silver
Tools/Accessories: PTI Fillable Frames No 4 Die, PTI Enchanted Evening Grosgrain Ribbon, Blue & silver ribbon from stash, clear gemstones from stash

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

Papertrey September Blog Hop Challenge

This is the first time I have participated in PTI's blog hop challenge.  The task set by Nichole was:

"One of the most fun things about this hobby is the people you meet, whether in person or online, and the things you learn from them.  Now is your chance to show off any skills you might have learned from a fellow stamper, and perhaps even give them a little shout out to thank them for the inspiration they have provided.  Create a project using one of your favorite learned skills and perhaps after a little blog hopping, we will ALL learn some new tips and tricks and continue to pass on the love of this hobby!"

Well I found this quite hard!  The reason I say it was hard is that there are loads of people I can think of that I have learned from - so to pick one is really difficult and unfair on all the others!  It also made me think about how I found out about PTI.  This finished card was totally not what I planned to make at the start of the process, but as so often happens it evolved as I was making it.  It does, however, reflect various elements/tips/techniques that I have picked up along the way!

Recipe
Stamps: PTI Background Basics: Retro, Hero Arts Bird Branch Alphabet
Cardstock/Paper: PTI Smokey Shadow, SU Whisper White
Ink: Versafine Black, Versamark
Tools/Accessories: PTI Harvest Gold satin ribbon, White filigree embossing powder, Clear embossing powder, Tattered Angels Glimmer Chips Frosty Memories, Self-adhesive gems from stash, black 3D foam pads (shock horror not SU Stampin Dimensionals - only cos they don't do them in black!)

As this is a square card I thought I would also enter it into A Passion for Papertrey's challenge: Hip to be Square. Additionally, it also meets the requirements of Embellish Magazine's latest colour and stamped background challenge. So this is a first for me - a card that fits 3 challenges!

And who are all those people that have inspired this card? 

• Dawn Bibby, QVC UK: It's her fault (LOL!) that I got into paper crafting at all!
• Susie Candlin's workshops at Coleman's Craft Warehouse: Don't use black embossing powder but stamp in black ink & use clear embossing powder (you avoid getting nasty unwanted black specks on your card)
• Michelle Last: Getting a blog; Taking part in challenges
• Kristina Werner: Colour Combos & Challenges; How to secure ribbon to a card by making a slit on the spine of the card; How to get good clear images from clear acrylic stamps by using Versamark before adding the ink you wish to stamp with
• Dawn McVey: Colour Combos; How to tie bows/knots in ribbon; How to create stamped backgrounds with PTI stamps
• Nichole Heady: PTI products & design elements in general

Merci beaucoup to you all!

A la prochaine!  Amitiés.

Nicole

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

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

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

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