Pretty in Pink Christening Celebration

I went to a friend's daughter's christening on Sunday and needed to make a card and a gift box for the present.  Realising I didn't have a christening stamp or suitable image I had to improvise.  I ending up creating a cross with SU's self-adhesive pearls and printing the greeting on my computer.  This is the result:

 You will see in this close-up that I have used an impression plate to give some subtle extra texture to the card:

I decided to make a triangle box for the small gift as I wanted something a bit different.  They are very easy to make, but very effective (thanks to my upline Michelle Last for the idea on how to make these!).  I made both the card and box in the morning before I left for the christening service so that should tell you how quick & easy the project was - or perhaps how last minute I am?!  I used the fab new punch from the UK Spring Mini Catalogue - the extra large scallop circle punch to decorate the outside.  I also used the gorgeous Hostess set Precious Butterflies - both outside as well as for a little co-ordinated triangular insert that I put inside the box.

Card Recipe
Card/Paper: SU Whisper White, SU Pretty in Pink, SU Subtles Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack
Stamps: SU Precious Butterflies (Hostess)
Ink: SU Basic Gray, SU Pretty in Pink
Tools/Accessories: SU 1 3/4" Circle Punch, SU 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, Crop-a-dile, PTI Impression Plate, SU self-adhesive pearls, SU Whisper White organza ribbon, SU Stampin Dimensionals

I'd be delighted to order any SU supplies for you and you can have them delivered to your address in the UK - just send me an email.  Click here to see all the free Sale-a-bration sets and don't forget to let me know which ones you'd like - remember, you get one free item for EVERY £45 spent - you'll need to hurray as the offer finishes at the end of March!

It turns out I had chosen my colour scheme perfectly as my friend and her partner had decorated the church hall where the reception was held afterwards with pink balloons, pink plates and napkins!  The service and reception were lovely despite the horrible day outside.  It was very, very wet all day, but the temperature suddenly dropped really quickly about lunchtime and we even had snow! Typical (unpredictable) English weather!!!

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

A Cherry Cobbler Wedding!

I was at my cousin's wedding (which was held in a tithe barn in Gloucestershire) a couple of weeks ago and as well as being a guest I also made the place cards, table numbers and table plan using SU's Cherry Cobbler (don't you just love that name?!) card stock and ink as well as the Vintage Vogue stamp set.

Alex and her (then) fiancé (now husband!) had a basic idea of what they wanted as they really liked the engagement card I made for them (shown in this post here).  I made up several designs of the place cards, photographed them and them emailed them for Alex and Nev to choose from as we live 90 miles apart (ahhhh - the wonders of modern technology!).  Once the design for the place cards was agreed, I then carried the theme through to the table plan and table numbers.  We did have a few dramas of additional names and last minute drop outs in the last week, so I decided to leave it until the day before before I finally stuck the table layouts to the plan.  I was even prepared and had a few blank place cards made up in case there were any last minute changes in guest name(s) - and there was!

You can click on the photos to see more detail (I have blurred the names on purpose by the way!)

Recipe
Cardstock: SU Whisper White, SU Cherry Cobbler
Stamps: SU Vintage Vogue
Ink: SU Cherry Cobbler

As you can see Alex loves red and this was a theme she carried throughout the wedding in different ways.  Here is a photo of the happy couple just after they signed the (fake) register (as you are not allowed to photograph the actual signing of the (real) register)!  As well as the gorgeous couple you can see the fab flowers - if you are interested more details can be found on the florist's blog.

Also, do look at the amazing wedding cake that my gifted aunt made (you should see the cakes she makes for Christmas each year as well as for any special family occasions!).  Both Alex & Nev LOVE, LOVE, LOVE chocolate so they had a wedding cake with a difference!  As a result my aunt told them they couldn't get married until school had broken up (she is a primary school teacher) as she would only be able to make the cake a couple of days before the actual wedding.  The cake had 3 different layers - chocolate fruit cake, carrot cake, and chocolate sponge cake - all covered in chocolate.  As well as the chocolate roses decorating the cake, there were also chocolate horses (for Alex) and chocolate cars (for Nev).

For making the place cards & table plan, Alex and Nev very kindly gave me a donation for a charity close to my heart - The Eve Appeal (coincidentally they have red in their logo - but it is more like SU Real Red!).  It was certainly a learning curve doing a table plan and place cards for a wedding but having done one I would be happy to do so again, so please contact me via email for any commissions.

Well I am sure my aunt is giving a huge sigh of relief that the stress is now over - her 2 daughters married within 2 months of one another!  And of course I HAD TO HAVE 2 different wedding outfits (well some of the same people were at each of the weddings - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it)!  This is the card that I made for the couple (which is based on the last one shown in this post).

Receipe
Paper/Card: SU Whisper White, SU Cherry Cobbler
Stamps: SU En Français, greeting (non-SU)
Ink: SU Cherry Cobbler, Versamark
Tools/Accessories: Big Shot, Butterfly die (non-SU), SU Rhinestones, SU Whisper White organza ribbon, SU stampin dimensionals, silver embossing powder

Best wishes to Alex & Nev for their future life together and also to Tamsin & James (their wedding card was featured in this post here, which I have updated with a photo of the happy couple and another of my aunt's cakes - a more traditional wedding one this time!).

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

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

Engagement Card

Just a quick post to highlight a recent card I (belatedly) made for one of my close cousins on her engagement earlier this year.

She loves red I (this is in fact going to be her colour theme for the wedding) so I felt I just HAD TO include this on her card.  I used SU's gorgeously named Cherry Cobbler cardstock  (which apparently turns out to be a perfect match to the bridesmaids' dresses!).

Recipe
Cardstock/Paper: SU Whisper White, SU Cherry Cobbler
Stamps: PTI Enjoy the Ride
Ink: Encore Silver
Tools/Accessories: SU Manhattan Flower Embossing Folder, SU Basic Pearls, SU Organza Whisper White ribbon

I have been commissioned to do the place cards for the wedding (which is in July) so will show you those at a later date (still in the design phase at the moment).

The main element of the card is the sublime SU exclusive Manhattan Flower embossing folder (which is included in the current UK mini catalogue).

If you would like to order any item from the mini (or main) catalogue, please contact me (see to the right for details).

A la prochaine! Amitiés!

Nicole

40th Birthday Card

A quick post to showcase a 40th birthday card I have made for a friend.  As I have used embroidery thread (floss) on the card this qualifies for PTI's blog hop for March.

I also made a coordinating bottle tag.

Recipe
Cardstock/Paper: SU Certainly Celery, PTI Sweet Blush
Stamps: SU It's Beautiful jumbo wheel (discontinued), SU Just Believe, PTI Big Birthday Wishes
Ink: SU Old Olive, SU White Craft
Tools/Accessories: Self-adhesive Gems from stash, White floss, SU stampin dimensionals, PTI By the Numbers die collection, White filigree embossing powder

Note: the oval used for the greeting has in fact been created using the leftovers from the By the Numbers die!  Aren't crafters a thrifty bunch!?

Amitiés! A la prochaine!

Nicole

Birthday Flowers

Just showcasing a recent card and matching gift bag that I made for a friend at work (she has received these so I know it is safe to share them here as she does read my blog).

This is a close up of the card - I used a masking technique with a post-it note for the background flower image.  I have used SU Crumb Cake ink on SU Crumb Cake Cardstock for a tone on tone effect.  I got the idea for the flower from Debbie Olson's blog - she used the die with felt to make a poinsettia brooch (I did try this but my version was a bit naff so went with a paper version and used it as an embellishment)

I made a co-ordinated  mini gift bag as well for the necklace I bought her.  This time I used SU's Old Olive ink for the background flower image as I wanted it to stand out more as I only stamped the image once (which I accented with Stickles Patina - I LOVE STICKLES and own nearly all of the colours).

Recipe
Cardstock/Paper: SU Crumb Cake, SU Very Vanilla, PTI 2009 Bitty Dot Basics Patterned Paper,
Stamps: PTI Text Style II, PTI Backgound Basics: Botanicals, WMS Frame It
Ink: SU Crumb Cake, SU Old Olive, Momento Tuxedo Black
Tools & Accessories: PTI Signature Series Flower Die, PTI Favour It #3 Die, PTI Simply Chartreuse Swiss Dot Satin Ribbon, PTI Vintage Button Ripe Avocado, The Ribbon Girl Button Twine Jute Natural, Stickles Patina, SU Stampin Dimensionals

That's it - a quick post for me (makes a change!)

A la prochaine! Amitiés

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

Apple Day

It was a gorgeous sunny October afternoon here on Sunday and I went to Apple Day at nearby Bromham Mill.  So what is Apple Day I hear you ask?  It is an annual celebration of the British apple and events take place up and down the country each year in mid-October.  My local event is held in the grounds of a late 18th/early 19th century restored flour mill.

The aim is to taste, eat, drink, try and buy apples in one form or another!  So amongst other things you could buy apple juice, drink real cider & perry (I had ½ pint of the deliciously named "Double Vision" which was dangerously quaffable at 7.4%!), and eat the truly unique Bedfordshire Clanger - this was originally the food of farm labourers and is a suet crust dumpling filled with meat at one end and apple at the other.  It is made by a local bakery and there are always huge queues on Apple Day to wait for the hot, freshly baked deliveries to arrive!

It is really an event for all ages and there were loads of activities: ferret racing, Morris dancers, sheep dog display (with geese instead of sheep and children instead of pens!), circus skills workshop, apple bobbing and an owl display!  I forgot to take my camera, so only had my phone and as the battery was low I only managed to take a couple of photos of the Morris dancers (so apologies for the poor quality but this was the best one)!

Apple Day did inspire me to make an autumnal card ... albeit with a difference as its not really in the usual autumn colours but I have given thanks! With this card I had a go at Heather Nichol's letterpress technique with PTI impression plates for the first time.  It should have been for the A Passion for Papertrey Autumnal Challenge, but by the time I completed the card and photographed it, it was too late.

Receipe
Cardstock/Paper: PTI Kraft, PTI Dotti Biscotti, PTI New Leaf, SU Whisper White
Stamps: PTI Just For You, PTI Take Note, WMS Framed (sentiment)
Ink: PTI New Leaf, PTI Fresh Snow, Brilliance Pearlescent Poppy
Tools/Accessories: SU Whisper White Satin Ribbon, SU Modern Label Punch, SU Circle Punch, SU Stampin Dimensionals, PTI In Bloom Impression Plate, PTI Mat Stack 3 

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

Which Version Do You Prefer?

Hi there!  Thought I would get interactive today and wondered if you could let me know which of these three versions of a similar card do you prefer?

I started off with this one (let's call this version 1 - original huh?!):

I really loved the simplicity of this but wondered whether it would be better to add a sentiment, so added this SU modern label and ended up with this revised card (let's call this version 2):

However, wasn't sure I really liked it - think I preferred the original version, but I really wanted to have a sentiment.  So decided to come up with a variation and this is what I ended up with (version 3):

Recipes
Stamps: PTI CHA Set 2010 Four of a Kind, PTI Anniversary Set Round and Round
Cardstock/Paper: PTI Aqua Mist, PTI Hawaiian Shores
Ink: PTI Simply Chartreuse, Versamark
Tools/Accessories: PTI Hawaiian Shores grosgrain ribbon, Stickles patina, SU modern label punch, SU stampin dimensionals, White filigree embossing powder, clear embossing powder

So how did I do the last card?  Well I stamped the large leaf image from the stamp set using PTI Simply Chartreuse ink onto PTI Aqua Mist cardstock.  Then using the single matching leaf image I stamped this (again using the same ink) where the fourth flower should have been.  Next I stamped the 3 flower images with Versamark and then heat embossed them with white Filigree embossing powder, adding Patina Stickles to accent the flower centres.  Using a scrap of PTI Hawaiian Shores cardstock I made a strip of card to cover the join of the stamped leaf images.  Onto this strip I then stamped my greeting in Versamark and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  Finally I added the knotted ribbon round the card.  Et voilà!

By the way I know the colours look slightly different on the last version, but they are the same (despite my best efforts to adjust in Picassa) - just shows what a difference it makes when a photo is taken on a different day (despite being taken in the same place about the same time of day and with (seemingly) similar light conditions!).

No doubt those of you who are PTI aficionados will have spotted that I used PTI’s exclusive CHA Four of a Kind stamp set (only available to those who attended CHA in Chicago this July). Unfortunately I was not one of those lucky people (sigh) – but I did manage to acquire this set from someone who had been and had got at least 2 (and probably more!) and was kind enough to share one of her extra sets!

So which version do you prefer?  Let me know in the comments section!  I thought I liked the last version best but now I'm not so sure (whoever came up with the phrase "I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure" must have been thinking of me!).

A la prochaine! Amitiés.

Nicole

Anniversary Cards

Over the summer I have had quite a few commissions to make anniversary cards - particularly for 70th (platinum) anniversary as the shops don't seem to stock cards for this particular anniversary.  By the way they were not all for the same couple!  Apologies in advance for the quality of some of the photos but some were taken with my mobile phone as I didn't have my camera to hand.  I think the first card is my favourite (it was actually the last one I did, so probably an amalgation of all the others!).

Hopefully in this close up you can see the colours better and how I've used a Quickutz retro diamonds patterned embossing folder on the card background.

This is another card for the same couple:

This is another 70th anniversary card, but this time for a different couple.  I like the simplicity of the design, but was told it was a bit too subtle for the previous couple (whose eye sight are bad), so didn't replicate it:

And finally a 60th anniversary card:

Recipe

Stamps: PTI Anniversary Set Round & Round, PTI All Booked Up, Hero Arts Dots & Flowers

Cardstock/Paper: PTI Stamper's Select White, PTI Enchanted Evening

Ink: Encore Silver, Encore Blue, PTI Enchanted Evening

Tools/Accessories: SU Whisper White satin ribbon, Blue organza ribbon from stash, PTI Mat Stack, Cuttlebug, Quickutz Retro Diamonds Embossing Folder, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, Light blue adhesive gems from stash, Express Yourself DIY number toppers with stars

A la prochaine! Amitiés

Nicole

Quick card

I suddenly remembered this morning that I needed to send a birthday card today to one of my colleagues.  I didn't have much time as I needed to get to work but I managed to pull this card together card in just 10 minutes (this includes design time) which must be some sort of miracle for me (LOL!) - although it was made up mostly from leftover elements from other projects!

Recipe
Stamps: PTI Anniversary Set Round and Round
Cardstock/Paper: White A6 card blank from stash, PTI Stamper's Select White, PTI Green Boutique
Ink: PTI Hawaiian Shores, PTI Aqua Mist, PTI New Leaf
Tools/Accessories: Self-adhesive gems from stash, SU circle & modern label punches, PTI Mat Stack 3 die, PTI Hawaiian Shores classic grosgrain ribbon, SU Stampin Dimensionals

I started off with a die cut I had made using PTI's mat stack 3 die with one of PTI's Green Boutique paper (by the way I absolutely love this die - I bought the All Booked Up stamp set almost just because of the co-ordinating stamp!).  I had planned to use the die cut with another card but it didn't work (will show what did work in a couple of days!).  I then wanted to use an image I had stamped using PTI's latest anniversary set Round and Round (am just loving this stamp set it is SOOOOO versatile!).  The stamping had gone slightly wrong on the leaves, so I had restamped the leaves part of the image and then cut them out and mounted them with 3D foam to cover up the original mistake and give it more dimension.  Even the ribbon had been left over from another card and you know how us crafters never like to waste anything!  The only "new" bit was the "Birthday Wishes" sentiment punched out using SU's modern label punch which I acquired via a friend of a friend as this punch is not (currently) available in the UK SU catalogue.  And just time for a quick photo (apologies as it is not the best) before I was out the door to work.  Et voilà!

It made me realise that it is very useful to have some elements ready on stand-by to help out when I need to put together a quick card.

As I have used some punches and a die, I thought it qualified for the latest challenge on A Passion for Papertrey - punch it!

Whilst I am not claiming this is the best card I have ever made, I am nevertheless happy with the outcome!  Not bad for 10 minutes!  What do you think?

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