Spiced Paisley one sheet wonder

Regular readers of my blog will know that I'm all about 'quick' really; I lack the patience to create time-consuming projects, mainly because when I have an idea in my head, I need to see it NOW! I only mention this because today's card is quite a major project for me! Come and have a look:

The starting point was a background. I stamped an A4 sheet of Whisper White card stock with the medium paisley image from Spiced Paisley using versamark ink, then filled the gaps with the smallest flower image. The whole sheet was then sponged with Marina Mist, Lucky Limeade and Wisteria Wonder inks. The versamark pattern resists the water-based ink without embossing. Embossing would make it crisper, but I wanted a dreamy feel to this card (and anyway, it's much quicker this way!)

I cut the background into ten equal pieces and decorated each piece with some ruffled ribbon, a scalloped piece of card stock, some die cut swirls and a layered flower.

The flower was made by stamping the two smaller flower images from Spiced Paisley into some Marina Mist card stock, cutting them out using circle punches, sponging the edges with Concord Crush ink and fastening them together with a Circle Ice brad. I thought the ornate 'thanks' sentiment worked perfectly with the swirly theme of the card.

The decorated panels were mounted onto Naturals Ivory card bases - and there we are, ten thank you cards for some lovely ladies!

By the way, if you're a fan of the Spiced Paisley stamp set, do remember that it won't be around for much longer - all the items in the spring mini catalogue are only available until the end of April. Oh and the Sale-a-bration promotion is nearly over too, so if you'd like to take advantage of all those lovely freebies, there's only a week left to do so!

Here's what you'll need to make today's card:

Stamps: Spiced Paisley, Thank You Kindly

Ink: Marina Mist, Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder, Concord Crush

Card stock: Naturals Ivory, Whisper White, Lucky Limeade, Concord Crush, Marina Mist

Other: Scallop trim border punch, 1 1/4" and 3/4" circle punches, Swirls Scribbles sisslits die, Big Shot, Lucky Limeade ruffled ribbon, Circle Ice brads, stamp-a-majig

I'd be delighted to order any of these items for you and can have them delivered to your address in the UK. I'm committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to offer help and advice. To place your order, just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593.

As part of the Sale-a-bration promotion, here until 31st March, you can choose a free stamp set or set of papers with EVERY £45 you spend. Click here to see all the fabulous Sale-a-bration freebies.

I can just imagine you holding your sides laughing at the very idea of me calling this project 'major' so I shall now slink off in shame! I'll be back very soon though and hope you'll come back too. Have a fabulous weekend,

Three Minute Thursday Spiced Paisley

It's Thursday (already!) and time for my weekly speedy card. I was playing with the Spiced Paisley stamp set earlier this week and had the idea of using the stamps to make tone-on-tone patterns. That's what inspired today's little set of café au lait thank you cards:

I used the smallest paisley pattern on the first, masking off the top of the card with a post-it note and stamping the image repeatedly, letting it overlap. It gives this sort of lace effect which I rather like, but it needed something else so I sponged it with Crumb Cake ink and that did the trick! It was very quick to add a strip of card stock at the top of the patterns and snip a ribbon tail in the bit that overlapped. I decorated the strip with three of my gorgeous self-adhesive pearls and finished with this beautifully ornate sentiment stamp from Thank You Kindly.

Here's the same design but this time using the small flower stamp too from the set. I do like the sort of textured effect.

For this last one, I tried a pattern that didn't overlap. I think I prefer the top two - how about you?

Now I would enter this card in the Less is More challenge where the theme is Masking but, since I've already entered three cards this week, Mandi and Chrissie will be fed up with seeing me I'm sure! Why don't you go and enter a card there instead?!

Here's what you'll need to make today's card:

Stamps: Spiced Paisley, Thank You Kindly

Ink: Early Espresso, Basic Black, Crumb Cake

Card stock: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso

Other: Basic Pearls, papersnips, stamp-a-majig

I'd be delighted to order any of these items for you (except the post it note!) and can have them delivered to your address in the UK. I'm committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to offer help and advice. To place your order, just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593.

As part of the Sale-a-bration promotion, here until 31st March, you can choose a free stamp set or set of papers with EVERY £45 you spend. Click here to see all the fabulous Sale-a-bration freebies.

I've been having some terrible 'senior moments' just lately. When I was staying at my lovely aunt's house a couple of weeks ago, I turned up for breakfast all dressed but with my nightie still round my waist.  She is such a sweetie though (my aunt, not the nightie!) and made me feel much better by sharing a story about going off to church once with a label stuck on her back from some new underwear; the label read: 'scanties'!

I'll be back tomorrow when I'll be showing you my favourite Spiced Paisley project so far. Hope you can join me.

Hugs,

Spiced Paisley Masculine Monday

Good morning! It's the beginning of the week and time for Masculine Monday here! I've been having a play with the gorgeous Spiced Paisley stamp set just lately and I think it's a great set for masculine cards. Come and see what I've made:

Paisley could be thought of as a bit frilly for men but I think teaming it with stripes gives it more of a masculine feel. I coloured the rubber on the images with markers before stamping them and cut them out with my sharp paper snips - which was surprisingly quick and easy!

My starting point for these cards was CAS-ual Fridays where the challenge is to make a clean and simple card using a pattern, an image and a sentiment. When I'd made this one I wasn't sure if it would count as there are two images on this card so I had to make another one!

I think I prefer this one anyway! I punched a circle out of a post it note and used it as a mask for my stripy background, added my cut-out paisley and finished with a sentiment using my stamp-a-majig to make sure it was straight. As I used a masking technique on this card, it can be my second entry into the Less is More challenge as my first wasn't as CAS as it could have been - oops sorry ladies!

Here's what you need to make today's cards:

Stamps: Spiced Paisley, Solid Stripes, retired sentiment

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Garden Green

Card stock: Whisper White

Other: Markers, 1 3/8" circle punch, paper snips, post it note, stamp-a-majig

I'd be delighted to order any of these items for you (except the post it note!) and can have them delivered to your address in the UK. I'm committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to offer help and advice. To place your order, just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593.

As part of the Sale-a-bration promotion, here until 31st March, you can choose a free stamp set or set of papers with EVERY £45 you spend. Click here to see all the fabulous Sale-a-bration freebies.

Every day is mother's day in my house as my lovely children are usually very good to me, but yesterday they all gave me handmade cards and there were some presents as well! My middle son drew me a personalised card and had bought me chocolates out of his own money - I was particularly touched that he remembered I love white ones. My youngest son gave me a flower he'd picked from the garden and a card with a poem he'd written inside. One of the lines was 'great cooker, sharp looker' and when I blushed and said I didn't think I could really be described as a sharp looker he said: "Oh yes you can Mummy - you can always tell when my room isn't tidy!" My daughter brought me coffee with her stunning scrapbook card - and what presentation! Can you see how beautifully colour coordinated everything is?

I am incredibly lucky to have my three wonderful children and I truly know it.

See you tomorrow,