Will be busy for a while...

I may have to take a break from posting here for the next few weeks - I will do the best I can but I have decided to take a huge step in meeting a personal goal of mine. I am applying to teach at Close To My Heart's Extravaganza at Convention in Dallas, Texas. I have wanted to do this for a couple of years but have never had the nerve to send in an application package. 

It requires the creation of 5 pieces of artwork - not just cards and layouts but other things as well, plus a video of your teaching style. The video will be done before too long and posted here for all to see (and that's a scary thought, to say the least...) 

So, as I work feverishly in the next few weeks to complete all my artwork, you can think of me slaving over my desk with inky fingers. I have three projects in mind - one completed, one on the go and the other not started yet. As for the other two - no ideas have come to mind yet, but that's a matter of time. 

I'll be back before you know it!

Alyson

Stella Card with Wooden Shape

This card was cased from Paper Crafts magazine but when I saw the design, I immediately thought of our Cricut cartridge and our new Garden Wooden Shapes. Both lent themselves perfectly to the design of this card. Plus, of course, it gave me yet another chance to use our beautiful new Colour Ready Seam Binding that I love so much!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Supplies used are all CTMH

Paper: Stella Paper Pack, Colonial White Cardstock

Stamps: None

Inks: Tulip, Cocoa Marker, Desert Sand Marker

Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Colour Ready Seam Binding, Garden Wooden Shapes, Liquid Glass, Prisma Glitter, Natural Hemp, Pearl Paint, Mocha Adhesive Gems

Leibster Blog Award!!

I have been awarded a Liebster Blog Award by the wonderfully talented Ann Marie Lessner at http://www.creativeramblings345.blogspot.com!! I am thrilled to get this wonderful award. Please go check out Ann's blog!! And thank you, Ann, for thinking of me!!

Now I get to give the award to 5 blogs that I think are amazing.  These blogs are all up and coming and have fewer than 200 followers.

Here are the rules:

• Choose 5 up and coming blogs of fewer than 200 followers to award the Liebster to.
  
• Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them. If you are not a follower of theirs, that might be a nice way to show appreciation for the award.
• Post the award on your blog.  Link back to the blogs you have given the Liebster to so everyone else can pay them a visit.

As a recipient it is now your turn to pick 5 blogs and share the love!
Allisa Chilton - http://rockymtnpapercrafts.blogspot.com
  I love Allisa's blog as I find her artwork so inspiring and up to date!

The next four blogs are all fellow Canadian consultants, and all from Ontario, just like me! 

Jan Moxey - http://scrapandstamp4ever.blogspot.com
  Jan loves to try new things and inspire others with her creations!

Krista Ritskes - http://simplycreatingtogether.blogspot.com 
  I love the way Krista can take an idea that is so simple and make it look so sophisticated!

Karen Day - http://kdaycreations.blogspot.com
  Karen comes up with some great takes on challenges - love her work!

Brae Montgomery - http://thebrae-er.blogspot.com
  Brae is a sideline of mine and, although she just had a beautiful baby girl, she is still creating awesome
  stuff - you just don't always get to see it on her blog recently. I see it at our unit meetings and Stamp
  Camps. Keep checking back - she will be back to posting regularly before much longer!


Please go and check out these blogs and show them some love!!

Enjoy,
Alyson

Lucy Sneak Peek

Today's card is made using some new products from a new paper pack called Lucy. It is very feminine and soft. 

I love the look of this card and the stamp set that I have chosen is also one of my favourites from the new catalogue. The reveal date is coming in just a few day... be patient!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

All products are CTMH unless otherwise noted

Papers: Lucy Level 2 Paper Pack, Pear Cardstock, Colonial White Cardstock

Stamps: The Best Things

Inks: Grey Wool, Cotton Candy

Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Colour Ready Seam Binding, Bling Assortment, Bitty Buds Assortment, Sparkles - Red, Pink and Purple Assortment, Foam Tape, Liquid Glass, Pink Sharpie Marker (not CTMH)

Next Sneak Peek

Today's card is cased from Paper Crafts magazine. I saw this card and had to recreate it using Close To My Heart products.

I used a bit of white glue on our hemp to make it bit more pliable and help it to hold its shape. That really helps if you want to shape it into something in particular. It doesn't take long to dry, either. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

All supplies are CTMH unless otherwise noted

Paper: Autumn Terracotta Cardstock, Sunset Cardstock, Goldrush Cardstock

Stamps: None

Inks: Autumn Terracotta

Accessories: Sparkles Flourishes, Designer Rhinestone Brads, Natural Hemp, White Glue (not CTMH), Paradise Paper Flowers, Petals Paper Flowers, Edge Distresser, Foam Tape, Black Sharpie Marker (not CTMH)

Sneak Peek #3

Today's selection is a card that I saw on our Close To My Heart Artwork Board. It was created by a fellow consultant, Nicole Hoffer, and a clicking on her name will take you to her blog. I simply took her idea and developed it a little further. I loved her card so much but I really wanted to use our new seam binding and take it one step further. 

The seam binding has been sponged using three colours - Sky, Indian Corn Blue and Pacifica. I love the way it turned out!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

All products are Close To My Heart

Paper: Colonial White Cardstock, Indian Corn Blue Cardstock

Stamps: Card Word Puzzle

Inks: Vanilla Cream, Indian Corn Blue, Pacifica, Sky

Accessories: Colour Ready Seam Binding, Heat Tool, Liquid Glass, Art Philosophy Cartridge, Sparkles - Blue and Green Assortment, Foam Tape, Sponges

Another Sneak Peek!

Today's offering is from one of my favourite new paper packs - it is called Pemberley. It is so perfect for just about everything I can think of and I am in love with it!

The card below is based on a really old Mojo Monday sketch that is one of my favourites and I love the stitching component to it. 

The sparkle flourishes come in just plain clean sparkles but they can be coloured using any permanent markers. I just used a blue Sharpie marker to colour mine. I love the effect. I think I will need to purchase a full collection of Sharpie colour markers in the near future!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

All products used are CTMH unless otherwise noted

Paper: Pemberley Paper Pack, Vanilla Cream Cardstock

Stamps: Thanks, Card Word Puzzle

Inks: Outdoor Denim, Indian Corn Blue, Versamark

Accessories: Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Art Philosophy Cartridge, Sparkle Flourishes, Sparkles - Blue and Green Assortment, Foam Tape, Blue Sharpie Marker (not CTMH), Navy blue thread (not CTMH)

Birthday Card

My sister-in-law's birthday is coming up shortly and I saw a card on Jody Gustafson's blog that I just loved! (I love all her cards...) This is a take on that card.

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Supplies are all CTMH unless otherwise noted: 

Paper: White Daisy cardstock, Tulip cardstock, Pacifica cardstock, Believe Level 2 Paper Pack

Stamps: Love Life, Live Your Style, Card Chatter - Birthday

Inks: Pacifica, Tulip

Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Pacifica Brads, Clear Button, Tulip Mini-Medley, Polka Dot Organdy Ribbon (not CTMH), Scallop Border Punch (not CTMH), Red Baker's Twine (not CTMH)

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a good start to 2012! And there is reason to celebrate with Close To My Heart! As of today, the prices in the Canadian catalogue have dropped! That's right! Our prices are now on par with the US dollar! So, even though the prices are still shown in the catalogue as they have been since last August, they are actually LOWER. To see the current prices, go to www.closetomyheart.com and click on the Products link at the top of the page. Scroll down to the US version of the Idea Book and you can see the current prices there. 

Those prices will remain in effect until Jan.31. And then... the Spring/Summer catalogue will be revealed. And trust me - you don't want to miss that! 

I'll be back shortly with some artwork to share so stay tuned!

Alyson