March Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - "Happy Place"

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring March's SOTM, "Happy Place", a set of 7 stamps.  If you have come here from Beth's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. A complete list of bloggers can be found here.  

This month we have just over 50 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and fabulous Close To My Heart products on their blogs. Just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!

Here is a picture of the images in this stamp set. 

I have to say that I have not been a big fan of washi tape so I decided that for this month's hop, I would force myself to use this product. I created two cards for this blog hop - the first, using the Skylark Paper Pack. The card is based on an older Cardabilities sketch, which is shown under the card. 

The second card is my own design and uses a LOT of washi tape. I used it to create the polka dot design on the background shape, and then to create all the arrows behind the design as well. The washi tape is actually growing on me now! 

Supplies listed are for both cards: 

Paper: Skylark Paper Pack (includes specialty cardstock available only with that paper pack), Kraft Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock

Stamps: Happy Place

Inks: Lagoon, Desert Sand Pigment Ink, Lagoon Pigment Ink, Honey Pigment Ink, Black Pigment Ink

Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Skylark Assortment, Scallop Border Punch, Corner Rounder, Aqua Dots, Clear Sparkles, Foam Tape, Honey Triangle Washi Tape, Lagoon Houndstooth Washi Tape, Slate Polka-Dot Washi Tape, Neutral Metallic Baker's Twine, Copic Markers (not CTMH)

 Now "hop" on over to Sheila's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the March SOTM is only available until the last day of March! 

Click here to see how you can get this stamp set for 

just $5 this month! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

90th Birthday Card

Happy 90th Birthday! You don't see very many of those anymore! A friend of mine has an aunt who is turning 90 shortly and his mom asked me to create a card for her to send to this beautiful lady. I thought the Ariana papers would be perfect. Several retired embellishments ended up being the perfect touch to finish off the card as well.

The card is 5x7 in size and I was asked to personalize it as well. 

Supplies used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Ariana Paper Pack (includes cardstock specific to this paper pack) , Outdoor Denim Cardstock, Crystal Blue Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: Joyful Birthday
Inks: Outdoor Denim
Accessories: Memory Box Cutting Die (not CTMH), Bitty Buds Assortment (ret.), Bouquet Assortment (ret.), Crochet Flowers (ret.), Paradise Flowers (ret.), Blue CTMH Sparkles (ret.), White Pleated Ribbon (not CTMH), Tiny Type Epoxy Alphabet (ret.)

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Card for Special Friend

This is a card for a very special friend. We met about 10 years ago and have reconnected after about 4 years of absence. I have really missed him and it great to renew our relationship.

So, with that in mind, this is a special card for both of us. I hope he enjoys this card as much as I had fun creating it! I used a pattern from a Scrapbooks and Cards publication called Cardmaps Today as my guide.

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Jubilee Paper Pack, Paper Fundamentals Basic Assortment, Indian Corn Blue Cardstock, Colonial White Cardstock

Stamps: Wonderful You, Smiles (ret.)

Inks: Cocoa Pigment Ink, Indian Corn Blue Pigment Ink

Accessories: Corner Rounder, Brown Thread (not CTMH), Off-White Thread (not CTMH), Sewing Machine, Blue Glitter Trim (not CTMH), Blue Twine (not CTMH), Wooden Buttons (ret.), Copic Markers (not CTMH), Foam Tape, Mocha Opaques, Green and Blue Epoxy Bubbles

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Two More Cards for Church Elder

I finally finished 40 cards in total for the Clerk of Session at my church. She was thrilled to receive all of them last Sunday so she can start using them. 

Keeping with the simple theme, the following two cards are of the same idea - nothing too complex. 

Both cards are based on ideas I found on Pinterest - LOVE that resource! I used the now retired For Always paper (I stocked up on that as I love the versatility of that paper since it is black and white and can be combined with any colour). Here, I combined it with Lagoon. I used a Stampin' Up stamp for the image and a retired stamp from one of the Card Chatter stamp sets for the sentiment.  

Supplies used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted: 

Paper: For Always Paper Pack, Lagoon Cardstock, Black Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock

Stamps: Card Chatter - Sympathy (ret.), Stampin' Up Stamp (not CTMH)

Inks: Lagoon

Accessories: White Daisy Organdy Ribbon (ret.)

The second card was also based on a design from Pinterest. It took a little more time as cutting flags on the ends of each piece takes a fair bit of time and I made eight of these cards in total. I used the Sarita Paper Pack - another of my favourites.

Supplies used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Sarita Paper Pack, Lagoon Cardstock, Colonial White Cardstock
Stamps: Big Hug, Cricut Art Philosophy Stamp Set, Lucy Workshop on the Go Stamp Set (ret.)
Inks: Lagoon, Blush
Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Purple Glitter Gems, Paradise Assortment Baker's Twine

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Simple but Meaningful Cards

I am back to creating cards for the Clerk of Session at my church. She gives out these cards to members who are ill or have lost someone in their family. I feel it is something I can do to contribute to my church that is meaningful and helps others. She prefers the insides to be left blank so she can write a message as needed. 

I found this first design on an ad in a recent issue of a magazine I was reading while waiting in my doctor's office. It is so simple, yet very effective. I decided to use the new Ariana papers to recreate it. The center square is raised using foam tape.

Supplies used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Ariana Paper Pack. Outdoor Denim Cardstock, White Daisy Card Base

Stamps: Look to the Light

Inks: Outdoor Denim

Accessories: Foam Tape

This second card design was on that same ad. Same idea - simple and easy, but very effective. 

Supplies used are all Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Sky Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock, White Daisy Card Base

Stamps: Words of Comfort, Harvest Happiness

Inks: Sky, Honey, Lagoon, Black

Accessories: Journaling Pens (ret.), Bitty Sparkles, Copic Markers (not CTMH)

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Canvas - Am I Behind with my Crafting or What??

Well, after ALL this time, I finally dug out the Canvas Kit and completed it! I decided to use photos of Mika as they were the perfect colour to compliment the colours in the kit and I wanted to hang this on my wall. 

This didn't take long to do at all. After sitting for such a long time, though, the backing on the chipboard had come off and I did have to adhere that back down. No big deal. It's done and I love the way it turned out! 

Supplies used are all Close To My Heart

Canvas Art Kit

Inks: Cocoa Pigment Ink

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Unit Blog Hop - Ivy Lane Easel Card

Welcome to the Brae-er's Unit Blog Hop! If you are coming from Tamara's Blog, you are in the right place. 

The new product I chose to show is the Ivy Lane Paper Pack. I loved this paper the moment I saw it. The deep purple mixed with the green is just gorgeous! 

I chose to create an easel card using this paper. Easel cards are not difficult to make, but you need to have an idea before you begin as to what you want to put on the top portion so as to create the correct size. They can be made into circles, rectangles - just about any shape you want. I chose to keep this one simple and just use a square. 

Since I wanted to colour the image, I didn't want a deeply coloured base so I chose to spritz the base instead, using Blush reinker and rubbing alcohol. That way, it was a little lighter than the Blush cardstock would have been. 

I have shown the card from the front view and from both sides. The dark purple flower looks black but it really is dark purple.

All products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted: 

Paper: Ivy Lane Paper Pack, Hollyhock Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock, Blush Cardstock
Stamps: Hope
Inks: Smokey Plum Pigment Ink, Sweet Leaf Alcohol Marker, Ruby Alcohol Marker, Hollyhock Alcohol Marker, Blush Alcohol Marker, Copic Markers (not CTMH)
Accessories: Artiste Cartridge, Ivy Lane Assortment, Clear Sparkles, Baker's Twine - Metallic Neutral Assortment, Foam Tape, Quilling Tool, Blush Reinker, Spray Pen, Rubbing Alcohol (not CTMH) 

Now, hop on over to Sheri's Blog and see what she has created for you. 

Enjoy, 
Alyson