Atlantic Hearts Challenge 75

This week at Atlantic Hearts, the sketch was perfect for me to use a stamp set that I have been wanting to use for ages! The Polar Bear Holiday stamp set has been calling my name for such a long time and I am so happy to put it to use on this adorable card! 

The sketch also allowed me to pull out the new Teal Glitter Paper along with the Chalk It Up Paper Pack. A few colouring lines here and there, the addition of some glitter twine that I have had in my stash forever and it made for an adorable winter card... 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Chalk It Up Paper Pack, Teal Glitter Paper, White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock

Stamps: Polar Bear Holiday

Inks: Black Pigment Ink, Lagoon Pigment Ink

Accessories: ShinHan Markers, Teal Glitter Twine (not CTMH)

Enjoy, 

Alyson

A Note to All

For the next few weeks, with the exception of one Atlantic Hearts post at the end of September that is scheduled, my blog will be pretty bare of new posts. The reason: I am preparing for a move to a new location on October 4. It isn't far from where I am currently living but ANY move is a huge undertaking and it means that I have to pack up my entire crafting space. So, as of tomorrow, all my creative supplies are being packed up in preparation for this move. That means that I will not be able to create again until I am settled into my new place. It may be several days after the move until I am able to get back into actually creating again. 

So, in the meantime, stay creative, check out the blogs that I follow and support my fellow Atlantic Hearts Design Team and the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop. I will be back before you know it :) 

Alyson

SMILE - You're on Candid Camera (just kidding...)

I created this card for a special couple I met last weekend. It's kind of a funny story. A woman recently joined my church choir and she is from Korea - she has a fairly decent understanding of the language but she struggles now and then. She looks about twenty but she is actually in her forties which really shocked me! I met her husband and her twelve year old son on Sunday after the service. Her husband saw a lady with an owl necklace and mentioned in a joking manner that he wanted a wise owl, so I told him I would make him one... so here it is! I will give this to his wife at our choir practice this evening for her to share with her husband and see what he thinks! They are such a sweet couple. He speaks English very well, by the way.

I hope the "wise owl" is enjoyed by all!

Products used are all Close To My Heart. 

Paper: Timberline Paper Pack (ret.), Lagoon Cardstock, Slate Cardstock, Colonial White Cardstock
Stamps: Owls, Have a Happy Day
Inks: Chocolate Pigment Ink, Ponderosa Pine Pigment Ink, Slate Pigment Ink, Lagoon
Accessories: Shinhan Markers, Aqua Dots, Black Striped Twill Ribbon, Slate Diagonal Striped Ribbon, Slate Polka Dot Satin Ribbon (ret.)

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 73 - My Mom's Birthday Card...

It's time for AHSC #73! And this weekend is my dear mom's 87th birthday. She is determined that it is her 88th birthday for some strange reason but it really is her 87th (she was born in 1927...) She loves my cards and I often send her cards for no particular reason - just to say hello or something like that. 

So, here is a flip card - both sides of the flip are the same. When I saw the sketch for this week, I knew that a flip card would be perfect! 

This is the card closed (as closed as I could get it...)

Here is the card opened up.

 And the sketch for this week:

Products used are all Close To My Heart:

Paper: Pathfinding Paper Pack, Glacier Cardstock, Barn Red Cardstock, Champagne Cardstock, Olive Paper Fundamentals (from Enchanted Pack)

Stamps: Happy Birthday (ret.)

Inks: Barn Red

Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Bronze Shimmer Trim, Mocha Opaques (ret.)

Enjoy,

Alyson

Gift Card Set - Rainbow of Colours!

I found this gorgeous idea on Etsy while looking around at some paper crafting ideas. Dawn McVey was the artist and I loved her work. I looked high and low to find appropriate sized doilies but when I couldn't find them, I decided to create my own using the Artiste cartridge instead! I had ribbons in various colours and thicknesses that matched the CTMH cardstock colours quite well. 

So, using those supplies and some older stamp sets for the sentiments, everything came together relatively quickly. 

 The first photo is of the entire set, including the box to hold all the cards and envelopes. 

The next two photos show two of the cards up close, to give you a better idea of exactly what I did for each of them. The paper at the bottom of each card is the Fundamentals Cardstock to match the appropriate coloured cardstock. 

Supplies used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Canary Cardstock, Goldrush Cardstock, Cotton Candy Cardstock, Cranberry Cardstock, Gypsy Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Pacifica Cardstock, Outdoor Denim Cardstock, Olive Cardstock, Paper Fundamentals - Whimsy, Adventure and Enchantment packs
Stamps: Holiday Tags, Say it in Style (ret.), Love Blooms (ret.), Card Word Puzzle (ret.)
Inks: Black
Accessories: Artiste Cartridge, Ribbon - various colours (not CTMH), Buttons - various colours (ret.), White Embroidery Floss (not CTMH), Scallop Border Punch (used on the box)

Enjoy, 
Alyson

CASE this Sketch - JOY Christmas Card

I just made it on time! When I saw the sketch for this week, I had an idea in mind and I really wanted to get it done in time to enter this challenge. Considering the number of entries that this challenge receives, I know I don't stand a chance, but I wanted to try out my idea and I am happy with some parts of the card. The snowflake didn't turn out the way I wanted, but that's ok - I learned something for next time. 

So, here is my card. The sketch for the challenge is found under the card. 

Products used are all Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper: Yuletide Paper Pack, Colonial White Cardstock, Ruby Cardstock, New England Ivy Cardstock
Stamps: None
Inks: Versamark
Accessories: Artbooking Cartridge, Art Philosophy Cartridge, ShinHan Marker, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Gold Glitter Gems, Sparkle Flourishes, Sharpie Marker (not CTMH), Almond Glitter Gel (ret.)

Enjoy, 
Alyson

For Always PML Card Ideas

Last weekend, I attended an awesome crop weekend that was part of my extended team's Thrive and Survive Event. That meant that we were lucky enough to have two terrific ladies from the Close To My Heart corporate office come all the way to Barrie to work with consultants and teach us a business class as well as a creative class! And of all people, it happened to be Kristine and Tiffany - it doesn't get any better than that! 

The creative session was all about using Picture My Life (PML) cards, which are SO popular right now, in a card-making format. It was all about keeping it simple. So many customers want to be able to create beautiful projects FAST these days and this is one way to go about doing just that. 

The For Always PML Cards are neutral in their colour scheme so they can match any colours in the palette. Corporate had chosen Thistle, Glacier and Whisper. Along with that, Lagoon Hearts washi tape, Silver Sequins, white card bases and envelopes and the stamp set "Happy Day" were included in out kits. All we needed to provide was a black ink pad. 

We were given a selection of PML cards to use and told to "do as we pleased"... I cut some of my larger cards into half and rounded the edges to keep the look uniform. For some of them, I stamped images on scraps of White Daisy cardstock, and some I stamped right on the cards but others were fine just as they were. 

I grouped the cards in twos for the photos. This workshop could easily be done in an hour. Great ideas, simple and easy - just the way many customers like it to be!   

Products used are all Close To My Heart:

Paper: White Daisy Card Bases and Envelopes, Thistle Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock, Whisper Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: Happy Day
Inks: Black
Accessories: For Always Picture My Life Cards, Silver Sequins, Lagoon Hearts Washi Tape

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch 72

The sketch at Atlantic Hearts this week is one that I interpreted very simply... I used the sketch pretty much as it is. The only exception was that I chose to place my sentiment in the main section and just put an embellishment at the bottom instead. 

I am going to use this card as one of five for my upcoming Christmas Card Workshop so I purposely kept it straightforward and simple. 

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Snowhaven Paper Pack, Glacier Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: Merriest Christmas
Inks: Cranberry Ink
Accessories: Clear Sparkles, Silver Shimmer Trim, Black Shimmer Trim, Red Shimmer Trim, Chevron Embossing Folder, Cranberry Baker's Twine

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch 71

This week's sketch at Atlantic Hearts is a fabulous one! It has so many possible interpretations and I love that! 

I decided to go with the Skylark paper colours - a retired paper pack but one of my favourites. Who says retired means that we can't still use it anymore? 

I chose to use the Fabulous You stamp set because I adore the bird image. I KNOW it is supposed to be a cardinal and cardinals are red, but I decided to make my bird blue instead. I used the Clear Sparkles and coloured them to make them match the card. 

So, here is my card and the sketch is shown below. 

Products used are all Close To My Heart: 

Paper: Skylark Paper Pack (ret.), White Daisy Cardstock, Sweet Leaf Cardstock, Desert Sand Cardstock
Stamps: Fabulous You, Holiday Tags
Inks: Cocoa Pigment Ink, Lagoon
Accessories: ShinHan Markers, Clear Sparkles, Skylark Assortment (ret.), Skylark Textiles (ret.), Bling Pin (ret.), Foam Tape, Quatrefoil Embossing Folder

Enjoy, 
Alyson