Dec.25th Card

It was time for a challenge today - and this one meets a few of them. I haven't entered a challenge for quite a while because I have been so busy... 

Creating Christmas cards takes an enormous amount of time! 

I was able to make a Christmas card for this challenge - albeit not the type I usually make - but I am sure I will put it to use. The main challenge was Double Trouble.

It is a free for all this week as it is a single week challenge. However, there are some additions... 

Adding a number to your project is the second part. 

The third part is to link up with any previous challenge with which they have combined so I am linking up with Colour Dare challenge #316.





So, my card is very green - I used a lot of different shades of green! I went back to an oldie but goodie stamp set - Perfect Fit Holidays. I embossed the date using Clover Pigment ink. The two smaller circles were embossed with white and then I used a small sponge and various shades of grey (Sage looks grey and Emerald looks almost blue) to rub ink over the birds. That was MUCH HARDER than it looks because it was such a small space to do. Layers and layers of green... 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: Cats and Bats Paper Pack, Oh What Fun Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Clover Cardstock (all CTMH)
Stamps: Oh What Fun Cardmaking, Perfect Fit Holidays (all CTMH)
Inks: Emerald, Sweet Leaf, Sage, Clover, Willow, Clover Pigment Ink, Versamark (all CTMJH)
Accessories: Emerald Ribbon, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, White Pearls, Foam Tape (all CTMH), 1 1/4 Punch, Green Twine (both SU)

Enjoy,
Alyson

AH 288 - Peace on Wood Christmas Card

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Challenge 288! 

It is an interesting sketch this week - and one that I chose to remain close to for my card. I had a die that I really wanted to use and I cut it twice in both red and green cardstock. There are a lot of details within the die itself so I just cut the flower section off the die cut and layered it on top of the leaves. 

The background was a challenge because I didn't want anything to compete with the flower... The sentiment is much more noticeable in real life than in the photo. It is almost lost here in the picture. I brushed the flower and leaves with shimmer brushes to bring out some of the details. The red pearls add an extra touch of shimmer to the card. 

Come and join us at Atlantic Hearts and show us how you interpret the sketch shown above. You have until Sunday evening to link up your project.

Products used are listed below:

Paper: Candy Apple Cardstock, Willow Cardstock, Gold Foil Paper, Basic Fundamentals (all CTMH), Wood Grain Patterned Paper (SU)

Stamps: Scandinavian Wishes (CTMH)

Inks: Versamark

Accessories: Flowers and Leaves Die (GMD), Snowflake Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Red Pearls (CTMH), Thin Foam Tape, Red Shimmer Brush, Clear Shimmer Brush, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool (all CTMH)

Enjoy, 

Alyson

H2H - Glitter Glam

Welcome to this week's Heart 2 Heart challenge. 

The theme this week is Glitter Glam so dig out all that glitters and show us what you have! 

I am in the midst of working on Christmas cards so this was an opportunity to use some glittery snowflakes for me. After I had cut three snowflakes from glitter paper, they look rather plain on the Sapphire cardstock. I decided to add an embossed centre piece but it still looked plain. 

That is when the texture paste came out... I had cut a snowflake stencil a while ago and the center of it had large snowflakes but the the ends had some smaller flakes. Placing it carefully, I was able to use only the smaller flakes as long as I worked quickly as I had to reposition it on both sides of the paper. The paste dries fast and I didn't want to have to clean up and then start again to do the other side of the card. 

The sentiment is from a retired CTMH stamp set and the frame is from a SU set that also has a coordinating die. 

Come and join us at Heart 2 Heart and show us that all that glitters can also be made into a project that you wish to share with us for this challenge. 

You have until the end of October to link up with this or any of our other October challenges. 

Products used are listed below: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Sapphire Cardstock, Sugarplum Cardstock, Silver Glitter Paper (all CTMH, Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: Festive Trees (CTMH), Merry Christmas to All (SU)

Inks: Sapphire, Sugarplum (all CTMH)

Accessories: Artbooking Cartridge (CTMH), Stencil Sheets (Grafix), Texture Paste and Tools (Ranger), Winter Flurries Thin Cuts (CTMH), Merry Christmas Thinlets (SU), Snowflake Embossing Folder (Darice), Clear Sparkles (CTMH), Blue Burlap Ribbon (CTMH), Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

Holiday Sparkle/Season of Joy Blog Hop

Welcome to the Holiday Sparkle/Season of Joy Blog Hop. This blog hop features the Cut Above Holiday Sparkle card kit - and ways that it can be altered and/or projects created using the new Season of Joy Cricut Cartridge. 
I am sure as you progress through this bog hop that you will find holiday inspiration in the creations along the way!

You should have arrived here from Kimberly Bower's blog.

If you get lost, a complete list of participating bloggers can be found on Melinda Everitt's blog. 

I wanted to use the Holiday Sparkle Card Kit items to create my own shaker card from the cards within the kit. 

Here is a photo of the kit.

I cut apart one of each of the cards. Using pieces from each, I reworked another card (making a standard size card instead of a 5x7 card). I lined up the borders from one of the cards and put a piece of White Daisy cardstock behind them to set them apart from the background. I prefer the shakers to be embedded within the card rather than on top so I cut into the base of the card and also cut some Raspberry stars at the same time. They were added to the shaker. I chose a sentiment from the Love with all the Trimmings stamp set to stamp on one of the original circles. A Raspberry stitched frame was added and this card was finished! 

The next blog on the hop is Darlys Recker's blog.

I am sure she will show you more creative inspiration in her artwork! 

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Holiday Sparkle Cut Above Card Kit, White Daisy Cardstock, Raspberry Cardstock

Stamps: Love with all the Trimmings

Inks: Clover

Accessories: Raspberry Twine, Shaker Thin Cuts, (Loose Silver Sequins, Foam Tape - Shaker Window Foam and Acetate - all contained within the Holiday Sparkle Cut Above Card Kit) 

Enjoy,

Alyson

AH 286 - Shining Tree

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #286!

This week's sketch is an interesting one... it lends itself to a lot of possibilities. A circle in the background can be open to a shaker card of some sort and the image in the forefront can be interpreted in several ways. 

I took some liberties with the sketch - I moved the circle (which doesn't HAVE to be a circle...) up on the page and chose to make it a moon or a sun, depending how you interpret my card. I then added a Christmas tree in the foreground. I sponged the entire background using several colours of ink. The snow at the bottom was created by using an embossing folder and then the "hill" was cut using a decorative die.

It is a simple card but it makes a statement - exactly what I wanted. 

Come and join us at Atlantic Hearts and show us how you interpret the sketch shown above. You have until Sunday evening to link up your project. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock

Stamps: Christmas Love (ret.)

Inks: Lemon, Canary, Saffron, Carolina, Bluebird, Sapphire

Accessories: In the Woods Thinlets (SU), Circle Dies (Nestabilities), Cascading Circles Embossing Folder (ret.), Decorative Borders Thin Cuts, Foam Tape, Gold Glitter Gems

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Cross Canada Blog Hop - Grateful Heart

Welcome to the Cross-Canada Blog Hop!

This month, we are featuring the Grateful Heart Paper Pack. 

You should have arrived here from Diana's blog. This blog hops runs from East to West across Canada so if you want to start at the beginning, go to Michelle's blog and she has the entire list of bloggers on her blog. 

I am working on Christmas cards at this time and I love non-traditional colours for Christmas. This was the perfect opportunity to continue with my Christmas cards and showcase the side of Grateful Heart that most people don't see... 

I love the blues in this paper pack. Paired with silver, they make an awesome colour combination. I created a poinsettia and then used the Fancy Tags thin cuts to cut out the sentiment that was stamped from the Wonder of the Season stamp set. I cut another of the tags to go behind it. I love the intensity of this card. The pattern is from MIFYH - Vol 4 (Pattern 9). 

The next bog on this hop is Terry Ann.
I am sure she has something fabulous to share with you!

Be sure to join us again on November 10th when we will feature 'Tis the Season from the Holiday Expressions catalog! 

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Grateful Heart Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock, Mink Cardstock, Silver Glitter Paper
Stamps: Wonder of the Season
Inks: Sapphire, Glacier, Heather
Accessories: Flower Market Cartridge, Fancy Tags Thin Cuts, Decorative Border Thin Cuts, Blue Burlap Ribbon, White Pearls, Clear Shimmer Brush, Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

Heart 2 Heart - Holiday Expressions Feature

Welcome to this week's Heart 2 Heart challenge! 

The theme this week is to feature new products from the Holiday Expressions catalog! You can create something yourself or choose to imitate something that is already in the catalog. 

I don't do this very often but I chose to imitate something that is found in the catalog - and that is a card found on p.33. The original card is created using the Boutique collection. My brother is celebrating a birthday in a few days so I wanted my card to be more masculine in nature. I chose to use the Grateful Heart paper collection. The blues in that collection were perfect for what I wanted to do. 

I didn't have a current birthday stamp set so I used an oldie but goodie - and he tends to have a rather cheeky attitude so this stamp was perfect for him. It looks like sections of it are wet in the first photo but they are actually brushed with the Gold Shimmer Brush. The second photo shows that better. 

Come and join us at Heart 2 Heart and show us which products you love from the Holiday Expressions catalog - there are SO many from which to choose! You can create something brand new or imitate a project that is already there. You have until the end of October to link up your project. 

Products used are all Close To My Heart 

Paper: Grateful Heart Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock

Stamps: Birthday Funnies (ret.)

Inks: Sapphire

Accessories: Stitched Circle Thin Cuts, Basic Circle Thin Cuts, Gold Shimmer Brush, Black Journaling Pen, Gold Glitter Gems, Thin Foam Tape, Foam Tape, Blue Burlap Ribbon

Enjoy,

Alyson

Wishing You... Oval Shaker Card

I decided to try my hand at an oval shaker card - after using Close To My Heart's new shaker card pre-designed shaker windows and kits, this was not nearly as easy as I remember! It took me a number of tries on my Circuit to shape and cut the front of the card and then to cut the outline. I chose to use a scallop oval and that made it all the more difficult as lining that up is difficult, to say the least! And I wanted it embedded within my card as well! 

After a few attempts, I finally figured out what I was doing and then things started to move a little faster... I sponged the background but then FORGOT to adhere my glitter words to that background so they ended up going on the top of the acetate. Sometimes you do what you have to do, right? At least the sequins made it into the shaker part! 

The flowers and leaves were stamped, coloured and die cut. Eventually the flowers were brushed with the clear shimmer brush and had a silver gem added in the centre of each. 

This card will be signed by many people so it has two additional pieces of cardstock in the centre to allow for 10 pages of writing in total. It is 5x7 in size. 

I bound it at the side using a flexible piece of cord. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Oh What Fun Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Mint Cardstock

Stamps: Wild Rose (Pretty Pink Posh), Sending and Wishing (SSS)

Inks: Intense Black, Lagoon, Mint, Raspberry

Accessories: Artiste Cartridge (ret.), Foam Tape, Thin Foam Tape, ShinHan Markers, Silver Glitter Gems, Loose Silver Sequins, ShinHan Markers, Acetate (not CTMH), Silver Cording (not CTMH), Pool  Party and Silver Twine (SU), Wild Rose Dies (Pretty Pink Posh), Wishing Die (SSS), Clear Shimmer Brush

Enjoy,

Alyson

October SOTM Blog Hop - Thanks & Giving

Welcome to the October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop. This month, we are featuring the stamp set Thanks & Giving, a set of 16 stamps. There are fabulous sentiments and images in this set of stamps - not only for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday (which we celebrate very shortly here in Canada - next weekend as a matter of fact), but for the entire year. 

You should have arrived here from Jean McNulty's blog. 

If you get lost, a list of all participants on this blog hop can be found on Melinda Everitt's blog. 

This is what the stamp set looks like. 

The Grateful Heart paper pack is such a perfect paper pack for the autumn season with its rich colour scheme. I wanted to use that paper pack to create the same card, but showcase two completely different sides of that same paper pack.

The floral swag is my favourite image in the stamp set, so I wanted to focus on that, along with the word THANKFUL. I did have to cheat a tiny bit because there was no word "be" in the stamp set so I had to go back a few years to find that word in an old, retired stamp set. 

For the first card, I chose the blues and greys in the papers pack and coloured the swag accordingly. The greenish-blue leaves and flowers were highlighted with the Mint Shimmer Brush. 

The second card was created using the bolder papers in the same pack and the Gold Shimmer Brush was used on the flowers and the large leaf. 

I love the differences between the two cards - exactly the same card but completely different looks! 

The next blog on the hop is Kimberly Bower's blog. 

I am sure she has something terrific to share with you. 

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Grateful Heart Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Sapphire Cardstock, Fern Cardstock

Stamps: Thanks & Giving, Feel So Blessed (ret.)

Inks: Sapphire, Mink, New England Ivy, Pomegranate

Accessories: Mink Twine, Pomegranate Burlap Ribbon, Black Journaling Pen, ShinHan Markers, Mint Shimmer Brush, Gold Shimmer Brush

Enjoy,

Alyson

AH 284 - Joy Wreath

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Challenge 284!

Although it is just the beginning of October, it is starting to get chilly where I live. That also means that Christmas isn't far away and it is time to work on Christmas cards. This was a perfect sketch for that purpose. 

My wreath was created using a Cricut cut from the new Season of Joy cartridge from Close To My Heart. I just layered it over and over to create the wreath (I used Seaglass and Peacock cardstock).  The JOY sentiment inside was cut twice - once using silver foil paper and second time using Seaglass glitter paper. The patterned paper is from several years ago - old SU paper - but it fit perfectly with what I wanted here. 

Come and join us at Atlantic Hearts and show us how you interpret the sketch shown above. You have until Sunday evening to link up your project. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Peacock Cardstock, Seaglass Cardstock (ret.), Patterned paper (SU), Silver Foil Paper, Seaglass Glitter Paper (ret.)

Stamps: none

Inks: none

Accessories: Season of Joy Cartridge, Glacier Twine (ret.), Wondrous Wreath Thinlets (SU)

Enjoy,

Alyson