Rainbow Card #2 - You're a Star!

This is the second rainbow card for the Three Amigos challenge... a very different approach to that rainbow effect. 

This looks so easy but it took me a LONG TIME to do. 

The stars were die cut using the Basic Stars Thin Cuts from CTMH - one at a time - to get the outlines. I did them in various sizes as I wanted to link them. Each was cut once and then attached to the next colour coordinating star. I stamped the sentiment first and then worked the stars around that. It was very difficult adhering them in order but that is the only way to do this. Each was very carefully linked to the adjoining star and then attached. I coloured some clear sparkles yellow and added them for interest and I also filled in the letters with black marker as they were open. 

The inside of the card has the closed stars scattered around. 

This card is also being entered into the Three Amigos March challenge - Rainbows. 

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

Paper: Lemon Cardstock, Nectarine Cardstock, Pixie Cardstock, Raspberry Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, Carolina Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Clover Cardstock, Willow Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: Noted

Inks: Black

Accessories: Basic Stars Thin Cuts, Clear Sparkles, ShinHan Marker (other), Black Sharpie Marker

Enjoy,

Alyson

Rainbow Card #1 - A Big Thank You

The Three Amigos challenge has intrigued me all month but this is the first chance I have had to create anything for their challenge. 

Their March challenge is all about rainbows... the possibilities are endless! 

I have always wanted to try a rainbow cardstock card by layering cardsotck to form a rainbow effect. This is my attempt at doing just that. 

I laid out several pieces of cardstock in a rainbow of colours and then cut each of them to approx. 3/8"thick. I attached them onto a piece of white cardstock as the base. I chose a large die - one that almost covers a standard size card - and ran the die over the adhered cardstock and this is what I ended up with - a really cool rainbow coloured sentiment! I was going to mount it on black but the darker cardstock kind of got lost on the black so I chose grey instead. I wanted a stitched background but the dies I have cut only an outline for a  standard card so I had to adhere the inside and outside together to get that effect. The word BIG was brushed with shimmer just to make it stand out a little more. 

I am entering this card into the Three Amigos March challenge - Rainbows.

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

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Charcoal Cardstock, Lemon Cardstock, Saffron Cardstock, Nectarine Cardstock, Smoothie Cardstock, Candy Apple Cardstock, Thistle Cardstock, Pansy Cardstock, Sapphire Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, Carolina Cardstock, Peacock Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Emerald Cardstock, Clover Cardstock, Willow Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: none

Inks: none

Accessories: Big Thanks Thin Cut, Rectangular Stitched Dies (SSS), Clear Shimmer Brush

Enjoy,

Alyson

H2H - Seasons Change

Welcome to this week's Heart 2 Heart challenge! 

The theme this week is Seasons Change. I live in an area where we have four very distinct seasons and it is just now coming to the end of winter - we HOPE. It's not unusual for us to get another major blast of winter sometime in April so I keep the snow tires on my car until the end of April, just to be sure! 

I chose to create a double-sided shaker card to show that winter is on its way out and spring is on its way in... the left side of this card is quite bulky with the two shaker components. I chose to photograph each of them separately and group them together for one photo to show the seasonal difference. The photo on the left is actually the font of the card. 

The second photo shows the inside of the card. 

There are four shakers for each section - to appear as if you are looking out a window at the trees. The winter section was embossed and glitter added for snowflakes and the snow at the bottom (although that is covered by the sequins in the photo). The spring trees were masked and stamped in two colours with a birdhouse and bird added. I used Cricut Design Space to draw the titles for each section. 

Come and join us at Heart 2 Heart and show us how you interpret Seasons Change. 

You have until the end of March to link up with this or any of the March challenges. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Pebble Cardstock, Sweet Leaf Cardstock, Fern Cardstock, Charcoal Cardstock, White Daisy Cards and Envelopes (all CTMH)

Stamps: Splash of Colour, Little Things, Seasonal Trees (all CTMH)

Inks: Fern, Sweet Leaf, Ruby, Bluebird, Espresso, Versamark (all CTMH)

Accessories: Cricut Basic Shapes, Alphalicious Cartridge, Misc Purchased Images, Silver Cricut Pen, Gold Cricut Pen, Glitter (unknown), White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Loose Silver Sequins, Loose Gold Sequins (all CTMH), Acetate, Foam Tape, Green Sequins, White Sequins (both Dollar Store)

Enjoy,

Alyson 

Jungle Tunnel Card

Good friends of mine are celebrating their 20th Wedding Anniversary shortly. I decided to create a tunnel card for them. 

I saw this type of card on Jennifer McGuire's blog and thought it would be interesting to create. One of the things I love about it is that it folds down flat for mailing purposes. Even though it is dimensional when opened, the entire card folds down completely flat which is so neat. 

It took a while to figure out all the measurements and I followed the video very carefully to create this, pausing it multiple times until I had the base of the card ready. Once that part was done, it was just a matter of decorating the card itself. I chose to use the Punny Pals stamp set and dies, along with a few other stamps and dies for the leaf images. On the front of the card, you can see the clouds in the background - they are also in the tunnel part but the photo didn't pick that up very well. 

I know I can post this now because the recipients have it in their hands! 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, New England Ivy Cardstock, Fern Cardstock, New England Ivy Cardstock, Toffee Cardstock (all CTMH) 

Stamps: Punny Pals, Jennifer's Hand (both CTMH) 

Inks: Intense Black, Carolina, New England Ivy, Sweet Leaf (all CTMH) 

Accessories: Punny Pals Thin Cuts, Woodgrain Embossing Folder (both CTMH), Greenery Dies (Spellbinders), Stitched Circle Dies (GMD), Grove Branch Die (Memory Box), Petals and More Thinlets, Botanical Builder Thinlets (both SU), ShinHan Markers, Sharpie Markers, Sponges

Enjoy,

Alyson 

CD 335 - Butterfly Gala

Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge #335! 

This week, it's all about PINK! Take a look at the colour challenge below. 

I decided to pull out the stencil from the Wreath Builder stamp set and use that as a guide after searching through every stamp set I have for various sizes of butterflies. Then I had to do some intensive practice with my stamp platform to find the exact placement of the stamps where they would fit into an exact wreath just touching each other... that took about five tries for the outside wreath and another few tries for the inside. After I had stamped a few of the third row of butterflies around the outside of the wreath, I realized that the lower ones were going to be upside down - oops... so I turned the butterfly around and kept it in the same place. The larger ones at the bottom were just stamped manually. 

Some of the pinks in the photo look purple... it IS a pink marker. 

I brushed the butterfly bodies using the Black Shimmer Brush for emphasis.

Come and join us at Colour Dare and show us how you use the colour palette shown above. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Pixie Cardstock, Raspberry Cardstock (all CTMH), Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: You Are My Happy, Short and Sweet, Chelsea Gardens Cardmaking (all CTMH), Fragrant Flowers (Penny Black)

Inks: Intense Black, Raspberry (both CTMH)

Accessories: Basic Circle Thin Cuts, Stitched Circle Thin Cuts, Black Shimmer Brush (all CTMH), Rectangle Stitched Dies (GMD), Pink Grosgrain Ribbon (SU), Wreath Builder Stencil (Gina K Designs), ShinHan Markers, Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

AH 308 - Purple Lilies

Welcome to Challenge 308 at Atlantic Hearts!

This week's sketch is an interesting one because it provides definitive blocks... and how you choose to  interpret those blocks may be interesting to see. 

I wanted borders around my blocks and I had to do some careful measuring to achieve that. I also wanted an image that would cover all four blocks and still give me room for a small sentiment. The background needed something and I chose a small embossing pattern. The lilies were stamped and coloured and I accidentally cut them incorrectly the first time... and had to stamp and colour the image a second time. Ah, such is life. The blocks were mounted using foam tape to make them stand out more. 

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 as follows: 

Paper: Thistle Cardstock, Willow Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock (all CTMH), Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: Thank You Friend (Gina K Designs), Beautiful Peacock (SU)

Inks: Intense Black, Thistle (both CTMH)

Accessories: Dot Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Purple Gems (CTMH), ShinHan Markers, Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

H2H - Raining Numbers

Welcome to Heart 2 Heart's weekly challenge!

In honour of Close To My Heart's 35th Anniversary, the theme this week is By the Numbers. 

However you want to use numbers on your project, go for it! 

I recently saw an idea similar to this and just loved it! The numbers falling from the sky onto the umbrella and then off to the sides was just so cute. 

This was so easy to do using a stamp platform because placing the umbrella temporarily first and then placing the numbers around and seeing where they were going to be stamped made it so easy. I had to do that three times since I only had one set of numbers. I used a sponge to add some ink to the background. The stitched border was added along with some stamped stars and a scalloped edge. 

Come and join us at Heart 2 Heart and show us your project using numbers. 
You have until the end of March to link up with this or any of the other March challenges. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Smoothie Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: Noted, Tiny Typewriter Alphabet

Inks: Black, Glacier, Smoothie

Accessories: Artistry Cartridge, Scalloped Border Thin Cuts, Thin Foam Tape, Foam Tape, Stitched Rectangle Dies (GMD)

Enjoy,

Alyson

CD # 333 - Smile Daisies

Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge #333! 

It's another Tic Tac Toe board this week - these challenges lend themselves to so many different possibilities. You can choose a row or a column but you aren't limited to just that because you can add extra colours from the grid as well. 

Just so you know, these colours are taken from Close To My Heart's paper pack called So Much Happy. If you have that paper pack, you will see that these colours are contained within that paper pack. 

We use Close To My Heart colour names for reference, but you are welcome to use any products as long as the colours are as close a match as possible.

For my card this week, I chose to use the top row of colours - Sapphire, Lagoon and Lemon but I also added White. The reason for this is the background paper that I used had all 4 colours in it so that made my decision very easy. 

I used a sketch from Page Maps to create my card and it is shown under my card. I loved the sketch - right down to the stitching - so I stayed true to it. I even dug out my sewing machine to do the stitching at the top of the card and on the tags. 

The flowers were created in Design Space but I added the leaves as an afterthought - they are from a set of dies and were simply die cut and then cut in half. The sentiment was also die cut and stacked 4x. 

The close-up below shows the shimmer on the flowers as the original photo doesn't pick that up. 

They really shine in real-life.

Come and join us at Colour Dare and show us how you use the Tic Tac Toe board shown at the top. You have two weeks to create your project and link it up. 
We can't wait to see what you create!

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: So Much Happy Paper Pack, Lagoon Cardstock, Sapphire Cardstock, Lemon Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock (all CTMH), Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: none

Inks: none

Accessories: Flower Market Cartridge, I Heart Us Sequins, Foam Tape, Clear Shimmer Brush (all CTMH), Wild Rose Dies (Pretty Pink Posh), Smile Die (Elizabeth Craft Designs), Sewing Machine and White Thread 

Enjoy,

Alyson

AH 306 - Hello with Masked Background

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch 306! 

This week's sketch is an interesting one... very basic. It could be as simple as some patterned paper with a ribbon across the paper and an added sentiment. I don't tend to think in those kinds of terms - and it took me a while to decide what to do with this sketch - really. I didn't want my artwork to be that simple. 

I opted instead to create my own background by masking a two step stamp... and that took some significant work! I had to create 3 masks so as not to overlap any of the flowers and the second stamp had to be stamped at the same time as the base stamp while the masks were in place. I ended up having to create 3 sets of 3 masks by the time I was done as they wear out fairly quickly with all the stamping being done on top of them! 

I knew I wanted to pair yellow and purple but I needed another option and gold was in the purple ribbon that I wanted to use. The gems that I added photographed very dark and it was impossible to change them - they were slightly edited to look purple. They are actually a gorgeous shiny dark purple in real life. The sentiment was die cut 3x and stacked. 

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 as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Pansy Cardstock, Gold Foil Paper (all CTMH)

Stamps: What I Love (SU)

Inks: Canary, Saffron (both CTMH)

Accessories: Purple Gems, Pansy and Gold Ribbon, Purple Waxy Flax, Yellow Button (all CTMH), Hello Die (Pretty Pink Posh)

Enjoy,

Alyson