Shared Happiness - Boxed Card Set

I love creating sets of cards for gifts - I give so many away! 

The Shared Happiness stamp and die set from Close To My Heart is a perfect stamp for creating a set of cards using various colours. The main stamp has a rectangle in the centre, surrounded by flowers. I stamped that entire image on white cardstock (x8) and coloured the flowers in 8 different colour schemes. There are several sentiments in the stamp set and I chose 4 of them - stamped 2 cards each with the sentiments in question. Rather than using the rectangle that is stamped within the flowers, I die cut a stitched rectangle almost the same size and stamped the sentiments on that instead. 

I lined the white cardstock piece with the same colour of cardstock as the sentiment piece and then placed all of that on a white card base. The floral piece was adhered with foam tape to add some dimension. I brushed the yellow sections and the darker lines on each flower with the Clear Shimmer Brush. 

Although the colouring took me a while, I love how these turned out! The red one is shown below, along with the inside. The inside of each card is the same except the coordinating colours were used to colour the flowers. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Peach Cardstock, Ballerina Cardstock, Pixie Cardstock, Raspberry Cardstock, Nectarine Cardstock, Candy Apple Cardstock, Lilac Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, White Cards and Envelopes

Stamps: Shared Happiness

Inks: Black, Intense Black 

Accessories: Shared Happiness Thin Cuts, Stitched Rectangle Dies (GMD), Clear Shimmer Brush, Tri-Blend Markers 

Enjoy,

Alyson

CD 383 - Birthday Peonies

Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 383!

It's a tic tac toe board again this week - one of my favourite challenges. This one contains pastel colours. Although we use Close To My Heart colours, you can use any products as long as they are a very close match.

I chose to create a birthday card with a new stamp set. I love this floral stamp set and wanted to use it on a card. I embossed the floral group in silver and then used Tri-Blend and Touch markers to colour in the flowers. The border was cut from the Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts although I had to cut a sliver off each side to allow for the peach background. I brushed the dark part of the flowers using the Clear Shimmer Brush and then added some coloured Bitty Sparkles for the centres of the flowers. I stamped the sentiment using Wisteria ink and purposely stamped the left side of the sentiment a few extra times to create a minor ombre effect. I added a few coloured sparkles to coordinate with the flowers.

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. 

We can’t wait to see what you create!

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Peach Cardstock, Wisteria Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: Happy Birthday Mini Stamp, Peony Cluster (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps)

Inks: Wisteria, Versamark

Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Tri-Blend Markers, Touch Markers (not CTMH), Clear Shimmer Brush, Clear Sparkles, Bitty Sparkles, Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Iris Opening Cards

I was experimenting with fun fold cards and this is one design that I really like. I’m not sure what it is called but the inside opens kind of like an iris fold to reveal a message.

I made two of these - one using a current paper pack called Celebrate Today and the other using a retried paper pack called Chelsea Gardens.

The band holds the edges of the card together until it is opened. Once the card is opened, there are two photos provided for each card that show just the center of the opening so you can see that the sentiment is still hidden. As the card is completely opened, the sentiment is revealed.

I decorated both the bands and the insides of the cards with coordinating flowers and leaves. Anything that is added inside must remain clear of the moveable parts, so it can’t be too large.

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated:

Paper: Celebrate Today Paper Pack, Chelsea Gardens Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Heather Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock, Evergreen Cardstock, Pixie Cardstock

Stamps: Chelsea Gardens Cardmaking, Family Legacy, Celebrate Today Card Kit, Happy Birthday

Inks: Intense Black, Raspberry, Charcoal, Lagoon

Accessories: Celebrate Today Card Kit Thin Cuts, Celebrate Today Vellum Images, Chelsea Gardens Cardmaking Thin Cuts, Tri-Blend Markers, Touch Markers (not CTMH), Lagoon Shimmer Brush, Charcoal Shimmer Brush, Clear Shimmer Brush, Peacock Sequins, Bitty Sparkles, Turquoise Gems, Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

Sympathy Flowers

One of my least favourite types of cards to create is a sympathy card... it's always hard to make one when the situation arises. I really should keep extras on hand, just for when one is required.

This one is for a former colleague who just lost her husband. I chose to use the Know That I Care stamp set for the flower and sentiment. The patterned paper drove the colours that I selected. The white background was embossed with a diamond pattern and the floral section was die cut using stitched rectangles so I also had the outline in green. The floral image was stamped in green and the flowers are designed to look like watercolours. I coloured the leaves, trying to imitate the same style. 

The inside of the card has a beautiful sentiment - from one of the new stamps from Close To My Heart (available March 1). I stamped a small flower and some extra leaves inside as well. 

I hope this card is well received - the funeral will be well attended as this gentleman made a huge impact on many. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Clover Cardstock, Painted Seasons DSP (SU), White Cards and Envelopes 

Stamps: Know That I Care, With Heartfelt Sympathy

Inks: Clover, Smoothie

Accessories: Diamond Embossing Folder, Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts, Touch Marker (not CTMH), Green Gems

Enjoy,

Alyson

H2H - Texture It

Welcome to this week's challenge at Heart 2 Heart. 

It is a technique challenge this week - specifically TEXTURE. 

Add some kind of texture to your project for this challenge. 

I went with texture paste as my medium... I created stencils a while ago using the Artbooking Cricut cartridge and I pulled out my circle one for this purpose. It is a small stencil so I had to reposition it several times to cover the card from corner to corner. I mixed texture paste with the Wisteria Shimmer Brush to get the correct colour for this purpose. 

Once the paste was dry, I stamped and coloured the flowers and leaves and cut the black and white pieces. Everything was positioned and the sentiment was added at the bottom. The lines of the flowers were brushed with the Clear Shimmer Brush. Thin foam tape and regular foam tape were used to add some additional dimension to this card. I also coloured some silver glitter gems and added them the centres of the flowers. 

The inspiration for my card came from Narelle Farrugia, whose artwork I love! 

Come and join us at Heart 2 Heart and show us your projects with texture.

You have until the end of February to enter this or any of the other February challenges. 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: La Vie en Rose Paper Pack, White Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: Floral Delivery, Create with Heart Spring 2020

Inks: Intense Black, Black

Accessories: Artbooking Cricut cartridge, Stencil Sheets, Floral Delivery Thin Cuts, Texture Paste, Wisteria Shimmer Brush, Clear Shimmer Brush, Tri-Blend Markers, Touch Markers (not CTMH), Sharpie Markers (not CTMH), Silver Glitter Gems, Thin Foam Tape, Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

Stamptacular Blog Hop

Welcome to the Stamptacular Blog Hop! 

For this blog hop, products that are on sale for the Stamptacular campaign are being featured. There are several stamp sets and stamps sets with coordinating Thin Cuts available and the sale runs until the end of February. 

You should have arrived here from Brenda Lapp's blog.

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

I chose to create a card using a design that I saw quite a while ago created by Andrea Sherman. I love shaker cards and wanted to add that element to my card. 

The base piece along with the borders were cut using my Cricut. It took me a few attempts to get what I wanted. The shaker was created directly on the patterned paper on the inside of the card. I stamped some hearts and coloured the large ones before adding Silver and Julep sequins. The front of the card was adhered to the Cricut cut base and the sentiment was stamped. The floral grouping was stamped using Black Pigment Ink and embossed as that made it easier to colour. Once it was adhered to the front (and taken off a few times as I accidentally added adhesive that was on top of the shaker part, not allowing the card to open...), the flowers were brushed with the Clear Shimmer Brush. I added a white acrylic heart that was coloured and some Silver Glitter Gems. 

I hope you enjoyed my card! 

The next blog to visit is Kim Loewen's blog.

I am certain she has something awesome to share with you.

Products used are all Close To My Heart:

Paper: Celebrate Today Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, Pixie Cardstock

Stamps: Cherishing Her, Every Little Thing Scrapbooking, Some Kind of Wonderful

Inks: Black Pigment Ink, Bluebird

Accessories: Artiste Cricut Cartridge, Cricut Basic Shapes, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Tri-Blend Markers, Silver Loose Sequins, Julep Loose Sequins, Shaker Window and Confetti Thin Cuts, Some Kind of Wonderful Thin Cuts, Shaker Window Foam and Acetate, Foam Tape, Acrylic Hearts, Silver Glitter Gems, Clear Shimmer Brush

Enjoy,

Alyson

Friendly Flower Stack

I was recently looking around at different sketch challenges and the card sketch at Sketch 'n Scrap (#163) caught my eye. The flowers along the centre of the card... wow - love the sketch and had to try it out myself! 

I chose a standard size card base with a side fold (I usually create my cards with a top fold but that wouldn't work for what I had in mind.) The right side of the base was cut away, leaving 2 inches on the right side that would show from the inside of the card. I placed a Mint patterned design paper on the outside of the card and a Pixie patterned design (sort of like watercolor) on the inside. I also added a strip of Mint cardstock inside for a place to write a message. Using a small stamp, I stamped a border around the outside of the card in black ink. I stamped several flowers on Pixie cardstock and then coloured them. The leaves were stamped on Mint cardstock and coloured and the flowers and leaves were adhered along the edge, hanging over approx. halfway. I brushed the flower centre area with the Clear Shimmer Brush and then added Stickles to the centres of the flowers. I chose a small sentiment - just visible when the card is completely closed and more visible when the card is partly open. Unfortunately, the photographs don't pick up the Mint colour very well - or the parts brushed with the Clear Shimmer Brush... this card is much more vibrant in real life. 

Many people wouldn't worry about the inside of the card but an unfinished inside isn't something I like. I cut more of the flowers and leaves and fit them to the back of the overhanging section to cover the colouring marks. Although the images aren't stamped, it gives a more finished appearance to the inside of the card. 

I am linking up my card to Sketch 'n Scrap Challenge #163. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Celebrate Today Paper Pack, Mix-In Paper Pack, Pixie Cardstock, Mint Cardstock, White Card Base

Stamps: From Me to You, Wild Rose (PPP), Word Up (Reverse Confetti)

Inks: Intense Black, Black

Accessories: Wild Rose Dies (PPP), Clear Shimmer Brush, Tri-Blend Markers, Goldenrod Stickles

Enjoy,

Alyson

TSOT 445 - Love You

Welcome to Try Stampin' on Tuesday's weekly sketch challenge! 

The additional theme for this week's challenge is to create a tall and skinny card. 

I chose to remain with the sketch and not make a tall and skinny card. 

I used some papers from a recent Mix-In Paper Pack and pulled Glacier and Green Apple from that colour scheme. I used those cardstock colours for the banner, borders and the backing of the heart. Peach cardstock was used for the centre of the heart. I also coloured white acrylic hearts using the same shade of green. A strip of white shimmer trim was added to the banner and I drew around the centre piece with a black journaling pen. This card came together so easily!

Come and join us at TSOT and show us how you interpret the sketch shown above. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Mix-In Paper Pack, Glacier Cardstock, Green Apple Cardstock, Peach Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: Adore You

Inks: Green Apple

Accessories: Basic Heart Thin Cuts, Stitched Heart Thin Cuts, Scalloped Border Thin Cuts, White Acrylic Hearts, White Shimmer Trim, Black Journaling Pen, Touch Marker (not CTMH), Foam Tape 

Enjoy,

Alyson

AH 356 - Distress Ink with Watercolour

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 356!

Although this sketch is horizontally oriented, I rotated it 90 degrees to make it a vertical card. 

Distress inks are completely new to me - I watched some videos to get a few ideas and saw a technique I really liked. It involved colouring the base with one or more distress inks (I chose only one) and then using a background stamp with water applied to the stamp and pressing down on the coloured base. The pattern really shows up when the base is heated - that is how I got the lines imprinted on the base of my card. 

I used a sentiment that fit perfectly inside one of the Stitched Bracket Thin Cuts. I manually added a white border as I felt it needed to be mounted. The flowers and leaves were stamped, coloured and die cut. I added some pink shimmer trim and turquoise ribbon on top. The flowers were brushed with the Clear Shimmer Brush as well. 

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. 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Ballerina Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Watercolour Paper, Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: Sentiment Collection (Penny Black), Cherry Blossoms (Pretty Pink Posh), Stripe Jingle Background (SSS)

Inks: Lagoon, Intense Black, Peacock Feathers Distress Ink (Ranger)

Accessories: Cherry Blossom Dies (Pretty Pink Posh), Stitched Bracket Thin Cuts, Soft Pink Shimmer Trim, Clear Shimmer Brush, Pink Gems, Tri-Blend Markers, Lagoon Ribbon (misc.), Thin Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

Technique Blog Hop - Colour Your World

Welcome to the February Technique Blog Hop. 

The title of this month's bog hop is "Colour Your World" - the technique is colouring. 

You should have arrived here from Melissa Robinson’s blog. 

Colouring is not a strength of mine but I do the best I can... and I enjoy it. 

I chose to use the Shared Happiness stamp set but in a different way than  the stamp is intended. There is a centre section designed to place a sentiment but I used the floral part and stamped around the border of my card instead. The images were coloured using the Tri-Blend markers. Some Stickles were added to the centres of the pink flowers and I coloured some Clear Sparkles to place in the centre of the purple flowers. I cut to rectangles using the Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts and created a small shaker that also contains the sentiment.

I hope you enjoyed my project. 

The next blog on this hop is Michelle Loncar’s blog. 

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

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Wisteria Cardstock, Clover Cardtock, White Daisy Cards and Envelopes 

Stamps: Shared Happiness, Life is a Journey

Inks: Clover, Wisteria, Intense Black 

Accessories: Tri-Blend Markers, Clear Sparkles, Goldrush Stickles, Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts, Silver Loose Sequins, Clear Shimmer Brush, Foam Tape, Acetate (not CTMH)

Enjoy,

Alyson

CD 381 - Just Because

Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge #381.

This week, there is a palette from which to choose at least three colours. Black, White and all other neutrals are free to use. 

I wanted to focus my cards around the Lagoon and Glacier colour scheme and then add a bolder colour for some of the flowers. I chose to use Nectarine and Lemonade for that purpose. 

There are several stitched dies used on my card - and I based the design on an older Mojo Monday sketch. The floral arrangement was coloured using Lagoon and Glacier for the leaves and Nectarine and Lemonade for the flowers. A few sparkles were added to the flowers. The outside edges of the large flowers along with the small flowers were brushed with the Clear Shimmer Brush.

The sentiment was stamped and then die cut using a curved banner die. 

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

You have two weeks to link up your project.

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated:

Paper: Mix-In Paper Pack, Central Park Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock 

Stamps: Shared Happiness, Spruced Up Cardmaking Workshop

Inks: Intense Black, Lagoon

Accessories: Spruced Up Cardmaking Workshop Thin Cuts, Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts, Scallop Border Thin Cuts, Shaker Window Thin Cuts, Square Stitched Dies (GMD), Tri-Blend Markers, Touch Markers (not CTMH), Sharpie Markers, Bitty Sparkles, Clear Sparkles, Clear Shimmer Brush, Foam Tape 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

How Sweet It Is...

I don't have a lot of extra time to enter challenges but I did have some time this afternoon to create a Valentine's card. 

I began with my Cricut and created an appropriate sized heart to fit the stamp I wanted to use. I also created a ring for the heart to turn it into a shaker card. The other hearts were also cut on my Cricut. I stamped the floral heart image and coloured it, then made it into a shaker. The base of the card was also Cricut cut to allow the shaker to be embedded within the card. Some gold ribbon, gold gems and gold embellishing thread were added, along with the embossed sentiment (in two parts). 

I am entering my card in the following challenges: 

Aud Sentiments (valentine or love sentiment)

Paper Craft Crew (inspiration photo - I used the colours) 

PCC370

Addicted to Stamps (anything goes)

Fusion (photo or sketch - I used the photo) 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Heart Happy Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Candy Apple Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: Card Chatter - Love, All My Love (Concord and 9th)

Inks: Intense Black, Versamark

Accessories: Cricut - Basic Shapes, Tri-Blend Markers, Touch Markers (not CTMH), Gold Embellishing Thread, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Loose Silver Confetti, Red Sequins (not CTMH), Acetate (not CTMH), Gold Flecked Gems, Gold Skinny Ribbon, Foam Tape, Thin Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

H2H - Oh My Heart

Welcome to H2H's weekly challenge! 

This week, the theme is "Oh My Heart". There is a current paper pack by that name and that can certainly be used but that is just one option for this challenge. There are other ways to interpret this theme. 

I chose to use Close To My Heart's valentine paper pack from last year (Heart Happy). I created a heart insert and cut out the pieces on my Cricut machine. I developed a shaker that is embedded in the card front - the way I prefer to make them. The background of the heart was stamped with the second part of the sentiment as the word "Sending" is adhered to the front of the acetate. I added a bow made from Sapphire Crochet Thread and Silver Embellishing Thread and added two strips across the top and bottom. The heart was brushed with the Red Shimmer Brush as well. 

Come and join us at Heart 2 Heart and show us how you interpret this week's theme. 

You have until the end of February to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Heart Happy Paper Pack, Candy Apple Red Cardstock, Sapphire Cardstock

Stamps: Sending and Wishing (SSS)

Inks: Sapphire

Accessories: Cricut Basic Shapes, Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge, Red Shimmer Brush, Sending Die (SSS), Blue Crochet Thread, Silver Embellishing Thread, Silver Loose Sequins, Other Sequins (red, light blue, white) (not CTMH), Foam Tape, Acetate (not CTMH)

Enjoy,

Alyson

TSOT 443 - You are my Happy

Welcome to Try Stampin on Tuesday Challenge #443!

This week, there is a choice if you wish - there is a sketch and a technique. You can choose to do one or the other - or both! 

I decided to use both the sketch and add stitching to my card. I used a sheet of Graphic 45 paper with peacocks on it for the left side and a piece of Willow cardstock on the right. I hand stitched around the edges of those papers, changing the embroidery floss colour when the paper colours changed. I also stitched down the seam of those two papers, alternating the embroidery floss again. 

The peacock father paper was added along with the two banners. I chose to stamp a sentiment in a circle shape and mat it. I also added some hand edging along the two banners. 

Come and join us at Try Stampin on Tuesday and show us how you interpret the 

challenge shown above.

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create!

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Graphic 45 Peacock, White Daisy Cardstock, Lemon Cardstock, Carolina Cardstock, Willow Cardstock, Pansy Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: Greetings Mix 1 (SSS)

Inks: Willow

Accessories: Sharpie Markers, 1 1/4 inch Circle Punch (misc.), 1/1/2 inch Circle Punch (misc.), Purple Gems, Foam Tape, Purple Embroidery Floss, (not CTMH), Green Embroidery Floss, (not CTMH), Needle (not CTMH) Paper Piercer

Enjoy,

Alyson