AH 384 - Gnome Love

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch #384!

I decided to take some liberties with this sketch - my card design is basically the same but some of the little nuances were altered (sentiment placement, dots, etc.) 

Although I have had the Gnome Matters stamp set for some time, a friend borrowed it and I just got it back! She obviously loves it as much as I do. I used some of the images and a sentiment from that stamp set. 

I started by creating my background (the stripes in the sketch) using Distress Inks. I wanted three colours in addition to the turquoise. I used two shades of purple and one pink shade. The centre was cut using the Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts and I used that space to create a shaker. The background inside the shaker is another image from that same stamp set. It was coloured and then sequins were added inside the shaker. I mounted the card front on craft foam to keep the shaker flush with the card front. A gnome was stamped, coloured and adhered with thin foam tape. I placed some old turquoise twine behind the sentiment and brushed two words with the Lagoon Shimmer Brush. A few gems were added around the gnome and this card was finished.

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 Cardtock, Purple Cardstock (unknown), Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: Gnome Matters

Inks: Distress Inks (not CTMH), Intense Black 

Accessories: Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts, Gnome Matter Thin Cuts, Foam Tape, Craft Foam (not CTMH), Thin Foam Tape, Tri-Blend Markers, Lagoon Shimmer Brush, Turquoise Gems (not CTMH), Turquoise Twine (not CTMH), Acetate (not CTMH), Loose Sequins - turquoise, clear (not CTMH)

Enjoy,

Alyson

 

CD 409 and DT 65 - Something, Anything and Everything

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 65 and Colour Dare Challenge # 409!

Today is the normal posting day for Colour Dare but Double Trouble is posting a few days earlier than usual because our last partner challenge ended last night (Thursday). 

This week is the final week in August so it's the Something, Anything, Everything challenge for Double Trouble - check the images for further info or visit the Double Trouble blog. 

The palette for Colour Dare is shown below. 

I looked several places for a telephone that wasn't a cell phone (Thing 3 for Double Trouble) - and after a while with searches coming up empty, I decided to use a cell phone image on my card. I used a double layered background of Black and Peacock cardstock before adding 3 strips of paper on top. The cellphone image was cut from the Artistry Cricut Collection. I tried to cut speech bubbles but I wasn't able to get them to fit properly so I ended up cutting my own instead. The hearts are all brushed with the Raspberry Shimmer Brush. 

Come and join us at Double Trouble and Colour Dare and show us how you interpret the information above. 

You have until Sunday evening, Sept. 6, to link up your Double Trouble project and Sept. 10 for Colour Dare. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Documented Paper Pack, 6 x 6 Bright Stack, Raspberry Cardstock, Peacock Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Mink Cardstock, Black Glitter Paper, Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: Tiny Typewriter Alphabet

Inks: Black, Raspberry

Accessories: Artistry Cricut Collection, Stitched Hearts Thin Cuts, Lagoon Shimmer Ribbon, Raspberry Shimmer Brush, Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

Full Card Layering Dies

I spent some time experimenting with new layering dies from Close To My Heart. This is a set of three dies, each showing a little more of the flowers and leaves than the previous one. They make a very cool pattern when they are layered together.

I used three different colour schemes for each of these cards. The sentiments were stamped in coordinating ink colours and added to the card fronts. 

The first is a Christmas themed set of colours - standard red and green.

This one is also Christmas themed but I used blue and silver.

The last one is a combination of my favourite colours - turquoise/teal in varying shades. 

This set of layering dies will be available as of September 1.

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Clover Cardstock, Evergreen Cardstock, Candy Apple Cardstock, Carolina Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, Sapphire Cardstock, Silver Glitter Paper, Mint Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Peacock Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Stamps: A Dash of Joy, Say it in Style, Every Bit of Wonderful

Inks: Lagoon, Peacock, Evergreen, Versamark

Accessories: Layered Floral Background Thin Cuts, Binder Clip Label Thin Cut, Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Blue Ribbon (not CTMH), Silver Glitter Gems, Silver Shimmer Trim, Red Enamel Gems, Little Dreamer Glitter Gems, Clear Shimmer Brush

Enjoy,

Alyson

H2H - Something to Smile About

Welcome to this week's Heart 2 Heart challenge!

The theme this week is "Something to Smile About". There are SO many possibilities with this theme! 

I decided to create a very bold and bright card with coloured flowers. If that isn't something that makes you smile, I'd be surprised! 

I started by creating my own glitter background using a glitter paste. Two coats had to be applied to cover the cardstock. That piece was then die cut using the Multi-Circle Window Thin Cut. I had already stamped and coloured my flowers and leaves and I selected patterned paper that coordinated with the colours I used on the flowers. Four patterns were placed behind the open circles in a random pattern. The flower cluster was placed to the left of the sentiment piece, overlapping the end of it. I brushed the floral cluster with the Clear, Lemonade and Mint Shimmer Brushes and also added some shimmer to the sentiment. 

Come and join us at Heart 2 Heart and show us how you interpret the theme above. 

You have until the end of August 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, Mini Patterned Papers (coming in Sept.), Lemonade Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: Floral Celebration

Inks: Intense Black, Black 

Accessories: Multi-Circle Window Thin Cut, Ice Blue Glitter Kiss (Creative Expressions), Texture Tools, Tri-Blend Markers, Clear Shimmer Brush, Lemonade Shimmer Brush, Mint Shimmer Brush, Thin Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

Try Stampin' on Tuesday 471 - Bold Hibiscus

Welcome to Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge 471!

This week, we have a choice - either use the theme on the left or use the sketch on the right. You can also do both! 

I chose to use both the theme and the sketch. 

One paper pack I have is called Summer Vibes and it was perfect for this challenge as the patterns and colours are all about the tropics. I used 3 of the patterned papers on my card along with some coordinating cardstock. 

The scalloped edge was cut using a border punch and the red side piece was cut using a die. The flower and leaves were stamped using Intense Black ink and I masked the images so the leaves appear behind the flower. Those were coloured and then the flower was brushed with the Gold Shimmer Brush. The centre was coloured using a Yellow Wink of Stella pen. The waves were enhanced by using Mint Stickles along the edges. I added some gold embellishing thread and gold gems to finish off the card after adhering the flower image with thin foam tape. 

Come and join us at at TSOT and show us how you use the image or sketch (or both) 

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: Summer Vibes Paper Pack, Lemonade Cardstock, Candy Apple Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock, Nectarine Cardstock, Fern Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: Hawaiian Hibiscus, Word Up (Reverse Confetti) 

Inks: Intense Black, Versamark

Accessories: Tags and Tabs Thin Cuts, Scalloped Border Punch (misc.) White Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Tri-Blend Markers, Yellow Wink of Stella Pen (misc.), Gold Shimmer Brush, Gold Embellishing Thread, Gold Gems, Mint Stickles, Thin Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

AH 382 - Floral Starburst

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #382! 

This is a pretty specific sketch - it requires a starburst (also known as a sunburst) of some sort. 

I did some experimenting with this technique not long ago and decided to use shades of green for the starburst component. That colour choice was driven by the colours in the flower and leaves.  

I started by stamping the flower and the leaves. The flower is a 4 step stamp from Altenew. I chose purple as I wanted it to stand out against the green leaves. The flower has so much depth - I love it! The leaves are a 3 step stamp - so both parts were easily stamped using a stamp press. 

The starburst was created using 4 shades of green cardstock. I didn't want to detract from the flower so I didn't use any patterned paper in the starburst. A strip of Silver Shimmer Trim was added at the bottom of the starburst and a small sentiment was stamped in the corner. I added some silver embellishing thread behind the flower, which was mounted with thin foam tape.

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, Julep Cardstock, Green Apple Cardstock, Clover Cardstock, Evergreen Cardstock, White Daisy Cards and Envelopes 

Stamps: Camellia Japonica (Altenew), Word Up (Reverse Confetti)

Inks: Green Apple, Clover, Evergreen, Lilac, Thistle, Pansy, Eggplant 

Accessories: Camellia Japonica Dies (Altenew), Silver Shimmer Trim, Silver Embellishing Thread, Thin Foam Tape 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Creativity in Motion - Various Animated Cards (Part 2)

Here is the second instalment of the Creativity in Motion interactive cards. My previous post explains more about how these work along with some other details. 

The first card today is a Folding Interlock Concertina card. This is a complex card to assemble... and I had to adjust the size to fit the stitched square thin cuts. The front is decorated with a beautiful stamp set called Always Loved. I also used part of that same stamp set to decorate the back of the card to create a place for a message. There is a lot happening inside so I didn't want to use that space to write anything. I used 2 animated sentiments inside the card - Hello and a heart.

The second card today is a Floating Gatefold Card - the inside has such a special treat! It appears that the images are actually floating in air. I created this with a child in mind - someone who loves animals. I used 3 animated animal stamps - a hippo, a lion and a crocodile - along with sentiments inside to complement those images. The leaves were stamped using Evergreen ink in first and second generation and inside, I added a few arrows that were coloured just for extra interest. 

The last card in this series is a just a folding card. It opens up to reveal a space to write on the last panel. I used an animated butterfly image for the front. Gold embellishments were used to decorate this card. 

I hope you have enjoyed the two days of interactive, animated cards. It was a lot of fun creating these treasures!

Products used are all Close To My Heart: 

Paper: 6x6 Bright Stack, Summer Vibes Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Candy Apple Cardstock, Fern Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Evergreen Cardstock, Pixie Cardstock, Raspberry Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock 

Stamps: Animated Safari Animals, Animated Sentiments, Animated Butterfly Kisses, Border Tab, Always Loved, Simple Floral, This Right Here, For My Beautiful Friend 

Inks: Black, Evergreen, Raspberry, Lagoon, Pixie, Fern, Nectarine, Candy Apple 

Accessories: Stitched Square Thin Cuts, Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts, Border Tab Thin Cuts, Simple Floral Thin Cuts, Raspberry Shimmer Brush, Lagoon Shimmer Brush, Silver Embellishing Thread, White and Gold Skinny Ribbon, Gold Glitter Gems, Thin Foam Tape, Tri-Blend Markers, Clear Sparkles, Hook and Loop Dots, Silver Embellishing Thread, Silver Glitter Gems, Animated Acetate, Gold Shimmer Brush

Enjoy,

Alyson

Baby Album - Little Girl

I just finished a complete baby album for the first year of a little girl. This was a real labour of love - 12 complete layouts plus a front and back page. 

The layouts were photographed outside in the shade but they still tend to be on the light side and often don't reflect the true colours or the vibrant appearance of the layouts... The order they are shown here is the same order they appear in the album. 

Many of the layouts have flip flaps added for additional photos. Some of the flip flaps may also have journaling options included that are not visible here. There is one layout where the journaling area is a slide-in piece.

I hope that the mother-to-be enjoys adding photos of her baby girl throughout the year! 

Products are not listed as the product list is far too extensive to include here. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Creativity in Motion - Various Animated Cards (Part 1)

Close To my Heart has just released a super fun series of animated products for National Stamping Month in September. All the products are listed under Creativity in Motion. 

I was honoured to be asked by the corporate office to create and share artwork using these products for the benefit of all consultants. I created 7 interactive cards and shared them throughout the second week of August via live Facebook videos and posts. I am now posting all of those cards here in two separate posts. Unfortunately, without a video, you can’t see the actual motion in the cards - the images under the striped acetate actually appear to be moving when the tab is slid back and forth - it is SO cool! 

The stamps that go with this campaign are designed to work with the CTMH Stitched Square and Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts. 

The first card is a gift card holder. There are 2 movement components here - one on the top with the word Thanks and the other inside the holder (a heart). The center section is designed to hold a gift card and there is also a complete card on the back with a space to write a message. 

The second card today is a Double Z Joy Fold Card. This card has been made and remade in various formats. I used a stitched rectangle frame for the front of the card and used a Happy Birthday sentiment. I decorated the remainder of the card with a stamp and die combination of coordinating coloured flowers and leaves. 

The third card is a Box Fold card. It goes by other names but this is the name of the one I located. The card front will stand on its own but for support, I added a card base behind. The dragonfly moves a lot when the insert is slid back and forth. 

The last card today is a Double Diamond Fold card. The stitched rectangle was the perfect fit for the front of this card and I used a hippo for that slider. His arms, ears and tail move when the slider is pulled back and forth. A small sentiment was added on the inside of the card where it isn't visible when the card is opened. I also added a panel on the back on which to write a message.

Tune in again tomorrow for the second instalment of these Creativity in Motion interactive cards! 

Products used are all Close To My Heart:  

Paper: 6x6 Bright Stack, White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Lemonade Cardstock, Carolina Cardstock, Smoothie Cardstock, Sapphire Cardstock, Clover Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, Pixie Cardstock, Raspberry Cardstock, White Cards and Envelopes 

Stamps: Animated Safari Animals, Animated Butterfly Kisses, Animated Sentiments, Border Tabs, Simple Florals, Celebrating You

Inks: Black, Bluebird, Caroline, Raspberry, Sapphire, Smoothie, Peach, Lemonade, Lagoon, Mint

Accessories: Stitched Square Thin Cuts, Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts, Border Tab Thin Cuts, Simple Floral Thin Cuts, Animated Acetate, Thin Foam Tape, Gold Shimmer Brush, Goldenrod Stickles, Gold Embellishing Thread, Gold Glitter Gems, Clear Sparkles, Tri-Blend Markers, Lemonade Shimmer Brush, Black Journaling Pen, White Twine

Enjoy,

Alyson