CD 477 - Distress Oxide Starburst

Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 477 and the Year 2022!

This is the first challenge of the new year and is posted a day early since Colour Dare challenges begin on Friday. This week, we have an inspiration photo for you. Choose at least three colours from the photo and black and white are free to use. 

My focus went to the bold colours - pink, purple, blue and green. I used four Distress Oxide inks to blend a background. I splattered water mixed with Perfect Pearls on that piece to create a bit of shine. The starburst was die cut several times and stacked before placing it on a card base. The inside pieces were fit inside the openings. I stamped a flower and leaves and coloured them in the same colours as the inks. Some green metallic thread was added behind the flower and the sentiment was placed on an angle. The last step was to add coloured gems in the same colours as the inked sections around the card and the flower was brushed with a clear shimmer brush. 

I created two backgrounds when I was preparing this project and decided to turn the second one into a shaker card. The sentiment was embossed in black and coordinating sequins were added inside and around the shaker. 

Come and join us at Colour Dare and show us how you interpret this week's challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Black Ore Cardstock (CTMH), Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: Dahlia Flower, Floral Delivery, Hey Hi Hello (CTMH)

Inks: Black Pigment Ink (CTMH), Intense Black (Hero Arts), DO Inks - Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch, Mowed Lawn

Accessories: Starburst Die, Stitched Rectangle Dies (CTMH), Acetate, Sentiment Strips (SSS), Tri-Blend Markers, Touch Markers, Clear Shimmer Brush, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool (CTMH), Green Metallic Thread (misc.), Perfect Pearls (misc.), Misc. Sequins, Gems - Bubblegum, Sapphire, Emerald City, Lavender (PFS), Foam Tape

Enjoy,

Alyson

Charming Floral Border Card Set

I love the Charming Floral Border collection from Pink Fresh Studio. I made a card like the ones below a couple of weeks ago and I loved it so much that I decided to create a set of eight cards in various colour schemes. 

The design for each card is the same - it's just the colours that were changed. Two of the cards have greenery that was stencilled in more yellow-green colours than the bold greens. There are four different sentiments randomly placed on the cards and each was embossed in white.  

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: Cardstock - White Daisy, Willow, Clover, Lagoon, Mint, Fern, Raspberry, Ballerina, Lemonade, Saffron, Nectarine, Paprika, Carolina, Bluebird, Peach, Smoothie, Pansy, Lilac, Pixie, Wild Berry, White Cards and Envelopes (all CTMH)

Stamps: Charming Floral Border plus die and layering stencils (PFS)

Inks: Versamark, Pixie, Wild Berry, Willow, Clover, Fern, New England Ivy, Mint, Lagoon, Ballerina, Raspberry, Lemonade, Saffron, Nectarine, Paprika, Carolina, Bluebird, Peach, Smoothie, Lilac, Pansy (all CTMH), Intense Black (Hero Arts) 

Accessories: Stitched Rectangle Dies, Clear Shimmer Brush, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool  (CTMH), Craft Foam 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Stencilled Roses in Teal and Grey

These two cards were created from one stencil. The coordinating dies cut the edges off each side and the image is designed to be cut in half to form two cards. 

I just love this colour scheme - grey leaves and teal flowers. I blended two backgrounds for the cards - one very light and the second much darker. The die cut images was adhered to a stitched rectangle and then onto the card base with craft foam. I added some silver Stickles in the flower centres. Turquoise gems were used on one card and blue/green holographic sequins were added to the second. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, White Cards and Envelopes (CTMH)

Stamps: Easy Expressions plus die (The Ton)

Inks: Black (Gina K. Designs), Versamark, Ocean Breeze, Aquamarine, Misty Coast, Rocky Slope (PFS), Distress Oxide Inks - Salvaged Patina, Lucky Clover, Evergreen Bough, Pumice Stone

Accessories: Rose Blossoms Stencils and Dies (The Ton), Stitched Rectangle Dies (CTMH), Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Silver Stickles, Ocean Breeze Gems (PFS), Holographic Sequins (CTMH), Craft Foam

Enjoy,

Alyson

Leaves, Leaves and Leaves!

These two cards share a background - one that I created a long while ago using Distress Sprays. I die cut the background using two stitched rectangle dies and used parts of them on each card. 

The first card has teal and purple in the leaves and berries so I used purple cardstock behind the die cut background. The inside stitched rectangle and the "leftover" rectangle that was created from cutting between the two dies were adhered on top of the cardstock. The leaves were stamped, stencilled and die cut and added at the top of the card. A silver foiled sentiment was placed on top and some coordinating gems were added in and around the leaves. A clear shimmer brush was used to brush some shimmer onto the berries. 

The second card uses the same images but they were stencilled in a different colour scheme. The card was set up the same way but the rectangle pieces are opposite from the ones used on the first card. The background is orange to coordinate with the berries. A gold foiled sentiment was added along with some coordinating gems. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Pansy Cardstock, Nectarine Cardstock, Watercolour Cardstock (CTMH), Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: In the Meadow plus die and layering stencils 

Inks: Grape Crush, Royal Treatment, Aquatini, All that Jazz, Tiki Torch, Orange Twist, Fiesta Blue, Something Borrowed, Blue Suede Shoes (Catherine Pooler), DO Sprays - Peacock Feathers, Salvaged Patina, Mermaid Lagoon (Ranger)

Accessories: Foiled Sentiments, Lavender Gems, Sapphire Gems (PFS), Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts, Clear Shimmer Brush (CTMH)

Enjoy,

Alyson

New Beginnings - Purple Foiled Chevron Card

Hot foiling creates such neat end results and the background of this card was foiled with a purple colour using a chevron hot foil plate. 

The sentiment - there is beauty in new beginnings - is so appropriate for the current situation. I think most of us feel like we need/want a new beginning after almost two years of struggling with Covid and all the changes it has brought. 

The foiled background was adhered to black cardstock and then to a white card base. The flowers and leaves were stencilled using deep teals and purples and die cut. The images were added around the corners of the card with the sentiment in the center. A few silver gems were added around the card. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock (CTMH), Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

Stamps: In the Meadow plus die and layering stencils (PFS)

Inks: Intense Black (Hero Arts), Flirty Fuchsia, Grape Crush, Royal Treatment, Aquatini, All that Jazz (Catherine Pooler)

Accessories: Chevron Hot Foil Plate, Silver Gems, Foiled Sentiments (PFS), Purple Foil (Spellbinders), Craft Foam 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Just Because Slimline

The In the Meadows collection from Pink Fresh Studio is one of my favourites - it includes a stamp, die, layering stencils and coordinating washi tape. This card was created using everything except the washi tape as the colours on that cannot be altered. 

This design and colour scheme came from a post I saw on Facebook but I am not sure of the original artist... I stamped the image and used the layering stencils to add colour. The images were die cut and adhered around a die cut front with the sentiment in the centre. I added some coordinating gems and set the sentiment on craft foam. No other embellishments were added. 

Products used are Pink Fresh Studio unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock (CTMH)

Stamps: In the Meadow plus die and layering stencils

Inks: Black (Hero Arts), Misty Coast, Rocky Slope, Ocean Breeze, Aquamarine, Tidal Pond

Accessories: Slimline and Mini Slimline Blanket Stitched Dies, Foiled Sentiments, Ocean Breeze Gems, Craft Foam, Foam Tape (misc.) 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Blossoms and Berries 2

Day 2 of Blossoms and Berries... these cards also use the images from the washi tape.

I stamped a dotted background on Raspberry cardstock and embossed that for each card. You can see that in the centre of each card. 

The first card is a birthday card and the sentiment is perfect for these images. There are berries throughout the washi tape images and the sentiment plays on that. It was stamped in black and adhered across the open oval. The floral images were placed around the oval and sentiment and a few gold gems were added around the card.

The second card also has an open oval cut into the card front and the wreath image was adhered over that opening. A few extra images were adhered around the wreath and the sentiment was placed under an image on the left side and then adhered across the card. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Raspberry Cardstock (CTMH), Hammermill White Cardstock 

Stamps: Blossoms and Berries plus die and washi tape (PFS), In the Background (CTMH)

Inks: Black (Gina K. Designs), Versamark

Accessories: Scalloped Ovals (Spellbinders), Stitched Ovals (GMD), Thin Craft Foam, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Gold Gems (PFS)

Enjoy,

Alyson

Blossoms and Berries 1

I have been playing with the Blossoms and Berries products from Pink Fresh Studios. The collection includes a stamp set, coordinating die and washi tape that has beautiful images on it. 

These three cards all have a white background and all were cut from my Cricut. Two of them were layered on a light pink base and one was placed on a white base. The images are all from the washi tape and were die cut. Most of these ideas were inspired by the artwork on the Pink Fresh website. 

The first card has a scalloped circle with a second circle inside. The back image is a wreath and some extra images were added on top of the circles. The sentiment was stamped, embossed and die cut. A few gold gems were added around the image.

The second card also uses the wreath image although it was cut just over the halfway point. I die cut some leaves from vellum and placed them behind some of the flowers. The stitched square was inked using a dark green colour and the sentiment was gold embossed and die cut. 

The last card has various images from the washi tape arranged around the edges. The sentiment was placed in the bottom corner and I added one image just above that. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Ballerina Cardstock, Vellum (all CTMH), Hammermill White Cardstock 

Stamps: Celebrating You plus dies (PFS)

Inks: Evergreen (PFS), Versamark

Accessories: Blossoms and Berries Die plus Washi Tape (PFS), Stitched Bracket Thin Cuts (CTMH), Arrange a Wreath Dies (SU), Artbooking Cricut Collection, Scalloped Circle Dies, Circle Dies (Spellbinders), Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Gold Gems (PFS)

Enjoy,

Alyson

Rainbow Foiled Floral Card

The base of this card was hot foiled using a rainbow foil sheet. The effect is really neat in real life but hard to capture in a photo. 

The foiled piece was die cut using a stitched border die and I also cut the same shape from black cardstock. The pieces were layered together and adhered to a card base. The flowers were created using a series of layering stencils and die cut. They were arranged around the card and I added some gems in the centres of the flowers. I chose not to add a sentiment as I can do that at a later time (lower right corner). 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Hemmermill White Cardstock 

Stamps: In the Meadow plus layering stencils and die (PFS) 

Inks: Various Pink Fresh Studio Inks, Black (Gina K. Designs) 

Accessories: Decorative Borders Thin Cuts, Sapphire Gems (PFS), Ballet Slippers Gems (PFS), Lavender Gems (PFS), Lush Vines Hot Foil Plate (PFS)

Enjoy,

Alyson

Blue Foiled Leaf Card

The background of this card was created using a leaf foil plate. The silver foil left an imprint of the design on the cardstock. 

I used a dark blue Distress Oxide ink to darken the edges just a bit - that's hard to see in the photo. The sentiment was embossed in silver, die cut and adhered to a coordinating piece of silver foil. I added a bit of silver embellishing thread at the top and adhered the blue foiled piece to a silver foil base. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Bluebird Cardstock, Silver Foil 

Stamps: Just a Note 

Inks: Versamark, Prize Ribbon DO Ink

Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Stitched Fancy Brackets Thin Cuts, Lush Vines Hot Foil Plate (PFS), Silver Metallic Thread

Enjoy,

Alyson

Hello Leaves Slimline

Slimline cards are one of my favourite types of cards to create because there is a lot of real estate - area that can be used for so many things. This one is a 4x9 card.

The stitched edges are not a slimline die - that was done using a stitched rectangle die and placing a piece across the centre to hide the section where the end pieces meet. It sure looks like a continuous die, doesn't it? 

The leaves were stamped (outline and filler images) and the filler image had some darker blue ink added at the bases of the leaves. Those pieces were adhered to light blue cardstock. The centre panel was created using a two part leaf stencil and then lightly inked on top to avoid a stark white base. The sentiment was die cut and adhered to that cross panel. The end pieces were adhered to a Sapphire base and I added some clear gems to look like water droplets. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Carolina Cardstock, Sapphire Cardstock (all CTMH)

Stamps: Leaf Canopy (Altenew)

Inks: Carolina, Bluebird, Sapphire (all CTMH)

Accessories: Hello Die (SSS), Clear Gems (Hero Arts), Stitched Rectangle Dies (GMD), Leaf Stencil (Stamp Market)

Enjoy,

Alyson

AH 452 - Big Hug Diamonds

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 452!

It's a interesting sketch this week... I really struggled with this as I wanted to use shapes other than diamonds but I just could not get it to work, so diamonds ended up being the best choice.

I don't have a diamond die so I used my Cricut to cut the diamond shapes. It took me a few tries to find an appropriate size. I used a Glacier patterned paper plus Lagoon and Peacock cardstock for those shapes. The background was embossed with a 3D embossing folder and adhered to a piece of Lagoon cardstock (with a very small border) and then onto the Pewter base. I added an embossed sentiment plus some silver gems. 

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: Glacier Patterned Paper, Lagoon Cardstock, Peacock Cardstock, Pebble Cardstock, Pewter Cardstock

Stamps: Easy Expressions and dies (The Ton)

Inks: Black, Versamark

Accessories: Cricut Basic Shapes, Crystal Distortion Embossing Folder (SSS), Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Silver Glitter Gems 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Floral Sympathy Card

The occasion when a sympathy card is required is never a positive thing... and I don't usually keep sympathy cards on hand. 

A good friend of mine recently lost her mother. I created this card to give to her. 

The floral outline was stamped and coloured with markers. The sentiment was stamped in the center and the layers were adhered to a slimline card base. A few champagne gems were added around the sentiment. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Smoothie Cardstock, Slimline Cards and Envelopes

Stamps: Floral Border with Sentiments

Inks: Intense Black (Hero Arts) 

Accessories: Tri-Blend Markers, Champagne Gems (PFS)

Enjoy,

Alyson

So Much Love Floral Border Card

Every now and then, a good clean and simple card catches my eye - this one was inspired by a beautiful card I saw on a Pink Fresh Studio blog hop.

The floral section was stamped, coloured using layering stencils and then die cut. A stitched rectangle was die cut and I used that on which to adhere strips of coordinating cardstock. The floral border die cut was placed on top of the strips and the overhanging edges were trimmed away. The sentiment was embossed in white and added to the right side of the card. The entire front was placed on craft foam and adhered to the base. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: Hammermill White Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock, Willow Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock (CTMH), Turquoise Cardstock (GKD)

Stamps: Charming Floral Border plus layering stencils and die (PFS) 

Inks: Willow, Clover, Veramark (CTMH), Ocena Breeze, Aquamarine (PFS)

Accessories: Stitched Rectangle Dies (GKD), White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Craft Foam 

Enjoy,

Alyson

CD 475 - Layered Daisies

Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 475!

The inspiration photo is the guide for colours to be chosen - I used red-orange, blue and yellow. 

The daisies were stencilled and die cut. The die cuts a slimline size image and I trimmed off part of it and placed it under the larger section. The top section was adhered with foam tape. The sentiment was die cut and I stamped the smaller part and adhered it under the top layer. A few gems were added and the centres of the flowers were brushed with a clear shimmer brush. 

Come and join us at Colour Dare and show us how you interpret this week's challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create!

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: Lemon Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock (both CTMH), White Cardstock (Hammermill) 

Stamps: Smile (Photoplay)

Inks: Carolina, Bluebird, Lemonade, Sundance, Smoothie, Candy Apple (all CTMH)

Accessories: Daisy Slimline Stencils and Die, Glacier Gems (both PFS), Sharpie Marker, Foam Tape, Clear Shimmer Brush (CTMH)

Enjoy,

Alyson

Sending Smiles Card Set

I make a lot of cards sets to give as gifts. This is one set that I really enjoyed making because not only were they fun to create but the end result is just so pretty!

There are eight cards in the set - four each of the same design. The sentiments are different on each card. I also made a box to hold these as they are a mini slimline size. 

The flowers and leaves are actually washi tape that has been attached to white cardstock and then die cut. Each die cut results in one large leaf piece and several smaller flowers and related images. I used the large leaf image for the top of four cards and the remaining pieces for the other cards. 

Each card also has a background die cut - one is scalloped and the other is a blanket stitched pattern. Those were either stacked or adhered to craft foam. I added some gems to the centres of the flowers but that was the only embellishment. 

Products used are as follows:

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Sage Cardstock, Wild Berry Cardstock (all CTMH)

Stamps: Always Uplifting, Chose Hope, In the Meadow plus die and washi tape (Pink Fresh Studio), Sentiments and Stitches, Happy Heart, Smile Big, For all Occasions (CTMH)

Inks: Black (Gina K. Designs) 

Accessories: Phrase Builder - Sending Dies, Blanket Stitched Mini Slimline Die, Stitched Scalloped Die, Champagne Gems (all Pink Fresh Studio), Craft Foam, Twinkle Stickles, Scallop Border Punch

Enjoy,

Alyson

Rainbow Hello

A rainbow always brings a smile... perhaps that is one reason why I really love this card. 

The sentiment was die cut from a piece of white cardstock with several strips of rainbow coloured cardstock attached to it. The word friend was stamped just under the rainbow piece. That was placed on a stitched background with craft foam underneath. 

The flowers and leaves were die cut and placed in two corners. The flowers were brushed with clear Stickles to give them some shine and also help them to retain their shape. 

Products used are as follows: 

Cardstock: White Daisy, Candy Apple, Wild Berry, Grape, Bluebird, Lagoon, Clover, Avocado, Lemon, Nectarine (all CTMH), Hammermill White Cardstock 

Stamps: You are my Favourite (Pink Fresh Studios)

Inks: Black (Gina K. Designs) 

Accessories: Stitched Rectangle Dies (SSS), SCT Exclusive Stamp and Die set (Photoplay), Twinkle Stickles, Glacier Gems (Pink Fresh Studios), Craft Foam

Enjoy,

Alyson

Gnome Pull Apart Panel Card/Mini-Album

This project could be considered a card or perhaps a mini-album. The insides pull out from the center to reveal several additional panels. Photos could be added to those panels or you could add additional card images. 

The front was decorated with a gnome stamp and die set. The images were coloured and set on a green die cut base. The ribbons on the top and bottom are what open the inside panels. Photos of the panels being pulled out plus the various views are shown below. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Misc. Patterned Paper, White Daisy Cardstock, Capri Cardsotck, New England Ivy Cardstock, Smoothie Cardstock 

Stamps: Gnome Matter plus dies 

Inks: Intense Black (Hero Arts) 

Accessories: Fancy Borders Dies, Tri-Blend Markers, Sharpie Markers, Touch Markers, White and Gold Ribbon

Enjoy,

Alyson

Hoping Your Heart is Happy

I love the colour scheme on this card - blues and oranges work so well together! 

The striped background was created using a pull apart diagonal stamp. That piece was adhered to a Bluebird stitched rectangle followed by turquoise cardstock and finally onto a white card base. The flowers were stencilled in oranges and blues and then die cut. The sentiment was embossed in black on vellum and adhered across the card. The flowers and leaves were adhered around the sentiment in two corners. The last step was to add some gems to the flower centres (in blue) and around the images (white) and brush the flower centres with a clear shimmer brush. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, Vellum (CTMH), Turquoise Cardstock (Gina K. Designs), Hammermill White Cardstock 

Stamps: Pull Apart Diagonal Background, Choose Hope, In the Meadow plus stencils and die (Pink Fresh Studio)

Inks: Tiki Torch, Orange Twist, Suede Shoes, Something Borrowed, Fiesta Blue (all Catherine Pooler), Black Pigment Ink (CTMH)

Accessories: Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Clear Shimmer Brush (CTMH), Glacier Gems, Sapphire Gems (Pink Fresh Studio), Stitched Rectangle Dies (GMD), Thin Craft Foam (Heartfelt Creations) 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Change the World

A rainbow colour scheme just always works and it packs a punch because of the colours! 

I stamped the background using a pull apart chevron stamp. The floral globe image was stamped, coloured and die cut several times so it could be stacked. I stamped the sentiment and adhered it to gold foil before placing it across the globe. Some gold sequins were added to finish off this card. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock (CTMH)

Stamps: Change the World plus dies (SCT), Pull Apart Chevron (Pink Fresh Studio)

Inks: Black (CTMH), Intense Black (Hero Arts), Limoncello, Orange Twist, Rockin' Red, Grape Crush, Something Borrowed, Aquatini, Lime Rickey (Catherine Pooler) 

Accessories: Tri-Blend Markers, Gold Loose Sequins (CTMH)

Enjoy,

Alyson

Front Fold-Over Flap Card - Missing You

This is a front fold-over flap card - inspired by a card made by Mary Deathridge. 

I used a blue colour scheme for this card as I had some alcohol inked pattered paper that I really liked. That determined the colours of the flowers. 

The flowers were stencilled and die cut and the centres were embossed in gold to match the gold that runs through the patterned paper. There is a small sentiment on the front and another one inside the flap. I added some gold sequins to the front and brushed the veins of the flowers with a gold shimmer brush.

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: Ink Blots - Vivid (Craft Consortium), White Daisy Cardstock, Sapphire Cardstock, Gold Foil (CTMH)

Stamps: Change the World (SCT), A Little Hello plus stencils and dies (Gina K. Designs) 

Inks: Blue Suede Shoes (Catherine Pooler), Stormy Sky Distress Oxide, Sapphire, Julep, Clover, Versamark (CTMH)

Accessories: Gold Loose Sequins, Gold Shimmer Brush, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool (CTMH)

Enjoy,

Alyson

Vellum Floral Cards

I found this idea in a Facebook group but I didn't record which group and of course, I cannot locate it again. There was no name on the artwork either... I would love to credit the original artist. 

The floral images were embossed in white on vellum and coloured from the back. That piece was adhered to a white base and a scalloped circle was placed on top. I used very thin craft foam to raise it from the card front. The leaves were die cut and I trimmed off some branches so it would look like one stem (there are two). The sentiment was stamped along the edges of the circle and the entire front was adhered to a piece of thin craft foam and then to the card base. I added a few pink gems around the card.

I used the exact same process for the second card except I changed the colour scheme from pink to turquoise. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Vellum (CTMH) 

Stamps: Friendship is a Blessing (CTMH), Word Up (Reverse Confetti)

Inks: Willow, Versamark (CTMH)

Accessories: Petal Palette Dies (SU), Forever Fern Dies (SU), Nested Circles Dies (Spellbinders), Nested Scalloped Circle Dies (Spellbinders), White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Tri-Blend Markers (CTMH), Ballet Slippers Gems, Ocean Breeze Gems  (Pink Fresh Studio), Thin Craft Foam (Heartfelt Creations) 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Angled Cardstock Cards

Rainbow colours always make me happy - and there are so many options with a rainbow colour scheme! Lisa Curcio recently did a video to show some great options for using cardstock scraps. 

The first card uses various rainbow cardstock colours. The pieces were cut on angles and placed on a piece of black cardstock. That was trimmed, layered on white and finally on a black base. I embossed a sentiment and die cut it. A piece of black shimmer trim was placed across the card and under the sentiment. 

The second card has a mosaic feel - and it took me more than one try to make this work! I used three cardstock colours on black and stamped a birthday sentiment along with a banner of presents. The presents were coloured using the same colours as the cardstock. Those pieces were adhered to the left side of the finished mosaic pattern. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated:

Paper: White Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Candy Apple Cardstock, Nectarine Cardstock, Lemonade Cardstock, Willow Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, Pansy Cardstock, Wisteria Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Ballerina Cardstock 

Stamps: Happy Birthday, Birthday Banners, Rainbows (SCT)

Inks: Intense Black (Hero Arts) 

Accessories: Black Shimmer Trim, Stitched Bracket Thin Cuts, Tri-Blend Markers 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Slimline Chevron Bouquet

I am loving the slimline card size more and more - there is a lot of space to fill and I can always find ways to do that! 

This card was inspired by a card I saw on the Pink Fresh Studio website - it was the chevron background that caught my eye and I wanted to try it myself. 

I stamped the chevron background in four pastel colours on each end of the card front and die cut that piece with a blanket stitched die. The floral bouquet was created using layering stencils and was also die cut. I added some shimmer to the flower details before adding a bow and a piece of white twine. The sentiment was die cut with vellum underneath and I added some enamel dots around the bouquet. The card front was adhered to a 4x9 card base using craft foam - perfect size for a standard business envelope. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Carolina Cardstock, Vellum (all CTMH)

Stamps: Nested Chevrons (Pink Fresh Studio)

Inks: Carolina, Green Apple, Clover, Pixie, Lemonade, Sundance, Saffron, Capri, Bluebird (all CTMH)

Accessories: Garden Florals - stencils plus die, Blanket Stitched Slimline Die (both Pink Fresh Studio), Pink Ribbon (misc.), White Twine (misc.), Enamels Dots (misc.), Clear Shimmer Brush (CTMH), Craft Foam 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Sunset Hello Cards

Mixing colours to create a sunset background takes some experimenting - and I recently found a great colour combo list provided by Kristina Werner. She used Distress Oxide inks as they are easy to blend. 

I used two of her suggestions to create the backgrounds for these cards. I saved the scrap pieces to line the inside of the cards. 

There were four ink colours used to create the first card. These colours were not easy to blend with each other - that took multiple applications of ink to avoid a definite line between the colours. Once the ink was dry, I stamped a black image and the sentiment directly on the card. The bottom part of the sentiment was stamped and adhered to a strip of black cardstock which was centered with the image so it is off centre with the full card. The entire front was mounted on black cardstock and then a white card base. Clean and simple. 

The second card is much darker... and not my favourite for sure. Stamping on a DO inked background is tough as the ink doesn't remain a pure black colour. I suppose embossing in black would solve that problem - noted for next time! The image and sentiment were stamped directly on the inked background and adhered to black cardstock and then a white card base. 

Products used are as follows: 

Paper: Black Cardstock (CTMH), White Cardstock (Hammermill)

Stamps: A Little Hello, Friendly Silhouettes, Wild Blossoms (all Gina K. Designs) 

Inks: Black (Gina K. Designs), DO Inks - Blueprint Sketch, Wilted Violet, Picked Raspberry, Squeezed Lemonade, Chipped Sapphire, Peacock Feathers, Carved Pumpkin

Accessories: none

Enjoy,

Alyson

Double Trouble 99 - Bow Wow Birthday Slimline

Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 99! This is the last challenge for the 2021 calendar year - we will be back in Jan 2022 with our 100th Celebration! 

This challenge will be a month long - lots of time to link up your projects. 

The small graphic is below - please visit the Double Trouble Challenge Blog for more information. 

I did a lot of searching to find a December holiday or event that I could use - and finally decided on Mutt Day which was on December 2. 

The doggie images were stamped, lightly coloured and the background for each was inked with Distress Oxide inks. The sentiment was stamped and the word "friend"was die cut. There is also a dog-related birthday sentiment stamped inside the card. I used a circle slimline die from CTMH to cut the outline and the inside circles. A few "bow wows" were added and I also added some Twinkle Stickles around the card. 

Come and join us at Double Trouble and show us how you interpret this challenge. 

You have until Jan. 2 to link up your project. 

I am also linking up my card with the Paper FunDay Challenge (anything goes with optional Holiday Twist).

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Willow Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, White Slimline Cards and Envelopes 

Stamps: I Woof You, Friend plus dies (Photoplay), Lucky Dog (MFT)

Inks: Intense Black (Hero Arts), Bluebird, DO Inks - Tumbled Glass, Mowed Lawn

Accessories: Well Said Dies (SU), Circle Window Slimline Thin Cut (CTMH), Cloud Stencil (MFT), Touch Markers, Sharpie Markers, Twinkle Stickles 

Enjoy,

Alyson