Baby Wipe Technique Birthday Card

 I have tried the baby wipe technique with reinkers before but it was time to revisit the idea. 

The feathers on the front of the card were stamped using the mixture created with reinkers on a baby wipe. I then folded over the wipe and dragged it across two pieces of cardstock. One definitely was better than the other and I trimmed down that piece to use as the patterned paper on the left side of the card. I found another piece of patterned paper that worked for the right side. A border was created for the bottom and I stamped a sentiment just above the feathers. Had I thought about stamping more before folding up the wipe, I would have done that on the inside as well but I ended up using the same three ink colours to randomly ink the feather images and stamp them that way. 

This is a quick and easy fun fold card using an old but interesting technique. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Maple Leaf Cards

 These two cards were created using one alcohol inked background. 

I die cut the leaf image so I had an opening plus all the little pieces. I used the detailed image for the first card and added a die cut sentiment at the bottom.

The second card has the outline image and all the tiny pieces adhered to a black outline shape. That wasn't hard to do as I used low tack tape (see through) to keep the pieces in their original spots. I aded a white die cut circle behind the leaf as it was lost on the black embossed background. The sentiment was stamped, die cut and added at the bottom. Gold Stickles finished off the card. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Mistletoe Cards

 This set of four cards was created using a set of layering stencils that creates four card fronts at once. I added red glitter gel on top of the last stencilled layer for some shine. The designs really stand well alone so I added only a foiled sentiment and metallic thread to each card. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Alcohol Inked Leaf Card

 The background of this card was created with alcohol inks and I love the end result. I die cut a leaf image from the centre and also die cut the detailed leaf image from that same piece. The detailed image was fit back into the opening. 

The sentiment was embossed in white on teal cardstock and I added some silver metallic thread underneath before adhering it to the card front. No other embellishments were added. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Tulip Treasure

 This was such a fun card to make!

The background was hot foiled with a teal foil and I added a cross piece that was die cut with a stitched cover plate. Teal shimmer trim disguised the spots where the two sections meet. I added a stitched frame around the outside. 

All the tulip parts were die cut from white cardstock and inked in varying levels of intensity. They were assembed and adhered to the card front. I stamped a sentiment using the same shades of blue and added it under a leaf. Some clear gems were placed around the card to finish it off. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Cherish the Season Vellum Card

 Jennifer McGuire recently did a video using vellum for cards. I wanted to try the same idea! 

I die cut four of the white frames and used them for the front, back inside and the base of the card. A piece of vellum was die cut with a pierced cover plate that raised the image. I used the reverse side of that piece for the front of the card to add texture. I die cut a snowbank from white glitter paper and also die cut all the pieces for the sled and skates. Those pieces were arranged on the front and I added a stamped sentiment on the right side. 

The vellum allows you to see through the entire card as the back has the same cut out sections as the front. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Just a Note Fuschia Slimline

 This pretty slimline card was created using a set of stamps, die sand layering stencils from Pinkfresh Studio. 

The flowers were stamped, stencilled and die cut. I lightly inked the edges of the card base with pink ink and added a stacked die on top. The images were arranged in the centre and I added a hot foiled sentiment at the bottom. Silver metallic thread was added under the sentiment and I added iridescent gems around the card. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Bird Fun Fold Christmas Card

 This cute fun fold idea was one shown by Lynn Dunn - I decided to create a card in the same design using traditional holiday colours. 

The images are all from a Catherine Pooler stamp and die set and I coloured them with markers. The patterned papers are Close To My Heart and I chose them as they coordinated well with each other. 

The card has three sections (front, inside 1 and inside 2). I also added a place to write a message on the back. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Sparkling Snowflake Card

This was such a fun card to make - and very easy as well! 

I used a snowflake stencil and inks in turquoise and purple. The section where they meets creates a sort of blue shade. With the stencil still in place, I covered it with a clear glitter gel and then lifted the stencil off the paper. Once the snowflake was dry, I die cut the "noel" sentiment from teal cardstock and white glitter foam and added that the the lower corner.The snowflake was adhered to a teal card base and I added some turquoise Liquid Pearls around the image. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

AH 500 - Trio of Penguins

 

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 500! 

500 sketches... I have been on this team since somewhere around sketch 100 - that's a long time! 

The sketch is shown in slimline format.

I went with a standard slimline card. I die cut some stitched curvy borders and added a bit of grey ink to simulate snow (which is never truly white). I stencilled some light clouds at the top. The images were all stamped, coloured and die cut and I also die cut several trees. Each section was built around the snowbanks. I lightly shaded under each image to add a shadow and adhered the card front to a red panel and then to the card base. 

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! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

DT 126 and TSOT 584 - Floral Mini Slimline Card

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 126 and Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge 584!

The small graphic for Double Trouble is below - please visit the website for detailed information. 

The sketch for Try Stampin' on Tuesday is also below. 

I made one card for this challenge that I was not very happy with - it is posted below. This was my second attempt.

The mixing of patterns is a plaid background with a dotted cross piece. I used a floral die and pieced the pink flowers onto the green die cut. I added a silver gem in the centre of each flower and added an embossed sentiment at the top. 

This was my first card... leaves were all pieced back into the white die cut. 

Come and join us at both Double Trouble and TSOT and show us how you interpret this week's challenge. 

TSOT doesn't open until tomorrow but back linking is allowed only for this challenge. 

Both challenges end in two weeks.

We can't wait to see what you create! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Fold Down Box Card - Life is Better with Friends

 This is such a cute card with a lot happening! 

The background pieces were die cut with a stitched leaf cover plate die and added to the card base and the sides of the box. I stencilled a circle background on a piece of white cardstock for the front and stamped and die cut the leaves, adding some darker ink at the base of each leaf for more interest. The sentiment was stamped with the same three ink colours to create an ombre effect. The background for the sentiment was created by dragging the ink pads over white cardstock in the same ombre fashion as the sentiment and then it was cut down to size. Some dew drops were placed on and around the leaves to finish off the card. 

I did stamp some leaves inside as there is a card base attached to the box component. That allows a place to write a message. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Card Donation

 It's that time of the year again... so many cards and it is time to donate them! 

My church has a Christmas Market in November and this donation is for that purpose. They sell the cards and the proceeds go back to the organization. 

There are 139 individual cards and 16 sets of cards (each from 6-12 in a set). I donated two large stacks of cards (200+ each) already this year to a couple of different charitable organizations. 

I love that I can help out with this in my own small way! 

Alyson

Christ-moose

 I couldn't resist this moose for Christmas - he is just so cute with his big smile! 

I stamped, coloured and fussy cut the image. The backgound was splattered with white craft paint and I added a couple of snowbanks at the bottom before adhering the moose with thin foam tape. Easy, but so sweet!

Enjoy,

Alyson

CD 523 - Christmas Bird Shaker

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 523!

Tic tac toe challenges are always fun - choose any row, column or diagonal and use those colours.You can add other colours but only those that are included in the grid.

I used the left column (Scarlet, Flamingo and Glacier) and the middle row (Flamingo, Silver and Seabrook).

My idea was to create pine boughs, berries and birds so Flamingo was hard to use. I ended up die cutting some berry branches from Flamingo cardstock and inking them halfway up with Scarlet ink. I did the same with the pine boughs - they were die cut in both Glacier and Seabrook and I used Glacier ink to deepen the colour at the bottom of each piece. The birds were die cut from Scarlet cardstock. I die cut a stitched rectangle frame and turned it into a shaker with silver sequins and "snow". The images were adhered to the inside of the frame and the birds were placed on branches. I added a sentiment in the left corner of 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!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Sending a Frosty Hello

The mini slimline card size is great for a small scene like this one! 

The images were stamped, coloured and die cut. I splattered a piece Kraft cardstock with white craft paint and then adhered the stitched borders to form the snowbanks. That entire piece was adhered to a red mat and then to the white card base. The images were adhered with thin foam tape and I stamped the sentiment at the bottom. Love the cuteness! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Kinetic Snowman

 This adorable kinetic snowman was created by my friend, Trina Wirihana. This SVG file, along with several other kinetic options, are available on her website, Scrap'n Season. 

I ink blended a background and splattered it with white craft paint to simulate snow. The snowman was assembled and added to the card. A small sentiment was stamped in two shades of blue and added to the lower corner. I drew a line with a thin marker around the edge to finish off the card. The snowman's body swings freely back and forth. 

I made two of these - they will be sent to two special young kids - one boy and one girl. I know they will love them! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

MTC 68 - Hello Winter

 Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge 68!

Winter is on the horizon and this week's theme is just that - winter. 

I created a small shaker card. The background was ink blended with three Distress Oxide inks and I splattered it with water. The sentiment was embossed with a white twinkle embossing powder at the bottom. The shaker image was coloured and I stacked the snow globe die several times to create height. Some tiny silver stars were placed inside the shaker and around the snow globe. A dark blue frame was adhered around the outside of the card. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards and show us how you interpret this winter challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Card Making Stash and Dash - Blue Tulip Gatefold Card

 I participated in an online event called Card Making Stash and Dash - the goal is to use a series of four parameters to create a card in 30 minutes or less. 30 minutes... sure! I took about 38 minutes this time! 

The parameters were as follows: gatefold card, monochromatic colour scheme, border and splattering. 

I chose a blue colour scheme. I die cut the floral pieces and inked them in various shades of blue. The front of the gatefold was splattered using two blue shimmer brushes. I added a belly band with a shimmery border and placed the large tulip on the front. Inside, I did a little more splattering and added a smaller tulip along with a sentiment. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Cards Sets in Multiples

 As some of you know, I make a lot of sets of cards... it's an easy project to take to a crop as I can prepare much of it ahead of time.

Below are a few sets that I recently finished. These will either be given to fellow patients when I attend medical appointments or they will be donated to sell at my church's Christmas Market. 

The bottom photo shows all the sets that I completed at a recent crop event. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Vellum Embossed Cards

Jennifer McGuire recently did a video using vellum for card bases - I thought I would give it a try!

The base for each of these cards is heavy weight vellum and the front panel was embossed. One was done in a red and green colour scheme (poinsettias) and the other was done in shades of blue with snowflakes. The frame die cuts were placed on the front and back of each section to allow for a place to write inside but also to cover up the messy work from the adhesive. I added a simple black and white sentiment to the poinsettia card along with some gold gems and the snowflake card got a silver foiled sentiment with silver Stickles. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Pink Just Because Card

 This card was so fun to create! A friend of mine hosts a sketch challenge every Saturday and my card is based on the sketch shown below.

The background was inked in three shades of pink, then stencilled over with black ink and I added clear glitter gel on top of that. The squares and diamonds were cut with the same border sizes and I used some die cut images from the Be Bold Blooms to create the floral cluster in the centre. A hot foiled sentiment was placed below the cluster. The lines on the flowers were brushed with a clear shimmer brush and a few silver glitter gems were added to finish off the card. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Hello Sunshine

 This was a lot of fun to create! 

I started with an alcohol inked background that was kind of a rainbow colour scheme. I die cut the leaf background from both black and the alcohol inked piece and inlaid the leaves back into the black background. The sentiment was die cut from teal glitter paper and adhered at the top. I added some teal gems around the leaves to finish off the card.

Enjoy,

Alyson

Poinsettia Ornament

 The poinsettia below is actually a tree ornament. 

The leaves were die cut from white cardstock, inked, shaped and then brushed with clear Stickles. That's a way to make sure they keep their shape, even if the ornament is flattened for storage. I die cut the branches and stacked them a few times before also brushing them with Stickles. The gold berries were added under the flower. I placed all the pieces on a die cut circle and then die cut three additional circles to stack behind the first one. Before adding the bottom one, I added some gold metallic thread to hang the ornament. 

The ornament is pictured on the gift below as well. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Winter Deer

 I saw this beautiful card design on Facebook and wanted to recreate it. 

It took me two attempts to get the result I wanted. I will post my first attempt further down... I ended up adding too much dark ink and the lines from the glow of the moon were lost. 

Three shades of blue ink were used to create both the sky and the ground. The ground was masked with printer paper and ink was added afterwards. The deer was die cut in both white and black and layered slightly offset. I splattered the background with white craft paint and added a sentiment inside the card. 

Here is my first attempt - I added a sentiment at the top since the lines were barely visible. 

Enjoy,

Alyson