CD 611 - Merry Wishes

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 611!

Choose at least three of the colours from the graphic below. I used all of them except Wisteria. 

This colour scheme just said Christmas to me so I chose to make a Christmas card. The flowers and leaves were stamped, stencilled and die cut and I also die cut a pine branch. I used cardstock strips to create a diagonal line across the gold splattered background. The poinsettia was adhered at the side and I embossed the small sentiment and die cut and stacked "wishes" and placed that on a vellum shadow piece. Gold gems were added in the centre of the poinsettia and additional gems were placed around the flower. 

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

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Cut It Up 309 - White Stem CAS Card

 Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 309!

The theme for this challenge is CAS (clean and simple).

CAS is not a go-to style for me - I prefer several layers on my cards. This card is based on one I saw on Pinterest and I liked the idea. 

The stem was die cut - two separate images - and attached at the bottom. I stamped the sentiment in the same grey as the background and placed it along the edge of the stem. Some silver metallic thread was placed under the sentiment and I added light purple Liquid Pearls to the centres of the flowers. I have provide a close up image to see the flowers as the original photo didn't catch that very well. 

Come and join us at Cut It Up and show us how you interpret this challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

MTTC 539 - Let's Have an Adventure

Welcome to My Time to Craft Challenge 539!

The theme for this challenge is summer time fun.

Camping is terrific summer fun so I created a camping scene using critters. The background was inked with Distress Oxide inks in shades of blue and then splattered with white paint. The grass was fussy cut and placed in two layers at the bottom. The images were all stamped, coloured and die cut and arranged into a scene. I added a moon and a sentiment at the top of the card. 

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

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Rainbow Brighten My Day

 This is another card using the same gorgeous set from Gina K Designs. 

The background was lightly stencilled in grey and I stamped, stencilled and die cut the two floral stems. The sentiment was stamped on a white circle, bordered with a black circle and then adhered to a circle that was inked using teal and pink inks (purple results where the inks overlapped). No embellishments were added as there was enough going on already. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Birthday in Teal and Pink

 I recently purchased a beautiful set from Gina K Designs and found this idea on Pinterest. 

The background was die cut using a stitched cover plate. I inked it from opposite corners using shades of teal and pink and then I splattered that with gold paint. The flowers were stamped, stencilled and die cut using the same ink colours. They were placed on the inked sections and I added a stamped sentiment in the centre wth gold metallic thread underneath. Love how this turned out! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

CAS Friend Card

 I just love this design! Nancy Elrick recently posted a card like this and I CASEd her idea. 

The card front was masked and I stencilled a water droplet background using light teal and pink ink. The mask was removed and I stamped a floral image on the left side of the card with part of it reaching over the stencilled section. The sentiment was stamped and die cut and I stamped a smaller sentiment underneath. The card front was adhered to a black mat and then a white card base. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Snowman Cluster

 This card is from the 30 minute card making stash and dash.

The parameters for this card were as follows: Type of Card: A2, Colour: red, Technique: stamping, Embellishment: sparkly and Occasion: crafter's choice.

I stamped a group of snowmen and coloured them in shades of red and green. I matted that piece with black and red cardstock and then adhered it to the white card base. I drew some doodling lines around the edge and added a sentiment at the bottom and used clear Stickles on random clothing on the snowmen. Easy! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Noel Locking Gatefold Card

 Gatefold cards typically don't stay closed without a belly band - this one is unique as it has a sort of locking element on the front that keeps it closed. 

The finished size is a standard A2 card although it is fairly thick. I chose a blue and green colour scheme. The front panel was lightly stencilled with a snowflake stencil and I die cut all the flowers and leaves from white cardstock and inked them. They were assembled and I added three of them just above a die cut sentiment. Once the card is pulled opened, there are more poinsettias on the centre panel. That panel can be lifted and inside, there is a stencilled panel to write a message.

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Butterfly Arch Card

 I found a card somewhat similar to this one on Pinterest - loved the idea!

The card front was splattered with two colours of ink and the sentiment was stamped in the corner. I chose a piece of vibrant patterned paper and created an arch with a border and placed that at the bottom right. The butterfly was from my stash - hot foiled on vellum and coloured from the back with markers. That was adhered to the top of the arch and I added a few turquoise Liquid Pearls around that butterfly. Easy! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

DT 171 - Frosty Hello

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 171!

This challenge is all about aperture or open cards. The small graphic is below - please visit the Double Trouble Challenge Blog for detailed information. 

There are many forms of aperture cards - the basic idea is that there needs to be an opening on the front of the card that looks through to something inside. I chose a design that is easy but very cute. 

The snowflake paper was random stamped and splattered with two shimmer brush colours. I created the front panel and two narrow panels for inside the card. Once the front panel was adhered, the scalloped circle was die cut from the front of the card. A second scalloped circle was die cut in silver. I stamped and coloured the snowman and die cut that piece with a circle die. There is a panel inside to write a message and the snowman image was adhered to the fold-out panel inside the card. I embossed s sentiment to go across the front of that card. 

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

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

I am also linking up my card with the Jingle Belles Challenge. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

MTTCC 91 - Peace on Earth

Welcome to My Time to Craft Christmas Challenge 91! 

The theme for this challenge is woods. 

I knew exactly what I was going to use to create my card. I have a gorgeous press plate that creates a scene with trees along a path in the woods. I inked that up with dark blue ink and pressed it into the paper. The effect in real life is just like a letter pressed image. I die cut the image and placed it on a piece of white cardstock that was embossed with a snowflake embossing folder. I added clear Stickles to the snowflakes to provide some shimmer and placed a silver embossed sentiment at the top. Easy, but oh, so pretty! 

Come and join us at MTTCC and show us your "woods" projects. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Floral Centre Flip Card

 This pretty card design was sent to me by a wonderful friend - she worked out all the measurements! 

I used some rainbow style patterned paper on a black background. The focal image was stamped, stencilled and die cut and I arranged the flowers on the centre panel and added a two part sentiment. I used some flat gold gems because the centre of this card does flip around and the card folds flat for mailing so I didn't want anything bulky. The back panel was used for a place to write a message. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Floral Shaped Card

 This card is the result of another 30 minute cardmaking stash and dash. 

The parameters for this challenge were as follows: Type of card - shaped card, Colours - include green, Embellishment - shiny, Technique - smooshing, Sentiment - anniversary. 

I stamped the floral image slightly over the card fold and I used a piece of cling wrap to smoosh ink onto the flowers and leaves through the layering stencils. I die cut 4 extras pieces and adhered them to the two sides of the card to make it strong enough to stand up. I added gold sequins to the centres of the flowers and aded a hot foiled sentiment at the bottom. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

TSOT 651 - Hydrangea Friendship

 Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 651

The sketch is shown in landscape format - that can certainly be changed as long as the integrity of the sketch is maintained. 

I chose to make my card in landscape format. The background was embossed with a 3D embossing folder. I die cut a circle from patterned paper and another from purple cardstock. The colours in the circle drove the decision to stamp and colour a hydrangea image. That was fussy cut and added at the left and the sentiment was placed at the bottom. Some iridescent gems were placed around the bottom half of the card. 

Come and join us at TSOT and show us how you interpret this sketch. 

You have THREE weeks to link up your project since there is a 5th Tuesday in July. The next challenge will be posted the first Tuesday in August. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

AH 586 - Sweet Friend

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 586!

The sketch is very simple, leaving many ways to interpret it. 

I chose a shape that covered most of the front of my card. It was die cut in white and again in purple to provide the outline. I stamped, stencilled and die cut some floral images and arranged them on the white shape. The sentiment was embossed in white and added at the side. Everything was adhered to a 3D embossed leaf background and I added a few coloured gems around the sentiment and some Stickles in the centres of the flowers. 

Come and join us at Atlantic Hearts and show us how you interpret this challenge. 

You have until Sunday evening to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Pair of Wedding Cards

 A while back, I did an online event called Celebrations Delivered. This card style was taught during that event and I was asked to make two wedding cards for friends. This design was perfect. 

The background was stamped and die cut. The centre panel was adhered again with foam tape so it lined up with the pattern around the edge. The rings were die cut from silver foil and vellum and placed just above the centre line. The congrats sentiment was die cut 3x and stacked before being added across the rings. A smaller sentiment was placed under the rings and I added some silver gems as well. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

SS 755 - Celebrate Piggies

 Welcome to Sketch Saturday Challenge 755!

The optional theme (in addition to the sketch) is Christmas in July. 

I chose to use only the sketch. 

The background was splattered with pink and green shimmer pens and I placed a hot foiled background across the centre. The piggies were stamped, coloured and die cut and I stacked them to represent the rectangles on the sketch. A small sentiment was stamped at the bottom and I added clear Stickles to some of the elements on the pigs. 

Come and join us at Sketch Saturday and show us how you interpret the sketch. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

CD 609 - Thinking of You Arch

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 609! 

Black and beige are the colours for this challenge - plus ONE additional colour. NO WHITE! 

The absence of white made this a very challenging project for me. Dies leave a white border around them so that was out. I finally decided to use a black background and light brown (beige) cardstock on which to stamp the images. The flowers were stencilled and die cut. I die cut a gold arch and added the flowers around the arch (on a 3D embossed background). The sentiment was stamped and die cut before being added to the centre of the arch. A few gold gems were placed around the flowers. 

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

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Cut It Up 308 - Trio of Christmas Ornaments

 Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 308!

The theme for this challenge is Christmas in July.

I send a LOT of Christmas cards so this is a good chance to get started on mine. 

This card design is based on a card made by Loll Thomson several years ago. It's simple and easy but it's so pretty. The background was embossed with a 3D poinsettia embossing folder and I die cut three circles from patterned paper and then white cardstock to build dimension on each. They were arranged on the card and I added a silver string to each ornament. The sentiment was hot foiled and placed at the bottom and the card front was adhered to a dark teal card base. 

Come and join us at Cut It Up and show us how you interpret this challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

MTTC 538 - CAS Hello There

 Welcome to My Time to Craft Challenge 538!

The theme for this challenge is CAS - clean and simple. 

I struggle to keep my card designs simple - I love layers upon layers. This card is based on one I saw on Pinterest. 

I blended turquoise ink in the top corner and added some die cut leaves and a flower on top. The sentiment was stamped in the top right corner and I used Stickles for the centre of the flower. Some turquoise gems were added around the image and I used a white gel pen to add some interest to the leaves. 

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

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Lighthouse at Sunset

 I have been having a log of fun playing with these lighthouse dies! This time, I die cut almost everything in black except two windows and the light at the top. 

The background was ink blended using an oval stencil and Distress Oxide inks. Before I adhered anything, I stamped the sentiment at the bottom. I carefully rounded the edges of two "land" pieces and added them to the bottom of the oval. The lighthouse was placed off to one side. I adhered a light at the back so it would shine through the small circle opening at the top of the lighthouse. Using a black pen, I wrote the word PUSH off to the right side so the recipient can see the light turn on! 

The front was adhered to a thin black mat and then to the white card base. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Fence Card

 This card has a fence that covers part of the front panel - I saw the idea on Facebook. 

The back panel was stencilled with clouds, a sun and grass and I stamped a sentiment in the top corner. The fence was created by cutting equal size pieces of white cardstock and assembling them to look like a picket fence. I stamped and die cut several images - a cat, some climbing flowers, butterflies and a bird - and arranged them on the front. A message can be written on the back of the card. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Lighthouse Scene Card

 I recently bought two Spellbinders die sets - one with a lighthouse and the other with a sailboat. I used dies from both sets to make this card, which was based on one I saw on the Spellbinders website. 

The lighthouse pieces were die cut from coloured cardstock and I cut the shore and waves from white cardstock and inked them. Everything was adhered together and I attached it all to a light blue piece of cardstock. A small light was placed behind the lighthouse and I added a small oval with the word push written on it. When that area is pushed, a light lights up at the top of the lighthouse. It is VERY bright! The blue background was then adhered to a white layer and finally to a dark blue card base. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

SU Fun Fold Cards

 I recently did an online event with two Stampin' Up demonstrators. It was all about fun fold cards. 

I have made all of these folds in the past but I love the look with the Thoughtful Journey patterned papers as they form beautiful scenes. 

All the cards are shown below - a total of 10 of them. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

DD July - Poinsettias in Blue

Welcome to Dragonfly Dreams and the July challenge! 

The theme for this challenge is Christmas in July. 

I make Christmas cards all year long as I need so many for that season. This is one of my favourite die sets! 

The poinsettia image was die cut four times - twice in silver and twice in white. The white pieces were placed back into the outline and inked with shades of blue. The two outlines were adhered to a 3D embossed card front and the pieces were placed back into the images. I ink blended a panel with blue ink and die cut the sentiment from that. The entire card front was adhered to a dark blue card base. 

Come and join us at Dragonfly Dreams and show us your Christmas projects. 

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

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson