AH 654 - Floral Birthday Slimline

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 654!

The sketch is shown below. 

I chose to make a slimline card. The flowers and leaves were all die cut from white cardstock and inked with Distress Oxide inks. I splattered water on some of the images. The white background was lightly stencilled to make a brick background. The flowers were arranged on the stencilled piece and adhered. I added a sentiment across the centre and placed the card front on a purple mat and then a grey card base. Some silver gems were added around the card and silver metallic thread was placed under the sentiment. 

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

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love - Skating Polar Bear

 Welcome to Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge!

This is my first project as a member of this design team. 

The theme for this challenge is celebrations of love - the optional theme this month is Christmas. 

I always need more Christmas cards! The blue background was inked and then stencilled with Astro Paste on top of a snowflake stencil. The card front was die cut with a stitched rectangle die and I cut a circular opening for the window along with a stitched circle to fit inside. The sentiment was stamped and I used a black pen to draw curvy lines on each side. The blue background was placed on the card base and I added the front with foam tape. The bear was placed so it looks like he is skating along the line. 

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

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

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

DD - Birthday Roses

 Welcome to Dragonfly Dreams and our November challenge!

The theme for this challenge is feminine. 

I used a layering stamp to create the roses and leaves. The background was stencilled with a white Solar Paste on white cardstock, leaving a gorgeous shimmery look. The roses were arranged on the front panel and a stamped sentiment was placed across the bottom. The card front was adhered to a grey mat and a green card base. I added some clear gems on the flowers. 

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

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

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

HQ Shaped Card or Tag - Holiday Cookie Jar

 Welcome to Heart's Quest Shaped Card or Tag challenge!

This is my first post as a member of this design team. 

This challenge is all about shaped cards or tags. 

I chose to create a holiday cookie jar card. 

The jar was die cut from white and I cut the outline several times and stacked them together. The base of the jar was inked in shades of blue and grey. All the cookies inside were stamped, stencilled and die cut. I actually glued them in place as they didn't want to shake inside... I added a sentiment on top and some holiday greenery on the top of the jar. 

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

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

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

PS November - Frosty Hello

Welcome to Pearly Sparkles and our October challenge. 

The theme for this challenge is "snow people".

This snowman stamp is one of my favourites. I stamped the background and coloured in the winter gear using shades of pink and turquoise. I used a white gel pen to add details and then added clear Stickles around the edges of the snowmen. The card front was adhered to two mats and then the card base. The sentiment was placed across the bottom. 

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

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

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Cut It Up 342 - Thankful Wreath

 Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 342!

The theme for this challenge is thankful, grateful, blessed. 

I chose to make a square card as I wanted to make a wreath. 

The wreath elements were die cut from various autumn colours. I also die cut a dark green circle to keep my pieces aligned. I arranged all the leaves and stems around the wreath and then splattered everything with gold paint. I embossed a sentiment in gold and added a green mat. That piece was placed across the centre with gold thread and foam tape. I added some gold gems and Stickles on and around the wreath. The front panel was adhered to three coloured mats and then the card base. 

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

You have until Monday, November 10 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Christmas Blessings Purple Poinsettia

 Purple is such an elegant colour and who says you can't have a purple poinsettia?

I die cut the white card front and splattered it with purple paint. The poinsettia was die cut and inked for dimension. That was placed at the side of the open section and I added a sentiment at the bottom. The words were brushed with a clear shimmer brush and I added iridescent gems in the centre of the poinsettia. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Holiday Cheer

 This was an easy card to make and the vellum softens it quite a bit. 

The top vellum panel was embossed with a 3D embossing folder. An angled piece of red cardstock was placed across the lower half and I added a ribbon with a bow. The poinsettia was die cut from vellum and assembled. I added a hot foiled sentiment at the top and some white berry branches. The berries were covered with clear Stickles to give them some shine and I placed some iridescent gems in the centre of the poinsettia. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

TSOT 682 - Hugs Leaves

Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 682!

The sketch is shown below. 

I stayed true to the sketch. I die cut a bunch of leaf images from white cardstock and inked them in various autumn colours. The background was inked with shades of green, splattered with water and cut with a stitched leaf cover plate die. I arranged the coloured leaves on white circles and added each circle to a darker mat. The ribbon was placed around the card front and I added a die cut sentiment along the left side. The leaf circles were placed according to the sketch and I added a gold leaf stem at the bottom of each.

Come and join us at TSOT 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

DT 203 - A Little Birdie Told Me

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 203! 

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

I created a background using circle masks and various shades of blue ink. All the die cut elements were cut from white cardstock and inked - very time consuming! I arranged the birds on a branch and placed the flowers and leaves around them. The sentiment was stamped in the top corner and I adhered the card front to a piece of blue cardstock. I added two tiny twine bows on each of the flowers. 

Come and join us at Double Trouble 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

Gold Edge Embossed Poinsettia

 I found some patterned vellum in my stash and it fit so well with gold. 

The poinsettia was die cut from white cardstock, inked and splattered with water. I ran my Versamark ink pad along the edges of each piece and added gold embossing powder. The poinsettia was assembled and adhered to the vellum background. I added some gold berries, gold twine and gems around the image and the sentiment was placed under the poinsettia. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Red Flower Sympathy Card

 This card was from the 30 Minute Card Making Stash Dash. 

The parameters were as follows: Type of Card: A2 portrait, Colour(s): red, Embellishment: plant, Technique: fussy cutting and Occasion(s): sympathy or friendship. 

I used some old rub-on images for the plants and I coloured them with Copic markers. The sentiment was fussy cut and added at the bottom of the stems. I trimmed the front panel and drew a border around the edge. That panel was adhered to a white card base with craft foam and I added three black enamel dots around the images. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Sending Peace

 I stencilled the border using shades of blue. That piece was added to a dark blue card base. I stencilled the PEACE sentiment, die cut that and adhered it in the centre with foam tape. The small "sending" was embossed just above the peace sentiment. I used silver Stickles to add the berries around the frame. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

CD 675 - If Friends Were Flowers...

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 675!

The graphic is below.

I used all three colours for my card. 

I stamped the floral image and used stencils to colour the flowers and leaves. The background was splattered with a black shimmer brush and I stamped and added the sentiment in the bottom corner. I matted the image on black, pink, green and finally a white card base. Some iridescent gems were placed around the card. 

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

Wonderful Time of the Year Fun Fold Cards

 This card style is from a virtual event from last year. I chose two non-traditional colour schemes. 

The front of the card was purposely kept simple so the inside is a big surprise. Inside the card, the same border poinsettia swag used on the front was stencilled and added to each side. Another of those pieces was added to the centre panel along with an embossed sentiment. The centre panel lifts up for a place to write a message. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Peony Fun Fold Card

 This card was created for the 30 Minute Card Making Stash Dash. 

The parameters for this challenge were as follows: Type of card: fancy fold, Colour: purple, Embellishment: circle, Technique: embossing and Occasion: just because or friendship. 

I stamped, coloured and die cut a peony and some leaves. The circles were arranged so the last one sits on the back panel. The others were arranged in the front. The front panel was embossed and I added two hot foiled sentiments and some silver gems. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Stacked Penguin Card

 This cute card is one I saw online. I love that it stands up for display and the message is hidden inside the card. 

I chose a penguin theme for my card. I stamped, coloured and die cut the penguins and other elements. I chose various patterned papers for the panels and also decorated the back sides of the flip panels. The "snow" sections for each panel were embossed with a dotted embossing folder and I fussy cut the tops to form snowbanks. The penguins were arranged on the snowbanks so they show on the various levels when the card is closed. 

I stamped a sentiment on a white panel for the inside of the card and stamped a few snowflakes on that piece. Clear Stickles were added on the snowbanks and on parts of the penguins' outer wear. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Snowman Acetate Card

 I made some of these cards last winter and decided to revisit the idea. 

The card base is made from heavy weight acetate. I die cut white trees and snowbanks and arranged some of them on the inside back panel and one snowbank plus a tree on the front. I embossed the trees with a dotted embossing folder first. The snowman was stamped, coloured and die cut and placed on the front and a greeting was also stamped at the bottom. I added clear Stickles along the snowbanks and on some parts on the snowman.

I didn't want the messy work to show where the adhesive was added so I die cut extras of all the images and placed them on the back to cover the adhesive. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

AH 652 - Hello Card

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 652!

The sketch is shown below. 

I had some papers from a virtual event and decided to use those. The patterned paper piece was fussy cut along the top edge on an angle and adhered to a die cut piece of green cardstock. All of that was adhered to glossy yellow paper. The two leaf images were die cut and arranged on the green strip of paper with a bow at the bottom. The sentiment was placed at the bottom and I added some gems at the top. 

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

Partial Embossed Holiday Card

 This card was simple to make but it is just so pretty. 

I chose a 6x6 size as I wanted a square. The front panel was partially embossed and I also used my scoring tool to emboss three lines on each side of the design - those are very hard to see in the photo. Various elements were die cut from vellum, white and green cardstock and arranged under a silver star. The sentiment was stamped along the right side and I added silver cord and some gems to the front. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Skating Bear

 This was such an easy card to make. The bear was stamped, coloured and die cut. A piece of A2 cardstock was hand cut to create a piece of ice from the top of one corner and light blue cardstock was placed behind that opening. The sentiment was stamped at the bottom and the bear was adhered so he looks like he is skating. I purposely keep this very simple with no embellishments or anything else. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Cut It Up 341 - Happy Holidays

 Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 341!

The theme for this challenge is to use embellishments. 

Sometimes when I am not feeling particularly creative, I stencil backgrounds for future use. This was one of those backgrounds. I chose blue cardstock and gold paper to mat the stencilled part and added two hot foiled sentiments on a vellum circle. I placed a small bow at the bottom of the circle and added gold gems around the sentiments. Easy! 

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

You have until Monday, October 27 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Birthday Pocket Card

 This card is from the 30 Minute Card Making Stash Dash. 

The parameters for this challenge were as follows: Type of Card: pocket card, Colour: orange, Embellishment: metallic, Technique: colouring and Occasion: birthday or thinking of you. 

I created a card with a pocket on the front that holds the birthday sentiment. A message can be written on that panel. The patterned paper on the front is dark orange and I added stamped, colouring and die cut images to the bottom angled section. A strip of gold foil was placed across the pocket opening and I added some gold gems around the card. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Beautiful Blossoms October - Pair of Blossom Cards

 Welcome to Beautiful Blossoms and our October challenge!

The inspiration photo is below. Using the photo is optional but your project must have a focus on florals. 

I chose to make a pair of cards using a stamp and stencil combo. The cards were inspired by ones I made a couple of years ago for a virtual event. 

The stems were stamped and the blossoms were stencilled in shades of blue and purple. I added clear glitter gel over the detail layer. That piece was cut into two and each section was adhered to a splattered white card base with a thin strip of blue cardstock along the side. The sentiments were stamped and die cut and I also cut some blossoms and leaves from coordinating cardstock. Those were arranged on vellum circles and adhered to the right of the coloured panels. 

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

You have until Nov. 12 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

TSOT 681 - Deck the Halls

 Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 681!

The sketch is below. It was created in an autumn theme but that can be interpreted as desired. 

I chose to make a Christmas card - I need so many of them!

I did stick with the hexagon shapes and I die cut them from various shades of gold glitter paper and gold foil. Before adhering them, I lightly stencilled the bottom of the card about one third of the way up and splattered it with a dark green shimmer brush. The hexagons were arranged as per the sketch. I added a pine branch at the top and hung two ornaments from that to represent the image on the right side of the sketch. The sentiment was stamped, die cut and placed across the top of the stencilling. Some gold gems were added around the card. 

Come and join us at TSOT 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

DT 202 - Autumn Blessings

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 202!

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

I used a swirling leaf stencil to stencil the background of my card (1 stencil) using red, orange and yellow inks (3 fall colours). I stamped, coloured and die cut (or fussy cut) the scarecrow, bird, mouse and two pumpkins (2 images). I also lightly inked the edges of the background in blue and green before arranging the images on the front. A sentiment was placed across the top and the card front was adhered to a black mat and then a white card base. 

Come and join us at Double Trouble 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

Tree Window Scene Card

 This is another card made with a set of dies from Gina K Designs. I love the window opening!

I tore several pieces of white cardstock and layered them to create a snow scene. Some trees were added between the layers and I added clear Stickles on the top of each hill. Once that was dry, the embossed brick panel, the stacked window frame and the rectangle outline were added on top. I stamped, stencilled and added clear glitter gel to a large tree and placed that along the side. A small sentiment was added at the bottom. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Sweater Weather Mice

 The sentiment on this card is what made me decide to use the little mice. The one in the sweater is adorable but I love the one with the leaf on his head even more! 

I stencilled the background with a swirling leaf stencil and then splattered it with gold paint. A piece of patterned paper was added across the bottom. The mice were stamped, coloured and die cut and I arranged them with some leaves along the bottom. The sentiment was placed across the top of the card. I added Stickles to some of the images and adhered the card front to a brown mat and then to the white card base. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson