CIU339 - Autumn Blessings

 Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 339!

The theme for this challenge is "looks like fall". 

I love the autumn season - the leaves here are very colourful and the outside temperatures are nice and cool. 

I ink blended a panel of white cardstock with Distress Oxide inks and die cut it with a leaf cover plate die. The gold leaves were die cut and arranged on the front, along with an embossed sentiment strip. The card front was adhered to dark green cardstock and then a gold glitter base. Easy! 

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

You have until Monday, September 29 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Friend with Umbrella

A friend recently gave me a super cute stamp set and it was time to use it! I stamped the image along with a single word sentiment at the bottom. I used my Copic Markers and some Sharpies to colour the image and the word and I blended yellow ink along the edges. The card front was adhered to a black mat and a pink card base. I used a fine tip marker to draw a line around the edge. Some clear gems were added to simulate raindrops. Inside the card, there is a sentiment that reads "You are my rainbow every single day."

Enjoy,

Alyson

Friendly Mice

 This card was created for a virtual crop weekend - one of the challenges was to use a certain card for inspiration. 

I masked off the card front into four sections and ink blended each of them in different colours. The mice and birds were stamped, coloured and die cut and added to the squares. I stamped sentiments in three of the boxes. The larger sentiments were stamped or embossed and placed at the bottom. The card front was adhered to the card base with craft foam. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

TSOT 679 - Funky Birdies

 Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 679!

The sketch is wide open - you can do anything as long as it involves doodles. 

I cannot draw - at all. Yesterday's blog post explains that a bit more. For this challenge, I revisited an old card style that I have made before... I had to practice drawing the peanut shapes many times to try and get them to be consistent but you can see that they are still all over the place! 

Once the bodies were drawn, I added legs to each creature with the fourth one holding up one leg. That's where the sentiment comes in - we all need to be ourselves! The letters were die cut from the same colours as the creatures and I adhered the card front to a black mat and then a white card base. 

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 200 - Friend Doodles

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 200!

It's all about the doodles this week. The small graphic is below. Please visit the Double Trouble Challenge Blog for detailed information.

I cannot draw. Period. I spent three days on some doodled cards and my frustration level was through the roof. Doodling is not something that I have ever done - not for fun, not as part of a challenge, never. 

This card is probably the fifteenth card that I tried to make and I am still not happy with it. I watched countless videos about doodling before trying this. I finally chose to make random doodles on a strip of white cardstock and colour some of them in various shades of pink. That panel was adhered to a black mat and then to an embossed card front. The sentiment was added at the bottom. 

This is another doodled card - one of my earlier attempts... 

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! I hope doodling is easier for you than it was for me! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

BB September - Smile in Autumn Colours

 Welcome to Beautiful Blossoms and our September challenge!

The inspiration photo is below. It is optional to use that but your project must be floral focused. 

I subscribe to a card making program and this stamp was from a recent class. My choice of colours were drawn from the inspiration photo. I stamped the same image on the top and bottom of white cardstock and used the coordinating stencils to colour them. The sentiment was stamped in the centre. I used a fine tip black marker to add small dots around the images and matted the card front to a black card base. Easy! 

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

You have until October 12th to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Bird Screen Card

 This card has four panels and folds flat for mailing (mini slimline size). 

I used a stamp and stencil set to create the panels. I arranged them in order and stamped the images over the cuts. The stencils were used to colour the images and I added a large sentiment on the third panel. I also splattered all the panels with gold paint. The base was die cut using a bracket die to create the "feet". 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Mini Image Pyramid Block Card

 This was such a fun card to make! It folds flat for mailing so I didn't add any dimensional elements to it. 

I chose holographic paper to mat all the images. The images were stamped and coloured and I added Stickles to most of them for some shine. The sentiment was placed on the top centre panel and the other holiday images were arranged around the card. There is a full card base on the back so there is lots of room to write a message. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Masculine Birthday Card

 This card design was based on one made by a SU Artisan member. 

I used strips of wallpaper for the coloured pieces. The background was embossed with a burlap embossing folder and the white piece was embossed with a subtle embossing folder. I arranged the strips across the white piece and added a stamped sentiment with twine underneath. Some clear gems were placed around the card. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

CD 669 - Fabulous Day Acetate Card

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 669!

There are only two colours to use for this challenge. Please check out the graphic below. 

I made an acetate card like this many moons ago but decided to revisit it since it is such a pretty design and it works perfectly with limited colours. 

I cut the card front and used a detailed die to add interest along the edges surrounding the acetate. I die cut several leaves and arranged them on the acetate piece and then adhered that to the back of the front panel. I had to place the same leaves on the back to cover all the adhesive and I added a second piece of white cardstock on the back of the panels above and below the acetate. The flowers were die cut from purple and mint with a silver centre and adhered around the leaves and the embossed sentiment was placed on the top section. 

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

Birthday Blessings Silhouette Card

 This card design was inspired by one made by a member of the Gina K Designs creative team. 

I masked off the card front and ink blended a background using turquoise and purple inks. I kept the masking paper in place and stamped the top two images and the butterfly with black ink. I used a white gel pen to add details to the images. The masking paper was removed and I stamped the sentiment. The card front was adhered to a black mat and then to a white card base with craft foam. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Sympathy Silhouette Card

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

The parameters for this card were as follows: Type of Card: shaped card, Colour(s): ombre, Embellishment: metallic, Technique: crafter's choice and Sentiment: sympathy or no sentiment. 

It didn't take me long to make this card - less than 15 minutes. I ink blended (technique) a piece of white cardstock with shades of yellow or orange Distress Oxide inks (ombre). I dried that piece, die cut it using a stitched border die (shaped card) and then stamped and embossed the images and sentiment (sympathy). Some gold gems (metallic) were placed around the card.

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Trio of Ornaments

There are some holiday products of mine that haven't seen the light of day for some time... this is one of them.

I pulled out a large ornament die and die cut three ornaments. Each was adhered to a different coloured base (blue glitter cardstock or silver foil) and I paper pieced several additional pieces into the shape. That took forever! Once the ornaments were complete, I added the hanging piece at the top and arranged them on a piece of white shimmer paper with silver thread. The card front was adhered to a dark blue mat and then a lighter blue card base. I added a hot foiled sentiment in the centre and some silver gems around the ornaments. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Friendship Mums

I love the layering floral dies from Honey Bee Stamps - this is my most recent purchase. 

I die cut all the pieces from white cardstock and inked them using shades of pink and green. I also splattered them with water and shaped them before assembling the flowers. The background was hot foiled in silver and I added a die cut scalloped frame around the edge. The flowers were arranged on the front and I added a sentiment across the bottom. The card front was adhered to a black base. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Perhaps Christmas Means a Little Bit More...

 My Grinch stamp set has received some more attention with this card. 

The sentiment was stamped in red and die cut. I stamped the grinch face and on green cardstock and again on white where I coloured and fussy cut the eyes. They were pieced back onto the green face and I added the Santa hat in an ornament frame on the right side of the card. Everything was set on a die cut backgound (maze design). I added clear Stickles to the hat's rim and pompom. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Hello Hexagon Card

 This is such a pretty card and I love how it turned out! 

The background was lightly inked with turquoise ink and then embossed with a subtle embossing folder. The hexagons were die cut and arranged on the card front using foam tape. The tiny flowers and leaves were added in and around the hexagons and I stamped a sentiment and placed it under one of the hexagons. I added some clear gems and turquoise Liquid Pearls to the front and also added white Liquid Pearls to the centres of the flowers. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

AH 646 - Autumn Birthday

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 646!

The sketch is shown below. 

I chose a paper pack from scrapbook.com and cut several paper pieces to be 1/2" wide. I arranged them as per the sketch. The stitched outline was die cut and added on top. I die cut the sentiment pieces and adhered them to coloured vellum and two small bows were placed at the top left of the sentiment piece. Gold gems were added around the card. 

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 

DD Sept - Birthday Flowers

 Welcome to Dragonfly Dreams and our September challenge!

The theme for this challenge is Happy Birthday. 

I made a fairly simple birthday card. The background was lightly ink blended around the edges and I placed three dotted squares on the left side. The daisy image was die cut from white, yellow and green cardstock and I pieced the cut outs into the white outline. Happy was stamped and birthday was die cut x2 and stacked on vellum. A blue gem was placed in the centre of each daisy and I brushed the coloured pieces with a clear shimmer brush. The card front was adhered to a white card base with craft foam.

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

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

I purchased a Grinch stamp set almost a year ago and am finally getting around to using it. I love the Grinch! I CASEd this card from one found on Pinterest. 

I die cut a circle and ink blended that wth a blue-green ink and splattered it with water. The small branches were inked in two shades of green and adhered around the circle. The ornament and Grinch hand are actually one stamp but I fussy cut the images and opted to draw the line instead. The sentiment was stamped at the bottom and the card front was adhered to an inked piece of cardstock. I added Stickles to various parts of the image.  

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Masculine Birthday Stripes Card

This is another card I found on Pinterest - so simple but it's a great option for a masculine birthday. 

The word HAPPY was embossed in white on the card front and I also stamped the word birthday off the to right. Three strips of coloured cardstock were added above and below the sentiment and I added some die cut stars and sequins to the front. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson 

Cut It Up 338 - Happy Menopause

 Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 338!

The theme for this challenge is LOL - that's funny.

I have a lot of pun stamps but for this challenge, I brought out a long time favourite set about menopause. 

The images were stamped, coloured and die cut. I also die cut a small fire as it's all about the hot flashes, right? I arranged the pieces on the front and added a sentiment that reads "Happy Menopause - said no woman ever"! 

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

You have until Monday, September 15 to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Pair of Birthday Folios

 I recently watched a video to learn to make these cute folios. I messed up four different times, wasting a bunch of 12x12 patterned paper... Once I got things figured out, I decided to make two of them since I accidentally did one in reverse. 

Although the front image doesn't indicate that this is for a birthday, once the folio is open and everything is exposed, that will be visible. 

The left tag has a flower in the centre that nests nicely over the holder. On the tag, there is a spot for a gift card to slide under the paper. 

The middle section opens to reveal a place to write a message and also a 3x3 card in a white envelope. 

The tag on the right has a birthday message on it. 

This folio could be used to store photos or any other memorabilia. There are many possibilities! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Blue Friend Card

 This card was from the 30 Minute Cardmaking Stash and Dash.

The parameters of the challenge were as follows: Type of Card: square, Colour(s): blue, Embellishment: wooden, Technique: tearing, and Sentiment: no sentiment OR friendship. 

I stencilled a square piece of cardstock using three shades of blue. I embossed white cardstock with a woodgrain embossing folder, dragged a blue ink pad over the raised sections and tore that on an angle. That piece was adhered to the left side of the stencilled piece. I inked white cardstock with the lightest blue ink and die cut the word "friend" from that piece and added it to a dark blue shadow. The smaller sentiment was stamped and cut into a small strip. The entire card front was adhered to dark blue cardstock and then to a white card base. I added a few clear gems around the sentiment. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Be Merry Polar Bear

 This is another polar bear card - I just love those bears! 

I ink blended a blue background and splattered it with white paint. That panel was die cut and placed on a larger white die cut piece. The polar bear was also die cut, inked and assembled. He was added to the blue panel on a white glitter base. The sentiment was adhered to a vellum shadow and placed at the bottom. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

TSOT 678 - What a Blessing

 Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 678!

The sketch is pretty basic - I used images instead of shapes for the hexagon and the heart. 

The background was foiled in purple and I placed a black frame and a white stitched frame around that piece. The flower was stamped, stencilled and die cut. I added some gold metallic thread behind that image and placed it on the background. The butterfly was die cut from an inked panel and backed with vellum to represent the heart on the sketch. I embossed the sentiment on black cardstock and added it with foam tape. 

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

You have two weeks to link up for project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

DT 199 - Tulip Aperture Card

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 199! 

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

I wanted the image inside the aperture to stand out so I chose a black and white background. The aperture was die cut from the card base (plus two other layers) and I die cut a black frame to go around the opening. The tulip image was stamped and coloured and placed on the inside of the card so it shows through on the front when the card is closed. After I thought I was finished, I realized I had not included two images so I stamped, coloured and fussy cut a pair of tulips and added them at the side. The sentiment was adhered across the opening so it lifts with the front of the 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. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

PS September - Pink Birthday Hugs

 

Welcome to Pearly Sparkles and our September challenge. 

September is always a challenge dedicated to Traci - pink, pearls and/or glitter or sparkle. 

I chose the postage collage rose stencils to create my card. 

The roses and leaves were stencilled and I used silver glitter paste for the tiny diamonds. Postage images were stamped on the card and I adhered the front to a black mat and then a pink card base. The sentiment was embossed in white, cut into three pieces and adhered at 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

Friendship Window Card

 I saw so many gorgeous cards using a Gina K Designs die set that I simply had to get the set and make some of those card styles. This was my first attempt. 

The flowers were stamped, stencilled and die cut. The window element was arranged using the dies and an embossing folder and I stencilled a cloud background. The flowers were arranged along the side and I added a sentiment at the top. I am thrilled with how this turned out and can't wait to make more of them! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Christmas Polar Bears

 These polar bears are so adorable! There are a lot of tiny dies but the effort is worth it to make these cuties!

I chose a blue colour scheme for the hats, scarf and sweater. I added light grey ink to the bear pieces and assembled the two of them. The were placed on a white glitter base and a blue background (also lightly ink blended at the top). I added two more oval layers and then a piece of dark blue patterned paper. Three shades of Stickles plus a white gel pen created the "snow" in the sky. I brushed the borders of the clothing with a clear shimmer brush. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Singing Snowmen Fun Fold Card

 These singing snowmen are just too cute! 

I ink blended a dark blue background and splattered it with white paint. The snowmen were die cut and assembled inside the frame with a silver border added on top. The card folds out from behind the embossed panel to allow a place to write a message. I also added a strip of red patterned paper along the left side as it was too bare with nothing there. The sentiment was added at the bottom and the song words (Fa-la-la-la-la) were placed at the top. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

CD 667 - Woven Hello

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 667!

I used all four colours for my card. 

I cut thin strips of each of the four colours, wove them into a rectangle and placed a black stitched frame on top. That was adhered to silver glitter paper and white cardstock. I embossed a black base with a 3D basket weave embossing folder and angled the woven panel before adhering it. The sentiment was die cut and placed on the woven section - and it IS even with the top and bottom of the card! It's harder to see since I angled the card for photography purposes. A few silver gems were added around the sentiment. 

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

Butterfly Hugs

I have a small container of gilding flakes left over from an online event and decided to pull that out for this card.

I chose some alcohol inked paper and put lines of glue down over the gold sections. Once the glue was tacky, I added the gilding flakes on top. That piece was cut into a long panel and adhered to a white card base. The butterfly and the sentiment were die cut from gold paper and adhered on the right side. I also added two thin strips of gold paper along the sides of the inked paper. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Gifted Christmas Card Kit

 A friend of mine gave me a Spellbinders Christmas card kit as she wasn't going to use it. It was filled with all sorts of ephemera (images and sentiments), letters, embellishments, a stamp and die set, papers and more. I spent some time looking for ideas and created 48 cards from the kit - most were duplicated. There are still lots of elements left over but I don't tend to use ephemera and such so I will pass what is left to another friend who I know will use it! 

In the meantime, there are lots of holiday cards here that will be given to friends for them to use. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson