Tuesday, February 18, 2025

TSOT 664 - You're My Rainbow

 Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 664!

I stayed very true to the sketch for this challenge.

I embossed a piece of black cardstock with a dot embossing folder. I cut that into two pieces to frame the coloured panel. That centre panel was ink blended using oxide inks. I also stamped a sentiment using rainbow ink colours. I needed something at the top so I decided to use a sun - that was just a circle with thin strips cut and assembled.. I coloured some white gems and placed them in the top right corner. 

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

Monday, February 17, 2025

Butterfly Pyramid Arrow Fold Card

 I found this card style tutorial on YouTube (Iced Images) and wanted to try it myself. 

The finished card size is 5.5 x 5.5 and it folds flat for mailing. 

I chose a blue and white colour scheme with silver foil for the mat layer. The butterfly was die cut from white foam and vellum and I inked the vellum before adhering the pieces together. The body was covered with Glossy Accents to add some shine. A sentiment was placed under the butterfly and there is a panel on the back to write a message. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

DT 185 - Jar of Tulips

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 185!

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

The 3-2-1 requirement is to use at least 3 embellishments, 2 layers and 1 sentiment. 

I hot foiled a gold background and die cut all the tulip and jar pieces. A piece of white cardstock was inked to make the jar look like it has water in it. The flowers were arranged inside the jar and a piece of vellum was placed on top to soften the "water". I added some gold gems and a sentiment across the jar. 

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

Sunday, February 16, 2025

Purple Birthday Flowers

 I don't recall where I saw this card design but since I have the background die, it was a great way to use the inner piece. I have several of those pieces saved from other projects that used only the outside piece. 

I die cut everything in white and inked the flowers and leaves. The pieces were assembled and arranged around the centre oval. I embossed a sentiment and placed it across the centre. I used clear Stickles on the inside of the flowers. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Napkin Card

 This was a fun card to make - not terribly difficult but the measurements need to be accurate. 

I chose some pattern papers from Honey Bee Stamps and images from Spellbinders. The papers were arranged on the base to show the different patterns (one is hidden until the card is opened). The belly band keeps everything together and I used some flowers with a bow for the centre of the band. 

Inside the card, there is a large open panel with a place to write a message. 


Here is the original napkin card that I made. 


Enjoy, 

Alyson

Friday, February 14, 2025

CD 639 - CAS Silhouette Card

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 639!

The graphic is shown below. 

I chose to make a clean and simple card. I die cut three circles from a card front size piece of masking paper and ink blended inside the circles using the two colours. The masking paper was removed and I stamped some silhouette images and a sentiment on the card. Easy! 

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

MTTCC 106 - Peace on Earth Winter Village

Welcome to My Time to Craft Christmas Challenge 106!

The requirement for this challenge is to make a ROUND card. 

I drew my inspiration from a set of dies from Honey Bee Stamps. I die cut all those TINY pieces and assembled the church, two houses, trees and lamp posts. I also placed yellow cardstock behind all the windows. I fussy cut several snowbanks from white cardstock and arranged them on dark blue cardstock, placing the buildings between the layers. I used a white gel pen to add stars in the sky and placed a hot foiled sentiment across the top of the card. 

Come and join us at MTTCC and show us your round cards. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Oval Birthday Card

 This card is the result of another 30 Minute Card Making Stash and Dash. 

The parameters for this challenge were as follows: Type of Card: shaped, Colour: red, Embellishment: crafter's choice, Technique: splattering and Occasion: thank you or birthday. 

I die cut a two ovals and attached them together to create a card base. The white front was splattered with gold paint. I die cut three butterflies from coloured cardstock and the shadows from vellum. They were adhered together and placed on the card front. The sentiment was added in two parts and I added some gold gems to the centres of the butterflies.

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Turquoise Zig Zag Card

 I posted another card like this a while ago - this one was altered a bit to make the borders around the circles a bit larger. 

The background was smooshed with teal ink and I chose a mix of teal, green and turquoise for the floral spray on the front. Silver was a good match so I used that for the back panel. The sentiment was stamped on the front and some gems were placed around the card. 


Enjoy, 

Alyson

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Birthday Drop Down Flowers

 I saw a card like this on social media and wanted to try to make it my own. 

I embossed a piece of white cardstock with a 3D embossing folder and cut it apart so I had three sections. I lined up those sections on a white card base and then used fine tip markers to outline each section and added a small gold gem to the centre of each. Three flowers were placed at the bottom of the panels and I stamped a sentiment as well. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Monday, February 10, 2025

AH 616 - Hope All is Well

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 616!

I chose some bold alcohol ink paper for the large rectangle. The colours in that piece determined the colours for the floral spray. Who says you can't have blue leaves? I added two thin ribbon strips across the bottom of the smaller piece and placed a sentiment across the centre with foam tape. I used a shimmer brush to add some sparkle to the flowers and added some gold gems 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

Sunday, February 9, 2025

Belated Birthday Cupcake

 I missed the birthday of a friend of mine so this is the belated birthday card. 

I used a set of dies from Concord and 9th to create the card front. The sentiment was embossed in white and I added a stencilled cupcake underneath. I had some pieces left and placed them inside the card. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Saturday, February 8, 2025

SS 769 - Sending Paper Hugs

 Welcome to Sketch Saturday Challenge 769!

I chose a variety of techniques to create my card. 

The background was smooshed with three shades of Distress Oxide inks and left to dry. I used a hot foiled leaf panel for the long rectangle and I stayed true to the shapes on the sketch by die cutting hexagons and hearts. I stamped the inside hexagon piece with a leaf stamp and coloured it. The hearts were adhered around the hexagon and I added a two part sentiment on the left side. Some clear dew drops were placed around the card. 

Come and join us at Sketch Saturday 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

Friday, February 7, 2025

CIU 323 - Friends

 Welcome to Cut it Up Challenge 323!

The theme for this challenge is "this makes me smile". 

Something that always makes me smile is thinking about the wonderful friends that I have made over the years. 

The image was stamped, coloured and die cut with circle dies. I stamped the sentiment and placed it on a black mat. The base of the card was split with one third of the card being a 3D embossed panel and the top being patterned paper. I also placed a blue ribbon across the split. Some black gems were placed around the image and sentiment. 

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

This challenge ends on Monday, February 17.

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

MTTC 553 - Hearts and Hugs

 Welcome to My Time to Craft Challenge 553!

The theme for this challenge is hearts. 

I chose a different colour scheme for a heart (Valentine) card. I used a heart stencil and Solar Paste in both teal and purple and added the paste across the stencil, using purple in the centre and teal along the edges. The heart image was embossed along with a sentiment. I layered the heart panel onto three cardstock layers to bring out the colours and added a strip of glitter across the bottom. 

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

Pattie's Creations Challenge 227 - Love You More

Welcome to Pattie's Creations Challenge 227! 

The theme for this challenge is love although anything goes is also acceptable. 

I used a digital design by Pattie's Creations as part of my card. 

The background was splattered with a turquoise shimmer brush and I added a watercoloured patterned paper piece across the card, matted on black cardstock. The large heart was printed, coloured and fussy cut and I die cut a second heart as well. They were arranged one on top of the other and I added a stamped sentiment under the large heart. The centres of the flowers were filled in using three shades of Stickles although that is hard to see in the photos. I added three Stickles dots at the bottom of the second heart and well. 

Come and join us at Pattie's Creations 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

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Rainbow Block Birthday Card

 I was asked to make a special birthday card - a masculine one. I struggle so much with masculine cards... 

I used a card design that I really like and the fold plus the papers really do all the work. I chose a mixed colour squared block patterned paper along with a denim blue pattern. The sentiment was die cut from a rainbow inked panel and adhered across the blocks. I decided to add some coloured balloons to the left side. No embellishments were used to keep the card flat for mailing. There is a panel on the back to write a message. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Butterfly Inside Surprise Card

 This card is the result of the 30 Minute Card Making Stash and Dash. 

The parameters for this card were as follows: Type of card: something with a surprise inside, Colour: include red, Embellishment: glittery, Technique: inking and Sentiment: your choice.

I stencilled clouds on the front and on both inside panels. I inked a piece of white cardstock (inking) with yellow and red (colour) oxide inks and die cut all the butterflies from that piece. The leafy branch was die cut from gold glitter paper (glittery) and the sentiment on the front was stamped, cut out and adhered at the bottom. Two butterflies were placed on the front and I added gold glitter gems to the bodies.

Inside the card, I created a pop-up mechanism (surprise inside) and stamped a sentiment at the bottom. Two butterflies were placed on the pop-up feature and the third was added in the corner. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

TSOT 663 - Rainbow Birthday

 Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 663!

As soon a I saw all the patterned paper lines across the sketch, I knew I wanted to use a rainbow. The cardstock strips were cut the same width and adhered to a white cardstock panel. That was embossed with a leaf embossing folder. I die cut a black wreath image and used that to represent the circle. A sentiment was stamped, coloured in a rainbow colour scheme and added at the corner of the wreath. Some black gems finished off this card. 

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

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Monday, February 3, 2025

DT 184 - Plane Awesome

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 184!

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

There are two cards on this post - the second card I made (directly below) is the one linked up with the challenge. 

I use three patterned papers - one with squares (one of the shapes), one with a watercolour painted background and the third with painted ovals. There are squares, rectangle and circles (shapes) and I also added a trio of hearts as part of the image. 

The mice were stamped, coloured and die cut and added to a stitched 
circle. I tied some gold and white ribbon around the card but no additional embellishments were added.  

This is the first card I made... I used three strips of rainbow patterned paper (3 papers), a circle and a heart (2 shapes), and a sentiment (1 image or sentiment). Since the heart was already one of my shapes, I also met the heart requirement. 

This just didn't work as I expected. After playing with it over the period of two days, I finally decided to leave it alone. 

The paper strips were adhered to red cardstock and placed across the corner on an embossed background. I die cut the circle pieces from several colours and played with various options, finally settling on blue, purple and green. The heart was added in the centre along with a sentiment. 

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 crate!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Sunday, February 2, 2025

DD February - You are Loved Roses

 Welcome to Dragonfly Dreams and our February challenge!

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

I love single layer cards but always have a hard time stopping myself from adding more and more! For this card, I die cut a circle from masking paper and used the negative space. I ink blended a circle using light turquoise and purple ink. The mask was removed and I stamped a rose image so the top of the image was inside the circle. A simple sentiment was stamped in the lower corner. Nothing else was added to this card. 

Come and join us at Dragonfly Dreams and show us your clean and simple 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

Saturday, February 1, 2025

Side of Hearts Card

Welcome to Pearly Sparkles and our February challenge!

The theme for this challenge is "love is in the air". 

I chose a turquoise and white colour scheme. The hearts were all die from various patterned papers and white cardstock. They were adhered together and arranged on the open side of the card (I cut away about 1 1/4" first). I added a strip of silver glitter tape on the front and adhered a larger heart with a sentiment with foam tape. Some silver gems were placed around the large heart. 

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


Friday, January 31, 2025

CD 637 - Fabulous Friend

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 637!

It's all about purple for this challenge - check out the graphic below. 

I used a set of dies new to me - the white leaf border was die cut and set on a purple card base. The flowers were cut from shades of purple and I cut the leaves from silver foil cardstock. The background was splattered with silver paint and I arranged the flowers and leaves in the centre. A sentiment was placed across the middle with foam tape. The flowers were decorated with silver Stickles and a white gel pen. 

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

MTTCC 105 - Snowman Stocking Card

 Welcome to My Time to Craft Christmas Challenge 105!

The theme for this challenge is to create a J stocking shaped card. 

I went to my Cricut to make a large stocking to fit in a standard envelope. I cut a few of them in blue, a smaller one in white (for the inside to write a message) and the silver borders. 

The stocking card was assembled and I added some glitter paper across the top border. I stamped, coloured and die cut/fussy cut several images and arranged them on the front. A sentiment was placed at the bottom and I used a white gel pen to add snowflakes in the sky. The snowmen scarves and hats were brushed with a clear shimmer brush. 

Come and join us at MTTCC and show us your J stocking shaped cards. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Blueberry Bunch Birthday

 I recently bought a blueberry stamp set and this is the first time I have had a chance to play with it. 

The image was stamped and coloured with markers. I die cut that with a large stitched circle die and then stamped some grid type images around the blueberries using light grey ink. The background was stencilled with a mix of texture paste and dark blue reinker and spread through a stencil. Once that was dry, that piece was adhered to a white card base and the sentiment was added at the bottom. I added iridescent gems around the berries and leaves. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Birthday Wishes Postage Collage

The postage collage die is so versatile! This card was combined with various silhouette images.

I masked the sections and ink blended each one with three shades of Distress Oxide inks. The images were embossed in black - I had to do that in sections to add all the elements. A birthday sentiment was embossed in white and added across the card. A black mat was placed behind the collage and everything was adhered to a white card base. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Hello There Flowers

 I finally broke down and purchased the Spotlight on Nature stamp and dies from Stampin 'Up. I have seen so many pretty cards made with that set. 

The flowers were stamped and coloured. I trimmed down that panel and added it to a pink border. The black outline piece was embossed with a 3D embossing folder and the white core showed through in some spots. I attached the flower image on top and added a stamped and die cut sentiment with a ribbon underneath. Some pink gems were placed around the flowers. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Monday, January 27, 2025

AH 614 - Just for You

 Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 614!

This is a fun sketch - so many possibilities! 

I chose a neutral and light green colour scheme. The background was embossed with a 3D embossing folder and I added two strips of patterned paper on the left side (bordered with cardstock). The leaves were die cut and arranged under the sentiment circle. I added some white Liquid Pearls to the circles around 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