DT 196 - Rainbow Slimline with Animals

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 196!

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

I ink blended a background with several Distress Oxide inks and splattered it with water. That was die cut using a stitched slimline die. The inner circles were also die cut with a stitched die. The images and sentiments were stamped, coloured and added inside each of the open circles. I also die cut a thin circle outline to go around the centre circle. I matted the rainbow front to black cardstock and then to a white card base. Some black gems were placed around 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

Lovebirds in Shaker

 Sandi MacIver posted the most adorable card with a pair of lovebirds and I had to make it myself. 

All the coloured pieces were die cut in white and inked. Once the flowers and birds were assembled, I added small details using a white gel pen. A shaker was created using an arch die and I placed the swing around the edge of that opening. Coordinating sequins were added inside the shaker and the scene was developed on the front. Some pieces do hang off the edges of the card but I will just use a larger envelope when I decide to mail it.

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Soft Arch Floral Cards

 These two cards are so soft and pretty. I stencilled the backgrounds and added the white frame (stacked 3 times each) on top. The oval was die cut and I also die cut all the floral pieces. They were inked in colours that coordinate with the background. I assembled the flowers and added a sentiment to each card. Some clear gems were added as well.

Enjoy, 

Alyson

CD 661 - Sending Hugs Arch Card

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 661!

Choose at least two of the colours in the photo - you may use more colours but they must be in the photo.

I chose green, turquoise and pink. 

The arch image was stamped, stencilled, die cut and stacked three times. I did the same with the sentiment. The background was also die cut but I cut away the section behind the arch and left only the inside piece intact. The leaves were adhered to that piece and the arch was adhered to light grey cardstock. Hot foiled butterflies (on vellum) were placed on each side and the sentiment was added in the lower centre. Liquid Pearls were added to the bodies of the butterflies. 

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 117 - Pink Poinsettia Easel Card

 

Welcome to My Time to Craft Christmas Challenge 117!

The theme for this challenge is to make an easel card. 

I did something a little different. Instead of using a standard shape for my easel card, I used a large poinsettia image. The base of the card is a circle but I wanted the poinsettia to be the focal point. 

I embossed the poinsettia outline in silver and stencilled the colours in pink and grey. The base easel shape was die cut and I stamped some holly leaves on the lower section. The sentiment was also silver embossed and stacked several times to create enough height for the poinsettia image to be held in place. I added a panel on the back for a message and put some clear gems on the flower along with silver Liquid Pearls in the centre. 

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

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Wishing You Happiness Lattice Card

 I saw a card like this on Facebook and thought it was so pretty. I love the softness of the colours. 

I created the frame by using a rectangle die and then cut several thin strips of white cardstock. They were placed diagonally across the frame. The background was lightly ink blended and the lattice front was adhered with foam tape. I stamped, stencilled and die cut the flowers and arranged them in opposite corners. The sentiment was placed across the centre. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Rainbow Butterfly Circle Card

 I found a card similar to this on Pinterest and wanted to try it myself. 

I cut 16 pieces of cardstock into strips and arranged them on white cardstock. A circle die was used to cut out that piece. On the card base, I stamped ink spatters in colours to coordinate with the papers. A butterfly image was cut from the centre of the circle and the circle was attached with foam tape. I die cut a sentiment and placed that across the opening created by the butterfly. 

Since the sentiment says "just to say", I added happy birthday inside the card. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Beautiful Blossoms - So Very Special

 Welcome to Beautiful Blossoms and our July challenge! 

The inspiration photo is below. It is optional to use that. 

I lightly inked white cardsock with a light green ink and placed the die cut mandala piece on top. The white background was pierced manually as I didn't have a stitched die the correct size. Both pieces were adhered to black cardstock. 

The flowers were stamped, stencilled and die cut. I arranged them along the round side of the mandala image and placed some silver metallic thread under the sentiment. Three silver gems were added to the card front and I used silver Stickles in the centres of the flowers. 

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

You have until August 12 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

AH 638 - Thinking of You Leaves

 

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 638!

I stayed true to the sketch. 

I used old patterned paper for the background and that was adhered to a green mat and then a purple card base. I die cut several leaves from light turquoise and pink cardstock and adhered them on the strip across the centre. The sentiment was stamped and added above the centre strip, along with an extra leaf. I brushed the lines on the leaves with a clear shimmer brush and added three pink gems to finish off this 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

LST - Watercoloured Tulip Cards

 This trio of cards was created as part of the Let's Stamp Together subscription program. The package this month was from Picket Fence Studio. There was a stamp set, stencils (we didn't use those) and dies. 

Watercolouring has always been difficult for me so I really enjoyed this class. We used water based markers to create the painted effects on the tulip images. The Kraft card folds flat for mailing and opens into a V-shape. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Full Front Shaker Cards with Critters

 I have had the Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Critters for a while and recently picked up the Hangouts stamps and dies (places for the critters to rest upon). It was time to play! 

These are both full front shaker cards. The first one has a stencilled confetti background and I added multiple colours of sequins to the shaker. On top of the acetate, I created the scene with the dogs, their bench and the sentiments as well as the banners. Everything was adhered to a frame and then added to the front. 

The second card has a stencilled background which was done with texture paste and reinkers. I added a gold sequin mix inside that shaker and placed the mice on the cheese and added the sentiments at the top. A punny sentiment was added at the bottom.

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Cut It Up 334 - Poinsettia Frame

 Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 334!

The theme for this challenge is Christmas in July. 

I make Christmas cards throughout the year since I send over 250 of them. 

For this challenge, I pulled out my Better Press machine - it has been an a long time! I pressed a few of these poinsettia frames and decided on a black one. The images were stencilled and then the piece was die cut three times and stacked. I also pressed the sentiment and stacked that several times. The pink circle was ink blended and die cut. I added everything to a die cut background and placed some iridescent gems around the card. 

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

You have until Monday, July 21 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

MTTC 564 - Birthday Wishes

 Welcome to My Time to Craft Challenge 564!

The theme for this challenge is to use fibre (twine, fabric, ribbon, etc.)

I chose some old white twine/ribbon from my stash. On a piece of purple cardstock, I attached strips of the fibre using scor-tape. The white front was die cut and I cut a smaller rectangle using stitched dies. Several leaf images were die cut and stacked together to build strength. Those were adhered around the edge of the frame to allow them to show through on the front. Much foam tape later, the leafy front was adhered to purple cardstock so the fibre shows through. I adhered the front to a purple mat and then a white card base. The sentiment was embossed in white and adhered to the left of the rectangular opening. 

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

Friend Eclipse Card

 I have made eclipse cards before - I wanted to try another one as it has been a while. 

I stencilled the background and used a decorative stencil on top of the flowers to add a pattern. I die cut the letters for the word FRIEND from that piece and also die cut four additional pieces of each letter. Those were stacked and the stencilled pieces were placed on top. I also stamped a birthday sentiment before adhering the stencilled piece to a purple mat, a turquoise mat and then white card base. Some turquoise gems were added around the flowers. The letters were added back into the open spaces. It's a bit hard to see the dimension so I also photographed this card on an angle. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Hello Backbend Easel Card

 This is such a neat card and it folds open to reveal a hidden message panel. That message panel could also be used to hide a gift card or other surprise.

I chose white cardstock for the base of my card. The floral and leaf images were stamped, stencilled and die cut and two of them were placed on the front of the fame. The third image was cut down and placed on the back panel. A thin strip of acetate runs across the centre frame and I attached the hot foiled sentiment to that. Some silver gems were placed around the frame on the front. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

TSOT 674 - Birthday Mixed Media Card

 Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 674!

This is an interesting sketch... so many possibilities! 

I created a background using Lindy's Magical Powders and also splattered it with gold paint. When everything was dry, I found a script stamp and an open circle stamp and used those to stamp in black on the background. The sentiment was die cut and stacked three times before being added to a vellum oval. The card front was adhered to a black 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 195 - Birthday Wishes

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 195!

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

My 3-2-1 recipe is as follows: 3 colours (plus a few more), 2 hand stamped images (5 in total) and 1 sentiment. I also splattered the background with gold paint to meet Thing 3's requirement. 

I used the sketch from Try a Sketch on Tuesday. I cannot link up this card for that challenge (back linking) but the sketch is provided for your inspiration. 

The background was created by using Lindy's Magical Powders. They are shimmery on their own but I also splattered gold paint on the finished design. The images were stamped, coloured and die cut. They were somewhat lost on the background so I placed each of them on a vellum circle as per the sketch. The sentiment was added just under one of the flowers. I used a clear shimmer brush on parts of the images. 

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

DD July - Hexagon Birthday Card

 Welcome to Dragonfly Dreams and our July challenge.

The theme for this challenge is to use polygons. A polygon is a closed shape with at least three sides, all of which are straight. 

I chose a hexagon shape. 

The background for my card was created using a hexagon die. I had to cut 20 of each layer (5 colours) and assemble each of them. Once they were together, I arranged them on white cardstock and cut away the pieces hanging over the edge. That piece was adhered to a white card base with craft foam. I die cut a birthday sentiment with a vellum shadow and placed that across the front. Some iridescent gems were added to the card. 

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

Peony Card Set

 I made two of each of the cards shown below for a set of eight. There are four colour schemes and eight different sentiments in the full set. 

I did a lot of prep work for this set before taking it to a crop. All the stamping, stencilling and die cutting was done ahead of time so it was just the task of assembly while I was away from home. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

CD 659 - Celebrate Leaves

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 659!

Every year, I dread the challenge for this design team that comes up for the first week of July. July 4 is Independence Day in the US so it is always a red and blue colour scheme. It's so difficult to make something with those colours that doesn't look US patriotic, especially for those of us who live in a different country. 

This time, I added gold to my design. I stencilled the leaves and used a gold paste for the veins. I also splattered gold paint on the card front. The sentiment was die cut and stacked three times before being added to a vellum shadow. The card front was adhered to a dark blue card base. 

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 116 - Warm Winter Wishes

 Welcome to My Time to Craft Christmas Challenge 116!

The theme for this challenge is vintage style. 

This is definitely not my usual style... I used to do a lot of vintage type cards but I strayed away from that several years ago. I really had to think about this challenge. 

My card is based on one I found on Pinterest as I went there for inspiration. I downloaded and printed the sheet music and the cardinal images and added some light brown ink to those pieces. The postage front was split in two with a piece of lace running down the joined section. I inked a piece of white cardstock and gold foil and placed them behind the cardinal. The little flowers were die cut and added with a hot foiled sentiment. The Kraft paper behind the patterned paper was distressed along the edges and inked and I also inked the edges of the card base - that's a LOT of inking! 

Come and join us at MTTCC 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

Wheelbarrow of Flowers

 This cute wheelbarrow was filled with flowers and adhered to a die cut oval. I added some light yellow shading so the white pieces of the wheelbarrow didn't fade into the background. The sentiment was stamped at the bottom. The base panel was embossed and everything was added to a card base. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Bold Florals and Butterflies

 I borrowed a set of products from a friend of mine - this is the result of a recent play session. 

The floral and butterfly image was die cut from white cardstock and I used a variety of inks to add colour and shading to the images. I die cut some flower centres and butterfly bodies and placed them in the appropriate spots. The front was adhered to green cardstock and then to a gold panel. The sentiment was kept simple - just stamped in black and cut into a strip. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

PS July - Orange Lovebirds

 Welcome to Pearly Sparkles and our July challenge. 

The theme for this month is to make a shaped card. 

I chose a horizontal oval. Aside from the sentiment, some light inking on the front and some inking on the birds, everything was die cut. The birds were assembled and placed on a swing with flowers and leaves in the background. I used a white gel pen to add details to the birds. The front oval was adhered to a yellow mat and a green card base. There is a white panel inside to write a message. 

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