Rainbow Birthday Card

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

The parameters for this challenge were as follows: Type of Card: A2 landscape, Colours: crafter's choice, Embellishment: die cut or punch, Technique: stamping, Occasion: birthday or thank you. 

I finished easily within the 30 minute time frame. 

The floral outline was die cut from white cardstock and inked with Distress Oxide inks. While the inks were out, I also ink blended a piece of cardstock in the same rainbow pattern. The outline was adhered to a white card base and I stamped the sentiment in black and placed that on the ink blended background. I added three tiny flowers in the top corner with black enamel dots in the centres. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Joy to the World Circles

 I like to do the Sketchy Saturday challenges from Monica Hayward although I often fall behind... 

This is a recent sketch. 

I die cut a circle background and trimmed it down so I could add a black mat before adhering it to a white card base. The circles were die cut from the same die and inserted back into place. I cut a gold sentiment and placed that on patterned vellum, along with a pair of holly leaves in the corner.

Enjoy,

Alyson

Thinking of You

 Sometimes, CASEing a great card is a lot of fun! This idea came from Gina from Gina K. Designs. 

I didn't have the same inside border die so I used one with scalloped edges. The flowers were stamped, stencilled and die cut and arranged on the left side of the frame. I added a sentiment on the right side and some silver gems. The trademark element on Gina's cards is always a thin black mat and I included one on my card as well. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

CD 683 - Bold Birthday Fun Fold Card

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 683!

This challenge is all about bold and bright colours. 

I chose a piece of patterned paper with an alcohol ink design on it. This card is a fun fold card - a very simple one. The right panel was embossed and there is a blank panel for a message once the card is open. I die cut two circles and inked the white one with a dot stencil. The sentiment was placed on top of that and some gold gems were added around the circles. 

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

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

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Trio of Birdies

 I saw a card like this on Facebook and simply had to make it! 

The bodies of the birds were made from folded circles and I cut tiny hearts and beaks from the same papers. The legs were drawn by hand and I also drew the grass at the bottom. So easy but so cute! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

May the Wonder of Christmas...

 I saw a card like this on Pinterest and recreated it in a smaller size. 

The border pieces were die cut and I added a piece of gold cardstock between the two pieces. The berries and leaves were die cut and added in the corner. I embossed a sentiment at the bottom and adhered the die cut pieces with foam tape. I used Glossy Accents on the berries. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Open Front Shaker Card

 This is such a great idea for a window - make it into a full front shaker! 

The window shape was die cut from the card base and another piece of white cardstock. I created a shaker with "snow" and some iridescent elements. The sentiment was stamped at the top and I added a poinsettia at the bottom. Inside the card, there is a piece of paper with stars so the message has to be written on the back. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

AH 660 - Sending You a Squeeze

 

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 660!

The sketch is shown in horizontal format below. 

I rotated the sketch to make a vertical card. The flower background was stencilled using eight shades of Distress Oxide inks and was cut down to fit on an A2 black panel. All the lemon pieces were die cut from white cardstock and inked. They were assembled on a triple layered background and I added an embossed sentiment under the image. 

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

BB December - Purple Vase

 

Welcome to Beautiful Blossoms and our December challenge!

The inspiration photo is below. It is not required to use it but your project must have florals as the focal point. 

I loved the colours in the inspiration photo so that is where I took my inspiration. I used my BetterPress system to press the vase and the leaves and then used the coordinating stencils to colour in the leaves. I die cut several flowers and extra leaves and added them to the bouquet. That piece was cut down and matted on dark purple cardstock, green cardstock and then a medium purple card base. I used a purple marker to add dots around the flowers and placed a hot foiled sentiment at the bottom. 

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

You have until January 12 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Just Because in Black and White

 This card is from the 30 Minute Card Making Stash Dash. This is the second post today - both from the same event but different days. 

The parameters for this challenge were as follows: Type of Card: crafter's choice, Colours: black and white, Embellishment: metallic, Technique: stencilling and Occasion: sympathy or just because. 

I chose an A2 portrait card and I stencilled the base with black ink. The white rectangles were die cut and I added a black mat behind each of them. The leaf image was die cut and adhered to the top rectangle and I stamped a sentiment at the bottom. Some silver gems were placed around the image. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Birthday Wishes with Flowers

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

The parameters were as follows: Card style: square, Colour: orange, Embellishment: circle, Technique: dovetailing, Occasion: birthday or sympathy. 

I pulled out some old patterned paper with shades of orange in it. Cardstock in orange and light blue were a good complement to the papers. I masked the stamp and stamped the sentiment in 3 colours. A second sentiment (to meet the dovetail requirement) was added underneath. Some gold gems (circles) were placed around the card. 

I did finish the inside of the card as well. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Tea Bag Gift Holder

 This is such a cute little gift idea. It holds three tea bags and the front closes with a small magnet. 

I added a cup image to the front as I didn't have any smaller images that fit. This way, the cup itself is lifted to open the package. There is a circle on the back for a message. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Cut It Up 345 - Just a Note

 Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 345!

The theme for this challenge is an "oldie but a goodie"... using something old from your stash. 

I chose an old stamp that I really like. 

I die cut all the rectangles from a set of nesting rectangle dies and on the smallest rectangle, I stamped the floral images in the corners. They were coloured with markers and I used a splatter stamp to add black splatter on top. The sentiment was embossed in white on black cardstock and placed across the card. I purposely kept this simple.

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

You have until Monday, December 22 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Star Fold Card

 I found this card on the Iced Images YT channel. 

The finished size is 5x7 so it folds flat to be mailed but this card opens into a gorgeous star shape on the left side. 

I chose a bird theme for my card. All the pieces were die cut to create a scene on the front. I added a small birthday sentiment at the bottom and there is a panel on the back to write a message. 

I made a second card like this when I taught this in my Facebook group. I embossed the front panel before decorating it with the bird image. The papers are the same colours but I used a more muted design for the star component. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Wonderful Day Scene Card

 I like to complete the Sketchy Saturday challenges posted by Monica Hayward - just for fun. 

The sketch is shown below. Although it is designed for a layout, I created a card instead. 

I chose a small part of a scene for the centre of the card. The cardstock colours were pulled from the image and I added small flowers at the bottom (instead of snowflakes). 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Angled Noel

 The berry branch on this card is so cute and I wanted to tie it in to some large letters. 

The background was embossed with a holly and berry embossing folder and adhered to black cardstock. The NOEL was die cut from red and silver papers and I inked the branch image and assembled that. The image was placed above the letter O - I had to angle the word to fit it on the card. I added some red Stickles to the berries.

Enjoy,

Alyson

TSOT 685 - Sending Hugs in Blue

 Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 685! 

I pulled out some of my favourite paper to make my card. 

I chose to layer every element three times. The background was embossed and I chose two patterned papers for the squares. The floral images were fussy cut from another piece of patterned paper and adhered to the largest square. The sentiment was stamped and placed at the bottom of the same square. I wrapped a gold ribbon around the card and tied a bow in the front. Easy! 

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 206 - Lantern on Light Strings

 Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 206 - our final challenge of this calendar year! 

This is a Something, Anything, Everything challenge. Choose your own 3-2-1 recipe. 

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

I chose 3 colours, 2 die cuts and 1 sentiment. 

The background was created using my BetterPress and the lights were coloured using co-ordinating stencils. I die cut several things - the frame, the lantern, the bow and the hot foiled sentiment. Some of them were inked and then arranged on the card front and I added a gold gem in the centre of the bow. The card front was adhered to a black card base. 

Come and join us at Double Trouble 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 December - Thinking of You Card with Tag

 Welcome to Dragonfly Dreams and our December challenge! 

The theme for this challenge is to create a tag or a card with a tag. 

I created a card with a tag that slips inside the front of the card. I used a floral pattern for the background of the card and coordinating paper to die cut the angled frame. I added a scalloped border and a stitched border to the angled piece. The tag was die cut from two arch dies and I lightly inked the edges of the white piece and added white twine at the top. The sentiment was stamped, die cut and added at the bottom and some coordinating gems were placed around the sentiment. 

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

You have until January 2 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

FQ Country Christmas - Skating By to Say Hi

 Welcome to Farm Quest Country Christmas and our December challenge! 

I stencilled clouds in shades of grey and blue and then stamped lots of pine trees across the card base. The "ice" is holographic paper - although it looks pink in the photo, it can be angled to appear more of a green shade, resembling ice). That can be seen in the second photo. I added a white border just above the ice and added clear Stickles along that piece. The critters were stamped, coloured and die cut and added to the card. A small sentiment was placed in the corner. 

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

You have until January 5 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

LST - Mug Cards

 The Let's Stamp Together subscription program provided one of my favourite sets of recent days. This product suite by Spellbinders is just so adorable! 

There was a lot of die cutting (typical of Spellbinders), stencilling and some colouring. I added quite a bit of sparkle using a shimmer brush but that wasn't picked up in the photo. 

I can't choose a favourite from the trio of cards below - I love all of them!

Which is your favourite?

Enjoy, 

Alyson

CD 681 - Thinking of You Olive Branch

 Welcome to Colour Dare Challenge 681!

The graphic is below. 

I added a shade of yellow in addition to the two required colours. 

The card front was embossed with a subtle embossing folder and I lightly inked a white square and added the olive branch to that piece and placed a stitched frame around it. The sentiment was stamped and added at the bottom. I drew a line around the card front and placed a few gems around the branch. 

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

Snowmen Shaker Cards

 These adorable cards are all shaker cards, filled with sequins and a "snow"mix. I stamped, coloured and die cut the same snowman for each of them and added sentiments embossed on black cardstock. 

I made 24 of these cards, 6 each of the 4 designs. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

HQ Celebration of Love - Sympathy Flowers

 Welcome to Heart's Quest Celebration of Love and our December challenge!

I chose to make a sympathy card... seems like I never have one on hand when I need it. 

The background was stamped with a floral image and I stamped the image a second time and fussy cut the flowers. I inked them in shades of blue and grey and placed them back on the image. The card front was cut along the side and adhered to a white card base. I added a strip of silver foil and a grey and white ribbon along the left side. Silver gems were placed in the centres of the flowers and the sentiment was stamped at the bottom.

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

HQ for Shaped Cards and Tags - Peace and Joy Poinsettias

 Welcome to Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags Challenge!

This is always a shaped card or tag challenge. 

I used a poinsettia die to create my card. Once the base was cut, I cut a second panel, stamped and coloured it. The sentiment was embossed on black cardstock and added to the front. I used clear Stickles to add some shimmer to the centres of the flowers and the berries. 

Come and join us at HQFSCAT and show us your shaped 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

AH 658 - Peace, Love, Hope, Joy

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 658!

The sketch is shown below. 

I followed the sketch very closely. I added a thin strip of gold cardstock between each of the patterned paper sections and chose a gold die cut sentiment for the focal point. Four gold gems were placed in the corners. Easy! 

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

PS December - JOY Stitched Card

Welcome to Pearly Sparkles and our December challenge. 

The theme for this challenge is "silver bells". You must use silver on your project. 

I have been working on some stitched cards for Christmas and I really like blue and silver. The background was die cut from dark blue cardstock and I stitched the flowers with medium blue embroidery floss and the leaves with light grey embroidery floss. The small flowers were stitched with a medium grey embroidery floss. The centre letters were die cut from silver glitter paper and I added some clear gems in the centres of the small flowers. The stitched front was added to a snowflake embossed background and then to a dark blue card base. 

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

You have until December 28th to link up your project.

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson