Saturday, August 22, 2026

Birthday Stained Glass Card

 Creating a stained glass look is so easy - I used an outline die and backed the outline die cut with vellum. I coloured the sections from the back and also coloured around the images with a light blue marker. I added two thick frames and an embossed sentiment. The centres of the flowers were embellished with clear Stickles. Easy! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Friday, August 21, 2026

Cut It Up 363 - Be Merry Penguin

Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 363! 

The theme for this challenge is transportation. 

I struggled with finding something to use for this challenge until I thought outside the box. I have the standard bicycles, etc but transportation can take many forms... there are sleds, paper airplanes or even a piece of ice!

I cut white glitter paper on a big angle and adhered it to turquoise patterned paper. That piece was die cut along with a black mat and a white card base to give a rough edge border. The penguin on his sled was stamped, coloured and fussy cut and I placed him along the angle of the snow. The sentiment was die cut from red cardstock and adhered at the bottom. 

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

You have until Monday, August 31 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Thursday, August 20, 2026

Peanuts Gang Winter Cards

 These three cards were made using a holiday stamp and die set featuring the Peanuts Gang. 

I stamped, coloured and die cut all the images. Some snowbanks were fussy cut and others were die cut. I splattered the background on two of the cards. The images were arranged to create scenes and I added sentiments to each card. Clear Stickles and a clear shimmer brush were used to add some details to the cards. 



Enjoy, 

Alyson

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Holiday Skaters

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

The parameters were as follows: Card Style: 5x7, Colour: orange, Embellishment: border, Technique: stamping, and Occasion: sympathy or no sentiment. 

I chose to make a holiday card. I inked the background and splattered it with white paint. The lower piece is holographic paper but it photographed very dark - it's much lighter in real life. The skaters were stamped, coloured and fussy cut - and my orange is the carrots of their noses. I added a scalloped border along the left side and adhered a black frame around the images. I am showing this with the sentiment in place - that was added later. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Quilted Card

 Here is my card for letter Q for the Alphabet Challenge - Q is for quilt.

I cut four sections of patterned paper pieces and arranged them on a square sort of like a quilt. The card looked rather blank after stamping the sentiment so I added a spool of thread with a needle and some scissors. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Monday, August 17, 2026

Trio of Poinsettias

 This is my letter P card for the Alphabet Challenge - P is for poinsettias. 

I die cut three poinsettias, inked them and splattered the pieces with water. They were shaped and arranged on a woodgrain background. I added an embossed sentiment and several gold gems. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Sunday, August 16, 2026

LST July - Ciao Cards

 The second class for the Let's Stamp Together subscription resulted in these two fun cards. The colours are bold and bright and the images are so perfect for Summer in Sardinia, which is the theme of the collection. 


Enjoy, 

Alyson

Saturday, August 15, 2026

Hello Scene Card

 The letter O for the alphabet challenge was a bit of a struggle for me... ocean was the best choice and I pulled out a stamp set I haven't used in ages. 

The scene was created by stamping images to create a mountain and water scene. I also stamped some mountains on grey cardstock and placed that piece across the embossed card front. Silver ribbon was added under the mountain strip and I placed the sentiment under that and added the scene image along with a silver bow. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Friday, August 14, 2026

Through the Trees

 I am still working my way through the alphabet challenge. This card is for the letter N = nature. 

I inked a background in a rainbow colour scheme with the centre being primarily orange, yellow and green. The tree image was embossed in black and the panel was cut down to leave a thin border on a white card base. A simple sentiment was placed across the centre. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Thursday, August 13, 2026

Monochromatic Birthday Card

 I am continuing to work on the alphabet challenge with two new letters each month. This card is for the letter M = monochromatic. 

I embossed several images in white on blue cardstock and die cut them. I stacked each image three layers thick. The sentiment was also embossed in white and I arranged the images around the card, leaving the sentiment visible. The edges were trimmed and the card front was adhered to a white card base. It's such an easy way to make a monochromatic card quickly! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Sketchy Saturday - Green Thinking of You

 I used the Sketchy Saturday sketch to make my card. 

I chose a green colour scheme and used old papers that had been filed away. The corners required some careful measuring and I added thin strips of gold foil paper between each section. The sentiment was stamped and added to a gold mat and then a dark green mat. A few glitter gems were placed around the card. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Double Tower Card

Fun folds are my favourite type of card and this is a good one! 

I chose a Christmas theme and stamped the poinsettia image in opposite corners. I stamped the sentiment and then splattered the panel with gold paint. The towers along the sides have the same patterned paper on each panel and there is a panel on the back to write a message. The card folds flat to about 6x6 for mailing.

I am entering this card in the Creative Creases challenge.

Enjoy, 

Alyson 

LST Cards - Sardinia Theme

 This set of cards is from the latest Let's Stamp Together subscription. 

They are Mediterranean inspired cards with lots of small images that can be stamped and coloured. I love the green and red colour schemes!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Monday, August 10, 2026

AH 694 - Hello Lilies


Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 694!

The sketch is shown below.


I really liked the sketch so I stayed true to it. The plaid paper is from my stash and I paired it with coordinating cardstock on the right side. The image was stamped and coloured and I matted that piece and then tied a gold bow around the bottom. The sentiment was added at the side and I placed some gold gems around the card. 

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

You have until Sunday evening to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Sunday, August 9, 2026

Wedding Card

 I had the honour of attending the wedding of a former music student of mine yesterday. The day was perfect - just like the couple! 

I purposely chose the colour scheme that I did as it matched their invitation. The idea was found on Pinterest and I love how the hearts represent the bride and groom in their formal wear. The sentiment was Cricut cut. I also decorated an envelope by stamping on the corners, embossing the flap and adding their names with die cut letters. I didn't post a photo of the envelope as it has their names on it. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Celebrate with Surprise Inside

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

The parameters for this challenge were as follows: Card Style: surprise inside, Colour: rainbow, Embellishment: glittery, Technique: crafter's choice and Occasion: get well soon or celebrate. 

I stencilled (technique) a background in a rainbow colour scheme. The images were stamped, coloured and die cut. I placed the cake on a black oval and die cut the sentiment from gold glitter paper. Inside the card, there is a pop-up with a birthday cupcake and a sentiment. 

I did not finish within 30 minutes but I was close - an extra 5 minutes.


Enjoy, 

Alyson

Saturday, August 8, 2026

Stencilled Floral Cards

 I borrowed some 3D embossing folders and stencils from a friend and spent some time playing around. These are the results. 

Each card was splattered with a combination of white, black or gold paint and adhered to a black mat and then a white card base. The stencilling was done in various colours with oxide inks. I chose two birthday sentiments and two other sentiments and purposely kept these simple. 


Enjoy, 

Alyson

Friday, August 7, 2026

Cut It Up 362 - Birthday Roses Acetate Card

 Welcome to Cut It Up Challenge 362!

The theme for this challenge is to add a sentiment.  

I die cut a white lattice background twice and sandwiched a piece of acetate between those two pieces and two A2 pieces of white cardstock. The images were stamped, stencilled and die cut and adhered to opposite corners. I trimmed off the excess and added an embossed sentiment in the bottom corner. Some clear gems were placed around the card. 

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

You have until Monday, August 17 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Thursday, August 6, 2026

3D Frame Card with Floating Flowers

 This pretty card is one I recently taught and this was my second attempt. I love the shades of blue and gold. 

The front has an arch shape with a fussy cut floral image and a die cut birthday sentiment. Inside the card, there is an open arch section with flowers that appear to be floating. I apologize for the lighting... it was very difficult to get a photo that showed the floating component. I added some gold gems inside the opening and a panel on the right to write a message. 


I am entering my card in the Creative Creases challenge

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Ink Blended Birthday Cards

 These cards were all made the same way. I inked a circle that was masked on the card front and then heat embossed silhouette images inside the circles. The sentiments were also heat embossed and I die cut the front with a stitched rectangle die. Each front was adhered to the card base with craft foam. 

Which set is your favourite? 


Enjoy, 

Alyson 

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Just Because Ferns

 This is another card made for an online crop event. The challenge is shown below. 

I use the colours and the plants (kind of) for my card. 

I created a background on vellum using Copic markers and rubbing alcohol. Once that was dry, I adhered it to white cardstock with an adhesive sheet. The images were die cut from black cardstock and I cut black cardstock on an angle so it would cover the stems. I embossed a sentiment on the bottom piece and used a white gel pen to add detailed to the images. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Merry Christmas Card

 This card was made for an online crop event - the challenge is shown below. 

I had the same embossing folder for the background so I used that. I used a distressing tool to rough up the edges. The letters were die cut and adhered to black letters to create the shadows. They were adhered with foam tape and I added an embossed sentiment with gold metallic thread. Gold gems were placed around the letters. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Monday, August 3, 2026

Pink and Purple Plumeria

 This is another card made for an online crop event. 

I used a tic tac toe grid and met every element. That grid is below. 

I stamped and stencilled the plumeria image and then die cut it. A piece of white cardstock was die cut with a tiny design and backed with green cardstock. On the right side, I used two die cut circles and some small leaf images under the main image. The plumeria flowers were adhered with foam tape and I added an embossed sentiment and some yellow gems. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Sunday, August 2, 2026

You Brighten My Day

 This is another card created for an online crop event. 

The sunset background was created by tearing cardstock pieces and layering them. That was adhered to the card base and I added a woodgrain embossed panel with a die cut circle on top (trimmed 1/2" on the edge). The black leaf image was die cut and adhered partially over the circle opening and I added a stamped sentiment with gold metallic thread on top. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Blue Birthday Bird

 I made this cute card for an online crop event - there was an inspiration photo that I used. 

All the pieces were die cut and assembled. The background was partially embossed and inked at the top. I stamped the sentiment at the bottom and added the bird and the flowers. Some yellow gems were placed around the flowers.

Enjoy,

Alyson