MTC 68 - Hello Winter

 Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge 68!

Winter is on the horizon and this week's theme is just that - winter. 

I created a small shaker card. The background was ink blended with three Distress Oxide inks and I splattered it with water. The sentiment was embossed with a white twinkle embossing powder at the bottom. The shaker image was coloured and I stacked the snow globe die several times to create height. Some tiny silver stars were placed inside the shaker and around the snow globe. A dark blue frame was adhered around the outside of the card. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards and show us how you interpret this winter challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

Make the Cards 67 - When I Count My Blessings...

 Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge 67!

The theme for this challenge is "Thankful".

I used the GKD Wreath Builder to stamp the images in a cascading manner. Once all the stamping was complete, I cut down the card front and adhered it to a paprika mat and then to a sage background. I added glossy accents to the berries and embossed a greeting that was placed at the bottom. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards and show us your thankful projects. 

You have two weeks to link up your project (Tuesday, November 15). 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

MTC 66 - Peace Stencilled Background Card

 Welcome to this week's challenge at Make the Cards! 

We have a sketch for you this week - the image is below. 

The sketch itself is pretty basic so I decided to add some things to it. I started by stencilling a background using teal glitter gel. Once that was dry, I cut the background just small enough that I could add a thin teal border behind it. I die cut the sentiment and added it to a lightly inked shape. The poinsettias and greenery images were die cut using both light and dark teal colours and added to each side of the sentiment piece. A silver gem was placed in the centre of each poinsettia. 

After creating the first card, I decided to teach it in my Facebook group and I ended up making two more of the same design but in different colours! 

Here are the others. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards and show us how you interpret this week's challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Make the Cards 65 - Be Spooky

 Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge 65!

It's all about Halloween this week. I chose a fall colour scheme for my card. 

The background was created with three patterned papers and I drew a border around the edge. The sentiment was stamped in two colours and was also outlined in brown. I stamped two monsters for inside the shaker and masked one so it looked like one was eating the other. The other two monsters were stamped and die cut and added outside the shaker window. A bit of brown twine and some Liquid Pearls finished off the card. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards and show us how you interpret this week's challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

MTC 64 - Sunflower Smiles

 Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge 64!

The challenge this week is to use washi tape on a card. 

Initially, I thought of washi tape on a small roll - the same tape that I often use to hold dies in place. It occurred to me that there is much better washi tape out there now - tape with detailed images that can be die cut. I decide to use a set of washi tape sunflowers for my card. 

I found various patterned papers that were the same colours as the flowers for the four panels. A brown cross piece with a strip of gold glitter paper was added just above the centre line. I adhered the washi tape sunflower images and added a stamped sentiment under one of the leaves. Some gold metallic thread and gold sequins were added to finish off the card. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards and show us how you use washi tape on your card. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Make the Cards Challenge 63 - Ah, Autumn

 Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge 63!

It's all about fall/autumn for this challenge.

I began by stamping several pumpkins and colouring them. They were fussy cut. The patterned paper background was adhered to a piece of printer paper and then I die cut a circle from that piece. I also die cut a thin circle border to enhance the opening. The cut away section was inked with three Distress Oxide inks and splattered with water. The card front was adhered to the base and I added the pumpkins (one with gold ribbon underneath) and the sentiment. I stamped the sentiment with three colours and adhered it to a gold border. The last step was to add some orange enamel gems around the card. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards and show us how you interpret this fall theme. 

You have two weeks to link up your project.

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Make the Cards 62 - Dr. Seuss and Books

 Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge 62! 

The theme this week is school or teacher. 

I struggled with this challenge as I don't have any products related to school or teachers so I went to my Cricut for ideas. I cut the book and butterfly image and then found a terrific quote from Dr. Seuss that fit this challenge perfectly. I printed the quote on white cardstock, inked clouds on the entire background and placed the assembled book image at the bottom. A few blue enamel gems were added and the butterfly was brushed with a clear shimmer brush. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards 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

Make the Cards 61 - Friends Mini Slimline

 Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge 61!

It's colour challenge this week... please see the graphic below. 

I used a stamp, stencil and die set that I received as part of a recent virtual event. I stamped the images in black and used shades of pink, orange and green to stencil the layers before everything was die cut. I also die cut a stitched scalloped rectangle and stacked it three times. I inked the corners of the card base using the same dark green ink I used for the stencilling. The sentiment was embossed on vellum and placed across the images (which I had to lift as I had adhered them down before deciding I wanted them on top of the vellum...) I added some iridescent gems and brushed the flower centres and the butterflies with a clear shimmer brush to finish off the card. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards and show us how you interpret this colour challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project.

We can't wait to see what you create! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Make the Cards 60 - Bold Blooms on Black

 Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge #60!

This week, it is a technique challenge - use a black cardstock background. 

Black can be overwhelming so I decided to offset it with very bold colours. I chose bright pink and green shades.

The black cardstock was embossed with a floral embossing folder. I die cut all the floral and greenery pieces and inked many of the pink ones for additional interest. They were all assembled and adhered to the embossed base. I stamped a sentiment in the same shade of bold pink and added a strip of coordinating glitter paper underneath. The last step was to brush the lines of the flowers with a clear shimmer brush and add Stickles to the centres of the flowers. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards Challenge and show us how you interpret this week's challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy,

Alyson

MTCC - Striped Hello

 This is my first post as a design team member for Make the Cards Challenge! This week it is a sketch challenge. 

The sketch is shown below. 

It was difficult to stray too far from this sketch... I used lines in the same direction as the sketch.

I cut thin strips of four shades of yellow and orange cardstock and placed them across a grey card front. I embossed that entire piece with a dotted embossing folder. Very thin strips of gold glitter paper were placed between the cardstock pieces and the sentiment was added with thin foam tape. The entire card front was adhered to a black base with craft foam. I found some enamel dots in the same colours as the cardstock so those finished off my card. 

Come and join us at Make the Cards Challenge and show us how you interpret this week's challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Make the Cards Challenge - Daisy Hugs

There is a slimline sketch at the Make the Cards challenge this week. The sketch is shown below. 

I started by creating a stencilled plaid backgound using two shades of grey ink. That piece, along with green and white pieces, were cut using slimline dies. The daisies and leaves were stamped using four shades of purple, three shades of yellow and two shades of green (and yes, that took some serious time!) They were die cut and layered along the right side of the card. The sentiment was die cut and stacked for more dimension. A few silver Liquid Pearls were added around the card and I brushed the flower centres and the sentiment with shimmer brushes. 

Check out the Make the Cards challenge - they have a terrific challenge every week! 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Willow Cardstock, Pewter Cardstock, Slimline Cards and Envelopes 

Stamps: Beloved Daisies (Altenew) 

Inks: (all Pink Fresh Studio) - Misty Coast, Rocky Slope, Lemon Whip, Sunshine, Sweet Mustard, Grassy Knoll, Key Lime, Soft Lilac, Candy Violet, Lavender, Regal Kiss

Accessories: Beloved Daisy Dies (Altenew), Stitched Slimline Dies (Pink and Main), Layered Slimline Dies (Pink and Main), Hugs Die (Pink Fresh Studio), Slimline Diamond Plaid Stencils (Pink Fresh Studio), Lemonade Shimmer Brush, Clear Shimmer Brush, Silver Liquid Pearls 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Seas the Day Card

Welcome to Make the Cards Challenge! The theme this week is "Beach". 

I am honoured to be the Featured Creator for this week's challenge. 

Beach life is not something that has ever particularly interested me so this theme was definitely a challenge. I didn't have any stamps or dies to reflect that theme so I turned to my Cricut. I was able to find several beach-related images there and created a scene with them. 

The clouds were stencilled onto the white cardstock and the sand and water pieces were inked for a little more interest. I added the umbrella, chair and a few other items scattered along the beach front. The sun was stamped and die cut but everything else was Cricut cut.

Come and join the Make the Cards Challenge - you have until Saturday evening to link up your project. 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Products used are all Close To My Heart: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Bluebird Cardstock, Carolina Cardstock, Smoothie Cardstock, Flamingo Cardstock, Canary Cardstock, Mint Cardsock, Lagoon Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock, Toffee Cardstock, White Cards and Envelopes 

Stamps: Beautiful Day

Inks: Canary, Toffee, Glacier, Carolina 

Accessories: Cricut Collections - Basic Shapes, You are Here, Beautiful Day Thin Cuts

Enjoy,

Alyson

Doiuble Trouble 82 - Stencilled Floral Card

Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge #82!

The small graphic is below - for complete details, please visit the Double Trouble Challenge Blog.

This week, the main expectation is to include some sort of florals on your project. I have a few sets of layering stencils and the one I used here is one of my favourites. There are 5 stencils in total and they allow layers of colours to be added in steps. I used the colour scheme provided by our challenge partner, Make the Cards. 

The flowers and leaves were all inked using the stencil. I die cut that piece using a stitched rectangle die and then mounted it on Raspberry cardstock and then onto the card base. The sentiment was die cut using vellum for the bottom layer and pink glitter paper for the letters. I coloured a few white gems using a turquoise marker and also brushed the center flower sections with the Clear Shimmer Brush. 

Come and join us at Double Trouble and show us how you interpret the expectations for this challenge. 

You have two weeks to link up your project. 

I am also linking up my card with Make the Cards challenge. 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Raspberry Cardstock, Neenah Solar White Cardstock, Vellum, Pink Glitter Paper

Stamps: none

Inks: Pixie. Raspberry, Glacier, Lagoon

Accessories: Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts, Hugs Die (Pink Fresh Studio), White Dots, Copic Marker (not CTMH), Foam Tape, Clear Shimmer Brush

Enjoy,

Alyson