Pair of Elephant Cards

 Nelly the Elephant is a set of dies from Studio Light. I placed Nelly in two different backgrounds.

The first has Nelly sitting up. The background was inked with Distress Oxide inks and covered with a clear glitter paste. I die cut two ovals and adhered Nelly to the centre. The sentiment "tons of love" fit so perfectly. 

The second card has Nelly fully sprawled out within the sunflowers. I die cut a cloud background and used a white gel pen to outline the clouds. Nelly was arranged on the left side and I placed the sunflowers around her - tying as much as possible to avoid it looking like she was farting flowers :) I used markers to add some interest to the flowers and leaves. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

AH 686 - Rainbow Just a Note

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge 686!

The sketch is shown below. 

This is actually the second card I created for this challenge. The first one is shown further down the post. 

I ink blended a background with Distress Oxide inks and die cut the frame. I also cut the frame from white cardstock to get the inside piece. I stamped a large sentiment on the white piece and adhered that and the frame to a black mat. I coloured several small white flat sparkly gems with markers to match the flowers and added them to the openings. 

This was the first card I made...  used glitter gel on the flowers and added a die cut sentiment on a vellum panel. 

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

Pink Flower Acetate Card

A friend asked me to create a special card for her daughter's birthday. I revisited a card I have made before. 

The image was stamped, stencilled and die cut twice - one is inside. I die cut the background, added some shading to opposite corners and adhered that piece to a green mat and a pink card base. The flower was added along with a sentiment.

Inside the card, there is a piece of acetate with the second flower that folds down and is held in place by a second sentiment. I stencilled the background and added clear glitter paste on top. The bottom panel was stamped along the edges. There is a place to write a message on the back. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Circle Cards

 A sketch challenge - just for fun!

The sketch is shown below. 

This is actually my second card... I wasn't a big fan of the first one (shown below). 

I chose black and white patterns to cut the circles. I coloured the floral print circle and used a splatter stamp for the background. The sentiment was die cut from vellum (shadow) and black glitter paper. 

I die cut circles in graduating sizes, taped them together and stencilled a petal image on top. I covered the stencil with Unicorn Horn solar paste and let the circles dry. The circles were cut according to the sketch and adhered to a piece of patterned paper (very hard to see in the photo). I die cut the sentiments and adhered them to light peach shadows although it looks like white... Some clear gems were added and I brushed the words with a clear shimmer brush (again, not visible in the photo).

Enjoy,

Alyson

Crop and Create Card Event - Day 2

These are the cards from Day 2 of the event. 

Gina K. Designs 

Lawn Fawn 

LDRS Creative 

Simon Hurley for Ranger Ink

Enjoy,

Alyson

FQCC April - Christmas Village

 Welcome to FarmQuest Country Christmas and our April challenge!

I dug through my stash for this card and found some house images to create a winter scene. 

The edges of the background were lightly inked in blue and I embossed that piece with a (sort of) falling snow embossing folder. Clear Stickles were added to many of the snowflakes. The base was covered with Astro Paste in a shimmery white. Once all the houses were assembled, I added white glitter paper to the roofs and the bottoms of the houses and drew some additional details on the roofs and doors. The Santa image was adhered at the top and a sentiment was placed at the bottom. 

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

You have until May 5 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

FQCC February - Peace on Earth Scene

 Welcome to FarmQuest Country Christmas and our February challenge!

This is always a Christmas challenge with an outdoor theme. 

I used a set of stencils from Altenew to create the background. I wanted to stencil the trees but even my darkest green ink allowed the darker grey to show through so I did the stencilling on a separate sheet of white cardstock and fussy cut the trees. The church image was die cut and assembled and I placed that image on the trail. I added clear Stickles on various parts of the snow and coloured in the light on the lamp post. A white gel pen was used to add stars in the sky and the sentiment was placed at the top. I also added red and gold Stickles to the trees for some decoration. 

The same set of stencils (different parts) were used to create a second card, this one with winter trees. I created the layers in various shades of blue and stencilled the trees and added glitter paste on top. The house images were die cut, inked and assembled. I placed them along the trail and stamped the sentiment at the top. The hills were lined with clear Stickles. 

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

You have until March 5 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

TSOT 688 - Missing Your Smile

 Welcome to Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge 688! 

The sketch is shown below. 

I stencilled a flourish with purple AstroPaste and let that dry. The plumeria image was stamped, stencilled and die cut and I also embossed a silver outline on vellum. The vellum piece was offset under the coloured image and adhered at the side. A sentiment was stamped at the bottom. I dragged my ink pad around the edge of the card base so it would match the dark purple in the flowers. Some silver gems were added around the flowers. 

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

Warm Hugs Snowmen

 Although Christmas is over, it is definitely winter here! Snowmen are great for any winter card. 

This card was inspired by one made by Mindy Eggen. I sprayed the white background with solar spray and when it was dry, I embossed it with a cascading circle pattern. The snowmen were stamped, coloured and die cut. I also stamped several snowflakes and the sentiment and die cut those pieces. Everything was arranged on the white background and that was adhered to the blue base with foam tape. I use clear Stickles to add extra shimmer to the centres of the snowflakes and various embossed circles. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

DT 208 - You're So Cool

Welcome to Double Trouble Challenge 208!

The details are below - please visit the Double Trouble Challenge Blog for detailed information. 

The colours I chose were black, white, blue and yellow. 

I masked a section of the card front and applied light blue ink and then clear glitter paste to imitate a body of water. Above that, layers of white glitter paper were adhered and I added clear Stickles between each layer (hard to see in the photos). The igloos and penguin were stamped, coloured and fussy cut. I arranged the igloos on the "snow" and placed the penguin on his chunk of ice in the water. A stamped sentiment was added at the top. I adhered the card front to a light blue card base. 

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

'Tis the Season Teal Tree

 This is another Sketchy Saturday card... I'm playing catch up! 

I had high hopes for this card but it didn't turn out the way I expected at all... it happens, right? 

I stamped the tree with three shades of teal ink and then embossed it with clear embossing powder. A stencil was used to add more ink and then I covered that with glitter paste. Once it was dry, the tree was die cut. I created a silver glitter arch frame and placed the tree on a dark teal background. The hot foiled sentiment was placed across the tree and I added some glitter snowflakes as per the sketch. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Four Mistletoe Cards

 The Create in Quads stencils from Taylored Expressions make it so easy to create four backgrounds at once. I chose to use Kraft cardstock with green and white inks to create these mistletoe cards. 

The green inked parts were easy. I had to use pigment ink for the white parts and then heat set the ink to ensure it wouldn't smear. I used a clear glitter paste for the last layer which provided details on the berries. 

The pieces were all die cut using a stitched rectangle die and I stamped sentiments for each with nutmeg ink. Twine was used to add some interest to each card. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love - Skating Polar Bear

 Welcome to Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love challenge!

This is my first project as a member of this design team. 

The theme for this challenge is celebrations of love - the optional theme this month is Christmas. 

I always need more Christmas cards! The blue background was inked and then stencilled with Astro Paste on top of a snowflake stencil. The card front was die cut with a stitched rectangle die and I cut a circular opening for the window along with a stitched circle to fit inside. The sentiment was stamped and I used a black pen to draw curvy lines on each side. The blue background was placed on the card base and I added the front with foam tape. The bear was placed so it looks like he is skating along the line. 

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

DD - Birthday Roses

 Welcome to Dragonfly Dreams and our November challenge!

The theme for this challenge is feminine. 

I used a layering stamp to create the roses and leaves. The background was stencilled with a white Solar Paste on white cardstock, leaving a gorgeous shimmery look. The roses were arranged on the front panel and a stamped sentiment was placed across the bottom. The card front was adhered to a grey mat and a green card base. I added some clear gems on the flowers. 

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

Beautiful Blossoms October - Pair of Blossom Cards

 Welcome to Beautiful Blossoms and our October challenge!

The inspiration photo is below. Using the photo is optional but your project must have a focus on florals. 

I chose to make a pair of cards using a stamp and stencil combo. The cards were inspired by ones I made a couple of years ago for a virtual event. 

The stems were stamped and the blossoms were stencilled in shades of blue and purple. I added clear glitter gel over the detail layer. That piece was cut into two and each section was adhered to a splattered white card base with a thin strip of blue cardstock along the side. The sentiments were stamped and die cut and I also cut some blossoms and leaves from coordinating cardstock. Those were arranged on vellum circles and adhered to the right of the coloured panels. 

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

You have until Nov. 12 to link up your project. 

We can't wait to see what you create!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Tree Window Scene Card

 This is another card made with a set of dies from Gina K Designs. I love the window opening!

I tore several pieces of white cardstock and layered them to create a snow scene. Some trees were added between the layers and I added clear Stickles on the top of each hill. Once that was dry, the embossed brick panel, the stacked window frame and the rectangle outline were added on top. I stamped, stencilled and added clear glitter gel to a large tree and placed that along the side. A small sentiment was added at the bottom. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Crop and Create Fall - Day 2

 These are the cards from the Crop and Create Fall Cardmaking Event - Day 2. 

The classes were from Gina K. Designs, The Stamps of Life, Picket Fence Studio and Simon Hurley. The Gina K cards are all gift card holders. The Stamps of Life was all about interactive cards with an autumn theme - two of them are shown from the front and the inside. Picket Fence had baby cards and Simon Hurley focused on Solar Sprays and Astro Paste. The last class was a lot of fun, especially playing with messy products! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Holiday Magic Event - Class 2

 These are the cards from the second class from the Holiday Magic event. The class was taught by Meghann Andrew. I love the soft colours and who doesn't love that gorgeous mitten stencil set? 

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

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