Family Cards

These two cards are for special members of my family. They are created using patterns from the Make It From Your Heart Book - Volume 2, although I changed the size to 5x7 from the standard cards size. 

For both cards, I used the Family Love stamp set. For the first card, I used the Pathfinding Paper Pack. 

For the second card, I used the Brushed Paper Pack.

Some of the embellishments are retired but they fit with the cards perfectly.

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Pathfinding Paper Pack, Brushed Paper Pack, Chocolate Cardstock, Olive Cardstock, Goldrush Cardstock, Colonial White Cardstock, Pear Cardstock, Pixie Cardstock, Hollyhock Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: Family Love, Stitched Together (ret.)
Inks: Olive, Pear, Pixie, Hollyhock
Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Brushed Assortment, Bronze Shimmer Trim, Pink Shimmer Trim, Foam Tape, Pink Glitter Gems, Harvest Baker's Twine (ret.), Brown and Tan Sparkles (ret.) White Crochet Flowers (ret.), Hollyhock Stitched Ribbon (ret.)

Enjoy, 
Alyson

August SOTM Blog Hop - What a Hoot!

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring August's SOTM, "What a Hoot", a set of 17 stamps.  If you have come here from Michelle's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. A complete list of bloggers can be found here.

This month we have approximately 65 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and fabulous Close To My Heart products on their blogs. Just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!

The stamp set looks like this: 

I chose to create two cards for this hop. Both cards were created using the Pathfinding Paper Pack. 

For the first card, I used the new Shin Han markers to colour in my owl and I stamped the sentiment in three colours (Chocolate, Lagoon and Glacier), then embossed and heat set it. 

The second card was quite a bit different. I wanted a chalk-like look for the sentiment so I used the Colonial White ink pad and stamped and heat set it several times, smearing it slightly with my finger to make it look a little bit like chalk. I also used the second owl image but added the legs from the other owl. Mixed pigment inks on the stamp made the wings two colours. 

I hope you enjoyed my projects :)

 Now "hop" on over to Jen's Blog  to see her work! Be sure to visit all the consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the August SOTM is only available until the last day of August!

Click here to see how you can get this stamp set for 

just $5 this month!

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Pathfinding Paper Pack, Colonial White Cardstock, Chocolate Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock, Autumn Terracotta Cardstock

Stamps: What a Hoot

Inks: Pigment Inks Pads - Chocolate, Lagoon, Glacier, Olive, Colonial White

Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Lagoon Houndstooth Washi Tape (ret.), Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Shin Han Markers, Chevron Border Punch, Foam Tape, Thin Foam Tape, Gold Shimmer Trim, Mocha Opaques (ret.), Aqua Dots

Enjoy, 

Alyson

AH Sketch Challenge - July 28

I have been selected to be a member of the Design Team for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenges! Although my term doesn't officially start until next week, I am posting a card for this week's challenge, just to make sure that I have everything in order and that my links are working. 

So, this week's sketch is shown below: 

And here is my card. 

I chose to use the Skylark papers to create my card along with a retired stamp set, but one of my favourites - it is called Blessed. I love the bird surrounded with the flourish. The new Shin Han markers from Close To My Heart were used to colour the sparkles in shades to complement the card. 

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Skylark Paper Pack, Chocolate Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: Blessed (ret.)
Inks: Chocolate Pigment Ink, Lagoon, Bamboo
Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Skylark Textiles, Teal Shimmer Trim, Foam Tape, Skylark Assortment, Clear Sparkles, Shin Han Markers, Bling Pin (ret.), Shimmer Brad (ret.)

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Sneak Peek at New Papers - Pathfinding Cards...

This gorgeous set of cards in such a beautiful box is a gift set for which I cannot take credit - I wish I could! However, these gorgeous cards were created by my friend and fellow consultant, Lisa Stenz. She is so incredibly talented and you can click on her name to access her blog (which is incredible!) I completely lifted her work and just added one additional card to the collection that she had created. This collection uses the soon to be released Pathfinding paper pack (just one sheet from the collection), along with three new stamp sets. I LOVE everything about this - the paper, colours, stamps - EVERYTHING - and I am giving this set to a dear friend of mine in a few days.

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Pathfinding Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Chocolate Cardstock, Glacier Cardstock, White Daisy Cards and Envelopes
Stamps: Spring Banner, Timely Tidings, Lifetime of Happiness, It's the Little Things (Nov 2014 SOTM)
Inks: Glacier, Chocolate
Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Scallop Punch, Floral Embossing Folder, Journaling Cards Box, Bling Gems Gold Assortment

Enjoy, 
Alyson

"LOVE" Wedding Card

A former student of mine who recently looked me up (via my blog, nonetheless!) is getting married in a couple of weeks and I am sending her and her fiance this card. I taught her MANY years ago - you don't want to know how long ago that was - and I cannot believe she is now old enough to be getting married! How time flies! 

Anyways, since I am not sure of the colour scheme of her wedding, I decided to choose a colour that is neutral and not too masculine or feminine - and my favourite colour as well :) I love the way this turned out. Unfortunately, my camera wasn't quite as co-operative and the colours and detail in the photos are not as intense as they are are in real life... To create the ruffle around the heart, I just hand-stitched a running stitch around the edge of the ribbon to gather it and then used a super sticky adhesive to adhere it to the back of the heart. The rest of it is just layers. I have also shown the inside of the card as well. 

I wish this couple all the best as they begin their journey together. I know we will stay in touch. It has been such a pleasure getting to know Amanda as an adult as opposed to an 11-14 year old! She has brightened my days on many occasions in the past several months! 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock, Dotty for You Paper Pack (ret.)
Stamps: Seal-Love, Card Chatter - Love (ret.)
Inks: Lagoon Pigment Ink, Lagoon
Accessories: Artiste Cartridge, Teal Shimmer Trim, Lagoon Zipper Lace, Bitty Sparkles, Teal Organza Ribbon (not CTMH), Baker's Twine - Paradise Assortment, Damask Embossing Folder

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Thinking of You Card

Time for another challenge! This week's Atlantic Hearts Challenge sketch is one I love because I knew right away what type of card I wanted to do! A 6x6 gate fold card was perfect for this sketch. 

The Perfect Fit Frames stamp set has awesome frames that work as excellent centers for cards like this so I used one of them and double mounted it. I also used one of the new colours coming out in the soon to be released CTMH catalogue so you get a sneak peek at that. It is called Thistle and I LOVE it! It is such a gorgeous shade of purple and you see it here in the ink, cardstock and a new ribbon as well. One of my favourite papers - For Always -  was used as the basis for my card. 

I used some old embellishments - stick pins and some bling adhesive gems and I coloured them using a Sharpie marker. The card is held closed using a hook and loop closure on the right side. 

*** Just a word of advice - the self-adhesive shimmer trim is scalloped and that was done using my scallop punch. If you do this, be sure to turn your trim upside down (glitter side facing down) or you will gum up your punch very quickly. Even this way, you need to clean out the pieces often (after every 2 punches or so) and it will dull your punch pretty quickly so you need to sharpen it (use aluminum foil to do this - just punch through a few layers of that several times). Be sure to clean out all the pieces of shimmer trim as small pieces can get stuck easily. 

Products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted: 

Paper: For Always Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Thistle Cardstock

Stamps: Perfect Fit Frames, Salutation Seals (ret.), Happy Autumn

Inks: Thistle, Black

Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, 11/4 Inch Circle Punch, Foam Tape, Hook and Loop Dots, Purple Shimmer Trim, Thistle Diagonal Striped Ribbon, Baker's Twine Neutral Metallic Assortment, Stick Pins (ret.), Adhesive Gems (ret.), Sharpie marker (not CTMH), Scallop Punch

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Brae-ers Unit Blog Hop - Retiring Products

Welcome to the Brae-ers Unit Blog Hop. We are featuring retiring products this time around since a brand new catalogue is due out shortly. We are saying GOOD-BYE to the old, retiring products with this hop. There are some products that I will really miss... THANK GOODNESS Lagoon is not on the retiring list - I'm not sure what I would do if that was the case! However, there ARE some products that I am ready to see retire but there are always some each year that I want to hold onto... but change is necessary for growth in every aspect of life, right?

If you have arrived from Carol-Anne's Blog, you are in the right place. For a complete list of blogs on this hop, see Brae's Blog. 

So, for my focus in the hop, I chose to create two cards. My first card features a few retiring products - specifically the Balloon Ride Paper Pack, Burlap Ribbon (one of my all time favourite products!), the Wooden Mini-Medley Collection (specifically, the twine) and the Remarkable Wreath stamp set (another of my favourites).

The second card features the Ivy Lane Paper Pack (another of my favourites from the current catalogue) and the Just a Number stamp set.

A complete list of products used can be found below (all are Close To My Heart): 

Paper: Balloon Ride Paper Pack, Ivy Lane Paper Pack, Bamboo Cardstock, Blush Cardstock, Hollyhock Cardstock, Chocolate Cardstock, Crystal Blue Cardstock, Colonial White Cardstock
Stamps: Just a Number, Remarkable Wreath
Inks: Smokey Plum, Chocolate, Sorbet, Creme Brulee, Crystal Blue
Accessories, Art Philosophy Cartridge, Artiste Cartridge, Red, Pink and Purple Sparkles (ret.), Mocha Opaques (ret.), Burlap Ribbon, Wooden Mini Medley Collection, Foam Tape 

Now, hop over to Tamara's Blog to see her wonderful artwork featuring retiring products. 

And be sure to get your retiring products while you still can. They are available on my shopping site but only until July 31. After that time, those products are no longer available! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - So Thankful For... Card

It's good to be back doing these weekly sketch challenges again, although I don't feel that my artwork is up to my usual standard since I have been away from it for so long... I guess it's kind of like riding a bike - you lose your skills when you don't practice for a while. 

The sketch is shown below the card. I really wanted to highlight the flowers on this card and I wanted to emboss the front as well, yet leave room for the sentiment, so I had to choose a pattern that could be easily repeated. I coloured the clear sparkles flourishes with the new ShinHan markers from Close To My Heart - am loving those! 

Supplies used are all Close To My Heart unless otherwise stated: 

Paper: Black Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock, Cotton Candy Cardstock
Stamps: A Friend Like You (ret.)
Ink: Black
Accessories: Artiste Cartridge, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (not CTMH), Sparkle Flourishes, Sparkle Flourishes - Small, ShinHan Marker - Leaf Green, Licorice Opaques (ret.)

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Freshly Made Sketches - I am so Thankful... Card

It has been SO long since I entered a sketch challenge and I have really missed it! Freshly Made Sketches is one of my favourites, too! I love their basic sketches because there is so much that can be done with a sketch like that. 

Here is my take on this week's sketch. I turned around the "flag" and chose to use ribbon to create that effect instead. I also clustered my embellishments just above the ribbon rather than adding mine on the top left side of the card - just to be a little bit different... I used only cardstock - no patterned paper this time around. Foam tape and background stamping added some interest instead of adding patterned paper. The sketch can be found just below my card. 

Products used are all Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted: 

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Lagoon Cardstock

Stamps: Harvest Happiness, A Little Thanks (ret.)

Inks: Black, Lagoon

Accessories: Artiste Cartridge, Damask Embossing Folder, Paradise Paper Flowers (ret.), Licorice Opaques (ret.), White Satin Ribbon (not CTMH), Foam Tape, White Crocheted Flower (ret.)

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Mika - Update

Just a quick update on Mika...

She had her surgery this morning and she tolerated it fairly well. She was awake from the anesthetic early this afternoon but she hasn't had anything to eat or drink. The repairs to her leg were successful (YEAH for that!) 

She will also be able to come home with me tomorrow. Right now (4pm), she is apparently wrapped up in a blanket (she often does that at home - she tried to do it there but with an IV in her paw, it caused some difficulty until they realized what she wanted and were able to help her out...) and curled up in a corner of her crate. She is resting comfortably. I wish I could be there but I know I will have to wait until tomorrow to see her. It was SO hard to drop her off this morning... cried a lot on my way home, and then went for a long, hard workout. 

She'll be fine - no jumping or major activities - and she doesn't have a cast either! I guess the doctor just put in staples where he cut her leg open for the repairs. I have a cone for her already from when she was spayed and I have a feeling we'll need that (and she hates it!)

So, maybe some creating is in order this evening before I have to give my next few days of 100%attention to her... 

Alyson