Fabulous Fall Card - Freshly Made Sketches Challenge

Today's card is made for the challenge at Freshly Made Sketches. Rather than using a flower, I decided to cut a doily using the Cricut Artiste (I LOVE that cartridge) and then stamp a maple leaf from the Fall Harvest Stamp Set. At this time of the year in our area, the leaves are changing colour very quickly. On my chilly morning walks, I can see a difference each day as I often walk through the woods. And, of course, the maple leaf is so significant to Canada, so I had to choose that one! I haven't hand cut a shape for a long time - that is almost a foreign concept now that we have these two awesome Cricut cartridges! 

The sketch is shown below the card. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Flirty Paper Pack, Colonial White Cardstock, New England Ivy Cardstock, Bamboo Cardstock

Stamp Set: Fall Harvest

Inks: New England Ivy, Goldrush, Autumn Terracotta, Olive

Accessories: Artiste Cartridge, Foam Tape, Autumn Lane Assortment

Base and Shade Stamping Video

Kristine and Monica from Close To My Heart are here again, this time to teach you how to use the Base and Shade Technique in your stamping. It is such a versatile technique and can be used in many different ways! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Easel Christmas Card

I'm back! I decided to try something new today - an easel card! I have never made one of these before but I see them all over Pinterest and I really wanted to try one. It wasn't difficult, but more time consuming than anything else as I was learning as I was making it. 

The Heart 2 Heart Challenge this week was to make something for Christmas so this is a Christmas card, plus it uses the sketch from the Mojo Monday Challenge, so it meets two challenges. One thing about doing a scalloped easel card is that it is difficult to get it to line up properly as the scallops have to line up so you are limited with how the card has to fit on the background. Knowing that for next time, I would check the alignment before I began working on the card! 

The Mojo Monday Sketch is below the card.  

Enjoy, 

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Supplies are Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted: 

Paper: Avonlea Paper Pack (include cardstock available only with that paper pack), Slate Cardstock
Stamps: Perfect Fit - Holidays, Blessings of Peace
Inks: Slate, Twilight Pigment Ink
Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (not CTMH), Baker's Twine - Neutral Assortment, Clear Sparkles, 1 1/4 Inch Punch, Green Ribbon (not CTMH), Copic Markers (not CTMH), Foam Tape, Prisma Glitter, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Foam Tape

At the Zoo - Studio J

Dave and I spent some time in Florida last spring and he made me go to Gatorland. The last time I was there was when I was 11 years old with my family. I am terrified of snakes but am ok with gators and crocodiles so as long as we stayed away from the snake displays, I knew I would be alright. He had been there as a young boy but between the two of us, neither had any real memories of our previous visits plus several things had changed in the many years since we had last been there. 

As expected, there were alligators everywhere you looked! Dave had to hold one, which is the main photo on the left page. It was actually a pretty interesting place to visit and both of us learned a lot about reptiles in general. 

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Video - Bend It, Curve It, Stamp It!

This is the most amazing video! Kristine and Monica from Corporate will show you how to take a stamp that is very "normal" and totally think outside the box! I never would have thought to do what they are going to show you how to do! Talk about great minds! But then again, this is Close To My Heart - great minds abound! 

Enjoy, 
Alyson

Kelsie as a Puppy - Studio J

I am away for a few days, visiting family but I wanted to leave some posts for my faithful followers. 

This layout is of my little dog, Kelsie, who we just recently lost. These were taken when we were picking him out from the litter. He was just three weeks old at the time. I thought he was the most beautiful puppy I had ever laid eyes on and I could not wait to bring him home! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Studio J - Love Story

I don't use Studio J very often but this is one of the layouts that I prepared for the Convention package that we were provided. I really like the way it turned out. Surprisingly, the papers are actually patterns from the Mischief Paper Pack (last year's Halloween papers which I didn't even purchase...) It really is amazing what you can do in Studio J when it comes to changing colours to suit your needs! I used a lot of the stitching options on this layout as well - am really loving that option!

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Video - Stamping Across Multiple Surfaces

Kristine and Monica from Close To My Heart's Corporate Office have another video - this time about how to stamp across multiple surfaces. It is awesome - just take a look! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Peace and Joy Card - Merry Monday Challenge

The Merry Monday Challenge is a new one for me but it is designed to help you get ahead on your Christmas cards, so that's always a good thing. I never have enough Christmas cards and always end up rushing to make more at the last minute every year!

This is my first real attempt at colouring with alcohol markers so please be patient with my efforts.. I know the final look is not the greatest but I am learning. I had to resort to some of my Copic markers to do the hair since we still don't have the neutrals from CTMH in our hands yet. 

The sketch is shown below the card. 

Enjoy,

Alyson

Products are Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Papers: Avonlea Paper Pack, White Daisy Cardstock, Saddle Cardstock

Stamps: Angelica Blessings, Snow Flurries (ret.)

Inks: Saddle, Saddle Pigment Ink

Accessories: Artiste Cartridge, Clear Sparkles, Ribbon (not CTMH), Cuttlebug Snowflake Embossing Folder (not CTMH), Markers - Honey, Cotton Candy, Twilight, Sky, Copic Markers - E27, E97 (not CTMH)

La Belle Vie Star

I have had this star since I returned from Convention but just haven't had time to do anything with it and I really wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do with it, either. Finally, after seeing a few finished ones, and having a template to work with, I finished mine. The tulle in the center took me three tries to get it right... the basting stitch came out the first two tries (the first time, I pulled the floss too tightly and broke it and the second time, I didn't stitch far enough but didn't realize that until after I had cut the floss... very frustrating, especially since I was stitching by hand). 

I love the intensity in colour of the La Belle Vie paper colours which is why I chose the pink and the black patterns. To cover the little imperfections where the papers meet, a piece of Baker's Twine was placed at each "intersection" and I think that adds a nice finishing touch. 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: La Belle Vie Paper Pack

Stamps: None

Inks: Black Distressing Ink

Accessories: My Creations Star, Black Tulle Ribbon, Baker's Twine - Neutral Assortment, Embroidery Floss - Neutral Assortment, Rhinestone Designer Brads