Warm Wishes

As you know, I like to push the boundaries of comfort. So I decided to play with this design by adding yellow and a flower to a Christmas card while using traditional green and red (more precisely burgundy).





Recipe

Stamp Set(s):
-Joyeux Noel by CHF
-Fine Line Backgrounder by CHF

Cardstock:
-Smooth White by Prism Paper
-Razzleberry Dark by Prism Paper

Patterned Paper:
-by Bo Bunny

Ink:
-Cranberry by Ranger
-Tea Dye Distress Ink by Ranger

Accessories:
-Ribbon
-Flower by Prima
-Hemp Twine
-Button by MME
-Paper Lace Ribbon by Creative Imaginations

Tools:
-Paper Piercer

Have a terrific Saturday.

Alli

Snow.

Hello! I know you have been anxious to hear what number the random generator was picked...

Congrats goes out to #55
Becca who said...

My wish list could go on and on but at the top is a sewing machine? Any advice on which one is the best for paper crafting? I want to ask for it for Christmas!

*I wish I knew the answer--I have a mini Janome and love it--small compact and perfect for papercrafting.





Recipe
Stamp Set(s):
-Joyeux Noel (Aimee Nugent) by CHF

Cardstock:
-Razzleberry by Prism Paper
-Suede Dark Brown by Prism Paper
-Kraft by Prism Paper

Patterned Paper:
-Scrap from MME

Ink:
-Cranberry by Ranger
-Espresso by Ranger
-White Clearsnap

Accessories:
-Button by MME

Have a terrific day!

Alli

Raspberry Snowflakes.

Mmmm don't you just love out of the ordinary winter colours? There was something about this raspberry colour that I just couldn't shake. I HAD to stamp a snowflake into it!



I provided a close up to show you my buttons because I want to talk about buttons. I really love that floss look but of course I don't own every colour. My solution is to use paper strips. Yes, those fine paper strips that land on your desk during cutting. They are PERFECT for dressing up your buttons.



As you can see I also decided to make some mini tag cards too.



Recipe
Stamp Set(s):
-Joyeux Noel (Aimee Nugent) by CHF

Cardstock:
-White Prismatics
-Suede Dark Brown by Prism Paper
-Kraft by Prism Paper

Ink:
-Raspberry ink by Clearsnap
-White Clearsnap

Accessories:
-Button by MME
-Brown and Vanilla Polka Dot Ribbon by May Arts

Tools:
-Sewing Machine

Design Note: Card size is 5.25x5.25 and tag is 3x3

Have a great day!

Alli

Joyeux Noel and a Happy Birthday

First and foremost, I am shouting out to my DH who is celebrating his birthday today--hope you have a good one Stephen :)

Now onto a winter card. Clear sheets always inspire me. I started inking white stazon and stamping snowflakes/sentiment from Joyeux Noel on the clear sheet. I waited for it to dry (left it overnight to be sure) and then on the flip side coloured the circles with distress crackle paint (to match the scratchy snowflakes) and stickles. I let those dry for a few hours. Then I made thin paper strips and tied them in a knot and adhered them to the buttons before placing them on the clear sheet.





Recipe
Stamp Set(s):
-Joyeux Noel (Aimee Nugent) by CHF

Cardstock:
-Clear sheets by CHF
-White Prismatics
-Suede Dark Brown by Prism Paper
-Celestial Blue by Prism Paper

Ink:
-Cotton White by StazOn

Accessories
-Button by MME
-Stickles
-Broken China Distress Crackle Paint by Ranger

Have a super Sunday.

Alli

Let there be Peace on Earth

Hello everyone! I hope you are doing well today. I have a super fun card for you today. I hope from the photos below you will be able to replicate the card too.



You'll notice I stamped both the clear sheet and the patterned paper below the clear sheet using the same image. I did this to create a shadow look. It looks really neat IRL.



I used the pop dot to secure and raise the screw top brad. I actually pierced a hole through the pop dot and placed the brad through it. Notice the edges of the rose coloured cardstock has gold. I used my gold leafing pen to add some interest to the edges and tie in the colours.



Recipe
Stamp Set(s):
-We Three Kings (Aimee Nugent) by CHF
-Aged Music Sheet Scrapblock TM by CHF
-Christmas Expressions (Mona Lisa Moments) by CHF

Cardstock:
-Rose Dark by Prism Paper
-Cream by Prism Paper
-Clear Sheet by CHF

Patterned Paper
-Be Good Collection by Cosmo Cricket

Ink:
-Black StazOn by Tsukineko
-Butterscotch by Ranger

Accessories
-Screw Top Brads by Karen Foster
-Gold twine
-pop dots
-Gold leafing penby Krylon

Tools
-Nestabilities-label by Spellbinders

The other day I received a question regarding my use of double nestabilities. Please refer to this post for full instructions on innies and outies :)

Have a super day.
Alli

Some seasonal sparkle...

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary so I figured i'd take a day off to celebrate! It's not often that my DH has the day off (well actually he worked part of it but took part of it off). In the 8 years we have been married he has worked 6 of them.

So are you finished your holiday season 2008 cards yet? *lol* Don't forget to join our free online classes at CHF to help you finish up or even start some of those seasonal projects.



Close up...



Recipe
Stamp Set(s):
-Suisse Tree (Aimee Nugent) by CHF
- Christmas Expressions (Mona Lisa Moments) by CHF

Cardstock:
-Herbal Garden Medium by Prism Paper
-Island Mist Dark by Prism Paper
-White by Prism Paper

Ink:
-Clearsnap White

Accessories:
- Snowy Jo Collection Snowflowers by Imaginisce
- Sheer Ribbon with gold trim
-Adhesive Gems by K&Company
-Button (daydream collection) by MME

Have a good one!

Alli

CHF Challenge--Brayer

So this week's challenge was using the brayer. I haven't used my brayer in a while and decided to create a ghosting look using versamark and ink (ink stamp in versamark then stamp glossy--brayer over using coloured ink). I also really like non-traditional colours for Christmas and so I chose PINK as my focal colour with cranberry and kraft as accents.

The trees were stamped on white paper and the poinsettia was stamped over top using cranberry and current.



Recipe

Stamps:
-Christmas Expressions (Mona Lisa Collection) by CHF
-Poinsettia (Aimee Nugent) by CHF
-Modern Star (Aimee Nugent) by CHF
-Heart Warmers (Kim Hughes Collection) by CHF

Ink:
-Pitch Black by Ranger
-Cranberry by Ranger
-Current by Ranger
-Salmon by Ranger
-Versamark

Cardstock
-Kraft by Prism Paper
-Glossy by Prism Paper
-Razzleberry Dark
-White Prismatic Paper

Accessories
-Pink ribbon (misc)
-Scalloped edge (packaging from Fancy Pants)

Tools
-Brayer

Have a terrific day!
Alli

So Sketchy! Assignment #1

Click HERE to see one of the first sketches I was assigned with So Sketchy.

And here is what I did with it:



Recipe
Stamp Set(s):
-Trumpeting angel from Aimee Nugent Collection by CHF

Cardstock:
-Vanilla by Prism Paper

Patterned Paper:
-Rain Showers from Spring Fling Collection by Pink Paislee

Accessories:
-Merry Christmas Rub-On Transfers by Karen Foster
-Silver Hardware
-Silver Brads

Tools:
-Scissors

Technique:
-Rock n Roll

Have a terrific day.

Alli

Rejoice!

I have been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to use both the Rejoice Circle stamp by CHF and patterned paper by MME so it only seemed fitting that I use them together.

re·joice (rĭ-jois')
v. re·joiced, re·joic·ing, re·joic·es

v. intr.
To feel joyful; be delighted: rejoiced at the news; rejoiced in her friend's good fortune.

v. tr.
To fill with joy; gladden.

Aren't we all so lucky to have joy in our lives? It doesn't mean life is easy and it doesn't always seem like joy is present (especially through the rough times)...but if you look hard enough you'll find it.

I {heart} this stamp!!!!! And today I am soaking in His joy.



Recipe
Stamp Set(s):
-Rejoice Circle(Aimee Nugent) by CHF

Ink
-Cranberry by Ranger
-Espresso by Ranger

Paper
-Vanilla Cream by Prism Paper
-Suede Brown Dark by Prism Paper
-Tawny Light by Prism Paper

Patterned Paper
-No. 2 Tiny Dots Paper (Out & About) by MME

Accessories:
-Ribbon by May Arts
-Chipboard

Tools:
-Nestabilities by Spellbinders

Designer Note: I cut the chipboard with my nestabilities classic circle and then cut out a matching circle and placed it over top before stamping the Rejoice Circle

Okay...so now you get a sneak peak at my office space. Now remember I am a school teacher so in the next few days you will notice the "teacher" in me...not to mention the reference materials I have in my room. I still have lots of mess to put together so this is all you get today *lol*

Some *kind of before* photos (this was taken in WAY better light--daylight)...this was my craft space about a year ago...lots of SU! stuff


This was my space on my desk...I had to drag LOTS of things to my desk because what you see in that top picture was across the room from me.


Now my desk is in the corner across the room and surrounded by my goodies *smiles* No more walking the distance!!! And yes...still some empty shelves to fill up and lots of labels because I have a little of everything now.



Here is my desk (it was dark when I took this photo)! I spend MANY hours at this desk both crafting and working online. Do you see those daffodils? They came from my garden which is AMAZING because the deer ALWAYS eat them before I see them. DH was cleaning the kids' outside toys today (they turn green because of the algae...it's really WET and DAMP here in the winter...okay always!!!) and noticed them and picked them for me. As you can see I surround myself with pics of my family. Now that is something to rejoice in! Okay...I promise to do photo retakes tomorrow once things are settled. And seriously I LOVE this new layout in my room. I just wish I had the real before pics.



Have a super day.

It's release Tuesday at CHF!

I can hardly wait for you to see all of Aimee Nugent's Easter stamps . Today, I created a card with her recently released backgrounder stamp. Make sure you check out all the new stamps being released TODAY at CHF.



Note: Using white pigment ink I stamped Fine Finials on Spring Willow Medium cardstock.

Recipe

Stamp Set(s):
-Fine Finials Backgrounder (Aimee Nugent) by Cornish Heritage Farms

Ink
-White Colorbox Queue by Clearsnap

Paper
-Frosted Teal by Prism Paper
-Razzleberry Dark by Prism Paper
-White Prismatic by Prism Paper
Spring Willow Medium by Prism Paper

Accessories:
-Amy Butler Chipboard Stickers
-Nestabilities by Spellbinders
-Corner Rounder by EK Success

Alli

Sneak Peak from CHF!

Don't you just love new rubbah? Today's mail included some of the new backgrounders and images by talented artist Aimee Nugent! Aimee has been working behind the scenes at CHF to produce some distinct and inspirational stamps. You'll be happy to know that the backgrounders she created are now available: Sophisticated Swirl and Fine Finials. Aimee's Inspirational Easter stamps will be released this Tuesday.

Want a sneak peak?



Recipe

Stamp Set(s):
-Easter Filled With Love (Aimee Nugent) by Cornish Heritage Farms
-Dove with Branch (Aimee Nugent) by Cornish Heritage Farms
-Sophisticated Swirl (Aimee Nugent) by Cornish Heritage Farms

Ink
-Espresso by Ranger
-White Colorbox Queue by Clearsnap
-Rose Colorbox Queue by Clearnsap

Paper
-Suede Brown Dark by Prism Paper
-Razzleberry Medium by Prism Paper
-White Prismatic by Prism Paper

Accessories:
-C-1 Ciao Copic
-Misc ribbon
-Pop dots

Make sure you do some "blurfing" on the other CHF design team member's blogs to see even MORE sneak peaks (you can find them listed at the right under My CHF Design Pals)

On a final note...I have to shout out a special thanks to Gina K!!!! I can still hardly believe it but I won the Janome Sew Mini she had for blog candy. When I first saw cards being sewn I was so excited I began my search for a Janome. Unfortunately, I found out they are not readily available in Canada. I ended up going to the local thrift store and buying a 1970's clunker...it was green and smelled of mildew. In fact I ended up naming it the beast. I think it weighed 25lbs! To tell you the truth, I really didn't care what it looked like more so than what it was going to do for me. As a non sewer I enlisted the help of my MIL who helped me with the settings. By the time she had a good look at it she told me that what I wanted to do with it would not happen. The machine ate my paper! I was SOOO sad. Ever since then, faux stitching has been my means of adding that sewn look to my cards. Although I have shown you some "sewn" cards on my blog, I had help with those...thanks goes to my MIL, Ang Clow and to Sherrie Siemens who graciously shared their sewing skills with me.
Now with Gina K's help I will actually be able to make my own bobbin, thread the machine, insert the bobbin and make real stitches on my card!!! Have you seen her FAB tutorials? For a newbie sewer like me I TOTALLY needed those tutorials.
Have a wonderful Saturday!

Alli