Spring All Occasion Card Workshop

I'm hosting an all-occasion card workshop next Monday night - June 27th at my place at 7:30pm! 
The workshop is create at your own pace, make as many cards as you would like for just $1.50 each & you choose which cards to make.  I'll have 10-12 different designs for you to choose from.    You can change up the sentiments to meet your needs and you'll leave with a great assortment!

Here is a peek at a few of the cards you'll be able to choose from:

I still have room for a few more attendees, so if you'd like to join us - send me an email ASAP at csironside@shaw.ca so that I can make sure to have enough supplies ready to go!

Happy Spring

Calgary had a glimpse of spring this past weekend - - and then a big cold front blew in yesterday and we are back to below normal temperatures and a forecast of snow.  Enough already!!
So while we wait for winter to end - - I'll just think spring in my craft room to keep my spirits up!
Love these fun 3D flowers from the "Spring Up" stamp set!

Linking up to a few challenges:
Papertake Weekly - Truly Dimensional
If the Shoe Fits  . . . Scrap It - Spring

Materials Used:
Spring Up Stamp Set
Blessed stamp set (April 2011 Stamp of the Month)
Red/Pink/Purple Sparkle Assortment
Pearl Opaques
Cardstock: Juniper, Colonial White, Creme Brulee
Paper: Aspen (retired)
Ink: Juniper, Tulip, Creme Brulee

A few more Christmas cards

I'm still here!!  I've been battling strep throat, as well as caring for a sick kid!  So please forgive my absence of late!  My Christmas plans (and crafts) have all completely gone off track!!  Hope to get everyone healthy and will resume posting regularly once the holidays are done!!

In the meantime - here are a few simple Christmas cards I made a while back:

This first one features the retired paper Holiday/Everlasting Creative Basics.  The stamp set is "A Timber".

This one features the retired paper pack Aspen and the snowman stamp set is one of my all time favourites "Snow Friends".

Hope your Christmas preparations are going well . . . only 3 more sleeps!!

CTMH Christmas Card Extravaganza!

I've been super busy planning and creating in preparation for this year's Christmas Card workshops!
Here are the results:

A great selection of holiday cards!  Some are cased from fellow CTMH consultants, some are inspired by CTMH Idea Book artwork, others are designed by me!  Lots of variety, something for everyone!  Different techniques on every card!

I will be running a series of "Christmas Card Extravaganza" workshops at my home in Calgary in late November and early December!  Work at your own pace - make as many cards as you want, and you pick the designs you want! 
Not in the Calgary area or unable to attend?  I'm also offering these cards in take-home workshop kits - precut and prestamped! 

Details of cost, registration, dates and times of these workshops and take-home workshop kits can be found HERE.

Here are the close-ups of the cards (all materials used are Close to My Heart (CTMH)):

CASE'd from Carol Labuski

Materials Used:

Mistletoe Level 2 Paper Pack

St. Nick acrylic stamp set

Peace on Earth acrylic stamp set

Cranberry Grosgrain

Colonial White Brad

Cardstock: New England Ivy, Colonial White

CASE'd from Corinna McGregor

Materials Used:

Festive Frills acrylic stamp set

Glimmer ribbon from the Mistletoe Creative Basics

Opaques Pearls

Cardstock: Ponderosa Pine, Desert Sand, Colonial White

CASE'd from Susan Daniels

Materials Used:

Share the Magic acrylic stamp set (October 2010 Stamp of the Month)

Christmas Melodies acrylic stamp set

Black Grosgrain ribbon

Cardstock: Black, White Daisy

CASE'd from Corinna McGregor

Materials Used:

Mistletoe Level 2 Paper Pack

Snow Days acrylic stamp set

Glitz Glitter Gel

Licorice opaques

Cardstock: Colonial White, Cranberry

Designed by Carla Ironside

Materials Used:

Aspen Level 2 Paper Pack (retired)

Father Christmas acrylic stamp set

Clear Sparkle

Cardstock: Creme Brulee, Outdoor Denim

CASE'd from Lisa Stenz

Materials Used:

Jingle Borders acrylic stamp set

Peace on Earth acrylic stamp set

Holiday Trinkets acrylic stamp set

Foam Tape

Liquid Glass

Cardstock: White Daisy, Chocolate, Baby Pink

Designed by Carla Ironside

Materials Used:

Share the Magic acrylic stamp set (October 2010 Stamp of the Month)

5/8" White Daisy Organdy Ribbon

Clear Sparkle

White Embossing Powder

Cardstock: Crystal Blue, White Daisy, Petal, Sweet Leaf

 Inspired by the CTMH Idea Book

Materials Used:

Jingle Level 2 Paper Pack

Holiday Trinkets acrylic stamp set

Holiday Buttons

Cardstock: Olive, Smokey Plum, Colonial White

Ribbon (from my stash - not CTMH)

Inspired by the CTMH Idea Book

Materials Used:

Aspen Level 2 Paper Pack (retired)

Evergreen acrylic stamp set

Red Sparkles

Dimensional Elements Stars in DE Flurry

Cardstock: Juniper, Colonial White, Creme Brulee

Designed by Carla Ironside

Materials Used:

Jingle Level 2 Paper Pack

Jingle Creative Basics (retired)

Just for the Holidays acrylic stamp set

Peace on Earth acrylic stamp set

White Daisy Grosgrain

Bitty Sparkles

Black Eyelets

Cardstock: Black, White Daisy

Designed by Carla Ironside

Materials Used:

Passages Level 2 Paper Pack

I Believe acrylic stamp set

Peace on Earth acrylic stamp set

Red Sparkle

Cocoa Grosgrain

Cardstock: Cocoa, Colonial White

Designed by Carla Ironside

Materials Used:

Colonial White Circle Card Base

Magnifique Level 2 Paper Pack

Share the Magic acrylic stamp set (October 2010 Stamp of the Month)

A Timber acrylic stamp set

Chocolate Brads

Glitz Glitter Gel

Cardstock: Chocolate, Colonial White

CASE'd from Kelly English Triggs

Materials Used:

Tannenbaum acrylic stamp set

Cranberry Grosgrain Ribbon

Cranberry Brads

Cardstock: Cranberry, New England Ivy, Colonial White

CASE'd from Kelly English Triggs

Materials Used:

Mistletoe Creative Basics (paper and ribbon)

Adornable acrylic stamp set

Holiday Trinkets acrylic stamp set

Cardstock: Cranberry, Colonial White

Fabulous, right?!?!  Which ones are your favourites?  Or do you want to make one of each? If you are in the Calgary area - I hope you'll join me to make Christmas cards this year!!  Bring a friend for a fun ladies night out!   Get all the workshop details HERE and contact me today to register - spaces are limited!!

CTMH Event Calendar to get ready for the New Year!

Here is a CTMH Event Calendar that I recently made.  These are perpetual calendars you can use year after year to make note of birthdays, anniversaries and any other dates you don't want to forget.  Decorate them as you wish! 

Mine was inspired by one done by Jen Rubio.

I used all CTMH papers & stamps on this project - but there are so many different ones, I am not going to list them all here.  If you have any questions about any products I used - please just send me an email (csironside@shaw.ca). 

So happy to get back in my craft room this week now that all the festivities are over.  Feels great to be creating again.  Will have more new artwork to post soon!!

CTMH Aspen Card for Amy's Challenge

I finally had a chance to put something together for Amy's challenge. Amy is the daughter of my blogging friend Sarah. Amy put out a challenge last week to use this fabulous sketch she designed.

Here is my entry:

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart, except as noted):

• Aspen Level 2 Paper Pack
• Shining Star Acrylic Stamp Set
• Peace on Earth Acrylic Stamp Set
• Dimensional Elements Flurry Collection
• Cardstock: Twilight
• Inks: Creme Brulee, Outdoor Denim
• Other - Shimmerz

Thanks for the sketch Amy! Great job!

More CTMH Aspen - Let it Snow!

I'm not done with my Aspen scraps yet . . . trying to clear them out before the new Christmas papers come available in the Fall/Winter Idea Book. (Did you know that consultants can order from the new Idea Books a whole month ahead of their official release? That means I can order all those new Christmas papers to start playing with on August 1st!!!!! Can't wait!!)

A quick & easy card for Sparkle's Christmas Card Challenge #34. This week's challenge is to use a sticker somewhere on your card.

The card design is "Oval Solitaire" from the Close to My Heart Originals Card Confidence Program.

It is hard to tell in the photo - but the snowman image, as well as the "O" in Snow are both popped up with Foam Squares. And for some reason my oval image looks like it is on colonial white - - but is actually white daisy (bright white) . . . still working on my photo skills!!

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Aspen Level 2 Paper Pack
• Snow Friends Acrylic Stamp Set
• December Word Puzzle Acrylic Stamp Set
• Color Ready Alphabet Stickers - Hodge Podge
• Color Ready Alphabet Stickers - Bold
• White Daisy Grosgrain Ribbon
• Cardstock: White Daisy & Bamboo
• Inks: Outdoor Denim & Bamboo

Thanks for stopping by!!

CTMH Aspen - Christmas Wishes

Certainly not the most elaborate card I've ever made - - but it's Friday and the mojo just isn't happening today!! Still, happy to have another Christmas card done!

It was a double Christmas card challenge this week over at Sparkle Creations. We had a sketch to work with, but also had the challenge of: one color of cardstock (other than the white your image is stamped on), 5 pieces of paper, 2 stamps, and 2 embellishments. I think I managed to accomplish this - - My border is Outdoor Denim Cardstock, I used 5 pieces of paper, there are the 2 Christmas tree stamps and my two embellishments were the ribbon and the rub-ons. I deviated from the sketch a little as my sentiment piece just didn't look right - so I moved it!

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Aspen Level 2 Paper Pack
• Evergreen Acrylic Stamp Set
• Inks: Bamboo, Outdoor Denim
• Cardstock: Outdoor Denim, White Daisy
• Other: White Daisy Nature's Ambience Rub-Ons, Twill Ribbon from the Designer Ribbon Rounds Outdoor Denim Collection.

CTMH Aspen & a Christmas Card Challenge!

I was visiting Alanna's Blog a few days ago and noticed a great weekly Christmas Card challenge she has been participating in. The challenge is at Sparkle Creations. Every week Sparkle posts a new challenge - some are sketches, some are colours, some are use a certain item, etc., with the idea being that if you do just one Christmas card a week - you won't have that big panic to make cards in December, the week before you need to get them mailed!! I LOVE IT! I'm all about planning ahead & being prepared!!

So - I'm jumping in a little late in the game - but here is my card for Sparkle's Christmas Card Challenge #29 (this week's challenge was a sketch):

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Aspen Level 2 Paper Packet
• Snow Friends Acrylic Stamp Set
• December Word Puzzle (a must have for any Holiday Card maker!!)
• Inks: Outdoor Denim, Creme Brulee, Black, Twilight
• Cardstock: Outdoor Denim (included in Aspen paper packet) and White Daisy
• Other: Outdoor Denim Twill ribbon from the Outdoor Denim Designer Ribbon Rounds Collection