Christmas Card Challenge - Green Tree

I cut some bright green designer paper into triangle trees.  This is a very efficient use of paper.  I used a 6x12 piece and cut 7 trees with 3 inch base and 5 inches tall.

I cut a piece of My Mind's Eye designer paper featuring triangle trees into rectangles 4.00x5.25 inches.

I chose 3 different card base colors to coordinate with colors in the paper. Kraft, white and Soft Sky.

I glue the triangle tree onto the designer paper.  I added a sequin star at the top with a Bling Zot.  I added one white snowflake and red sequins on the tree with Zots.

The greeting was cut from ribbon.  It was adhered with double sided tape at the bottom of the tree.

As you can see from the samples below I chose different colored sequins too!

Christmas Card Challenge - October - White Dove

The challenge for Christmas Cards this month is White Dove. I made several of these.

I chose designer paper from a 12x12 glitter pad by My Mind`s Eye - Sweet Dreams - Holiday Avenue. I cut it to 4 inches tall and 5.25 inches wide and ripped the bottom edge. 

I printed the greeting on white and ripped the bottom edge.

These were layered then adhered to the front of a deep warm blue card.

The dove was cut with the Dee's Distinctively - Dies - Dove Right.  The extra wing was glued to the back of the dove.  Then adhered to the card front on the designer paper.  I added a few sequins to finish off the card.

Christmas Card Challenge - Sept - Silver Candle

The prompt for the Christmas Card Challenge is Silver Candle.

I chose to use the Tim Holtz Alterations Candlelight Bigz Die.  I cut the larger of the candles from silver non shed glitter paper. I cut the wax drips from white pearl card stock.  I cut the flame from gold non shed glitter card stock. The flame accent is cut from the pearl white card stock.  I assembled this accent with Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive.

I cut the boughs with Impression Obsession Pine Branch thin die from green and pearl white card stock.  The green was adhered to the red card then the candle was adhered over it. Then I added the pearl white and trimmed it to the card edge.

The greeting is grey printed onto a Stampin Up Modern  Label punch to which I added 3 silver rhinestones on the right hand side. It is adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Christmas Card Challenge - Aug - Gold Nativity

I'm getting back to my Christmas Card challenge.  For August the prompts were Gold - Nativity.

I chose a set of coordinating designer paper by Graphic 45 - Twas the Night Before Christmas Collection - Twas the Night Before Christmas stripes and HO HO HO Snowflake.

I chose a warm green card and onto which I adhered a piece of snowflake paper to the front leaving a small border.
I cut the label with the Sizzix Frame, Back Ornate #8 die from the striped designer paper. I used the Stampin Up Slot Punch to create holes for the ribbon.  I ran a piece of ivory twill tape across the label through the slot and wrapped the ends inside the card and taped them down.

I cut the nativity with the Penny Black Manger die from green card stock. I punched a piece of gold card stock with a 2 inch circle punch. I layered these together and placed it in the center of the label with a gold star brad.

I prefer the design with red cotton ribbon instead of the twill tape.  I replaced the gold star brad with a red one.

Keep an eye out as I try to catch up to the challenges I missed.  I will be adding them to the first of the appropriate month.

Christmas Card Challenge - July - Copper Wisemen

I am catching up on my card challenge.

I started with a warm light blue card. 
I added a piece of designer paper by Imaginations - Sky.  It was cut to leave a small border.

I used the Stampin Up Come to Bethlehem set onto vellum and embossed it with copper powder.  It was trimmed to the edge of the DSP. I tacked in in place with a bit of ds tape behind the wisemen.

I then cut a piece of white card stock to complement the sand dune on the vellum.  I hand cut that and glued it onto the card front and then trimmed it to the bottom of the card. I then used a push pin for the holes for the copper brads. Two round ones in the corners and a star one in the middle of the star.

Christmas Card Challenge - June - Brown Gingerbread

The prompt for the Christmas Card Challenge for June is Brown Gingerbread.

I selected a plaid designer paper which had a nice variety of colors.  It has brown, green, pink, blue and ivory.  For this set of cards I selected blue, pink and green card bases.  I cut the designer paper to leave a small border and adhered it to the card front.

I cut the gingerbread men with the Sizzix Gingerbread Man die from warm brown card stock.  I coordinated the pieces behind the gingerbread for eyes and hearts with the card base. I used my white opaque marker to create the marks around the edge of the die cut.

I adhered the gingerbread to the card front.  I then made 1/8 inch holes in the top of the card with hole punch.  I then pulled a length of Martha Stewart brown seam binding through the holes and created a knot in the center of the card.  I trimmed the ends with scissors.

With a great pink option on the back of the DSP I was able to create six cards which a just a bit different from one another.

I finally threw out my white gel markers.  They have not worked from the beginning.  I will have to find a fine white marker because this gingerbread is a regular accent for my Christmas cards.

Christmas Card Challenge - May - Purple Ornament

The Christmas Card Challenge prompt for this month is Purple Ornament.

I chose a black card and cut some purple polka dot single sided paper to leave a small border and adhered it to the front of the card.  

I chose one of the 2011 Spellbinder Hierloom Ornament Nestabilities dies which I cut from purple cardstock and pearl white card stock. I then cut the Tim Holtz Joy Mover and Shaper in the center of the ornament. These were layered together and adhered.  I then rubbed the edge with a black ink pad so it would stand out against the polka dot paper.

I cut the hanger with the Sizzix Ornament #2 die from the same pearl white card stock. It was adhered to the top of the ornament.  I added a length of black knitting ribbon. Then I added 3D foam tape to the ornament and glued it to the card front.

Christmas Card Challenge - April - White Snowflake

The Christmas Card Challenge prompt for June was White & Snowflake.

I chose a white felt snowflake ornament for this card.  I cut a couple of my pieces of alcohol ink backgrounds into 2.5 inch circles to fill the snowflake center of the ornament. I added a length of Kelly Green seam binding which coordinated very well with the alcohol ink paper to the hanger.  I trimmed the ends with scissors.

I selected a turquoise card and decided it needed a bit of something before I put the ornament onto it.  I used a wavy template and followed it with a push pin making holes in the card front.  It sort of suggests falling snow. 

I added 3 large white snowflake confetti.  A couple on the ornament and one off which are held in place with light blue tiny brads.

Christmas Card Challenge - March - Navy Bethlehem

The June Christmas Card Challenge is Navy Bethlehem.

I chose a navy card.  I cut the Taylor Expressions Bethlehem Border die in gold card stock.  The border does not cut a bottom edge so I could leave a lot of card stock below. I aligned it on the card then I placed a left over wavy card stock from a previous project onto the border to create sand dunes. I adhered these layers to the card front.

I punched a star with the Martha Stewart Bright Star Medium punch.  I adhered it to the card front on the left with Bling Zots. I then added gold sequins across the blue sky with the same Zots.

I stamped the greeting on the white dune in royal blue ink with on of the Lil Inkers Design - Instant Camera - Christmas stamp set.

For this card I adhered the white curvy card stock to the Bethlehem Border die cut then cut both layers at once with the largest smooth circle from the Nestabilities set. I then cut a piece of vellum with the same die. I adhered the vellum behind the gold Bethlehem.

I punched the same star and adhered that on the left hand side.  I punched several more to get the small star in the center.  I glued these around the sky with the Bling Zots.   Stamped the same greeting.

Christmas Card Challenge - February - Red Heart

This card is for my monthly Christmas Card Challenge which is Red Heart for February.

I chose a red card and added a layer of designer paper - Bazzill Basics Paper - Holiday Style - Stitched Green.

I tied a plaid ribbon on the right hand side and trimmed the ends.

I used the Stampin Up Sweetheart Punch with red metallic paper to create the heart accents which were adhered with 3D foam tape. 

I printed the greeting and trimmed it to end under the ribbon on the right.  I used red and green to repeat the colors from the card in the greeting.

Christmas Card Challenge - January - Yellow Star

This is my first Christmas Card challenge for 2018.

I chose yellow and black as the color combo for this card.  I selected a black card base.

I used the Stampin Up Bright and Beautiful stamp set.  I chose the medium sized star and filled it with yellow and outlined in black.  I cut it with the corresponding framelit from the Star Framelit set from SU.

I cut the printed star and a corresponding solid card from Summer Sun card stock.  I layered the stars onto each other then placed them onto the open card front and used a push pin to make a hole in all layers.  I installed the yellow mini brad in the center of the stars and then shifted the yellow star to create the 10 pointed star.

I used the hole in the card front to string some yellow thread through several times to create the star rays as shown.  I tied the thread and taped them in place on the inside of the card.  The star accent was mounted aligned with the rays and adhered with 3D foam tape.  I trimmed the greeting with even borders and used a corner rounder punch on the top right and bottom left hand corners.  The greeting was adhered to the bottom right hand corner of the card with 3D foam tape.

I am making fewer cards this year as I used quite a few less this year.

2018 Christmas Card Challenge

Here's my blog challenge list for 2018.  I hope some will join me in making Christmas Cards all year long.  Please leave me a comment if you are making Christmas Cards this year.

I have to confess I only gave out half of what I made last year because of issues of distribution.  This year, I am cutting back on how many I make each month but I love the challenge so I will carry on.  Giving cards is in such decline, that saddens me.

2018 Christmas Card Challenge                                         Possible ideas
January	Yellow Star	Embossed die cut
February	Red Heart	Foil paper
March	Navy Bethlehem	Sparkle background
April	White Snowflake	Watercolor background for diecut
May	Purple Ornament	Lavender with dark purple layer
June	Brown Gingerbread	Plaid background
July	Copper Wisemen	Stamped image
August	Gold Nativity	Circle on ornament
September	Silver Candle	Stamped or embossed
October	White Dove	Brad or die cut
November	Green Tree	Triangle or die cut
December	Glitter Snowman	TH Wonder