Be Present for Christmas - Lesson 4 - When All the Miracles Begin

Our activity for the next 2 weeks is creating an Advent Calendar.  I found a wide variety during my on-line research.  I chose a garland type calendar with a scripture reading for every day.

I cut the envelopes with the Stampin Up Petal Card Bigz die. For this calendar, I chose navy card stock. The bottom three petals of the envelope were adhered together with quick dry adhesive leaving the top petal to hang the envelope.  A hole was added to the top petal and a piece of coordinating thread was pulled through and a knot was added to the end. Each envelope holds a small sheet with the day's scripture verse and also a small sheet is included to write down the day's activity.  I found the set of scripture readings here (A Girl and Her Blog).  I punched a SUcircle in gold and color printed the numbers to match the navy and burgundy colors I chose.  Again, they were adhered to the other side of the envelope with quick dry adhesive.  I ran a length of white grosgrain ribbon through the burgundy felt garland to add strength and interest. White buttons were sewn in the middle of the circle elements in the felt making sure that the ribbon was attached.  The envelopes are then hung onto each button.  This allows you to take down the envelope to the family, have your time of sharing and then return it to the garland.  For children to track the progress the number can be turned to the back each day so they know which date in December is next.

This week the lesson focus is When all the Miracles Begin. It's the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah.   We don't have to work for the coming of the Lord. He will prepare our hearts for His coming.  You don't have to work for Christmas, you don't have to earn Christmas, you don't have to perform Christmas, you don't have to make Christmas. Just open your hear to the miracle. 

I'm selecting my lessons from The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp.  The book provides 24 lessons for each day of Advent of which I have chosen 7 for this class.  We will have readings, questions, discussion, and an activity each week.

Christmas Stack - Silver Poinsettia

Today, I'm posting my Christmas Stack Class.  This first card has a gorgeous metallic and organza silk poinsettia as the focal element. I chose a grey card stock onto which I printed a damask pattern which I downloaded from Clker and the greeting in a burgundy color to match the felt ribbon.  I placed a piece of silver satin ribbon across the wide card below the damask pattern. The ends of the ribbon are tape to the inside of the card.  Then I adhered the centre of the burgundy felt ribbon across the satin ribbon going from top to bottom edges of the card, to the left of the greeting.  I opened the card flat and used a push pin to create a hole in the ribbons and the card front for the silver brad.  I cut the centre of the flower with the Tim Holtz - Tattered Poinsettias die from the same felt ribbon.  I then placed the small centre, the organza flower, the metallic silver flower onto the brad.  The I placed the prongs of the brad through the hole I just made and spread the prongs apart on the inside of the card.

You can find the Ready 2 Go kit here.

Christmas Card Challenge - May - Textiles

Working on Christmas cards again this month.  The challenge for May was textiles - Fabric, Felt, Velvet, Ribbon, Tulle, Lace. I'm sure there something else you can think of.
I chose this red felt die cut ribbon.  I wanted something simple and elegant.  I stuck with a mostly white on white design.  I chose a white card and then layered a white layer embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder.  I cut the straight edges of the ribbon and trimmed the cut ends to make then prettier.  I layered a white silk flower onto a white poinsettia held in place with a blue brad.  I used another blue brad to hold down the other half of the ribbon.  The greeting is a SU Modern Label punchie in navy with a color printed greeting punched with the SU Word Window.  The greeting is raised with 3D foam tape. 

Card - Christmas Felt Ribbon

Here's another sample I made for my May Christmas card challenge.  I started with the ribbon.  I selected a navy card with a gold card stock layer embossed with the SU Petals a Plenty folder.  This was glued to the card front.  I placed the ribbon across the card then placed the double poinsettias to the right hand side.  I added a red sequin onto the brushed gold brad then placed it into the centre of the flowers then into the hole made with a push pin.  Once placed the prongs are spread on the inside of the card.  I added 2 more brushed gold brads on either end of the ribbon, inserted in holes made with a push pin.  The greeting is color printed and punched with the SU Word Window punch which is layered onto a SU Modern Label punchie.  This accent is mounted onto the card front with 3D foam tape.

Card - Textiles Experiment

This is my first attempt at a card for my May Christmas Card Challenge - Textiles.  The shimmery, sheer material is stuff I bought a Dollarama on a roll.  It is quite stiff so proved a challenge to use. I chose an ivory card and stamped greeting in red in the bottom right hand corner.  I laid a strip of double sided tape across the card and pressed the organza material onto it as I made folds in it.  I then selected this red felt border which I laid over the folds I had made.  I punched 3 MS Snowflake punchies from ivory shimmery card stock and placed them along the border and held them in place with red brads.  I added 2 red brads in the most left and right holes to keep the felt securely in place.  I don't think I will make more.  I will move on with the red felt border and see what else I can create.