Peace on Earth 2021

Wishing all my blog friends 

a very Merry Christmas, Peace on Earth, 

or Happy Holidays 

however you celebrate!

2021 Photo Card

I try to make at least one Christmas photo card every year.

I was given this dove ornament a couple of years ago by one of my sisters.  I decided this year to use it for my photo card.

I wanted Peace on Earth so I needed to create myself an earth. I set the dove up in my photo studio so assess what size the earth should be.  I determined it needed to be about 8 inches in diameter.

I found a dish in the kitchen and traced that onto a piece of bristol vellum card stock.  I found a tutorial on line on how to draw an earth.  Using the instructions I drew an earth in pencil so I could erase until I had it right. I then painted it in watercolor ensuring that I had enough texture in the land and water.  I then added the borders in black Sharpie marker. 

Once it was dry, I installed it in the studio adhered to a blue material background I have for the studio.  I used several Zots to hold where I wanted it.

Then I found many shots with different lighting and angles.   I reviewed my shots and took some more and repeated the process one more time.

I was finally happy with one of the shots.  

I added the greeting and the olive branch in post processing.  I printed the card at 4x6 inches.  Once those were back from the developer, I got ready to create the cards.  I was glad that I had used black borders and black shadow on the greeting which worked really well with a black 110lb card base.  I adhered the photos to the card front of a 5x7 (A7) card base.  I printed a sentiment in keeping with Peace on Earth on letter paper and trimmed those to fit inside.  I adhered those with glue stick. 

Just like that I have 15 photo cards to add to my stash.  Very happy with these.  The ornament is headed to my other sisters house for Christmas because she loved it.  I am sure the earth will come in handy in the photo studio again.  Win Win!

Ready2Go Christmas Stack Kit - Blue & Cream Dove and Peace on Earth

I worked on a Christmas Stack kit in case someone wants to get a head start on those cards.

The image is a recycled Christmas card featuring navy, light blue and cream.

I added a light blue layer of card stock to repeat that color which was cut to 4 x 5.25 inches leaving a small border.

I chose a cream card in the tall orientation.

These layers were all adhered to the card front with the light blue first and the dove next.

I created a greeting with the Stampin Up Artisan Label punch.  I used the navy and light blue in teh greeting, color printed it and then punched it out.

It was adhered to the card front with 3D foram tape aligned on the dark/light line on the dove layer. 

This is another recycled Christmas card layer. 

I cut the black layer to 4 x 5.25 inches leaving a small border of card base showing.

I chose Kraft card stock to repeat the kraft colored swirls on the right hand side.

The Peace on Earth layer was adhered to the black layer then I used 3 round tiny brads in the top left, bottom left and bottom right corners.  A push pin was used to make the holes before the brad was inserted.  I selected 3 of the dots in the design for the star brads.

The 3D foam tape was cut in 4 pieces and placed on the 4 corners of the black layer.  It was then adhered to the front of the card.

A quarter sheet insert was used in these cards.

Loving how this one came together.

Christmas Card Challenge - Oct - Banner Turquoise

My blog`s Christmas Card challenge for October is Banner and Turquoise.  I`m sorry this is late.

I chose a warm turquoise card and found some Christmas designer paper from Best Creation Inc. It features a warm snowflake background with purple glittered snowflakes.  It was cut to leave a small border.

I created a banner with the Stampin Up Banner Triple punch.  The blue banner is cut to 2 inches wide then the white is 1.5 inches wide.  I stamped the greeting with a stamp from Stampin Up - Four the Holidays stamp set.  I used the Baja Breeze stamp pad.  The two banners were layered and then trimmed to 5 inches long.  I adhered it to the card front. 

I adhered a 1 inch circle punchie in deep purple to the left of the greeting.  I then added a white metal dove brad by making a hole with a push pin for the prongs. 

Christmas Card Challenge - Aug - Copper/Square

This is my card for the Christmas Card blog challenge.  The challenge this month is Copper and Square.  I ensure that I get all my Christmas cards by November 1st.  Will you join me?

I started with the metallic copper card stock. I cut it with the Sizzix Dove die and Stitched Squares Frame.

I selected a medium purple card.

I created a star background which I printed on vellum, embossed with copper powder and trimmed it to leave a small border.

I placed the square on the angle and adhered it to the vellum and centered the dove in the middle.  I then applied adhesive behind the vellum under the same places and placed it on the card front.

I then selected 4 places to add a tiny copper star  brad to ensure all pieces stay in place, in 2 stars at the top and the 2 stars beside the greeting.

You can check this link to see the cards so far and the first post contains all the challenge. Pick the one that inspires you.   If  make a card leave me a comment. 

Joining the summer Christmas Card link up at Merry Monday.

2016 Digital Christmas Cards

 I've designed my digital Christmas card offering for this year.

It features a star glitter ornament from my photo shoot the other day,  my Bethlehem in an blue oval, Madonna and Child, and Peace on Earth with my own Alphabet Photography.

Be Present for Christmas - Lesson 2 - Climbing Up

One of the activities suggested for this lesson was Christmas cards.

That was right up my alley.  These cards feature a vellum layer which has a large greeting which I found on a free vector image site.  I modified it to my needs.  I added a earth to the bottom edge of the vellum. It is a map of North America which I found at Brian Jones Design.  As you can see I`m just using the very top of the image.  I added my own Bethlehem star in the top right hand corner. This design was printed on a quarter sheet of vellum in a light grey color which was them embossed with silver powder. It was then trimmed to 3.75x5 inches.

The snowflake designer paper by Recollections - Michaels was cut to leave a small border and adhered to a royal blue textured card.  The vellum is adhered with 2 tiny pewter brads in the bottom corners and a large dove brad over the word Peace.

This card features a gold embossed vellum layer with vintage gold tiny brads and the same white dove brad.  I chose a warm brown card.

The designer paper is American Crafts - Kringle & Co. - Lighting Department.  This is the back side.

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 6 for this class.  We will have readings, questions, discussion, and an activity each week.

The lesson this week features Jacob and a dream he had of climbing a very long ladder trying to get to heaven.  People keep trying to do enough good, climb enough steps, haul up enough rungs to finally pull their whole weary selves all the long, impossible way up to heaven. But the thing is, we live in a fallen world and we have a tendency to fall of imaginary ladders. We don`t have to strive up ladders because Jesus came down to us. What if every time you looked at a Christmas tree you saw a bit of a ladder?

Christmas Cards - Peace On Earth

I added some cards to my Christmas box this week. 
I created this Peace on Earth graphic from several elements.  The large greeting I found on a free vector image site.  I modified it to my needs.  I added a earth to the bottom edge of the vellum. It is a map of North America which I found at Brian Jones Design.  As you can see I`m just using the very top of the image. 
This design was printed on a quarter sheet of vellum in a light grey color which was them embossed with silver powder. It was then trimmed to 3.75x5.00 inches.  
I chose a designer paper with a forest theme with pine trees which was cut to 4.00x5.25 inches.  I picked a pea green textured card.  The designer was adhered to the card front then the vellum was aligned and 2 tiny brads were placed in the bottom corners. 
Then the dove brad was placed above the word of Peace. 

I now have 103 Christmas cards.

Christmas Card Count - 100

I finally got around to putting inserts into the Christmas cards on my desk and I have 100 cards in my box!! Yeah!

This is a digital card I made in 2013 from one of my own photographs.  It was a colored photo which I changed to a monochromatic color of blue.  I also applied some texture to it with a filter.  I added a frame around the holy family.  This is a recycled card so I cut down the original card front and adhered it to a blue card base. 

Letterhead - Digital - Christmas

I was asked this year to prepare some letterheads for Christmas letters.  For the Bethlehem one, I started with my original drawing and embellished it with the Peace on Earth and a large snowbank.  I'm happy with it.

This Joy to the World one involved layout and design and less drawing.  I think they both turned really well.

I can start a library of these digital files which provides an alternative to what is commercially available.  Of course they can be adapted to any color scheme one might like.