Christmas Card Challenge - May - Large Words

The theme for the May Christmas Card Challenge is Large Words.

I chose the Poppy Stamps Magnificent Merry thin die for my large greeting.  I selected a quarter sheet of 110lb white card stock.  First I printed "Christmas" in Night of Navy in the bottom right hand corner.
Then I ran the quarter sheet through my Big Shot aligning the die with the printed word. I pulled the word out of the sheet and made sure I kept the negative spaces in the m&e.
I used a light warm blue chalk above the curve.  I did the same with the negatives spaces from the M and E.
I used a dark warm blue chalk on the "merry" word.  I cut a piece of bond paper for the back.  Added a couple of strips of double sided tape behind the word and returned the darker blue word back into place including the small negative pieces.  I then punched white snowflakes for above the curve and blue ones for below.  I am really happy with this one!

Here's my inspiration card which I found on Splitcoast Stampers.

I worked on improving the process. 

If I kept one piece white and  watercolored the other then it would be easy to just switch them.  The green piece was a companion background to the one on this card. I cut both quarter sheet peices with the Magnificent Merry thin lit making sure I did not lose the negative space pieces in the m and e.

I put scotch tape on the back of the large piece, turned it over and just plunked the die cut into the hole. I put the negative pieces in as well.  The advantages are the colors all match.  In the blue one I had to do the negative pieces separately.  Once the tape was well burnished from the back to ensure the die cut would stay put I trimmed the quarter sheet to leave a tiny border of the warm green card. 

I created the color printed banner greeting, fussy cut to the edge, and adhered it to the card front with 3D foam tape. I adhered a shed free silver glitter star to intersect the "merry" with a bling glue dot.  I used a bit of the Stampin Up Watercolor Wonder crayons on the original background so I just spattered this card with some of the same colors.

Now I have 2 cards that are the opposite of each other. This one spattered with white acrylic paint.

I will certainly use this die again now that I have found this technique.

Christmas Card Challenge - Scallop Oval / Lavender

This is my card for my blog Christmas Card Challenge.  The theme for September is Scallop Oval and Lavender.   I chose a white card then layered a piece lavender designer paper cut to leave a small border.  I then cut a scallop oval from lavender card stock with Spellbinder Nestabilities die.  I placed a iridescent fabric snowflake on every other scallop with a light purple tiny brad.  I placed a large white snowflake created with a Martha Stewart snowflake punch, the layered a medium snowflake again cut with a Martha Stewart punch then an iridescent fabric snowflake all held in place with a light purple tiny brad.  I chose not to include a sentiment as the snowflake says winter very nicely.  Sometimes I have folks on my Christmas Card list which do not celebrate so a winter card works in that situation.

Have you started your Christmas Card Making?  Get started today!

Christmas Thank You Cards - Round 2

Here's the second gift wrap paper I used for Christmas thank you cards. Traditional red, green and white.  This paper was heavy prism paper so it was great to work with.  I cut it to 4.00x5.25 inches and adhered it to the front of a white card. I added 3 white snow flake punchies along the bottom of the card using the lines on the paper for alignment.  I then added an oval punchie with the sentiment in the top right hand corner. 

I made several so that completes what I need to express my appreciation to family and friends for the gifts of many kinds I received this Christmas season.

Decorative Paper - Christmas Cards

I used the Memory Box Snowflake Collage die for these cards.  I cut the snowflakes out of a piece of white card stock which was trimmed to 5.25 x 4.00 inches.  I then layered a piece of my own decorative paper between the white and the colored card.  This die is great because it can be used alone on the card front but there a couple of places where greetings can be added if you like.   The cards can be presented wide or tall which adds to the versatility of the die. I used it with blue, purple and blue green paper and coordinating cards. 

For this card I used decorative paper made with fabric paint.  I cut the blue green paper and corner rounded a couple of the corners.  I added a couple of Martha Stewart snowflake punches held in place with a gold star brad and a white round sequin.  I punched the paper with the Stampin Up Medium Snowflake punch which makes a hole instead of a shape.  I placed tiny gold brads in their centers.  I added several white sequins to the card front with Bling Zots. I added a greeting which was color printed then punched with the Artisan Label Punch.  I punched a blue one and cut it in half and offset it behind the white one.  I used that same technique in card above.

I bought this Memory Box die this summer knowing that I would be making Christmas cards for french speaking folks.  It has been patiently waiting to be used.

For the red green card I cut a piece of green paste paper.  Trimmed it to fit the bottom of the card and added a poinsettia designed with the Stampin Up Five Petal punch in red and gold.  The center is a flower sequin held in place with a tiny gold brad.  I added a green sequin to the dot on the J which is a gold brad.
For the card on the right I cut a piece of soft green bubble paper and adhered it to the bottom of the card.  I added a single gold brad for the dot on the J.  I punched the Stampin Up Medium Snowflake in the same paper then punched the Ornament punch around it.  I added some cream and gold ribbon to the hanger.

Christmas Card Challenge - Sept - Skate Diecut Banner

Here's my card for this month's Christmas Card challenge.  I challenge myself to make cards all year long so that I will have the ones I need by December 1st.  How is your card making going?  I hope you are on track.  I think I'm a little behind.

The focus of the challenge is to include with skates, die cut and a banner.  I cut the Tim Holtz Bigz Die - Ice Skates from some warm blue card stock.  I cut the skate blade again from blue metallic card stock and trimmed it and adhered over the card stock skate. I laced it with some heavy crochet cotton and finished it with a bow at the top. I added a white snowflake punch to the ankle area. I chose a deep warm blue card.  I embossed a white layer with the large Cuttlebug Snowflake embossing folder.  I added a banner greeting which was stamped with Stampin Up sentiment from the Home for Christmas set with Marina Mist on the same card stock as the skate.  I trimmed it close and use the Triple Banner punch to flag both ends and mounted it onto a piece of dark warm blue card stock.

Card - Christmas Ornament

I found this tutorial for the Bokeh technique with Stampin Up products. I tried it but I fear I have not be very successful. I made the background with watercolor paper and Brilliant Blue, Pacific Point, Brocade Blue re-inkers and Whisper White craft ink.  I trimmed it to leave a small border of the Not Quite Navy card.  I cut the ornament with the SU Ornament Keepsakes frame-lits. I added a strip of Silver Glimmer paper on the left hand side. I cut a bow with the Tim Holtz Bunny die from the same paper. I cut a narrow strip of the silver paper and mounted it onto a narrow strip of NQN card stock. I mounted a circle of vellum and a Martha Stewart snowflake punch in the centre of the ornament.  I added stitching around the vellum circle with a silver pen and also added markings on the hanger and the bottom tip. I mounted the ornament to the card front wit 3D foam tape.  I added texture to the background with SU Itty Bitty Background stamps in NQN.

I'm submitting the card to the following challenges:
Sparkles Christmas Challenges - Inspiration Photo - blue and silver ornaments.
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenges - Stitching 

Christmas Card Challenge - Jan - Snowflake Masking Tissue Paper

Here's my card for January's Challenge.
Tissue Paper - I created a tissue paper background. I glued ripped blue tissue paper to white card stock in random pattern in a landscape orientation.  I left some wrinkles as I saw fit.
Masking - I cut a mask which left a large border. I placed it in the center of the blue card. Using a sponge with my Stampin Up Whisper White Craft Ink pad I brushed white ink away from the mask onto the blue card leaving the blue border.  I trimmed the background paper to smaller than the masked area and glued it down. Snowflake - I punched a Martha Stewart snowflake from pearl paper and layered it onto another punched from the same color as the card. I added a small circle of the same as the card to the center of the white snowflake. I mounted these onto the card front with 3D foam tape.  I designed a long banner greeting in the same color as the card.  I trimmed it by hand with scissors. This was mounted with 3D foam tape as well.

Card Kit Redo!

I spent the day working on Christmas cards for my sale.  I had card kits left over from past classes and decided that it was a waste of resources sitting in a box. I made 52 cards today!!

This is a set that I redid the ornament because I was not as happy as I was originally with the kit. I created card stock ornaments to replace the felt ones.

R2G Christmas Card Stack Kit - Snowflake

I stated with the snowflake designer paper.  It is good weight and was great to work with.  I matched it to a blue card.  I chose to coordinate it with a chocolate silver shimmery ribbon.  I cut the designer paper to leave just a small border and adhered it to the card front.  I then placed the ribbon to the left of centre and taped the ends to the inside of the card. I cut 3 snowflakes: 1 blue the same as the card with a Martha Stewart punch, 2 thin snowflake from mirror card stock with a Stampin Up snowflake sizzlet then 3 a white punchie with a smaller MS punch.  I layered these then placed them over the ribbon on the card front and used a push pin to make a hole for the brad.  I used chocolate brown brad to hold all these layers to the card front with the prong being spread apart inside the card.  I designed the banner greeting then color printed it.  It was trimmed by hand then adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape. I added 3 small rhinestones just above the greeting using mini Zots.

Christmas Card Challenge - Oct - Tools Dies

The challenge for October is Tools - Dies.  This could include: Thick Dies from Sizzix or other companies, Electronic Cutters such as Cricut or Silhouette, or Sizzlets, or thin dies such as Spellbinders Nestabilities, Framelits, Thinlits,  Wow hasn't the world of diecutting grown!!










I selected a Flip Card and used the Sizzix Framelits Die Set 11PK Card Circle Flip-its #2. I selected the circle to repeat the circles in the DSP. I cut the card base from a bright green card stock.  Then I cut the layers from Basic Grey Fruitcake Berry Branch DSP. I cut a scallop circle to place on the circle flip.  I added white Martha Stewart snowflake punchie with a glue dot to hold it in place.  I added a piece of cotton ribbon in deep red to the left hand side and knotted it and trimmed the ends.  This is really nice ribbon and was bought at my local arts and crafts store in the Christmas ribbon section.

The picture on the right is of the card open.

Challenge - CCT - Diecuts or Punches

I made this challenge at Cute Card Thursday which was Dies or Punches.  and All Beautiful Cards  which was Monochromatic.  I started with a warm white card.  I cut a Tim Holtz Cabinet die from designer paper in white/craft texture.  I cut the window into the shape with a QuicKutz die.  I printed the stars, snowflakes and hill in Crumb Cake and Soft Suede on the original card.  I added a layer of Soft Suede behind the curve and the bottom. I glued the cabinet window onto the card.  I added a branch die cut with Impression Obesession die of a branch (DEI021-N) in Soft Suede.  The snowflake in the curve at the top is a Martha Stewart punchie on Soft Suede.

Christmas Stack Class - Winter Deer

 Here's a nice peaceful card for the last set. I bought the chipboard deer during the last Christmas season.  The background paper is Little Yellow Bicycle - Winterings on the beige background.  I printed the narrow frame onto the card stock. The blue background I found here.  I colored the deer with Tim Holtz Distress Stain - Gathered Twig on the beige background and Walnut on the blue background.  The deer is  adhered to the right hand side with his feet placed very near the border. The snowflake is created with a Martha Steward snowflake punch with the same card stock as the card and held in place with a tiny white brad.  I color printed the greetings in a coordinating color and cut into a snow bank with my Creative Memories wavy cutter. It is mounted to the background being trimmed to be inside the frame.  It is adhered with 3D foam tape to accommodate the legs of the deer.

Christmas Card Stack - Ornament

I made these sets with green and red cards.  I printed the greeting and the string bow for the ornament on a white layer.  The white layer is cut to leave a small border of card color. The ornament was cut with one of the Spellbinder 2012 Heirloom Ornament Nestabilities. The red and white spotted paper is by Pinecone Press Papers - Rudolph. The black ornament hanger was cut with the Sizzix Ornament die and trimmed straight across. The white snowflake in the ornament centre was cut with the Stampin Up! Northern Snow Flurry Bigz die.  It is held in place with a small crystal brad.  I punched a evergreen garland with a Martha Stewart Double Edge Pine Needles Trim punch. The paper I used was by the AC Kringle & Co Lighting Department.  I punched it wider than I needed and placed it so that string is somewhat covered.  I adhered it down and trimmed it to the card edges.

Challenge Card - Holly Jolly - Add 3 Embellishments

I created this card for the challenge this week at Holly Jolly which is Add 3 Embellishments.   I started with a Real Red card.  I created the background with the Stampin Up! Print Pattern Background Stamp with real red on a piece of white card stock to which I had added Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress stain.  I added a Sizzix Bigz Frame Back Ornate #8 cut from green designer paper. I color printed my greeting with Real Red onto the same Antique Linen card stock I made earlier. I cut the greeting with one of the SU! Apothecary Framelits and brushed it's edges with the ink pad.  I added a silver ornament cut with the Spellbinder 2011 Heirloom Ornament thin dies.  I added a Martha Stewart red glitter snowflake in the centre held with a silver brad. I drew a string for my ornament with a marker. My three embellishments - diecut, greeting and ornament.

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.

Card - Winter Celebrate

I made a couple of these for my card exchange group.  I started with a soft gray textured cardstock.  I mounted this wonderful gold, taupe and gray handmade paper I got quite a while ago.  I really like the damask type design on the paper.  I found that the POW gold glitter paper matched it really well.  I placed a black on white greeting along the bottom edge, mounted a strip of gold glitter paper perpendicular to the the greeting and then placed a black MS snowflake punchie where they cross.  It's held in place with a tiny black brad.

Card - Christmas Eve

I created this card by first selecting a church scene.  I'm sure it's Christmas Eve with folks headed to church. The image was cropped into an oval to which I added a shadow.  I adjusted the colors of the image so that I had a cool image and another which was warmer. The card was color printed and I added a MS snowflake in white topped with a fabric snowflake held in place with tiny white brad.

Christmas Card Stack - Big Snowflakes

Aren't these great looking cards?  I love the color combination. This is a versatile design as it can make a portrait or landscape card.  I chose Cherry  Cobbler and Black card stock.  This card has the fold at the top or on the left side so the card stock was cut 4.25x11". I selected a  turquoise sheer ribbon which was tied around the card front at top/left in a loose square knot.  The Designer paper was cut to 4" square which works great for 12x12 card stock. This was glued to the bottom/right of the card.

I layered the large Sizzix snowflake in white card stock over it with a smaller snowflake between the black tiny brad and the large snowflake.  The red smaller snowflake was cut with the Cricut and the Winter Lace cartridge.  The light blue one on the black card is a Martha Stewart punch.

Christmas Stack Class - Winter Trees

I started with a white card.  I cut a top note shape with the TH Ornamental die from burgundy designer paper.  I cut 2 Sizzix deep green trees, one small and one large.   I color printed the greetings on vellum and embossed them with white powder.  I punched the snowflake with MS punch and applied some glitter glue.

I mounted the top note on the card front.  I then glued the small tree to the card leave space to put the large one next to it later.  The vellum greeting was ripped and mounted on the card and held in place with a tiny white brad and a bit of glue on the right hand side.  I glued the large pine tree to the right of the small on over the vellum greeting.   I added some iridescent glitter glue on the branches of the large tree. I added the large snowflake on the left hand side.   I made a burgundy/dark green and a red/green option.

Christmas Card Stack - B&W Snowflakes

Today, I had my first Christmas Card Stack Class of the season.  I started with the background paper. The top card has silver snowflakes and the bottom has white snowflakes.  I cut the background paper to just smaller than the card front and glued it down. I cut the circle with a Nestabilities circle die just a bit bigger than the snowflake.  I punched a silver foil snowflake with a Martha Stewart punch.  The smaller snowflake is Martha Stewart as well. Snowflakes are layered onto the circle and they are held in place with a tiny black brad.  I made some of these in magenta as well.

Bottom:
This card has a blue card with white snowflakes.  I cut the snowflake with my Cricut - Winter Lace cartridge.  I made some of these in turquoise.