Christmas Card Challenge - April - Holy Family

The theme for my April Christmas Card Challenge is Holy Family. 

I chose a ivory card base and the designer paper is by Provo Craft - Stone Washed Denim Suede cut to 4.00 x 5.25 inches and adhered to the card front.

I chose my Penny Black Manger Die to cut the family from ivory pearl card stock. 

I cut the navy ornament from textured linen card stock with the one of the Spellbinder 2011 Heirloom Ornament Nestabilities dies. I punched a hole at the top with a 1/8" hole punch. Added a length of ivory thread. 

I used tape runner on the back to of the family to adhere it to the center of the ornament.  The ornament was adhered with double sided tape.  I added a bit under the greeting to keep the threads in place.

The banner greeting was color printed in navy then fussy cut with scissors.  It was adhered to the card front with three small pieces of 3D foam tape.  A seasonal insert quarter sheet insert was added and I have 6 more cards in the box. Yeah!

Card Club - June - Floral Metal Accent

I chose the metal accent first.
I then cut a white circle with Spellbinder smooth circles at 2 3/8" just a bit larger than the metal circle. I cut the coordinating scallop circle from pink card stock.  I chose pink ribbon which matched the pink scallop.  I embossed a piece of white card stock with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. I placed a piece of ribbon across the bottom third of the embossed layer and tape the ends to the back.  I then tied the shorter piece onto it.  This layer was then adhered to the card front.
I then assembled the scallop accent by adhering the white circle to the pink scallop.  I tacked this layer to the card front.  I then used a push pin to make holes for the 3 small brads.  These are blue which matched the card of the card. I pushed the prongs through the holes and spread them apart on the inside of the card.

Card Club - March - Sunburst Birthday

I started with a royal blue card.  I cut the background red checkered gingham designer paper at 4.00 x 5.5 inches leaving the small border.  I adhered it to the card front. I cut the warm yellow sunburst with the Stampin Up Sunburst thin die and adhered it to the card front and trimmed the rays to the edge of the card.  The greeting is a combination of a scalloped circle in the same color cut with the Spellbinder Nestabilities Large Circle set - No.2 from the centre.  The greeting is color printed the punched with the 1 3/8 inch Stampin Up punch.  These are glued together then the greeting is adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Invites - 60 Wed Anniversary

I was asked by a couple I know to design and make the invitations for their 60th Wedding Anniversary.  I made 4 samples and this is the one they chose. Here's a link to the others.
I started with a soft lavender card.  I embossed the white layer with the Cuttlebug Rebecca folder.  I then trimmed it all around to leave just a small border of card color.  I cut the oval accent with my  Spellbinder nestabilities dies.  The oval accent works really well in the centre of the embossed layer. The scalloped oval for the lavendar and smooth oval for the white layer.  I color printed the central oval and then cut it.  These were glued together and then mounted in the center of the embossing with 3D foam tape. 
60 years of marriage is a great testament their love, commitment and faith.  Congratulations!

Guest Book

I was asked to design a guest book for an upcoming special 10th anniversary event.  She wanted something nicer than one you can purchase at a retail store, one where photos of the anniversary could be placed and one with a place for a photo on the cover.
After a bit of research I decided on a 8x8" scrapbook.  I found a black leather look one. She selected a black and white stripped ribbon which would add a bit of a focal point to the front cover. I diecut a red ribbon slider with a Spellbinder die.  To it, I added a white paper flower and a metal medallion and held it all in place with a tiny black brad. Once it was strung onto the ribbon I just knotted the ribbon onto the album placing the knot to the inside.
Then I went looking for paper for the pages.  I tested the weight of many sheets of paper.  I looked at drawing paper, watercolor paper, and sketch paper.  I needed 10 sheets for the actual signatures and greetings then a few pages in the front for "then and now" photos.  I settled on a pad of white 90lb watercolor paper with 15 pages.  I determined that the sheets should be 8"Tx9.25"W based on the page protectors I had removed from the album. I cut the paper down to 8.5 x 11 so I could put them through my printer.  Then I designed the pages on the computer and printed them in black.  The sheets were then was cut down to the correct size.  I punched the holes in the pages on the left hand side based on the spacer that came with the album. She had asked to have a bit of accent added to the pages.  Based on the red on the front I stamped a small flower on the left hand corner of the pages and added a small swirl on the bottom right hand side in Real Red.  The album has a sleeve at the back for a CD so that photos from the event can be stored for history's sake.  She will find a photo which is just right for the front cover.

Card Club - Bliss

I started with a super piece of velvet paper.  The deep green colored strip with flowers on it.  A friend suggested using only a strip which was a great idea.  Thanks Susan.  I started with a purple textured card. I used an always artichoke colored paper and placed a strip on the let hand side and cut the back layer of the label in the same paper.  I colored printed the Stampin Up! digital stamp with Perfect Plum and Always Artichoke and die cut it with the smaller sized Spellbinder label nestabilities Labels 18 die. I placed the velvet strip over the right hand edge of green strip. I punched 2 flowers with Stampin Up! punch and attached them with tiny white brads. I nice elegant card. I used the RGB codes prepared by Marie Shaughnessy. for the color printing.   Thanks Marie for the hard work.   

Card - Advent Class Cards

I was asked to help out with a "Getting Ready for Christmas" class.  The instructor is spending 8 weeks helping the group prepare for Christmas spiritually as well as practically.  Each week she has a related craft.  This week it was Christmas cards and she asked me to teach the card class.  We had an hour so I kept the cards simple to ensure everyone was able to finish their 4 cards in the time allotted.

I wanted a versatile design in which I could change the colors without affecting the entire design. Also, I wanted a card in each orientation of portrait and landscape to add variety.  I selected the these images: the manger scene is by SonLight Impressions which I have owned for years.  The candles I just bought this summer is by Sunshine Designs put out by Stamp Barn.  I gold embossed the central image on white cardstock then cut it with Nestabilibities Classic Oval.  I then cut a Nestabilities Scalloped Oval in a solid colored cardstock to coordinate with the designer paper.  These were glue together, I dotted each scallop with a Galaxy white opaque marker and a fabric gold snowflake was added with a Zot.  The designer paper was trimmed to 5.25x4.00 inches and glued to a white card. The central oval was mounted to the card with 3D foam tape which easily adds dimension. I had seven different color combinations so that there was lots of variety so each person got 4 different cards.

Card - Birthday

This a large card. I started with an 8.5x11 folded in half then trimmed it to the envelope size. I chose a turquoise card based on the colors in the decorative paper. The background paper is tissue paper ironed to freezer paper. I selected the flower colors based on the background paper - purple and pink. I cut the flowers with my spellbinder Sunflower die as well as the centre. I mounted the centre with 3D glue dots. I added the large gold brad in the upper right hand corner and small ones in the other three corners. I put a pink Happy Birthday on the insert.

Freezer paper is the brown paper used by butchers. The plastic coating provides a barrier to air and moisture to protect the quality, flavor and nutrition of foods during freezing. Reynolds sells it in white on a roll.