Photo - Muttart Conservatory

I took my last trip to the Muttart Conservatory for 2011.  It was set up for the Snow Queen with blue glittered poinsettias in the feature pavilion. It was pretty quiet so an excellent opportunity to wander with out too much distraction. The number of orchids was super.  I got several really great shots.  I've put together a collage of images.  The dusty plum poinsettias were really nice.  The snowflake was on some silver giftwrapped boxes in the sleigh but with reflections it looked blue.  The top pic is some fuzzy looking leaves in macro.  The pics on the right is are orchids I think.  A couple of good hours just shooting pics, enjoying the temperatures of the pavilions and relaxing a little bit.

2012 Christmas Card Challenge

Let's have a little fun this year. The objective of the challenge is to get your Christmas cards made throughout the year. The themes are meant to be inspirational and broad enough to allow a lot of creative expression.

I will be posting my cards the first of the month along with suggestions and encouragement to participate in the challenge.  Join as many months as you want.

If you participate, please add a comment to the post for the month you are joining including a link to your card so others can be inspired. I'm looking forward to seeing your creations. Become a follower of my blog if you want to be notified of my postings.

Here's my list of themes with a few ideas next to each of them:

January - Color - White/Turquoise/Chocolate

February - Accents - Textiles - Ribbon (silk, satin, gross grain, seam binding, organza), fabric, cording, felt, yarn, fiber, lace, silk flowers

March - Focus - Star - Bethlehem, one, many, night sky, layered, 6 point, 5 point, primitive, die cut, stamped

April - Color - Grape/Sage/Mustard

May - Accents - Metal - Pins, clips, buckles, die cut, embossed, buttons, charms

June - Focus - Trees - Pine, bare, cluster, decorated, folded, triangular, Christmas, die cut, stamped, painted, embossed

July - Color- Ivory/Brown/Gold

August - Accents - Tags - Circle, pointed, crescent, scallop, large, tiny, stamped, square, oval, shaped

September - Focus - Words - Noel, Joy, Peace, Hope, MC, Rejoice, stamped, die cut

October - Color - Navy/Red/Silver

November - Accents - Ornaments - Fat, short, tall, slim, round, elliptical, die cut, stamped

December - Focus - Reason for the Season - Nativity, manger, wisemen, star, shepherds, angels, holy family, baby Jesus, Bethlehem, church, sheep, stable

Ornament - Baby's 1st Christmas

This is the ornament for the baby boy as he celebrates his first Christmas.  I found the elephant on line and added the words.  I printed it on vellum and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I cut the vellum with my Sizzix circle die. I rolled up the vellum circle and put it through the hole or the ornament and used a bamboo skewer to unroll it.  Since it was a round ornament I had to fill the space behind the vellum so I used soft white cotton balls which helps to keep the vellum circle front and center and goes with the baby theme.  I put the hanger back in ensuring the prongs went behind the vellum.

Card - Baby Boy

This is a digital version of the card I made for this new baby boy because I forgot to scan the card I made.  I can't believe it but I was fighting a deadline! 

I started with a light turquoise card folded at the top.  I found the graphic on-line. I color printed a the hippo, the sentiment and a background on vellum and embossed it in clear powder.  I mounted the vellum to the card with tiny white brads in each corner.  I added Congratulations to the parents on the inside.

Merry Christmas to all of you!  I hope you have a great day with family and friends.  Enjoy good food, the great weather, and take a walk.
This nativity is part of a larger fabric Advent Calendar my sister made for me last year! It was good to count down by adding another figure each day.  The angels, the star, sheep, shepherds, the stable animals, the wisemen, the camels, and finally Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.  The panel was designed by Nancy Halvorsen.

Christmas Wreath

I made myself a new wreath for my office door.  The one have been using is years old and the color scheme came from the eighties.  With all the Christmas stuff on sale at Michaels I managed to get all the stuff on 70% off.  Yahoo!  The pinecones go well with the color of the door and I added a bit of silver accents. I'm considering it a work in progress and may improve it next year when it comes out of the box.

2012 Photo Calendar

I've created a new calendar of flower photos again this year.  I changed the format to 5.5" x 8.5" which allows me to use photos in the landscape orientation. I chose flowers again this year because that was quick and easy.  I selected some black and white graphics for backgrounds and placed the photo in the middle of the background. I produced the calendar part in Publisher.  I printed the covers on card stock and the pages on 28 lb paper. I placed a small hole at the top below the binding with my Cropadile. I used Bind It All coil in my Zutter machine to bind the top.  I'm happy with the results.

Calendar - Round Coaster

I made this calendar for a friend.   I used some retired Stampin Up! Designer Paper which I glued to the round coaster and pressed.  Once completely dry I trimmed the paper to the edge with scissors and sanded the edge smooth.  I produced the calendar on a single sheet and trimmed it down into 12 small sheets.  I stamped the greeting in Brilliant Blue with a clear stamp. I added the white flowers with a large blue brad in the center.  The flower element is attached with 3D foam tape. I added sheet magnet to the back.

Retirement - Canoe

I made this card for guy who is retiring.  Lucky guy! He likes to canoe so he likely will do more of it during the summers than he has so far. 
I started with a navy card and added a textured light blue paper for the sky.  I added the tree next which is a Sizzix die. I added the medium blue below for the water.  I cut the canoe with my Cricut with the "Just Because" Card cartridge.  This cartridge has good layers so I was able to cut the pieces in separate colors and assemble the element.  I added some ripped clouds and a punch circle sun in the sky!

Table Centre Pieces - Gold/Red Boxes

I created these boxes as center pieces for our Women's Christmas Party today.  With the napkins in hand I headed out to find something that would match. I found the gift wrap and ribbon at Michael's.  It's gold foil with a subtle snowflake pattern in it.  The ribbon was a good color match as well.  I wanted a consistent look I purchased the boxes at Creative Packaging. The boxes will be on each table then given away at the end of the evening.  They contain really nice candle holders.

Card - Card Club Sample

This card was a early sample of my Card Club.  I started with a white card and added a nice blue textured layer.  The snowman was cut with a Sizzix die.  I cut the arms with my Cricut and the Straight from the Nest cartridge.  Markers helped with the eyes, mouth, nose and coal buttons on his belly.  I added a small punched red heart and small yellow star hanging from his stick hand.  I cut Joy with the Tim Holtz mover and shaper.  I placed clear packing tape behind the hole and filled it with Ultra Fine Halo Glitter that I have owned for YEARS!  I really love this snowman.

Gift - Card Box

I made this card box for a friend who makes cards with me every month who has a birthday this day.  I wrapped the metal tin with 2 pieces of 12" scrapbook paper and adhered it with double sided paper.  I cut the letters with my Cricut Lyrical Letters cartridge from lavendar paper and then smudged the edges with ink and chalked the centers.  I glued the letters in place with liquid quick dry adhesive. I added the gross grain ribbon along the top of the ribbon adhered with double sided tape.  I created an accent with a silver Prima Flower, a blue purple silk flower on a large white brad.  This was then adhered to the box with double sided paper.  I added a purple organza ribbon to the handle. I added some cards to the tin and it's ready to go!

Card - Wedding Double Ring Pattern

I created this card as a wedding card.  I started with a navy card and selected a designer paper that would coordinate with it.  I then found the moss green paper to match. I cut the Sizzix Lattice Die from the green.  This was then adhered to the piece of designer paper and I trimmed around the outside edge.  I saved the elliptical shapes from the lattice die as they coordinate perfectly on the Five Petal Punch from Stampin UP!.  I glued the lattice die element which reminds me a lot of the double wedding ring pattern for quilts on the top part of the card. I placed a strip of moss green below.  The leftovers from the die were glued over the flower petals of the punch and the element was held in place with a large ivory 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.

Card - Joy to the World

I designed this card with just words in different fonts and colors.  I placed them on an oval filled with a green gradient fill.  The added embellishment is confetti daisies in green and red which looks like a poinsettia.  These are held in place with a white tiny brad. 

Card - Watercolor Ornaments

These cards are mostly color printed then I add some additional elements. I drew the ornament myself then filled it with my own watercolors scans. This gives me the ability to make them in a full range of colors. The evergreen branch was created from a photo I took this summer.  I added a string with a knot.  Top Left: I selected a true blue card stock that worked with the color of the ornament.  I cut 2 Sizzix stars, one from the blue and then one from silver glitter paper.  I added a greeting in a matching color.  I used liquid glue to adhere the stars. This one is cooler in tone. Bottom Right: This one is warmer in tone so I used a turquoise card stock for the star with a teal glitter paper.

R2G Card Kit - Prima Flower

I created these card kits with Prima Flowers.  Some were the paper ones in the white, peach, pink colors and these metallic ones.  I started with a pink card and added this great polka dots designer paper.   I decided to make the stem and the brad in the centre of the flowers black to provide some connection between elements. This would allow me to change the rest of the elements (card and flowers) as I needed to. I created the stem with my Cricut and the Straight from the Nest cartridge. I glued the stem before I added 2 more layers of silk flowers and held everything in place with a regular brad.  Makes great cards for little girls.

Cmas Card Challenge - December - Metallics

Metallics are a natural for Christmas cards. I used silver, white pearl and gold for the metallics on this card. I cut the words with the Sizzix "Join the Cheer" sizzlet strip. The ornament is on the strip as well. It was tedious cutting all the small pieces but I'm really happy the results. I wanted to hang the ornament and tried quite a few options before I chose this silver thread. I glued the words and the ornament onto a black layer that was embossed with the Swiss Dots folder. This was mounted onto a white card.

Card Club - Gold Glitter Star

I just love this card.  I bought the scrapbook paper on sale at one of the local stores.  I ordered Real Red and Soft Suede card stock to go with it.  It works great!  I used a Sizzix star die for the gold star!  I color printed the greeting in Real Red and Soft Suede with the greeting being the same as the card color.  I made some red cards and some soft suede cards. I layered the Designer Paper on the card. I cut a 1.5" strip of card stock and trimmed the edges with scallop decorative scissors. This was glued down and the greeting was added on top.  The gold star is 3D foam taped to the left of the greeting.

Card Club - Snowman

I cut my snowman with the Sizzix Bigz Snowman die & embossing folder combo. I cut the arms with my Cricut - Straight from the Nest cartridge.  I selected several snowflake scrapbooking paper for the background. I punched small red hearts and yellow stars.  Once the decorative paper was on the card I added the arms to the back of the snowman before gluing him down to the card front.  I used markers to add his face and belly buttons.  I glued the star below the arm and used a marker to add the string.

Card Club - Glitter Ornament

I cut the ornaments with the Stampin Up! ornament Mover and Shaper die.  I bought the glitter scroll paper at Michaels. I added a shiny silver eyelet to the top with my Crop-a-dile.  That is a cool tool.  I added some silver cording through the eyelet.  The ornament has 3D foam behind it. I used 3 different embossing folders: Stampin Up Winter Flurry & Elegant Bouquet, and Cuttlebug Winter Wonderland Set. These all leave a blank space for the ornament to hang. I used blue, pink and lavender card stock. Once I adhered the ornament to the embossed layer I pulled cord to the back of the embossed layer and taped them down.  This was then glued to the card front.  I added a Word Window Greeting on some of them. The Winter Flurry really did not have room to add the greeting.

Card Club - Christmas - Joy

I started with the Joy sticker.  I found the Purely Pomegranate card stock matched the ornament in the sticker very well.  I selected black card stock to go with the touch of black in the stickers letters. I embossed the Cuttlebug folder in white card stock and trimmed to fit the card.  I added a piece of Purely Pomegranate double stitched gross grain ribbon across the embossed layer and taped the ends to the back.  I cut a circle of green card stock and added the sticker. Then a 1 3/8 circle of white onto a Purely Pomegranate scallop punchie. I placed 3D foam tape to the back of the scallop and glued over the ribbon.

R2G Card Kit - Snowman

I created some of these for my Ready 2 Go Card Kits.  I selected 4 snowflake backgrounds for my snowman.  I used the snowman from the Sizzix die embossing folder combo which I cut in white.  I added arms which were cut with the Cricut with the Straight from the Nest cartridge.  It's a tree trunk but cut to a smaller size it works well as arms.  I punched a small heart and star.  I used markers to put on his face and coal buttons on his belly.  I hung the star from his hand with a marker string. I've waited a long time for a snowman die like this one and I'm super happy with it!

R2G Card Kit - Kid Cards - Pick Up Truck

I'm working on Ready 2 Go Card Kits for the sale this weekend.  I wanted some cards which would work for kids Christmas cards or Thank Yous for after the celebrations!  I selected the card to match the truck color.  I embossed the silver background with the Cuttlebug Polka Dots embossing folder.  I ripped a snowbank for the bottom of the card.  The truck was cut with the Cricut and the Just Because Cards cartridge.  I the truck in blue, red, yellow and green. The tree was cut with the "Paper Dolls - Dress Up cartridge in deep green cardstock. I added a Martha Stewart snowflake punch in the corner.  These should be fun for kids to put together.

Calendar - Inspirational Words

This was an alternative idea to photos.  I found 12 inspirational words and cut them on the Cricut with the Storybook cartridge in black paper.  I selected some subtle scrapbook paper as a background for these great words.  These were quite bit more work than the photo ones.  What do you think? Leave me a comment.

Calendar - Photo

I designed these Floral Photo Calendars for a craft sale in Morinville this Saturday, Nov 26th.  I started with a photo frame calendar I bought then I added my own flower pictures to it. They worked out really well.  I hope others thinks so too and they sell!

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 - Gingerbread Man

I chose a nice striped paper for my background.  Then I selected a card that coordinated.  The gingerbread man was cut with a Sizzix original die from heavy paper painted with dark brown acrylic paint.   I taped a small rectangle of Cherry Cobbler behind the hearts on his belly then glued him to the background paper. I added eyes, smile and icing on this arms and legs with a white gel marker. I tacked the great red organza ribbon in the centre of the back of the striped paper with a bit of tape. I wrapped it around to the front at  the top of the background paper. Tied a loose square knot and trimmed the ends. This was then glued to the card front.

Christmas Stack - Circle Ornaments

I printed the card with the tall oval ornament on the right hand side.  I cut the frame with a Sizzix die and embossed  the red with the Cuttlebug Devine Swirl embossing folder and the green one with the Sizzix Starry Night folder.  I cut a 3" square of black which was taped to the back of the frame. I selected black to highlight the ornaments. As the white circle ornaments were somewhat see through I had to place an extra paper punchie below the plastic one so that my Zot would not show.  I added strings with a white gel marker.  I wrapped the narrow black satin ribbon around the card and placed the bow to align with the string of the printed ornament.

Then the frame assembly was glued over the ribbon onto the left hand side of the card front.The strings for the pink and turquoise were printed and the cut down to the 3" square.  The pink and turquoise ornaments were more opaque and therefore just needed a Zot.

Christmas Card Stack - Red & White Poinsettia

I selected Real Red card stock to coordinate with the red silk poinsettia flower.   I selected 2 different double sided Designer Paper for the card front.  Left is Always Artichoke and the bottom is more of a Christmas green.  I cut the DP to 5.25"x 4" then cut it at 1.5" and turned over the small piece.  I glued these to the card front.  I glued a color printed greeting on a white strip of card stock over the join of the DP.

I created a hole in the DP and card front with a push pin in the centre of the poinsettia.  I layered a red over a white flower. I adhered the silk poinsettia accent to the card with a gold brad adding a gold sequin between the brad and the flower before putting the brad in the hole made earlier. Quick and easy!

GG - Polar Bear

This card only had slight changes from the Greetings Galore class in November 2010. 
I used some textured Royal Blue card stock instead of Bashful Blue.  I splattered the card stock with Radiant Rain - Pearl Green in the same technique as in the earlier card in this set.  The Polar Bear was cut with  my Cricut - Joy of the Season cartridge.  The star is a small punch.  The snowbank was cut with my Creative Memories wavy cutter.  Very classic card and popular.  I had several orders for some of these card kits.

GG - Snowflake Trio

This was changed only a little bit from the Greetings Galore Class from Nov 2010.  I used the Cuttlebug Snowflake embossing folder instead of the Devine Swirl.  I also wrapped the ribbon around the embossed layer instead of the whole card. Once the layer is embossed I adhered a strip of smooth white then placed the ribbon to cover the top and bottom edge of this strip.  I taped the ribbon ends to the back of the embossed layer. Glued the embossed layer to my card. I placed my royal blue snowflake confetti and used a push pin to create a hole through the snowflake, the smooth strip, the embossed layer and the card front.  I place the tiny silver brad through the hole and spread the prongs on the inside of the card.  This will help to hold all the elements in place.  The insert will hide the brad prongs. 

GG - Button Trio

This is an update from my Greetings Galore Nov 2010 Class. 
I am still using Stampin Up! Designer Paper from the same collection but a different sheet. I did not have more ribbon so I created my greeting and color printed it instead.  Works I think.  The DP is cut to 4x5.25 then cut at 1.5" leaving 2.5 of the 4".  The one piece is turned over to reveal the other side.  These are butted together and glued down.  The greeting is glued to cover the joint.  The three buttons are adhered on the bottom right hand corner with Zots.

GG - Gold Joy

I updated these cards from my Greetings Galore (GG) Nov 2010 class since a few ladies requested kits. 
I created some decorative paper using card stock and Radiant Rain - Egyptian Gold.  I used purple, navy and black card stock. I found the spray bottle clogged a lot so I just poured some liquid from the bottle onto a plate, dipped a toothbrush and ran it across a butter knife to splatter my card stock.  Once dry, I cut my card stock piece down to 2"x5.25" and glued it to the left hand side of my card. I cut my letters from gold embossed paper with my Sizzix Shadow Box Alphabet and glued those over the decorative paper.  I then embossed the right hand side of the card with the Sizzix Stars & Swirls folder.

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 - Copper Scallop

I've had this ribbon for a couple of years and I have struggled to find ways to incorporate it into a design.  This year Michaels had copper glitter so I bought some.  I kept the color options quite simple.  I used a black card and added a kraft layer onto which a greeting was printed in black.  I wrapped the copper ribbon around the kraft layer then adhered it to the card front.  Tying a knot in this ribbon was challenging so I had to come up with a different way to create the bow. I just overlapped the ribbon and tied the two together with a length of kraft thread.  I trimmed the ribbons ends at an angle. If you cut the ribbon in half and tape the ends to the back of the kraft layer the length should work out well. I cut the scallop with my Nestabilities in black and added dots of copper glitter glue on each scallop.  The main element was printed in black on kraft and then die cut with a Nestabilities die.

I selected several images and greetings.  Manger scenes with Christmas Blessings, Snowmen with Let it Snow, Winter scenes with Seasons Greetings and Christmas candles/bells with Merry Christmas.

Christmas Card Stack - Glitter Joy

 I used a Wild Wasabi green card onto which I mounted a frame cut with the Sizzix Frame die from a holly decorative paper.  The glitter is Wine Red bought at a local scrapbook store.  It's really nice stuff.  The "Joy" die cut was created with a Sizzix die.  I punched three 1/4" circles from the glitter scraps to put on the right hand side of the frame which repeats the red circles in the decorative paper.  The exclamation mark was hand cut from the scraps.

Bottom:  On this card I used ivory cardstock and applied Always Artichoke around the edges of the frame to help define the edges against the light card stock.  On this one I just punched another three 1/4" circles.

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.

Card - Prima Flowers

I made these cards for my exchange group.  They were my October cards and they are late. With a trip to emergency last week cards did not make it to the top of the list. I used some left over supplies from card club.   I selected a deep purple card and layered shimmery organza behind the greeting and flower accent. 

I layered silk flowers in white and purple over the Prima Flower.  Held in place with large white brad. I ripped the edges on my "Bliss" greeting. Top card with white one and bottom with peach flower.

Cmas Card Challenge - November - Christmas Decorations

I chose ornaments as my decorations. I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder on red card stock and cut it into strips. I mounted that onto a textured pearl white strip of cardstock. I added texture with a stamp on the right hand side of the Hunter green card with white ink. The ornament stripe was mounted onto the green card to the left of the texture. I made a hole with a push pin and put a tiny white brad in the hanger of each ornament. I used a Stardust gel marker and added some bling on the ornament hanger and the central images. I brushed some white pearl ex on the outer edge of the ornaments to add definition to the shapes. I used a Stampin Up! greeting inked in white and embossed it with white detail powder.
I made 3 of these.
Total cards 85 so far.