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Friday, November 28, 2014

Final Christmas Card 2014

The three wiseman was my favorite all time Christmas Carol. Also the concept of the Nativity as the "real" meaning of Christmas. So this card wraps all of that in one...


This one was a real investment of time! I did discover some cardstock that was precut that I bought years ago- and they really helped me out. This card includes partial die cutting (near the wisemen), embossing ( the greeting), stencil sponging with Distress inks (the hills), die cutting (Falling Stars on black and star with gold glitter paper) and die cutting the large stitched rectangle.


First I die cut with SSS Falling stars die in black and then die cut the curved line- so actually it made two night skies.  Using Tombow mono adhesive I attached it to the Kraft card base. The I stamped the wise men, masking to give the appearance of the three traveling together. Using a curved die, I partially die cut the hill on Kraft paper up to the wisemen. I "fussy" cut the shapes around the wisemen and then stamped the Nativity.


Using a stencil cut from the kraft, I sponged Distress inks to simulate sand hills, black soot close to the sky and the Wisemen, and Spiced Marmalade around the manger.  

The greeting is from the same stamp set "O Holy Night" stamped with Versamark and then gold embossed. The entire Kraft card stock was attached with foam tape to the card base overlapping the black sky. 


I used gold Wink of Stella marker on each of the stars, and added a star - die cut from adhesive gold glitter paper. The final coup d'etat- a bit of shimmer spray from Tsukineko. Love the shimmer on the whole card...

This is definitely my favorite Christmas Card ever! 

Friday, November 21, 2014

Christmas Shaker

Couldn't get by the season without a shaker card. With almost all of our Christmas cards done for this year, I decided to try one.

I have been struggling to master partial die cutting, really struggling! Today I was reading  Lynn's blog- The Mango Boys and Me- and saw a great example using PTI's Peaceful Pinecones dies. I haven't used that set yet, and wanted to give it a try.

So using her idea as inspiration this is what I came up with:


From a stitched rectangle die cut panel, I used the middle size oval die and overlapped the pine cone shape on the edge of the platform for the Sizzix- and lo and behold! It worked like a charm! Then I stamped the design over the cut space and embossed it slightly with gold embossing powder.  Love it!

The little skating penguin is just so cute from Michaels Recollections stamps, Winter Wonderland.  On the front of the card, I stamped and colored him with Copics- sponged the sky with Distress Salty Ocean. Below the stitched rectangle panel, I added a strip of white glitter paper, and another piece just below the penguin and it really does look like an ice skating spot!

Then I attached a piece of plastic behind the pine branch, and foam taped the entire panel to the card front, making it a shaker card, with mica flakes for snow and clear mini beads. The stamp says "Wishing you..." and the inside sentiment is- Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" The hardest part of shaker cards is filling them without messing up the panel...

I am still thinking about adding a die cut snowflake on the outside in the white glitter paper... maybe...

It isn't Thanksgiving yet and I can't believe I am almost done with my Christmas cards. I also got 20 cards mailed out to the Card Drive. That Holiday class is what got me started!

Also maybe the thought that our new grand baby may arrive early and I need to be on babysitter watch for the other two girls! Can't wait!



Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Another Christmas Card Design

After the Holiday Card Workshop 2014, ideas for cards have been ruminating in my mind. The card Laura Bassen shared was such fun to make and one layer- so this is my "take" from it...

Here's my card-


Using the same stencil, I masked off the border of the card on white card stock. Next I used the positive hills to create the snow shapes by taping them down- then stamping the village scene with black ink. Black soot distress ink was used as the background very lightly sponged over the mounds and tree masks. Then the tree was sponged with distress forest moss and walnut stain on the trunk. Distress Wild Honey was used for the star shine and sponged lightly over the town to give it an appearance of lights. 

Next I stamped Santa and the sleigh in Staz-on black ink. Using the SSS falling stars die, I made a stencil for embossing paste to add the "snowflakes." Then using Shimmer, I spritzed the entire scene with frost. The final application was Rudolph's nose with red Stickles and the town stars with silver Stickles.

After I had the materials organized it took each card about 5 minutes to complete. It was a fun card to make and looks really much better in real life :)

The inside sentiment is "Merry Christmas to all... and to all a good night!" SO my stash is now up to about 25...


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Holiday Cards- Day 6 Bonus Day

A bonus day! SO I finished with my final tags...



Using the larger tag die, I used the same patterned paper with snow mounds, but also included the PTI trees die from another patterned paper. Love the look and again so simple, I will be able to make several of these quickly.

It makes me look at my stash of dies differently... I need some of those cute little animal dies to use for birthdays too!

What another great class! I have so many ideas for projects that I haven't gotten to yet...

Holiday Cards- Day 5 Tags

Last day of class is all about tags. Funny with all the card making that I do I really don't make my own tags very often. I hope to change that this Christmas!

Here's my first one for my grand daughter that just loves cats!


I have three grand daughters that just love cats, so I can use this pattern for all of their gifts! It's the PTI die cut in black. Such a very simple design, I love the idea of cutting the snow from with the same stitched die on the bottom. 

The patterned paper is adhered to the plain white die cut, then the snow mound and cat are just added. These will whip up in no time!!

Holiday Cards- Day 4 One Layer Cards

Laura Bassen is just so talented and fun to watch! Today there were so many great ideas for cards from the instructors, and I settled on Laura's card, pretty much just copying it! I already have a stencil that works with her design so it worked up fast for me.

Here's my card...


After masking off the edges of the card, I placed the stencils- hills and trees and masks. I sponged Distress Salty Ocean for the sky. Using the tree spaces I sponged the green and brown trunks. Then I stamped my new $1 stamp from Michaels (love it!)... Using the SSS Falling Stars die I made a stencil for embossing paste for the snowflakes after masking the sentiment. 

Love how this came out and will definitely make a more as Christmas cards.  I may also try the PTI die from last year of the trees in a row... Bet the wreath would work too- and wouldn't a snowman look cute smiling up?!  Thanks so much Laura!

Holiday Cards-Day 3 Watercolor

My Favorite medium- watercolor! After watching the three videos for today, I decided to try Jennifer Rzasa's idea of my own sketch. I have been working on birds since the watercolor class, sketching my own.

Here's my inspiration, a photo from google images ...



So I tried a male cardinal for my card for Day 3.


I couldn't decide if I liked it better with the snowflake ...


I used distress inks to watercolor wet on wet. I tried another with both birds, but the two had a difficult time fitting on the space I had.  The berries are red stickles on the branches.  The paper is Strathmore #140. I do enjoy the painting...  Still need some work, but it is so fun! This one is for my mother...


Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Holiday Cards... Day 2

Sometimes having an idea can be a real problem for me! I knew when I saw Kelly's slider card that I wanted Santa and a chimney... just needed to work out the details. It's all about the details!!!


Here's my card...


When you pull the slider... this is what you get...


The Santa is from SU A Holly, Jolly Christmas, the bag is sketched and sponged with Black Soot Distress ink, tied with embossing thread.  The card base is SU Not Quite Navy. The next layer is the same color but  sponged with Distress black soot for sky. Then I used the PTI die for a slider card cutting it in the center of the 5.5 x4.25" layer.

Using a stencil I made with SSS Falling Stars die and embossing paste colored with yellow- I made the stars. Before they dried I added gold embossing glitter and heat set it. Next I added the roof with black, and the chimney which I made from a red rectangle, my T-ruler and a white gel pen, adhering it with foam tape as close to the edge as I could.

Santa is attached to a circle slider piece which connects the pull tab to his body. Foam tape adheres the first layer to the card base. I added the silver glitter snowflake just because it looked to empty without it!

The sentiment inside says "merry, merry Christmas" from the same SU set and is white heat embossed.

I think the grand kids will get a kick out of it! I did make only 5 and after the initial design issues, it worked up pretty fast! Wish my action wobbles were here! Wouldn't they go great on Santa??

I still want to try Laura's card... tomorrow!

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Holiday Cards Workshop- Day 1

Online Card Classes Holiday Card Workshop 2014 is helping me get in the swing of Christmas cards. Thank goodness because I need to get going!

Day 1 was just amazing... so many ideas! I tried Kristina's technique, unsuccessfully by my standards- so will need to put that on hold. I see the 3 Wisemen with the snow- but just could not get it to work ...yet! Of course I am working without the full stencil and I am very new to embossing paste.. I know... EXCUSES!  I needed to be successful with something to continue.

So my next favorite was Jennifer's tree. Here's my take...

Once on Kraft paper...


and next on white....


One addition is the thin strip of glitter that I added to the side, the yellow star with a gem in the center. I did make a stencil like she suggested for the trunk and also for the star. 

Unsure of which backing I like best, I made 6 of each! The process went pretty fast after the arranging of the original "puzzle." I used red and silver stickles for the detail on the tree, gold Wink of Stella on the star with distress as the base and sentiments from many sets! They were a pain to put back... btw :)

Without going into too much detail, I wondered about other shapes, wreath, stocking ... but I have 15 cards DONE!!! AND I like them!

Thanks,  Jennifer! My next tackle (tomorrow) is Santa and a chimney...