Bauble Trio Card

A CAS card made with the SU! Tree Trimmings set. This is an A6 sized card made from Very Vanilla CS. I stamped the baubles first and then added the strings using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig so they got positioned properly. I then added the strip of patterned paper.

For the ribbon, I first glued down the long strip and then I tied a bow and adhered that to the ribbon strip with a glue dot. I added my sentiment and card done. I'm reaching the end of my Christmas cards now - only a few more to make!



Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Tree Trimmings and Seasonal Wishes sets
CS: SU! Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: SU! Merry Moments Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: SU! Old Olive, Garden Green, Real Red & Chocolate Chip
Tools: Stamp-A-Ma-Jig stamp positioner
Embellishments & accessories: Red grosgrain ribbon, glue dot

Vintage Holly Merry Christmas

I don't often make vintage style cards but I do like to go out of my comfort zone every now and again LOL! I love this glittered holly paper but it uses quite deep, rich colours so vintage seems to suit it. Plus I got to play with my new Nesties and stamps!

I've always loved the shape of the Labels Four Nestability dies but I didn't get round to buying them. Then I discovered Waltzingmouse stamps who carry a range of Nestie friendly stamps and their 'Say it with Style' set pushed me over the edge into buying the Labels Four dies. The Say it with Style set has a frame that matches a Label Four die, loads of sentiments in that gorgeous, classy font and several image and accent stamps too. It's a fabulous set - and I also got their Very Vintage Labels Four stamp set too which has lots of frames and accents that go with the Labels Four dies. Oh dear, another stamp company I've fallen in love with! Click here if you would like to visit Waltzingmouse stamps - the page will open in a new window.

This card is a standard A6 size made with SU! Bravo Burgundy CS. I matted the holly paper onto Garden Green CS and used the SU! Ticket Corner punch on all the corners. Before adhering this to the card front, I wrapped some Old Olive grosgrain ribbon around the panel. I stamped the frame, die cut the Label Four shape and then added the sentiment. I've sponged some Burgundy ink on the sentiment piece. Then I cut a larger Labels Four shape in Garden Green CS to mat my sentiment on. The Garden Green and Vanilla pieces are both popped up. To finish off, I added pearls at the corners.


Supplies:
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Say it with Style set
CS: SU! Bravo Burgundy, Garden Green & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: K & Co Christmas Cheer Holly Glittered Paper
Ink: VersaMagic Tea Leaves & Jumbo Java chalk inks, SU Bravo Burgundy
Tools: Labels Four Nestabilities dies, SU! Ticket Corner punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, half pearls, 3d foam pads


Ruth

Tree Trimmings Gap Card

Another gap card but this time I've used the Circles Decorative Strip die. To make this card I cut an A4 sheet of SU! Real Red CS in half length ways and then scored and folded that piece in half. It fits in a C6 size envelope.

For the gap, I cut 2 1/2" off the bottom of the card, glued the top of the Circles die shape, lined up the 2 1/2" piece I'd earlier cut off and glued the bottom of the Circles shape to that and then cut the excess CS off at the bottom of the card. I then glued a second Circles die cut shape to the back to add some strength. This time I decided to add some patterned paper behind the gap element. As I tried a strip of the green snowflakes paper I couldn't believe how the three snowflakes just happened to fit behind the larger circles - it's fab when something happens like that!

I stamped the ornaments in Old Olive, Garden Green and Chocolate Chip inks and then cut them out. I hand drew the strings with a Marvy marker pen - I saw a card Kristina Werner made on her blog where she did that and it looked really nice. I'm not very confident at free hand drawing anything but I followed Kristina's foolproof method of drawing in pencil first, going over it with the pen and then erasing the pencil lines after! The ornaments are all popped up. I added crystals to the ornaments and to the three snowflake centres visible through the gap. I then added the sentiment and rounded the bottom corners.



Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Tree Trimmings set, sentiment by Hero Arts
CS: SU! Real Red, Whisper White & Old Olive
Patterned paper: SU! Merry Moments Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: SU! Old Olive, Garden Green & Chocolate Chip
Tools: Sizzix 'Circles' Decorative Strip die, Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper
Embellishments & accessories: Clear and red crystals, 3d foam pads

CAS Red & Brown Snowman

I'm making a glittered acetate card today and I'm having to wait for the glue to dry before I can move on so I popped onto the Splitcoast Stampers website to see what today's CAS challenge is. It's a colour challenge to use red and brown - plus you can add white or cream.

I made a red and brown snowman window card a while ago so I thought it would be fun to make a similar card but to change things around a little bit. Click here to see the original card - the page will open in a new window. I've still used Kraft and Real Red CS, the same snowman stamp and circles die but I've changed the card orientation to landscape instead of portrait. I've used white CS on this card rather than vanilla so that I could use the gingham ribbon, stamped snowflakes in the circles, added a sentiment and some brads and omitted the window.

I enjoyed using my original card as inspiration to come up with a different design - I may very well do that again in the future!



Supplies:
Stamps: Inkadinkado Holiday Sentiments clear stamp set, Wishes of Joy sentiment from Hero Arts Winter Wishes set, SU! Snow Flurries set
CS: SU! Kraft & Real Red CS, white CS
Ink: VersaMagic Jumbo Java chalk ink
Tools: Sizzix Decorative Strip 'Circles' die, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig
Embellishments & accessories: Red & white gingham ribbon, red brads



Ruth

Merry Christmas Wreath Window Card for Jan and Alan

After making two wreath cards a while ago I wondered how it would look to make one with a circle window cut out of it. I have to say I like this version better, I think it looks more wreath-like. Here's my original wreath cards - the page will open in a new window. My friend Jan came to make a wreath card with me one afternoon last week and she really loved it. I will give this new window version to her and Alan as their Christmas card.

I used SU! Real Red CS for the base and stamped the flourish stamp from SU's Baroque Motifs set all over the card front in Real Red ink for that subtle tone on tone look. I then stamped the Medallion stamp and trimmed it and cut out the middle with a Nestie circle die and using the same die, I cut a window out of the card front. I then cut Olive and Vanilla circles for the inside of the card. I stamped the flourish in Olive on the Vanilla circle after stamping off on scrap paper once so I got a softer Olive colour and then I stamped the Merry Christmas in Real Red ink.

On my last wreath cards I used red brads as decorations on my wreaths but on this card I've used my new gorgeous red Swarovski crystals which really add some twinkle! The wreath is popped up with 3d foam pads. To finish the card off, I've rounded the right hand side corners and tied some thin gold cording around the spine in a bow.



Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Medallion stamp, flourish from SU! Baroque Motifs set, Fancy Christmas sentiment by Stampendous
CS: SU! Real Red, Very Vanilla & Old Olive
Ink: SU! Real Red & Old Olive
Tools: Circle Nestabilities dies, Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper
Embellishments & accessories: Siam Red Swarovski crystals, gold cording, 3d foam pads

Creative Genius has been at work LOL!

It's very rare for me to make more than one design of a card, I hardly ever make multiples. This year I decided I would do it for a few of my Christmas card designs. I really liked the CAS white and silver card I made a while ago and so I made 9 for the ladies at my card group. On these cards I used wider ribbon and added a crystal to the stocking, otherwise the design is identical to my original card.

I may not always enjoy the process of making multiple cards but there is something very satisfying about stacking up a pile of completed cards! Hubby really liked this card design too so I plan on making a few more. For those cards I will use a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the embossed silver panel. I really love the design of the Spellbinders Snowflakes Impressabilities template but as it's made of thin metal it is SOOOO delicate and the silver CS I used is really thick and the template has started to come apart. I don't want to risk damaging it by using it with really thick CS any more.



I couldn't resist stamping a sentiment from a new stamp set on the back. I thought my ladies would get a chuckle out of it - and no doubt give me a good ribbing about it too! I handed out the cards yesterday and waited for the reaction. They made me wait ages, it took a while for someone to notice!



The stamp is from an Elzybells clear stamp set called Queen of Stamping. It has some fabulous sentiments in it! I loved it as soon as I saw it when it was released in the summer but I talked myself out of buying it. After all, it was a fun tongue in cheek set just for the backs of cards and I would only use it on cards for certain people like close friends and fellow crafters. As I've recently sold some crafty bits and pieces on eBay and had some funds in the PayPal account I've given in to my *need* LOL!

Supplies:
Stamps: Penny Black Winter Glitter, sentiment from SU! Seasonal Wishes set, sentiment from Elzybells Queen of Stamping clear set on back of card
CS: White and silver CS
Ink: Encore Silver pigment ink
Tools: Spellbinders Snowflake Impressabilities template, heat gun
Embellishments & accessories: Stamp 'n Stuff Stardust embossing powder, silver lurex ribbon, silver Dew Drops, 3d foam tape

Reindeer Christmas Card - December 2009 Card Group Project

This is the card we'll be making at my December card group meeting. We're making the tree gift box plus the easel calendar holder - and we'll be having nibbles and our Secret Santa gift giving, so as there'll be lots going on I kept this card quick and simple.

The reindeer is stamped in gold and then heat embossed with gorgeous Jeweled Gold embossing powder so it is super sparkly. It's such a shame you can't tell from the pic how lovely the embossing looks in real life! I love this embossing powder for Christmas cards! The reindeer stamp is from an Inkadinkado clear set which also has a Christmas tree that would work for this card also so I'll let the ladies decide which image they'd like. As it's a quick card they could probably make both! A strip of patterned paper, rounded corners and some ribbon tied around the card in a knot and the card was done.



Supplies:
Stamps: Inkadinkado Holiday Sentiments clear set
CS: Anita's square cream card blank
Patterned paper: SU! Dashing Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: Encore Gold
Tools: X Cut Corner Rounder punch
Embellishments & accessories: Stamp 'n Stuff Jeweled Gold embossing powder, SU! Real Red grosgrain ribbon



Yay, it's the 1st of December, I get to open the first window on my advent calendar and light the advent candle! I always have a traditional advent calendar with pictures behind the windows, a chocolate advent calendar just doesn't do it for me!