Noel Gap Cards

I've seen a few gap cards on Paula Pascual's blog here - the page will open in a new window - and I absolutely loved the Noel gap card she made. I got to see a few of her gap cards on display at the Glitter Pot too - and she was in the shop so I got to have a chat with her, she is so lovely and helpful.

I've made two gap cards so far. My cards measure 5 3/4" square and I cut 3" off the bottom front of the cards. The Noel is from a Sizzix Decorative Strip die and I cut two Noels for each card so one is glued at the front and another glued at the back to add some strength.

After cutting off the bottom 3", I applied glue to the top of one Noel and glued it to the front of the card. Then I applied glue to the bottom of the Noel and carefully lined up the 3" piece I'd earlier cut off, glued the bottom of the Noel and then trimmed off the excess CS at the bottom. Then I glued the second Noel to the back.

For the first card I applied a strip of gorgeous glittered holly paper to the top of the card and at the bottom there is a strip of Bravo Burgundy CS with a strip of Garden Green CS embossed with the Holly Ribbons Cuttlebug folder. Then to finish, I added some tiny punched snowflakes with crystal centres.



For my second gap card, I put a strip of SU! Merry Moments paper, matted on Real Red CS at the top. The line of snowmen at the bottom is stamped in Garden Green ink and I used the fine end of Marvy marker pens to add some colour. This stamp is a wheel but I'm definitely wheel challenged and find them difficult to use! So I unmounted the stamp from the wheel, applied cling foam to the back of the rubber and now I use the stamp with a long clear acrylic block - so much easier for me!

To finish this card, I've added red grosgrain ribbon with a snowflake charm at the top and again added punched snowflakes with crystal centres. I think these gap cards are fun and something quite different. I can't wait to see if my Circles Decorative Strip die will work for gap cards too!



Supplies for holly Noel gap card:
Stamps: None
CS: SU! Old Olive, Bravo Burgundy & Garden Green
Patterned paper: K & Co Christmas Cheer Holly Glittered paper
Ink: None
Tools: Sizzix Phrase, Noel w/Holly & Frame Decorative Strip die, Cuttlebug Holly Ribbons Embossing Folder, Woodware tiny snowflake punch
Embellishments & accessories: Clear crystals
Supplies for snowmen Noel gap card:
Stamps: SU! Snowman Fun wheel
CS: SU! Old Olive, Real Red & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Merry Moments Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: SU! Garden Green, Marvy Le Plume II marker pens
Tools: Sizzix Phrase, Noel w/Holly & Frame Decorative Strip die, Woodware tiny snowflake punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Real Red grosgrain ribbon, snowflake charm, clear crystals

Another Snowman Easel Card - for Kevin

This is the last Christmas card I needed to make for my friend Kevin. I made a snowman tent topper card last year, click here to see it - the page will open in a new window. Kevin asked me to make him one - but without the pink as it's for a boy - and he wanted an easel card instead of a tent topper.

I've used black CS for the card and front panel. I stamped the snowman on watercolour paper and coloured using SU! Watercolor Wonder Crayons. It's hard to tell from the pic but I added Stickles glitter glue to the holly berries, nose, star and ground beneath the snowman - please click the photo if you want to get a larger view. I lightly sponged some Bordering Blue ink around the image before stamping the 'be merry' sentiment.

Small black brads have been used as the snowman's buttons. I've embossed the red panel with a snowflake embossing folder. Before attaching the red panel to the card, I wrapped the snowflake ribbon around. The bottom panel has a piece of SU! Merry Moments paper with a circle stamped snowflake sentiment element as my popped up stop.

It always makes me smile when I use this lovely Penny Black snowman stamp, it's my favourite!



Supplies:
Stamps: Penny Black Brush Snowman, 'be merry' from Hero Arts Jolly Christmas clear set, snowflake celebrate the season from SU! So Many Scallops set
CS: Black CS, SU! Real Red & Very Vanilla, watercolour paper
Patterned paper: SU! Merry Moments Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Bordering Blue
Tools: SU! Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Crafts Too Snowflakes embossing folder
Embellishments & accessories: Stickles glitter glue in Xmas Red, Orange Peel, Yellow and Icicle, Ribbon Oasis black and white snowflake grosgrain ribbon, SU! Vintage Brads, 3d foam pads

Snowman Three Panel Window Card

Kristina Werner is producing a holiday card series on her blog - 25 videos in all. On day 4 she made a snowman window card and I decided to make my own version.

I love this Inkadinkado snowman - well, I have to admit to having a thing about snowman stamps generally - but I like that this has a vintage feel, but to me, it also has a contemporary feel too. I like that there are words incorporated into the design too. There are four stamps in the set and they all have text included.

I started off with a piece of A4 SU! Kraft CS which I cut so it was 5 7/8" tall and then I scored at 3 7/8" and 7 3/4" to get a three panel card. It fits in a C6 size envelope. I used circle Nestability dies to cut the window and the frame. I stamped the snowman in VersaMagic Jumbo Java ink on Very Vanilla CS and adhered the panel so it's visible through the window. You need to use chalk or pigment inks with these stamps, dye inks just tend to bead up on the stamp and you don't get a good impression.

I had a shopping trip to the Glitter Pot last week and I picked up a Sizzix Circles Decorative Strip die. I thought it matched the circle elements around the snowman pretty well so I added the red circles strip to the bottom of the card. Then I added some stamped snowflakes and the card was done.



Supplies:
Stamps: Inkadinkado Holiday Sentiments clear stamp set
CS: SU! Kraft, Real Red & Very Vanilla
Ink: VersaMagic Jumbo Java chalk ink
Tools: Circle Nestabilities dies, Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Circles die, X Cut small snowflake punch

Butterfly Thank You S10 Challenge Card

This is my card made for Joanne's SU! October Stamper's Ten challenge. Joanne gave us Kraft, Very Vanilla and Not Quite Navy CS, a piece of Bella Bleu patterned paper, some vanilla ribbon and the stamped thank you and butterfly elements. I love this colour scheme and I think the Bella Bleu patterned papers are so elegant. I'm sure the butterfly stamp set and matching punch will be on my order form in the not too distant future!

I made my A6 sized landscape card with Not Quite Navy CS, added a strip of the gorgeous patterned paper at the top and tied vanilla ribbon around the card in a knot. I used square Nestie dies to cut out my Kraft and patterned paper squares and I inked the patterned paper edges by swiping them on my Not Quite Navy ink pad. I swiped the edges of the vanilla and Kraft sentiment pieces too. I scored lines on both sides of the butterfly body so I could pop the wings up a bit and attached it to the central square with some tiny glue dots.



Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Flight of the Butterfly set
CS: SU! Not Quite Navy, Kraft & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: SU! Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: SU! Not Quite Navy
Tools: SU! Butterfly punch, square Nestabilities dies
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, self adhesive half pearls, 3d foam tape

Jolly Christmas Snowman

A fun little card I made after a loss of mojo in my craft room yesterday. I was playing with a new stamp set and papers and whatever I did, I wasn't happy with it. So I gave up on those and decided just to make a simple, happy card with my new snowman stamp. I figured I couldn't go wrong with paper piecing and some glitter!

I used a hemp textured white A6 sized card and embossed it with the Crafts Too Snowflake embossing folder. Hmmm, this is a UK made folder and supposed to fit the front of A6 cards but there was actually a bit of a gap at the bottom of the card still - so I decided to add some torn CS as a snowy hill to the bottom.

I used Lasting Impressions dotty papers to paper piece the snowman's hat and coat and I added some fluff with Flower Soft. I used coloured pencils to add some blush to the cheeks. The sentiment and snowman are both popped up. I used the very last of my Crystal Ice Stickles to add the glitter to my snowy hill. To finish off, I added a strip of Kiwi dotty paper and added 3 silver Dew Drops.



Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Share the Joy cling stamp set, sentiment and speech bubble from Hero Arts Jolly Christmas clear stamp set
CS: Craft Creations Hemp Textured CS and A6 card blank
Patterned paper: Lasting Impressions dotty papers in Boardwalk Blue & Kiwi
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black
Tools: Derwent Coloursoft pencils
Embellishments & accessories: Polar White Flower Soft, Crystal Ice Stickles, Silver Dew Drops, 3d foam pads

Medallion Merry Christmas Wreath Cards

I just love the SU! Medallion stamp and I've seen a few cards in the Splitcoast Stampers gallery where it has been used as a wreath for Christmas cards so I decided to try that myself. The first card I made using Whisper White CS and I wished I'd used Very Vanilla so that's why I made two cards at the same time!

The cards are made using SU! Ruby Red CS and measure 5 3/4" square. I stamped the gorgeous flourish stamp from the SU! Baroque Motifs set in Ruby Red ink all over the card fronts as a background. I used the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to make sure I didn't overlap any images. I then stamped the Medallion in Old Olive ink and then cut round them. I added red brads to the wreaths.

I first saw the Medallion stamp on Kristina Werner's blog and she also used the Hero Arts Scallop Circle stamp to cover the middle. So I had to buy that stamp too LOL! I'm thrilled, it's the perfect size for the Medallion stamp and I was delighted to discover a Nestability circle die that's the perfect size for the Scallop Circle stamp - fab! I stamped the sentiment in the middle of the Scallop Circle image and glued that to the Medallion - the Medallion images are both popped up though.

Here's the card with white CS and shiny brads:



And here it is using vanilla CS and matte brads:



Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Medallion background stamp, flourish from SU! Baroque Motifs set, Hero Arts Scallop Circle, sentiment is Stampendous
CS: SU! Ruby Red, Whisper White & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Ruby Red & Old Olive
Tools: Circle Nestabilities die, SU! Stamp-A-Ma-Jig stamp positioner
Embellishments & accessories: DoveCraft Christmas brads, 3d foam tape

More Snowmen Cards for Kevin - and a Craft Room Visitor

More cards chosen by my friend Kevin, I've made him two each of these designs. I love snowmen on Christmas cards and the snowmen on these cards are guaranteed to raise a smile I think!

The cupcake snowman was coloured in using Coloursoft pencils and Zest-It natural solvent. A touch of sparkle has been added to the cupcake part with some ultrafine crystal glitter. A small Hero Arts sentiment was added. I trimmed the image and have popped him up on the pre-embossed card blank.



For the be merry line of snowmen card, I've used gorgeous 'Be Merry' papers from My Mind's Eye. The three largest snowmen were cut out from another piece of the paper, trimmed and popped up. I've added orange Stickles to all the noses. Then I added photo corners and the sentiment oval piece.



Just as I was about to glitter the snowmen's noses, I had a visitor to my craft room. This is our little cat Tingha and he wasn't going away until he'd had a belly rub! Our big cat Tucker visits me often in my craft room too - but he rarely jumps on my desk and he doesn't like belly rubs!



Supplies for cupcake snowman card:
Stamps: Hero Arts sentiment and Cupcake Snowman
CS: White CS, PaperMania snowflake embossed card blank
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black
Tools: Derwent Coloursoft pencils, Zest-It natural solvent
Embellishments & accessories: Crystal ultrafine glitter, 3d foam pads
Supplies for the be merry line of snowmen card:
Stamps: Sentiment from SU! Warm Words set
CS: SU! Regal Rose, Certainly Celery & Real Red, Craft Creations white DL size card blank
Patterned paper: Various patterned papers from My Mind's Eye 'Be Merry' collection
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip
Tools: SU! plain and scalloped oval punches, Sizzix Sizzlits Photo Corners #2 die
Embellishments & accessories: Orange Peel Stickles, 3d foam pads