Merry Christmas

Wow, it is hard to believe that another Christmas is here. If you are like me you promised that you would be READY this year. The best laid plans...and all of that. Well, this is the FIRST year in about 20 years that I did NOT mail out Christmas cards. Made lots of samples but failed to pull one of them together in time. I could have spent Friday evening and early Saturday getting some ready to go, but chose to spend that time with my family. 

I would like to share one of a set of cards that I made for someone else. Hard to believe I got 25 done in 3 days.


We got a live tree this year and it was a lot of fun to get (in the rain) and decorate while drinking hot chocolate (mine laced with Baileys) with Christmas carols playing in the background.
Wishing you the Merriest of Christmases and may God continue to Bless and keep you.
Until then.

Last Minute, Lucy

Yes, that would be me. I know that every year around this time Christmas cards should have been in the mail at least a week before I get them there. True to style, this year was no different. I waited until the last minute to do my cards and had to quickly throw something together. I only made enough for my immediate family and a couple of close childhood friends for a whopping total of 12 cards.

The base card is white with a layer of DCWV blue print paper weight and the top layer is Fancy Pants Frosted line. I spritzed the FP layer with Glacier Glimmer mist and dried using the heat gun. Next, I over stamped with two snowflake stamps --Sizzix and HOTP Christmas Swirls. I then put the top piece through the Cuttlebug Snowflakes folder and used the TH Distress Blue line to bring out the embossing.

The snowflake is from the cartridge, When It's Cold Outside. I chose the bottom layer to image #17. It was cut at 4 inches from the American Crafts foil paper. This was also used to cut the Spellbinders Fancy Labels tag. Some of the snowflakes received pearls some rhinestones. Remember that this is the last minute and I am using what is in my stash. Found the blue ribbon and tied a knot...don't know why. I even offset some of them. This was before I knew how my greeting would be attached. See how well I thought out this card? lol.

Could not get the lighting just right but the snowflake and the tag are cut from the same paper. You can see halfway down where the color adjusts itself.

I stamped the greeting on some of the leftover paper from the bottom layer--from which I removed the insides--you can't see it anyway. I placed the Fancy Labels die over the image and traced out the oval. I cut on the outside of the pencil lines and then erased them. I do have a few vanishing pens but where are they when you need them? Again, it is all about proper planning...lol.

The circle behind the snowflake is some of the Making Memories metallic paper. And can I say that it embosses like butter baby? It does. I placed that circle on an offset on the Cuttlebug folder. The rest of the discs were centered over a snowflake. I still like this one, just looks off, which is why it got to stay home with me. I cut the circles using the Cricut Mini monograms cart at 2 1/2 inches I think. You can really see the white that is the back of the paper, but that is because my camera was on super magnification. In real life, it all blends together. Both images were raised using Zots.

The inside greeting is from the bottom portion of a stamp that contained the image of Mary and baby Jesus. I only wanted the quote. It is by Kathy Davis and Inkadinkado-- part of a Tuesday Morning haul where they were all 99 cents. The other quote I stamped was Joy to the World also Inkadinkado. 

I must admit that in the past my cards would be completed by the first week of December. I would usually share a remembrance from a Christmas past. I have not done that for the last three years. In honor of that tradition, I will dig through my files and find one to share with you over the weekend.

Keep thinking and inking with love.

Until then.

Happy Holidays

Hey y'all. In an effort to be better prepared, I started doing a few mock-ups for Christmas cards. I did this one and although I am blown away by the results, I do not think it is one I will make to send to everyone. It is not designed for assembly line style . Maybe if I cut the trees on the Cricut, it would work. 

Anywho, here it is and what I did. You can view the card from either side. I love it.

 

I will try to keep this write up brief...it is close to midnight. So I used the Fancy Pants Holly Jolly and Frosted line for the card base (although you cannot see it---I did some incredible stamp work on it). I created an accordion fold by scoring at 2", 4", 6", 8" and 10" on a 6 x 12 sheet of paper. I cut a 2 x6 piece of Frosted to cover the base and the acetate overlay which is from the Slice line. I punched snowflakes from the Spellbinder dies and did some overlays on the Frosted which was edged with Vintage Photo. 

 

The trees on the inside are chipboard pieces from Fancy Pants Happy Holidays printed chipboard shapes. They are pretty heavy, but the Fancy Pants cardstock is heavy duty and can stand up to the weight. Especially if you cut with the grain and score and fold against the grain. Makes for a nice crisp fold. 

I digress. You can see my Vee-dio on paper cutting to get a better idea of what I mean. 

 

The trees were already decorated on one side and when I removed the adhesive liner I covered the back with coordinating pieces from the Fancy Pants Line. 

On some of them I stamped, embossed and/or used glitter. I went around all of the sides with an ink cube to hide the raw edges. As you can see, I added Skittles/Dew Drops to one of the trees.

 I attached the trees with one of my favorite adhesives--Glossy Accents. 

The acetate overlay was cut to 6 x 12 and scored at the 6 inch mark. I did not want the acetate to go all the way to the bottom of the card.  It was attached using the Glossy Accents. I covered that with the Frosted piece and hid the line by covering it with a piece of really pretty ribbon--reminds me of the Martha Stewart double edge punch---it came in a holiday kit I purchased from QVC.

The journaling is also from the Fancy Pants Happy Holidays chipboard kit and was perfect to work as titles for the card. 

It has been my pledge to use my Cricut more and for some reason I am stuck on the reindeer. So I used it again but this time used some holiday rubons from Cloud 9 for the neck gear and on the white cotton tail. Enamel accents adorn those swirly antlers and black glitter covers the hooves. I also spritzed the reindeer with the Coffee Shop Glimmer mist. It is cut at 2 1/2" and has a shadow.

 

Gosh can you tell that I am gushing over this card? I glued the accordion at the top inside of the fold with the Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive. Here is a side view.

 I LOVE it!!!! Here are a couple more views.

Hope this card provides some inspiration for you and helps you to look at your stash just a bit differently. I was hesitant about the floraly overlay, but it is perfect for this card. Makes it look more like a winter wonderland.

It was a treat for me to envision this card and then bring it life. Getting to use my stamps, inks and sprays was awesome although much of it is hidden in the folds. I know why do the work only to hide it. Its kinda like what our mothers would say: Always wear clean underwear, you never know when you might have to go to the hospital by ambulance. Although you don't see the inside, I know that this is a finished card. 

Keep thinking of new ways to ink during this festive season.

Until then.

Clip Art Christmas Cards

Phenomenal. I have got to admit that this last minute brainstorm really worked in my favor. Since I was spending more time on the computer and editing Vee-dios, I was running out of time to make my own Christmas cards. Well, I had to resort to the easy way out, and loved what resulted.

(Photo to be inserted)

Using the free clipart samples from Dover Publications, I was able to whip them out lickety-split. I called upon my square and oval Nestabilities and Cuttlebug folders to give my cards some uummph and that personal touch. You might want to check out Dover and take advantage of some of their great sales on their CDs.

Using the snowman to create a pyramage was great. It could also be used as an invertage (the image builds from the center upwards).

(Photo to be inserted)The frame around the reindeer draws your eye to him. Using that tartan plaid Cuttlebug folder makes this a male friendly card. You could easily change the backing papers to a floral or swirl design and totally change the appearance of your card.



(Photo to be inserted)I am determined that my Christams 2010 cards will be totally handmade by me using my original artwork.



Well, I am feeling determined NOW...we shall see.

Regardless of where the artwork originates, there is one thing you can count on, they will definitely be inked with love.


Until then.