Stary Christmas

I've got another Christmas card for ya'll today. This one if for the WMS Christmas Card Challenge - July. This is the month I am hosting the fun. We have made it to the half way mark. How is everyone doing with their Christmas Card stash? I admit that I fell behind, but I have now caught up and feeling the pressure (that I create for myself) go down as I watch my stack of completed Christmas cards go up.

The month of July for Americans and Canadians is important because we both celebrate our country's birthday (on different days). It is important to me personally because it is also my birthday month. In honor of all of these big celebrations and the "stars" of them, my challenge to you is to use at least one STAR on your card. Also, be sure you used at least one WMS stamp on your card (this doesn't have to be the star).

I created two cards again with each one being just a touch different but both using the same sketch from CASE(E) this Sketch!. With the one you see above, I splattered some Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist. The one on the right below has no glimmer mist but I did stamp a trio of stars in the upper corner of them main image. The card base is vanilla that I lined in gold. I used a navy c/s for the next layer and stamped three different stars (the largest and smallest are from WMS sets) in gold ink. The gold glitter strip if sticky back paper I found in my stash. Bonus b/c this means the glitter won't come off and create a mess. I used WMS's Festive Foliage for both the sentiment and image. The bottom layer of holly is the second generation stamping for a softer look while the main leaves and berries are popped up and stamped full force.

Be sure to head over to the WMS gallery to link up your card so that we call all "ohhh" and "awww" over them too.

Stars Shine Brightly

At least on my card, lol. Before I get into my card I would like to ask for some prayers please. Tuesday I will be going for some gum grafting and I am really nervous (a.k.a scared) about it. The doctor is good and even took his time explaining everything to me but the idea of it still scares me. I would like some of my nerves to go away between now and then and that the healing will be good and fast.

Ok, now that that little tidbit is done we can get down to the real reason you are here...the project. One of the many blogs I read is Amazing Paper Grace by Becca, and on it I have seen her tutorial on creating a pleated background. Ever since I saw it I have been wanting to try it out. Now was my chance I decided. The card is much larger than I usually do (it is 5 x 7), but I think it would look great framed too (guess that means it could be a gift and a card, nice). The paper I used for it and the stip the ribbon and stars are on came from a Tattered Angels kit from Your Memories Here. I followed the directions as well as I could, but had a little trouble with getting it to stay for me as I was going around. Once I got the pleats where and how I wanted them I added some Helmar's 450 to the inside edges to help insure the pleats would stay in place and place a couple of my ink pads on top until the glue dried just in case. While that was drying I went to word on the light blue layer. First I inked up a music stamp from WMS's Musical Backgrounds set with Versamark and then brushed some Perfect Pearls "Perfect Pearls" over it to give it a nice subtle shine. Then I used the largest die from the Labels 14 Nestie set to cut out and emboss the center. I used some foam dots to get the depth I needed for it to lay flat over the pleats. To cover up the part that doesn't have pleats I used a strip of paper that was left over from cutting out the strips for the pleats and layered a white sheer and grosgain ribbon over it. To cover the center of the pleats I used the Star Nesties to die cute and emboss some stars (they were also used for the strip with ribbon). I decided I needed some sparkle for my stars so I coated the center one with Tattered Angles Glitter Glam Chandelier and then added a little glitter (the glam acts as the glue and holds the extra glitter so well). Over that center star I punched out the circle and sentiment from WMS's Seasons of Love set (after I had embossed them in white). On top of that I layered the smalled star from the Nestie set and coated the center of it with some glossy accent. To spruce up that layered strip I sparkled up another star glued it down. It still looked kinda plain so I layered another star that I not only die cutted out but used a smalled star to get the center out and embossed. I left this layer plain so break up the sparkles some. I thought I was done, but as I was getting ready to snap a picture of it I decided at the last minute that it just needed more sparkles. I cut up some Prima Say It With Swirls and used it as a tail for the star. I LOVE how it turned out. I also sponged the edges of the light blue paper as well as the paper strip with several shades of blue Distress Ink and the navy blue base with some white ink.

Now comes the question, do I give it away or keep it in a frame for myself...

Challenges used:
Cupcake Craft Challenges: include stars
WMCC - use stars
Simon Says Stamp - embossing
Paper Cutz Cahllenges: anything goes
Stamp Something: favorite embellishments (I love bling and glitter)