Whiter Shade of Pale–Christmas in July

I always enjoy making Christmas Cards in July because it makes me think that I am ahead of the game.  Do you feel like that too?  Today, I was playing a challenge over at Splitcoaststampers here and finally making a card for So Shelli’s card challenge here. Luckily the sun was on my side today and I was able to take a couple of photos for you to look at. 

This card is all in white so my hope is that you’ll be able to see all the embossed details and capture the softness of this holiday card!  It uses some of my newest favorite stamp sets and tools from the new Stampin’ UP! Holiday Mini Catalog*.  Ooh so many items to love! Contact me to order your favorites!

Without further ado…

Stamps: Watercolor Winter*, Greetings of the Season*, Ornament Keepsakes* 
Paper: Whisper White
Ink: Whisper White Craft Ink
Accessories: Rhinestone
Tools: Big Shot, Framelits - Holiday Ornaments*, Scallop Circle Bigz, Circle Die Bigz (Retired), Dimensionals, Heat tool, Clear embossing powder
Technique(s):  heat embossing

This card is about 4-3/8” x 4-3/8”.  This photo shows that the back is made from the circle die as well!  I love that it stands due to the scalloped circle! It fits almost perfectly in a standard A2 envelope, and that is how I will be sending it out. This card is one of the cards that I’ll be featuring at my upcoming Christmas card class next week! 

Enjoy!

 

 

*All these items appear in the newest Stampin’ UP! Holiday Catalog.  All other items can be found in the US June 2012-July 2013 Stampin’ UP! Yearly Catalog and purchased directly through me or my online website.

Christmas is in the Air

I’ve been busy holding Christmas Card classes. Although I don’t typically post my cards from these classes, I thought it would fun to share the class favorites and my favorites to celebrate the coming of the holiday season!

Class I Favorite

 

 

 

 

Class I – My Favorite

Gotta love those jingle bells. 

 

 

 

 

Class II Favorite

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class II My Favorite

Love the simple elegance.

 

 

Do you have a favorite?

Enjoy!

Christmas Mix It Up with Non-Traditional Colors

When we think of Christmas, we think of red, green and sometimes a bit of blue and white.  Frequently around the holidays I like to challenge myself by using other colors than the traditional. 

I’ve put a bit of a vintage twist into this Christmas card by using black and vanilla as my main colors.  If you haven’t purchased the Newsprint Designer Series Paper you are going to want to have that for your paper creations going forward.  It is so lovely and it creates a wonderful background to my Christmas card. 

I got my inspiration for the layout for this card on page 96 of the 2010-2011 Stampin’ UP! Idea Book and Catalog.  I made a slight modification by creating a slit in the background paper and weaving the Very Vanilla strip to the front.  By doing that I created the perfect space for my greeting.  Don’t you just love that greeting?  It comes from the Just Believe stamp set, which by chance isn’t even from a Christmas set, but it is just perfect for this time of year!  I really love how this turned out.  What do you think?

Stamps:   Lovely as a Tree, Just Believe
Papers:  Basic Black, Very Vanilla 
Ink: Versmark, Basic Black
Accessories: Basic Rhinestones, Vintage Brads, Black Stampin’  Emboss Powder,
Tools: Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Snail Adhesive, Hobby Blade, Handheld Punch 1/16” Circle
Techniques Used:  Heat Embossing

The finished card size is 4-1/4” x 4- 1/14”.  I like to change up the card size every now and again too…just to mix it up!  I usually mail these in a standard greeting size envelope.

Enjoy!

Holiday Place Cards

There are only a few short weeks to get together all those wonderful handmade gifts.  I am super excited to have our family in for a visit over the holidays!  Since I rarely get to create a big feast I am going all out and even creating some place cards for the table this year!

Stampin’ Up! offers us demonstrators some great ideas and this place card holder was just an idea that I had to make my own!  I just love the earthy feel of the colors and the papers and it’s always fun to mix and match your stamp sets to create that perfect work of heart! My stamps have been missing me so I had to use them so they would all be happy!

Stamps:  Peaceful Season (Hostess – Holiday Mini), Lovely Letters Alphabet, En Francais, Artistic Etchings
Papers:  Confetti Cream, Cherry Cobbler, Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Early Esspresso, Soft Suede
Accessories: Antique Brads, Hemp Twine
Tools: Snail Adhesive, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Big Shot, 1/16” Handheld Punch, 1-1/4” Circle Punch, 1-3/8” Circle Punch, Two Tags Bigz Die, Paper Snips, Sticky Strip, Sponges
Techniques Used: Stamping Off, Sponging, Dry Embossing, Tearing, Direct to Paper

I just love how this project came to life.  As I look at his project many other ideas pop into my head – wouldn’t it be neat to place a little surprise in the ring?  The tag would make a perfect bookmark or a terrific addition to your Christmas Tree next year!  Please feel free to copy or to use this as a piece of inspiration for your holiday projects! 

Enjoy!

 

Do you need just the right stamps, cardstock and accessories for your projects?  Visit my online store today to get the items you’ll need for your holiday projects.

Have you been Naughty or Nice?

Some special ladies will be receiving these in their Christmas stockings this year filled with a Stampin’ Up! gift certificate!  They must have been really good this year to be getting one of these, don’t you think? 

Add some simplicity to your holiday shopping.  Give the gift of creativity this year!  Contact me to get your Stampin’ UP! gift certificate. Gift certificate with above holiday card (colors may vary)can be sent directly to recipient or to you!

Recipe
Stamps: Four Holidays
Inks:  Basic Black
Paper: Whisper White, Cardboard, Gold Cardstock
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Chunky Glitter, Big Shot, Big Shot Texture Plates, Gold Elastic Cord, Dimensionals, Ornament Punch
Technique: Big Shot Texture

Enjoy!

Peace on Earth

I’ve been wanting to play with this little polar bear from Cold and Cuddly for awhile now.  Well…I had the chance today!  I just love how he looks all embossed in silver sitting on a snow bank looking out at the falling snow.

 

Recipe
Stamps: Cold and Cuddly, Four the Holidays, Snow Swirled
Inks:  Versamark, Night of Navy
Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White
Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Dimensionals
Technique: Tearing, Heat Embossing

Enjoy!