Christmas in July 31 COMPLETE!

 This is it!  This is the last card in my celebration of Christmas in July!  I wasn't quite sure if I could do it.... 31 separate card designs?  31 consecutive days?  The idea came to me in mid-June while we were traveling and I saw a shop in Door County, Wisconsin called the Tannenbaum.  It's an old converted Lutheran Church - filled with Christmas Trees - all decorated on different themes!

I was in LOVE!!!! and all my husband could do was groan!  Yes, I bought some really beautiful ornaments for our tree this coming Christmas!

The most awesome thing was that each tree display was on a different theme!
Santa Tree                                Turquoise/Pink Tree
Fruit Tree                                 Musical Instruments Tree
Shamrock Tree                         Butterfly Tree
Owl Tree                                  Mardi Gras Tree
Candy Tree                               Halloween Tree
4th of July Tree                       World Traveler Tree
Snowman Tree                         Wine Tree

Oh!  I could go on ALL DAY!  The upside-down trees were so cool too.  I've seen that before and they had 3 or 4 of the trees displayed that way.

SO, after leaving this awesome place, I was re-energized for my monthly Christmas Card Challenges.  Not only that, I started to hatch the idea of this 31 cards for 31 days of Christmas in July.
I wasn't sure I could do it, but here it is!  July 31st, and the 31st card!!!!!

Some of the card designs you've seen are my own creations, others are from the stamp club I belong to, and some came from cards I saw online as inspiration.  

THANKS so much for your kind comments!

Here goes!  Last one.................

This card I saved for today since it's one of my very favorite images.  This stamp comes from 2 years ago and the moment I saw it, I knew I had to have it.  It's large!!  I had to cut it down quite a bit to fit the standard card size.

I then used some previously stamped pieces to add some dimension to the card.  

Truth is, I can't find one of my (other) very favorite stamp sets!  It's called Bells and Boughs, and contains about 4 stamps - a larger version of the bells you see on this card, and the holly piece and poinsettia piece you see added to this card as well as a sentiment stamp.  Sounds like a Cricut room cleaning is in order!  :)

Yesterday's card used wide ribbon, and today I'm using the narrowest ribbon I have.  What a contrast!
The image was stamped in Old Olive, and I used the Stampin' Up markers to add color to the other pieces.

Again,  Thanks so much for indulging me in my mid-year Christmas celebration!

Christmas in July 30

After using this Dasher stamp in club once, I bought it because I thought it was so cute!!!  This is actually the first time I've used it for a card.

Today is another brown card, not traditional, but still Christmas.  I did more measuring on this card than I normally do - the stamp for height and width, the ribbon, and the punch.  Figuring the Crumb Cake mat layer was much easier! :)

I used Chocolate Chip cardstock and Early Espresso Ink for the reindeer stamp and rhinestones for some sparkle.

This ribbon gave me a chance to use the bow maker Dad made for me at it's largest setting since the ribbon itself is 1 1/4 inches wide.  It still worked great! 

Please enjoy!

Christmas in July 29

Featured today is one of my very favorite card techniques!  The tricky part is that when you're in the midst of making it, it looks like it is going to be a total disaster!  Yes, really - then when  you get all the layers together, and the mats placed....  it looks GREAT!  Seems you just have to work through the scary moments when you think it isn't going to work.

Click HERE for the measurements (and a bit of a how-to) on making this Triple-Time Stamping card.

This card features the Watercolor Winter stamp set which is also a two-step stamping set (stamp the base color, then use the Stamp-a-ma-jig to place the top color).  I guess this card is a Triple-Double!  :)

I used lots of colors on this card - Gumball green as the card base and ivy leaves, Wild Wasabi for the evergreen needles.  Baked Brown Sugar is the acorn base layer color.  I used Cherry Cobbler ink for the poinsettia and holly berries - Bravo Burgundy (ret.) for the darker layer on the poinsettia.  Early Espresso for the evergreen twig, and top layers on the acorn, and the holly & ivy.

Whew!  That really sounds like a LOT more work than it was. 

I hope you enjoy today's card.  Only 2 more days of Christmas in July to go.

Christmas in July 28

The stocking punch was one of my favorite stamp set and punch groups - I used the stocking stamps a few times this month, and here I used just the punch with DSP.  Do you need the stamps?  Probably not, but the punch?  Definitely!

One of my very favorite cards, and the most labor intensive cards I ever made was the fireplace card.  Then, if that wasn't enough, I made 25 of them for the calendar one year!  It took me almost a week and a half working every evening to get those all finished.  Worth it?  Oh yes!  Just very time consuming, even with the punch. 

I used the negative space from yesterday's card as a frame, and worked VERY hard on those teeny tiny bows!  I still need to work on them, but these two are better than my usual tries.

I'm going to go back and add some rhinestones to the stockings - they need some sparkle.  :)

Please enjoy!

Secret Garden Peek-a-Boo

This stamp set is called Secret Garden...  it's one of my new favorites.

Two main colors on this card, Pear Pizzazz, and Strawberry Slush with just a little white thrown in where it was needed.
The brown scallop behind the flower is Baked Brown Sugar.

 The flowers took some time - the base flower is whole, but the top flower was cut apart at its petals, reassembled, and the center added to lift the petals even more.

 I like these cards - the inside is already complete - just write your message.  It's like 2 for 1!  :)

I hope you enjoy these.  They're pretty cute!

Christmas in July 27

This is, again one of those cards I really like!
I didn't usually use much ribbon before, but these Christmas cards seem to lend themselves to the ribbon additions.

I used lots of product for this card - but I feel the most important pieces are the embossed piece for the bottom of the die cut and the antique brad for the center of the bow.

I cut 3 triangles from Gumball green after stamping them, adhered them together to make the 3D tree and added rhinestones for some sparkle!

Please enjoy!

Christmas in July 26

 This card comes from one of my very favorite stamp set - Watercolor Winter.  It's a two-step stamping technique card.

When there's a two-step stamp set I usually purchase it in wood rather than clear stamps.  This allows me to make a permanent Stamp-a-ma-jig template with Staz-On ink and a transparent sheet.  It makes the stamping go so much faster, and it's wonderfully consistent.

With this holly/ivy stamp I dug out the markers, colored the base stamp with Cherry Cobbler and Gumball Green.  Early Espresso then is stamped over the leaves and holly for definition.  There's just a touch of red stickles to add a bit of sparkle.

Here I added a crumb cake piece cut with an edgelit, and some velvet ribbon.

Please enjoy!

Stampin' Up Card Class

Tomorrow night I'm having my first Stampin' Up card making class.

One of my teacher friends asked if I would do one, and these are the 3 card designs we are making.

 Here's another version of the Sunburst card technique!  I REALLY love it!  This is one of those things when you see it, it just makes you happy!

I used the Gingham Garden DSP, and Pear Pizzaz, Melon Mambo, and Daffodil Delight as the solid colors to compliment the DSP.  Papillon Potpourri and butterfly punch - A Round Array and its coordinating punch to complete this card.

This card (in different colors) I received while at the Dallas Regional this past February... I was looking for a simple, stunning card for these ladies...

Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight, and Baked Brown Sugar are the main colors.
A few punches - scallops, a circle, and a border punch; a little polka dot paper, and some ribbon to match the main card color.  Oh yes!  A rhinestone for sparkle!

Usually in a card making class there are two cards to make, but my friend asked for 3.  I wanted something that would be awesome - and super-simple!  After you make 2 cards, generally you're about 'done'....  so we'll see how this third card goes.

I got out my Polka Dot DSP, the punch templates, the butterfly punch, and one of the hostess stamp sets for this card.  With the addition of a button, and rhinestone.  That's all you need!!

 I hope you've enjoyed the preview of my cards for this class.  :)

Christmas in July 25

 July 25th.  It's now exactly 5 months to Christmas! 

True, I have a little Christmas every month with the Christmas card challenge, but I'm having lots of fun with this challenge I've set for myself - Christmas in July.

I had a different card planned for today, but since it was the 25th, I decided to make a Christmas tree.  It just seemed appropriate.

For the tree base, I used two triangles cut from the Perfect Pennant die and layered them to get the height I wanted, then the Lace Ribbon punch for the side borders.

You probably recognize how I made the tree...  it's pieces cut from the MS branch punch and layered... layered... layered!  I use this technique every year on the calendar project.

At the top of the tree, there's a triple bow, and star.  The tree lights come from the Cricut cartridge Christmas Cheer.  I usually cut MANY of these and store them in a baggie.  They are covered with Stickles as is the star.

Gotta love the Christmas trees!
Please enjoy.

Christmas in July 24

Today's card follows a new trend in card making and scrapbooking - Hexagons!  Hexagon stamps, hexagon punches, hexagon designs - they're everywhere!

I'm familiar with this design since Mom is a quilter, and uses them often in her quilts and now they seem to be making a splash in paper crafting.  

This card came together very quickly.  The only decision was what color to use in addition to the regular Christmas Reds and Greens.  I hit upon Stampin' Ups new color - Smoky Slate.  It's a very nice light gray.  Unobtrusive, but adds a nice accent to a color palette.  (Just my opinion, of course.)

Please enjoy!

Christmas in July 23

Oh!  I LIKE this card!  Going through so many days of making Christmas themed cards, I've come upon some I've liked a lot, and some not so much, but I really REALLY like this one!
What is it?  I'm not exactly sure!

Is it the reds and browns together?  Is it the fancy die cut design as a border?  

I used one of the dies called 'Finishing Touches' Edgelits.  I used Riding Hood Red (ret.) as the background color, Chocolate Chip for the die cut pieces - Crumb Cake and Early Espresso ink for the ornament.  The double bow is Cherry Cobbler seam binding.

I hope you enjoy this card as much as I do.

WHAT NEWS!

My upline Kathy and fellow demonstrator Robin just returned from the 25th annual Stampin' Up Convention this past Sunday.


My card was on the display boards at the convention!!! 

Picture the jellybeans as pink, yellow, and green. 

One of Kathy's made the front focal point in one of the publicity displays, and my card made one of the display boards.

That is SO exciting!!!
Demonstrators from all over the world were at the convention.     :)

July Stampin' Up Club Cards

Club tonight was GREAT!
We had some excellent card designs (Thanks, Kathy!) as always, and it was just great to see everyone.  I think it's because I'm off for the summer - and needed some crafting interaction!!  :)

Here they are -  I'm posting the 3 options we had for color choices on this first card, just because they all looked so fantastic!

First, Tangerine Tango.

This is the new In-Color for 2013-2015  Coastal Cabana.  I really love this color!!

Here we have the card in Real Red.  

 These cards also use the Black/Vanilla DSP called Modern Medley - I think we'll use this patterned paper a lot!  I know Kathy is in LOVE!  :)


Now - can you say Washi Tape!!??   (Wash - ee) Tape

This card is super-cute and a WOW in person!!
The main colors - Island Indigo and Melon Mambo.  It uses the new Artisan Label punch and the coordinating stamp set, as well as an inset of the sentiment from another set.
Label Love, and A Round Array.

We used the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, cut the strip in half, using it to frame the Washi Tape from the Gingham Garden suite.

SO SO cute!!!!!

Christmas in July 22

A VERY big OOPS!!!!!

So many Christmas cards, one was bound to be 'forgotten'...  
This is the card I made for July 22.  The oops!!???   I forgot to post it!

Here it is - 

I really love that retired Festival of Prints paper!  It's quite versatile.  This year they've come up with 3 different Christmas prints (available August 1st).

I used the scallop punch as a border on the embossed white panel and the double-bow seam binding ribbon to add some flow to the card.

The large ornament is studded with pearls at almost every available spot.

Please enjoy!

Christmas in July 21

After I made this card, I looked at it for quite awhile.... 'Does it need some sparkle, or can it stand on its own?'

I decided to leave it and not use any rhinestones or pearls here so the DSP would have an opportunity to show.

The squares for the presents are cut at 1 1/8 inch, and the DSP is cut at 1".  I used some scraps to cut the 'ribbon'... and my grid paper to make sure they lined up straight.
I used the Daisy punch to cut the bows and embossed the backgrounds with the Swiss Dots folder.

Today was a simple card.  I hope you enjoy it!

Christmas in July 20

This stamp set was a gift from one of my Lime Light Design Team members.  I've used it often, and I really love how it looks.

I got the silver embossing powder out again.  I think this is the best embossing powder I've got, simply for the excellent quality when it's heated!  It turns out a nice smooth, silvery metallic finish.  LOVE it!

I used an old sentiment stamp from the Many Merry Messages stamp set, and embossed it as well.  The bow comes from the large oval punch, two strips of paper, and about 4 glue dots.  Love those bows! 

Now for the quiz part of today's post.  Do you see the silver addition to the center of the bow?
1.  What is it?  AND  2.  How did I achieve that effect?

Can you figure it out??   Hint:  You can find the 'supplies' in the current catalog!

Please enjoy!

Christmas in July 19

This card features two retired pieces from the 2012 Holiday catalog.  I really like them both and was sorry to see them retired.
The embossing folder is called Holiday Frame and the stamp set is called Joyous Celebration.  I actually cut out two of the oval pieces, and stamped JOY from the set in the center - it's on the envelope for this card.

I think the mistletoe image with the bow stamped on top of it is one of my favorite images.
Colors?  Gumball Green and Cherry Cobbler with rhinestone accents.

This is one of those very simple cards - not usually my style, but I really like it!
I hope you do too.

Please enjoy!

Christmas in July 18

This card design came from one of our Stamp-a-Stack events - I made a beautiful purple one and thought it would be fun to see what it looks like in Christmas colors!

I did make some changes -  the inside piece isn't just a piece of cardstock.  I cut out a tag and added a piece of cardstock as a pull.  It still needed something and I had a bow that just needed a place to sit. :)

I used the new Pansy Punch to make the flower - one piece of red and one piece of white cardstock crushed and crumbled then torn into two pieces.  Stack them, and add a brad to the center.  Attach to the card with a glue dot or dimensional.  SO pretty!

I added this picture so you could see the inside piece when it was pulled.  This card doesn't open, just slide the tag into the diagonal opening.


Please enjoy!

Christmas in July 17

I certainly didn't plan it but this worked out very well!  One of my very favorite card designs to get us over hump day!

The only thing on this card that's not a retired product is the Cherry Cobbler seam binding wrapped around the card, and tied into a double bow (using the bow maker my dad made).  Oh! - and the Gumball Green ink. :)

This has to be one of my very favorite card designs for Christmas....  it's clean, and simple..  so so pretty!
I used my Nestabilities to cut the mat pieces, and the stocking punch with the coordinating stamp set.  Gotta love those Christmas stockings!   Glitter paper, and rhinestones give this card some sparkle.

My latest project has been to un-mount all my stamp wheels.  I got the bright idea to use it on this Merry Christmas stamp which I use so often!  I'm really happy I did it - now it fits in the case with my other favorite Christmas stamps.

I hope you enjoy today's card!

Flower Card - Secret Garden

This card comes from an inspiration from another blog I follow, and a new stamp set I just ordered;  Secret Garden.

The blog?  It's by another demo named Cecile Ortiz and it's in French.  I can read very little of her posts, and occasionally use Google Translate if there's something I'm really interested in reading... her work is AMAZING!  Even if you don't read French, you have got to check out her blog!!!!!
One thing I have learned, at the bottom of the page, click on Suivant> to get to the next page.

She has the most amazing flower creations from paper!  I've seen this stamp set used in her creations as well as some others, and after looking at them for quite awhile I wanted to give one of these flower creations (in 3D) a try.

I'm pretty happy with the first try, and will keep playing with this technique.  BUT you really need to give her blog a look.  It's really something!

Christmas in July 16

Good Morning!
It's July 16th, and we are more than halfway through the month of July! 

The Christmas card for today is a mix... I saw the wreaths in a different form on another card and wanted to play with them a little. They are stamped with Gumball Green ink, and then I used just a tiny drop of Christmas Red Stickles to make the holly berries.  I used the 1" circle punch, the 1 1/4" scallop punch, adhered them, and raised them off the cardstock with dimensionals.  Satin stitched Gumball Green bow, and coordinating cardstock from the Be of Good Cheer DSP helped finish out today's card.

Season's Greetings and the sentiment on the inside of the card come from the More Merry Messages stamp set.

If you look closely, you might see the background is vertically scored at 1/4".

Please enjoy!

Christmas in July 15

As I look at this card, it seems pretty simple and plain - except I know how much work I put into this card! :)

I used Crumb Cake cardstock along with the Christmas red and green as a neutral mat.  Since the main image is poinsettias, I also used the embossing folder with the poinsettias called "Pretty Petals" to give the red some depth.

I'm enjoying my 'old' corner punch.  It gives a nice edge so not everything is a square corner.

The flowers are Stampin' Up from the last holiday catalog, and the sentiment is from CTMH.  I like the fonts they use.

This was also a good opportunity for me to finish up the yellow rhinestones I'd colored for an earlier card!



We are just about half way through with the Christmas in July project!  31 days..... Hmmmmm going to make it or not?  We'll have to see!

Christmas in July 14 Sparkle, Sparkle, Sparkle!

How many, you ask?  85 rhinestones!  Yes, 85.  Before I placed the ornament, I turned it upside down, and made a pen mark on the back of each stone as I counted.  85 rhinestones, in 4 different sizes.

I saw a version of this card, and all I could say was, "Wow!!"

I made many changes from the original...  I used the Hello, Doily stamp and embossed it in white on the vellum, Basic Gray ink to stamp the holly and ivy on the backing cardstock.  Cherry Cobbler ribbon, and my Stampin' Up markers.  The ornament was cut in vellum, and covered with rhinestones of different sizes to fill in all the spaces starting from the center.

The markers stayed wet on the vellum for the holly and ivy so I sprinkled on some clear embossing powder, heat set them, and used a lighter green on the back of the ivy to help with color depth.

I included two pictures of this card so you could see the "bling"  (I really don't like that word.) from both sides.  It's really very sparkly in the light! 


We are almost to the middle of July!  I hope you're enjoying my Christmas in July celebration!