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!

50 Christmas Card Order - COMPLETE!

My dear friend (and boss) of the 2nd job I work at ordered 50 Christmas cards late in July, beginning of September.

I had some samples laying around because I've been making so MANY Christmas cards this year!  I wasn't able to stop just at the Christmas Card Challenges because I'd seen so many really amazing cards, and wanted to play with some new techniques.

We decided on 4 different designs, and one sight-unseen (which I think turned out the best)...  With just a few little details and delivery to complete next week or the week after, my project is finished.  WHEW! :)

 Many of the cards use the Triple-Time Stamping technique, some old stamp sets, and some very new ones.
I think I'll call the next series of two pictures Triple-Doubles - Triple-Time Stamping, with a Two-Step Stamping set.  Whew!

 The picture directly above and below feature the new stamp set for the season: Watercolor Winter.  I REALLY love it!!!  It's a two-step stamping set, so I ordered them in wood mount, and made a permanent Stamp-a-ma-jig template for the outline pieces.  You wouldn't believe how much time this saves!!!

 These 3 cards feature one of my very favorite stamp sets: Bells and Boughs.  I get lots of use out of it!  There are quite a few of these, and they took an incredible amount of time coloring with markers.

These cards feature the Joy-Fold technique, and once all the pieces are cut, go together very quickly.  I used the new ornament stamps and coordinating dies as well as some Be Of Good Cheer Design Series Paper to make these colors work together so well.

 The above card showing the inside view is the last set of 10 cards to complete the order... and are stunning in person.  All the materials here are from last year's Christmas catalog - even the velvet ribbon.  I used embossed vellum to cover the star, and pearls to cover the glue dots.  LOVE the Stampin' Up glitter paper!  It is amazing in person!

Stamp sets used for this card order:  Christmas Collage, Bells and Boughs, Christmas Postcard, The Sounding Joy, Many Merry Messages, Watercolor Winter, and Watercolor Winter.

Your comments are treasured!

Joy in Triple-Time Stamping

Here's another Triple-Time stamping card.

Saturday, after doing some stamp work, I was cutting pieces for this technique, and my friend had out this stamp.  It's one of the really large SU stamps, but I LOVE it so much!

I stamped in in Old Olive - after experimenting for awhile with lots of colors, this Olive color just seems right to me for the background.  I like to take time with the markers outlining and accenting other areas of the stamp.

The poinsettias, bell ribbon, and holly berries are outlined in Bravo Burgundy then colored in with Riding Hood Red.
The bell is Daffodil Delight, Bravo Burgundy, and More Mustard.
I also outlined Joy with Always Artichoke but didn't color it in... just as an accent.
All the holly leaves and poinsettia greenery are colored with Certainly Celery, and outlined in places with Wild Wasabi.

I've made only one of these so far, but I think I'll put one of my assembly lines together, and make more of these.  I'll also add some Stickles to this before they go out in the mail. :)






Your comments are always appreciated!

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