Christmas in July - July 28, 2014

 Today's card features Washi Tape!  I have to thank Linda Guild, a Cricut and Stamping friend for this idea.  I've used it often - and came up with this card from a scrap of paper just big enough to fit the stocking punch.

How?  Layer the Washi tape on a scrap of cardstock, then use your punch to cut!  This particular Washi design lined up easily, and when I overlapped the dots, it made a nice continuous design.

I then layered it on a piece of glitter cardstock cut with my Deco label framelits, added some ribbon, and the Merry Christmas.

Christmas in July - July 27, 2014

 Something NEW!   Some time ago I bought another Cuttlebug Quilled flower - this time from Amazon.  They are not difficult to make by any means - you just need some equipment.  Since I use longer dies, and have 2 other quilled flower pieces, I had what I needed.  You need the long A, B, and C plates.  This technique will also work easily in a Big Shot with the same long plates for the die cuts.

Ok... enough about the supplies.

Here are two of the quilling flowers - Poinsettias.  Instead of using yellow for the centers, I used a scrap of vanilla cs I had, and added yellow stickles to the stamens.

This card has quite a bit of dimension, and will either be delivered in person, or sent in a small box.

Christmas in July - July 24, 2014

 

Here's another more detailed card for today's Christmas in July celebration.

 I really like the Tri-shutter card design.  It's not all that complicated for a seasoned card-maker, though maybe a little challenging for someone just starting out.  I first made one of these a year or so into my card making only because that's when I discovered the tutorial. 

 For this card, I used a base of the Gumball Green,  the retired Be of Good Cheer DSP, and lots of other details.  The mitten punch, Scent-sational Seasons stamp (gingerbread man) and die set,  one of the SU ornaments, and one of my favorite stamp sets... Jolly Bingo Bits!

I've had lots of fun with my Stickles the last two days... lots of little touches here and there.  Red and Green buttons on the gingerbread men, holly berries on the wreath, yellow to accent the star.  I also added rhinestones on the ornament, and as holly berries.

One thing about these, every time I make one it never seems to come together well until the end.  I'm thrilled with how this one turned out!

Click HERE to find a tutorial on how to make the Tri-Shutter Card.  No, it's not difficult, it just takes some time and patience.

Christmas in July - July 14, 2014

My card today is a very simple card.  I believe it took me less than 10 minutes to make, and I still can't decide if I want to add a bow to this, or just leave it as it is.

This card uses the flocked window sheet from Candlelight Christmas DSP.  I backed it with a piece of vanilla cardstock, and added a sentiment at the bottom.

In person, it looks fantastic just as it is.  I'll most likely take it to my card club and ask if they have any ideas.

Christmas Cards 2014 - June

As always, I made 6 cards, completed the inside as you'll see below, stamped the envelopes - have them signed and sealed - just waiting for right after Thanksgiving!

We've even set up our printer (again) that allows me to print address labels in color - so they won't be so boring any longer! :)

This card took just a little bit of time, even though there are lots of steps.

I stamped the background with a music stamp I had, added a tree in Garden Green,  the Joy stamp, and a seam binding bow accented with a brass brad.

The inside is the verse that belongs with the Joy stamp on the outside of the card stamped in Crumb Cake, and accented with a Merry Christmas over the top.

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 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!

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!

2013 Christmas Card Challenge - June 2013!

Summer is almost upon us - Spring storms all around with rain, lightning, thunder, and tornadoes.  Yes, we're right smack-dab in the middle of Tornado Alley.  Shelter-in-Place plan, work plan, out and about plan....  trying to be prepared, but always with a tinge of worry.    Oh well.  Spring still is my favorite season.  With all the rain we've had, things are beautiful, green, flowers blooming...  so much better than the drought! :)

SO.   After all that, the Christmas Card Challenge for June!


Click HERE for the complete list of rules and regs. (They're easy, I promise!) in order to compete in the challenge.  The best part of competing in my challenges?  Your Christmas cards will be all completed, hand-made (not rushed) and ready to send out right after Thanksgiving.  What a great way to give hand-made cards and not feel that extra pressure at the holiday!


The theme for June's challenge is:    Try a New Technique


This has to be something you've never done before - paper tole, tri-fold cards, shaving cream technique, alcohol ink backgrounds,  Oh! there are hundreds!  "Your imagination is your limitation."   Here's your chance to try something you've never done before.

Mine?  I've never given the Black Magic Technique a try and really wanted to. You Tube is a wonderful resource as is Splitcoast Stampers.  I personally like the videos so I can actually see what they're doing.  Helps me remember better. :)

Here you can see 3 of the 7 cards I made this month... so you could get a good close-up of some of my favorites.

I used the Stampin' Up 2-step stamping set called Watercolor Winter for these cards.  It might be retired, but it's so awesome for so many different things.  This isn't the first time I've used it.

 1st step to the Black Magic Technique is to stamp the image on black cardstock in white craft ink.  Use the heat gun to dry the craft ink.

 2nd step to the Black Magic Technique:  (This one takes the longest.)  Use watercolor pencils and color in the images over the white craft ink.  I used different shading with the reds.  They show better in person, as always.

 Since this is a 2-step stamping set, I then took the top image on each card, stamped in white craft ink again, and left it white for some extra definition.  The Merry Christmas is stamped with Versamark ink, covered with white embossing powder, and heat embossed with the same 'gun'.

Here you can see all 7 of the black magic cards (I made the Holly and Berries as a bonus card to see what it would look like.)  with one showing the completed inside, and one of the envelopes.  "No naked envelopes!"

 Basic rules:  Create 6 cards in a new technique you've never tried before.  Finish the insides and stamp the envelopes.  Take a picture or a few - enter them here before midnight the 20th of June to be considered in the voting.

Latest Christmas Cards

This card was made for my sister. She loves the feel of the heat embossing - so anything I make for her MUST have something shiny for her to feel! :) I love the Debbie Mumm paper so much - these penguins just are so perfect.

I have some fantastic co-workers at my new school campus, and I just wanted to let them know how much I appreciate all their help in adjusting to a new building.

I made this one especially for our cafeteria manager. She's allowed me to use a little space in her ovens to heat some food for our pot-luck gatherings. I appreciate her so much!!

My husband requested a card for his sister and her family.. so I came up with this one. It looks a little busy, but is very nice in person! I also decorated the inside, but took the picture after he's written in it... so sorry!

All photo corners are from the Cricut Cartridge Jasmine. I cut a sheet of many different colors, and have them in individual baggies. I then store the individuals in a gallon bag, so I have photo corners in any color just when I need them!

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