Showing posts with label Itty Bitty Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Itty Bitty Christmas. Show all posts

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Creation Station: Ice, Ice Baby


#stampinup   #creationstation   #faithfulinkspirations   

Hello and welcome to December! Can you believe this year of years is just about to be over?! Mind you, I don't think that just because the calendar turns from one month to the next, or one year to the next, that anything will change drastically, but I do hope that the future is bright and shiny! And speaking of bright and shiny, our Creation Station blog hop theme is "Ice, Ice Baby" in which we are to create a project that sparkles and shines. 

I had fun creating my project. I kept thinking of ways to make my card sparkle and shine. I did some experimenting--some things worked, others didn't, but it was fun spending time being creative. For my card, I went with products from the wonderful Snowflake Splendor Suite on pages 36 through 38 of the July through December Mini Catalog. That was the first Suite that caught my eye when the mini was revealed and I only bought one thing--the entire suite. See, if you use the item number for the entire suite (155115) you get everything in the suite and you don't have to feel bad because you only bought one thing!

Here's the card in all its icy, shiny splendor!

I really pulled out all the stops on this one! My card base is a quarter sheet (4-1/4" by 5-1/2") of Highland Heather Card Stock. I did a fun fold (keep reading for details) with the beautiful Snowflake Splendor Designer Series Paper. I used the So Many Snowflakes Dies to cut the window opening from a piece of Highland Heather Card Stock and to cut the snowflakes. I also used the sparkly Balmy Blue Shimmer Paper (2-7/8" by 4-3/8") and Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems. Oh! I almost forgot--I used the Snowflake Splendor Ribbon as well! I stamped the sentiment from the "Snowflake Wishes" stamp set in Gorgeous Grape Ink directly onto the Snowflake Splendor DSP and embossed it with Clear Embossing Powder to give it a little shine.

I used the Balmy Blue Shimmer Paper and various sheets of the DSP to make the snowflake elements. That's a great way to use up some random DSP pieces. I popped a Blue Adhesive-Backed Gem into the center of each snowflake and on the corners of the sentiment piece.

I also tied on a Glitter Star Ornament!

The card has two "insides"--it opens twice! It's so easy to make. Start with an 11-3/4" by 5-1/4" piece of DSP. Score it at 1-3/4", 4-3/4", and 7-3/4", then fold it accordion style. Adhere the 4" by 5-1/4" end to the quarter sheet of card stock.

On the 1-3/4" by 5-1/4" end of the DSP, you'll place the sentiment piece. I adhered it with 4 Stampin' Dimensionals, like this.

Next, you'll wrap about 7" inches of ribbon around the middle folded piece, like this. (This is the back of the middle piece.)


You won't waste ribbon where it won't be seen if you "cheat" it around the back of your card as shown above. The box shows your adhesive placement and you'll fold it over to the left. The front of this piece will look like the next picture and you can use another piece of ribbon slipped underneath to tie on your bow and Glitter Star Ornament.


The first flap of the card opens to reveal another snowflake, the ribbon, and a sentiment piece. I stamped a sentiment from the "Itty Bitty Christmas" stamp set in Balmy Blue Ink onto Whisper White Card Stock and cut it out with one of the Tasteful Label Dies I adhered the sentiment piece with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Here's a close-up of the layered snowflake. This time I added in a Balmy Blue Card Stock snowflake for a little variety!

Lift that flap to reveal the second sentiment!


For this one, I used one of the Ornate Layers Dies to cut out another piece of Snowflake Splendor DSP. I stamped a sentiment from the "Snowflake Wishes" Stamp Set in Gorgeous Grape Ink and the snowflakes in Gorgeous Grape and Bermuda Bay Inks directly onto the DSP. Then I "stamped" a Versamark Ink pad directly onto the DSP and embossed the entire front with Clear Embossing Powder. It took a couple of applications, but it's got a nice, icy shine to it. (And if you look at the card when it's closed, you'll see a little bit of the lacy ornate layer peeking out!)

A beautiful card like this deserves a beautiful envelope, so I used another piece of the Snowflake Splendor DSP to line the inside. (I didn't take a picture of that; use your imagination!) When I was inserting the liner into the envelope, the crease tore a bit, so I had to make a creative cover-up...and here's how it turned out!! 

I always say, "There are no stampin' mistakes, only stampin' opportunities!"

The card and envelope likely won't make it through the mail, so this one will be hand-delivered along with a Christmas gift, I'm sure!

I hope you've enjoyed my sparkly card and the journey from idea to creation!

Next up is the fabulous Yvonne Spikmans-Van Bruggen at the Creative Teacup blog. I know her project will inspire you!


I hope you have a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah or Wonderful Winter--whatever you celebrate, I wish you good health and joy. See you next year!!







 
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Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Christmas Thoughts

#stampinup   #faithfulinkspirations  I like to make a variety of Christmas cards every year. I send or give out over 100 cards and making 100 of the same card does NOT appeal to me. I don't mind stamping a stack of cards, but I'm not into stamping a mountain of cards! Besides, I create 12 different card designs for my August through November monthly stamp-a-stack sessions. I make enough "kits" for my stampers and one for myself. And I create other cards for my own use. As of today, I have about 35 cards made (and some in-progress that I'm not counting until they're done). That's pretty good for the beginning of October. But I always seem to be writing and addressing them that last week before Christmas. Maybe this year will be different.

Anyway, today's card is one that I designed for the September Christmas card stamp-a-stack session. I like to include a few designs that are more masculine or "woodsy" and this one fills the bill, don't you think?

I embossed a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Mossy Meadow Card Stock panel with the Evergreen Forest 3D Embossing Folder. I used one of the Tasteful Labels Dies to cut a label from the center of a 5-1/4" by 4" Early Espresso Card Stock mat. I adhered the embossed Mossy Meadow panel to this. Then I adhered a 1" by 3-7/8" strip of Heartwarming Hugs Designer Series Paper to the front and wrapped a length of Early Espresso Faux Suede Ribbon around. I adhered everything to a Real Red Card Stock card base.

I stamped a sentiment from the "Itty Bitty Christmas" stamp set in Real Red onto Whisper White and cut it out with another of the Tasteful Labels Dies. I adhered this to the Early Espresso Tag and then adhered this to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

For some bling--because you can even add bling to a woodsy, masculine card--I added three gold Wonderful Gems to the card.

I even made an inside for the card--which I rarely do!

I stamped two trees from the "Rooted In Nature" stamp set in Mossy Meadow Ink at the bottom of a 4" by 5-1/4" Whisper White panel. I also stamped a sentiment from the "Cherish the Season" stamp set in Mossy Meadow. That looks nice--maybe I should stamp the card insides more often.

Stay healthy! Stay safe!


 





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