Sunday, December 3, 2023

Creation Station: Santa's Workshop


Hey there! The Creation Station Design Team is back to inspire you again! This time we're showing the creations we're making for the holidays in our own little Santa's workshops. (Honestly, if you could see my "workshop," you'd be amazed that anything pretty comes out of it---it's such a mess!) I've been busily making my Christmas cards in my studio and I always make one special card for my bestie. She's the one who inspires me creatively, so I  like to pull out all the stops for her card. Here it is--what do you think?

I used the "Joy of Noel" stamp set and coordinating dies along with the beautiful Snowflake Magic Specialty Designer Series Paper to make this reverse gate-fold card.


I cut a sheet of 12" x 12" DSP to 8-1/2" by 11" (the size of a regular sheet of card stock). I scored the sheet at 5-1/2" along the long side and then scored at 2-1/8" along the short side, flipped it over and scored again at 2-1/8" along the short side. Then I cut along the top 2-1/8" score lines and across the 5-1/2" line, reserving the two upper pieces (shaded in the diagram) for the inside.

When the belly band is removed, the top of the card opens upward and the two gates open from the side.


But before we move to the inside, we need to talk about the outside of the card. I made a belly band by cutting a 1-1/2" by 10" strip of the silver sheet of the Snowflake Magic Specialty DSP.  I also cut a 10" piece of Silver and White Sheer Ribbon. I wrapped both around the card, overlapping in the back, and adhered the ends.

Next, I stamped two of the same holly berry spray image from the "Joy of Noel" set in Versamark Ink onto Basic White Card Stock. I sprinkled on Silver Embossing Powder and set it with my Heat Tool. I colored the images with Light Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, and Pretty Peacock Stampin' Blends and then die-cut them. I adhered these pieces directly to the belly band. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark onto a 3/4" by 3-1/4" strip of Pretty Peacock Card Stock and embossed it in silver. I adhered this piece to the belly band with Stampin' Dimensionals. I slipped a length of the sheer ribbon under the original strip and tied a big bow. I finished the card front by adding several Iridescent Pastel Gems.


Inside the card, I cut the two saved pieces of DSP to 1-7/8" by 5-1/4" and adhered them to the gates. I cut two pieces of Pretty Peacock Card Stock to 5-1/4" by 4" and adhered them to the top and bottom of the main card. I adhered a 5-1/8" by 3-7/8" piece of silver DSP on top. I used the Joy of Noel die to cut the letters from the DSP and adhered them to the card with Multipurpose Liquid Glue and I stamped "joyous" in Cherry Cobbler Ink.


I thought I was finished and then thought again...I could make an envelope from the remainder of the silver DSP! I used a regular Basic White Envelope as a pattern--opened up--and traced it onto the back of the DSP. I cut it out and then scored the side flaps and closure and used Stampin' Seal to adhere the bottom to the sides of the envelope. I think that added an elegant touch.


Well, I'll be signing off from Santa's workshop (AKA Kathy's Stamping Studio). I'll be back next year with a new look to my blog/website and with new projects for the Creation Station Design Team. Next up is the fabulous Barb Pfeffer at Just B Stamping



Have a wonderful holiday season and best wishes for a great 2024!




Product List
Paper Snips
[103579]
$11.00