Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Bold Noel - Stampin' Up! Christmas Pines

  It's getting cold here in Richmond and it actually feels like winter.  I don't think we'll see any snow like the northern parts of the country but cold at Christmas time is OK with me.  Now if only I could convince my husband to let me put the down comforter on the bed I'd be all set!

  Today's card is the 3rd project we made at my last stamp club.  I really enjoyed stamping with the Christmas Pines set this year.  I found that there were so many great images and paired with the Pretty Pines Thinlets you could make a ton of great cards.


  We have a Mint Macron base and then a layer of Whisper White embossed with the Pine Bough embossing folder.  Using a sponge dauber and Emerald Envy ink my stampers brushed the raised image to just highlight the branches.  The Noel is stamped in Real Red ink for a nice bold Christmas greeting.  Finally the corners are rounded.

  A narrow strip of Real Red Glimmer paper anchors the punched circles.  On top of the circles we die cut 2 pinecones.  The base of the pinecones is Crumb Cake cardstock and the delicate top layers are cut from Soft Suede.  Gold Wink of Stella colors those top layers for a bit of added sparkle.  A Red Red baker's twine bow finishes off this card.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Christmas Pines

Ink: Real Red, Emerald Envy

Paper: Mint Macaron, Whisper White, Emerald Envy, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Real Red Glimmer paper

Accessories: Pretty Pines Thinlets, circle punches, baker's twine, Wink of Stella, dimensionals, corner rounder, Pine Bough embossing folder

 

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Moose Gift Card Holder - Stampin' Up! Jolly Friends

 I always need a lot of gift card holders during the Christmas season so I try to find a cool one to teach at my last class of the year and then I can make a bunch while all the supplies are out.  Everyone likes to have a fun way to present a gift card and all you need to do is change up the colors and stamps for any other occasion.  

  I came across this fun one that when you open the flap the gift card kind of pops up in the little folder inside.  It's much easier to make than it looks at first and some of my stampers were intimidated at the scoring but once they started putting the pieces together they said it wasn't hard at all!


  At my class we used the 12x12 kraft cardstock.  You can get 3 holders per sheet so it's super economical!  The Jolly Friends and Jolly Hat builder punch are what we used to decorate the outside of the gift card holder.  We stamped the moose in Early Espresso, colored his antlers with a Soft Suede marker.  We masked his face and stamped the scarf in Bermuda Bay.  The hat is stamped on Bermuda Bay cardstock with the same color ink and then punched out.  The pompom and brim are stamped in Cherry Cobbler ink on Cherry Cobbler cardstock.  We popped the hat on dimensionals.

   

  
  On the inside we stamped a large snowflake from the Holly Jolly Greetings stamp set.  This set was also used on the front for the sentiment (stamped in Early Espresso).

  One thing to remember when you start to put this gift card holder together is that you don't use any adhesive on the bottom flap.  The band that goes around holds it closed.  If you put adhesive on the edges the white insert won't slide out easily.  So put the adhesive on the back of the band, not on the inside of the flap.

  Here are the measurements and scoring instructions to make this holder.

Base:
  Start with an 11x4 piece of cardstock
 
 Score at 2", 7 1/4" and 7 3/8" (the 3/8" is the mark right next to 1/4")

 To make the tab for the closure:

  Line up the larger flap (the part that you'll stamp the moose on) at the 1" mark on the envelope punch board.  Punch.  Then turn the cardstock over and line up the side at the 1" mark again and punch.  

  Here is a sketch I drew for my stampers so they could visualize how to line up the cardstock.  If I was super organized and had waaaaayyy more time I would have done a photo tutorial but that's just not happening!  



Insert:
  Start with a 6 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of cardstock

  Score at 1 3/4" and 6"

  Apply adhesive only on the the narrow flap (the part that touches the top flap of the base).  The wider flap when folded up becomes the slot where the gift card sits.

Band:
  Start with a 1" x 8 1/2" piece of cardstock

  Score at 2" and 6 1/8"

  When adhering the insert to the base pre-fold everything and slide the insert down into the base pocket.  Line it up evenly on both side so that it can slide in and out without catching on anything. Apply adhesive to the to the narrow flap (we used tear tape.) Close the top flap and burnish so that the  adhesive grabs.  Open it up and your insert should be attached to the inside of the top the flap.

  Add the band around the bottom pocket and decorate how ever you wish.  We used some Bermuda Bay ribbon, a little Cherry Cobbler twine and a mini jingle bell.

  Try the scores out on some scrap paper or just some plain whisper white and you can see how the pieces all fit together.  It really is easier than it sounds.  Also a little glue dot on the back of the gift card help keeps it from sliding around.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Jolly Friends, Holly Jolly Greetings

Ink: Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Bermuda Bay

Paper: Kraft cardstock, Bermuda Bay, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White

Accessories: Simply Scored board, Envelope punch board, mini jingle bells, ribbon, baker's twine, Jolly Hat builder punch, dimensionals

Monday, December 12, 2016

Light of Heaven - Stampin' Up! Star of Light

 The days are getting away from me the closer we get to Christmas so I better get these Christmas cards shared before it's too late!  We made this one at my last stamp club of the year.  It has just enough detail to make you feel that you didn't rush through it but easy enough to mass produce if you need to make some more cards to send out.  I cut extra paper for my class on purpose so that I could make a few extras for my stash.  It was relaxing to color in the stars; kind of like those adult coloring book but without the full page commitment!


  The color combo is a little non-traditional but I like to have a few designs that aren't the traditional red/green.  It keeps the long Christmas card making season from getting stale!

  The card base is Sweet Sugarplum (a fitting color for Christmas!).  I put 3 of the smaller stars from the Star of Light set onto one clear block and used it for the scattering of stars on the card base.  I used Sweet Sugarplum ink.

  The sentiment is stamped on a panel of Whisper White with Elegant Eggplant ink.  I backed this panel with 2 narrow strips of Silver Glimmer paper.  No need to use a whole panel...just 2 strips about a 1/2" wide are perfect.  Just be sure to attach them using tear tape so that it all stays put!

  To make the star I stamped the details star in Elegant Eggplant and then cut it out with the coordinating Starlight thinlet.  After coloring it with Elegant Eggplant, Rich Razzleberry and Sweet Sugarplum markers I mounted with it dimensionals slightly offset on another die cut star in Elegant Eggplant cardstock. A small rhinestone sets off the center.

  It's such a rainy day here in Richmond that I'm going to put on Netflix and get my Christmas cards written and addressed!  I might need to make another pot of coffee!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Star of Light

Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Sweet Sugarplum  Markers: Elegant Eggplant, Rich Razzleberry, Sweet Sugarplum

Paper: Sweet Sugarplum, Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant, Silver Glimmer Paper

Accessories: Starlight Thinlets, rhinestone, dimensionals

Friday, December 9, 2016

Classic Noel - Stampin' Up! Christmas Pines - Fab Friday 102

It's another Fab Friday challenge today!  The weeks just seem to be flying by and before we know we'll be saying Happy New Year!   But there's still time for a few more Christmas cards!

  Our challenge today really lends itself to a classic red and green Christmas card and since that is what I need right now I went with it!

  Check out these colors!



  A little stamping, a little embossing, a little sponging and this is what I came up with!


  I used Crumb Cake for the base and stamped Hardwood background in Crumb Cake on a slightly smaller layer.  After rounding the corners I sponged all around with white craft ink.  Then I went to the vault and pulled out an all time favorite Endless Christmas Wishes which is long retired but has such cute snowflakes and sentiments I haven't been able to give it up!  I stamped the smallest snowflake randomly in Versamark and then embossed with white embossing powder.

  I used the Emerald Envy and Pretty Pines thinlets for some die cut greenery.  A Real Red tag was the perfect backdrop for a white embossed Noel and an itty bitty sprig of holly.  I sponged the edges also with white craft ink.  After adding some Emerald Envy ruched ribbon tied with bakers twine I popped the tag up with dimensionals.

  The final details are a few little clusters of adhesive pearls on the greenery.  I have no idea if that is accurate or not but I went with it anyway!  A botanist I am not!  Or is it arborist??

  I hope you'll check out the rest of the Fab Friday Design Team samples and then join in the fun and add your card to our gallery!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Christmas Pines, Hardwood background, Endless Christmas Wishes (retired)

Ink: Crumb Cake, Versamark, White craft

Paper: Crumb Cake, Emerald Envy, Real Red

Accessories: corner rounder, Pretty Pines thinlets, dimensionals, adhesive pearls, Tag Topper punch, Emerald Envy ruched ribbon, white baker's twine,  white embossing powder