Hello! Today I have the card from day 5 … where the challenge was a sketch. I hadn’t originally planned on doing the sketches but then inspiration struck so I went ahead and did it.
The sketch called for three panels and three embellishments and a sentiment … so I cut up a piece of the glossy paper that was a mop up piece that I had stamped on whilst making the star cards and then set aside. I then cut a piece of the die cut Pines pieces that again were just sitting on the desk.
Next I went for pine cones embellishments using the Christmas Season stamps. And a sentiment from the coordinating Christmas to remember stamps.
Finished off with the pearls to embellish.
Still can’t quite believe I’m still making all these Christmas cards… just hope Martin’s challenge doesn’t stop me from finishing my own!
So long term readers of my blog will know I attempted a Christmas card making challenge last year and failed to finish… this year I’ve shortened it but I’m back with a very similar challenge again this year and really hoping I might succeed with a bit of planning and tenacity… let’s see shall we.
I’ve kept to very similar themes … just got rid of a couple so that it will work as a weekly challenge and take us up to just before Christmas… because yes 10 weeks (or thereabouts) to go to Christmas week.
I concentrated on the die cutting and lots and lots of dimension… so there are three layers to the background panel of die cuts in 2 colours of green, some of the pine cones also have three or four layers. I stacked up the sentiment panel and also the embossed background.
This photo in the sun shows all the shadow and conveys the depth to the card quite well.
I heat embossed the sentiment and love the white against all the greens and brown. Modern but with a hint at tradition. I added the brown twine from the stash which makes a lovely different embellishment alongside the pearl gems.
I think my parents will like this card, and as its a 7×7 card it’s a good size for special recipients.
I really love how it turned out… to be honest I rarely use these very detailed dies as they can be tricky to cut out on my Big Shot (it’s getting old and the pressure isn’t as good as it was) so this took some time… but I think it was worth it.
Also love that Fern embossing folder. I was able to extend it over the whole 6×6 square as knew the “join” would be masked by the die cut panel on top… so no one would know it isn’t a 6×6 embossing folder!
Would love it if you were inspired by my personal challenge and let me know… either here or on Instagram…. would love to see what you create.
I haven’t made any Christmas cards in ages … so when I stumbled across Kendras card challenge using 6 pieces of 6×6 to make 15 cards I thought it might help spur me on and help me get started on this years cards.
Of course I forgot using an American template would lead to card sizes that aren’t standard UK sizes so I made mine as card toppers and added them to 5×7 card blanks.
Kendra provides both the cutting guides and the layout/sketches with measurements so this made stage 1 (cutting, layering and grouping together) easy. Next step was to decide how to finish each of the cards off.
I used the Painted Christmas dsp for mine …
And teamed the papers with Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Pear Pizazz and Mossy Meadow cardstock … mainly as that was what I had to hand! I also added in some of the glittery speciality paper too for some fun.
I used different embossing folders, stamp sets, die sets and punches to finish off the cards… some I added inking too, some I kept plainer.
So there you go … 15 cards made ready for December. I always make lots of cards but I then gift them to my parents and my aunties for them to use too … so it helps to get lots done in one go … they then function as a set, although each is very different!
Merry Christmas everyone. Just popping in to say hi and share the cards I made for my hubby and daughter.
But first…
Well my Christmas card challenge failed abysmally… I only managed 6 of the themes I think and then life got crazy busy and crafting went to the back of the priority list… so sorry for those who were enjoying the challenge. Maybe I will revisit it when I get a chance.
But I did manage to make 2 more cards … one for the hubby and one for the child.
Hubby…
I went to town on this 7×7 card with dsp, dies, stamps a day some bling!
Pretty much everything from the Painted Christmas suite got thrown at it. Love love love this and all the foliage!
Definitely one of my favourite cards I’ve made this year! Entering it into the challenge at The card concept
Next up is the card I made for my daughter.
To be honest I made the cross stitch in 2020 but never found a use for it… until now! I decided it worked will with the Painted Christmas dsp and just created a frame from some old spellbinders dies and the sentiment from the Playful Alphabets dies and last years favourite stamps… Peace and Joy.
A cute and beautiful card … with a sewn element so perfect for my girl.
So these are the last of the 2021 Christmas cards. I actually did well in using the vast majority of the cards I had in the stash this year (between me and my parents!) which means I probably shouldn’t wait too long to start making them for 2022! Good job I have plenty of dsp left to play with!
Wishing you all a fabulous Christmas and festive season.
Week 6 … already … oh my … running a little late on the posting today … but better late than never!
So it was time for the main man to arrive. Except then I realised I don’t own many Santa stamps. I ended up digging some old Making Cards magazine stamps out to make the focal image. I stamped the Santa’s and coloured them using my Stampin Blends.
I grabbed some of the dsp I got in Saleabration and cut some plaid panels and the mounts for the images.
I then die cut the christmas pinecones large foliage dies in white with an extra one which I could cut up and use for additional embellishments.
After putting the layers together I decided to also add some of those gorgeous gold leaves and some cherry Cobbler twine. The sentiment I stamped from the Christmas to remember stamps… wish I had used the stamp platform so I could have got the colour darker but hey you learn from your mistakes! And it looks lovely regardless.
Don’t forget if you are playing along to add #christmascard2021IFCchallenge so I can follow along.
Yes I know I already did a challenge back in July (which I didn’t quite finish) but I decided to set myself another one! This time for the next 12 weeks we have a weekly challenge and I would love for you to join me and play along. If you do join in … it will take you up to the end of November and 12 Christmas projects done before December starts!
So first up is foliage.
I used the fabulous Christmas Season stamps to create a full piece of A4 patterned paper. I did add the Very Versailles text stamp too because I couldn’t resist. I also added some splatters of the shimmer ink in both champagne and rose gold.
I then cut it up as a one sheet wonder. I chose to mount some on Polished Pink and some on Mossy Meadow. I then stamped and die cut some sentiments from the Christmas to remember set and the added elements of a pine cones and the fir tree pieces.
I then started putting the cards together.
Some I added ribbon or twine to… or both.
On some I also added the gold Holly leaf embellishments which are super cute!
I also grabbed embossing folders (Timeworn Type and Pinewood Planks) to add texture to a few of them.
Really happy with this set of cards.
So the challenge doesn’t require us to make more than one card … it just so happens that this first one I did make 7! But then I also had lots of fun making the patterned paper from those stamps.
If you do join in please comment below so I can see your cards… or add the hashtag on Instagram #christmascard2021IFCchallenge
Had fun with new stash and made a card. I played with both of the stamp and die bundles from the Painted Christmas suite… the Christmas Season stamps and Seasonal frames dies and the Christmas to remember sentiment stamps and the Christmas Pinecone dies. All four of these items (2 bundles) work in tandem with each other and are … fabulous!
I actually videoed this playtime… so check out the YouTube if you want to see how it came together.
But if you are just after the final card…
I mean… how fabulous is this? And how easy? So easy!
Love love love these bundles. I do think this years Christmas selection by SU is their best for a few years.
Can see me making far too many Christmas cards for the stash this year using all of these fabulous products. But that’s fine… they will all get used eventually!
Inkyfingeredcat 