52 Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge - Flower/Flourish

When I think of a Christmas flower, my mind quickly goes to poinsettias. The latest card challenge at the 52 Christmas Card Throwndown blog is to make a card using a flower, flourish or both. I had made a few cards using poinsettia designer paper from Stampin' Up! last year, so decided to make one more for this challenge.

I started by making a stair-step card using white card stock. On the left and right panel I attached a strip of poinsettia designer paper. I then made a panel using a leaf and berries designer paper backed with a gold cardstock. I attached it to the center panel of the card. I cut out a large poinsettia image from the designer paper and attached it to the center of the panel using foam mount tape to raise it off the card. For the sentiment, I stamped "Season's Greetings" in green on a white strip and attached it to the bottom of the card using foam mount tape to raise it off the card. Lastly I added a gem on each side of the sentiment for a little bling.

Poinsettia and Leaf and Berries Paper - Stampin' Up! Poinsettia Place
Season's Greetings Sentiment - Stampin' Up! Bright & Beautiful

September Christmas Sketch Challenge

52 Christmas Card Challenge blog has an interesting card sketch for this week's challenge. I knew exactly the die cut images I wanted to use for the sketch.

I started with a red 5" x 7" base card. On a white layer I die cut my Santa at the top leaving the bottom of the layer blank. I attached die cut mini stars in the open space of the die cut. I die cut a 'Ho ho Ho' sentiment out of red and attached it to the bottom of the layer. I cut a curved piece out of red and white (adding a Merry Christmas sentiment on the white piece) and attached it under the santa.

Santa Die - Stampin' Up!
Ho ho Ho Die - Impression Obsession

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #652

This morning I made a card for the current challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.

I decided on a 5 1/2" card so cut the base card in white. I then cut a circle in a piece of heavyweight white card stock. I embossed the top of the card with a leaf embossing folder. Across the circle I attached a die cut foil butterfly. I added a thin strip of blue foil card stock at the bottom of the circle then added a blue floral designer paper at the bottom of the layer. I backed the entire layer (using foam mount tape to lift it slightly off the card) with a piece of the same designer paper I used for the bottom of the layer (so it would show behind the foil butterfly). That layer was then attached to the white base card. Lastly I stamped a sentiment on white, backed it with the blue foil card stock, then attached it (using foam mount tape) at the bottom of the circle. For a little bling, I added two blue gems.

Butterfly Die - Marianne Designs Creatables
Sentiment - Stampin' Up! Elements of Style

Floral Anniversary Card

Oh my goodness. When I came across a personalized anniversary card on Pinterest (credit to Debbie Armstrong), I just had to make one like it. It is the perfect anniversary card for my son and daughter-in-law. I began with a 5-1/2" white base card. I printed out two copies of some pink flower clip art on white cardstock (adding a clip art ampersand at the center of one image). One was for the background layer and the other was for diecutting out their initials. I printed 'Happy Anniversary' under the flowers on the background layer. To raise the initials off the card a bit, I added four die cut layers of white card stock to each letter. I then added the letters on top of the floral layer, lining up the images. I backed the printed layer with gold and attached it to the base card.

Dies for initials - Altenew

Color Hues Challenge #94 Rust and Green

This morning I made a card for the current challenge over at Color Hues. The challenge is to use the colors rust and green on a project.

I was surprised to see I had some rust colored card stock, so made a 5" x 7" base card using it. I had an extra embossed white layer (from the last challenge), so added that to the front of the card. To add the green, I die cut leaves and attached it to the embossed layer, then die cut a Thank You sentiment in gold and backed that with green. I attached the sentiment with foam mount tape to lift if off the card a bit. Lastly I added a little decorative green brad.

Embossing Folder - Gina K Designs Tapestry
Leaves Die Cuts - Memory Box Fresh Foliage
Thank You Die Cut - Diamond Press
Decorative Brad - The Paper Studio

Christmas Joy

I enjoy making Christmas cards each year and thought I'd get an early start to this year's cards. Inspiration came from a new challenge that I came across, 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. They have weekly challenges so I hope to participate each week. This week's challenge is Embossing.

I knew exactly what kind of card I wanted to make, a clean and simple design with an embossed background. I started with a 5-1/2" square dark red base card. I embossed a white square and backed it with a red and white larger square to form a border. On the embossed layer I wanted to add the die cut word "joy" that I cut out of a foil card stock. I cut several more of the words in a thick white card stock, glued them together and backed the foil one so it would rise off the card a bit. For the dot above the 'j' I die cut a tiny red cardinal and attached it. The layers were then attached to the base card.

Embossing Folder - Gina K Designs Tapestry
Joy Die Cut - Memory Box Joy Airy Script
Mini Cardinal Die Cut - Impression Obsession