Pines at Christmas!

This card came together with a multitude of Stampin' Up products from lots of different catalogs and years, starting way back in 2012!  I have always loved the old Evergreen tree stamps and really wanted to find a way to use it again.  After deciding on my basic layout and to using the Ornamental Pine stamp as may oval's background, I had to find a way to make the tree stand out.  Gold embossing seemed just right and allowed other elements of gold to be added...a gold foil layer and oval frame, plus the gold metallic stamped sentiment.  Take a peek below at the finished card and simple inside card design to coordinate.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Mossy Meadow (2014-16 In Color), Whisper White, Gold Foil.  Patterned dsp--All is Calm Speciality (2014 Holiday).  Stamps--Bright & Beautiful (sentiment), Ornamental Pine,  Evergreen (gold embossed tree/ 2012 Holiday).  Dies--Layering Ovals.  Ink--Mossy Meadow; Encore--Gold Metallic Ink; Versamark.  Embossing Folder--Tiny Triangles.  Embossing Powder--Gold.  Other:  Recollections--Mini Snowflake.  Ribbon--1/4" vanilla sheer.  Chatterbox verse.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

A Beautiful Frosty Non-Traditional Colored Card!

My daughter-in-law loves purple.  Deciding which Christmas card to give her and my son was not a difficult choice that's for sure.  I made some Christmas card at a September 2019 card class, and this design by Luci Kirschbaum was one of the cards we could make.  The Feels Like Frost dsp patterns are so pretty and just stand alone without almost any embellishments or add-ons needed.

I loved Luci's design so much I decided to keep it pretty much as she presented, but I did add a Purple Posy mat layer and increased the size of the white card base to accommodate that addition.  This card was made by stamping the white card front with the snowflake grouping in the Frosted Foliage stamp set with the Purple Posy ink.  A 1-3/4" vertical panel of the Feels Like Frost dsp was adhered about 3/8" from the left side.  The sentiment was stamped with Basic Gray ink and die-cut with the ticket stub corner stitched die.  Snowflakes were added to the corners with Purple Posy ink.  The Purple Posy mat layer was added and Purple Posy die-cut snowflakes using the Snowfall Thinlit dies from the November 2019 Showcase Snowflake Promotional stamp and die sets. 

Take a peek at my finished card with my coordinated inside design and Christmas verse:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Whisper White, Purple Posy (2019-2021 In-Color).  Patterned dsp--Feels Like Frost (2019 Holiday).  Stamps--Frosted Foliage (2019 Holiday).  Dies--Frosted Frames (2019 Holiday); Snowfall Thinlits (November 2019 Snowflake Showcase Promotion).  Ink--Purple Posy (snowflake card front); Basic Gray (focal sentiment).  Rhinestones.  Other:  Recollections punch--Mini Snowflake.  WRMK Corner Chomper--Stub/Deco (style used--Stub).  Chatterbox verse.  Size:  4-3/4" x 6."

A Lovely Christmas Card to CASE!

I went to a card class by Daralee Peterson & Luci Kirschenbaum by in November, 2018.  Luci presented a lovely card that she had cased, but wasn't sure who the author was.  On Pinterest, I found a similar card that was used in the flyer presentation for the special offer by Stampin' Up of their Snowflake Showcase of stamps and dies during November 2018.  Luci's card was a two-layer card using a snowfall embossed vellum card front with notched corners and a pale Balmy Blue cardstock base.  I believe the cased card, also with notched corners, used the velveteen sheets sold as part of the showcase.

I pulled out the pieces of Luci's card kit and decided it was time to finish my own card.  I made several changes to my four-layer card, though the original design still shouts out loud and clear.  Following are the changes and additions that I made.

1) I  enlarged my card by adding a White Shimmer cardbase and a silver glimmer mat layer, then my Balmy Blue cardstock and vellum front layer.  I chose not to notch my corners.

2)  I turned my embossed snowfall with the heavier embossing at the top as though a heavy snowfall was just starting.   

3) I used silver embossing powder for my sentiment and a wider sheet and silver ribbon.  I also trimmed off the stem on my top snowflake flourish.  

4) I finished off the inside of the card with my own verse, cardstocks, distressed edging and snowflakes.  

Take a peek below at this lovely card...I just love this design.  Kudos to whoever made the original design.

Recipe Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Shimmer White, Balmy Blue, Silver Glimmer, Vellum.  Stamps--Snow is Glistening (sentiment-Snowfall Showcase/ Nov. 2018).  Dies--Snowfall Thinlits (Snowfall Showcase/ Nov. 2018).  Embossing Folder--Falling Snow.  Ink--Versamark.  Embossing Powder--Silver.  Other: Recollections punch--Mini Snowflake (retired).  Lion Brand Bonbon Yarn--White.  Colorbox Ink--Charcoal (ink edge distressing-inside).  Chatterbox verse.  Size-A6: 4-1/2 x 6-1/4 inches. 

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours!

I needed several more cards for Christmas this past year, so I went hunting through my "TO DO" of partially finished cards in my stash to see if there were any easy to finished or that I could replicated fairly easily and quickly.  I found one I loved and away the finishing, paper measuring and cutting began.

This one is a beautiful Christmas card design by Daralee Peterson from a card class that I attended back in 2018, prior to hand surgeries, when my crafting time was very limited.  I LOVED the browns, greens, and copper tones together on her lovely card, so I kept my card very similar, but added a few more colors and layers just because I love layers and it also increases the size of the card, both of which just suits my style more.  I designed a simple inside to coordinate with the outside with my own Chatterbox verse and a scattering of copper punched snowflakes.  Take a peek at the finished card below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products: Cardstock--Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Tranquil Tide, Copper Foil.  Glimmer Paper--Copper, Tranquil Tide.  Patterned paper:  Joyous Noel dsp (2018 Holiday).  Stamps--Snowflake Sentiments (2017 Holiday).  Dies--Stitched Shapes (circles, squares, ovals).  Ink--Tranquil Tide.  Embossing Folder--Tufted 3D.  Ribbon--1/4" Copper Trim.(2019-20).  Punch--Recollections Mini Snowflake (inside).  Size: 4-3/4 x 6 inches.

Minty Softness @ Christmas...

This card is another take-off from a 2018 card design by Stampin' Up demonstrator Luci Kirschenbaum with these added modifications.  

1)  I loved the soft coloring of Luci's card, so I stayed with the Mint Macaron and White cardstocks, but I added a third layer of Copper Foil sandwiched between.  I really like the additional copper enhancements that I added besides the original copper-embossed bauble.

2)  I enlarged my card from the traditional A2 to A6 size (4-1/2" x 6-1/4").

3)  I changed to a simple Merry Christmas sentiment that I centered and copper embossed instead of the original Christmas/ New Year stamp in Mint Macaron that was offset to the right.  

4)  I used Copic Markers in different combinations of light to dark minty shades plus grays to color my copper embossed vellum bauble that plays peek-a-boo in the center of the lacy die-embossed aperture.    Take a peek below at my finished card:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Products:  Cardstock--Whisper White, Mint Macaron, Copper Foil, Vellum.  Stamps: Beautiful Bauble (die embossing) (2018 Holiday); Perfectly Plaid (2019 Holiday/ sentiment).  Dies: Detailed Baubles.  Punch: Curvy Corners (retired).  Embossing Powder: Copper.  Ribbon: 1/8" Coastal Cabana Tea Room.  EK Punch: Victorian Corners.  Copic Marker Vellum coloring.  Chatterbox verse.  Size-A6: 4-1/2"x6-1/4."

Christmas = a Star of Wonder...Star of Night!

This pocket card is my tenth and final Totally Lovin' Christmas card remake.  I used the color scheme and papers from the kit, but added quite a few additional papers and elements to satisfy my creative thoughts and edit ideas after taking a look at the original design.

Of course, again, I wanted my card to be the larger A6 size, and I wanted more color and pizzazz.  Here is a list of the changes I made:

1) I wanted a livelier color scheme, especially for the star panel that was the beautiful focal point of the front of the pocket card.  I chose a pretty Copic color close to Stampin' Up's Seaside Spray cardstock, which allowed me to add a new coordinating Seaside Spray cardbase and automatically enlarging my card as well.  My blue star with its added Navy highlights and a gold filigree gem in the center was so much more eye-appealing than the monochromatic grayish-blue star with its tiny clear rhinestone.  I was stoked with the look of the changes, and my juices were flowing!

2) The original star panel was backed with gold glimmer paper, but this was the only area the glimmer was used.  I wanted MORE for lots of sparkle and sheen.  I used the gold glimmer as a mat layer between the balmy blue cardbase and the navy plaid pocket, plus I added it to the sentiment pocket insert as described below in #4.  

3) The original design's pocket was all navy cardstock, using the navy/ green plaid as an accent rectangle on the lower front pocket only.  It just called for MORE!  I add the plaid to fill my pocket back and the entire front of the pocket, leaving the plain navy cardstock on the fold-over pocket flap only that hosts the ribbon band and star focal panel.

4) For my pocket insert, I left the navy cardstock as the bottom layer, but added a gold glimmer mat layer between the navy base and white sentiment panel.  I also added a gold glimmer half circle pull tab to the insert with a bitty navy star.  The original design used a silver brad added into the sentiment area as the way pull the insert out.  On the insert, I dropped below the sentiment at the top and added the navy Merry Christmas stamping, plus a little verse with a navy star at the bottom, leaving a space in the center for the sender's signature.

All these little additions changed the look of the finished card oodles, and I was really please with the results.  Check out the finished pocket card below...inside and out.

Recipe Ingredients:   Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Night of Navy, Seaside Spray, Whisper White.  Patterns--Wrapped in Plaid (2019 Holiday p. 14).  Stamps--Shine Bright (star - 2019 Holiday p. 28); Star of Light (sentiment/verse - retired).  Ink--Night of Navy.  Ribbon--3/8" Cherry Cobbler Diagonal Stripe (2019 Holiday p. 25).  Gold Faceted Gem.  Other:  Paper--DCWV Gold Glimmer.  Wink of Stella-Clear + Gold (star spokes: clear/ overlaid in gold).  Copic coloring--star--B41 + B97.  A6 Size: 4-1/2" x 6-1/4".  

Christmas...Joy to All!

This is my ninth card from the Totally Lovin' Christmas kit by Liz Thayer.  It is another with only minimal changes, which enhance, but do not change the overall look of the card.  My changes and/or additional are listed below.

1) I increased my card size from the traditional A2 size (4-1/4" x 5-1/2") to my favorite A6 sizing (4-1/2" x 6-1/4").  I did need to cut all new all the paper pieces larger and restamp my Christmas tree, but since I was donating the original kit pieces to my Mom, this was okay).

2) I decided to dry emboss the pink mat layer to add depth and texture.  I have to say, I really think this added tremendously to the card look!  

3) I colored my tree flowers with Copic markers, which I always thinks gives a more clear and beautiful look with shading control.  

4) I added Wink Of Stella-Clear to add a touch of shimmer and mini pearls to each flower...I love these additions to the look!  

5) I eliminated the loopy silver thread in the upper left corner between the silver foil layer and tree stamp layer.  I didn't see any beauty added with the thread, and with my additions of embossing, shimmer, and pearls, I thought it a bit too much.

I am really thrilled with the final look of this card.  That added embossing was a perfect idea if I don't say so myself!

Recipe ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Whisper White and  Blushing Bride.  Champagne Foil.  Stamps-=-Shine Bright (tree/ sentiment - 2019 Holiday/ p. 28).  Embossing Folder--Filigree Frames (retired).  Basic Pearls--2mm/ 1/16".  Gold Faceted Gem (smallest)--tree topper.   Punch--Curvy Corners (inside/ retired).  Other:  Copic coloring--Tree trunk--E21, E23, E27; Leaves--G82, YG67; Berries--RV29.  Flowers--RV00, RV11, RV34.  Wink of Stella--Clear.  Pink Posh sequins.  Chatterbox verse.  Size A6--4-1/2 x 6-1/4 inches.

Sweet Christmas Wishes

This is my eighth card from the Totally Lovin' Christmas kit designed by Liz Thayer.  By the way, this was the card I saw that made me want to purchase this kit and assemble the cards, either exactly as they were designed or modifying them to make them more pleasing to me for whatever the reason.  Many times there is just a creative spark that gives me an idea of a little change and other times it is the inclination to add so many changes, it no longer even looks like the original design.  This one is another mini additions and tweaks without changing the basic Thayer design.

I love the stamp and dies set used in this design, plus I love the rustic feel of the card design.  For some reason, my patterned strips were missing from my kit, so I began immediately to search of papers that would give me that rustic feel.  I found non-Stampin' Up papers that incorporated strips in red and white candy stripes, as well as a green ivy sprigged stripd that ended in an eyelet scallop.  I thought  this piece would work really well, especially with the candy cane die cut.  I layered my chose stripes from the paper together to form my own sequence of stripes, whcih set off numerous ideas to tweak and modify the card design here and there.

I incorporated a total of six changes in all, as follows:1) I wanted to enlarge my card to my favorite A6 size, so I added a new Shimmer White cardstock for the base.  2) I added my new Christmas striped paper talked about in paragraph two above, ending with three striped colors layered together, making my paper striped pieces wider.  3) I changed out the Crumb cake cardstock to a golden brown Kraft paper by Recollections.  4) I changed the smooth card front by adding a woodgrain dry emboss texturizing, plus I added ink-distressed aging on all edging.  I really liked these added texture and distressing features.  5) I changed the sentiment ink from Cherry Cobbler to Gumball Green, and I removed it from the card front flat surface.  I stamped the sentiment on smooth Kraft cardstock that matched the card front.  6) I added a curvy, fancy-edged rectangular label die of Cherry Cobbler cardstock as a mat layer peeking out below the stamped sentiment and popped this twosome up off the card front.  7) I substituted Shimmer White cardstock for the peppermint poinsettia mug.  8) I twine-tied and arranged my ribbon pieces at an angle and tightness that suited my eye appeal.

I was really happy with the results of my card...take a peek below at the finished card, inside and out.

                                                                             

Recipe Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Shimmer White, Cherry Cobbler, Real Red.  Ink--Gumball Green.  Stamps--Cup of Christmas (2019 Holiday/ p. 34).  Dies--Cup of Cheer (2019 Holiday/ p. 34), Stitched Circles (1-7/8"), Labels Collection (retired).  Embossing Folder--Woodgrain.  Ribbon--3/8" Shaded Spruce, Gold Metallic, 5/8" Polka Dot Tulle (halved), 3/8" Red Cotton.   Other:  Recollections--Kraft.  May Arts--Hemp Twine.  Christmas Cane Striped dsp--unknown.  Ink Distressing--Colorbox Chestnut Roan.  Paper Technique: Clear Embossing for Sheen.  Size-A6 = 4-1/2" x 6-1/4."  (Thank you to Liz Thayer for the inspiration from "Totally Lovin' Christmas 2019" card designs with my additions and modifications).

Thinking of You This Season!

On to my seventh Totally Lovin' Christmas card kit.  I loved the Crumb Cake with the white embossing and layout of this sweet card, but I, of course, wanted it larger, and thought a bit more color, dimension, and texture would be good as well.

I checked out several Splitcoaststamper challenges to see what I could do to enter some of the challenges in trying to play challenge catch-up.  One Featured Stamper challenge card confirmed more brown tones would probably work well.  I added a Soft Suede cardbase and enlarged my card layers.  I changed my sentiment layer ink to a darker brown shade and left off the tree panel's corner ribbon...I thought it was too much and liked it more simple!  

I wasn't sure how Liz accomplished the snowfall, but I used a sponged-tipped make-up pen in Versamark w/ white embossing, a white gel pen for smaller snow, and added a bit of fine glitter to tree surface.  I also thought the tree would be extra pretty if it was layered.  I stamped and white embossed two additional trees, fussy cut them (lots of detailed cutting), and popped each layer up, one over the other, using large thick glue dots as I wanted the popping up to be more subtle than using dimensionals.

I was really happy with the layered tree popping...it added so much depth, plus I like the white gel pen and bit of glitter for more texture and sparkle.  This was the perfect card to send to my niece in Bend, Oregon where they are sure to see a white Christmas.  Take a peek below at my card finished inside and out.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products--  Cardstock/ Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla.  Stamps--Winter Wood (sentiment/ tree) (2019-20 Annual).  Dies--Stitched Brightly (embossed boughs-2019 Holiday.  Ink/ Soft Suede; Versamark Watermark.  Embossing Powder/ White (tree + snow drops).  White Gel pen.  Punch/ Curvy Corners (retired).  Other:  Recollections Fine white glitter.  Fussy-cutting.  1/2" glue dots (popping tree).  Chatterbox verse.  Size: 4-3/4 x 6 inches.

Happiest Christmas Wishes!

Working on my sixth Totally Lovin' Christmas make over.  I loved the non-traditional colors on this card, but somehow the layout just didn't really send me over the top, so I changed up the whole card, which keeping most of the colors, the ornament image, and sentiment.

Meanwhile, I enlarged my card closer to an A6 card sized by adding an Early Espresso cardbase and a lime glitter paper mat layer.  Next, the original Perfect Peacock cardbase became the card front color.  I rotated the peacock foil patterned piece to vertical and added a lime glitter paper mat layer.  

For my image layer, I cut down the size of the ornament layer and added layers below the image to make it a three-layer combination.  I die-cut the bottom Pretty Peacock layer with a decorative layer die modified to leave only one curly bracket shape on its right side to host the vertical sentiment.  I wanted more color so I incorporated both the lime and peacock colors on my ornament with Copic markers.  To the lime coloring, I added a bit of Wink of Stella-Clear to give it some shimmer.  To finish, I Versamark stamped and heat embossed the vertical sentiment with Early Espresso embossing powder and popped on three peacock-colored rhinestones.

This is a very non-traditional colored Christmas card!  Take a peek below at the finished inside and outside designs.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Early Espresso, Pretty Peacock.  Patterned--Noble Peacock Specialty paper.  Stamps--Lots of Cheer (sentiment/ ornament - 2019-20 Annual).  Dies:  Labels Collections (retired).  Embossing Powder--Early Espresso (retired).  Holiday Rhinestones (2019 Holiday).  Punch (inside): Curvy Corners (retired).  Other products:  DCWV Glitter Paper--Olive; EK Corner Punch: Victorian Corners.  Copic Markers (lt. aqua (pool parlty)/ olive (olive).  Wink of Stella: Clear.  A6-4-1/2 x 6-1/4 inch cards.

Christmas Brings A Spirit of Peace

I'm working on my fifth card from the Totally Lovin' Christmas card.  I'd call this one a mini makeover!  I actually loved the design of this card and just wanted to make it my traditional, larger-sized card, closer to an A6 size (4-1/2" x 6-1/4") than the more common A2 size (4-1/4" x 5-1/2").  While I was at it, I had a few other tweaks I wanted to make.

To make my card larger, I added a new white cardbase and recut the original Garden Green cardbase into a mat layer to use between the cardbase and the dry embossed and ink-sponged birch trees top layer.  Rather than using Liz's choice of Crumb Cake for the embossed birch tree layer color, I substituted the retired Burnt Brown Sugar cardstock that has a more cinnamon brown look, giving it a more lively and cheerful look.  Sometimes, Crumb Cake just seems a bit blah to me.

I made four other minor changes:  1) I chose to Copic color my pinecones (E21, E23, E59) and fussy-cut the die cut edges down a bit more; 2) I used chunky glitter for my snowy effects rather than the snowfall puff paint. (I like the nice, chunky texture and sparky effect); 3) I added a few more pine branches peeking out from below the sentiment focal piece; and 4) I ink distressed the edges of the card giving it a more aged look.  All in all the card only has subtle changes, which does not change the overall look all that much!  Take a peek at the finished card both inside and out below.

Recipe Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Whisper White, Garden Green, Burnt Brown Sugar (retired), Red Glimmer paper.  Stamps--Peaceful Boughs--2019 Holiday.  Ink--Garden Green, Soft Suede.  Dies--Beautiful Boughs-leaves, sentiment frame--2019 Holiday.  Woodland EF-sponged w/ Soft Suede. 3/8" Red Grosgrain ribbon.  Chunky Glitter--2019 Holiday.  Holiday Rhinestones (inside verse corners).  Other products:  EK Punch--Victorian Corners.  Copic Markers--E21, E23, E59.  Size A6: 4-1/2 x 6-1/4 inches.

Season's Greetings in a Z-Fold Card

I'm onto my fourth card using Liz Thayer's November Totally Lovin' Christmas card kit remodels.  I have to say, I totally loved this card with the Z-Fold and frosted Christmas tree; therefore, I only made a few changes.

For my card, I cut my pieces larger than the original design, and I changed the sentiment, the tree topper to a gold star (from an enamel dot), and filled the inside with a full plaid panel.  As the original had no inside design, I added my own verse stamp and layout design to hide behind the Christmas tree panel.  I changed how the plaid was used behind the frosted tree.  I decided to add a small rectangle of plaid paper behind the see-through frosted tree and then fully cover the panel back with a piece of red cardstock to match the cardbase.

The technique to make the frosted Christmas tree is simple and lots of fun.  I punched out the tree on the white cardstock.  I placed a large rectangle of clear packing tape over the tree hole with the sticky side to the card front.  The next step is to liberally sprinkle fine iridescent glitter onto the sticky tape and tap off the excess onto a piece of clean paper to allow you to return the unused glitter back to its jar.  Top your tree with a tree topper...in my case, I used a gold star punched from gold foil cardstock.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Real Red, Whisper White, Gold Foil.  Patterned paper--Wrapped in Plaid 6x6 Pack (2019 Holiday).  Stamps (2019 Holiday)--Frosted Foliage (Queen Anne's Lace BG stamping); Peaceful Boughs (sentiment/ inside verse).  Ink--Garden Green.  Punch--Pine Tree (Perfectly Plaid--2019 Holiday).  3/8" Shaded Spruce/Gold Stripe ribbon (2019 Holiday).  Other:  EK Punch:  Victorian Corners.  Size:  4-1/2 x 6-1/4 inches).

Christmas Wrapped in Holiday Spirit!

I'm onto my third Totally Lovin' Christmas modification...a cute little present snowman.  This one was a bit too plain for me, and the Soft Sea Foam green didn't do much for me with the blue.  I put my re-designing thinking cap on, and my soft green became a pinked white glitter paper center panel, my little snowman got a lot of fussy-cutting, and he changed his hat color too.   I decided he needed a navy cardbase with a silver foil mat layer between the Seaside Spray front panel, which surely need a bit of snowflake embossing to bring out some lovely texture.  My sentiment needed a pick-me up with a navy matting to coordinate with the new cardbase color.

I kept the layout with modifications, added new papers, dry emboss texturing, some glitter, foil, and a popped up fussy-cut snowman...it's done, and I am pleased.  This card surely must go to my snowman-loving friend! 

Meanwhile, when I saw the "square" snowman, I was thinking about a Splitcoaststamper challenge I was sure I'd seen requiring using things with squares.  My geometric snowman would surely fit!  Take a peek at the finished card below, both inside and out.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Night of Navy, Balmy Blue, Silver Foil, Whisper White.  Stamp: Lots of Cheer (snowman/ sentiment).  Dies: Finishing Touches Edger (pinked).  Embossing Folder: Snow Burst (2011 Holiday).  1/4" Metallic Seaside Spray ribbon (2019 Holiday).  Other:  Colorbox Glitter paper--Fresh Snow.  Inks--Memento Tuxedo Black.   Colorbox Charcoal Cat Eye (ink distressing).  Punch--EK Victorian Corners.  Copic markers--Snowman/ B000, B21, B32, O; Hat/ B91, B95, B97; Ribbon/ R00, RV23, R83.  Scarf/ YG13.  Carrot/ YR18.  Wink of Stella-Clear (ribbons).  Size: 4-3/4 x 6 inches.   (Thanks to Liz Thayer for original design idea that I took the liberty of modifying).

Joyful Season

Here's another redesigned Christmas card from Liz's November Totally Lovin' Christmas.  I did quite a bit of rearranging, adding and subtracting, basically changing the card design almost entirely.  I used the original stamped wreath image, but colored it with my Copic markers, and the red glitter strip with the bell, though I moved the bell upward about an inch.   I made the wreath panel into a 2-1/2-inch square rather than a 3-inch rectangle and repositioned it near the top rather than at the bottom.  I did leave the red glitter mat layer beneath.
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I enlarged my card to an A6 size by adding a new cardbase layer, and added festive patterned Christmas paper for the top front layer.  I added Clear heat embossing to this paper to give it some sheen.  The patterned paper really perked up the card and brought it to life.  I chose a new and larger sentiment stamped on the same green as the cardbase and added it to a red glitter mat layer shaped with a decorative die.  I popped both the wreath and the sentiment up off the patterned paper front.

I am delighted with the finished look and like all the additional sparkle and sheen.  I then created a decorative inside design to coordinated with the outside.  Take a peek below at the finished card inside and out!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz, Red Glimmer paper.  Stamps--Lots of Cheer (wreath/ sentiment).  Dies--Labels Collection.  Linen Thread. Mini Jingle Bells (2019 Holiday).  Other:  Patterned paper--Candy Candy/ Holly Stripe/ unknown.  Zutter corner punch.  Copic markers--Wreath Bells--G40, G21, YG68, G07; Ribbon--R01, R32, R37, R39 (lots of blending).  Wink of Stella Glitter Pen--Clear.  Chatterbox verse.  Size: 4-1/2 x 6-1/4.

Happy Christmas & To All Goodnight!

I made Christmas cards while visiting my 94-year old Mom in California during October and early November.  We made a crafting mess on her dining room table for two week...but what fun it was!  I traveled down with a 10-card kit with pictures from Liz Thayer's Totally Loving Christmas cardmaking session in November.  As her cards are traditional the A2 size (4-1/4 x 5-1/2 inches), and I prefer cards a bit larger, I usually remodel them to fit my preferred size.  Meanwhile, I make modifications to the design by adding or subtracting bits and pieces to make it more me.  Sometimes I change a lot and sometimes I change just a little.

To help Mom out, I decided to give her the A2 card kits and make new pieces for myself, adding to the designs as desired.  But, then Mom saw what I was doing to mine and she liked that too, so I ended up adding new pieces to the card kits as well.

Below is my first remodel.  The card was originally done in gray, red, and white.  I decided that it needed a bit more sparkle by bringing out the lovely gold metallic ribbon edging.  I removed the gray panel and added a gold foil layer that I texturized by embossing with the Sparkle embossing folder.  This really brought the card to life!  I then designed an inside that coordinated with the outside.  Take a peek below at the finished card.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Whisper White, Real Red.  Patterned:  Wrapped in Plaid 6x6 Pack (2019 Holiday).  Stamps: Greatest Part of Christmas (2019 Holiday).  Dies: Frosted Frames (2019 Holiday).  Sparkle Embossing Folder.  Ribbon: 3/8" Gold Metallic Edge--Very Vanilla (2019-20 Annual).  Iced Stampin' Glitter (2019 Holiday).   Recollections 8-1/2 x 11 Gold Foil Paper Pack.  Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.  EK Punch: Victorian Corners.  Chatterbox verse.  Size: 4-1/2 x 6-1/4.  (Thank you Liz Thayer for basic card design).