Christmas Pressies :-)!

I want to share my three card pressies received from cardmaking buddies and my Mom for Christmas!  My Mom is a wonder...she made homemade cards for each of her fellow BINGO players, in addition to all her relatives and other friends!  I LOVE to receive homemade cards...so glad a few of us share our cards with each other!

My first homemade card received was from my friend Sandy...aren't those little elf stocking legs and shoes just the cutest!  I LOVE them!  Sandy always find such cute embellies when we go on cardmaking shopping trips, and I get to enjoy her finds on my cards fom her.  Thanks Sandy for the darling card!

Next came my friend Charlene's card.  I have to tell you, I was so glad to receive this card with my favorite stamp/die bundle from Stampin' Up.  I had plans to use this set for my four children's Christmas cards and having one made up right in front of me, helped lots...it gave me courage to cute into the beautiful pieces ofChristmas patterns I had chosen for each of their cards...LOL!    I made my cards larger than any I had seen on Pinterest or Charlene's card, so I had to create my own dimensions, but it helped to have the smaller version in front of me.  Thanks Charlene...love those reindeer!  I am showing two views Charlene's card so you can see what it looks like when closed and then, open.

My last homemade card received was from my Mom, traveling all the way from northern California.  I love this snowflake stamp set that she used on the front, and also her inside stamped verse.  I'll have to figure out which stamp set it comes from.  So very pretty...LOVE it Mom!

 

Leftover Christmas to Post!

I had one card left in my "To Do Stash" that was needed for my brother.  It is a Liz Thayer original design that I changed just a tiny bit.  On Liz's card she snowflaked the area that would show through the tree oval only.  I decided to snowflake my entire area so that the edges of the snowflakes peeked out along the layered edges.  In addition, I added a dot of glue here and there and sprinkled Dazzling Diamonds glitter randomly on this layer as well and on the sentiment band to add a little sparkle.  For my sentiment band, I decided to fishtail the ends rather than leave them straight.  I also decided to leave off the twine bow that was on the original and to lower the band more to the bottom of the oval at the base of the tree trunk, rather than mid-way up the trunk.  I then added glitter snow domes to each of the four front corners.  

My changes were subtle, and therefore, my card retains much of the same flavor as its original.   Take a peek below at the card and its inside design with verse that I created to compliment its front.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products - Cardstock:  Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Red Glimmer.  Stamps: Lovely As A Tree; Snow Place (sentiment/ snowflakes).  Ink: Garden Green; White Craft. Dies:  Peaceful Pines (star); Top Note BigZ (retired).  Punch: Itty Bitty Accents-Star (retired).  Dazzling Diamond Glitter.  Rhinestones.  Other - Crystal Stickers: Glitter Domes.

Christmas Elf from Yesteryear!

Last year Liz Thayer did a little elf card at her 2015 Totally Lovin' Christmas, which was colored with Stampin' Up markers.  I promptly ruined my stamped image trying to color and blend with these pens.  I have never been very good getting a good color result using these water-based pens.  It's just me, as I have seen some beautiful coloring jobs achieved by others.

I decided that since I had purchased this stamp set already, I would take my salvageable pieces home and re-do my card in the quiet of my craft room.  Well, that did not happen last year, but I made a goal for this year:  I would try to finished my Christmas cards in my "To Do Stash" that were totally unfinished kits or half-started.  Since little elf fell into one of these categories, he was in luck to be finished this year!

I re-stamped my elf image and colored him using Copic markers, which is my pen of choice.  I like the way they shade and blend and the richness of color that you can achieve.  I also wanted the edges of my mat layers to be more visible to bring out the colors used on my elf's clothing, so I decided to start with a new green card base that would be slightly larger rather than cut down the size of all the layers on top of the cardbase.  I prefer the color edges of my layers to be from 1/8" to 3/16" wide instead of the narrow, almost invisible 1/16" that many cardmakers use.  I also decided to put a green mat layer under my little sentiment tag for even more green accents. 

Liz's original design is so very cute and cheerful, and the stamp set is also very cute and cheerful; thus, the resulting card is sure to make its recipient feel very happy when they open their card!  Take a peek below at both the finished exterior results and the inside design that I made to compliment the front.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Garden Green, Real Red, Whisper White, Watercolor paper.  Holiday Fancy Foil Vellum (2015 Holiday). Stamps: Christmas Cuties (2015 Holiday).  Dies:  Top Note BigZ (retired).  Punch: Decorative Label (modified).  Ribbons: 1/8" Red Stripe; 5/8" Vanilla Satin ribbon (retired).  Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (hat trim).  Dazzling Diamonds Gold Glitz glitter adhesive (elf bells).  Stash: Gold sequins.  Size: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4".

Two More for Santa's Sleigh Ride!

Well, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME!
My Black, Gold, & White Glitzy Santa's Sleigh (2nd below) has been chosen as a
SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS WEEKLY FAVORITE FOR THE
WEEK ENDING JANUARY 8, 2017!

My last two Santa's Sleigh bundle cards would be for my youngest two children. Jackie (and her new husband, Josh).  Jackie, my third child, always wanted to make gingerbread cookies, gingerbread houses,  and other Christmas cookies when she was young.  She love to put on the frosting and decorate them with all sorts of candies.  I found the perfect piece of Christmas paper, which was all about those gingerbread men jumping out of the oven saying, "Run, run as fast as you can; you'll never catch me for I'm the gingerbread man!"  Take a peek below at Jackie's card. . .I'm sure she will love it!

My final Santa's Sleigh card would be for my fourth child, Mark and his lovely wife, Ginger.  I thought I'd switch back for whimsical to elegant.  I seems to really love working with black and white on my Christmas cards, and I had purchased a Recollections stack of lovely papers that were all about black and white!  I really wanted to use one of these elegant papers so I selected one from the stack for my focal paper, and I was ready to begin.  Searching for the perfect Christmas three would be my theme for this card. . .a lovely Christmas tree to delivered to their door a wonderful sleigh and cute little reindeer.  Take a look below at this fourth card. . .I'm so pleased with the way it turned out, and I think Mark and Ginger will be equally pleased!

Ingredients:
Gingerbread Sleigh:  Stampin' Up products - Cardstocks: Shimmery White, Burnt Brown Sugar.  Stamp/Die Bundle: Santa's Sleigh; Joyful Christmas (sentiment).  Dies:  Swirly Scribbles thinlits.  Gumball Embossing Powder (retired),  Other - Cardstocks--Recollections: Christmas Green; Darice Core-dinations-Opulent Opal (white glitter); Recollections Foil-Brillant; Pattern: Pinecone Press-Holly Holly.  Gingerbread Men:  Fussy-Cut/ Pinecone Press-Baked with Love.  WRMK Corner Chomper/ Deco.   Size: 4-3/4" x 5-1/2".

Black & White:  Stampin' Up products - Cardstocks: Basic Black, Burnt Brown Sugar, Shimmery White, Copper Foil.  Stamp/Die Bundle: Santa's Sleigh; Joyful Christmas (sentiment).  Dies: Swirly Scribbles thinlits.  Punch: 1-1/4" Circle.  Clear Embossing Powder,  Black & Metallic Thick Baker's Twine.  Other - Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black.  Papers: Darice Core-dinations-Opulent Opal (white glitter); Pattern: Recollections Holiday Glimmer.  Wink of Stella--Clear (on sleigh black).  WRMK Corner Chomper/ Deco.   Size: 4-3/4" x 5-1/2".

Two for Santa's Sleigh Rides!

Yay!  My navy and gold sleigh card has been chosen as a 

SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE FOR  THE 

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 25, 2015

I recently bought my favorite stamp and die bundle of the entire Stampin' Up 2016 Holiday mini catalog called Santa's Sleigh.  I've seen sooooooo... many cute ideas using it on Pinterest, and I've even made a few cards using the reindeer myself.  But, my very favorite is the Z-Fold cards that use a team of reindeer with a variety of other ideas.  Some ideas I've seen include:  the sleigh with presents being pulled by a team of deer, a Christmas tree in the sleigh pulled by the deer, Santa in the sleigh with the team, and one even had a little Eskimo girl in the sleigh...all were really cute.  A lot of the variations come in the sentiments used, the pieces used, the arrangement of the pieces, and the papers used.  I decided to use this stamp/die bundle to make my children's Christmas cards this year.

I wanted my sleigh cards to be taller than all the sleigh cards that I saw on Pinterest.  These were almost always the A2 size - 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" size, and mine would be 4-3/4" x 5-1/2."  I also decided my cards would feature three layers on each of the three panels.  Many samples included a tutorial with the paper cutting dimensions included, but with mine being larger, I would have to figure out my own dimensions for each of the three layers I planned to use in each of the three panels.

My first try using the Santa's Sleigh bundle is a moonlit night scene with a sleigh full of present pulled by a team of reindeer.  I found a beautiful piece of blue and gold patterned paper by Moxie that I would use as my focal paper.  For each card, there are two views: the first with the card closed, and the second with the card opened up all the way.  Take a looked below at the very first card, which will be earmarked for our first born son, David.  I think he will be very pleased with this first edition.

My second card will be earmarked for our second child, daughter Michele and her husband, because of the color of my chosen focal paper.  Her favorite colors are in the turquoise color range from aqua to teal, and she loves anything made with those color hues included.  I found a Christmas pattern in the medium aqua hues, featuring red cardinals.  Take a peek below at the second card.  I think Michele will love it.

Ingredients:
Moonlit Night:  Stampin' Up products - Cardstocks: Midnight Muse (retired), Burnt Brown Sugar (retired).  Stamp/Die Set: Santa's Sleigh, Joyful Christmas (sentiment). Punch:  1-3/8" Circle  Embossing Powder,  Other: SU Midnight Muse (retired).    DCWV - Shimmery Stack (blue), Glitzy Glitter Stack..  DCWV Glitzy Glitter stack.  Pattern Paper:  Moxie/ Faith.  WRMK Corner Chomper/ Stub.   Size: 4-3/4" x 5-1/2".

Aqua & cardinal:  Papers - Cardstocks: Stampin' Up Shimmery White, Burnt Brown Sugar,  Recollections Foil/ Brilliant,  Darice Core'dinations: Opulent Opal, Fashionesta.  Pattern: Jillibean/ Winter Tortellini & Spinach Soup/ Stewed Tomatoes.  Stampin' Up Stamp/ Die Set: Santa's Sleigh; Joyful Christmas (sentiment).  Embossing Powder: Cherry Cobbler.  WRMK Corner Chomper/ Deco.  Size: 4-3/4" x 5-1/2".

More Christmas Tags to Cards Conversions

I got out the Christmas tags that I made last year at Dar and Luci's 2015 Christmas Tags class, which I fully intended to turn into card, but didn't get that far last year.  As I made these tags, I kept in mind that they would become part of a card, so that I modified lengths if needed, etc.  Take a peek below at more of my finished card made from these tags.

My first two tags were designed by Dar Peterson.  The only change I made to the first tag was to make my layers with narrower edges with the goal in mind to shorten the tag, making it more usable on a card front.  I began with a white card base and added a Real Red mat layer on top.  I found some pretty green holly berry paper to use for my center panel directly under the tag, adding a punched border in gold foil to its edges.  I really love the richness of all the red, greens, and gold together. . .it makes for a lovely card.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Cardstocks: Whisper White, Real Red, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Gold Foil.  Stamps: Your Presents (package stripe/ sentiment - 2015 Holiday).  Dies: Banners framelits; Mini Treat Bag (bow); Top Note BigZ (inside-retired).  Gold Embossing Powders: Gold; Real Red.  Other - Punch: EK Arrow Border;/ Victorian Corners.  Computer verse.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

With the second of Dar's tags, I made the tag exactly as she designed it because it was the perfect size just the way it was.  I decided on a red cardbase with a gray mat layer, but decided to dress it up the gray with my own stamped silver metallic snowflakes.  I found a mini red Christmas print that would coordinate nicely with the tags delicate diagonal stripe.  It would be the card's center panel, and  I added a petite decorative punched edge to its edges.  With the tag sentiment being "do not open before Christmas," I had to be a little innovative with my inside verse.  Take a peek below at the finished card with the inside designed and verse to compliment its front.

       

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Cardstock:  Real Red, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Silver Foil.  Kit: Oh, What Fun Tag Kit (silver snowflake/ tag background-2015 Holiday).  Stamps: Oh, What Fun!; Endless Wishes (snowflakes).  Ink: Real Red. Encore Metallic Silver (retired).  Home for Christmas Enamel Dots (2015 Holiday).  Real Red Thick Baker's Twine.  Other - Echo Park paper: 'Tis the Season.  Recollections punch: Mini Snowflake.  Pink Posh silver sequins.

My second two tag cards were designed by Luci Kirschbaum.  I made several changes to the tag.  I shortened the tags length, scalloped the bottom edge, added a Real Red mat under layer, and changed to a Christmas star ribbon rather than Baker's Twine.  Once all these changes were completed, I was ready to start on my card design.  I chose a Cucumber Crush green cardbase and added a real read mat layer and then topped these layers with a diagonal striped paper with rounded corners.  I banded the card face toward the bottom third tying it in a ribbon knot with the same ribbon used in the tag.  I was really happy with my perky ribbon tagged card.

         

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Cardstocks:  Cucumber Crush, Real Red, Whisper White (inside).  This Christmas Specialty dsp/ stripe.  Stamps: Peaceful Pines (+ Peaceful Pines framelits); To You & Yours Too (stars-2015 Holiday).  Ink:  Cucumber Crush, Real Red, Memento Tuxedo Black.  Punch:  Scalloped Tag Topper; Itty Bitty Accents-Star (inside-retired).  Stash: 5/8" Christmas Grograin ribbon.  Sequins.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

 My last tag card was also designed by Luci Kirschbaum, and my alterations to it was, once again, to shorten it a bit to better fit the card front and to add a silver glitter paper mat backing to the entire tag, not just behind the star punch-outs.  I decided my card design would have a Shimmery White cardbase with a Night of Navy mat layer under the silver-striped vellum.  I banded the card horizontally with a one-inch navy bank trimmed with a silver glitter punched border at the top and the bottom.  I finished it with navy blue rhinestones (colored with Copic markers) on all corners.   I finished off the card with an inside design to compliment the card front and added a Christmas verse using my computer.

           

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Carstocks: Shimmery White, Night of Navy, Silver Glimmer.  Fancy Foil Vellum/ Silver Stripe (retired).  Punch: Scalloped Tag Topper; Confetti Stars Border.  Dies: Wonderful Wreath framelits; Top Note BigZ (retired).  Other:  Punches: EK-Arrow Border.  Recollections-Mini Snowflake.  Rhinestones colored with Copics.  Computer-made Verse.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

2016 Christmas Cards with Dar & Luci

I have gone to two Christmas cardmaking events this Fall hosted by Stampin' Up demonstrators Dar Peterson and Luci Kirschbaum, for a total of eight cards all together.  Dar and Luci have presented some lovely designs, and I wanted to share seven of those cards that I made true to their original designs. . .such talented ladies!

Ingredients: Stampin' Up - cardstocks: Bermuda Bay, Basic Black,Shimmery White.  Stamps: Star of Light (+ Starlight Thinlits); Kinda Eclectic (sunburst). 

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - cardstock: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Gold Foil, Red Glimmer.  Stamps: Star of Light (sentiment-2016 Holiday). Dies: Christmas Pines Thinlits.  Gold Embossing Powder.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Cardstocks: Smokey Slate, Real Red, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer.  Brights Background stack/ Real Red stripe/ words.  Stamps:  Christmas Pines (sentiment-2016 Holiday).  Dies: Peaceful Pines.  Ink: Real Red.

Ingredients: Stampin' Up - Cardstock: Real Red, Very Vanilla, Emerald Envy.  This Christmas Specialty dsp (music).  Dies: Wonderful Wreath framelits.  Brick Wall Embossing Folder.  Solid Baker's Twine.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Cardstocks:  Crumb Cake, Real Red, Whisper White.  Candy Cane Lane dsp (snowfall + fussy-cut gingerbread house).  Stamps: Reason for the Season (sentiment).  Ink: Early Espresso.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - cardstocks:  Very Vanilla, Real Red, Emerald Envy.  This Christmas Specialty dsp.  Stamps:  Peaceful Wreath (greenery); Greetings of the Season (sentiment-2013 Holiday).

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Cardstock: Emerald Envy, Crumb Cake, REal Red, Very Vanilla.  This Christmas Specialty dsp (patterns).  Stamps: Tin of Tags (inside verse-2016 Holiday); Holly Jolly Greetings (sentiment).  Ink: Emeral Envy, Early Espresso).  Dies: Santa's Sleigh thinlits (tree/ deer-2016 Holiday); Christmas Greetings thinlits.  Candy Cane Lane Baker's Twine (2016 Holiday).

2016 Totally Lovin' Christmas

Every year my Stampin' Up Upline, Liz Thayer, holds a Christmas cardmaking extravaganza event she calls Totally Lovin' Christmas where we are presented with ten different card designs to make.  I generally use this event to get my Christmas cardmaking mojo going.  I have several Stampin' Up demonstrator friends that I enjoy going to their events and making their card designs with fellow cardmaking buddies.  

Sometimes I use their design as a jumping off point and do some modifications to their card design and sometimes I just make the card design as presented.  My own card designs almost never fall in the clean and simple style and are usually not the common A2 size created by most Stampin' Up cardmakers, as I favor larger cards that are at least 4-3/4" x 6," making my own envelopes.  Sometimes these are the reasons why I might modifying a card. . .to add more color layers and to enlarge the card, but sometimes its just that I get a creative flash when I look at a design and an idea pops into my mind that I feel I must add to the card.  For whatever the reason, it never means that I don't like the original card. . .it just says I want to make it more me.  

With all that said...here are seven of the ten card designs that I made at Liz's Totally Lovin' Christmas this past October.  I made these just as she presented them with no changes. . .very cute cards aren't they!  Check out the brief ingredient list below each.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up:  cardstock--Night of Navy, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla.  Stamps--Snow Place (snowman); It's a Celebration (snowflakes-2016 Holiday). Endless Birthday Wishes (background dots).  White Craft Ink.  Woodland Embossing Folder, Ink--Soft Suede + marker (tree sponging/ lined marking); Night of Navy (background dots). 5/8" Burlap ribbon.  

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up:  cardstock--Real Red, Very Vanilla.  Stamps: Christmas Magic (2016 Holiday).  Soft Suede Ink.  Holly Embossing Folder.  Layering Squares framelits.  3/8" Real Red Stitched ribbon (2016 Holiday). (Layers: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2"; 3-1/4" x 4-1/2"; 2" square; 1-3/16" square).

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up: cardstock--Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Real Red.  Candy Cane Lane dsp (2016 Holiday-gingerbread house fussy-cut).  Stamps: Flurry of Wishes (sentiment).  Ink: Early Espresso.  Softly Falling Embossing Folder.  3/4" Real Red Scallop Edge ribbon/ Bells-2016 Holiday.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Real Red.  Candy Cane Lane dsp (2016 Holiday).  Stamps: Cookie Cutter Christmas + Cookie Cutter Builder punch (2016 Holiday).  Ink: Early Espresso Ink; Soft Suede (sponging).  Gold Mica Flakes/ Green Metallic Thread (2016 Holiday).

Ingredients:  Stampin'Up - cardstock:  Real Red, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer.  Stamps: Merriest Wishes (red splatter-2016 Holiday); Oh, What Fun (sentiment).  Dies: Santa's Sleigh Thinlits (reindeer-2016 Holiday).  Punch: Classic Label.  Candy Cane Lane Washi (2016 Holiday).   

Ingredients: Stampin' Up:  cardstock:  Shimmery White, Emerald Envy.  Stamps: Twinkle Trees (2016 Holiday-stamp off technique); Peaceful Pines (red ornaments).  Ink: Emerald Envy, Real Red.  Wonderful Wreath framelits. Punch: Itty Bitty Accents-Star (retired).

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up - Cardstock: Soft Sky, Dapper Denim, Shimmery White.  Ink: Dapper Denim.  Stamps: Star of Light + Starlight Thinlits (2016 Holiday).  Ink: Dapper Denim. White Embossing Powder.  3/8": Dapper Denim Ruffled ribbon. 

Liking That Christmas "Believe" Tag

I so liked my first card design made to accommodate the "Believe" tag I made at the Christmas tag-making event last year, that I decided to try other vellum patterns with my black and gold card. (Credit for the :"Believe" tag design belongs to Luci Kirschbaum...thanks Luci).   Check out my two additional black and gold creations with different vellums, which is your favorite?  (To see my first "Believe" card, see my post of December 6).

 But, why stop there...next I tried two more vellum patterns with a navy and silver version.  Now, which do you like...the black version or the navy version.  I have to admit, though the navy and silver are very nice, I still like the black version best.

Ingredients:
Black & Gold:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Basic Black, Whisper White, Gold Foil.  Winter Wonderland Vellum dsp stack (2015 Holiday).  Stamps--Lighthearted Leaves (sentiment-2015 Holiday).  Dies--Stars framelits.   Metallic Sequin Asst.  Black & Gold Thick Baker's Twine.  Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black.  Other:  EK punches--Victorian Corners, Arrow Border.  Stash--assorted brands of washi tape.  Dies--Savvy/ Ribbon Group (inside).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

Navy & Silver:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Night of Navy, Whisper White, Gold Foil.  Winter Wonderland Vellum dsp stack (2015 Holiday).  Stamps-- Lighthearted Leaves (sentiment-2015 Holiday).  Dies--Stars framelits.  Metallic Sequin Asst. (Navy = Copic colored).  Navy & White Baker's Twine.  Ink--Night of Navy.  Other:  EK punches--Victorian Corners, Arrow Border.  Dies--Savvy/ Ribbon Group.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

More Christmas Shoebox Exchange Fun!

Earlier in December, I attended a Christmas Techniques Shoebox exchange (see my November 18th post for more details about this event), and I wanted to share the card I made using my friend Carla's design.  The technique she was using was using texture paste to achieve dimension, and I might add she made her own texture paste from stratch!

This lovely card uses Spellbinders Elegant Labels Four Card-Creator, which is where we got the beautiful blue die-cut background and the white sentiment tag with the sheer organza ribbon woven through.  We also used the Spellbinders 2011 Heirloom Ornaments die to cut out and leave the negative space on the blue background.  We cut an additional white cardstock ornament, and an ornament topper in silver foil.

After all my die-cut pieces were cut out, I stamped our wintery scene onto the white ornament die-cut.  I applied texture paste the the  barn roofs, the mountains, and the drifts around the barnyard scene.  While the paste was still wet, I applied fine glitter, tamped off the excess, and set it aside to dry.  Meanwhile, I attached my blue die-cut background to my white cardbase and stamped my sentiment tag and prepared the woven ribbon.  This tag was popped up off the blue die-cut background.  While my ornament was drying, I made a smaller double bow with my wood ribbon maker.  Now to finish my ornament, I inserted and adhered my white ornament onto my blue background.  Next, I glued the silver ornament topper at its top and using my bone folder, I "drew" lines down my topper to replicate the grooves often seen on ornament toppers.  My final step was to glue-dot my ribbon bow onto the top of the ornament topper.

Take a peek below at this wonderful card that my friend Carla designed for our Christmas Techniques Shoebox Exchange.  It is so very beautiful and I loved making it and having the opportunity to work with texture paste in one of the many varied ways to use it.

After getting home from our fun shoebox day, I went right to my paper stash to see if I could find a match for the blue Carla used on the outside.  I wanted to create a verse and interior that would compliment this card's beautiful outside.  I was in luck, Carla and I must have both shopped at Michaels and bought the very same pack of papers in five shades of blues, because my piece was an exact match!

Ingredients:  Recollections cardstock:  White, Cape Code Stack (5 shades of blue).  Darice: Opulent Opal Glitter cs (inside snowflakes).  Stamp: Embossing Arts/ Snow-capped Barn; Sentiment--unknown.  Ink: Memento-Paris Dusk.  Dies: Spellbinders--Elegant Labels Four Card-Creator; 2011 Heirloom Ornaments; SU: Top Note BigZ (inside-retired).  Recollections punch: Mini Snowflake.   Martha Stewart Crystal Fine Glitter.  Pink Posh: sequins.  Stash:  5/8" Sheer White Shimmer ribbon.

"Believe" Tag Becomes a Lovely Christmas Card

Once again, from the Christmas tag-making event that I attended last year, hosted by Dar Peterson and Luci Kirschbaum, I modified and turned a beautiful black and gold tag, whose original design must be credited to Luci.  This was my favorite of all tags, and I'm not sure why.  Maybe, it had to do with its black and gold colors, or the sentiment "Believe," or the stars..., OR, maybe it was a combination of all three!

First, I had to shorten the tag by over an inch, resulting in finished length of  4-3/4 inches.  Its original length was just too long to fit onto a card unless I wanted to make a very tall and narrow card, which I did not.  I actually like the tag shorter, as it caused all of the elements into a a more compact display with less white space.  To be able to shorten the tag, I moved the "Believe" sentiment closer to the toward the top, rearranged the metallic stars, and I made the washi tape angle just a bit more shallow.  My final touch was to make my tag string a bow instead of straight strands.  I liked the result just as well as the original...so I was ready to begin with making it into a card.

My card base would be black, and I found a gold metallic, small dot vellum that looked just right for the design I had in mind.  I added a black band across the lower half edged in a gold foil petite border punch and finished off the vellum corners with gold foil.  I am very happy with my card design and stoked with how well it displays this lovely tag.  (Thanks Luci for tag design that inspired my card).

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products - Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Gold Foil.  Winter Wonderland Vellum dsp stack (2015 Holiday).  Stamps: Lighthearted Leaves (sentiment-2015 Holiday).  Dies: Stars framelits.  Winter Wonderland Washi (2015 Holiday).  Metallic Sequin Asst. Black & White Baker's Twine.  Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black.  Other - EK punches: Victorian Corners, Arrow Border.  Dies: Savvy Ribbon Group (inside).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

Poinsettia for Christmas

At one of the cardmaking events hosted by Stampin' Up demonstrators Dar Peterson and Luci Kirschbaum, we made a poinsettia card, which was designed by Luci.  

I decided to make a similar card with some modifications for my Christmas card-giving stash.  I used the same color scheme, but added an additional mat layer of gold glitter paper, which I carried over for my poinsettia stamens as well.  I added more large and small petals to my poinsettia with the goal of a bigger and fuller flower.  I also used the Curvy Corner punch on each of the card front corners, which allowed the gold glitter paper to peek through the three eyelet holes.

My poinsettia card will travel all the way to Texas to bring Christmas wishes to one of my husband's many relatives.  Take a peek below at my version of Luci's original lovely design.  I think I'm pretty happy with the results along with my interior creation and verse to compliment the outside design.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Shimmery White, Real Red, Old Olive.  2016 Brights Background Stack stripe.  Stamps--Reason for the Season.  Ink--Real Red.  Punches--Festive Flower Builder; Curvy Corner punch (retired).  Dies--Layering Ovals framelits; Top Note BigZ (retired).  Other: Darice Opulent Gold Glitter paper.  Craft Medley sequins/ red.  Computer verse.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".  (Thank you Luci Kirschbaum for the design inspiration).