Poinsettias = Christmas!

My enthusiasm to finish all of my Christmas card in my "To Do" stash is waning, but I only have a few left, so I will persevere and try to get them all done!  This one is a Dar Peterson 2018 design that I was unable to finish back in 2018 with my hand issues that were finally resolved by hand surgeries on both in April and July 2019.  

I tweaked this card just a bit by adding a red foil layer and using Shimmery White on the card front.  The little pearls are Copic colored and can be done with any alcohol marker.  I have to say I really like the added red foil, it really dresses up the card quite lot, plus it allowed me to enlarge the card, which most of you know by now...I prefer larger cards!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Whisper White, Shimmery White, Shaded Spruce, Cherry Cobbler, Red Foil.  Stamps--Peaceful Poinsettia (2018 Holiday).  Ink--Cherry Cobbler.  Dies--Detailed Poinsettia Thinlits.  Pearls (Copic colored).  Gold Metallic Pearl.  Size:  4-3/4 x 6 inches.

A Christmas Sing-A-Long...Simply Add Music!

Still working on finishing up some old Christmas card kits.  This is another Luci Kirschbaum 2017 card that I did a little bit of changing to.  It had a single layer white cardbase, and I decided it needed a bit more color.  I added the Old Olive cardbase and the black mat layer before adding the card front pieces in the kit.  These I kept the same as the original design.  By adding colors, I also achieved enlarging my card to my favorite size.  Take a peek below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Old Olive, Basic Black, Whisper White.  Patterned paper:  Merry Little Christmas dsp; Merry Music Specialty dsp (2017 Holiday).  Stamps--Snowflake Sentiments (2017 Holiday).  Rhinestones--Black Jewels (2017 Holiday).  Size: 4-3/4 x 6 inches.

Memories to Remember a Milestone Birthday!

A card for my husband's February birthday, which was a BIG milestone achievement this year.  Take a peak at his card below:

Unfortunately several family members were ill on my husband's birthday weekend, so it ended a small, home dinner gathering.  As each of our children, their spouses, or their children got better, they celebrated him in separate festivities which included dinner and breakfast outings.  Unfortunately, I was absentee all of the extended celebrations as I made another trip south to California for a female four-generation pre-planned get-together with our newest three-month old granddaughter.   We got a few casual shots of the four-generations...my 94-year old Mom, myself, my oldest daughter, and three-month old Evie.  Take a peak below...

But, I digress...back to my husband's birthday card!  For me, masculine cards are always more difficult to design, but Stampin' Up's new Mountain Air scenery stamp was a perfect time to recreate our first cross-country trip in our motorhome where one of the major highlights was our week-long stay around Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.  That was quite the memorable trip, traveling from Washington State mostly along the I-90 corridor.  We made several stops along the way, including Milwaukee for a wedding, and on eastward to the Richmond, Virginia area to visit my husband's brother and wife, returning the southern route and angling north going to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons and back home to Washington.  What a marvelous trip and such beautiful mountain scenery...as I remember we were gone for almost four weeks!

The interesting thing about this new Mountain Air stamp is that it is a two-sided stamp...one side with a detailed stamp image and the other with a muted shadowy look.  I cut my center white panel 3-3/8" x 4-3/8", allowing me to trim it to a perfect size after I finished all my scenery stamping.  I also cut 3 white strips 1-3/4" x 3-3/8" to stamp my detailed navy mountains and my two green tree-line overlays.  I also cut a 3-1/4" x 4-1/4" Balmy Blue panel to mat my scenery panel when finished with its stamping.

I made my mountains in the background using the reverse side of the stamp to give them that muted shadowy look that mountains seem to have when seen from a distance.  I applied my Night of Navy mountains first about 2" down from the top of my white panel, stamping off once before inking on my white panel.  My Balmy Blue top mountain range was inked and stamped off once before applied over the Night of Navy range and just above it.  You can do this because the Balmy Blue is lighter and its inking does not show where applied over the navy.  My third mountain stamping was done using the detailed side and was fully inked before stamping on one of the narrow white strips.  It was then die-cut out and adhered below the other two rows of mountains.  See the card for placement ideas.

Next I stamped the tree lines, using Garden Green ink, on the two remaining white strips (1-3/4" x 3-3/8").  The first tree-line is fully inked and stamped on a strip, and the second tree-line is stamped off once before stamping on the final white strip.  I adhered the stamped-off tree strip first because it seemed it would appear lighter in the distance and finally adhered the fully-inked tree strips to finish my panel.

I used the reverse side of the clouds and sun to stamp these onto the top portion above the mountains.  I used Balmy Blue for the clouds and Crushed Curry for the sun.  I used Memento Tuxedo Black for the birds.  Both the clouds and the sun were stamped off once before stamping on the scenery panel.  Be sure you stamp the sun far enough in on the right to allow for trimming your scenery panel to fit your Balmy Blue mat layer when done.  The final step is to trim your scenery panel and adhere it to the blue mat layer, and voilà, I was done.   Take a peek below at the ingredients below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--So Saffron, Night of Navy, Balmy Blue.  Stamps--Mountain Air, Itty Bitty Birthdays (sentiment).  Dies--Majestic Mountain, Stitched Rectangles (1/2" x 2-1/2".  Inks--Night of Navy, Balmy Blue, Garden Green, Crushed Curry.  Other products:  Patterned paper--Basic Grey "Adrift" paper pack.  Die--Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Borders #1 (stitched zigzags).  Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black (birds).  Chatterbox verse (inside).  A6 Size: 4-1/2' x 6-1/4."  

A Lucky Birthday Card!

One of my good friends and cardmaking buddies has a birthday in February. I needed to put on my thinking cap very quickly, there was no time to waste! I was going to be leaving for a four-generation get-together with my youngest granddaughter and my daughter to visit my mother in northern California. We really need to get some four-generation pictures taken while there.

In looking through my stash, I found a BINGO card in soft aqua, vanilla, and black. I love BINGO cards, so I decided with its colors, it would make a pretty feminine card. I also love to make a card style that I call vintage simple. I've named it this, because for me, it is a vintage card, but without an excess amount of extra fussy feminine this and thats that are often added. It was definitely time to breakout some fun, vintagey papers and embellishments and make a card using this style! I was excited to get started.

Between taking a peek at the Splitcoaststamper Ways to Use It challenge for the week...Button It Up, and finding our old DYMO Labelmaker about a month ago, my creative juices were beginning to flow! The challenge made it an absolute must to include buttons, as they would make perfect BINGO markers, and I decided to make the sentiment using the labelmaker and 3/8" black tape with white embossed lettering in a fishtail cut design. I have always loved that look! With the BINGO card, my color scheme would be Pool Party, Black and Very Vanilla cardstocks, along with several coordinating patterned papers.

I could not find just the right aqua flat buttons for my BINGO markers, so I decided to use clear buttons and adhere them to one of the patterned papers to jazz them up. With a dark aqua Copic marker, I drew dark aqua circles on my chosen patterned paper. I fussy-cut the paper circles and adhered the buttons in the center of the circles. Finally, I distress-frayed the edges with the sharp edge of a scissor blade. The rest of the card design fell into place quite easily, and I was really pleased with the results.

Take a peek below at my finished card inside and out. I love that perky triple-looped bow and the labelmaker tape sentiment! Don't you think my friend will be happy with her lucky birthday card?!

Ingredients: SU cardstock--Basic Black, Pool Party, Very Vanilla, SU Color Collection dsp (2014/2015/2016 - Pool Party Dots), Patterned paper scraps (3/ 3/4" x 4-1/4"). EK Victorian Corner punch. Colorbox Charcoal pigment ink (edge distressing). Pool Party seam binding ribbon. Black & White Baker's Twine. Dynamo Labelmaker/ 3/8" black tape. Stash button/ clear. Black/rhinestone trim (cut apart). Dimensional Foam tape (sentiment). Copic marker outlining (Bingo button markers). Chatterbox verse. Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

I Love Me A Christmas Tree!

Here is a one of my 2019 Christmas cards that I am finally getting posted to my blog.   I check some of the SCS Challenges to see if it would fit as I knew there are usually categories in bling, paper tearing, Christmas themes, etc. 

I remember I was running up against a tight timeline to finish my cards and get them delivered on time.  I dug out some old Liz Thayer Christmas kits that I almost forgot about and decided I really should try to use at least one of them.  I decided on this Peaceful Pine beauty.  I was excited to use the die with the pop-out branches.  I tweaked the card a bit, adding a white cardbase and a Gold Glimmer layer between the base and the card front.  I also added a popped and ink distressed Merry Christmas die-cut to the inside.  I like the end result and made several more to add to my stash of cards to give.  Here is the result below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Garden Green, Cucumber Crush, Mint Macaron, Whisper White, Glimmer paper-Gold.  Stamps--Peaceful Pines (2016-17 annual/ verse), Perfectly Plaid (2019 Holiday/ Merry Christmas).  Dies--Perfect Pines Framelits (2016-17 annual).  Ink: Cucumber Crush (sponging), Garden Green (sentiment stamping), Crumb Cake (ink distressing).  Winter Wonderland Washi tape (2015 Holiday). Other:  Dies--Spellbinders Petite Labels One (inside).  Crystal Effects (clear droplets).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".  (Thank you Liz Thayer for the original design, which I modified a bit).

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.