This is the second card that I created for the Christmas in July Swap. Yes, I do know that it is early for Christmas cards, but I do love Christmas! Also I like to provide others with ideas so they can start thinking about what they are going to do for their Christmas cards. I always try to have mine done before Thanksgiving, but time doesn't always agree with me. But if you plan out what you want to do for your Christmas cards then you can order the supplies ahead of time and not have to rush making your cards in December as well as all the family get-togethers and present shopping. Take a look:
Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Perfect Punches, Lovely as a Tree, Tree Trimmings
Cardstock: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Old Olive
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Pacific Point, Always Artichoke, Versamark
Accessories: Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Crystal Effects, 1/8" Early Espresso Taffeta ribbon, Scallop Edge Border punch, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch, Crop-A-Dile, Paper Snips, Aquapainter, Two-Way Glue Pen
The card base is 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Old Olive cardstock scored at 4 1/4". The image panel is Whisper White cardstock cut at 3 3/4" x 5 1/2". I used the pine tree from Lovely as a Tree and stamped in both Old Olive and Always Artichoke ink. This makes it look like just a branch from a Christmas tree. The ornament strings from Tree Trimmings were stamped in Early Espresso ink. This panel was then adhered to the card front.
A piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock was cut at 2" x 3 3/4" and stamed with a snowflake from Serene Snowflakes in Cherry Cobbler ink. This was layered on a piece of Early Espresso cardstock cut at 1 1/4" x 3 3/4" that had the edge punched with the Scallop Edge Border punch. The punched Early Espresso cardstock was adhered to the back of the Cherry Cobbler cardstock so that all you can see is the scallops. Two 1/8" holes were punched in the center of the Cherry Cobbler cardstock with the Crop-A-Dile. A long piece of 1/8" Early Espresso Taffeta ribbon was threaded through the holes in the Cherry Cobbler cardstock and then the cardstock was adhered to the card front covering the left side of the Whisper White cardstock.
The "Joy at Christmas" from Perfect Punches was stamped in Versamark ink on scraps of Whisper White cardstock and heat embossed with gold embossing powder. The ring around the center of the image was colored in by squeezing the closed Old Olive ink pad, opening the pad half-way and picking up the color with an Aquapainter to apply the ink to the cardstock. This give a nice watercolored effect and the color isn't quite as deep as when you use just the marker. The spaces in each of the scallops were colored in with a Cherry Cobbler marker. The scallop circle was punched out with the 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch. An 1/8" hole was punched in the top of the scallop circle and the ribbon was threaded through the hole and tied into a bow to hold on the circle.
The ornaments were stamped in Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, and Pacific Point ink on scraps of Whisper White cardstock. The images were each cut out with paper snips. I used a marker in the same color as the image to color the cut edges of the cardstock around the ornaments. Then I applied a layer of Crystal Effects to each ornament. This makes the color more bold and makes the ornament look glassy and shiny like a real ornament. After the ornaments dried they were adhered to the card front with a Two-Way Glue Pen.
These were a little time consuming, but the end result was well worth the effort. What do you think?
Come back tomorrow to see a scrapbook page layout that will be featured at my scrapbook themed Workshop! Have fun stamping!
