Antique Christmas

A lamp post, a kitten, some music and pretty red flowers all come together in this festive Christmas card.  I love how the Ivy Tendril perfectly winds around the post, and the tiny flowers add a colorful touch.  

This card is one of three from my upcoming card classes at Ultimate Hobbies next Wednesday, both of which are now full, I'm happy to say, and it can also be seen on the Poppystamps blog page.  I used the Poppystamps Village Lamp Post, Ivy Tendril and the  Small Curious Cat dies, along with Memory Box Corner Bow die cut in two colors and Floral Delights die, and the Twelve Days background stamp.  I used one of the dies from the Spellbinder Nestabilities Labels Twenty Set, and cut the shape from the stamped background, then offset it with the same shape in red.  I also used the Wink of Stella Gold glitter brush to color in the lamp lights, which gave it just the prefect soft hue, and the brush was used on the flower centers as well.  Layer all of this on your favorite embossed piece of card stock, and adhere it all to the card base. 

I will post the other two cards in the next two posts, so be sure to check back.  Thanks for stopping by, and hope you enjoy!

Believe in the Magic!

The card below is another one from my Christmas card class at Ultimate Hobbies using more of the new holiday dies from Memory Box.

Just a note before we get to the card ... I will be doing another class at Ultimate Hobbies on Thursday, August 29th, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m, and we'll be making these same three Christmas cards (the one below, as well as the green-red-and-gold version of the previously posted blue-and-silver poinsettia card, and the altered vase card).  There are only a couple of spots left, so if you're interested, please call Ultimate Hobbies at (714) 538-3111.

I also have a new class scheduled for Wednesday, September 4th, with two class times, one from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., and the second one from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.  We will be making three new Christmas cards, very different from these, and I really think you'll like them! (And then I'll try to stop with the Christmas already ... as far as the classes are concerned anyway! I love Christmas, so there will probably be more on this blog, especially after the new Poppystamps release which I'm told will be at the end of August!)  Anyway, I'll post pictures of the cards soon, but both classes are already more than half-full, so if you'd like to join us, call Ultimate Hobbies sooner! 

So now on to the card.  This one is a just a tiny bit more time consuming than normal but worth creating to maybe go along with a special holiday gift.  And of course it is fun to make!

I used a dotted stencil to dry emboss the large white cardstock piece and sponged around the edges to distress.  I did NOT yet layer that onto the green card base and you'll see why in a sec.  I stamped the background on the smaller piece using the Journey Collage stamp and distressed the edges as well. I die cut the Snowflake Sprig from dark green cardstock and snipped it into two pieces.  I positioned and adhered the top half of the sprig behind the top left corner of the stamped piece so that the little curly tendril (I love curly tendrils!) could come around to the front, then layered that onto the smaller green piece. I used my paper piercer to pierce a hole through the layered pieces and the dotted embossed piece.  I die cut the Jolly Jingle Bells from gold cardstock, put a gold brad through the tops of two bells and pushed the brad through the pierced holes, closing the feet behind the dotted embossed background, THEN adhered the whole thing to the green card base.  This cleverly keeps the brad feet from showing on the inside of the card.  I thought the arrangement needed a little touch of red so I tied red twine around the brad.  I adhered the Joy Script die to the front piece, and added a red bird from the Flying Birds die.  I dotted the "j" with a tiny green gemstone.  (The die does cut a little dot for the "j", but it's really miniscule. The gemstone was easier, and it satisfied my need for bling.)  I die cut the Glowing Candles from gold cardstock, and adhered it below the layered piece using mounting tape, making sure not to catch any of the layered piece behind the tape!  The candles keep the jingle bells piece in place until you're ready to swing it up for the surprise underneath!

 

I adhered part of the bottom half of the Snowflake Sprig behind the tag, also sponged on the edges, making sure the tendril curled around to the front, then adhered that with mounting tape.  Your own message can be placed on the inside of the card.  This interactive card can be adapted in so many ways, so have fun with it! 

A Little More Christmas in the Summer

It's never too soon, right?  Here is a card featuring the beautiful Blooming Poinsettia die from Poppystamps.  I cut the die using silver foil paper, and cut the Grand Gothic Window from Distressed Blueberry paper from Memory Box.  I couldn't resist using the Gwyneth Flourish as it seems to fit perfectly for this layout, and I liked the idea of looking through the window at the Star of Wonder from Memory Box.  You can make this same card in gold foil, with green and red card stock.  It was super fun to make!

This card can also be viewed on the Poppystamps blog, along with all of the other wonderful posts, so be sure to click on the Poppystamps badge on the right and you'll zip right to it.

 

A Simple Merry

Happy Monday to all!  As promised, here is one of the cards from my classes last week at Ultimate Hobbies.

I wanted a tall vase for this card, and I didn't have the appropriate die in my stash.  So I improvised by doing something a little different with the Vintage Apothecary Jar die from Memory Box.  There's a separate lid that's part of the die if one were to use the die as intended!  Starting at the top right of the jar, I made a "ski slope" cut down to about the middle of the left side, and voila! An instant vase!  I highlighted the edges with the Wink of Stella gold glitter brush.  I cut two of the Winterberry Sprig die, in two shades of green, used the the gold brush again on the tips of the darker green, and red glitter on the tops of the other.  I wanted something white to mingle with the sprigs, and again improvised using the Poppystamps Delicate Chain die.  I cut two of them, covered them using the Wink of Stella clear glitter brush, then cut one of the chains in two different lengths. I gathered all of the pieces and attached them to the back of the vase with mounting tape and attached it to the embossed piece.  The Merry Script die and a bird from the Flying Birds die complete the ensemble. By the way, the script word dies are unbelievably delicate and beautiful and this one in particular could be stretched a little and curved for a different effect. Love it!