Night Divine Nativity Card

Hello, hello!  Are you staying warm?  Oh my goodness, it's cold here.  It's been getting below freezing the last two days, and I'm so not prepared for that!  This isn't why we moved to the south.  We thought we'd get away from the cold.  I know, most of you are already dealing with that kind of weather and maybe some snow too.   So, I shouldn't complain.  Well, maybe just a little now and then.  😄  I'm still working on making my cards for Christmas.  I keep planning to use the Night Divine Bundle, but then I end up grabbing some different stamp set.  Well, today is the day.  I saw a similar card using this set that I thought was on Pinterest.  It totally intrigued me.  I went back to get the person's name that made it to give her credit, but I couldn't find it anywhere.  I must have seen it somewhere else.  If you've seen this idea, please let me know so I can credit her here.

The major idea that I copied was using wood-grain paper for the layering.  I love the realistic grained look for this die-cut!  I'll be honest and tell you I rummaged through all my wood-grained paper, and I have a lot.  I was looking for the heaviest graining I could find.  Needless to say, this is a retired DSP.  But you can use any wood-grained paper you have that you like.  Also, this card uses 4 different stamp bundles to get the look I wanted.  That doesn't mean you need to go out and buy everything I used.  I'm sure you have stamps that fit the look just fine.  The big item that's really necessary is the Night Divine Bundle.

My card starts with a card base of Shaded Spruce cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored and folded in half.  Next is a layer of my wood-grained DSP.  It measures 5 1/4" x 4".  Before attaching this to the card base, die-cut the image using the Night Divine dies and set aside.  Attach the layer to the card base using adhesive.  What was die-cut from the middle will not show once the card is put together.

The next layer is Very Vanilla that measures 4 1/4" x 4".  This has a sentiment from the Night Divine set.  It's stamped with Shaded Spruce ink about 3/4" from the top of the layer.  This was embossed with the Timber 3D Embossing Folder (page 169).  I like how this look matches with the wood-grained layer and looks a little rustic.  After embossing, attach this to the card front using adhesive.  The top and bottom should fit right over the wood-grained DSP with it showing only on the sides.

At this time, attach the die-cut piece with adhesive.  Place the bottom edge of the die-cut about 1 3/8" from the bottom edge of the layer. This makes it a little higher than middle of the card.  

Next a double evergreen die from the Joy Of Noel Bundle was used to cut five branch sets from Shaded Spruce cardstock.  Two of them are attached to the left side overlapping them.  Then two of them were turned over to the backside and attached to the right side to match.  The last double branch was cut off at the stem to make it fit on the card.  This picture shows how everything is layered together.

The bow I made uses the Pecan Pie Center Stripe ribbon that's in the Mini Catalog.  I tried the Gold and Vanilla Satin Edge ribbon in the Annual Catalog, but it didn't fit as nicely with the rustic look of the card.  After making the ribbon, it's attached over the evergreen branches with two Mini Glue Dots to hold in place.

The inside of the card is finished with a layer of Very Vanilla.  It measures 4 7/8" x 3 5/8".  I wanted more of the Shaded Spruce showing on the edges so it's cut smaller than usual.

The sentiment is from the Wishes All Around stamp set.  It's stamped in Shaded Spruce.  This has turned out to be one of my go-to sentiments this Christmas season.

The evergreen branches on the left are from the Christmas Classics set.  They are stamped multiple times to give it a fuller look.  These are also stamped with Shaded Spruce ink.

Now I need a little help here.  I've been debating about adding a few of the tiny gold Festive Pearls in the Annual Catalog.  Or maybe one of the gold Star Trinkets in the Mini Catalog?  Does the gold accent work on this?  Does it even need anything else, or should I leave it as is?  Help!  A little input would be appreciated.

Ready for some big information?  The retiring list for the Mini Catalog is available now.  Yes, it's that time already.  So, if there are any items in the Mini Catalog that you were debating about getting, time is running out.  You know how fast some items sell out!   So, make your choices now.  Click on the label to take you directly to the retired list.

Last Chance List for 2023 Sept. - Dec. Mini Catalog

If you are ordering, please consider using the Host Code at the top of this blog post.  It would be very appreciated.  Thanks for sharing some time with me today.   It's always pleasant to hear back from you and find out whether you like what I've made each day.  You make me want to create and share with you!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Blue Tree Card

Hello!  It's been so cold here the last few days.  The temps have been in the low 30's and quite breezy, but at least there is sunshine today.  The wind is doing a good job of knocking down the leaves.  We have so many trees that my hubby is out there blowing them every day.  We started getting all the outdoor decorations placed.  They are all coming along nicely, so we're taking a break.  At least I get to stay inside for a while where it's toasty warm and cozy.  All the cold was making me think about cards in blues and silvers.  You know I like my blue cards, so let's share another one today.

It was so funny trying to take the pictures of this card.  The silver layer is so shiny that all the pics were showing a reflection of my arm.  Didn't think you wanted to see my blue arm in the photo.  At least my sweater matched the card!

The card base is Blueberry Bushel.  It measures 11" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half. The first layer is the shiny Silver Foil.  It's cut to 5 1/4" x 4".  Before attaching this to the card base, cut a rectangle from the center with the Scalloped Contours Dies.  No one will see the hole in the layer because it will be hidden.  Attach with adhesive to keep it flat so far.

The next layer is from the Winter Meadow DSP, and it measures 5" x 3 3/4".  This is the third time I've used this lovely print on the cards I've shared.  There is just something about it that draws me to it, and I keep reaching for this print all the time.  Looks like it needs to go on my shopping list because I've just about used it all except for some scraps.  Anyway, this layer is attached over the silver layer using adhesive.

A tree was cut from Blueberry Bushel cardstock using the Forever Forest Dies.  This is mounted onto the die-cut silver rectangle that was already cut.  It's attached with adhesive along the left edge of the silver with part of the branches hanging over the edge.  A piece of the Silver and White 1/2" Sheer Ribbon was wrapped around near the bottom and tied into a knot.  Trim the ends with snips.  I like the added ribbon here, because it looks so shivery cold.  This layer is added to the card front using Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Stars At Night Bundle.  I love the font on this Merry Christmas greeting.  It is stamped with Blueberry Bushel ink onto a Basic White piece.   A favorite retired punch from Stampin'Up! was used because it fit nicely.  It's attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

The inside of the card starts with a layer of Basic White cardstock cut to measure 5 1/4" x 4".  It features another of the die-cut Blueberry Bushel trees from the Forever Forest set.  There is also a 1" strip of the same DSP print that I had leftover.  I made use of it attached near the bottom of the Basic White layer.

The sentiment is from the Wishes All Around stamp set.  It's stamped in Blueberry Bushel ink.  The layer is attached inside the card, as usual, with adhesive.

There are a few other embellishments to finish the card.  One of the stars in the Stars At Night Bundle was die-cut from the More Dazzle Specialty Paper.  I liked the glittery-ness of the star because it contrasted nicely with the shiny silver.  It's attached with a Mini Glue Dot. It's also partially off the silver layer to help it stand out.

There are also some Blueberry Bushel gems added to the card.  They're from the Tinsel Gems Four-Pack.  Instead of snowflakes or clear gems, I thought the blue ones were the perfect accent.

That's it for today's card share.  If you've got the items used, this card goes together so quickly!  If you're wanting to make multiples of these cards, just do everything in stages and put together when all the pieces are ready.  Easy peasy.  

PS, did you notice the blue sleeve reflection at the bottom of this photo?  You should have seen the contortions I went through to get these pictures without a reflection.  You would have been laughing at me like crazy.  

Thanks for stopping by to see what's new.  Hope this card inspires you to get going on your Christmas card making.  It's always a pleasure to send your own hand-made cards to let family and friends know you care about them, and they are very special to you.  Come by again for another card idea.  I love sharing them with you.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Wishes All Around Wreath Card

Hello friends!  Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful, and you truly enjoyed yourself.  Did you get enough turkey and stuffing to last you awhile?  Did you have enough time to spend with your family and friends, or is there never enough time to spend with those you love?  The week went by so quickly and here we are at the tail end of November.  Are you ready for Christmas and getting all the cards mailed, cookies made, and presents purchased and wrapped?  Yup, it's that time of year again when we all get frazzled from too many commitments.  But who wants to give up any of those parties and time spent together?  Not me.  So, I suggest you find a quick and easy way to make your cards and get them out of the way first.  Today I have an easy card idea that was shared by my friend Ruth.  This is a perfect card to make in stages and then put together a whole stack of them. This way they're finished quickly and get popped in the mail.  Then on to the cookies!!

If you're looking for a slightly modern look to your red and green cards, this card fits the bill.  There are clean lines and lots of white space with a modern take on those Christmas trees.  Plus, it goes together quick as can be.  I started with a base of Shaded Spruce cardstock that measures 11" x 4 1/4".  It's scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.  Next there is a layer of Real Red that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  It's attached flat to the card base with adhesive.

A layer of Basic White cardstock is cut at 3 3/4" x 3 3/4" square.  After cutting, it is embossed with the Snowflake Sky Embossing Folder.  (I've been using this folder often 'cause it's so cute!)  After embossing, it's attached flat to the red layer with adhesive, leaving room at the bottom for the green plaid strip of DSP.

The green plaid strip is from the Joy of Christmas DSP.  I think even that 1" strip packs a lot of wow to perk up the card.  It's also attached flat with adhesive.

The tree wreath is from the Wishes All Around Bundle.  First, it's stamped with Shaded Spruce ink, and then die-cut with the coordinating die.  When stamping, stamp an extra tree on a scrap of Shaded Spruce cardstock also.  Die-cut the extra tree with the matching die.  Also cut two of the berry branches from Read Red cardstock to add to the wreath.

Using "green glue", attach the tree wreath in the center of the embossed white layer.  I only added the glue on the outer edges of the wreath.  Add the two red branches to the bottom right area of the wreath.  Then add the green tree using one Dimensional under it to give it some extra height.

The sentiment is also from the Wishes All Around Bundle.  It's stamped with Shaded Spruce ink on a strip of Basic White that is just under 3/4" wide to fit all the letters.  The ends are just angle cut to finish.  It's attached over the green plaid DSP using Dimensionals to hold in place.  Did you notice how the tips of the sentiment just peek over the edge of the layer.  I like it when things are just a little different from lining up just so.  I think it adds just a little bit of added interest.

The finishing touch to the card are the three Real Red Rhinestone Basic Jewels.  After the card was finished, I realized that the red rhinestones are actually retired.  Oops!  How can we not have red rhinestones?  It seems impossible to me.  Especially at this time of year.  Oh well, if you have them, use them!  If not, use the clear rhinestones that we do have and color them with the Real Red Blends in the Dark color.  It will do in a pinch.

The inside of the card is finished with a layer of Basic White that measures 5 1/4" x 4".   The sentiment I used is from the same Wishes All Around Bundle, and it's stamped with Shaded Spruce ink.  There is a 1/4" strip of Real Red cardstock added near the bottom of the white layer.  Another one of those modern trees from the set is stamped with Shaded Spruce ink on the right side for a little accent inside the card.

That's it for this card.  It really is easy and each of the components can be finished and ready to put together all at once.  I think it's a really cute card and would be fun to receive in the mail for Christmas.  Thanks, Ruth, for another adorable card idea.  And thank you for checking in to see what's been happening around here.  Thanksgiving was a lot crazier than normal, but in the end the dinner was delicious and more than enough!  We almost didn't have a turkey, but it all turned out well.  I'm still munching on turkey and pies, and cheesy hors d'oeuvres.  That means I'm almost in heaven!!  Yum!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

One Horse Sleigh in Blues

Hello ladies!  Here it is, Thursday already!  I don't know where all the days and time go.  I think I've got the whole week ahead of me and whoosh.  I'm staring at the weekend.  I want to savor every single day, but they start running into each other and then I forget what day it is.  Do you have that problem too?  Does it have anything to do with getter old(er)?  Talking to my grandsons it seems that they're always pining for the weekend and all the plans they have.  For them, time moves way too slowly.  Guess it must be just a matter of perspective.  No matter how I look at it though, Christmas is just around the corner.  So of course, I have another Christmas idea for you.  This idea was shared by a friend of mine, Ruth Snyder.  She gave me permission to copy and share this idea with you, so here goes.

Isn't this card cool?  I love the look of a wintry ride in a sleigh.  Have you ever done that?  I have and it was a wonderful experience.  If you get a chance, try it!  Did you notice it's another blue and white card for Christmas?  I can't see to break out of that cycle.

To make the card, start with a base of Basic White Thick cardstock measuring 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  Next cut a piece of Basic White that measures 5 1/4" x 4" to build your design on. 

The pretty print behind the sleigh is from the Winter Meadow Designer Series Paper.  It measures 2" x 5 1/4" and is attached to the top edge of your white layer.  The sentiment was stamped next onto the bottom of this white layer using Night of Navy ink.  The sentiment is part of the Horse & Sleigh set I'm using on this card.  The Horse & Sleigh Bundle are one of the interesting Online Exclusives in the Stampin'Up! store.  (I've done so much with the coordinating DSP and thought it was time to use the set.)

The horse and sleigh stamp was stamped on Night of Navy cardstock with matching ink.  This gives a nice subtle tone-on-tone look to the design.  It's easily cut with the dies from the bundle.  The two snowbanks in the set are die-cut from Basic White cardstock.  

To assemble the card, I attached the horse and sleigh with adhesive to the front.  The two snowbanks were tucked in between the sleigh and the sentiment.  They're attached with Dimensionals to give the card a little added interest.

The whole card layer was attached to the base with Dimensionals also.  For some sparkly bling, three Rhinestone Basic Jewels were added near the sentiment.  

I think this card is just gorgeous and I thank Ruth Snyder for sharing the idea with me.  For all the things going on with this card, it's surprising how quick it actually came together.  I will definitely be making more of these cards in the future.  Hope you give this one a try too.  I think you'll really like the finished card.

Today, November 16th, is the last day of the Stampin'Up! Annual Sale.  It's the perfect time to stock up on cardstock and envelopes, ribbons and trims, and all sorts of inks.  Remember all the sale items are found in the Annual Catalog.  Take the time to shop.  It will be worth the savings.  Please consider using the Host Code shown at the top of this blog post.  It's greatly appreciated!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Another Autumn Leaves Card

Hello!  What a lovely fall day we have going on here.  I'm not sure why we had no trees turn brilliant red last fall, mostly just yellow and brown.  But this year we are graced with wonderful color.  We have four of the most gloriously red trees to enjoy.  Talk about beautiful!  To honor this display of color, I decided to share one more card using the Autumn Leaves set.  I've truly enjoyed creating with this set and the lovely All About Autumn DSP that coordinates with it.  The designs almost create themselves.  So, here's the last one these (until I break down and make another one!)

Don't you love these lovely rich colors together for fall?  I sure do.  Let me tell you how it's made.  Start with a card base of Copper Clay that's cut to 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half.  Next there is a layer of Crumb Cake cut to 5 1/4" x 4".  I built on this layer before putting it on the card.

Next comes the layer of the Tartan Foil Specialty Paper.  This is an Online Exclusive product and is absolutely gorgeous!  The prints I used on this card are two sides of the same Copper Clay paper.  There are also Lost Lagoon and Pebbled Path coordinating colors and they're all lovely.  A piece was cut 5" x 3 3/4".  Then 1 1/2" were cut from the bottom and flipped to show the white side.  These pieces are attached with adhesive to the Crumb Cake layer.  

A 4 1/4" length of the Natural Wavy Trim was attached where they come together.  Just run adhesive along the seam and adhere the trim.  I was worried that the stickiness of the adhesive would come through the pattern of the trim, but there was no problem.  Trim off the excess from the ends after attaching.

Using the Autumn Leaves Bundle, I stamped the oak leaf in Pretty Peacock and another in Pecan Pie ink.  The leaves that are together were stamped twice (without re-inking) using Copper Clay ink.  All leaves were die-cut using the coordinating dies.   

Using the small single leaf die, cut 3 leaves from Pretty Peacock cardstock and 1 from the Oxidized Copper Specialty Paper.  Two of the veining die were cut from the Oxidized Copper paper and 1 from Pretty Peacock cardstock.  I used these pieces as branches instead of veins.

The sentiment comes from the Autumn Leaves stamp set.  It's stamped with Copper Clay ink onto a Basic White cardstock piece.  It's then die-cut using the coordinating die from the set.  I love the notched corners and stitching on this die for extra interest.

All the leaves and branches (veining pieces) were layered up in a pleasing fashion.  Since there were so many pieces, I didn't use any Dimensionals under them.  The sentiment was placed over these pieces with Dimensionals on the ends to keep it flat.  

This whole layer was attached to the folded Copper Clay card base using Dimensionals.  The Neutrals Adhesive-backed Sequins were added to the card for a little extra bling.  I've been using these sequins on so many cards lately.  They are such a nice addition, especially because they're so flat and don't cause problems when mailing your cards.

The final touch was the double bow of Linen Thread that matches the Wavy Trim.  The bow is attached with a Mini Glue Dot.

I just had to share another photo of this pretty Thanksgiving card.  This photo shows the lovely tone-on-tone look of the Tartan Foil Paper off perfectly.  It truly is very pretty in real life.  You know these photos never do the specialty papers justice!

Don't forget Stampin'Up! has the Annual Sale going on right now.  Trims and ribbons, papers and envelopes, and all sorts of inks and pads are on sale November 14 - 16.  All of the sale items are from the Annual Catalog.  Plus, there are many clearance items to choose from too.  Time to stock up on cardstock and envelopes for sure!

Thanks for shopping with me when you can.  I always appreciate it.  Please use the Host Code at the top of this blog when your order is less than $150.  If it's $150 or more, you receive host rewards instead.  Thank you so much!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Blue NOEL Card

Happy Monday to you, my friend!  I can't believe that another week has quickly passed.  It's almost Thanksgiving time and I'm not ready yet.  How about you?  Have you mailed out any cards to family and friends?  Have you got that dinner menu planned?  And the house decorated with turkeys and pumpkins?  I'm not there yet, but I'm working on it.  I'm so excited that seven ladies are joining me on Tuesday to put together the Thanksgiving cards for the shut-in members from church.  It will be fun to introduce them to the glories of stamping and card making.  Hope this works out well and is just the beginning of this group effort to send cards out each month.  I've been doing this on my own, but you know it's always more fun with friends!

Here's what I made several days ago to share with you.  I've looked at it for 4 days and just wasn't really happy with it.  Don't you think it needed something?  It just wasn't great - rather boring.  After fretting about it for days, I figured if I wasn't happy with it, I needed to take the card apart and make some adjustments to it.   And that's exactly what I did!  

The NOEL was really bothering me, so that's what was peeled off first.   I die-cut another set of letters in Blueberry Bushel and started to play around with the card by using only the blue, or the blue over the silver sparkle, or....  Here's what I came up with.

I love the look so much better with that small bit of framing of Blueberry Bushel cardstock underneath the More Dazzle die-cut letters.  It just makes the whole card better, more cohesive.  So, let's talk about how to make the card.

It starts with a Blueberry Bushel card base that measures 11" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.  Next a layer of the beautiful Winter Meadow Designer Series Paper was cut to measure 3 7/8" x 5 1/8".  Isn't this snowy forest-looking paper just perfect?  I love it!  A small frame of Basic White is cut to go under it.  That measures 5 1/4" x 4".  This leaves just a bitty frame of white to set the paper apart from the Blueberry Bushel cardstock base.  

Before attaching them together, the NOEL die was used to cut the letters out of the DSP.  This would allow me to get the letters spaced nicely when putting the card together.  The same die was used to cut the More Dazzle Specialty paper also.  At this point, I should have also cut the letters from the Blueberry Bushel cardstock that I added later.

Attach the DSP to the Basic White layer with adhesive.  Using adhesive, tuck the Blueberry Bushel letters into the die-cut space on the DSP.  Layer the More Dazzle letters over the blue letters with adhesive.  I off-set these to the right and down when attaching them.

The tree dies from the Forever Forest Bundle were used to cut three different sized trees from the Blueberry Bushel paper.  These were lined up on the bottom left of the card front and attached with adhesive.  A 1/2" strip of the More Dazzle Paper was added across the card and covered the bottom of the trees.

This card front was attached to the card base using Dimensionals.

The inside of the card has a layer of Basic White measuring 5 1/4" x 4".  The sentiment on it comes from the Wishes All Around stamp set.  It was stamped with Blueberry Bushel ink.  The trio of snowflakes are from the same set.  These are also stamped with Blueberry Bushel ink but were off-stamped before stamping to get a lighter color on the snowflakes.

There was a 1" strip of the same DSP that was left over, so it was attached to the white layer using adhesive.  The finished white layer was then attached to the inside of the card with adhesive.

The final touch on this snowy card is the addition of some clear Rhinestone Basic Jewels.  They sparkle just right to blend in with the More Dazzle design elements without competing with them.

Isn't this version better?  I think it was well worth the effort to do a remake on this card.  So now you've gotten a look into the card making process when things don't look quite as nice in person as they do in my mind.  Sometimes some tweaking is needed.  Don't be afraid to finagle your cards if they don't turn out quite right.  Try moving around the elements of the card or consider adding something different instead.   You never know what will work until you try it!  

Thanks for sharing some of your day with me.  I love hearing what you think about my ideas, so leave me a comment if you would.

If you'd like to order, I want to tell you that Stampin'Up! is having a Seasonal Sale on November 14 - 16.  You can save up to 20% on select items.  Make sure you check the online store to see all the items available.  Have fun stocking up on some of your favorite inks (pads, markers, refills), ribbon & trims, and papers.  These items are all from the Annual Catalog.  Thank you in advance for your patronage.  I always appreciate your business!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Shining Brightly Truly Shines

 Hello my friend!  Hope you're having a blessed and productive day.  A couple days ago, I finally got around to creating with the Shining Brightly Specialty Designer Paper that is in the Mini Catalog.  This paper is so gorgeous that I didn't want to cut into it until I had a good idea of what I wanted to make with it.  Do you get that way?  Almost frozen with indecision?  I finally decided to cut a 3" wide section from the 12" x 12" paper and just work with that.  That turned out to be a perfect solution for the first cut into that paper.  I've only used just one the navy and gold designs, but I'm so happy with the two cards that I'll be using it again soon!  Hope you like these ideas too.  They're similar but still different enough that I'll share them both.

Here's the first card I made.  The card base is Night of Navy measuring 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored and folded in half.  The 3" wide strip of DSP was trimmed up to 5 1/2" to fit top to bottom.  Next a strip of Gold Foil (found in the Annual Catalog) was cut to 3 1/4" x 5 1/2".  This gives a pretty frame to the DSP without being too overpowering.  The layering pieces were all attached with adhesive. 

Next, I decided on the sentiment to use.  This one is from the Night Divine Bundle on page 16 of the Mini Catalog.  I love both the words and the font of these sentiment stamps.  For this card, the Nested Essentials Die set was used.  I thought the rounded edges and stitching line made it a little more elegant than a plain square piece.  The sentiment is stamped on Very Vanilla cardstock a little higher and to the left of center.  Night of Navy ink was used for this.

To add some interest to the side, two of the dies from the Magical Meadow Bundle were used.  I love all the different bits of greenery that can be added wherever it's needed.  The leaf and berry stem is cut from the same Gold Foil, and the evergreen stem is cut from Night of Navy cardstock.  First the gold foil and then the navy pieces were attached to the sentiment label to the bottom right.  They were attached with a little 'green glue' down the center of the stems. 

A double strand of the gold Simply Elegant Trim was used to make the small bow.  This is attached over the stems with a Mini Glue Dot that's rolled to fit under the bow.  Even though the bow is small, it adds a touch of elegance.

The sentiment label was then attached to the card front using Dimensionals to raise it up and give it some definition.

After debating with myself, I didn't add any extra bling to the card.  With the gold accents on the framing layer, the DSP and the leafy stem, I thought any extra bling would either get lost on the card or would detract from the elegance of the card.  So, no extra bling on this one.

This is the 2nd version with several changes.  The first change is the Gold Foil layer was cut wider so more would show on each side.  It's cut to 3 1/2" x 5 1/2".  They're attached together with adhesive and then added to the card front with adhesive too.

The sentiment label is Very Vanilla cardstock cut with the Scalloped Contours Dies.  I used another one of the lovely sentiments from the Night Divine Bundle and it's stamped with Night of Navy ink.  It's attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

Because this label was bigger than the last card, I felt there was room for a bow.  The ribbon used is the retired Shimmery Gold Ribbon.  After the bow was made, it was attached to the label with a Mini Glue Dot.  

I liked the idea of adding just a little more gold bling on this card.  There was that whole open corner that was just calling for something pretty.  The gold Neutrals Adhesive-backed Sequins were the perfect touch.  I usually add embellishments in groups of three or five, but it seemed like only two were needed for that corner, so that's what I used.

Hopefully you enjoyed these two versions of card using many of the same products.  With a few changes, each of them has their own distinct look.  Can you come up with more ideas using just these same products?  I'd love to see what you make!  Thanks for stopping by and sharing your time with me.  Come back again soon to see what I get into next.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Sneak Peek Times Two

Hello there!  Today I've got two cards that were made at the same time using one piece of 6" x 6" One Horse Open Sleigh Designer Series Paper.  But that's not all.  These two cards are also using the new Meandering Meadow Dies.  What are those you ask?  The Meandering Meadow Suite of products will be added to Online Exclusive lineup on the Stampin'Up!' website.  This is an awesome grouping of stamps, dies, DSP, and embellishments that you're gonna love!  And you can purchase any or all of this suite starting November 7th.  Woo Hoo!  That's why I figured today would be the perfect day to share this idea with all of you.

The first thing I noticed about this cool arched die is that it takes 3" of paper to cover the opening.  Instead of cutting a full 6"x 6" sheet, I cut it in half to get my first piece to use.  This is from the One Horse Open Sleigh DSP which is also one of those Online Exclusives.  And it's simply gorgeous!  I've already used most of my pack of this paper, so I was grateful to have a piece that looked perfect on this archway.  Did you notice the radiating hash marks around the archway?  This shows on both the inside (shown) and the outside of the die.  This will show up on the other project.

For this card, I started with a card base of Petal Pink that measures 11" x 4 1/4" scored and folded in half.  Next is a layer of Misty Moonlight cardstock that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  For some texture on this piece, I used the Exposed Brick Embossing Folder.  The die-cut DSP is attached to the center of this with 'green glue'.  

The next step was wrapping a length of Silver & White Sheer Ribbon around the two layers and tying into a knot in the front.  I like the sheerness of the ribbon, so the DSP print still shows through.  At this point, the layers are attached to the folded card front using Dimensionals.  I used six of them to hold the card layers up evenly.

As an accent, I liked the Adhesive-backed Snowflake Assortment for this.  The white snowflakes showed up nicely on both the DSP and the Misty Moonlight.

The inside of the card is a layer of Basic White that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  A sentiment is stamped with Misty Moonlight ink.  Some snowflakes from the Wishes All Around set were stamped in the corner with Petal Pink ink to coordinate with the card front.

Now on to the 2nd half of that piece of One Horse Open Sleigh DSP that is left over from this card.

Since I really liked the Petal Pink with this DSP print on the last card, I decided to stick with the same color palette.  

This time Misty Moonlight was used for the card base.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored then folded in half.  For the next layer, I reverted back to the Petal Pink cardstock.  This measures 5 1/4" x 4".  That same arched opening was die-cut close to the top of the piece, so I'd have enough room for a sentiment.  Can you see the tiny hash marks surrounding the archway?  Such a cute accent!

The sentiment is from the Night Divine stamp set.  It's one of the few sentiments I had that really fit into that skinny space.  It's stamped with Misty Moonlight ink.

The leftover 3" x 6" piece was positioned behind the die-cut the opening to my liking.  Then it was trimmed top and bottom to fit without showing.  It's attached with adhesive to the back of the opening.  

The ribbon that ties around these layers is from the Copper & Natural Ribbon Combo.  It looks a little harsh on the card here because you really don't see the metallic shine in the picture.  That shine really changes the look in person.

The layers are attached to the Misty Moonlight card base using Dimensionals to give it some depth.  The other accent on this card is also from the Adhesive-backed Snowflake Assortment.  I thought the copper color went really nicely with the soft pink and dusty blue in the DSP.

The inside on this card was finished off in the same manner as the first card.   Why mess with a good thing?

There you have it.  Two cards that are similar, yet almost opposites that totally focus on the arched die and the lovely print from the One Horse Open Sleigh DSP.  The Meandering Meadow Bundle has a coordinating Designer Paper pack, but I'd been looking for another way to use this paper.  So why not mix & match?

Remember I mentioned that the Meandering Meadow is available on November 7th for everybody.  It's going to be one of my favorites because there are stamps and dies that can be used year-round, not just for a single holiday.  You can find it at the Stampin'Up! Online Exclusive section.  Click HERE to go directly to that page.  Happy shopping.  Look around and see what's new.  You might just find the perfect gift for a family member or friend.  Thanks for shopping with me.  I appreciate all orders!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

Christmas Classics Updated

Hello friends!  My goodness!  Here it is Sunday again already.  Where does the time fly?  It was a busy week and obviously I didn't get much of anything done.  I did do a little stamping, but not any posting.  Sorry for the long wait since the last post.  I do have a pretty Christmas card for you today though.  The colors are Moody Mauve and Pretty Peacock - not quite traditional colors, but I think this turned out quite nicely.

This card used little bits of several different specialty papers that came together perfectly.  I started with a piece of the All About Autumm 6" x 6" Specialty Paper.  It was back in stock at that time, so I felt free to use it.  I had a piece that was 4 1/8" x 3" left over and that's what the card was made around.  This is such a pretty print with the copper detailing all over it.  It has a nice baroque feel to the design and would look wonderful as an ornament, but that's not what I'm doing today.

Picking out the card colors from the paper, I chose to use Moody Mauve and Pretty Peacock.  The card base is Moody Mauve that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored and folded in half.

A piece of Pretty Peacock cardstock was cut to frame the All About Autumn DSP piece.  It measures 4 1/4" x 3 1/8" to give it just a tiny frame to offset the pretty paper.  These are attached together with adhesive and then attached to the card front using Dimensionals.  Now for all the extras.

Using the large frame die from the Christmas Classics Bundle, the frame for the sentiment was die-cut from the Pretty Peacock paper in the Soft Shimmer Paper Combo Pack.  You can find this in the Annual Catalog on page 127.  This is very easy to overlook but is so pretty!  The frame with the open-work holly and leaves with the berries is really lovely with that very subtle shimmer.  

The sentiment label from this set was die-cut from Basic White.  The label is stamped with a sentiment from Christmas Classics in Pretty Peacock ink.  This is attached flat to the frame we just made.

Using an open-work leaf spray from the same set, three were die-cut from the Oxidized Copper Specialty Paper found in the Mini Catalog.  When cutting, two were cut from the mottled copper, and one was cut from the paper with the Peacock color running through it.  Two of these leaf sprays were attached under the frame with the last one on top of the frame.   This was all attached to the front of the card using adhesive.

The holly branch and berries were also from this same set.  The holly was stamped with Pretty Peacock ink and colored in with the Pretty Peacock Light Blends.  The berries were stamped with Moody Mauve ink.  These were all die-cut with the coordinating dies.  I used Mini Glue Dots to attach each of these pieces to the sentiment area.

The inside of the card has a layer of Basic White cardstock.  The sentiment is one that I like a lot from the Wishes All Around stamp set.  Pretty Peacock ink was used to stamp it.  

When die-cutting the leaf sprays to accent the front of the card, I tried a couple in plain copper that were from a retired pack.  I thought it was too bold for the look I was going for, but it seemed to accent the inside of the card just right.  It's attached with adhesive to the left of the sentiment.

Here's one last look at the finished card.  This time I used no extra bling on the card.  I thought it was pretty enough just as it was.  What do you think?  Does it need any more added to it?  With the metallic accents on the DSP along with the leaf sprays, I was happy as is.  Of course, I'm always open to options when it comes to adding extra bling!

Thanks for sharing a bit of time with me today.  I'm having fun thinking outside the box when choosing my Christmas colors lately.  Don't worry though, the navy cards will be showing up again soon.  That seems to be my stand-by color for Christmas.  Have a very blessed day!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon