Template for a Christmas Card

Hi all!  Time is running out to make any more Christmas cards, but I just had another two I wanted to share with you.  The cards both use the same template and the same stamp set, but the colors were changed because I couldn't decide which to use.  So, when in doubt, do both.  I've been a real paper hog for awhile.  Or maybe I should say a paper hoarder instead.  Does that sound better?   But I am trying to be better and actually use my lovely DSP.  That's what started this card making session.  I couldn't decide if I wanted to use the Sentimental Christmas Designer Paper or the Season of Green & Gold Designer Paper.  Both have very nice designs and they're such different styles you'd think this wouldn't be a problem.  But indecision is my middle name lately.  So, that's why we have two versions on this template to share. 

Here are the two cards together.  See, they are similar in design, but still different.  The main components of the card template is the large circle for the main focal point and three 1" strips of DSP that are different but complimentary.  Let's go through and explain how I made these.

I'll start with the second card I made, the one on the right.  The DSP strips are from the Sentimental Christmas.  I liked that they were not a true green but more on the Pretty Peacock color tone.  It makes a more mellow look on the card.

I had done so many red & green cards, I was looking for something slightly different for this time of year.   Three different prints from the Sentimental Christmas DSP were cut here.  The center one with the trees is 1" x 4 5/8".  The two on the sides measure 1" x 4 3/8".  They were laid out and attached with "green glue" to a Basic Beige cardstock piece that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  There is also a Basic Beige cardstock piece measuring 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" that's scored and folded in half and is used for the base.

After attaching the strips to the cardstock layer, it's added to the card base with Dimensionals.

Next is coming up with which die to use to cut the main piece - the circle.  I really love the circle dies that are part of the Spotlight on Nature Bundle. Each has its own different design on the edge to make it stand out.  This is the largest circle.  It was used to die-cut a circle of Basic Beige cardstock.

Across the center of the circle, a line of small trees from the Peaceful Evergreens Bundle were stamped with Lost Lagoon ink.  I love the misty look of this tree line.

Under the trees, the sentiment from Greetings of the Season was stamped.  The 'Christmas' was stamped first leaving space to stamp the 'merry'.  The ink used here is Pretty Peacock so it's a little darker and more prominent on the card.

The gold bow is from the Gold & Silver 1/8" Trim.  It's attached with a Mini Glue Dot.  The extra bling added here are gold snowflakes from the Adhesive-backed Snowflakes.  These can only be found in the Online Exclusive section of the store.  I thought they added a nice, festive touch here.

The inside of the card is stamped with a sentiment from the Greetings of the Season stamp set.  It's stamped with Pretty Peacock ink.

There is a small line of trees in the bottom corner.  They are stamped with Lost Lagoon ink to match the card front. 

Okay, this is the second card I made.  I'll share with you the first card and my mistake.  It still works, but I like the 2nd version better.  You decide.

The basic card idea and the measurements are the same as the other card, except the center strip is 4 3/4" long.  Small thing, but looking at both cards, you can see the difference.  You decide which you prefer.

The circle is the same except Basic White cardstock was used this time.

The trees are the same, except they are stamped with Old Olive that was off-stamped before stamping onto the circle to keep them nice and light.

I thought it would be cool to have the sentiment on strips of Basic White cardstock and have them partially off the circle when attached.  I think I like it the other way better this time.  The ink used for stamping the sentiment is Mossy Meadow ink.

For finishing, the same gold snowflakes are used to accent the design.

The ribbon used this time is a retired Gold Shimmer Ribbon from a few years ago.  The subtle gold shimmer of the ribbon is the perfect match for the gold accents on the DSP prints.

Just for an added bit of glamour, the circle had a bit of Wink of Stella spattered on it.  Unfortunately, the picture didn't want to pick up the soft glittery splatters.

There you have it.  Two cards that used the same template as a starting place.  They even used the same stamp sets.  But tweak a few things and it really changes the look.  I really like both of them.  If I'm in the mood for the elegance of lots of gold touches on my card, this is the one to make.  If I'm going for a more mellow look, the other one with the Pretty Peacock and Basic Beige do the trick.  Either way, the template is a great one to use, especially when you've got lots of strips left over from all those other projects.  Start thinking birthdays or even Valentines Day!  Hmmm...

If you want to start panicking, today is the 15th.  There's only 10 more days until Christmas.  No, my cards are not in the mail, my presents are not wrapped, and my cookies are not baked.  Why the heck am I still making Christmas cards???  Gotta go...

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

Playing with the Evergreens Again

 Hello my friends!  It sure doesn't look like winter here yet.  Not that I'm complaining or anything.  The weather's up to 58 degrees today, but the heavy rains coming down make it feel much chillier.  These temps will be staying around for a few more days, but unfortunately so will the rain.  Guess I'll just stay inside for a while and get some more stamping done.

Yesterday when I was stamping, I had the Peaceful Evergreens out again and was concocting a card design and playing around with color combinations.   It was fun to see how color can change the two cards so much.  I have to admit that the color difference is much more noticeable in person.  But it was fun, and I'll have to try this idea again.

Here are the two cards.  So similar looking until you start noticing the colors on the 2nd card.  Definitely not traditional colors!  I started by making the card on the top with the traditional Real Red and Garden Green color combo.  

The card started with a base of Real Red cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" that is scored and folded in half.  Next is the Garden Green layer that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  Then comes a layer of Basic White cardstock.  This measures 5 1/8" x 3 7/8" so there will be just a skinny bit of the Garden Green frame showing when put together.  

Next, the Basic White layer was embossed using the Painted Trees 3D Embossing Folder.  The cardstock was positioned so I could get the tops of all three of the trees to show.  After embossing, this layer was attached to the Garden Green layer using "green glue".  Then both layers were attached to the folded Real Red card base using Dimensionals.

Next, the smallest single evergreen in the Peaceful Evergreens stamp set was stamped on a scrap of Basic White cardstock.  Garden Green ink was used.  I love how these simple trees have so much depth and detail in them just by inking them up!  It does all the work for you!

After stamping, the coordinating die was used to cut it out and it was ready to use.

The 'Christmas' comes from the Peaceful Season die set.  I used a 1 1/4" strip of Real Red cardstock. Then backed it with some of the Adhesive Sheets before cutting.  This makes it so much easier to attach the letters to the card without trying to get glue on the small areas.

The 'merry' comes from the Greetings of the Season set.  It's stamped on a 1/2" strip of Basic White using Real Red ink.  The ends were trimmed and flagged.

Putting it together was easy.  I put the wording on first to get the placement, then added the tree and little label using Dimensionals to attach them both.  

I was happy with the look of the tiny White Snowflake Loose Embellishments that were added to the card.  Five of the larger ones were added.  They're attached with Micro Glue Dots.  Now on to the non-traditional card.

 I was getting a little played out with the traditional Christmas cards I was making.  Thought I'd go retro on this combo.  The green is Shy Shamrock and the 'red' is Berry Burst.  Whew!  What a change, but it sort of grew on me and now I love it!  I know, crazy!

The measurements of the layers are all the same, just different colors.  The tree was stamped with Shy Shamrock and die-cut.  

The 'Christmas' sentiment was cut from the Berry Burst, Old Olive, and White Shimmer Paper pack.  The strip of Berry Burst was backed with the same Adhesive Sheets as before.  I tried to angle a picture to show the glimmer on the paper, but none of the pictures really showed it at all.  The 'merry' was stamped with Berry Burst ink.  The strip was trimmed and flagged before attaching to the card front with Dimensionals.  This time the sentiment was put on at an angle to see which I liked better.

For this card, the Iridescent Faceted Gems seemed to be the favorite choice.  The facets really enhanced the colors already on the card.

The inside of both the cards was done the same except for the color choices.  The row of tiny trees in the Peaceful Evergreens set was stamped on the bottom edge of the cards using the coordinating green ink for the cards.  The sentiments were added with either the Real Red or Berry Burst colors.

So which one do you like?  Are you more of a traditional girl?  Or do you like to stir things up a bit with something bold and different?  I'm thinking I just might try the Shy Shamrock color with a paler pink and see how that works out!  Or maybe an Old Olive with Cherry Cobbler combo.  What do you think?

Thank you for stopping by today to see what's been going on here.  I'm almost finished with my cards and getting ready to move on to something else.  Well, maybe just a few more Christmas cards.  They are fun to make.  I'll just have to add a few more people to my list so I can use them all.  😂

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

More Peaceful Evergreens

Hello my 'stuffed' friends.  If you're like me, you still feel a little 'stuffed' from your Thanksgiving dinner yesterday.  But that's not stopping me from those leftovers today!  It was so nice having family share the day with us.  I think I told Kathy that the day was filled with family, food, and football.  I should have included fun in that mix too.  But today I'm back sharing Christmas ideas with you.  There's still time to make oodles of cards to share with family and friends.  Let's get busy. 

Here's a card that's a little different from my usual Christmas colors, but I totally love the look.  I was actually working on a different project and fiddling with color choices for that card trying to find the right mix.  When I saw these colors together, I was inspired to switch projects right away and make this card instead.  I love pastel colors, and this card really says it all.

For the card, I started with two pieces of Basic White cardstock.  One measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is scored in half for the card base.  The second piece measures 5 1/4" x 4".  This piece would carry the trees and blended background to elevate the card a little bit.

I was going to use the Deckled Rectangle Dies to finish the edge on this top piece.  Instead, I dug out an old die set.  Remember the Stitched with Whimsy Dies?  This is the largest one and I thought it added just a little fun to this layer.  

Using three different Blending Brushes, I added color to the background.  Bubble Bath is the first color used near the bottom.  Then a band of Fresh Freesia ink was added next.  Lastly, the Boho Blue ink was added to the sky area.  TIP:  when using this dark of a color for the pastel area, I had very little ink left on the brush and kept a very light touch on the brush.

Using the Peaceful Evergreens Dies, the trees were cut.  The largest and smallest detail tree dies cut the Basic White trees.  The smallest tree die was also used to cut one tree from the pack of Berry Burst, Old Olive, and White Glimmer Specialty Paper.  Thought that would make a pretty accent.

The sentiment from the Shepherd's Care stamp set was added along the bottom.  It's stamped with Boho Blue ink.

The largest tree was attached with "green glue" dotted on the back.  It's attached to the left side and down close to the sentiment.  The small Basic White tree was also attached with "green glue" to the right of the card center with a little space between them.  The glimmer tree was attached between those two trees.  I cut tiny bits of Mini Dimensionals apart to tuck behind thicker areas on the tree.  This lifted the tree up just enough to add interest.  Do you notice how the glimmer on the tree seems to pick up the colors on the background?

At this time, I used "green glue" again to attach the white layer to the card base.  The glue was kept well inside the stitched lines.  When the card was put together, the edges look like they are slightly elevated.

One of the ideas I had for embellishing this card, was die-cutting the stars that are part of the die set.  I cut several from the glimmer paper that was used for the tree.  The stars seemed way too big for these delicate trees.  One of the awesome embellishments I tried on this card really stood out and caught my eye.  These are the Iridescent Faceted Gems.  Wow!  They really sparkle and pick up all the colors on this card.  Just perfect.

Yay! Another card finished for my Christmas card stash.  One of these days, I'll have to sit down and count how many I have finished and how many more I'll need.  The countdown is on to get them all finished addressed, and in the mail.  Before Christmas would be nice.  😄  

There are new stamps, dies, paper, and all kinds of goodies that I've been pre-ordering as a demonstrator.  The stack of new items is calling my name and I'm antsy to start playing with them!

When I was thinking over all the blessings that I'm thankful for, you came to mind.  My stamping friends have blessed me beyond measure by the kindness, helpfulness, and loyalty you've shown me.  And I'm thankful for you stopping by today to see what's been going on in my stamp room.  There seems to be way too many stacks of partially finished project ideas that I need to sit down and get serious about finishing.  You'd probably have a heart attack if you saw my room.  Rick thought he made sure I had enough counterspace to work on, but oh my!  I really could use double the space.  Of course, then I'd probably fill that up and need even more space.  Never enough!!  Get stamping!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Baby Wipes and Trees

Hello people!  It's taken me a while to get organized after making this forest of trees.  I have to tell you how much fun it was to create these trees!  Have you tried doing the Baby Wipe technique?  Have you done it in ages?  It's been several years at least since I played with this technique, but it was so fabulous making these lovely trees with each one turning out slightly different.  Let's start from the beginning.  Back about two weeks or so ago, I ran into a blog that was showing the Baby Wipe technique with the Peaceful Evergreen stamp set. I loved the look of the trees when she was finished and wanted to try this myself.  Big problem - I couldn't find the post again, but I knew how to do this because I've used this technique before on fall trees.  I wasn't sure which refills she used, but I figured it would work with whichever colors I tried.  The technique uses ink refills dropped to make spots onto a cushion of about five folded Baby Wipes.  The ink drops (spots) should bleed in to fill any open spaces.  If you need more drops, add them.  I ended up using four colors and about seven - eight drops (spots) of each color.  You use how many you need.  Make sure the "ink pad" you're making is large enough to fit the largest stamp you want to use.  

TIP:  I use an empty stamp box to make a pad.  This keeps the ink contained, it doesn't bleed through to your table, and you can shut the lid and come back later and it's still usable.

This is a picture of the cards I've made so far.  I still have a few extra trees left over that I'll get to later.  

My color palette of refills is:  Misty Moonlight, Pretty Peacock, Shaded Spruce, and Fresh Freesia.  The Fresh Freesia color is the only color I know she used because I thought it was a little weird, but it really adds a "frosty" look to the trees.  If you try this technique, you can use any mixture of colors you'd like on your trees.  Each time you'll have a different looking mix.

As you can see, I used all three sizes of the single evergreen trees.  Plus, on three of the cards I used the row of trees stamped twice to go across the card front.

TIP:  Have a stack of white cardstock ready to stamp so you can just keep going once you're on a roll with this technique.

TIP:  I did NOT clean my stamps during this whole stamping session.  It just added more of a color mix to my trees.

By stamping on different areas of my "ink pad" there is a different mix of colors on each of the set of five trees on this stamp.  Some are darker, and some have more of the Fresh Freesia color that tends to make the trees a little lighter.

The die-cut Christmas is from the Peaceful Season dies. And I've used both the Misty Moonlight and Basic White to cut the word Christmas.  The two Misty Moonlight die-cuts are backed with Basic White, but the Basic White one was backed with Fresh Freesia to give a soft yet bright look.  The word 'merry' used with it comes from the Greetings of the Season set which you can find in the Online Exclusive section of the store.  I love that all the sentiments come in two different sizes and fonts that you can mix and match.  That makes it so versatile.  You can find the right sentiment so easily.

These three cards have used the medium and small trees.  Each size was stamped twice - once on the card and once on an extra piece of Basic White cardstock and die-cut after stamping.   Two of these cards had a strip of Misty Moonlight ribbon weaving in between the trees as an accent.  While you're having fun stamping, you might as well stamp several extra trees in assorted sizes to make more cards!  

Once you've made the "ink pad" to stamp with, it's amazing just how many times you can use it.  I stamped all these trees, plus extra for the white inserts on the cards and still had a viable pad.  Now that it's been sitting in one of the empty stamp containers for a week and a half, it's still usable. Amazing!  The colors are more mottled, but still a beautiful mix of colors!

If you look closely, you can see different backgrounds on each of these three cards.  The one on the left has spatters of Wink of Stella covering the background.  The middle card has the Snowfall Sky Embossing Folder adding the snowflakes.  The right card uses the So Swirly Embossing Folder because it reminded me of the wind blowing and swirling around.  

Two of these cards use a sentiment from the Shepherd's Care set.  I love both the sentiment and font of the "peace on earth" stamp.  It's a sentiment I keep going back to use.  It's perfect, especially with the quiet of the woods on these cards.

This card uses the medium sized tree on all four trees.  As you can see, each one of the trees here have a different mix of colors even though they were all stamped from the same pad.  Just by moving the stamp around the different sections of the pad, you get a different mix.  These were all stamped on the Basic White layer, just spaced out so they can all fit.

I'll just mention here that the cards all used a mix of the four colors already mentioned for the layering pieces on the cards:  Misty Moonlight, Pretty Peacock, Shaded Spruce, and Fresh Freesia.  Except for one which I layered with Lost Lagoon cardstock because the tree colors on that card looked just like Lost Lagoon was added.

The card on the left has a 1/2" strip of Pretty Peacock Glimmer Paper as an accent.  That paper is still available in the Online Exclusive section of the store.   It adds a pretty bit of shimmer to the design.

Both of these cards use the largest and medium sized trees in their design.  When using the largest tree, it's too tall to fit on the card in landscape mode.

So, there you have it!  A complete forest of trees all made the same, but each one ended up being one of a kind.  This was such an afternoon of fun and creativity making all these trees and even more!  I was surprised it took another week to get all of these cards made.  There were just too many choices with cardstock colors for layering, which sentiments to use, which embossing folder to use, embellishments or not, etc.  Yes, it was enough to make your head spin!  But it really was a fun creative endeavor.  Now I've still got just a few more of those trees to take care of that were left over from my stamping frenzy.

Oh, just one more thing.  You might have noticed that none of these cards have any embellishments on them.  I did go back later and added some goodies.  Here's a list of some of the gems used:  Iridescent Faceted Gems, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Iridescent Pearls, White Loose Snowflakes, Pecan Pie & Clear Ribboned Dots, and Adhesive-Backed Snowflake Assortment.  There are others that are retired but still favorites that I dig out every so often.  Whew!  And you wondered how it could possibly take another week to get the cards finished.  Just choosing the embellishments took about a week all by itself!!  :-)  But then again, I always have a hard time choosing embellishments.

Okay, that's all I've got for you today.  Hope that is enough to keep you thinking and creating on your own.  This is such a fun technique.  Each time you make one of those Baby Wipe ink pads, you open up a world of possibilities.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon