Christmas Pinecones

 Hey there.  Back again with a Christmas card to share today.  I love the Painted Christmas Designer Series Paper and thought it was time to make another card using the gorgeous prints.  After looking through them, I decided on the print with the small pinecone and pine needle clusters all over it.  With that picked out, the rest came together pretty easily.

The card starts with a base of Soft Suede cardstock cut at 11" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.  I wanted to make the sizing of the layers a little different than the usual, so the Crumb Cake cardstock is  cut at 4 3/4" x  3 1/2".  This way more of the card base shows up to frame the main images.  The DSP print is cut down to 4 1/2" x 3 1/4".   

There's a band across the card that measures 3 1/4" x 1 1/4" and is cut from Evening Evergreen cardstock.  Inside this band is a panel of another print from the same Painted Christmas DSP.  In fact, it's the back side of what I just used on the card front.  I love these two prints together.  I have a feeling I'll have used up all of these two prints before I make much of a dent in the other prints in this package.  Do you find you gravitate to certain prints in each package of Designer Series Paper and tend to use them up before you get to all the others?  Or is that just me??

At this point, the DSP has been attached to the Crumb Cake cardstock with adhesive.  The second print has been attached to the Evening Evergreen band, and this has been attached to the DSP layer with adhesive also.

I didn't want to cover up all the DSP and band, so I chose a smaller sentiment from the Tidings & Trimmings stamp set.  This was stamped on Basic White with Evening Evergreen ink.  It was punched with the Label Me Fancy Punch.  It didn't stand out from the background enough, so I used a Blending Brush and the Evening Evergreen ink to define the outside edge a little.  It was then attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

The pinecones were stamped from the Christmas Season stamp set.  They were stamped on Crumb Cake cardstock using Crumb Cake ink for the bottom layer and Soft Suede ink for the detail layer.  They were die-cut using the coordinating Seasonal Labels Dies.  When trying to get the placement right, I thought it needed a touch of gold to enhance the look.  The berry branch from the Christmas Trimmings Dies was used to die-cut a couple branches from Gold Foil Paper.  These are just tucked in around the pine cones and brighten the whole card up.  The large pine cone was attached with adhesive, but the smaller one was popped up with Dimensionals.  There is a small knot of the 3/8" Open Weave Evening Evergreen Ribbon to accent it.  That's attached with a couple of Mini Glue Dots to hold in place.

The sentiment on the inside was from the Inspired Thoughts stamp set.  It's stamped in Evening Evergreen ink onto a Basic White cardstock piece cut at 5 1/8" x 3 7/8".  The edges of this were also accented with the Blending Brush and Evening Evergreen ink.  It's then attached to a 5 1/4" x 4" layer of Crumb Cake cardstock. Finally it is then attached to the inside of the card, and the card is finished.  One more card down, ready to get addressed and sent out in the mail.  How many more of them do I need to make yet?  Who knows, but I think it's a great, big bunch of them!  Got to keep making those cards...

Hope this card layout gives you some ideas and gets you creating.  It's a similar layout to cards I did earlier in the October, but this time I used DSP instead of stamping underneath the band.  It's a great layout to use when you're stumped for ideas, and you can quite literally come up with hundreds of ways to use it with whatever papers and stamps you have on hand.  The sky really is the limit with this layout.

Just a reminder that if you're placing an order, I'd appreciate you using my Current Host Code tucked at the top right corner on my blog page.  Also, if you'd like to purchase a gift card for a friend or family member for Christmas, I'd be happy to make one up special for you.  Please do it soon, so I can make it and get it to you in the mail in time for Christmas!  We wouldn't want your gift sitting in the Post Office somewhere on Christmas Day.  So let me help you make someone happy for Christmas! 

Thanks for stopping by today.  It was a good day for stamping and sharing.  I need to get in as many ideas as possible before the time runs short.  Keep checking back often to see what's new.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Angled Tri-Fold Christmas Card

 Hi there!  Wow, I can hardly believe this is the very last day of September.  The days and weeks just seem to be slipping by faster and faster as I age (gracefully I hope!).  That means today is the last day to get your order in during Sale-a-bration.  There's still a few hours left as I'm writing this.

Stamping wise, I'm back to playing around with Christmas cards.  I tried a new fun fold card idea and really liked it, so I made another one for one of my sisters as a pick-me-up card.  It's always nice to let family and friends know that they really are appreciated and not just taken for granted.  So first I'll share the Christmas card and tack on the other one at the end.  Here we go...

I really like the look of this fold, just a little different to give it some extra interest.  This idea was found on a you tube video from Stamp with Lorraine.  You start with a piece of cardstock 5 1/2" x 11".  This is scored at 3 3/8" and 7 5/8".  I used Mossy Meadow for this card.  When the card is flat on the table, mark 1 1/2" down from the top on each side edge.  Using your trimmer, cut from the score line down to that mark on each side.  Lay flat again and mark 1" in on each side of the bottom.   Then cut from the angled point on the side you just made to the mark you made along the bottom edge.  Hopefully the next picture will give you a good idea of the cutting areas.

Next up is cutting the DSP for the front flaps.  Start with 2 pieces of 5 1/4" x 3 1/4" designer paper.  I used Heartwarming Hugs on this one.  You can choose to use both sides the same on the DSP like this card, or one of each side like I did on the 2nd card.  Either way looks great.

Can you get a good look for cutting the cardstock sides here?  Remember, 1 1/2" down from the top on the side edges.  And 1" in from the side on the bottom edge.  This gives you that lovely angled edge along the front overlap.

Back to the DSP cutting.   The directions I worked with said to also mark down 1 1/2" on the side like the top and cut to the edge like before.  And then mark in 1" on the bottom and cut to the point like before.  This actually didn't give me quite the right size, so I did a little trimming to make it fit like I wanted.  Sorry I can't give you exact dimensions, it was just a tiny sliver here and there.  When cutting the DSP, pay attention to which side you're doing your measuring and cutting so you get the print side up that you want.  More on that later...

The inside layer is Basic White cut at 5 1/4" x 4" and stamped with a Christmas sentiment in Mossy Meadow ink.  This was attached inside with adhesive.

The front focal piece is a belly-band with a Christmas sentiment and a stocking.  Basic White cardstock is die-cut with the largest label from the Tasteful Labels Dies.  This doesn't have stitching lines in it, so I used a Real Red marker to draw in the stitches.  The sentiment is from the Merriest Moments stamp set, and was stamped using Mossy Meadow ink.  This was stamped off to the side to leave room for the stocking.

The stocking is from the Tidings & Trimmings Bundle.  It was stamped with Real Red ink.  Before die-cutting, it was colored with both Real Red Light and Old Olive Light Stampin' Blends.  This was popped up on the label with Dimensionals.

The belly-band is a 1" x 9" piece of Real Red cardstock.  It's scored on one end at 2 1/4" and folded over.  Slip this around the card and fold the other end over to meet and overlap in the middle.  Use heavy adhesive to attach the ends together.  The sentiment label is attached to the belly-band with adhesive, making sure you cover over the overlap.  I added 3 of the 2021-2023 In Color Jewels in the Evening Evergreen color.  Just love the iridescent shine these jewels give!  Now fold your card closed, slip on the belly-band, and your card is finished and ready to go in the mail.  Oh yeah, don't forget to sign it first!  *grin*

I said I had another card with this fun fold to share with you.  Do you remember the Lovely Lily Pad stamp set with the artistic Lily Impressions Designer Series Paper that coordinated with it?  Well, it's purple, so I chose to make this for my sis who adores anything purple.  Hope she likes this.  

If you look closely, you'll see a few changes on this card.  First off, I didn't make the 2nd angled cut from the bottom edge of the card overlap.  I just left them straight this time around.  Also I mentioned to pay attention to which side of the DSP you're cutting?  As you can see, my overlap is on the other side this time so I can show off the pretty print.  Of course, it really could be folded the other way, and maybe she'd like it better that way because there's more purple showing.  hmmm...  

This time I used the Stitched So Sweetly label dies for the focal point.  Shake things up a bit and try other label dies or punches that would fit nicely.  There's no right or wrong way here.  Just play around with what you have and see what you come up with.  

That's it for today's post.  Hope you're inspired to try this fun fold.  It really makes up into a pretty card.  Just a quick reminder about the host codes showing up on the right top corner on my blog page.  If you're getting this in an email, you won't have the current code.  You'll have to check in on the actual blog to see what the current code is.   Thanks for taking the time to visit.  Love hearing from you!  You are what keeps me inspired to try new things, so in turn I can share them with you!

Happy creating and stamping,

Sharon

Sparkling Star Card

Hi Ladies, hope you're all doing well.  Today I wanted to share an easy way to show off the lovely Designer Papers we have at Stampin'Up!  Do you often have trouble deciding which print you want to show off because you like them both?  All too often I find myself with that dilemma where either could work equally well on a card, but which to use?  So why not show them both?  This little trick is super simple and gives you a nice layout to work with too.

Both of the prints shown here are from the Tidings of Christmas Designer Series Paper.  In fact, they come from the same piece of paper!  Here you've got the front and back showing (not sure which one is front and which one is back though).  And don't they coordinate perfectly?

To make this card, start with an 11" x 4 1/4" piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock that is scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.  One of the colors listed for the Tidings of Christmas DSP in Soft Succulent, so that is what I chose for the first layer.  This was cut at 4" x 5 1/4" and set aside for a minute.

The DSP print that I chose was cut to 3 3/4" x 6".  Since this paper is from a 6" x 6" paper pack I left it that long.  I ripped off a section of the paper about  2" -2 1/2" from the bottom,  Make sure you check both sides of your printed paper to make sure you're following the direction of the print if there is one!  Believe me, that's really important!  

I attached the bottom piece near the bottom edge lining up the three edges with about 1/8" of the Soft Succulent cardstock showing.  This was attached with adhesive.  Then the top piece was positioned to match up the top and sides evenly.  You'll notice you have about 1" of overlay.  That is as planned in case you rip unevenly, you don't want the base color showing through. 

At this point, I wrapped a length of the 3/8" Evening Evergreen Sheer Ribbon around and tied in a knot off to the side.  The whole thing was attached to the folded Cherry Cobbler card base using Dimensionals to give some lift.

I knew I wanted to die-cut the star from the Christmas Trimming Dies from the Be Dazzling Sale-a-bration 6" x 6" glittering paper that's free.  I hoped it would look fabulous, and it sure did!  I tried the Soft Succulent cardstock behind the star and it just looked sort of blah. I then debated between the Evening Evergreen and the Cherry Cobbler cardstocks, and you can see that the Evening Evergreen won out.  I just love the contrast between the dark green and the glitzy, almost sequin-like paper.  You absolutely have to see this to really appreciate it!  I had layered the Be Dazzling paper onto a piece of the Adhesive Sheet before die-cutting so I could easily attach it to the Evening Evergreen die-cut star.  So gorgeous, but so easy to just peel the backing off and stick it on!  The star was then attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

Lastly was the sentiment from the Tidings and Trimmings set.  The 'noel' was stamped on a Basic White scrap using Evening Evergreen ink.  It was die-cut out using smallest of the Stitched So Sweetly Dies.  Love the little scallop edge and stitch lines.  This was attached over the ribbon using Dimensionals.

It needed a little more something, so I die-cut two Evening Evergreen holly leaves from the Christmas Trimmings Dies.  It already has the vein line in the holly leaves so that gave it extra character.   For bling, I added three of the little Real Red Rhinestones for holly berries.  Just right.

So remember, if you want to use two sides of your Designer Series Paper on a card front, this is an easy way to do it.  Cut it longer than you need!  Then rip it, flip it, and attach one side over the other.  Easy peasy.

The first month of Sale-a-bration is almost over!  Boy, time sure flies.  Don't wait to take advantage of the free items available to you.  For every $50 you spend, you can choose one of the $50 ones.  For the larger ones, you need to place a $100 order.  Any way you choose to do it, it's fun getting something for free!  And there are lots of fabulous choices for you.  

If you're placing an order this month, please use the host code shown here.  You know I appreciate all you've been doing for me!

Happy creating and stamping with many hugs,

Sharon

Tidings with a Painted Christmas

 Hi ladies!  It's hard to concentrate on Christmas ideas when the weather outside is anything but chilly! More like in the mid 90's lately!  But if I try hard enough, I can still remember the snow and cold weather from last winter in Michigan.  So that's what I've been doing to get in the mood for Christmas.  Today I want to share a card that has a simple twist on a regular gate-fold card that opens in the middle.  This one has a small flap on the right side with most of the card front taken up on the left side.  Here, see what I mean...

I love this Painted Christmas Designer Series Paper that's in the July-December Mini Catalog (page 17 if you're interested).  There's just something about those hand-painted patterns that call out to me - "use me first!"  So I thought this would be a good fun-fold card to share two of the prints at once.

Here are the dimensions for cutting the cardstock and DSP:

Crumb Cake - 11" x 4 1/4",  scored at 1 1/2" and 7"

Real Red - 4" x 3 3/4"   and  4" x 1 1/4"

DSP - 3 3/4" x 3 1/2"    and   3 3/4" x 1"

Plus extra Real Red, Crumb Cake, Basic White, and Garden Green cardstock for cutting all the other bits and pieces needed.

The main thing to making this card is get the scoring done correctly and everything else comes together like a dream.  This kind of fun-fold can be used with so many other designer papers and for any occasion.  Just give it a try.

After the Crumb Cake cardstock is scored, layer the different prints of designer paper onto the Real Red layers using adhesive.  I attached them to the front flaps of the card using adhesive, because I wanted it flat so my card didn't get too bulky.

Next up was deciding what to use for the focal point and the sentiment.  I knew I wanted to use the Tidings & Trimmings stamp set, especially that cute little stocking.  So the stocking was stamped with Evening Evergreen ink onto Basic White cardstock.  The background of the stocking was colored with the Light Soft Sea Foam Stampin' Blends, and the leaves with Light Soft Succulent Stampin' Blends.   This was die-cut and ready to use.  

Then I die-cut a Crumb Cake circle with the Layering Circles die set for the sentiment and stocking.  Stamped the sentiment from the Tidings & Trimmings set next using Evening Evergreen ink and positioned the stocking to check.  It looked a little lost, so I die-cut the next size up circle with the scalloped edge and cut a Real Red circle to layer behind it.  Just right on that, but needed something else. 

 The coordinating die set, Christmas Trimmings, has some little holly leaves, so I die-cut a set from a scrap of Garden Green cardstock.  These were positioned on the stocking and attached with a Mini Glue Dot behind each one to hold in place.  

The circles were then attached to the card front using Dimensionals only on the left side so it wouldn't impede opening the card.  It needed some bling so I added three little Real Red Rhinestones to the holly leaves.  Then added a couple extra on the sentiment area.  Now it looked just as I'd envisioned.  And that doesn't happen too often!  Usually I start out with an idea and somehow by the time it's finished it seems to be something altogether different!  *huge grins*

The inside was super simple.  Basic White cardstock was cut at 5 1/4" x 4".  The sentiment from the Tidings & Trimmings set was stamped inside with Evening Evergreen ink.  I had a skinny 1/4" strip of Real Red cardstock that I attached to the left side to bring more color inside the card.  And that's it.  Another Christmas card ready to get mailed in just a couple more months.

I hope you enjoyed this easy fun-fold idea and give it a try.  Also, check out the Tidings & Trimmings Bundle where you can get both the stamp set and dies to match at 10% off the full price.  I just love bargains and this one is a really great one.  I'll definitely be using these pieces for more Christmas cards in the near future so keep an eye out for them.  And if you're thinking about Sale-a-bration, get this bundle and add a Designer Series Paper to go with it and you'll qualify for one of the Sale-a-bration freebies!  What's not to like about that idea?!

Here's the Host Code for you to use if you're planning on ordering this month.  Remember, for every $50 you order in August and September, you qualify for a Sale-a-bration item.  Or spend $100 to qualify for one of the larger items.  It's all up to you how you want to qualify for those adorable stamps or gorgeous new Designer Papers.  Have fun shopping!

Stay cool and stamp inside!  

Sharon