My Favorite Christmas Card so far...

(Sorry for the quality of the pic, I find acetate VERY hard to photograph. IRL, the gemstone shimmers and the card looks bright and pretty.)

This is one of those cards that just proves the difference of quality in SU products vs others you find in stores. I attended an event at a local scrapbooking store and one of the make and takes was a Christmas card made exactly like this one. However, the products they used were much lower in quality and not as put together, and I liked the idea, but not the card they made. So, I recreated it at home using SU products, and the difference is unreal!

First I folded a piece of acetate for my outer layer, and stamped the tree from Scandinavian Season in the center a little towards the top with Jet Black Stazon. Then I made a stencil by doing that again on scrap acetate, and cutting around the tree with a hobby blade. I then folded some white textured CS and put between the acetate. I lined the stencil up under where the tree was and sponged it heavily in Kiwi Kiss ink with Stampin' Sponges. I stamped the sentiment from Heard from the Heart in RidingHood Red ink on the bottom of the white CS. I punched two 1/16" holes very close together at the top of the tree and ran Gold Cording through those, and used the cording to tie on the gold know you see. That is the only thing holding the acetate on the card, and it stays perfectly in place, I was amazed! I finished it simply by putting a red gemstone from Hero Arts on the center of the flower shape on the tree. Very simple card that's just a little harder than it looks, and I love the outcome.

Sometimes you just see projects and think, I can do that so much better. I know we all do that, but I am glad I acted on this one. It is remarkably better than the one made at the store, the quality difference in product is unreal.

All items in BOLD print are SU!

Scallop Medallion Christmas Tag

I love this tag! There's snow on the ground here today, we woke up to it falling beautifully and I am now in the Christmas spirit! The tag is made using the technique to make a medallion out of a punch. The tag size is 2.75 x 2.75 inches. I made the medallion out of the Ski Slope DSP, ran Old Olive ribbon through that, tied it up top with Gold Cording, and backed the whole thing with a folded piece of Chocolate Chip CS, folded in half. The inside is lined with Whisper White CS to write To/From message. I figured out how to make a small scallop square to fit inside this, cut a square of CS 2 1/8 inch, then line up in the Scallop Edge Punch center, punch on all sides. The snowflake is from a retired hostess set from last year called Perfect Presentation, it is a round stamp with words around the outside of the flake. I didn't have the exact size circle punch I needed, so I punched the flake out, and to cover the little bit of wording that showed around it, I ran the edges over my CC stamp pad. Popped on a Dimensional over an Old Olive circle. I didn't have any pearls small enough for the edges of the flake, so again I improvised (I am getting better at that!), I had some of the wedding pearls on a string from the craft store. I cut them off the string, and carefully sanded the edges down where they were glued on the sting. Glued onto my flake with Crystal Effects. Whew. Lots of work on one little tag, but I really like how it turned out. I have never used brown at Christmas, but this year I can't seem to stop myself. Hope you like it!

All items SU, minus the pearls, all SU colors, tools are in bold print.

Scandinavian Christmas Card

This is the card my Hostess Club made today along with the tags in the last post. Everyone loved all the projects. This card is CASE'd from the Holiday Mini. The stamp set is Scandinavian Seaon, and the Scandinavian wheel. I really loved the example card in the Mini catalog, and decided just to change a few things about it. This card uses the New Ski Slope DSP, also from the new Mini catalog. I am so in love with this set, and new DSP! This is the first time I have used the New Tafetta ribbon (Kraft) and LOVED it, it's such a pretty, classy ribbon. This is a very simple card, but I loved the finished look! Part of the tree is double stamped, cut out, and popped up on a dimensional for a little depth, and the edge of the Naturals White cardstock is roughed up a little with a bone folder. Hope you like it! This is the FIRST Christmas card I have made this year, I guess I better get rolling, huh?

Scandinavian Christmas Tags

Here's a tag my club is making on Sat. I cut an Old Olive and a Naturals White oval using the CM cutting system. I stamped the mitten image from Scandinavian Season in red, and folded the paper in half at the bottom of the mitten, then cut out. The mittens actually open up to write the recipients name or a small message.

This is my favorite one. I used Kraft CS for the base, it's cut 3x6 and folded in half. I cut a square of Ski Slope DSP for the background, and glued down after sponging the edges in Chocolate Chip ink. The Poinsettia's (I hope that's spelled right) are made using the star image from Scandinavian Season and punched with the 5 Petal Flower punch (I actually discovered this myself!!!) to make the pattern on the flower petals (it has to be angled just right to fill up the punch). Then I pinched the ends of the petals and used glue dots to put two of them together, with a punched Old Olive piece underneath for leaves. Couldn't find dark brads, so I made dots with a Chocolate Chip marker, and topped with dots of Crystal Effects. I love the look of this tag.

I like this one, too. I used Baja Breeze and cut it 6.5x2.5 and scored at 3". I used the slit punch on the long end and out of the short end, punched a scallop circle out of the blue. Then I punched a Very Vanilla scallop, and glued down where the other scallop opening is. Used the snowflake from Scandinavian Season and punched out and layered on top. There are stickles all over the snowflake. The TO/FROM info is written under the scallop inside..

So, I used only ONE stamp set, except for the Merry Christmas, which is from Holidays & Wishes. Now to make a card for the meeting!!! Sorry the pics aren't the best, it's been raining here and I am short on time. Hope you like the tags!!!

**All SU colors and sets are in Bold print.