2018 Christmas Cards

Here are a few if the Christmad cards I made and sent out in 2018. Sometimes I get stuck on a particular layout and I can't stay from it for some reason. So I used some cars sketches to get ideas for the layouts if some of my cards this year.

The first one features a swirl embossed background, Perfect Pines tree as well as a glittered tree behind it. The patterned paper is from my stash of goodies. Stickles added some red sparkle to the green tree.

Next I used a "Joy" stamp which I colored with my copics and then added some sparkle with a silver sparkle pen. I added a snowflake embossed panel and finished it off with some paper piercing.

This card layout was actually from one that I had made many years ago for a swap with my fellow Stampin Up demonstrators. The snowflake was from Snow Swirled and when open the 3 snowflakes can spin on the piece of fishing line that they are attached to. I added some embossing and some Very Vanilla 1/4" grosgrain ribbon.

I did make a few other versions of cards, but I.am not finding photos, so I will have to look for them.

Herringbone Technique Christmas Cards

I found a new technique to try when making cards and since I have so much patterned paper that I don't really know what to do with I tried it. All of the papers on this card are from Love Nicole's "Winter Whimsy" 6x6 patterned paper. The blue background is (I believe) Pool Party cardstock by Stampin' Up. The sentiment is from Tin of Tags by Stampin Up. The lace border and snowflake punches are also by Stampin' Up.

Here I added Gloss White Nuvo Crystal Drops. While it was still wet I sprinkled some fine glitter to the Nuvo Drops.

Here I added some Jolee's snowflakes. This card I used some Riding Hood Red Cardstock.

For this one I added some grosgrain ribbon and used a sentiment from "More Merry Messages" from Stampin' Up!

Card Request

A Facebook friend of mine asked her crafty friends to make a card for a friend who has MS and has been suffering. I gladly took the challenge! The recipient is a man so that created a challenge in itself. I don't personally know the gentleman, so I don't know any of his interests,  so I went with a ferris wheel! Who doesn't like Ferris wheels? (oh...me....I don't!)
So anyway, I used some patterned paper from one of the mat stacks I own (a Christmas one believe it or not).  I stamped the light blue piece with Stampin Up's "Sanded" in crumb cake,  then the Ferris wheel from "Feeling Sentimental" in Midbight Muse. The sentiment is from "For You" (Stampin' Up) and is also stamped with Midnight Muse.  I recently bought a mini ink blending tool, and I thought I would use it on this card to give it a more distressed look. I didn't want to add a lot of bulk to the card because I am sending it to Canada, so I added some piercing in the corners (I originally thought brads would be nice)
Hopefully the card will bring the recipient a smile and I hope he is feeling less pain.

Decorative Doily cards

I recently received May's Funstampers Journey Bloom box. The Bloom box comes with a full set of stamps and materials to make 4 cards. I have been wanting to get a stamp similar to this, so I was very excited to get it! Unfortunately I didnt have the color ink for the kit, so I used the stamps to make my own versions. I stamped the doilies in versamark then heat embossed them with white opaque embossing powder. I layered some of the cards on only a colored mat then the card, but then I decided to make some with the embossed piece on white then on the color before adding them to the card. In some carss I used twine and others I used satin ribbon.  I used sentiments from Stampin' Up's "For You" as well as "Elegant Cheer". The doilies are for a Funstampers Journey set that hasn't been released yet called "Decorative Doily".

One image, 6 ways

I wanted to challenge myself to use an image, stamp it out, color it and use them to make different cards. I started out with six of this image a flower from Funstampers Journey's "Sweet You". I colored the flowers with copic markers R05, R24, R46. The leaves were colored with YG17, YG13, YG21. I then also stamped out and colored the larger flower and added it to most of the cards using pop dots. 

 

 This is the first card I made. Once I made this one I kind of got stuck in a red/black/white color scheme, but since the challenge was to come up with different layouts I just went with it. I had this piece of red that I had stamped a speckled background on it, but then I didn't use it, and it went back into my stash, so I used that for this card. I cut it down to make the different layers in this card. I cut the image with an oval die and layered that in a scalloped oval. I used a card sketch from cardztv.blogspot to make this one:

 I stamped the red layer with Stampin Up's "en Francois" then layered it on black and then on a white card. I embossed the triangles in the corners with the "Swiss Dots" embossing folder. I also found this card sketch on Cardztv.blogspot:

 I went with a different color scheme with this one. I heat embossed the green banner with Funstampers Journey's "Script". The sentiment came from an old Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin. This sketch was found on Freshlymadesketches #197

 I started out with a red card then added a black layer.  I embossed the white layer with a "Musical Flourishes" embossing folder and then layered the images. I used my Bow Easy to make the little double bow. I also added some dimension to the little berries using Nuvo Crystal Drops.

 By the time I got to this card it was after 1 AM and I had to be up by 8 AM, so I went with a simple design. Not alot of frills, just simple and to the point. Rhe image was cut wuth a stitched rectangle die, layered in a red rectangle.

The 6th image got messed up when I tried to cut it with a die. So I threw that one away.  Tomorrow I will stamp and color another image so I can complete the challenge!

In Memory...A birthday card

My little sister passed away last year. A year to the day after that we got the news I was sitting in my craft room making cards. I wantwd to make a card in her memory, and this is what I came up with. Her favorite color was purple, so of course I made the card purple. I used Lavendar Fusion and Grape Fusion card stock by Funstampers Journey. The tree is from Stampin Up's "Sheltering Tree" and the sentiment is from Stampin' Up's "On Your Birthday".
Designing the card brought some tears but I think it turned out to be a nice tribute.