Merry & Bright Christmas Card

Stash stuffs used for this card for Christmas:

Hard to get a great photo when using mirrored card stocks but this is the card I made for Christmas using stash stuff. To begin with I used the Simon Says Stamp "Twinkly Lights" die set:

I die cut the strands out using a dark green card stock in the stash. Then I used the two bulb dies in the set and cut out mirrored card stocks in different colours for the bulbs:

Used liquid glue to add the bulbs to the strands:

Set those aside. For the card base I used the same dark green card stock that I used for the green strands and I cut and scored that at the top, landscape style. For the white card front I cut a piece of white card stock 4 1/4 x 5 1/2.   I used an older Taylored Expressions embossing folder:

and embossed this. With that embossed I looked through the rectangle dies in the stash and decided to use the Essential Rectangles die set from Essentials by Ellen (Ellen Hutson):

I used the same mirrored gold card stock for the frame that I used for the gold bulbs and cut out the largest die frame in this die set. Used liquid glue to put the frame on the embossed piece and set that aside to dry. Once that was dried I used scissors to cut around the frame for the card front. Put this embossed rectangle on the card base using liquid glue. Added a couple of the strands of lights over the embossed piece for the card front and let this dry. Once dried I used scissors to trim off any strand pieces hanging over the edges of the card front.

For the "merry & bright" I used the die set from Simon Says Stamp - "Merry & Bright" and this die set also has small star dies as well as a couple of snowflake dies:

I used the mirrored gold card stock and cut the words out. Also cut them out again using white card stock and layered these words together using liquid glue. For the shadow piece behind the "merry.." I wanted to be able to see the bulbs under it so I used a light weight piece of vellum and cut that out. Put the word dies onto the vellum shadow piece using liquid glue. Added glue behind the letters on the shadow vellum piece and put this onto the card front

Here is a different angle to show the shine on this card:

This next photo shows the embossing on the white card front under the words and strands of lights:

Happy to be able to use more of the stash products to make a fun card. With using the mirrored card stocks for the bulbs and the greeting coloured gems were not needed for the card front. A fun holiday card finished and ready for the holiday ahead...

Spellbinders Essential Arch Card #2

Went through the stash for this card..... a few years back I bought the Tim Holtz Harvey Colorize die set on clearance for $4.49.  When I went through the Christmas dies this year I knew I wanted to use this die set and make a card using Harvey. This die set has 19 pieces to it but it is very easy to assemble your guard/nutcracker/soldier or whatever you make with it. Here is a photo of the die set packaging:

Many of the die pieces will tell you a colour to use or a layering number:

Before I started to die cut this set out I printed out a piece chart showing colours to use and which dies are for what. I keep this in the sleeve with the magnet sheet with the dies and the packaging from the die set:

Once again this is a good die set for using card stock scraps. Once I decided what I wanted to make for my card I did all the die cutting of my soldier. Did all the die cutting then sponged pieces and then assembled him using liquid glue. Wanted to use the arch die set again and for this card I used card stock from the stash and I used a larger arch die from the die set and cut out my arched card stock base, cut and scored at the top, using kraft card stock from the stash:

For the card front I used two arch dies and I looked for a holiday print in the stash:

Bought this "Dear Santa" by memory-place collection as a partial pad from the Recycle Creative Reuse store in Greenville, SC one trip long ago. I really liked this printed card stock and wanted to use it on my card front for Harvey:

Although I liked this print I did not like the blue buttons on the print so when I cut out my arched die card stock front I paid attention where these blue buttons would be on my card front. I die cut out a piece of the printed card stock for the card front as well as a red printed card stock scrap as a frame around my card front piece:

Used liquid glue and put the red frame on the printed arch:

Again using liquid glue I put these onto the arched kraft card stock base. For my sentiment I used a hot foil plate by Pinkfresh "Perfect Sentiments Holiday" and hot foiled that onto white card stock using shiny gold foil. Using thin foam tape I put Harvey on the left card front, covering up the blue button, and put the hot foiled sentiment to the right of him. Here is the card:

Harvey has built in dimension from the layers of this uniform and many pieces emboss when die cut so it is very easy to put these pieces together:

I added red gems from the stash for some sparkle on the card front. With this card being the arch shape I also used an arch die and cut out a stamped image for the inside of the card:

Happy to be able to get Harvey on a holiday card at last. Really like the arch dies as a card base, both scored at the top, and the side as a change from the rectangle cards I usually make... Plus using all stash items is always a good thing....

Spellbinders Essential Arch Card #1

 

Using one of the larger Spellbinders Arch dies I cut out a green card stock base with the score line on the side of the card. For the front of this card I used the This Calls for Confetti hot foil plate "Retro Stripe" from the stash using gold foil in the Glimmer Hot Foil machine. This plate foils perfectly every time in all colours. After that piece was foiled I cut it out using a smaller arch die in the set. For the greeting "Seasons Greetings" I used the hot foil plate from Pinkfresh "Perfect Sentiments Holiday" using gold foil on white card stock:

The poinsettias are from the Spellbinders "Poinsettia Spray" die set that I bought at the stamp show in Fredericksburg, VA:

For my card I used all card stock scraps so another good use for the scraps....I added gold gems from the stash to add sparkle to the card front. 

Holiday Sentiments Foiled

Bought the Simon Hurley Wonderful Winter Sentiments hot foil/die set used and I hot foiled this using scraps and different coloured card stocks from the stash. Here is a photo of the packaging for this set:

I used scraps of card stock and different foils for the sentiments:

Then larger pieces of card stocks and I used silver, matte silver, gold, matte gold, white and red foil for the sentiments:

With all the foiling done I then used the matching die to this sentiment plate and cut out the sentiments:

Will keep all the sentiments together for holiday projects ahead. This way at holiday time, when time is so short, I already have sentiments foiled, die cut and ready to add to whatever I am making. Happy to have this new to me hot foil plate in the holiday stash......

Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? #1

** This card was picked as a Favorites of the Week over on Splitcoaststampers.com by Michelle. I thank her for picking my card and a HUGE thank you to KellyinID on YouTube for sharing her projects using this Gingerbread die set and making it into a Snowman. Also a thanks to Janna from JannaStamps on YouTube for sharing her cards that were inspired by Kelly and changes Janna had made for her Snowman cards.  So happy Kelly thought of this so this gives me more use for a die set in my stash that was meant for something else. . .

Impression Obsession AKA  IO Stamps sadly closed their doors last year. Their warehouse was about a 3 hour drive for us so my PIC (stamping Partner In Crime) and I would shop their yearly warehouse sales and usually their dies at the sale were half price or close out prices.... so I have a lot of their dies and I was happy to come across the video on YouTube made by "KellyinID" for her IO Stamps Snowman card.....Esp since she used this Impression Obsession "Gingerbread with Heart" die set by Anna Wight.....

I rummaged through my die sets and found almost all she had used for her card to use on my card - here is my version of Kelly's Snowman card she had made for #satmornmakes on YouTube:

For my card my card base is red card stock cut and scored at the top. For the plaid card front I used a new to me plaid background stamp I picked up in the fall from a used stamp sale. This is a wood mounted background stamp;

I laid that on the craft table stamp side up and I inked that with red ink and laid a piece of white card stock onto the stamp. Used my hands to press the card stock onto the stamp to transfer the inked pattern to the card stock. Trimmed this piece to the size I wanted for my card front. Kelly had layered backgrounds on her cards and tags but I wanted to use a red frame for my card front. I used two rectangle dies from a Spellbinders rectangle die set and cut out a red card stock frame for my card front. I set this aside. 

For my gingerbread snowman - I used white card stock and cut him out. Sponged the edges of him using light blue ink. Used a circle punch for his orange nose and his three black buttons. For the pink on his cheeks - when this die cuts out your piece it embosses the cheek circles and mouth on your piece. To add ink to his cheeks I measured the embossed circle and then used a punch to punch out a circle that size from scrap white card stock and I laid that card stock piece over my cheek circles and added pink ink to those. They are smaller than the dauber so I wanted to be sure to just get the pink ink in the cheek circles:

For his hat I used the same die set Kelly used for her snowman hat from Tim Holtz "The Gent":

As Kelly shows in her video I also trimmed off the curved pieces on the front of the hat brim for the snowman. I cut the hat out of black mirrored card stock with a piece of red mirrored card stock for the red band on his hat. For the greenery I used the same IO Stamps die set Kelly had used "Winter Foliage" and I put them on his hat and by his candy cane.

After I had seen Kelly's video on her snowman project I came across "jannastamps" on YouTube and she was also inspired by Kelly's video to make a snowman using these IO Stamp die sets. Janna had added her own touches and die cut pieces to her snowman version and it is equally as clever. On her ribbon for her snowman she used a button die and card stock to keep her card flatter for mailing rather than use a plastic/wooden button. For my snowman I also used a button die from the stash for my button and I die cut my button out of recycled cardboard:

I also did not have the candy cane die set that Kelly had used for the candy cane for her snowman to hold so I used the "Mini Candy Die Set" from Creek Bank Creations" for my candy cane:

This candy cane was the perfect size to go with the holly piece for the snowman to hold. With all my snowman pieces ready I put ribbon from the stash around the snowman and I put the die cut button I had put thin twine in on the ribbon using hot glue. Added the holly/candy cane to the snowman arm using liquid glue. Added red mirror card stock dots the holly die set cuts out for the berries. Put those on the holly on the hat piece as well. With the snowman completed I set him aside. 

Used liquid glue and put the red frame piece on the card stock front. Like Kelly I die cut a large snowflake out of white glittered card stock and put that large snowflake at the top right corner of the red framed piece. Added foam to the back of the snowman for dimension and put him in the frame on the card front. Used small snowflake dies from the stash and die cut a couple of the small snowflakes to put by the snowman. 

For the sentiment "Warm Winter Wishes" I used a hot foil sentiment set and hot foiled sentiments in different colour foils onto different coloured card stocks. I went through the hot foiled sentiments in the stash and pulled out a silver foiled sentiment on red card stock for the card front. I put this piece onto the frame piece below the snowman using liquid glue:

Whenever I hot foil sentiments I hot foil them in different colours of foil onto different colours of card stock and these are sorted by foil colours for later use:

Having these hot foiled sentiment strips already foiled and die cut makes picking out a sentiment for a card quick as there are many sentiments, foil colours and fonts in each box. 

Thanks to KellyinID for sharing her clever snowman tags and cards using the Impression Obsession Gingerbread with Heart die set and using many other of her stash dies for her projects. Fun snowman to put together and another thanks to Janna from jannastamps on her YouTube video sharing her ideas for Kelly's inspiration on her snowman cards using the same Impression Obsession die sets. Still sad IO Stamps is closed but happy to find new inspiration to use their products in my stash! 

Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? #2

This card uses my free gift from a December order from SimonSaysStamp - the Bundled Snowman die set that is also available to buy. My PIC (stamping Partner In Crime) had gifted me a 3D embossing folder from Altenew for Christmas - "Layered Snowflakes" which I thought was perfect for my card:

Card stock base is light blue card stock cut and scored at the top. I embossed a piece of white card stock in this 3D Altenew embossing folder and trimmed it to the size I needed for my card front. This design is nice because it gives you open areas on the embossed piece for a sentiment or your snowman or whatever. It also embosses this design in a high/low design. You can see the 3D embossed snowflakes and behind that it looks like a lighter embossed snowflakes 

.so this adds a lot of dimension to the embossed piece. 

The sentiment "Warm Wishes" is also from SimonSaysStamp and it is the "Warm Wishes Medley Script" die set. It has the words as well as the shadow piece behind it. I used the light blue card stock again and cut out the words in the die set. Using Post It tape I taped off the top half of the words and added blue ink to the bottom part of the words so it has an ombre look..... die cut the shadow piece from vellum and I used liquid glue to put the words onto the vellum shadow piece. Used liquid glue to put this onto the card front.

For the snowman I die cut him out using white scraps and I used shimmer blue card stock from the stash for his hat, scarf, and heart pieces:

Once the white snowman was die cut I sponged the edges of him with blue ink. Die cut his hat pom pom and hat brim using white glittered card stock. Put the pom pom on his hat, then the blue hat piece and then the glittered brim piece on the snowman. Put on the scarf pieces. Added his eyes, nose, and buttons all using liquid glue. Added his little blue heart and he was done. Put him on the card front using pop dots. Added two small snowflakes by him using an old Marvy snowflake punch from white glittered card stock. Added blue gems to those for some sparkle. Easy card to put together and really nice embossing folder...

Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? #3

 Wanted to make a few snowman cards before all holiday items get stashed away.... For this card I used an old die set from Spellbinders - the Snowman Die D-Lites die set and combined that with the Frosted Lace Cover plate die from the Stamp Market:

Card stock base is red and I cut and scored that at the top. Used the Frosted Lace Cover plate for my background piece using white card stock. I adhered this to the red card base using liquid glue. Die cut the snowman using scraps and his hat I used black mirrored card stock for his hat. I assembled him and added the holly/berries piece from that die set to his hat. Using an oval die set from the stash I die cut an oval to put behind the snowman. I used foam tape behind the green oval piece to add dimension to the card front. 

"Warm & Cozy Wishes" was hot foiled onto black card stock and I used foam dots behind that. Easy card to put together since the snowman die set is only 5 pieces.

Santa Candy Bar Wrap Treat Holder

This year I am giving a Hershey Mr. Goodbar candy bar as a holiday treat. This is a thicker candy bar than the regular Hershey Chocolate candy bar. Here is a photo of some of the treat holders I made:

This holder was made measuring one of the candy bars and then I cut the red card stock large enough to cover this thicker candy bar. I did only one score on the side of the card stock - 1/2" inch. To form this holder I just put the card stock around the candy bar - leaving some room so you can easily remove the candy bar from the holder - and pressed the sides with my hand. Used tear and tape on the scored side to close the holder. Then I removed the candy bar from the holder and worked on that .... Wanted the holder to look like the front of Santa's coat so I cut a piece of white card stock 1 inch wide and the length of the red card stock. Used a 3/8" circle punch and punched out three circles from black glittered card stock for the buttons. Used a square punch for the gold piece and then a smaller square punch for the black square in the center of the gold square as a buckle:

While the candy bar was not in the holder I used a smaller circle punch and punched a circle 1/2" from the top of the front and the back in the center for the ribbon to go through. Used liquid glue at the bottom of the holder and dug out my old Fiskars crimper tool and crimped the bottom of the holder. Cut my ribbon long enough to go the length of the candy bar and be tied at the top so the recipient just pulls on the ribbon at the top to remove the candy bar from the holder. Easy treat holder to assemble. More of these are finished:

Pillow Box Treat Holders

Went through the stash and found an old Sizzix Pillow Box die so I used that for my treat holders. This year I am trying to use lots from the stash and as much card stock printed scraps that I can. Here is a photo of some of the pillow boxes I made:

Cut all the pillow boxes out of kraft card stock. Used various printed card stock scraps and I die cut a rectangle die out of the prints. Used liquid glue to assemble the pillow boxes. Used liquid glue for all the prints I die cut for the fronts of the boxes. Dug out some white paper doilies from the stash and put one on each box. For the poinsettias and the greenery I used Impression Obsession dies from the stash. The poinsettia is their small poinsettia die set:

Cut all the poinsettias out of scrap red card stock and used liquid glue to layer those. Set those aside to dry and cut out two greenery dies from scrap green card stocks:

Once the flowers and greenery were all cut out I put them in a box and used the gold Shimmer Mist from the stash and spritzed them with that for the gold specks on them - the photos do not show this well but IRL they are sparkly:

Once these all dried I used hot glue and added a gold crystal gem to the center of the flowers. Used liquid glue and added the doilies to the boxes. Then used liquid glue for the greenery pieces. To add the flowers and the sentiments I used hot glue. Once again the hot foil sentiments on the pillow boxes I had hot foiled earlier this year and I have all these foiled sentiments sorted into small boxes by foil colour. This way when I need a sentiment for my projects I look through the boxes to see what I can use. This is a time saver for sure -

Easy treat holders to put together and inside the boxes is some paper shred with a few chocolates for a treat. Happy to be able to use more of the card stock scraps and also happy to use products in the stash for this holiday treat holder!