Christmas Card Number Two

Hello

The Christmas theme continues this week with my second Christmas card and envelope creation.  This week I went with a blue and silver colour scheme using embossing powder to make the silver stand out.  If you don't have embossing powder you can use a silver ink pad instead, but the results wont be as bright.

Here is the card:

Materials needed:

• Navy card for the base and the panel piece
• Silver embossing powder and embossing ink
• Silver string
• A 'Merry Christmas' stamp and a star background stamp
• A circle die or template
• Corner rounder punch

Other materials for the envelope:

• Blue patterned paper
• White card
• Silver embossing powder and embossing ink
• Blue glitter glue
• Star border stamp
• Envelope punch board

To make the card:

For the panel, use the circle die or template to cut out a circle in the top half of the panel.  Stamp the 'Merry Christmas' below the cut circle, sprinkle over the embossing powder and heat set it.  Wrap the string around the top of the card to make the circle look like an ornament.  Round all the corners.

For the card base, stamp the star background over the top half making sure that it covers enough of the card so that it will fill up the entire circle when the panel is place over top (I stamped mine twice in order to cover the gap).  Use the embossing powder here too.  Round all the corners.

Adhere the panel onto the card base with dimensional foam.

For the envelope:

Create the envelope using the punch board with the blue patterned paper.  On the white card stamp the star border along the top and bottom edges and emboss with the powder.  Adhere the white card to the front of the envelope.  Using the glitter glue, add small dots of sparkle on the front for extra detail.

There you have it!  I was really impressed at how well this card turned out.  It could be easily replicated but could prove a bit costly with all the embossing powder so I would suggest ink instead.

Stay tuned for next weeks card.

Stacey

Here comes Christmas!

Hello

I'm back! and I'm here with my very first Christmas card of the year.  I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas, while I enjoy the family and the presents and all the glitter; I really hate Christmas Carols, the requirement to spend so much money and the fact that all Christmas items are winter themed (I live in the southern hemisphere so its summer at Christmas time and it seems weird to be singing about snow and sitting in front of the fire).  I guess I just wish there was more summer themed Christmas stuff out there so that I don't feel so left out.  Also, there has been Christmas decorations out at the bigger department stores since the beginning of October.  This annoys me as I want Christmas to be a more private experience between families and I don't like being rushed into it.  I'm only starting the cards now because it can take me such a long time to decide what I want to do, that and I currently don't have much on in my life so I've got time to spare.

ANYWAY.....
Here is today's card:

As you can see I also made an envelope for it.
Its a fairly traditional type card as it uses green, gold and white, but has a modern element with the triangle tree and the swirled background.

To make this card you will need:

• One piece of green patterned paper, green glitter paper, white card, gold paper and your card base (tall and skinny).
• a star shaped punch or a star shaped embellishment in gold
• a 'merry Christmas' stamp
• and the usual cutting knife, ruler, adhesive etc

additional items for the envelope:

• One piece of green patterned paper and a tag shaped die cut.
• gold embossing powder
• a border stamp
• gold string
• star shaped embellishments in gold
• envelope punch board.

So for the card it is as simple as adhering the green paper to the base and cutting a triangle from the glitter paper and sticking it on with dimensional adhesive. Then stamping the image onto the white card, trimming it and creating a border from the gold paper by cutting a slightly larger square from it.  Before you stick the stamped image to the gold paper you might like to punch out a few stars (I got six easily from my piece) out of the gold paper (because its too pretty to waste by hiding most of it behind something else).  I adhered this piece to the card with dimensional adhesive as well and used one of the stars punched from the gold paper to top the tree.

It is a good card for creating multiples of (which is needed at Christmas time).  If you wanted to make it a bit more detailed you could apply some decoration to the tree with gold thread or use a hole punch to make small circles out of coloured paper and stick them on as baubles.

The envelope is an extra step that isn't entirely necessary, I made the envelope for it as the card size I used is quite different from my usual size and also due to me recently getting one of those punch boards and I though it was a good chance to get to use it.  So I just followed the instructions that came with the punch board thing and then decided to decorate the front a bit.  The tag was one that I had hidden rather deep within my collection of craft items.  I gold embossed one of my border stamps along the bottom edge to give it more detail and to tie in with the colours of the card.  I threaded some gold thread through the hole and held down the end with one of the stars I punched out earlier.  I placed a couple of other stars onto the envelope front and called it a day.

So there you have it.  If you have any feedback or requests don't be afraid to comment!

Till next time.

Rorystar.

Next week I promise!

Hello!

 I know I said a while ago that I would be back posting cards again yesterday but I can't get at my desk as it is a complete mess!  However, I'm all done with my dissertation now so I actually have the time to make cards again.  I will be posting next with a Christmas card as Christmas isn't as far away as I'm pretending it is.  So stay tuned, I'm working on it!

Rorystar