Holiday Forest

     Two unlikely stamp sets meet on these cards. The first is a vintage Stampin' Up set called "Definitely Decorative Pines" from 1998. The brand new stamp set "Winter Cheer" by Gina K is only 2 months old. 

     I started by cutting a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch card base. I folded it with the patterned paper on the inside and used the patterned paper as an accent on the front - visa versa on the inside.

Inside of Card

     I stamped the moose, bear, and geese with soft suede ink. Originally I stamped the pine trees from the same ink, but I thought they lacked depth/texture. I cut all of the pieces out using my Pixscan mat and Cameo Silhouette. I ended up using the same cut file for the stamped trees to cut the trees from this patterned paper. I just love the intricate details in the outline of these trees. 
     I used a piece of ivory paper to create soft suede snow drifts.This was done using post-its to mask. I stamped over this with the birches from "Winter Cheer" stamp set. Everything is distressed with soft suede ink. 
     This was the perfect card for my nephew who fights fires in the northwest.

      I also used the same stamp sets and paper line to make this box card. This one went to my brother who lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.

Challenges

Crafty Boots - Winter Wonderland - #32 - 1/4

A Gem of a Challenge - Kraft + One Color - #422 -*

Loves Rubber Stamps - Old (Stamp Set)/New(Stamp Set) - #13 -*

Pixies's Snippets Playground - Anything Goes - #76  - *

4 Fold Card - Winter Friends

    
     I saw this fun card fold on "Debbie's Designs". I turned it into a Christmas card.
     For each white square I used the masking technique so the animals looked like they were standing in snow or on ice. Each forest friend has gold Gelly Roll somewhere on it. All materials are from the Stamp TV kit "Winter Cheer".  
      I decided to make a belly band rather than hole-punch the four inner corners and thread ribbon thru. I seemed like it would be a chore to open and close the card.

     Here is a diagram of how the card is scored, cut, and folded. You will probably prefer the directions on Debbie's blog. I found them very easy to follow.

Challenges

Mod Squad Challenge - Special Fold (4 Fold) - #13 -*

Pixies's Snippets Playground - Anything Goes - #72 -*

Send a Smile 4 Kids - Winter Fun - #36 -*
Stamp TV - Glitter - *

Wag's 'n Whiskers - Merry Christmas - #103 -*

Thanks Banner

     I liked the distress letter press technique that I used on the Artsy Rooster so much that I decided to use it again. This card qualifies for the simple-one-layer card category. This is not a category that I spend much time in. I tend to put lots of layers with not much room to rest the eye on my cards. 

     I started by inking the Paper Studio Banner embossing folder with Baja Breeze ink. I took me three tries to get one that had almost no ink on the banners. I used Sizzix’s Classic letters to cut the word: thanks out of patterned paper. I used my paper piercer to make holes on each side of each banner. I stitched the banners together with brown twine. I then used the same holes to place a tiny brown brad in each hole.

     I used a border from Lawn Fawn’s Stitched Hillside Borders to guide my surface for the plants to sit on. The stamp is Gina K’s Plant Trio.

Challenges

Hiding In My Craft Room - Not Christmas - #43 -*

Paper Shelter - Anything Goes - #117 -*
Stamp TV - One Layer Card - *

Whoopsie Daisy Challenge - Anything Goes - #262 -*

Honey Bear Finds an Apple

     This card is sentiment – less for a reason. I don’t know what I want to do with it yet. I could be used for a get well card, a teacher card, a birthday card. Lot of choices. 

     I used the wood grain technique on this card. I scored lines on a piece of honey mustard card stock, then drug a white then brown ink pad over the card.

     I cut the frame and apple with my Silhouette. The frame and apple stamps are from Gina K’s Bounty of Blessings. I used Elizabeth Craft’s Honey the Bear for the focal point. He comes with a honey jar, but this time he has found an apple. I embellished with a metal elm leaf and ¼ inch linen ribbon. I get this ribbon at Hobby Lobby when it is a dollar a spool. I buy all they have, so you probably won’t be able to find it at my Hobby Lobby . . . just sayin’.

Love You More Rose

      This card was inspired during some 50% off after-Christmas shopping. Did you ever notice that as the Christmas leftovers disappear, they are gradually replaced with Valentines’ Day goodies? Anyway, I was alerted to the fact that it is time to make Valentines’ cards.

     Just one more deviation from the card making process. You know Amazon.com is a wonderful thing. When your husband is making yet another frowny face because you completing yet another order for crafting goodies, amazon’s shipping policy is the handiest thing. Let’s say for example you are ordering a birthday present for your grandson. You have finally found the item you have been looking for on – AMAZON. The problem is that the item total is only $32.99. Now we all know that Amazon goes to free shipping at $35. We must purchase another item in order to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. I find that this is the BEST way to sneak in just one fun crafting item of my choice. Just remember when the receipt hits his desk all you have to do is say . . . “but honey I had to buy one more item to get the free shipping”.

     This very technique is the one I used to get this fun Elizabeth Craft die from Amazon. It is called simply “Rose” and I used it to create this card. I also made the winding entry into my gate fold card using Lawn Fawn’s “Stitched Hillside Borders” which I got for Christmas from my daughter. The butterfly punches are from Martha Stewart and the glittery embellishments are Elizabeth Craft. I am not a fan of stickers. You stick ‘em and you’re done. Money goes down the drain in a hurry with stickers. I prefer items that are versatile and can be used over and over. I have to say that you get a lot of bang for your buck with these Elizabeth Craft stickers. They are classy. There are a bunch on a sheet. They are reasonably priced.  . . . Just sayin’.

Inside of Card

Challenges

Hiding In My Craft Room - Not Christmas - #41 -*

Mod Squad Challenge - Special Fold (Wavy Gate) - #12 -*

Paper Shelter - Anything Goes - #116 -*
Stamp TV - Gate Fold - *

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes - # - *

News Print Partridge

      My teacher, Debra always says that you should choose your paper before you color a stamped image. It is much easier to find an image to match the paper, than to find a paper to match the image.

     I guess I don’t always do what teacher says, because my first decision was to use an Elizabeth Craft sticker. I only have 4 sheets to choose from. I chose this bird. I adhered the sticker to a page of an OLD, and I do mean old poetry book. No distressing would be necessary. (Kind of like: Don’t antique an antique.) I used Tim Holtz inks. I colored a spot on a vinyl place mat, used my water brush to pick up the ink, in order to apply it into the sections of the sticker. I did the same with the branch. I fussy cut the two stickers.   

     I had a bird and no idea what was next. I started looking through spring papers looking for nice place for a birdy to perch. I don’t know what made me turn to Christmas paper.

       I just happened to have these two sheets of Graphic 45 papers in my stash. They are from The Twelve Days of Christmas collection. I used a little from all four sides of “My True Love” and “Swans a’Swimming”. So I set out to make this partridge in a pear tree card. Somewhere along the line it dawned on me that I didn’t really remember what a partridge looked like. Next step – google it!

     Uh-oh! Partridges have this odd crest on their heads. I was way too far into this card to give up easily. I looked at the birds wing and (don’t know how it happened but) I could see the crest in the wing of the bird. I went back to the stamp sheet and saw that there are wings on the sheet just like the wing on the bird. I snipped away the parts I did not want and voila – a crest! 

   BTW: The poem on the bird is "Lighthearted William" by William Carlos Williams.

Challenges

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper - #405 -*

Scrapbook Blessings - Happy Holidays - #84 -*

Sister Act - Anything Goes - #326 - *
Stamp TV - Newsprint -*

V's Sweet Ideas - Holiday Theme - #68 -Top 3 - Woo Hoo!