cardmaking - Right as Rain

Santa at the Window

Hello! I recently commented on how much I like cards with windows – today I am sharing a CAS Christmas card with Santa at the window!

I cut the window pieces with the Window View die set.
I cut Santa with the Santa Parade die and positioned him behind the window.
I backed the window with soft yellow cardstock.
I heat-embossed a sentiment from the now-retired Hero Arts Holiday Animals stamp set.
I added embossing paste to the dark blue base through the Carta Bella Snowed In stencil.

I originally had the window assembly on a green dry-embossed (pine bough motif) panel, and it just wasn’t quite whimsical or fun enough. I’m so glad I swapped that panel out for the dark blue with snow. Another idea would be to apply the Transfer Gel product through the stencil and run the panel through the Minc with white flock (something I’m just now thinking about).

Supplies:

Pretty Pink Posh – Whimsical Christmas Stencil

Hello! Today I am sharing two CAS Christmas cards, of the same design, featuring the Pretty Pink Posh Whimsical Christmas stencil.

On the first version (left in the above image), I applied embossing paste through the stencil on to green cardstock. I heat-embossed a sentiment from the now-retired Avery Elle Noel stamp set on to red cardstock, cut with a square die and matted on to a white cardstock square.

On the second version, I applied Gina K Red Velvet Glitter Gel through the stencil. I heat-embossed the same sentiment on to green cardstock to contrast with the red.

This stencil has a fair amount of open area. The embossing paste is stiffer than the glitter gel and was easier to apply, given all of the open area.

Supplies:

By the Fireside – Traditional Christmas

Hello! I am sharing a traditional Christmas card, created with a combination of Memory Box and Poppystamps supplies, for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

I die cut the various pieces to create the scene.
The Poppystamps Classic Brick Fireplace was modified – I created a separate mantel top and backed the opening with a dry-embossed rectangle.
I added ornaments to the tree by using a die I have that creates a variety of smaller circles.
The Tim Holtz Festive Overlay sentiment fit perfectly over the mantle.
In order to accommodate so many elements, this card is sized 6″ square.

Supplies: Most of the die sets are now retired. I’ve had them for several years. Poppystamps Patient Pup; Poppystamps Classic Brick Fireplace; Memory Box Frosted Christmas Tree
The Stocking Garland and fire set are also from Poppystamps.

My Favorite Things – Snowman Stenciled Card

Hello! Today I am sharing a CAS snowman-themed card created with a combination of My Favorite Things products, including the recently released Pine Tree Forest stencil.

To begin, I applied Transfer Gel through the Pine Tree Forest stencil on to the A2-sized green cardstock panel. Once dry, I ran the panel through my Minc with white flock. This is the first time I’ve used the flock product and found it incredibly easy to use.
I cut the snowman with the Joy Filled Die-namics set. Once assembled, I added him to a panel dry-embossed with a Taylored Expressions embossing folder. I added a white mat behind the red rectangle, as the transition from the red to the green was too harsh.
I heat-embossed the sentiment strip and added it to the card front.

While I used traditional Christmas colors – red and green – it would be easy to make this a friendship, winter-themed card by changing out either the green or the red, or both! Or to reinforce the Christmas theme, I could have used a more Christmassy sentiment rather than “Let It Snow.”

Supplies:

Spellbinders Small Die of the Month Kit – Our Favorite Font Sentiment Set

Hello! Today, I am sharing two cards created with the December Small Die of the Month kit from Spellbinders – “Our Favorite Font Sentiment Set.”The set includes fourteen word dies, in a versatile font, with which you can create a variety of expressions for a number of occasions such as: “Thinking of You,” “With Sympathy,” “Birthday Wishes to You,” and “Congrats to You,” as well as the more obvious “Thank You,” “Love You,” and “Happy Birthday.”

My first card is a Valentine, which includes several other Spellbinders sets, on which I used the “Love You” sentiment.

I’ve combined the Tux set (he’s still wearing a scarf but I removed his ear muffs) with the First Crush die set (balloon). I created the heart panel with the largest die in the Nestabilities Class Heart set. The card measures 4 1/2″ square.

My second card is a Thank You note on which I combined the sentiment with the Butterfly Frame-A-Long die set.

I dry-embossed the background (measuring 4 1/4″ square) with the Pretty Plaid embossing folder. I created a frame by adhering the butterfly/flower strips together at the corners; I then added the flower overlays, cut from yellow cardstock. I glued pearls to the centers of the flowers for embellishment.