Cards, Cards, Cards - Christmas - Embossed

I love the elegance of these simply embossed cards!!  These 5" x 7" cards feature an embossed image layered onto coloured cardstock which is layered back onto a card the same colour as the embossed layer.  I added a layered ribbon/lace embellishment which I created by laying a small piece of lace or ribbon over a wider ribbon and tying them all together with a double knot of very thin ribbon right in the middle.  It simulates a bow without the bulk created by actually tying a knot in the wide ribbon.  This was done to keep the thickness of the card within the allowed measure for first class mail. Several of the girls were going to add rhinestones to their cards at home.  If you are wanting coloured rhinestones - like red ones for the berries on the holly card - I would suggest colouring clear ones with Sharpie markers.  I sponged the tree card just slightly with green ink to highlight the shape which gives a different look.
I borrowed these embossing folders from a friend.  It is great to be able to share tools!!  So many more possibilities and options!!  Thanks, Carol!!
A very successful class and an enjoyable morning!!  Even brought Christmas music to get us all in the right mood for creating Christmas cards!  We have yet to receive any of the "white stuff" which surely would have brought to mind how close Christmas really is!!

Therese

Cards, Cards, Cards - Christmas - Santas

Vintage Santas!!  Had fun creating these cards that feature vintage Santas which I got off of a holiday CD which I bought at a garage sale years ago.
Several at class were asking about the images so I went looking for some.  I found quite a few vintage Santas at the Graphics Fairy under Christmas.  Click here, here, here and here for some great Santas.  If Santa is not your thing you will also find angels, children, birds, poinsettias, Madonna and Child, manger and nativities as well.  There are quite a few more of each there, as well as images of winter scenes, holly, animals, etc.  Check it out!!
I created the background for this card in Corel Draw by arranging some Christmas words and sayings nicely nestled into each other using different fonts. The fun part is that because they are all fonts - even the snowflakes - the colour can be easily changed and in this case printed at a percentage of transparency which gives a nice subtle background.  Just what I wanted!!  We sponged the edges of our backgrounds before we glued them to our card fronts.  The bracket was created using the Tim Hotlz (TH) (SX) Hanging Sign die.  I only wanted part of the die cut so I cut my pieces of cardstock with the right angle and rough cut the rest, positioned them carefully on my die and ran them through my Big Kick - a perfect bracket for my Santa image.  I added a ribbon hanger in the hole of the bracket and simulated a bow by tying on a short piece of ribbon using a single knot to the top layer of my ribbon hanger.  Layered the colour printed Santa image over coordinating cardstock and added him to the card front using 3D foam tape.

Therese

Cards, Cards, Cards - Ornaments

These cards feature white core cardstock.  If you have never tried it you should - a really cool effect when sanded.  I embossed the swirly frame on the cardstock and we gently sanded the embossed areas to remove the colour and reveal the white core!  Love this effect!!  You can go here  to see how to make your own using white cardstock and acrylic paint!!  I cut the ornaments with a Sizzix (SX) die using a variety of decorative papers - many of which were not Christmas ones.  Both of these cards feature non Christmas papers but because of the small pattern, limited colour palette and a good colour combination for the card I managed to create great Christmas cards!!  So when creating Christmas cards, dig into your stash to see what you have that might work.  I added an oval punchie embellished with a fiber snowflake, a brad and some tiny dots added with a white gel pen.  Double layered the topper and added a double knotted piece of string to create a hanger which was folded to the back of the layer.  Finally, all of this was glued to a coordinating card front.
Some of the girls offset their snowflake and added swirls instead of dots! Love how each person makes their cards their own!  That is what it is all about!!

Therese

Cards, Cards, Cards - Christmas - Snowflakes

Another wonderful morning making cards with a great bunch of ladies!!
This was our first card - lots of Christmas decorative paper and embossing!!!  I started by embossing the top of my card and then glued down the three strips of decorative paper to the bottom section.  Added a coordinating cardstock strip which I cut with decorative scissors, embossed, glued over the ends of the decorative paper and trimmed to the edge of the card.  Added a snowflake die cut embellished with a sequin as accent attaching it with a brad!!
This was a fun card and it would be a good design to make use of any scraps of Christmas paper you might have on hand.

Therese