Christmas cards featuring stained glass ornaments, decorative paper and an embossed panel

Having committed to getting my Christmas cards made early this year I have already made more than half of what I need but staying at home has facilitated getting farther ahead so I have made this set of cards.  I cut the ornaments and trees from a sheet of beautiful stained glass glitter paper my sister gave me a while back.  I cut a strip off the large sheet and cut the first three ornaments with one of the dies in the Heirloom Ornament die set from Nestibilities.  From what was left of the strip I cut a round one (Nestibilities) and three little triangle trees.  I wanted to layer my elements on black which worked with the round ornament because I have the double set of the Classic Circles ( Nestiblities) so I was able to cut a black layer for it.  The trees were easy as they are just triangles.  For the teardrop ornaments it required a bit more engineering.  I had created myself a tool for practicing and teaching calligraphy at one point in time by whittling down the sides of two pencils and then tying them together so I could easily demonstrate the proper angle and how the flat nib forms the letters.  I went looking for it and found it!!!!!!!!!  I used it to trace the shape of the ornaments onto black cardstock.  I then fussy cut on the second line which was relatively easy.  Pretty happy with how that worked out and will have to keep that in mind for any other custom layers I might need to make.  I then die cut snowflakes to mount in the centers using a Cuttlebug set which I have not used very often but were the perfect size for these ornaments.  I mounted them to the ornaments using tiny black brads and added little white fabric snowflake in between.  Love how they turned out!!  Next, I created toppers for my ornaments.  I used my scallop decorative scissors to trim the edge of a thin strip of bright silver foil and then trimmed them into segments which would be right for each ornament.  I mounted them to my layered ornaments using white glue applied with a fine tip applicator.  For backgrounds I decided on this funky snowflake paper in my stash which was laser printed a while back from a digital wallpaper file.  I decided to add a layer of embossed silver cardstock between them.  I coloured a length of thick white thread using a permanent marker to create the hangers for my ornaments.  I used different embossing folders for all of them and mounted the silver pieces to the backgrounds and then added the ornaments using 3D foam tape, adhered the thread hangers to the back of the background paper using regular tape and then mounted these large elements to coordinating card fronts.  I punched silver foil stars for my trees and mounted them with the silver strip as a backdrop.  I added a small black snowflake and then a white fabric one to one of the trees to make it stand out.  I decided against greetings as they seemed to be balanced without them.  So another few cards to add to the stash!!         Therese

Christmas card featuring a beautiful angel painted with shimmer watercolour, a border punched layer and an aqua and gold gift wrap background

This is my last card in the bunch which I created with the reused aqua and gold gift wrap which arrived on one of our gift this past holiday season!  For this card I used an image from my stash of this beautiful angel which was stamped in brown.  I coloured it using shimmery watercolours in coordinating colours.  Love how it turned out!!  I mounted it to a piece of aqua cardstock leaving a large border on the right.  I used my MS doily punch to decorate the right hand side and then added two embossed lines using my Score tool.  I mounted my aqua and gold gift wrap background to an ivory card and then adhered my large angel layer to it. Done!  It has been great fun to play with stamps and a lot of my supplies to make these cards.  I am very happy to be so far ahead in getting my Christmas cards ready for next Christmas!!!           Therese

* I have been creating my cards during my self isolation for the Covid 19 crisis.  The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day!!

Christmas card featuring a gold embossed season of light image, ribbon and an aqua and gold gift wrap background

Another fairly quick card!!  I stamped and gold embossed the Season of Light image onto the aqua cardstock, added a layer of gold gift wrap and watercoloured the flame.  I mounted the aqua and gold gift wrap background to an ivory card and added a piece of gold shimmery ribbon to the bottom section securing the ends to the inside of the card.  I trimmed the spine with a slot punch to create the opening in which I inserted the end of my ribbon.  A very nice look for this process.  I adhered my large focal element to my card front and I was done!!             Therese

Christmas card featuring a gold embossed starburst layered with gold on an aqua and gold background

I have been enjoying playing with stamps!!!!  I gold embossed this large starburst image on the aqua cardstock, trimmed it to size and then added yellow marker to colour in the center.  I layered it with gold gift wrap and mounted it to my card front which was layered with my aqua and gold gift wrap background on an ivory card.    This one was fairly quick and easy!!!

Therese

Christmas card featuring Saint Nicolas on an embossed layer, aqua and gold gift wrap background and a layered font greeting

Here is another card created with a colour printed image of a St. Nicolas from an image collection CD.  I die cut the right edge using a TH border die and then paper pierced the edge with a push pin.  I added four vertical embossed lines, three to the left of the image and one to the right, using my Score tool.  Next I added two horizontal embossed lines, one each above and below the image to frame it nicely.   I added a layered font greeting which was created with a scalloped oval (SU) cut from gold metallic paper and a little greeting punched with a large oval punch (SU).  I mounted the greeting using 3D foam tape to my layer.  I mounted this large element to my card front which consists of an ivory card and the aqua and gold gift wrap background. 

Therese

Christmas card featuring Saint Nicolas, ribbon and a small greeting

For this card I am using a colour printed image from my Christmas images stash!  These were printed from images from a CD I acquired years ago at a garage sale.  I mounted the trimmed image to a layer of the aqua cardstock and trimmed it a bit wider on the right side.  I trimmed the edge with scalloped scissors and paper pierced each scallop with a push pin.  I added one embossed line next to them using my Score tool.  I added by background to an ivory card, added a flagged gold ribbon with an echoing piece of aqua cardstock which I adhered in place on the top portion of my card.  I mounted my layered image using 3D foam tape and then added the little layered font greeting with double sided on the left and 3D foam on the right.  I love the soft colours in the image and the way it works well with the background.         Therese

Christmas card featuring aqua and gold gift wrap for the background, a gold embossed nativity layered with gold

Another card using that aqua and gold gift wrap from the past Christmas season! It is a very nice heavy weight paper which I really nice to work with.  I trimmed it to a 4" x 4" and adhered it to an ivory card.  I gold embossed this nativity stamp onto the aqua cardstock, trimmed it to size and then added a layer of gold gift wrap before adhering it to my card front.  I added a bit of colour to the center of the star and I was done!!

Therese

Christmas card featuring a nativity die cut, ribbon, a punchie star and gold embossed Merry christmas on gift wrap aqua and gold background

I am working at getting a few more Christmas cards made with these aqua and gold gift wrap backgrounds.  I cut the nativity wide this time and got a much large scene, gold embossed the greeting on the bottom section,  added a gold ribbon with a tie and then ran my tracing wheel a couple of times across the bottom.  I adhered the background to an ivory card and then mounted the large element I created over it.  Added a little gold star punchie over the stable to finish it off!!

Therese

Christmas cards featuring aqua and gold gift wrap, die cut Nativity and gold embossed greetings

These cards feature the last piece of gift wrap I have to turn into cards!!! Is it a wood grain in gold and light aqua which I have been mulling over exactly how I would use it!!  I started by digging out some aqua cardstock which I have had for a while and worked really well with this paper.  I die cut two nativities (Taylored Expressions) leaving a length of cardstock below.  I trimmed off the star and gold embossed the greetings on the bottom section.  I trimmed the bottom edges using decorative scissors.  I selectively embossed the middle section on the first card using a wood grain embossing folder and then added a length of gold ribbon.  I added a wider ribbon with a tie to the second card without any dry embossing.  I mounted the trimmed gift wrap backgrounds to ivory card fronts and then mounted the large elements I created over it.  I punched little star from gold metallic card (packaging) and adhered them in place over the stable.    Happy with how these turned out! Have a few more to go!!        NOTE:  Creating these during our self isolation during the Covid 19 panemic.     Therese

Christmas Card Kits - Card #1 features Mary Engelbreit stickers, decorative paper and an embossed flagged strip

 

I have created a few Christmas card kits in response to a friend's request for kits to get started on her Christmas cards at a time when she has time on her hands.  I have created three different designs and made them so they can be simply assembled with glue.  

Card #1 feature Mary Engelbreit stickers from my stash.  I chose three different designs and layered them with red cardstock.  I made only one sample with the Happy Winter because I needed all the others in the kits.  In the end, I discovered that I had miscounted and had one left over to make up a second sample.  I always enjoy putting together card kits because I get to mix and match elements.  I choose a variety of decorative papers that coordinated with the stickers and then added a coordinated embossed and flagged strip and card bases.  I included single layer panel inserts because they are the easiest to glue to the inside of the cards.    Therese

Christmas cards featuring a JOY ornament die cut, metallic paper, decorative paper and thread hangers

 Another batch of Christmas cards featuring these red ornaments I cut a while back.  I coupled the ornaments with metallic/pearly papers.  Some are very bright metallic foils and others have a more subtle metallic/shimmery finish.  The ornaments were die cut with a Sizzix ornament die from red cardstock scraps.  I added metallic/shimmery accents - an oval behind the JOY (TH-SX) and on the ornament topper cut, trimmed and glued in place.  The oval is cut using an oval Nestibilities which is just the right size to fit behind the word!  Love it!!!!  The cards all have scrapbook paper backgrounds which I discovered in my stash of scraps.  Very happy to have another few Christmas cards made up.  I am keeping my commitment of getting my cards made before I need them in November!!

Therese

Christmas cards featuring a wonky tree (digital), ribbon, decorative paper and small font greetings

Another four Christmas cards to add to my stash!!!!  I downloaded these cute little trees (Craft Starters) and laser printed them while I was getting the images ready for my Father's Day cards.  I chose this wonderful decorative paper (donation from my sister) and then prepare four red cards to go with the paper.  I trimmed the laser printed images, watercoloured them and then layered them with a coordinating blue layer.  The layer is a lighter blue paper which I sponged on the edges to get the colour just right.  I added two short lengths of red ribbon on the upper right edge and then mounted my images to the cards I had layered with my decorative paper.  I added the little laser printed font greetings on the left hand edges in the curve of the tree.  I added sliver glitter star punchies over the ones that printed with the image.  They work quite well.  Very sparkly!!!  Really happy to have a few more cards in my stash!!  I am staying ahead of my commitment to making cards every month!!  I will have what I need come November.   Therese

Christmas cards featuring word ornaments and custom decorative backgrounds

A few more Christmas cards!!  I cut the ornaments (SX) and words (TH_SX) while I was at it last time I made cards and so I have decided to get a few more made.  I dug out my box of Christmas paper to see what I had for backgrounds. I found several and made up a few more.  

For the first card, I taped three pieces of this beautiful metallic gift wrap together with regular tape and trimmed it, adhered to a green card front, used gold/green metallic paper to back the ornament and create the topper and added gold cording for the hanger.  

For the second card, I created a background by taping together strips of decorative paper together and trimmed it to size and adhered to a green card, used white pearly paper to back the ornament and create the topper and added white cording for the hanger. 

For the third card, I layered the green paper over some yellow decorative paper and glued this large element to a red card front, used yellow/orange hand decorated watercoloured paper to back the ornament and create the topper and used twine as the hanger.  It needed a  bit of something so I added a twine across the bottom and tied on a short length to simulate a bow and added the little layered stamped greeting (Nestibilities).  That was better!

For the fourth card, I taped layers of decorative paper together, added green/gold metallic paper strips over the joints and trimmed it to size then adhered it to a green card.  I used green/gold metallic paper to back the ornament and create the topper and added a gold embroidery thread for the hanger.  Thinking it needed a bit of something I added a coordinating oval punchie font greeting which I sponged with a bit of red before adhering with 3D foam tape.  

I am really liking the chance to change up the backgrounds on these cards.  I prefer to create one of a kind cards!!!!!!!!!!   Therese

Christmas cards featuring glittery pinecone backgrounds, die cut ornaments and silver foil accents

Made these Christmas cards using the last of this beautiful glittery pine cone gift wrap which arrived over the holiday season wrapped around one of our gifts.  I mounted the backgrounds to red cards.  I die cut the ornaments (SX) and then die cut the word (TH) out of the middle section.  These are not coordinating dies but they worked out really well.  Next, I dug out my oval Nestibilities to see if I would be fortunate enough to find one of them that would cut an oval appropriate for filling in the opening.  Yes, there is one that does the job perfectly!!!  I cut the ovals from silver foil and also cut the top of the ornament as well.  I trimmed the tops and used white glue to adhere them to the ornaments.  I used regular tape to adhere the ovals to the back of the the ornaments.  I added white thread hangers to them which I secured on the inside of the cards using regular tape as well and then used 3D foam tape to mount the ornaments to the card fronts.   Really happy to have a few more cards for my stash!    Therese

NOTE:  I am staying home as much as I can during the Covid 19 pandemic in hopes of not getting sick.  It has been nice to get ahead on Christmas cards during this time.  

Christmas cards featuring a large Merry Christmas greeting, ribbon and glittery gift wrap backgrounds

Another set of Christmas cards for my stash using the same glittery pine cone gift wrap as I used for my last set.  These ones feature a large greeting I downloaded from Mom Junction which I sized, laser printed onto white cardstock and added a black line all the way around to give it some depth.  I watercoloured the  greeting and holly and then added some clear glitter in the stars and dots around the top, on the berries and all the way around the edges.  I added a strip of double sided tape on the right hand side and added short lengths of  coordinating ribbon then flagging their ends.  I mounted the trimmed backgrounds - glittery pine cone gift wrap which came wrapped around one of our gifts this past season - to red card fronts and then mounted the greetings to them using 3D foam tape.  As you can see I made a few angled a bit and two square and even.  I did these cards more assembly line style.  I did each step for all of them one at a time.  Trimmed all the images, added a black line to all of them, watercoloured them and then added ribbon to all of the greetings.  I glued all the backgrounds to the front and then mounted all the greetings to them.  It was easier to make them all the same when using this method of assembly.  Happy with these and they are headed for the bucket when they are finished being pressed.        Therese

Christmas card featuring a reused card front featuring a white dove with an olive branch

This one was quick and easy!! I trimmed the dove image from a used card to 4" x 5.25", ran the pattern tracing wheel on all four edges and adhered it to a red card front.  I like reusing beautiful cards and giving them one more life!! 


Therese

Christmas cards featuring glittery pine cone backgrounds (gift wrap), colour printed digital image of a cardinal, ribbon and layered greetings

Another set of Christmas cards for my stash!!  I trimmed the glittery pinecone backgrounds from a large piece of gift wrap that came off of one our gifts this past season.  I was able to trim about 15 or so 4" x 5.25" pieces.  I used six to create these cards.  These cards feature red card bases, the glittery green and white pinecone gift wrap, colour printed image of a cardinal, wide black satin ribbon and layered greetings.  The top set has stamped Merry Christmas greetings in red that are punched with a small oval punch (SU).  All of them are layered onto a larger oval punchie (SU).  Two are layered onto a scalloped oval punchie (SU) as well.  I have pierced the scallops on the large oval  punchies and added faux stitching/dots on the large ovals.  All are mounted with 3D foam tape as are the cardinal images.  

This set has laser printed greetings layered onto red cardstock.   All are sponged a bit on the edges.  I trimmed the middle one with scallop decorative scissors and paper pierced the scallops.  The last one has three little clear rhinestones on the end of the greeting.  

I am happy to be on track for getting my Christmas cards done by the end of the year!!!!  

I will have more cards with this pinecone paper as a background.  Will be inventing a different sketch with different elements!!        Therese

Christmas cards featuring red and blue plaid paper, a variety of images & greetings and some ribbon

I am committed to making Christmas card regularly over the course of this year so I will have them ready by December when I need to have them mailed out.  I decided to use up a piece of foil gift wrap that was around one of our gifts this past season.  It is a red and navy plaid so I just cut what was usable from the piece and got eight 3.75" squares.  I found cardstock that coordindated  - one red and one navy and cut eight cards and the corresponding navy layers for each card.  I dug through my Christmasimage stash and found a few that would work with this sketch and colour scheme.  I also dug through my stash of Christmas greetings and found some that would also work.  I created the cards one at a time after that.

The first one features a Melonheadz image of Santa and the baby Jesus.  I trimmed the image into a square, watercoloured it and added faux stitching all the way around using a permanent marker.  I mounted the navy layer to the red card, added the plaid paper square then mounted the image over the paper using 3D foam tape.  I added a strip of the same red cardstock below the image and mounted my laser printed greeting over it using 3D foam tape.
The second one has a similar sketch.  I added a length of white seam binding to the navy/plaid paper layer before mounting my sleigh image (Black Berry Jelly) with 3D foam tape.  It is watercoloured, glittered and layered with navy cardstock. The greeting is stamped in blue, layered on red and flagged on the right hand side and mounted with 3D foam tape.
The third one features a snowman paper cast which I made a long while back to which I added a little turquoise snowflake with a tiny silver brad.  The paper has turquoise lines which only show when you look at it from an angle.  The laser printed greeting is layered with red, has a folded ribbon on the right hand side and is mounted below the focal image with 3D foam tape.
The fourth one is a bit of a departure from the sketch.  Because the image was larger I tore the square in two and mounted the two pieces to the top and bottom of the navy layer.  I watercoloured the angel (SU) and ran the tracing wheel on all the edges before mounting it to the layer with 3D foam tape.  I punched a Modern Label layer from a scrap of foil turquoise paper which is glued to cardstock to make it stiff enough to mount.  I added a small laser printed turquoise greeting.  I mounted the greeting overlapping the image and added a bit of 3D foam tape to the bottom edge when it attaches to the background.

The fifth card has the plaid paper adhered to the navy glued to the red card.  I layered a die cut nativity image (reused card) onto a white scalloped circle (Nestibilities) which I mounted with 3D foam taper for the plaid paper.  I layered the stamped greeting (SU) with red and mounted it with 3D foam tape.  To finish it off I added a length of white seam binding below the elements and adhered the ends to the inside of the card with double sided tape.
The sixth one has a very similar layout featuring a layered image of a couple of friends out for a walk in a winter wonderland (reused card) layered onto a white scalloped circle with a laser printed image layered with red below the plaid square.  I trimmed the red cardstock with decorative scalloped scissors, paper pierced the scallops and added a couple of embossed lines to each side of the greeting.

For the seventh one, I embossed the navy layer and mounted the paper over it.  Not the best idea with foil paper.  I layered the image of a beautiful house all ready for Christmas (reused card) with turquoise and mounted it this layer using 3D foam tape.  I adhered this large layer to the red card.  I layered the laser printed greeting with red before mounting it to my card front using 3D foam tape.
The eighth and last card features a small die cut ornament in navy.  I used glitter pens to colour the top and the wavy band and added dots of clear glitter to the rest of the ornament.  I mounted it to a white embossed strip with 3D foam tape, added a red ribbon to the top and flagged the end of the strip before mounting it to the navy/plaid paper layer.  I added clear glitter faux stitching all the way around the navy layer and below the plaid paper.  I trimmed a laser printed greeting, layered it with red, flagged both ends and added some embossed lines on each side before mounted it to my card front.
It was really fun to be back making Christmas cards after a bit of a break.  I am very happy with how they all worked out and that they are all a bit different.               Therese

Christmas cards featuring embossed foil gift wrap backgrounds, little greetings and vellum or fiber

 These are the last two cards I was able to make from the one piece of gift wrap salvaged from the Community Dinner we attended with our friends and neighbours. 
For this first card, I embossed the layered giftwrap/paper combo with the ornaments.  The bottom seemed plain in comparison so I added some dots to it by manually embossing them in place.  After gluing this layer to the front of my green card I added a length of red fiber to the top above the ornaments adhering the ends to the inside with double sided tape and then tied on a short piece to simulate a bow.  Next, I  added a little stamped punchie greeting over the fiber using 3D foam tape on the back.  I sponged and added dots with a gel pen to embellish the little greeting. 
For my other card, I embossed the layer background with snowflakes, added a strip of vellum before adhering it to my green card.  I added a layered snowflake embellishment (large silver, small silver foil, tiny red) over the vellum and tucked a small font greeting to the left of the vellum and snowflake.    Therese

Christmas cards with embossed foil gift wrap, fiber ribbon and colour printed images

For these two cards I glued foil gift wrap (Community Christmas Dinner gift) to scrap paper and then embossed it with a poinsettia embossing folder (SU) before trimming them to size for my red cards.  On the first one, I added the green fiber ribbon to the card after adhering the background to the card.  I layered the Christmas image -Joyeux Noel - from my stash onto red and then mounted it to my card using 3D foam tape.  I tied an extra length of the ribbon to the right of the image.  On the second card, I added the green ribbon to the background before adhering to my card front and then tied on three lengths of red fiber as accents.  I mounted a similar image - Merry Christmas - from my stash to red cardstock before adhering it to my card front using 3D foam tape.   This paper does so well with being embossed!  Really nice cards!!           Therese