More Handmade Christmas Cards

Just thought I'd share a few more cards from 2005. To be honest, I was expecting at least four more handmade ones, but even though I saw two of my crafty friends over the weekend, there were no more received. Ah well...there will be plenty more in the future. Here's one I did receive last week, as well as my own card for 2005.


This swirly tree and small snowflakes were stamped with gold ink on caramel cardstock, then mounted on dark red and light green by friend Sherrie.



I was commissioned to make this one for friend Latesha, my second year making her cards -- and she has already placed an order for 2006. Because her favorite color is purple, I chose a pale plum base, then used the Versamark pad to stamp the holly leaf on elegant eggplant for the front. I punched a window in the eggplant to frame the running deer (stamped on the pale plum) from the retired "Etruscan" set by Stampin' Up, and silver ribbon added the finishing touch.



And last but not least...my own Christmas card for 2005. The technique used is called "shabby chic" and is intended to have a sort of messy vintage collage look. I started by using the canvas background stamp from Stampin' Up on white cardstock in first ruby red and then sage green, stamping it in different directions, and even dragging the card over the stamp in parts for a smudged look. Then came the cutting, tearing and crumpling of the white, ruby red, and chocolate chip cardstock. The image from the retired Stampin Up set "Winter is Calling" was stamped on the white, and I smeared some of the red for the "vintage" look before stapling four strips of ribbon to the top of the white layer. The three torn and crumpled pieces were then layered together, and white yarn wrapped around it before it was adhered to the sage and ruby red card. The inside greeting is non-SU and says, "May your days be merry and bright." It was a lot of work, but I really liked how they turned out. Next year's will be something much simpler, though!