2012 Christmas Cards -- part 1

Here are a few of the Christmas cards made for this year. A "clean and simple" (CAS) design that made these pretty easy to whip up.

I started by stamping the snowflakes on strips of craft cardstock in navy ink, then punched them out with a one-inch punch. The inchies are popped up using dimensionals. 

After punching out the squares, I set them aside for a bit. I took one-inch wide scraps of patterned paper and carefully folded the ends so I could snip off a triangle on each end for the ribbon effect. You have to be careful here not to crease the strip of paper down the center. These were then adhered just above the mid-section of the card. Above that, and off to the left side of the card, I then stamped the greeting, and adhered an inchie snowflake to the right, as pictured.

Next, I stamped a snowflake border about an inch above the card bottom, and then stamped coordinating greetings inside. I made about 60 cards, working on them while watching movies or television, in one week.

Unfortunately, I did not punch enough of the snowflake inchies and had loaned by one-inch square punch to a friend, so was forced to come up with a substitute. Digging through leftovers from past Christmas cards, I found some dimensional stickers.

I also used a different border stamp (from the same set), as the snowflakes just didn't seem to work with the ornaments and presents.

I also used a few diecuts on some cards. They were especially perfect for the few kids on my Christmas card list.

I also used this design to make one Chanukah/Hanukkah card for family friends.

SUPPLIES:

Stamps: Snowflake/Menorah (Hero Arts), Snowflake border/Santa & Sleigh/Scrollwork (Recollections), Greeting (Clear and Simple)
Paper: Craft (Recollections), Patterned Scraps (DCWV)
Ink: Cajun Craze, Elegant Eggplant, Not Quite Navy (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: Dimensionsals, One-inch square punch (Marvy), brads, diecuts (Current Inc), dimensional stickers (Mary Engelbreit)

Christmas Cards 7: Random

A few random cards...








STAMPS: Snowflakes (Hero Arts), Holiday Collections (Tim Holtz--bottom two cards), Peace on Earth (Inkadinkado)
PAPER: Wausau Paper, DCWV
INK: Night of Navy, Red Riding Hood, Elegant Eggplant, Craft White
ACCESSORIES: Computer printed greetings, Word Window punch (SU), Designer Label (SU), Postage Stamp punch (Marvy), brads, grosgrain ribbon

Inchies Trio

This set of cards uses one-inch images, what are refered to in the cardmaking world as "inchies." Inkadinkado has numerous clear stamp sets for all seasons and occasions just for this type of card. The top two follow sketch SC356.

STAMPS: Dogs (Dog's Life, Inkadinkado); Swan ( Butterflies & Birds, Inkadinkado)
PAPER: White (Wausau Paper), Solid colors (DCWV), Patterned (top two cards-DCWV; bottom-SU)
INK: Basic Brown, Going Gray, Elegant Eggplant (SU)
ACCESSORIES: Brads, Computer generated greetings, Word Window Punch (SU)

SC238 -- A Note For {You}

For this week's sketch challenge at SCS. This one was a really quick and easy challenge for me, not only because of the clean layout, but also because I still have a ton of these little "inchies" stamped up and matted from weeks ago, still waiting to be used. I managed to whip up four cards in less than an hour tonight, before heading up to Concert on the Square. Hard to tell from the scan, but the wings of the punched butterfly are curled up, so that it looks like it has just perched on the card.

Stamps: Butterflies & Birds (Inkdinkado), Sweet Little Sentiments (Stampin' Up)
Paper: DCWV
Ink: Basic Black, Pink Passion (SU)
Accessories: Square Punches (Marvy), Butterfly (Martha Stewart)

{Java}

Happy Birthday, Viola!

Stamps: Special Thoughts (Coffee --Inkadinkado), Birthday Whimsy (greeting--Stampin' Up)
Paper: DCWV
Ink: Basic Brown (SU)

Bird Cards

I'm headed out to a fondu party this afternoon/evening, but thought I'd leave you with a couple of the cards made last week. Be grateful I wasn't feeling truly evil and pulled out one of my chocolate stamp sets to torture you with! Have a great Saturday!

Stamps: Butterflies & Birds (Inkdikado), Birthday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper: DCWV
Ink: Not Quite Navy (SU)
Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbon (JoAnn), Word Window Punch (SU), Square Punches (Marvy)

Owl Miss You

The multi-colored square behind the owl was punched from a Kleenex box. How's that for reusing/recycling?

Stamps: Wildlife Reserve (Stampin' Up), Botanical Blooms (SU), Thinking of You (Endless Creations)
Paper: DCWV
Ink: Basic Brown (SU)
Accessries: Punches (Marvy)

This simple little card measures 4.25" square.

Stamps: Butterflies and Birds (Inkadinkado), Great Greetings (SU)
Paper: DCWV
Ink: Basic Brown (SU)
Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbon (JoAnn), Label Punch (SU), Scallop Punch (Marvy)

Hi There

Just one quick card today. Don't you just love these cute little kitty faces?


Stamps: Cats Galore (Inkadinkado), Hi There (Wordsworth)
Paper: DCWV
Ink: Basic Black(SU)

Safari

A couple of fun cards today. I absolutely LOVE this set! By pairing the two different patterned papers, I was able to get about a dozen similar cards. I used elephants for some, the cougar for others. These are 4.25" square cards. I didn't attach greetings to these two cards, but did to the fronts of others.

Supplies: Balmy Breezes, Yukon (both retired from Stampin' Up)
Paper: Safari Chic Stack (DCWV)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU)
Accessories: Scalloped Punches (Marvy)

Believe. Imagine. Discover.

A couple cards for today... Both use the Inkadinkado set "Butterflies & Birds." The first is a graduation card, the second for a birthday. Can't decide if I like the mix of patterns and colors in the second one or not.

Stamps: Butterflies & Birds (Inkadinkado), Birthday Messages (Hero Arts), Flourish (Stampin' Up, but I've forgotten which set)
Paper: DCWV
Ink: Perfect Plum, Ballet Blue (SU)
Accessories: Window Punch (SU), Scallop punches (Marvy)

Flutterby Trio

I actually worked on some cards today. I've had assorted patterned paper cut and stamped images mounted for weeks, but ws always too tired, too busy, or lacking that creative mojo to do anything about them. So, I pulled out the monoadhesive and started piecing some cards together today, the above being one of the results. The middle image is popped up

Stamps: Butterflies & Birds (Inkadinkado)
Paper: All by DCWV
Ink: Perfect Plum (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: Dimensionals, Scallop Edge Punch (SU--for the polka dot paper)

Orange Butterfly

I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day Weekend. Me, I did very little. Watched a couple movies. Did a lot of reading--seven hours Saturday alone! Had a cookout with friends on Monday. That was the height of excitement here. Did not make it over to Brat Fest (see last year's post), but was most impressed when I saw how well they did this year. They didn't just break last year's record, they pulverized it, selling 17,000 more brats than in 2008. That's more than $100,000 raised for local charities!

Here's a quick card made over the weekend...



Stamps: Butterflies & Birds (Inkadinkado)
Paper: Pumpkin Pie (Stampin' Up); Fun in the Sun Summer Matstack (DCWV)
Ink: Pumpkin Pie (SU)
Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbon (JoAnn), Scallop Punch (Marvy)