Shabby Chic Christmas

I'm sure you can tell that Christmas is on my mind a lot recently.  My blog has been full of Christmas ideas for the last week.  Perhaps I should work on some other kind of design this week to keep things fresh?!!

This design was inspired by a card that I saw on the Hero Arts Flikr stream.  It may possibly have been a card by 'Carole-ish' I'm not sure.  I know I really should give credit where it is due - but whoever it was, your card was stunning!  I changed the die cut shapes and used different stamps to create the background but the method of using clear embossing powder and distress inks is the same.

If I find a link to the original card I will be sure to post it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps : SU! Christmas Tree and greeting, Stampendous Music Background, Inkadinkado French Script
Paper : PTI Vintage Cream and Chocolate
Ink : Tim Holtz Peeled Paint and Old Paper, VersaMark, Memento Rich Cocoa,
Accessories : Cricut Lacy Labels cartridge, Distressing tool, SU! Vintage brad, Hero Arts lace ribbon, Clear embossing powder

Snowy Cottage

My card today was created using a Hero Arts set called - 'Sending Holiday Cheer'.  I has this set last year and tried multiple times to create 'snow' on the roof of the cottage but I was unsuccessful.  I tried glitter, white embossing powder and a pen that was supposed to look like snow when it was heated, but nothing seemed to give the right effect.  Last week I decided to try again with Martha Stewart's flocking powder in Swan.  This time the result was a little more successful but still not exactly the way I think 'snow' should look!  To create even more texture I added Flower Soft in 'Vintage Christmas' to the trees on either side.

Has anyone else tried to create snow on a stamped image?  Were you successful?  What product did you use and where did you buy it from?  Let me know what you think!

Stamps : Hero Arts (Sending Holiday Cheer)

Paper : SU! Basic Black, Bo Bunny DP, PTI White

Ink : Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories : Copic Markers, FlowerSoft (Vintage Christmas), Martha Stewart Flocking Powder in Swan, Cricut Lacy Labels Cartridge, Gold ribbon from Michaels

Merry Holly

Another Christmas card - I know it's only November, but I am starting to produce lots of Christmas designs.  Today's card was inspired by a card I believe that I saw on Flikr although I changed the orientation of the card and used my own holly and greeting stamps.  (Sorry to whoever I CASEd - I can't remember your name so I can't give you credit but your card was lovely!)

I added some extra detail to the background cardstock using an embossing plate and after I paper pieced the holly I raised it up using foam tape.  The pearls in each corner were originally cream but I used a Copic Marker that matched the ribbon to color them (got to love Copics!).

Thanks for stopping by!  What Christmas card designs have you been creating recently?

Stamps : Archivers (greeting), Annabelle Stamps (holly)
Paper : SU! Baroque Burgundy (retired) and Always Artichoke, PTI White
Ink : Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories : Ribbon from Michaels, Kaisercraft Pearls, Copic Markers, Embossing plate (company?)

Christmas Peace

Today I am posting the first of my Christmas Card designs.  I have had this ornament stamp in my collection for quite a few years now and I have always wanted to be more creative in my use of it, but on this card I just went ahead and stamped it in Memento Tuxedo Black ink, colored it using Copic Markers and added some gold leafing to the top.  I also used a Spica Glitter marker to try and add some sparkle to the stars and along the green edges, but it does not show up too well in the photo.

I have lots more Christmas Cards to show you this week, so please check back each day!

Stamps : Hero Arts (ornament), Stampendous (greeting)

Paper : PTI Vintage Cream CS, Kaisercraft DP

Ink : Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories : Hero Arts Metallic Decor (red 'nail heads'), Copic Markers, Gold Leafing pen, Spica Glitter marker, Fiskars mini scallop border punch

Giving Thanks

After nearly 5 months I have started making cards again.  We moved house over the summer and it took a long while before I felt settled enough to be creative.  My mojo must have been packed in a box somewhere. But it's back!

My card today is a direct CASE from a beautiful design I saw on Jen Shults blog : deconstructingjen.  She has been a real inspiration to me over these last few weeks.  Her cards are true eye candy and I recommend you go to her blog to check out her beautiful creativity.

Here is a close up shot of the inside :

This card is made from multiple layers and is more like a mini album than a card.  The original idea for this type of card comes from www.splitcoaststampers.com (although it's in the 'tutorial' section somewhere, I don't remember the exact name).  I have been enjoying all the Fall colors here in Alabama (yes, we do have Fall here!) and I wanted to make a card that reflected all the beauty I have seen this week.

Thanks for stopping by - please don't give up on me - I've got lots of other posts planned for this week.





Stamps : Verve (front panel text), Hero Arts (togetherness and greeting text) and Stampin'Up! ('thanks' definition)
Paper : Papertrey Ink Chocolate and Vintage Cream CS, SU! More Mustard and Really Rust CS (retired now I think), Patterned paper from BoBunny
Ink : Memento Rich Cocoa, Tim Holtz Wild Honey Distress Ink
Accessories : Cricut Lacy Labels Cartridge, QuicKutz squeeze leaf die, Copic Markers (on pumpkin), SU! cream organdy ribbon