Christmas Postcard with Character Construction

Hi Dreamers!
Hope you are having a great weekend.  I have some more Christmas inspiration for you today.    I stamped this Christmas scene with the Vintage Christmas collection by Character Construction.   I wanted this to look like a Holiday Postcard, hence the postage image in the upper right corner. Looks like they are having a fine old time...bringing home the tree and singing carols on a snowy night.

• Start with Cream CS and make a background with Metallic Stains and Shabby Shutters Distress Re-inker.  (tutorial on making background)
• Stamp the images with Black Soot Distress Ink:

Christmas Postage and Snowflakes from Set #3

Car and Vertical Border from Set #4

Sentiment from Set #2

• Distress with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink

• Layer with black CS onto a green card base.  
• Add small pearls

Isn't this a fun card!!  It is going out to someone on my Christmas Card list. (I really have to work on addressing those and get them out!! Today for sure!)

Challenges for my Christmas Postcard
Blogger's Challenge: create a scene
One Stop Craft Challenge: Christmas Friends
Paper Play: Christmas is coming
Stampin for the Weekend: let it snow
Totally paper crafts: one for the boys

The Blogger's Challenge Blog Hop

Holiday Wrapping Paper and Card with Paper Artsy Stamps

Hi Dreamers!
Well, since I pretty much have all my Christmas cards done.....(still not mailed.....Eek!) I have turned my attention to some gift oriented projects.  I don't always use a gift bag and sometimes like to wrap a package.   And, that means I need some really cool vintagey paper.  "But, you can't buy any really cool vintagey wrapping paper", you say.  When does that ever stop me!  So, I made some vintagey wrapping paper using a large sheet of brown packing paper and Paper Artsy Stamps.  You know, the kind of paper that comes stuffed into the boxes of my mail orders.  Don't throw that paper away!  It has lots of uses besides being a comfy cushion for orders.

Card and Wrapped Package

This is what I started with:

The Brown Packing paper

Materials List:

Stamps

Babushka Balloon Paper Artsy available from Blockheads Paper Arts

Ink

Rich Cocoa, Northern Pine, and Espresso Truffle - Memento

Vintage Photo Distress - Ranger

Brown Packing Paper

Green Cardstock

Ribbons

Instructions:

• Ink the Balloon stamp with all three of the Memento inks in this order: Rich Cocoa, Northern Pine, Espresso Truffle---then stamp on the paper.
• Repeat several times to cover the paper.  
• Ink the Tree part of the Madonna stamp with Northern Pine.    
• Place a piece of scrap paper down to mask the area and stamp the trees in a row-top and bottom

• You can continue stamping your paper to cover as much of it as needed to wrap the package.  
• Distress the paper with Vintage Photo ink

Now wrap the package

Close up of package

 And, while you are stamping, you might as well stamp a smaller piece for a matching card.  This card measures 4 3/4 x 7 1/2 inches.

• Layer the stamped piece with Cardstock and add to a Kraft CS base

• Wrap some green sheer ribbon around card and tie in a knot
• Tie gold ribbon around green sheer ribbon
• Add some red bling

See how muted the inks look on the brown paper??  You Like??  I like this look for vintagey projects.  Now you can wrap your packages with this very affordable wrapping paper.

Challenges For my wrapping paper and card:
Card Crafters Circle: Christmas Celebrations
Crafty Mess: Vintage Christmas
Fat Pages with attitude: anything goes
Jingle Bells rock: Christmas
Just add ink: balloons
Mark's Finest: red and green
Sugar Creek Hollow: stencils or masks

Let's see, what do I have planned for tomorrow?  Oh, how about a Christmas Postcard with Character Construction!!  It's pretty cute.  See you then!  Love ya.
Karen