For the Holidays...

It's Friday, and time to close out the week with a couple more Christmas cards for the upcoming holidays. I did make a couple of each of these designs, so my collection is slowly building for this year...and it's a good feeling to be getting these done early!

We finally had a bit of very much needed and welcome rain this week in Northern California, so it only seems fitting to show you the "Joyful" card first! :)

The embossed background is accented with Pumice Stone Distress Ink, and as I've done before with this LaLa Land Crafts diecut, the street lamp is accented with Inka-Gold "Old Gold" metallic paint, and simply accented with branch punches, narrow ribbon, and a tiny bell...

The diecut sentiment words are accented with a gold gel pen...

Supplies:

Dies:  LaLa Land Crafts "Street Lamp";   Memory Box "Star of Wonder";   Paper Smooches "Christmas Words"

Punch:  Martha Stewart "Medium Branch"            Embossing folder:  Tim Holtz "Bricked and Woodgrain"

Pearls:  Recollections         

Miscellaneous:   ribbon, mini bell,  Pumice Stone Distress Ink,  Viva Inka-Gold "Old Gold", gold gel pen

The second of today's cards is a bit more shabby, with a bit more detail and lots of diecuts...

The little diecut poinsettia is surrounded with a holly diecut, and a twig wreath adorned with punched branches, clear red gems, and sparkly snow...

and a little pearl flourish pointing the way to another flourish die cut in the corner...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:  Graphic 45 "Christmas Past" and "Twelve Days of Christmas"

Dies:  LaLa Land Crafts "Pretty Poinsettia" and "Filigree Corner";  Memory Box "Holly Flourish";  Impression Obsession "Twig Wreath"

Punch:  Martha Stewart "Medium Branch"            Glitter dot:  Pebbles            Red gems:   Kaisercraft

Pearls:   Recollections          Miscellaneous:  white wire,  "Golden Rod" Stickles;  DecoArt Glistening Snow-tex

Thanks for stopping by for a visit...have a wonderful weekend!

 

Getting a (late) Head Start...

A couple months ago, a sweet friend asked if I would make up some Christmas cards for her...we joked about "Christmas in July"...then real life continued to take up what used to be crafty time, and "Christmas in July" turned into "Christmas in September." But hey, we're still ahead of the game, right? And if I work on it a little here and a little there (which fits perfectly with my schedule these days), there might be a sizable collection of Christmas cards in our baskets, ready for sending at Christmas time.

Here are a couple of the first designs for this year. I usually make 1-2 of each design, with just a slight change in each so they're technically "one-of-a-kind." The first two are pretty simple in design, so they leave room for easy additions and/or changes to individualize them as I construct them.

I love white-on-white designs, so I usually include at least one each season...this was a fun one...

The ribbon snowflake die inspired me to pull out a couple of my curved border dies, and the lines blended pretty nicely. I used some foam tape under each of the curved border pieces so there's a bit of dimension to the card without adding a lot of bulk...

Then I double-cut the snowflake portion of the die, and adhered the second over the first with a foam dot under the center...

Supplies:

Dies:   Poppystamps "Snowflake Ribbon";   Simon Says Stamp "Merry Christmas";   Spellbinders "Curved Borders One"

Scalloped Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com             Pearls:   Recollections

The second card is basically another white-on-white with green accents. :)  The green patterned paper is die cut in the center with a scalloped oval, and popped up over the white base with foam tape to create a well in the center.  The pine branch diecuts are adhered to the white base, then the poinsettia and berries dies are adhered to the green patterned piece at the top of the well...

I love to attach single gems to the centers of flowers, but sometimes there isn't enough flower petal surface area to attach them securely. So I resort to my old trick of holding them down with Stickles glue...sort of a two-for-one solution...I get the glitter around the gem, and lots of glue to hold it in place...

The temps are still near 100 degrees around here, but I was in the mood for some snow. :)  I added a bit of glitter and Stickles to the berry and pine branch dies, then put the finishing touch of Snow-Tex over both...

Supplies:

Patterned paper:   Graphic 45 "Twelve Days of Christmas-Patterns & Solids"

Dies:   Spellbinders "Beaded Ovals";   Memory Box "Holly Winterberries";   Poppystamps "Fancy Celebrate";   

Impression Obsession "Pine Branch";   La-La Land Crafts "Pretty Poinsettia"

Gems:   Creative Imaginations             

Miscellaneous:   DecoArt Glistening Snow-Tex,  Martha Stewart Clear Coarse Glitter,  "Star Dust" Stickles

Thanks so much for visiting today...have a wonderful weekend!

LLLC - Christmas is Coming...

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Things are slowing down a bit here on the blog. but have no worries...it's only temporary. :)

Today, our La-La Land Crafts Wednesday team is working with this week's challenge theme of "White on White With a Pop of Red."  This was such a fun challenge, especially for the upcoming holidays.

This card is filled with LLLC dies, starting with the oval cutout, using the Stitched Elements set. Inside the oval, I added some dimension with strips cut using the Scallop Bracket Die Set ...

The flowers are made to resemble tiny poinsettias - but this time, I combined the Lotus Die and the Cherry Blossom Flowers sets to make up my own little flower, accenting the edges with white gesso, and adding white stamen clusters to the centers...

Cuts from the Berry Flourish die accent above and below the flower cluster, with little white pearl "berries" and small pearl flourishes accenting the leafy dies...

Inside the die cut oval, a little "lacy" touch using the Spiderweb Corner die...it's not just for Halloween anymore!...

And last but not least, the Filigree Corner Die is the perfect accent for the two right hand corners, with more little pearl accents in their centers...

Supplies:

LLLC Dies:   Stitched Elements,   Scallop Bracket,   Spiderweb Corner,   Filigree Corner,   Berry Flourish,  

Cherry Blossom Flower,   Lotus Die

Sentiment stamp:    Lili of the Valley Set 35, Christmas Handwritten Phrases

Pearls:   Recollections            Stamens:   Wild Orchid Crafts          Miscellaneous:   white twine, gesso

I hope you'll have a moment or two to visit the La-La Land Crafts Inspiration Blog to see the beautiful projects my teammates have come up for this fun challenge.

Thanks for visiting today...I hope you're having a wonderful week so far!

Be Merry...

TGIF...happy Friday, everyone!

I am woefully (yes, I just used the word woefully...LOL) behind in my own Christmas card making. I'm thinking I'll need to work up a CAS watercolor design for the bulk of my cards, and do multiple copies of one design, instead of my usual 1-2 copies of many designs.

But I did make one special card up without using traditional Christmas patterned papers, relying solely on the color scheme to convey the holiday spirit. It's another center step card, and roses are aplenty on this one...

I die cut a couple small banners, and used two different manufacturers' sentiment stamps...

Around the red lily in the center are red and cream roses...lots of roses...accented with multicolored seed and micro beads. I found this single pack of multi-sized holiday-colored beads last year at the craft store...it was about time I used it, don't you agree?...

Once again, a single flower strayed from the rest in the cluster as I was arranging them before gluing them down...and I realized it was a fun place for a single red rose, so I glued it down right where it landed, and added some beads around it...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   Prima Stationer's Desk  collection (A4)

Sentiment stamps:   Unity Stamp Co ("be merry and have joy");   BoBunny ("Christmas")

Dies:   Spellbinders Foliage Two;   La-La Land Crafts Berry Flourish, and Stitched Elements

Chipboard:   Blue Fern Studios Turkish Bits            Flowers:   Wild Orchid Crafts

Pearls:   Recollections            Lace:   local craft store

Miscellaneous:   cheesecloth,   seed and micro beads

Thank you for popping in for a visit today...have a wonderful weekend!

LLLC - Let It Snow...

It's time for another La-La Land Crafts Team Wednesday challenge, and this week our theme is "snowflakes."  I wanted to try something different this week...still a little shabby, but using only two colors...and, of course, layers of sparkly diecuts to go with the snowy theme...

It's a bit hard to capture the sparkle in photos, but the base of the trees on the Christmas Hill Border die are sprinkled with Shabby White Frantage, and accented with clear coarse glitter...

The large tree using the Build A Christmas Tree Die is also coated with Frantage, with the edges accented with clear coarse glitter...and a small snowflake as its "topper"...

The snowflakes were clipped from the Snowflake Banner Die and scattered in the sky like stars, then coated lightly with clear coarse glitter and accented with pearl centers...

Supplies:

LLLC Dies:   Snowflake Banner,  Build-A-Christmas Tree,   Christmas Hill Border

Sentiment stamp:   Lili of the Valley Set 75, Christmas Wishes            Pearls:   Recollections            

Miscellaneous:  Shabby White Frantage embossing powder,  Martha Stewart clear coarse glitter

I hope you'll take a few minutes to visit the La-La Land Crafts inspiration blog to check out what my teammates have made up for this week's challenge.

Thanks so much for visiting today!

LOTV - Christmas Wishes...

Good Monday morning, all! I was in the mood to make a Christmas card last week, and especially in the mood for a shabby Christmas card with deeper, Victorian colors. Luckily for me, I just so happened to have the perfect patterned papers for that already on hand.

LOTV's Woodland Wishes paper pad is filled with the perfect colors for what I had in mind...so I made up a card using only papers from that collection. (I know...I hear the surprise all the way out here from some of you...the person who loves the challenge of combining different paper lines into one blended project actually used papers designed to go together. It happens now and then! LOL)

The little tag sitting in the bow is from Set 32, Christmas Sentiment Tags.  This set has become a staple in my Christmas crafting stash...there are so many uses for it. This time, it dangles from a dyed seam binding bow, accented with a small grouping of pearls, as a topper to the open frame die that anchors the front of the card...

The green pine branch is accented with a combo of Flower Soft mixed with clear coarse glitter...I made up a large batch of this last year, and still have half of it left for use this year...

This sweet sentiment is from this year's release of  Set 75, Christmas Wishes ...

  

There are seven layers on the front of this card...but it's not too bulky to mail...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   LOTV Woodland Wishes collection

Stamps:   LOTV Set 75, Christmas Wishes;   LOTV Set 32, Christmas Sentiment Tags

Punches:   Martha Stewart Doily Lace and Beaded Ruffle

Dies:   Memory Box Tiffany Frame;   Memory Box Star of Wonder;   Impression Obsession Pine Branch; 

Impression Obsession Deer Trio

Laces:   TheFunkieJunkie.com          Pearls:   Recollections

Miscellaneous:   Hug Snug seam binding,  Gold Stickles,  Polar White Flower Soft, Martha Stewart clear coarse glitter

Before I sign off for today, I've got a few fun LOTV announcements to make sure you're aware of. 

On November 22nd, LOTV is releasing 10 new image stamps, and 3 new paper pads...have you been "sneak peeking" with the other Design Team members on their blogs lately?

Then there's this fun offer for those of you who have a few items from existing stock on your shopping list...if you can order by the 19th you can take part in this great promotion! All qualifying orders (see below) placed by 11:59 PM (BST) on the 19th will be entered into drawings for all the new stamps that are releasing on the 22nd of this month, AND a set of the three new paper pads...

And last, but certainly not least, don't forget about this month's challenge on LOTV's Ideas to Inspire blog. The theme is "Merry Christmas"...easy one for this time of year, right? :)  There's still plenty of time to get in on the fun. There are *three* great prizes up for grabs this month, and if we get enough entries, there might even be more! So I hope you pull out your favorite LOTV products for a fun holiday card, and enter it into this final challenge for a chance to win.

Thanks so much for visiting today...I hope your week is starting with a smile!

LOTV - We Wish You a Merry Christmas...

TGIF...happy Friday! Today I have another shabby chic card to share with you, only this time it's as Christmas-y as it can get, and it's once again made with lots of pretty papers from Lili of the Valley. 

The "Pretty Papers" monthly challenge is still going on over at the LOTV Ideas to Inspire blog - you still have a few days to enter and be eligible for one of the three prizes up for grabs this month!

Today, I've used papers from the new 'Twas the Night paper pad, and lots of glittery die cuts, for this fun card...

I simulated the look of snow on the die cut pine branch by mixing coarse clear glitter with Polar White Flower Soft...

 

More coarse clear glitter was used on the die cut poinsettia, with tiny gold bells in the center to simulate yellow stamens...

Although the name of this particular doily die has nothing to do with Christmas, it makes me think of a snowflake when I tuck it behind other papers, so it was used to brighten up the corner of the card. (And, of course, the edges of the die cut doily had to be glittered, too!)...

This fun shaped sentiment is from LOTV's latest Christmas release - it's in the Set 75, Christmas Wishes  sentiment stamp set...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   LOTV 'Twas the Night 

Sentiment stamp:   LOTV Set 75, Christmas Wishes

Dies:   Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Squares,  Classic Squares Large,  Classic Squares Small,  Layered Poinsettia,  Gold Elements One;      

Memory Box Star of Wonder;      Impression Obsession Pine Branch;

Prima Doily #2 Pineapple;      La-La Land Crafts Christmas Tree Hill

Embossing folder:   Cuttlebug Geometric Rings            

Miscellaneous:   Martha Stewart Clear Coarse Glitter;   Polar White Flower Soft;   mini bells; cheesecloth;  white craft paint

Thanks for visiting today...have a wonderful weekend!

LLLC - Halloween and Christmas/Winter Release Fun!...

Sit back and grab a cup of your favorite beverage (and maybe a snack or two), and stay a bit...it's a fun and photo-heavy post today showing off the latest release from La-La Land Crafts!  It's Halloween and Christmas/Winter release time, and the Wednesday LLLC team has some fun creations to share with you.

I'll start off with my Halloween project...it's a haunted birdhouse using the Birdhouse with Base Kit all "spooked up" and ready for new residents. It's sitting on a wooden spool base ("permanently borrowed" from a roll of burlap ribbon from my stash, and painted with black chalk paint)...

and here's a quick little tour all around the sides and back (I brightened up these photos a bit so you could see the details...IRL this is a pretty dark and spooky little house!)...

On the front of the house, I added one of the new Stitched Nested Circles dies around the scalloped chipboard piece that comes with the birdhouse kit. It adds a bit of brightness to the otherwise dark and spooky birdhouse. :)

On the front and back eaves, I added a few of the new Spiderweb and Spider Dies, accenting the webs with a Gelly Roll Clear Star pen that sparkles when the light hits it just right (you can see the spider from this die set hanging from the eaves in the photo above)...

 

     

Adding the Wrought Iron Fence was a lot of fun.  I intentionally "leaned" it as I adhered it against the base, and added strips of knotted heavy-duty thread to make it look as though the fence was wired together to hold it up. Beacon 3-in-1 glue was used as an embellishment this time, by adding bits of glue here and there, and when dry, scraping it with the tips of small scissors to distress it and make it look more like "globs of goo" on the fence.

Inside the fencing, on the two front corners, are the new Tombsones, also propped crookedly, as if they've been there for a very, very long time...

And last but not least, the roofing got a bit of detailing with some colored mica bits...

Supplies:

LLLC Kits:   Birdhouse with Base Kit

LLLC Dies:   Wrought Iron Fence,  Stitched Nested Circles,  Spider Web and Spider,  Tombstones

Patterned papers:   Authentique "Enchanted";  Graphic45 "Halloween in Wonderland"

Flowers:   Wild Orchid Crafts and local craft store

Bird and ribbon spool:   local craft store

Miscellaneous:   Gelly Roll Clear Star pen,  cheesecloth,  Beacon 3-in-1 liquid adhesive, Folk Art Home Decor Chalk Paint

I'm not done just yet...next up is a shabby and fun Christmas card using many of the new dies...

On the left side, the focal point is a triple-cut and layered tree using the new Fancy Christmas Tree Die - it's sprinkled lightly with glittery Stickles, embellished with a strip of ribbon covered in mica flakes, and adorned with a topper of pearls and a crinkled seam binding bow...

At the base of the tree, banners cut from the new  Stitched Elements die set hold the rub-on sentiment...

The oval cutout in the center was also made using a die from the new Stitched Elements set, and inside it, the new Snowflake Banner shining over the new Christmas Hill Border...

Supplies:

LLLC Dies:   Stitched Elements, Fancy Christmas Tree, Christmas Hill Border, Snowflake Banner

Patterned papers:   Pink Paislee Cottage Farms

Sentiment:  Tim Holtz "Christmastime" rubon set            Laces:   local craft store

Miscellaneous:   Hug Snug seam binding,  Frantage Shaved Ice Fragments,   Diamond Stickles

Here are all the NEW Release products that are in the store right now...

You can see many more creations using the new release products over on the La-La Land Crafts blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit today!