Christmas Snowman

Hello everyone,

I hope you enjoyed a lovely Christmas day.  Today's post is another great Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is Simple Stories Merry & Bright layered on Stampin' Up Basic Grey and Ridinghood Red.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Christmas Messages stamped in Altenew Lava Rock on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Ridinghood Red.  The brad is Recollections.

One of my girlfriends has a big thing for snowmen so when I came across this paper I knew it would be perfect for her family's Christmas card.  The image is a little on the large size for a card but by making it a focal point instead of the background it works perfectly.  I was inspired to hang the sentiment from his arm and I just love the result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Italian Christmas IV

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great Christmas Greetings card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is Rossi 1931 layered on Simple Stories December Documented.  The sentiment is Flonz 807 stamped in Close To My Heart Ponderosa Pine on a vanilla of unknown origin and layered on a strip of more Simple Stories December Documented.  The felt tree embellishments are from Artemio.

This is one of my favourites in this series.  I just love these rows of trees!  I'm not usually a fan of rows of images because they don't often work all that well on cards but these images are the perfect scale for a card.  I think these felt trees are absolutely perfect embellishments!  A fantastic result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Italian Christmas III

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is another Italian vintage style Christmas card.

The card bae is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is Rossi 1931 layered on Pacon Red and Simple Stories December Documented.  The sentiment is Flonz 807 stamped in Close To My Heart Ponderosa Pine on a vanilla of unknown origin and layered on more Pacon Red and Simple Stories December Documented.  The sentiment panel is highlighted with Holly Stickles.

I think this is another great card.  It was another mass produced using the replica Italian paper and the Flonz sentiment.  I will admit I didn't feel very imaginative but once I'd put all the elements together, I did try to change things up with embellishments.  This is definitely not my favourite way for crafting cards but when short on time, it works.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Italian Christmas II

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is another pair of Christmas cards using reproduction Italian paper.

The card bases are Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is Grafiche Tassotti layered on Simple Stories December Documented.  The sentiment is Flonz 807 stamped in Close To My Heart Ponderosa Pine on a vanilla of unknown origin and layered on Pacon Red and more December Documented.  The embellishments are Mark Richards 3mm gold metals and Xmas Red Stickles.

I love both of these cards. Obviously they were part of a batch which I mass produced but as I was able to change things up a bit with each card I didn't get bored.  This great sentiment works great with the vintage style and convey the message perfectly in 2020.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Italian Christmas I

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is one of a mishmash Christmas cards using beautiful reproduction Italian paper.

The card bases are Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is Grafiche Tassotti layered on Pacon Red and Simple Stories December Documented.  The sentiment is cut from more Pacon Red using Couture Creations Merry Christmas decorative die.  The embellishments are Recollections stickers and Golden Rod Stickles.

I purchased a wide variety of this reproduction paper quite a while ago.  I think it's suppose to be wrapping paper but it works wonderfully for cards.  I've tried to resist craft shopping lately in the hopes that I use up some of my stash.  Realistically, I wouldn't need to buy any Christmas products for the rest of my life.  I'm moderately pleased with these cards but they're not the best I've ever done. I was mass producing which doesn't always bode well for my creativity.

I hope you enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

More Christmas Plaid

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great plaid Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is Simple Stories Merry & Bright layered on Stampin' Up Always Artichoke.  The sentiment is Crafter's Companion Festive Phrases cut from and stamped on more Recollections Vanilla and stamped in Early Espresso.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.

I just love this big, bold bow!  I just couldn't resist using it with this great plaid paper.  It works well to anchor the two elements of the sentiment.  The layout is quite simple and one I've used quite often.  I think the different elements came together wonderfully.  It's a great result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Merry Christmas

Hello everyone,

Merry Christmas!  I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful day with their family and friends.

Today's post is a wonderful vintage inspired Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is Simple Stories Merry & Bright layered on Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler and a light green of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Bonnidée C'est Noël stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Cherry Cobbler.  The gingham ribbon is of unknown origin.

I love this paper.  The vintage aspect is really appealing.  It has a great variety of colours which makes coordinating solids quite straightforward.  I love the tag styling of the sentiment and the gingham ribbon works perfectly.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Wheeled Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a great traditional Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections Kraft.  The printed paper is Simple Stories Merry & Bright layered on a red Bazzill.  The sentiment is My Favorite Things stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more red Bazzill.  The embellishments are Recollections cork dots.

I really love this paper.  It's perfect for a masculine card, whether as giver or a receiver.  These snow covered cars are really great.  The layout is straightforward with the extended red layer providing a base for the embellishments.  The sentiment font may be a little on the fancy side for the printed paper but it still works great.  It a fantastic result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

A Country Plaid

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great plaid Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections Kraft.  The printed paper is Simple Stories Merry & Bright layered on Close To My Heart Ponderosa Pine and Recollections Red. The sentiment is Inkadinkado stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Ponderosa Pine and red.  The sentiment is coloured with Tombow 158.  The card is highlighted with Candy Cane Stickles.

There is nothing like a plaid 'country' Christmas card.  I debated doing this 'country' style card for this commission but eventually decided that the variety would work.  He has to have at least one client for whom this would work.  The banner layout is a favourite and the little bit of colouring is something I can easily handle.  It's a great result!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Folksy Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely country styled birthday card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The printed paper is Simple Stories Pumpkin Spice layered on a white of unknown origin and Stampin' Up Lost Lagoon.  The sentiment is Paper Smooches All Year Cheer stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on a white of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Recollections adhesive faux pearls.

This folksy kind of paper isn't one to which I'd normally gravitate but I found this piece particularly appealing.  I think it's the variety of colours and the burlap textured background.  I chose to us the blue because it really pops!  Notice the card base is dotted which speaks to the dots of the flowers.  I did that on purpose.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Tree Trio

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a more masculine/neutral French Christmas card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The printed paper is Simple Stories Merry & Bright layered on a red Bazzill.  The images are Peel-Off's outline stickers filled with a variety of glitter.  The sentiment is Bonnidée C'est Noël stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla.

I crafted these glittered trees a number of years ago and found them in the leftover bin of bit and pieces.  As with many of these cards, I'm trying to use up some of the leftovers in my stash.  I love the trees against the tree paper.  Even though they're very different, they still speak well to each other.  The sentiment also nods to trees.  It's a great result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Christmas Cars

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas card post is a more masculine card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The printed paper is Simple Stories Merry & Bright layered on a red Bazzill.  The sentiment is Stamp Barn stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections White and layered on more red Bazzill.

In my mind, this is the perfect masculine Christmas card.  I just love these vintage cards!  I'm not always thrilled about rows of images as I don't find they necessarily work all that well on cards but this printed paper is the perfect scale for cards.  This layout is extremely simple because I didn't want to cover up any more of the printed paper than necessary.  Also, it is a masculine card so no extra frou frou was needed.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Painted And Perfect

Hello everyone,

Today post is for another Christmas card I designed for a girlfriend and I to craft at a recent crop.

The image is Deep Red Poinsettia Blossom stamped on Recollections Kraft with Ranger Glacier White and heat embossed with Stampin' Up White embossing powder.  The image is painted with LuminArte Coral Berry, Deep Coral, Mango Mamba, Persimmon, Poppy Red and Ruby Red Twinkling H2Os.  The image is layered on Stampin' Up Whisper White and Simple Stories December Documented Red Snowflakes.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas stamped in Stampin' Up Soft Suede.

I was inspired to design this card because I was so very pleased with the 'Kraft Magic' cards I crafted in September.  I love these 'magic' cards.  The white just pops against the Kraft paper and I think I used every red Twinkling H2O I have in my stash.  Again, I kept the sentiment simple and didn't even bother with embellishments so as not to detract from this pretty poinsettia.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Dashes of Glitter

Hello everyone,

The supplies that were donated for the charity cards contained some great Christmas goodies.  My love of Christmas cards makes these scraps irresistible.

The card base is a shimmery green of unknown origin.  The printed paper is also of unknown origin layered on Simple Stories December Documented.  The image is Stampin' Up Dasher stamped in Wild Wasabi on Whisper White and layered on more December Documented. The sentiment is Stampin' Up More Merry Messages stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The embellishment is Recollections Adhesive Embellishments.  The card is highlighted with Xmas Red Stickles.

This is a really cute paper (and there is lots of it!) but it's not as easy to work with as I had hoped.  The banner of images crosses the paper in such a way that it makes for adding images and a sentiment rather difficult.  I'm going to have to be really creative to find something that I like and then make a whole bunch the same.  It's something I really hate doing but there are so many scraps of this paper I don't know how I'll manage to use them all up.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Holly, Holly, Holly

Hello everyone,

Today Christmas card worked so much better in my head than in reality.

The printed paper is Simple Stories Handmade Holiday layered on December Documented.  The holly sprigs were die cut with Memory Box Holly Bouquet die in green Bazzill.  The berries were filled with Xmas Red Stickles.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas stamped in Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler on Recollections Vanilla.

I really wanted to do a row of this holly along the bottom edge of the card but it just wouldn't fit.  I always try to use the 'odd number' practice so I was determined to find a way to get these three die cuts on this card.  I didn't get the angled die cuts even and by the time I realized how off I was, it was too late.  Even if I hadn't been so stubborn and stuck to using just one of the die cuts, it would have been better. I actually think maybe I should have put them aside altogether.  Against this paper, they rather remind me of spiderwebs, not holly.  I had hoped that using the Stickles to fill in the berries would make it look better, but it doesn't really.  Some times, it just doesn't work.  I really hope it doesn't turn me off of this die because it really is lovely.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Vintage Christmas Postage

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas In July card is all about vintage.

 The printed paper is Kaisercraft Christmas Carol layered on Simple Stories December Documented.  The image is Crafty Individuals stamped in Stampin' Up Soft Suede on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more December Documented.  The banners are punched from December Documented.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Mocha Opaques.

I've been so happy with the vintage postcard cards I've been crafting that I decided to play with this stamps stamp that I picked up last year.  It's quite busy but I really like how it pops on this card, even with the busy background paper. It's a really square stamp which doesn't usually cause me problems but in this case, it's an awkward size for the card base I'm using.  I decided to use an offset layout, adding the ribbon and small banners to provide balance.  I think the results are pretty good.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Sweet And Simple

Hello everyone,

Today's Christmas In July card is unbelievably quick and easy.

The printed papers are K&Company Yuletide and Simple Stories December Documented.  The sentiment is also K&Company Yuletide.  The ribbon is Crafts.  The embellishments are Crystal Stickers red glitter domes.

I think it took me longer to decide upon the elements than to actually craft this card.  If every you're in need of a card in short order, this is something I'd recommend.  Coordinating paper and chip board stickers and some pretty ribbon and embellishments are easy and quick to pull together.  I love this sweet little oval.  I probably went a little overboard with the glittering gems but they just affixed themselves so easily.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon,

Gisèle

Christmas Treats XI & XII

Hello everyone,

Here are the last two Christmas cards that I crafted last December.  I'm hopeful that the six-day card crafting and blogging break will put my mojo in high gear so I have some spectacular Christmas cards to share through the rest of the month.

The printed paper is K&Company Tim Coffey layered on Simple Stories December Document
Green Snowflakes and Red Chevron.  The sentiment is Bonnidee Xmas Wording 3 stamped in Early Espresso.  The sticker is Anna Griffin Christmas Kitsch.

The printed paper is K&Company Tim Coffey layered on Recollections Vanilla and Simple Stories December Documented Red Chevron.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Wacky Wishes stamped in Real Red on Recollections Ivory, highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen and layered on Glorious Green and more Ivory.  The sticker is of unknown origin (likely Crafts).

These two cards were actually crafted before yesterday's cards.  They used up the last big piece and one of larger two scraps.  I was used a couple of stickers and my trusty glitter pen to jazz them up a wee bit.  The second card uses more layers.  I really love that look and it really makes the printed paper pop!  On the first card I stamped the sentiment right on the base so it too would pop.

My girlfriend loved the cards and this series was really fun to craft.

I hope you enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Christmas Treats IX & X

Hello everyone,

Today's two Christmas cards use up some of the larger and teeny, tiny scraps from the 12X12 sheet of printed paper.

The printed paper is K&Company Tim Coffey layered on Stampin' Up Glorious Green.  The sentiment is Stampendous Christmas Script stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Ivory, layered on Simple Stories December Documented Red Snowflakes and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.  The embellishments are EK Success Candy Cane Repeat Stickers.

The printed paper is K&Company Tim Coffey layered on Stampin' Up Glorious Green and Simple Stories December Documented.  The Glorious Green layered was textured with Couture Creations Washed Away embossing folder and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The sentiment is Stampendous Retro Christmas Script stamped in Glorious Green on Recollections Ivory, layered on more Simple Stories December Documented and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The embellishment are BoBunny Elf Magic Jewels.

Love the first card.  Not so fussy on the second card.  I have to say Glorious Green isn't so pretty when you see so much of it.  It's been great as a layer but you see way too much of it on the second card.  I tried to help it by add textured with an embossing folder and some glitter but it's still a not so pretty card.  I wanted to use every last scrap of printed paper but these are just too small to work against all that Glorious Green.  Live and learn!

I hope you enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Christmas Treats VII & VIII

Hello everyone,

Two more very pretty Christmas cards today!

The printed paper is K&Company Tim Coffey layered on Recollections Ivory and Simple Stories December Documented Red Snowflakes.  The sentiment is Kaisercraft Christmas Quotes stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso and layered on Glorious Green.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.  The brads are We R Memory Keepers.

The printed paper is K&Company Tim Coffey layered on Recollections Ivory, Stampin' Up Glorious Green and Simple Stories December Documented Red Chevron.  The sentiment is a 2001 Stampin' Up from an unknown collection.  The embellishments are Eyelet Outlet Gingerboy brads.

This pair of Christmas cards are all about layers.  Large piece of printed paper with a sentiment focal point and minimal embellishments.  These have to be amongst my favourites is this series as you can really get a sense of the printed paper.  Neither of these cards would have taken all that long to craft.  I suspect I spent more time selecting the sentiments and embellishments than working on the layout.

I hope you enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle