Christmas/Holiday Card #25 - Origami Star

The final entry in this series of cards for Christmas or Holiday is something I wanted to do since the beginning.  I made origami trees last year that were the focal point of my card and I wanted to try a different origami this year.

A search on the internet yielded a lot of ideas and I went with modular money origami star found HERE.  Tobias has a great tutorial and I was able to make a star in no time.  I didn't have origami paper and I didn't want to run out and get some just for this project.  I rummaged through my stash of paper and decided on a double sided olive green patterned paper.  Not too heavy and not flimsy either.

I'm not including instructions here for the star because Tobias' tutorial covered all the bases and is excellent.  One thing I would like to mention is if you decide to use regular patterned paper is to make sure you use a bone folder to burnish all the folds.  And I found that the more I burnish the softer and more pliable the paper became and that helps avoid tearing the edges.

Another thing is measurement.  I used 6" x 2-5/8" pieces to minimize scrap papers since most of my patterned papers are 12" x 12".  The star ended up to be about 4.75" x 4.75" too big for a standard A2 card. My card measures 6" x 5".  Here's the front and back of the finished star.

     

Obviously I want the star to stand out so the card layout is really simple but I went all out with the blings.  The star reminded me of the traditional holiday decorations in the Philippines called parol.  They're usually colorful and bright, see pictures below.  The picture of my card is not the best but you get the idea.

These are a few of the parols from the Philippines.

This is the more traditional one.



I enjoyed making all the cards for this series but I'm ready to do something else.  Stay tuned to find out what I tackle next.

Until the next post.............. Cheers!!!

Christmas/Holiday Card #24 - Pop Up Picture Holder

I'm almost caught up with my posts.  These cards were made at my sister's request.  She wanted cards that will "hold" pictures she wanted to send out for the holidays.

The construction is the same as the pop up gift card holder.  The exception is the size, these are 4.5" x 6" cards as opposed to the standard A2 cards.  These are pretty simple and easy to mass produce.  If you want information on how to create this pop-up card, see this POST.

With the first card, I rummaged through my stash bin and found the poinsettia embossed panel, die cut ornament and the small scallop circle.  So I basically created the card using those items.  I made the card base with pomegranate card stock to match the ornament and I selected the sentiment to fit in the small scallop circle.  I used lucky limeade ribbon because I liked the contrast between pomegranate and lucky limeade.

The second card is even simpler than the first.  I made the card base with white cardstock.  I stamped various size snowflakes all over the card front  and sponged the edges using Baja Breeze ink.  I stamped the sentiment with Midnight Muse ink and tied a ribbon around.  If I wasn't in a hurry I would have heat embossed some of the snowflakes.  But as it is, it looks very cool and crisp in person.

This is the inside with a picture inserted.  I found the snow flake patterned paper from my stash and that's where I got the design idea for the front of the card.

Hope you got some inspirations for your holiday cards from this series.  We're almost at the end, I will share the last one tomorrow.

Until then............. Cheers!!!

Christmas/Holiday Card #23 - Joy to the World

Hello my silent friends!  Nobody ever talks to me.  I was going through my stamp sets and noticed that I haven't used this stamp set this year.  We can't let that happen now, can we?

This technique is called emboss resist, the first technique I ever learned when I really got into card making over ten years ago.  Basically, you stamp your image with Versamark on a glossy card stock, heat embossed with clear embossing powder and then sponged whatever water based ink you want all over the embossed image.  Wipe excess ink with a paper towel.  The embossed image "resist" the background color you sponged and stays white just like your card stock.

I made a small variation in that I used white and green embossing powders instead of clear.  I started with a glossy card stock, heat embossed Joy in white embossing power.  Then I heat embossed the star with gumball green powder.  I masked the area below Joy and sponged gumball green ink above the masked line.  Then moved the mask above the green area and sponged cherry cobbler all the way to the bottom of the card stock.  I added a ribbon, three punched stars and some blings.  I mounted the panel onto a white card stock with dimensionals.

As you can see, the embossed images resisted the background color I sponged.   I really like how this turned out, hope you do too.

That's it for now, until next time............... Cheers!!!

Christmas/Holiday Card #22 - Poinsettia

Hi there!  Thanks for stopping by today.  My card today also used an image from Stampin'Up's Bells and Bough stamp set.  I love this set.

I wanted to try the water coloring technique with this image.  I stamped the image with black StazOn solvent ink.  Then I started water coloring the poinsettia but my only aqua painter was not cooperating.  I couldn't control the "wetness" and I ended up with colors running all over the place and the bristles kept spreading out even after I trimmed them.  Scrap that first try.

I started over using a blender pen to apply the color.  I think I actually did pretty good with the coloring, I stayed inside the lines, he he he.  The colors here are real red and gumball green.  I found this red card in my stash already dry embossed with poinsettia.  I added tiny pearls to the center of the poinsettia.  I stamped the sentiment and punched with Decorative Label punch.  Tied the lacy ribbon and I'm done.

The biggest disappointment here is the picture.  The poinsettia's are not coming out red no matter what angle I take.  In reality they're red and matched the card perfectly.

Until next time............. Cheers!!!


All supplies used were from Stampin'Up.

Christmas/Holiday Card #21 - Holly Bough

Hello!  There's just not enough time in the day to create and post lately.  This past week, I have been busy making cards and battling a nasty cold plus getting through the Thanksgiving holiday.  Today I'm catching up on the daily holiday cards.

First up is this simple card created using Stampin'Up's Bells and Bough stamp set.  I normally stay away from stamps that need coloring to be a stand out but this set is easy to work with.

I started with a white base card scored with three straight lines in the middle.  I stamped the holly bough with StazOn solvent ink on a 3.5" x 2.5" piece of card stock.  I colored it with Gumball Green ink using a blender pen.  I added the Cherry Cobbler dazzling details on the berries.  Then I matted the main panel on a Gumball Green cardstock.  Tied a ribbon below the three scored lines and stamped the sentiment below the ribbon.  Finally, I mounted the main panel using dimensional off to the left side.

Hope you like it.

Like I said earlier, this stamp set is easy to work with so I will continue with the other image in the set.

Until the next post............ Cheers!!!

All supplies used were from Stampin;Up.

Christmas/Holiday Cards #20 - Stand Up Card

This is another card design/layout I wanted to try for a while now but never got around to it.  I have some flocked window sheets included with Stampin' Up's Candlelight Christmas Specialty DSP  pack that I wanted to use to make something other than a card.  The flocked sheets are so pretty I wanted them to stand out...... what better way to use them than a stand up card!

I didn't add a label to write on or a sentiment because I'm going to use this as a display "stand" for my handmade ornaments.  It folds flat so you can mail it or in my case, it will be easy to store away.

I've only seen a picture of this type of card so I had to come up with the measurements and construction.  It took a couple of tries, I kept cutting the wrong side, but I was able to put it together.  Hopefully, these pictures will give you an idea of how to create one if you want to try this type of card.  It has so much potential.

I used two 4.25” x 5.5” card stocks. Punch or cut an opening in the middle of the two pieces. On the 1^st piece, cut a 1/4” slit on the top and bottom of the opening (inside).  I scored the middle of the card stock to make sure the slits are lined up.  On the 2nd piece, cut a  1/4” slit from the top (outside) and 2-3/4" slit from the bottom (outside).

The tricky part is sliding the 2nd piece into the 1st piece.  Gently guide the 2nd piece with the long slit into the opening of the 1st piece, you need to bend it but with a little patience it should fall into place.  You can use patterned paper instead of cardstock and add embellishments on all four sides.  TIP: try it on an old card stock or paper you're not too fond of so if you messed up the first try you don't waste your good supplies like I did!

Hope that gives you an idea on how to create this card.

Thanks for stopping by.  Until next time............ Cheers!!!

All supplies used are from Stampin'Up.

Christmas/Holiday Cards #19 - Ornaments

I just had to include these cards featuring the Ornament Keepsakes in this series.  I won this bundle of stamp sets and coordinating dies from a raffle held at one of our stamping group meetings.

All the ornaments were heat embossed with white embossing powder on cherry cobbler card stocks.   I wanted to use the same elements and create three distinctly different cards.

The first card came together pretty quickly until I got to the sentiment.  I tried different placements and punches but ultimately decided to add another ornament with the "merry" adhered in the middle.

The next card layout came to me the first time I saw this particular stamp.   Somehow it reminded me of those sparkly bead "curtains" from the sixties.  I thought the embossed double lines added just the right touch of texture.  This is my favorite out of the three cards.

With the last card, I tried to create a non-holiday card using holiday elements.  I made a "flower" with the ornaments and used a vague sentiment.

Here's the side view.

Thanks for stopping by.  Until next time .............. Cheers!!!

All supplies used were from Stampin' Up

Christmas/Holiday Cards Recap II

Here's another recap of the Christmas/Holiday cards I posted so far.  Easier to preview the cards and if you need/want details or see another view just click on the link to go to the post.

-1-   posted HERE

-2-   posted HERE

-3-   posted HERE

-4-   posted HERE, see alternate design

-5-   posted HERE, see alternate design

-6-   posted HERE see alternate design

-7-   posted HERE

-8-   posted HERE

-9-   posted HERE


-10-   posted HERE

-11-   posted HERE

-12-   posted HERE

-13-   posted HERE

-14-   posted HERE

 inside, gift card holder

-15-   posted HERE

-16-    posted HERE

-17-   posted HERE

-18-   posted HERE

-19-   posted HERE

Christmas/Holiday Card #18 - Bethlehem

City of David - Bethlehem take two!  I finally got a design/layout for this stamp set that I'm satisfied with.

The first one is made with brushed silver card stock cut into a center step card.  I stayed with silver, white and black color combo.  I used silver glimmer paper for the stars, it added just the perfect amount of bling.

Don't you just love it?  Here's the side view, where you can see the steps.

I'm on a roll... can't stop with just that one card.  I tried the same idea but with color and this time I cut the red card stock into a side step card to accommodate the die cut main image.

Here's a side shot.

I'm pleased with these results!  Now onto the poinsettias, I'm still fine tuning the construction and texture to translate the ideas in my head onto paper.

Until the next post my friends............ Cheers!!!

Christmas/Holiday Card #17 - White Christmas

It's a cold and rainy day today here in Berkeley, California.  The weather inspired my card today.  I'm a summer, heat wave kinda person but I wouldn't mind a white Christmas.  I would never live in snow country but a Christmas vacation in the snow appeals to me.

I used white embossing powder for the "snow" effect.  After I masked the bottom of the main panel to create the snow bank, I rubbed the Versamark ink pad directly on the card stock and covered the area with embossing powder.  After the snow bank was heat set, I stamped the tree with Versamark, covered it with embossing powder, then heat set.  I added dazzling diamond on the tree and the snow bank to make the snow glisten.

I don't know what made me reach for that sentiment.  After the card was finished I realized it's not the right sentiment.  Later I'll cover it with a more appropriate one.

Hope you like this one.  It's fairly quick and easy to put together.

Thanks for stopping by.  See you soon............. Cheers!!!

Christmas/Holiday Card #16 - Holly

Hello!  Today I made a super simple card.  I have to admit that it felt like I was cheating because I got  today's card done so quickly.  Earlier today, I was reading Hero Art's blog post about highlighting sentiments and their samples inspired my card.

I dry embossed the white textured card stock with the Mistletoe embossing folder.  Then I stamped the sentiment in cherry cobbler ink.  Finally, I mounted the embossed panel with dimensionals on a white base card.  My card is done.  What do you think?

Remember my two cards rule?  I couldn't resist adding "berries" to the second card.  Just a few.

There you have it.  Some days all you need is a simple card.

Until next time............. Cheers!!!

Christmas/Holiday Card #15 - Trumpeting Angel

Hello, I have another simple and quick card for you today.  I was looking for more holiday images when I found my old Cornish Heritage Farms stamps.  They closed their shop a few years ago but they used to have really fun, exclusive and high quality rubber stamps.

I wanted to get today's card done pretty quickly so I went with supplies I already have on my work table.  Cherry Cobbler cardstock, ink and ribbon.  The image was stamped on vanilla card stock and matted with crumb cake cardstock, both from my pile of scraps.  Not completely sold on the scalloped tulle ribbon but I had it out on my table.  What do you think?

I decided to dig for another ribbon even though I'm pressed for time.  Something light.... aha....... vanilla seam binding ribbon.... perfect!

There you have it.  You can go either way, tone on tone or contrasting color.

Thanks for checking in............. Cheers!!!