News to Share
Hey there, it’s me. I have a couple of things to cover. First of all, I’m still without internet service – wow! I’ve exhausted the data on my phone, but managed to get this post ready. I know I have emails to return to many of you – I’ll get there soon. With all the excitement, I failed to post the winner of last weeks Day of Giving, I’m so sorry – it’s up now!
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The first thing I have to rejoice today is the “read more” button is back! It has taken me months to figure it out, but it is back, did you miss it? Yes, if you subscribe by email to Amazing Paper Grace, it will give you a snippet of my post and all you do is click the “Read More” button to zoom directly to the post!
New Amazing Paper Grace Dies.
The runway is literally full of new products coming off the line at Spellbinders, so while I’m waiting for other new things to take off, my new dies are in line waiting for release. I’m so antsy waiting my turn, but let’s just let the suspense marinate, shall we? The new date is October 26. What am I doing in the meantime? I’ll be loading up ideas of what you can do with these so that if they tickle your fancy, you can hit the ground running! Stay tuned.
Here’s the Story Behind My Gift Today
We are not extravagant people, in fact my gift giving is pretty frugal. Bits of ribbon, bits of yarn, a bauble saved here and there, swirl it around with the thought that counts and beauty from rubbish. I’ve been tinkering with some little gifts – let me explain. I spent more than 20 years in the hotel business and one of my several careers in that industry was event planning. I always had to be on the lookout for the unique and special touches that would make the every day, memorable. I worried about the smallest details because I discovered sometimes that’s where you find the sweet spot, the one little tickle that causes hope or joy or seals the memory. So you remember I mentioned, I have a guest coming to visit soon? I’m crafting frugal gifts to use for ‘turn down service’. That means each night on their pillow, they will find a little gift – it won’t cost much, but it’s the thought and the content that counts. Today I’m sharing one of those turn down gifts :-)
My favorite gift to give this year are small journals – I add a cover with paper to glam it up. This one uses a die I designed called Spellbinders Arched Elegance Pocket and Spellbinders Arched Elegance – I’ve shown a similar journal with a different die, but the steps are the same – you can see it HERE. This one uses a small leather journal found at Hobby Lobby (details bel0w), and as I hunt, I’ve found inexpensive alternatives at Walmart that are roughly the same size. What I do when I’m scouting is carry one of the die cuts in my handbag and when in store I hold it up to possible journals to match the size. It doesn’t have to be exact because you can score in a bit to make it smaller or you can overshoot a little bit to make it larger.
I crafted a small box (sized 3-1/8″ x 4-3/4″ x 1″ tall) with scrapbook paper and simply enclosed the journal and added bows I made with double sided satin ribbon. Oh, the little leaf? I chose it because of the flecks of gold in the vein, and thought it would match perfectly. That’s a $5.00 gift card to Starbucks. I left them a note that they should write in their journals while sipping a special cup of hot chocolate or coffee. What to write about? If nothing else, what we’ll do on their next visit….
Rubber Stamps: None
Craft Paper: Neenah Classic Crest – Natural White 80lb Smooth, Craft Smith – Blush Glam
Ink: None
Accessories: Spellbinders Arched Elegance Pocket, Spellbinders Arched Elegance, Satin Ribbon, Buttons from my stash, Flexy Journal Mini 3 x 4.3″ 80 sheets of 74lbs white paper Hobby Lobby Sku 640227You make life beautiful so be sure to share! Hope you’re having a wonderful day!
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Loving the fall weather and hope you are too! See you soon!!
Elegant. As always! Love your creation!
Hi Becca. This is such a beautiful card and you did right not to cut off the protruding bits! They make the card even more special – you just need a larger envelope!
Doreen R
WAUW once again you´ve just managed to make such a wonderful card here Becca. It´s sooo beautiful and soooo soo elegant. I´m sure, whoever will get this will feel very special to recieve such a beauty here. I just love it.
Hello Becca
Such lovely colours, and the Reindeer has such attitude!
I think this colour is a must this year……. the forecast is for a really cold Winter! Here’s hoping their wrong at least!
Beautiful card as always Becca!
Take care
Love Marg
Stunning!!! The way you come up with using Spellbinders dies just amazes me.
Stunningly beautiful!
Don’t cut the corners off – it’ll take away from the elegance of the card.
That’s just my 2 cents… :)
Becca, this card is stunning!!! I love everything about it!
Gorgeous card-so elegant. Love the colors. Thanks for sharing. Have a good day.
Absolutely gorgeous! Your designs knock me off my feet every time,Becca!
These colors are simply elegant. ?
Hi, Becca,
This card is so lovely. The cool silver is just what I need here in So. California where the weatherman hasn’t noticed it’s Fall now. We are still sweltering and hoping for rain and a drop in the temperature. Keep the Christmas cards coming!
Love and blessings,
Sandy
Oh my gosh!! this card is gorgeous!!! Love the silvery details on the reindeer and the glorious way you framed it. I totally agree, do not trim the corners of the white square, they add such amazing dimension and elegance to this design. Love the delicate die inside the frame and behind the deer, just stunning.
Thank you Becca, for sharing your beautiful card.
Hugs,
Maria Rodriguez.
PS. I’ve been rather busy lately but I had a chance today to come and take a peek at your beautiful blog.
Stunning card love the layering and the Reindeer is Gorgeous. love spellbinders dies and the added Ribbon adds that special touch. thanks for sharing
Becca you always amaze me with your creativity. Thank you for showing us another beautiful work of art!
What a stunning card, Becca! I like that you inlaid silver pieces on the deer die cut. Just another special touch from you!
Oh, Becca. This is my favorite Christmas card EVER. I just LOVE it!!! Sorry to gush, but it is so creative. I just love the layering of the die cuts. The color is fabulous, I just love everything about this. Thank you so much for posting it. Fabulous!!!!
So elegant Becca….love the inlay in the deer!!!
Paper Hugs,
Jan
Becca,
All I can say is “WOW” to this card.
Do you have any inspiration for elegant Thanksgiving cards?
This really is such a beautifully elegant card which would grace anybody’s mantle. Beautiful. All those layers are gorgeous. Christine xx
Very creative! Looks like you wrapped the Blooming Collection cut around the rectangular cut, which looks very cool especially with the silver. Also it looks like you cut a second reindeer in silver and used the cutout pieces to fill in the white deer. Very impressed with your techniques in this one! I love it!
Your card is so stunning and so very elegant. I love thevcool, soft colors and the rain deer die cut is the perfect touch. Thank you for sharing your beautiful card.
So beautiful. We all wish for your talent!!! I sent you 2 questions yesterday, not sure if I did that right? Thanks for sharing …..
Kathy, I wanted to let you know I got them dear. I’m a little behind on answering emails and I have company arriving tomorrow – yikes, can you believe I’m not quite ready? I’ll weigh in on those two questions soon.
Wow; gorgeous, stunning, beautiful!!! I love it with the edges hanging off the side.
I just recently found your blog (and LOVE your work!) I’ve searched on how you achieve your mad bow-making skills. Is your bow maker still available anywhere?? Your bows are just gorgeous!
You just always amaze me! Beautiful card!
So beautiful! Love this card.. thank you for sharing!!
This is stunning. Love the elegant and clean look of this card. Beautifully Done.
Hi Becca, Your cards are so worth waiting for even if you skip a day or two. They always hve a surprise by either turning a die on end or overlapping a combination I would never have put together. Sometimes I can get lucky playing with my die cuts but you flawlessly construct wonderful combinations. Your cards have a Becca look/style but they are not carbon copies of each other–fresh, original, with an element of surprise. Keep them coming. Thank you. Barbara
Another beautifully elegant card. Love the colour!
This card is absolutely gorgeous!!! Love the silver color with the white. It shows so much elegance.
As usual Becca , you have put your own style into these familiar die cuts and made something elegant and beautiful!!
XxxxRuth
Beautiful card Becca i love it.
God Bless.
Elaine H X
So very beautiful. Thank for sharing.
Oh my gosh…what a stunning card. Perfect colors for this time of the year. I whole heartedly agree with Maria Rodriguez (I hope she doesn’t mind ). I have a few questions to ask of you : What size is your gorgeous card and will you have a video for your card? And don’t trim off the edges. Thank you for sharing your lovely “Elegantly Silvery Holidays” card.
Cordially, Cindy
Oh, so elegant and lovely! I really like the deer and the how you combined the SP Blooming Collection. Uhmmm, my wish list is getting longer. Yes, I am enjoying the cooler fall weather. I’m not, however, looking forward to the winter that comes early here in the mountains.
OMG Becca, your card couldn’t be anymore beautiful! I’ve seen the deer and sleigh before but it certainly didn’t look as good on display at Spellbinders as it does on your card, the silver really does it JUSTICE! I also LOVE many layers to my cards, so your card more than fits the bill.
Hi Becca. Wow I love your card today. It’s absolutely stunning. Hugs xxx
Your card is stunning! I love the colors. The tilted square really makes the card.
what a great way to put things together! You’re awesome!
This silver and white is beautiful. I hardly ever use silver but for the 1st time EVER someone asked me to make silver/white/navy Christmas tags. My 1st order. Woo hoo. Thanks for all your inspiration.
As always, this is just stunning! The 2 tones on the reindeer are awesome! I am guessing that to achieve that look, you cut the deer twice, once in white & once in silver, and replaced the cut outs with the silver pieces. Very intricate work, but totally worth the result!! Another masterpiece Becca!
I think this is the most elegant Christmas card I’ve ever seen!!! Wish I could spend just a few minutes inside your head to capture your vision. You are remarkable!
What an awesome card Simple but oh so elegant!
What a stunning Christmas Card !!!!!! Just absolutely gorgeous Becca.
Marcie
Good morning Becca, absolutely fabulous!!! I just love it!!!! Keep them coming : )
Have a good one!!!
Loopy Lynda xxx
This card is gorgeous, Gorgeous, GORGEOUS, Becca. Thank you for sharing.
Your creativity is incredible!
Mary
GORGEOUS BECCA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
Beautiful card! Thanks for sharing with us. God bless.
Absolutely stunning Becca! It’s been quite a long time since
I lasted commented, but I still visit quite frequently. Love the “new” backdrop on you blog.
Very pretty Becca. Would like to know how you do the “light” cutting so it doesn’t go completely through such as on the reindeer. If I didn’t want to go through it would; If I want it to cut, it doesn’t!!!!!Everything comes out great for you – lucky girl!! Or maybe you just know what you are doing!! lol
Hugs
Mstgane
Ann Robbins
What a beautiful card!!! I’ve seen this reindeer die and loved it, but really had no idea how to best use it. You are so good at using dies in unexpected ways and making it look totally unique! Thank for sharing your awesome, beautiful card!!!
I always love your cards, Becca. But this one just blew my socks off! So elegant, yet classic, not to mention I’m a sucker for reindeer! Love, love, love!
R/
Absolutely stunning!. The silver looks incredible and it looks so elegant. Love, love, love the card!!!
Hi Becca,
What a beautiful card and love the colors.I like it with the corners sticking out would use a bigger envelope or try next time cutting of the extended pieces for a different look as you said.
Beautiful and elegant card! Love it!
Stunning!
Interesting change. I like the reindeer filled in with the silver cut outs from the die.
I love this card. Didn’t particularly care for the reindeer die but now that I see how you used it its fabulous! Good job!
Morning Becca, I love it !! Certainly a change in colours, a very ‘icy’ feel, I love all the dies you have used here, they complement each other beautifully, and I love how you have die-cut the deer again in silver and ‘filled in’ the ‘fall out’ pieces into the filigree part of the deer, it looks stunning.
Lots of love from Patricia xx
Such a ‘statement’ card! I love the unusual shape and this card will certainly stand out from its neighbours on the mantelpiece! Beautiful!
Hugs
Anne (UK) x
Question: What die was used to get the stitched affect on the solar white layers???? I love that added detail. But then that is what always makes your cards so special – those added details like the added silver inlays on the reindeer. Gorgeous.
Marcie
Hi Marcie, I used the square detail dies from Spellbinders Triple Floral for the stitch look.
So pretty. Nice to see a traditional Christmas card and not these weird colours!
Hi Becca,
Such a gorgeous Christmas card, love the colour choices so beautiful. I do hope this finds you well and happy?
Love & hUgs
Jacquie J xxx
As always, soo elegant. I have a question please. I really like making 5×7 cards. Do you have any recommendations for paper to make the envelopes out of? I think card stock is a little bit too thick but in order to get a piece of paper large enough to make the envelop, I have only been able to find 12×12 cardstock. Do you have any suggestions on what I can use that is large enough, to make envelopes? Thank you for any suggestions that you may have.
OH! love this elegant card. don’t cut of the protruding edges, I like it the way it is. Just make a larger envelope. The whole concept is perfect the way it is….have a good day….by the way do you have more bow tutorials.?
Becca – What a wonderful Christmas card. Love everything about it. Thanks for sharing.
This is another eye-catching and ever so elegant card and one of the best.
Hello Becca,
This is stunningly fabulous!!!
Maureen xxx
Hello Becca wow what an elegant card you are so unique!!!
love everything about it .
Thank you for sharing at such a busy time for you .
Big Hugs XXX
Oh, Becca! I just love this card. I ventured out to Hobby Lobby today just to get the gold poster board that you frequently use. I guess I need to get some silver now! Could you tell me what machine you use and the “sandwich” for cutting the poster board? I have a Big Shot and a Grand Calibur. I am unsure about using the Spellbinders dies with the thicker material. Thank you for sharing your talents.
Susie, you’ll use the same sandwich as you do for cardstock. This is only the tiniest bit thicker and it takes to the machine so well. Let me know how it turns out :-)
A fabulous card Becca and the colours up you have used are gorgeous.
Nancyd xx
Beautiful card! Thank you so much for sharing.
Blessings
Susan
Hi Becca! Love this card! How did you add the punctured dots inside the square dies? Also, I wanted to let you know how your beautiful art is an inspiration for me. It is people such as you who keep creativity flowing in this world. It makes the world that much better.
Beautiful card as usual Becca, especially that gorgeous bow with the bling in the center!
My heart is singing today because I’m almost finished with a large order for Christmas cards. I’ve been putting it off for weeks now, but am well on the way to finishing.
Hi Becca what a lovely card, simple but so elegant- love it.
Wendyx
This is a gorgeous card. The colors do make me feel cold. I love that you used the cutouts from the silver diecut to fill in the white diecut. Christmas is just around the corner. Thanks for the reminder.
WOW!! I really like the reindeer with the accenting silver metallic pieces. Of course everything else is beyond beautiful. I love how u take dies and use them in ways I would never think of. Thanks for sharing.
hugs
Kay
Very chic and sophisticated. Love the little ‘snooty’ deer, so cute with it’s head cocked in the air that way. Love this design. Your eye for detail is quite enviable. The colors complement each other well. Pulling those edges through is genius. Your design eye is truly “AMAZING.”
Hi Becca,
Just dipped into your site again, after a longish absence. So glad I did, your cards are always so elegant. And this Xmas card is no exception. It’s gorgeous.
We have lovely autumn weather in Chester, England. But I suppose our foliage is not as spectacular as over the pond, in New England.
Hugs, Rose
Hi Becca, I really love this design and the colors.
I thought I’d give it a try but I’ve been having some problems trying to cut the white piece out of the two detail dies in the triple floral. I know you have an engineers mind because you come up with some amazing designs by changing things up a bit.
Any tip you can give is very welcome.
Donna
Absolutely beautiful card. Love the use of colors, it’s just gorgeous. Who make’s the beautiful blue cardstock? I would love to purchase some for myself.
Have a blessed day!