 
Happy Monday blog friends, I can’t believe it’s the last week of August! I gave my Christmas tree and all the ornaments to my daughter when she moved last year so this year I’m starting all over. I have one of those tall, skinny trees so I went Christmas ‘window’ shopping this weekend to begin to get my ducks in a row. What I didn’t remember was all the time it took to collect things that felt special. On my first jaunt through the stores, I wasn’t finding what I wanted so I can tell I’ll have to have a little game plan this season. In the mean time, I wanted to shake it up a little bit and add in a color I love but don’t use so much. Teal – swoon :-) I’m back with another Christmas Card made using a gorgeous background stamp from JustRite Stampers called Holly Stripes Background Stamp. That’s definitely where the inspiration started so I was set once I embossed in gold, and the rest of the embellishments fell into place.
I decorated the panel behind the stamped background by using one of my favorite new Spellbinders Nestabilities – Spellbinders Captivating Squares – since my card is a rectangle, I cut each end off and reattached adjusting to the size of my rectangle. I added a frame made with Spellbinders Elegant Labels Four and Spellbinders Labels Four and finished off the interior with the smaller motifs from Captivating Squares and stamped with a sentiment from Festive Poinsettia. I decorated the background with tiny red crystals for a pop of color and decided to go with a red satin ribbon. I was so excited to get to use one of the new Spellbinders Hat Pins – I used the smaller of the Spellbinders Circle Hatpins. Since I knew I wanted to used this little holly button to get a smidge of green in, I took the hatpin (originally silver) and filled the frame with hot glue then spritzed it and the bezel with gold paint and glued my holly leaf on. It was the perfect size for a custom pop of color and elegance. The little filigree circle on top of my bow was black, so I spritzed it gold paint as well.
Here’s your Step-By-Step Recap, from the bottom up, just in case you’d like to make one too. Start out with a card base cut to 5-5/8″ wide x 7″ tall, foam tape, gold matting layer 5-1/2″ x 6-5/8″, design paper layer 5-3/8″ x 6-1/2″, foam tape, gold layer 4-1/2″ x 5-5/8″ embellished with edges from Captivating Squares, stamped layer 4-3/8″ x 5-1/2″, foam tape, die cut layer using Elegant Labels Four, inside frame layer using two smallest motifs from Captivating Squares. Add ribbon, gems, hatpin.
| SUPPLIES I USED |
Stamps: JustRite Papercrafts – Holly Stripes Background Stamp
Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Natural White, DCWV, K and Company
Ink: Versamark, Amuse Cranberry
Accessories: Spellbinders Captivating Squares, Spellbinders Elegant Labels Four, Spellbinders Labels Four, Spellbinders Circle Hatpins, Recollections Gems, Recollections Pearls, Satin Ribbon, Pilot Gold Marker, Becca’s Bow Maker, Grand Calibur Die Cutting Machine |
By the way (lol, I know someone will ask), I made the gold border in the center of my small sentiment frame by tracing on the emboss line with a fine Gold Marker while the paper was still in the die. No mess and so easy – I hope you’ll give that technique a try! Two Christmas Cards down, many more to gooooooooo…… See you soon!
Just a heads up, JustRite Papercrafts is running a huge die sale – 20% off until September 1st!
Sweet blog friends, I haven’t even begun to make a dent in the cards I’ll need for the Christmas season, so today is one in the bucket. With luck, this year I’d love to have at least twenty handmade cards before Thanksgiving – I can wish! I went with traditional colors but reached for the Holly Frame Background Stamp from JustRite Papercrafts to get started. I love backgrounds but like to separate the elements into layers, so that’s what I did here.
First of all, I knew I wanted a die cut background layer but most of my Spellbinders Nestabilities didn’t cover the size of the background stamp so I simply cut Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles in half vertically and hid the opening by covering it with the small filigree element from Spellbinders Exquisite Labels Eleven. I stamped the background three times and one one layer, fussy cut the scalloped outside border, on one layer cut the inside rectangle and on one layer fussy cut the interior scalloped oval. I put foam tape between each layer but cut out the Oval using Spellbinders Classic Ovals LG. That gave me a frame and inside I stamped using Christmas Inner Thoughts.
Here’s your Step-By-Step Recap, from the bottom up, just in case you’d like to make one too. Start out with a card base cut to 5-1/2″ wide x 6-5/8″ tall. red layer 5-3/8″ x 6-1/2″, foam layer, gold matting layer 4-7/8″ x 6″, red layer 4-3/4″ x 5-7/8″, foam tape, die cut layer using Timeless Rectangles, foam tape, stamped scalloped layer, foam tape, stamped rectangle layer, foam tape, stamped scalloped oval layer.
| SUPPLIES I USED |
Stamps: JustRite Papercrafts – Holly Frame Background Stamp, Christmas Inner Thoughts
Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Natural White, Bazzill, DCWV
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Amuse Blush
Accessories: Spellbinders Timeless Rectangles, Spellbinders Exquisite Labels Eleven, Spellbinders Classic Ovals LG, May Arts Silk Ribbon, Recollections Pearls, Prismacolor Pencil, Gelli Roll Sakura Pen, Button, Becca’s Bow Maker, Grand Calibur Die Cutting Machine |
Thanks so much for peeking in to see what I’m working on :-) Back soon.
Sweet blog friends, so sorry for my absence. Like most, I go through brief bouts of being overwhelmed and pushing to create and that’s when I know it’s time to take a couple of days off to rejuvenate. It feels empty to make something just for the sake of making it – I love to enjoy the process and I really do craft from the heart. This is from my heart. I sat down yesterday with the Fine Feathers stamp set from Waltzingmouse Stamps that I added to my collection after last months release – truth be known, I had to have it. Claire made sure it found it’s way into my hands – thank you Claire!!! It’s been a week of introspection and this is a beautiful reminder, one I sorely needed. It was my treat to sit down and create with such a beautiful thought.
I pulled a couple of dies together to layer and the card base is made as I’ve shown with the Filigree Hinged Card Tutorial using Spellbinders Scalloped Borders Two. It was made that way so that the two borders used could be arranged on a flat front sheet and then joined to the back – I find it easiest that way. I followed with Spellbinders Opulent Ovals, Spellbinders Labels Thirty Two and Spellbinders Captivating Squares. The cut out from the borders made such an intriguing window that I lined the inside with pink.
Here’s your Step-By-Step Recap, from the bottom up, just in case you’d like to make one too. Start out with a card base cut to 5-3/4″ wide x 6″ tall. Cut with Scalloped Borders Two before assembling, foam tape, die cut layer from white using Opulent Ovals, foam tape, die cut layer from white using Labels Thirty Two, foam tape, die cut layer from white using Captivating Squares.
| SUPPLIES I USED |
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps – Fine Feathers
Paper: Masters Touch White Watercolor Paper (140 lbs), EK Success – Pink Viburnum
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Amuse Blush
Accessories: Spellbinders Scalloped Borders Two, Spellbinders Opulent Ovals, Spellbinders Labels Thirty Two, Spellbinders Captivating Squares, May Arts Silk Ribbon, Prima Flowers, Recollections Pearls, Feathers from my stash, Becca’s Bow Maker, Grand Calibur Die Cutting Machine |
I’m working on a tutorial friends. I think this week the jet lag got the best of me among many other things. I’ll be back in the saddle soon as I have lots of goodies to play with :-)
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I love your card today and the fact that you gave your daughter your tree. You do so many amazing things, why don’t you make your ornaments with some of your Spellbinders dies! You can do it! Then get some teal lights for the Christmas tree and there you have it!
We had a flooded basement two years ago and we unable to save our carefully selected ornaments and family heirlooms so I too started over again. A slim tree is the answer for sure and I will be continuing to fill in some new items this year. I am sure your daughter loves having a touch of home for the holidays. Your card is a beauty and the die collection you have must be huge .Can you share your most favorite dies with us please.
Where and how did you emboss in gold? The card – as usual – is beautiful. I continue to look forward to your postings. God has truly blessed you with so much talent, a kind and sharing heart. Thank you.
Another gorgeous christmascard here again Becca. Soooo elegant and beautiful as ever. I absolutely love the gorgeous look of the deep red color on the ribbon and the stamp and then the fine gold line around the sentiment. Sooo little, but soooooooo huge effect on the endresult. Amazing job as usual hun.
Have a wonderful week ahead now.
G.M. BECCA,
Have missed your daily posts, never get enough even you posted every day. This is just as beautiful as all our your others.
I did the new trees thingy last year as well. Bought two of the littler trees that going on each side of entrance and using one of them; about 4 1/2′ which is big enough when the kids are grown and out of the house; same with grandchildren. of course, Christmas is not the same without little ones but don’t want greats yet. LOL
Hope you have a beautiful and crafty day. I’m making 125 invitations for a tea – cricut tea pot with the inscription on a spellbinder blossom die; then it is glue time. Have all the teapots done and about 50 of the blossoms cut and embossed. Pretty big job but definitely worth it.
Hugs,
Mstgane
Ann
Love your card. It is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
What a beautiful card. That would have to go to someone special. I was wondering how you mail your cards.
We also started over a couple of years ago with our christmas tree & had a time finding what we wanted but it was fun checking different trees out.
Very pretty card, Becca. I will have to try this one out. Thank you for your
inspiration. I so look forward to your posts. Your blog is my very favorite!
Lovely! I just made a teal and cream card – a goodbye for a dear friend. In fact, if I am not mistaken, I CASED one of yours. Only mine lacks very much in the finer details and finessethat you have such a knack for. Let us say that my card is the Fisher-Price version of your card. Your cards rock! We have a nice tree and decorations but neither one of us gets into that side of Christmas anymore so it has all languished for decades in the basement… Maybe I’ll get it out and donate it to our church or maybe a women’s shelter. Of course it is buried deep by now. Maybe I won’t bother this year… (Did I say that out loud??)
Fabulous card !
I love those amazing “Becca details” in all your cards! Gorgeous!
Enjoy that holiday tree shopping!!!!
YES!!!! THAT WAS the question I was going to ask Becca!!!!!!!!!LOL THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!:) This is a GORGEOUS CARD!!!!!!!!!!!:) I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE GOLD on Christmas Cards!!!!:)
Stunning card!
Becca this card is BEAUTIFUL Love the background stamp
also love the way you have done the gold border round your
sentiment. ” Will have to try this”
Happy crafting
Love Marion x
such pretty framing and papers, like your idea for getting the gold framing around the sentiment, tfs!
Just beautiful Becca and love the gold!
Teal is a favorite color of mine, and in your hands it turns to magic! This is a fantastic Christmas card. That bright bow just highlights the sentiment so beautifully – what a wonderful card!
A really classy creation – will have to try the gold border technique – love it!
An idea for your Christmas decorations would be to use paper or foil and make your ornaments with Spellbinder dies and stamps. I think Spell. has a lot of beautiful frames and ornaments that would look great 3D on a tree. You do such wonderful things with dies and stamps that I know the decorations would be spectular! Go for it, girl! Inspire us. It would give us ideas and we could have a whole new theme for our trees as well. Stampin Up showed a super 3D ornament on their catalog last year.
I had a yearly tradition of purchasing an ornament each year for my girls when they were growing up. They were a variety of things. I didn’t just go to the Halmark store each year. Some of them I got at craft show. When the girls had their own trees they took those ornament. Then I had your situation, I had to buy for my own tree. One year, I went beachy when I lived in Florida and some years I just put on one color of ball. I could change the theme each year without spending a lot. Now I enjoy being at my daughters for Christmas and seeing all those ornaments on their trees. They bring back memories.
Would you show us what the piece looks like when you cut off the ends of a square die to make it a rectangle background?
Hi Becca,
such a beautiful card – don’t know which one of them to choose as favourites – this one or the one before. They are all absolutely wonderful and it’s good that I don’t have to choose favourites.
Because there’s no room to put up a big Xmas tree, mine is a very tiny 3-footer. But it looks good decorated with tiny lights and ornaments, some of them made by me. With your talent I wouldn’t even waste my money looking at decorations in shops – yours will be much more elegant…..
Go for it…………..
Hugs, Rose
An oh so beautiful card! Everything just pops
gorgeous that all I can say, love it
Hi Becca, an absolutely stunning card as always, I love these colours and use of the dies and stamps, thank so much for the inspiration xx
This is stunning Becca, I love this Spellbinders die too and your ribbon detail is gorgeous.
We bought a new tree for Christmas 2011 and all new decorations, Cost a small fortune but its beautiful and it will last many years as the previous one did.
We do have a little glass Santa on it that was bought for my hubby’s 1st Christmas 71 years ago.xx
Hugs Mau xx
Who wouldn’t love to receive this beautiful card!
simply gorgeous Becca…..good luck getting your ducks in a row….I will be sorting through and down sizing my Christmas decoration collection as I have 15 lrg totes to go through and I doubt the new house will have room to store that many LOL When I decorate I do the whole house….well at least I used to in the days before chronic pain….now I do what I can and lately its not until Christmas eve that I even attempt to decorate so not much has been getting used. I have sooo many favourite things in those bins, this will be one tough task. I wonder if I will end up with 14 bins when I’m done, lol lol I should send you something nice to help you with your new collection of pieces with meaning and sentiment :) have a blessed week
Gorgeous card, Becca! I’d love to just spend a day in your craft room looking at all the beautiful dies, paper, ribbon, etc.!!! You have so many dies ~ can’t imagine having your stash of them!
Have fun decorating your tree! I love finding special ornaments ~ I have both new ones and old ones. I have some that were on my mom’s tree when she was a little girl, and she’d be 89 if she were living. Those ones always have their own special place on the tree ~ Mom used to tell me every year when we’d put up the tree where they had been on her tree growing up, so I always put them in the same spot.
Hugs to you!
Gorgeous! and yes I’m glad you shared how you did the little gold boarder!
Thank you for sharing, Becca. Your talent is truly a gift from God. I appreciate all the close-ups so we can see the details on the cards.
Are we really thinking Christmas already?? I am still canning tomatoes. :-)
Morning Becca, Another stunning card, I love the JustRite background stamp, another ‘must have’, I ordered the two stamps from previous post, now I need to order this one ha ha. So glad you gave us the ‘heads up’ on the gold border line, it finishes off the die-cut perfectly. Stunning !!
Lots of love from Patricia xx
fabulous card… love your innovative little hatpin with the holly… cant believe Christmas is just around thecorner…x
Luv the colors and the background stamp. You’ll have so much fun decorating your new tree. I bet your daughter is simply delighted to receive such a nice gift from you. Blessings.
This is most assuredly one of the most elegant cards I’ve ever seen. Love the colors and the layering and that bow! You knocked my socks off with this one, Becca!
This is another stunning card. I love the layers and the real colors and red bow. So very pretty!
Gorgeous – as always!