TGF Cyber-Monday Celebration Blog Hop!

Yay, it is finally Cyber-Monday and time for the Greeting Farms's Celebration Blog Hop! I think it's so wonderful that TGF is hosting this hop for us (regular folkes) and I'm uber happy to be a part of it! For this hop I created a Christmas card using the beautiful Holiday Anya.

The hearts in the background were created using Heidi Swapp's 6x6 Confetti Stencil and Liquitex Light Modeling Paste. The sentiment was created by applying Mowed Lane and Festive Berries Distress Inks on a piece of card stock (using a foam applicator) and then die-cutting the words out using the Elizabeth Craft Designs Die - Merry Christmas. 

I coloured Anya using Copic Markers in some simple reds and greens.

Materials used:

Stamps:

- The Greeting Farm - Holiday Anya

Inks:

- Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Mowed Lawn, Festive Berries, and Antique Linen

- Tsukineko Versafine Ink - Onyx Black

Dies:

- Simon Says Stamps Folded Banner Craft Die

- Elizabeth Crafts Designs Die - Merry Christmas

Papers:

- Simon Says Stamps Festive Holiday Card Kit (discontinued)

- My Favorite Things Heavyweight Card Stock

Embellishments:

- The Twinery Twine - Honeydew

Others:

- Heidi Swapp 6x6 Confetti Stencil

- Liquitex Light Modeling Paste

- Recollection Clear Embossing Powder

- Wink of Stella Brush Tip Marker - Clear

- Ranger Ink Blending Tool & Foam

- Copic Markers

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of the blog hop,

Cheryl ~

Masculine Holiday Card

Lesson 5 of the Holiday Card Workshop 2013 is focused on His and Her cards. Kristina Warner's card from her Holiday Card Series 2013 and Debby Hughes's His and Hers Snowflakes Card (from the card class) were definitely my inspirations.

The placement of the three snowflakes is a bit off. I think it would have looked better of everything was moved up half an inch. But all it can do/say now is "lesson learned". I have to do better planning next time. =P

The background was created using Gourmet Rubber Stamp's Creative Stencil - Chevron Stripes and Distress Inks in Evergreen Bough and Ice Spruce.

You may have noticed that the rhinestones I glued to the center of each of the snowflake doesn't "bling". That's because they came in the package like that... such poor quality products. Anyway, I tried to shine them back up using some clear nail polish, but I guess it reacted with the plastic on the rhinestone and it dulled them even more. However, they ended up looking like frosted translucent pearls. It's quite cool in real life. So I guess I can call that a happy accident?

The top left snowflake is a negative of a die cut snowflake. I placed a piece of Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mirrored Sheets behind to make it reflect and shine. The large one on the right was die cut out of some iridescent paper.

The small snowflake at the bottom was cut out of double sided adhesive and then covered in Recollection's Snow Glitter. The Merry Christmas sentiment was cut out of a piece of (originally white) card stock that I coloured with the same Distressed Inks as the background. (Whoops... I just realized I forgot to glue the tittle on the letter i in Christmas. Haha!)

Materials used:

- Neenah Solar White Card Stock

- Gournet Rubber Stamps Creative Stencils - Chevron Stripes

- Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Evergreen Bough and Ice Spruce

- Ranger Blending Tool (Foam Applicator)

- Elizabeth Craft Designs Dies - Snowflakes

- Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mirrored Sheets

- Recollection Iridescent Paper

- Recollection Glitter: Snow

- Simon Says Stamp Merry Christmas Craft Dies

- Simon Says Stamp Elegant Holiday 2013 Card Kit

- Kaiser Craft Rhinestones - Silver

- Wink of Stella Brush Tip Marker - Clear

- Sookwang Be Creative Double Sided Tape

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Holiday Card Workshop 2013 - Lesson 2

I recently enrolled in the Holiday Card Workshop 2013 taught by Kristina Warner, Jennifer McGuire, and a bunch of talented guest artists.

Normally, I would create a card using the new techniques I learned from each lesson. However, the class started last week and it was a super busy week for me. So I was only able to create one card so far.

Lesson 2 focused on die cutting. I love love love die cutting, but I do it in the most basic way. Lesson 2 was all about taking die cutting to the next level. I learned a new technique called Layered Die-Cut Inlay from Jennifer McGuire. It's a very complicated technique but it creates a unique outcome. This is the card I made using this technique.

The card looks plain and not too exciting, but if you take a closer look...

You will notice that the tree lie flush with the brown patter paper. First I cut the tree out of the brown pattern paper. Then I cut the same tree out of green paper. To make the levels of the tree stand out from each other I added some Peeled Paint Distress Ink using a foam applicator. After all that I pieced the tree into the brown patter paper. Sounds complicated, doesn't it? It actually was... @_@

After all that crazy die-cut inlay I decided to just glue the star and the Merry Christmas sentiment on top. No more inlay... at least not for this card. Hahaha!

Materials used:

- Elizabeth Craft  Designs Dies - 5 Part Pine Tree

- Simon Says Stamps - Merry Christmas Craft Die

- Simon Says Stamps - Holiday Shapes Hearts Stars Craft Die

- My Favorite Things Heavyweight Card Stock

- Neenah Solar White Card Stock

- Simon Says Stamps Elegant Holiday 2013 Card Kit

- Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Festive Berries and Peeled Paint

- Ranger Inkssentials Blending Tool (Foam Applicator)

- Simon Says Stamps Peppermint Stripes Stencil

- Wink of Stella Brush Tip Marker - Clear

- Ranger Glossy Accents

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Ho Cubed

I made another Christmast Card using one of the stamp sets I bought last weekend. This one is called Christmas with Barkley - Festive Fun and it features the cutest pair of friends.

The stripes in the background were created using a new stencil by Simon Says Stamps called Pepperment Stripes and some Liquitex Light Modeling Paste. Since I didn't have clear sequins I made my own embellishments by die cutting some stars and then I adhered them all over. For the bow I used some Matte Black Shimmer Twine by The Twinery.

Aren't they so adorable??

Hahaha! I just realized that the speech bubble is pointed to the dog's butt and it looks really silly. =P Ho Ho Ho!

Materials used:

- Christmas with Barkley - Festive Fun

- Neenah Environment Desert Storm Paper

- Simon Says Stamp 120lb White Card Stock

- Simon Says Stamp Elegant Holiday 2013 Card Kit

- My Favorite Things Heavyweight Card Stock

- My Favorite Things Die-namics Say White? Die

- Copic Markers

- X-Press It Blending Card

- Copic Opaque White Pigment

- The Twinery - Matte Black Shimmer Twine

- Versafine Onyx Black Stamp Pad

- Recollections Clear Embossing Powder

- Mama Elephant Creative Color Ink Pads

- Hero Arts Stencil Alphabet

- Memory Box Alphabet Die (Sorry, I don't know the name of the one I own/used)

- Liquitex Light Modeling Paste

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Lots of Love for Christmas

After looking at my To-Do-List (or more like To-Make-List) I realize I still have a lot of Christmas cards to make... >_< Luckily, while I was at the Crafter's Companion Warehouse Sale last weekend I found a lot of adorable Christmas stamp sets. This card features an adorable pair of birds from the Mulberry Wood - A Christmas Gift stamp set.

I used Copic Markers to colour the entire image, including the background. I used my white gel pen to add "stars" in the night sky. I also drew some fine lines across a few of the stars to make them seem like they are twinkling.

This card opens in the middle and the image sits on the left flap.

My hubby and I wish everyone lots of love this Christmas season! ^_^

Materials used:

- Mulberry Wood EZMount Stamp Set - A Christmas Gift

- Christmas with Barkley Stamp Set - Festive Fun

- X-Press It Blending Card

- My Favorite Things Heavyweight Card Stock

- Copic Markers

- Copic Opaque White Pigment

- Simon Says Stamp Elegant Holiday 2013 Card Kit

- My Favorite Things Die-namices Circle STAX Set 1 and Set 2

- Versafine Onyx Black Ink

- Uni-ball Signo White Gel Pen

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Christmas Present Card

Yesterday, I was feeling super creative and came up with an idea to make a present-shaped card. The steps to making this card is complicated but the outcome is definitely worth the effort. I plan on submitting this card to the Paper Smooches Guest Designer Search for December.

This is the card when it is closed.

Open the first flap to reveal the card message. You can also start to see the cute image.

Open the second flap to reveal some more of the image.

Lift up the top flap to see the full image.

Not only is the card fun to open but it is a shaker card too. How awesome is that?!?!

I love the happy little snowmen from Paper Smooches!

Materials used:

- Paper Smooches Freezy Fellas Stamp Set

- Paper Smooches Fellas Dies

- Paper Smooches Giddy Gumdrops Stamp Set

- My Favorite Things Heavyweight Card Stock

- Neenah Desert Storm Card Stock

- Simon Says Mini Hearts Dies

- Neenah Solar White Card Stock

- Echo Park Winter Wishes 6x6 Paper Pad

- Ribbon and silver sequins from Michael's

- Copic Markers

- Wink of Stella Glitter Marker - Clear

- Tombow Fastener Tabs

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Christmas Card & Tag Sets, Part 3

It's been a few days since I posted new cards. So brace yourself... I have a whole bunch to show you guys!! ^_^

Fourth card & tag set

It's difficult to see it in the picture but I used an acetate card base for this card.

My sister requested a money holder inside this card. So I made a little envelope.

Inside the envelope is another little card with an area to write a message and a slot to put money in.

This is the front of the gift tag... Which I realized afterward that I didn't need to make one because the "gift" is going to be money... But I made one so I might as well share it too. =P

You may notice that I also used acetate as the tag base, similar to the matching card.

And this is the back of the card. I handwrote the "To" and "From".

Fifth card & tag set

I love this adorable stamp image called O Christmas Tree that I purchased from Kraftin Kimmie. The elf is the cutest and I feel sorry for the little tree. =P

I used a kraft card base and stamped little snowflakes all over in white pigment ink. It's subtle... maybe a little more than I would like it to be. 

I had trouble colouring her and the tree. This was my second try, but it's still not as good as I had hoped.

Inside of the card.

The matching gift tag.

Sixth card & tag set

This is a classy card with a lot of bling.

Hard to see it in the picture but the snowflakes (in the background) were die cut out of Pow Glitter Paper and I added a lot of little diamonds to the snowflakes. The tiny snowflakes near the sentiment are wood veneers embossed with silver embossing powder. I plan on making a quicky tutorial to show you how I made those. Hopefully I can get that posted soon.  

Inside of the card. I couldn't add crystals to this snowflake but it's still sparkly from the Pow Glitter Paper.

Front of the gift tag. I gave it the same treatment as the card, bling and all. Hehe ^^;

This is the back of the gift tag. I also handwrote the "To" and "From" on this tag. I added a tiny embossed wood veneer snowflake as a finishing touch.

Seventh card & tag set. 

This is a new Paper Smooches stamp and die set called Giddy Gumdrops. The set comes with a pair of gingerbread couple but I just couldn't fit them onto the card. 

The background paper was made using a piece of Heidi Swapp Specialty Cardstock. The cardstock has a chevron pattern that resists ink and paint. I used some Festive Berries and Mowed Lawn Distress Inks to colour it and created this background.

I "pleated" (is that the right term???) the ribbon to give the card some dimension.

I decorated the inside of the card with the same ribbon. 

This is the matching gift tag, also using that ribbon. 

That's all the Christmas card & tag sets for now... I think I need a break from them, but Christmas is approaching fast so this won't be a very long break. =P

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Christmas Card & Tag Sets, Part 2

Just finished working on the third set of card and tag for my sister. This one is for her animal loving friend.

Card on the left, envelope on the right, and gift tag in the center.

The animals are actually adhered to a piece of acetate and you can see the different layers in this picture.

I just couldn't resist adding a tiny bow on the gift tag to match the card. Hehe ^^

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~