Wednesday, July 21, 2021

July Christmas cards: Simple shimmer

I know I've already shared a few Christmas card ideas this year using patterned paper (or upcycled calendar pages), so I hope you don't mind one more. I've been struggling for card ideas, and patterned paper is an easy place to start. (Though these "easy" cards always seem to take me just as long as other cards because I obsess about every little detail.)

Supplies:
Paper: Winterberry patterned card stock (My Mind's Eye); Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Evening Evergreen, Whisper White card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Stitched Rectangle Stackables dies (Lawn Fawn), Merry die (Concord & 9th), Merry Sugar Script die (Birch Press Design), Big Peace Sugar Script die (Birch Press Design), Scripty Joy die (Lawn Fawn), Snowflake Set #1 dies (Echo Park Paper Co.), Note Tag punch (Stampin' Up!), jute twine (May Arts Ribbon), sequins (Paper Pumpkin leftovers), clear shimmer spray (Avery Elle), stitched ribbon (Stampin' Up!), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)

I few years ago I went to a crop event and took home a door prize with three double-sided papers from the Winterberry line from My Mind's Eye. I pulled them out earlier this month and decided it was time to use them up!

One of the pieces was a gray background with winter flowers and foliage. I used stitched rectangle dies to cut out panels, trying to get a good focal image on each panel. I sprayed all the panels with shimmer mist, and they're so sparkly in person (hard to capture in a photo).

I adhered the panels to coordinating card bases, added a die-cut sentiment, and finished off the cards with a few sequins. First batch done!

With the other two sheets in the pack, each had one side that was a maroon and white pattern, so I decided to try using them together. I struggled a bit with finding the right color card stock to use with these papers and finally settled on a neutral kraft. I think these cards feel so cozy!

This batch of cards was finished off the same way as the first: layered on card bases with die-cut sentiments and sequins. I had to go for the shimmer mist again because I didn't want the cards to be too plain, and I also added twine or ribbon to several of these cards.

Once I'd made all the cards I could, I had some scraps left over that were just big enough to make a few gift tags. I just punched out the tags from patterned paper, punched out the same number of tags from white card stock and then glued a white tag to the back of each patterned tag. I punched a little hole in the top of each tag and added a bit of twine. I may go back and stamp a To/From on the tags or add a little embellishment, but we'll see when the time comes to use them.

Thanks for stopping by!


2 comments:

Sunshine. said...

Loving your new Christmas cards Andrea! I especially like teh Winterberry ones, the ray and red/green look so good together. Great Job!
Sunshine.

Andrea said...

Thank you so much, Sunshine!