Cards, Christmas and Creating

Those who know me personally may wonder what the heck is going on here with the big gaps in posting. Things are hectic, but okay and then of course, the holiday season interferes with posting both because of time and because of keeping things secret for a few more weeks.

I've pared back on many things that I used to do but have increased the number of handmade cards. This has been fun for me although it is getting to crunch time, getting the last few made and in the mail.

In no particular order and with photos only to serve as inspiration (along with stamp names for reference), here is what I've made so far this season.

Same card, just background color and designer paper changes. The card was cut with Sizzix Step Ups 660718 a Stephanie Barnard card template, and Santa die set from Stamps of Life. The words at the bottom of the card are a die from the same company (Stephanie Barnard's Stamps of Life).

These did cost extra to mail. If I hadn't elevated the mustache, pompom and hat brim, I think the card would have mailed with regular postage.

I missed taking photos of the next series of completed cards. All were  painted with watercolor on cold press paper. Some of the finished cards had this oval attached to a green card base, slightly elevated, and others were behind a second layer of green card stock with an oval cut into it. That paper was elevated (pop dots) and had the effect of looking through an oval window. This resulted in extra postage too. The third photo shows what a mistake adding fun flock was. The stamp is Robins on a Branch by Wild Rose Studio.

Paper Pumpkin is a monthly kit subscription from Stampin' Up. The following card was made from their November kit and went to some of my neighbors. The inside greeting (stamp) was also part of the kit. 

This card used a simple tree-shaped die over various papers and few silver stars.

These next two cards (the third photo is the inside greeting for the second card) used String of Lights die from Lawn Fawn. I used Dr Ph Martin's Hydrus watercolors on the first card, then added Crystal Accents to make the bulbs appear shiny. While it is a good look, the paper buckled a bit from the Crystal Accents. The base of the bulbs were die cut using a mottled foil-like paper.

The bulbs here are the smaller dies from the same set. I used Brusho pigments on watercolor paper to create various areas of colors, then die cut from that sheet. The halos around the lights were done with Tim Holtz Distress Ink pads, applied with a dauber before the bulbs were glued in place. The sentiments are from Winter Scripty Sayings by Lawn Fawn. I thought the front of the card needed something else, and these branches satisfied me. I used a paper punch to make a template, then mixed Distress Ink colors together to daub onto the template to get subtle variations. 

My knitting buddies are getting cards made with Ugly Sweater and Sweater Words and Appliques stamp sets from Simon Says Stamp. 

A few cards weren't Christmas themed. I placed a Thanksgiving card in my niece's bathroom, thanking her for hosting that holiday. The dies here are from Stamps of Life, Pilgrim Boy 2 Stamp and Pilgrim Girl 2 Stamp. They both have red hair because my grandkids have red hair.

My grandson had a spectacular progress report at school which led to me making this card. The card base is Triple Circle Flip Its 659237 by Sizzix, also available through Stamps of Life, the words within circles are Words for Circles by Stamps of Life, and the super hero is from Super Day by Darcie's Heart and Home. The stamp doesn't include glasses but since my grandson wears them, I drew these on.

My nieces and nephew have grown up with my sense of humor and groan at my puns. The first card isn't quite pun-y but is "spirited. It was made using Holiday Spirits by Avery Elle. Sorry about the inside shot being skewed. The paper isn't buckled, that was me holding it awkwardly. 

The girls are each getting this card, made with Stampin' Up's Fa-la-la-la-la Friends. 

The mother of these wonderful people, my dear sister-in-law loves llamas. This card is from the same set, Fa-la-la-la-la Friends. The inside greeting is just a simple Merry Christmas. 

This last group of cards were made with specific friends in mind. Each card represents an interest in their life.  One friend is a great photographer and I've about worn out the camera angle in greeting cards for her. I attempted one more camera theme which my husband looked at and said, "that's nice, dear, but I don't know what I'm looking at". Scrap that one! I went with the Instagram logo instead with Santa in a Poloroid frame inside. The punch that I used to make the template for the greenery on the card with bulbs gave me the greens used her to make this otherwise non-Christmasy card look a bit seasonal. 

One friend likes cows. I used Dairy Chrismas from Art Impressions to make this card.

The flamingo fan is getting this card. The stamp is Flamingo Set by Art Impressions.  The string of lights and words are my own.

Another friend is very involved in her church and I thought this angel and the word Peace inside (unknown makers, I've had them forever) were appropriate for her. 

 

And finally, these are for my dog loving friends. That isn't to say they are the only dog lovers, but something about these stamps called out to me with these ladies in mind. The first two dogs are images stamped from Friends for Cookie by Stamps of Life. Backgrounds and hats are my own. 

One friend had three Corgis until recently, now just two claim her heart and lap. I made these using various circle, scalloped circle, heart and cookie cutter punches from Stampin' Up. 

One of my friends begins working on Christmas crafts in January. I'm never that organized but I do plan to start earlier next year. I have another dozen cards to go yet. I would do better sticking to one design but I have so many stamps, dies and papers....I just can't stop! These aren't the only ones I've made this season. Some got mailed before I remembered to photograph them.