Christmas Prep - Round 1

Hello and welcome! I'm back today to share some holiday projects with you. I decided this year to start my prep early. My plan is to use a mix of holiday sets from the main catalog and newer sets from the holiday catalog to create cards, tags and other holiday items for this season. I usually make about 80 of one style of card, but after the designing is done it's less fun to finish them up assembly line style. So, this year, I'm going to make 9-10 different designs and make about 10 cards of each one! I always include a letter in them as well, so they will all be the standard 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" size to hold the letter.

For these projects, I used the Hearts Come Home Stamp Set and the coordinating Hometown Greetings Edgelits Dies. My background started by spraying a piece of watercolor paper with water from a Spritzer, saturating it, then dropping the green and blue Brusho Crystal Colors on. The colors blended together in the middle on their own, and I sprayed some additional water anywhere it was a bit dry. I also dropped a bit more Brusho on while the background was still wet. To create the snowy accents, I put alcohol in a Spritzer and added several drops of the Frost White Shimmer Paint. I dropped this onto the background, and then let it dry. I added a die cut border of houses, trees and a snowman from Whisper White Cardstock to the top of the background.

 To complete the card, I stamped a greeting on a circle of Vellum Cardstock, wrapped the piece with Basic Black Solid Baker's Twine, added some retired silver sequins and then backed it with Silver Foil Sheets. It's all attached to a Thick Whisper White Cardstock card base. Once I created the watercolor backgrounds and die cut pieces, the rest of the cards came together quickly.

Next up is a set of tags! I used the same technique to create the background on pieces of cardstock that are 2" x 4", and then die cut the top with the tag topper die. I also cut a piece of Vellum Cardstock with the same die, and stamped the different greetings by coloring selective words with a Basic Black marker. I used the small house die to create the three house border.

 In addition to the Basic Black Baker's Twine and the retired silver star sequins, I used the thinnest size of the Pick A Pattern Washi Tape to secure the bottom of the vellum greeting. The top was secured with the knot in the twine.

It feels great to have one set of Christmas cards made, and a start on my tags as well. Are you already starting your holiday preparations?

 

Product List

Hearts Come Home Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Jet Black Stazon Ink Pad

Brusho Crystal Colour

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

Watercolor Paper

Silver Foil Sheets

Vellum 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Hometown Greetings Edgelits Dies

Aqua Painters

Stampin' Spritzer

Frost White Shimmer Paint

Twinkle Adhesive-Backed Sequins

Pick A Pattern Washi Tape

Basic Black Solid Baker's Twine