The Gifts of the Season

Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You'll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencil I used from A Colorful Life Designs. Follow the link and use discount code ChrisFan10 to save 10% on your entire order! (Master Creator Bundles are excluded as they already have a 20% discount built in.)

Let’s get started:

Card Base:5.5 x 8.5, scored and folded at 4.25

Gold Border:5.5 x 4.25 ***

Card Face: 5.25 x 4

Small piece of gold card stock for tree

Small piece of white card stock to create gold glitter paper.

*** see “Cheating” on Borders and Layers under Stretch Your Pennies in the header

Card Face:

• I secured the stencil on the card face with Mint Tape.

• I used Mint Tape to Create diagonal lines across the card face. I applied red ink in the spaces between the tape.

• I moved the tape, exposing the uninked surfaces while covering those already inked. Since the spaces between were the same size as the inked portions, this was fast and easy. ****

• I added green ink to the uninked portions.

• The creation of diagonal lines across the card face added visual interest but made it harder to “see” the presents. To address this I used a metallic gold gel pen to fill in all of the outlines of each present, leaving the bows and ribbons white. Creating a solid border around each served to connect the two portions of the images, although they were different colours.

• I used alphabet dies to cut the word “Merry” out of the card face. I put all the letters and spare “bits” aside very carefully.

**** See Perfect Spacing under Techniques in the header

Other:

• I pressed my Versamark pad onto a small piece of white paper, sprinkled gold sparkle embossing powder onto this and set it with my heat gun.

• I cut “Merry” out of this newly created glitter paper.

• I die-cut a Christmas tree out of gold foil.

• I took a small clear star embellishment and pressed it into my Versamark pad. I coated it with white embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.

Assembly:

• I glued the gold border card stock onto the card base.

• I glued the card face onto this, centering on all sides.

• I inlaid the gold glitter letters into the openings in the card face. I added the spare “bits” to the “E” and the “Y” to complete the background.

• I glued the tree in place as shown, and added the star on top.

• I added small white embellishments to the tree.

• I created the sentiment on my computer and added clear embossing powder to make the print appear more intense. *****

• I cut this out with a die and glued it in place as shown.

***** For additional information on this process see Custom Sentiments under Techniques in the header.

Final Thoughts

This was one of those times where the card was continually modified as I went along …. I liked the diagonal lines but needed to accentuate the image so I added gold gel pen. Then I wanted something “fun” built into the card face so I cut the letters out and then decided to add gold glitter letters. And so on and so on and so on!

In the end, it’s a fun card - but it certainly took some time to get there!

Supplies: (and links where possible)

I have listed which products I have used, and where they may be purchased. It's a huge marketplace and in most instances, there are multiple sources and many alternatives to choose from.

Stencil: Presents, A Colorful Life Designs

Dies:

Alphabet: Scripty, Stampin’ Up! (retired)

Tree: Peaceful Pines Stampin’ Up! (retired)

Ink: Stampin’ Up!

Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up!

Gold Glitter Embossing Powder: gifted to me, I don’t know the brand

Versamark: Simon Says Stamp

Mint Tape:Scrapbook.com

Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

Gold Cardstokc: Stampin’ Up!

Card Base & Card Face: Accent 100 lb., Amazon

Handmade cards with a delicious dash of Whimsy