Christmas Ideas

As Christmas quietly sneaks up on us, I occasionally think about what to make this year. I haven't done much yet (at all). But for yesterday's sketch challenge on Splitcoaststampers, which I got around to making tonight, the inevitable is upon me. I need to make some things before the realization of the Holiday season is here. Not that I won't make other things, but it's time to buckle down and get crackin' on this holiday preparation!

Last weekend I purchased some papers at my local scrapbook store, this one is called "Bright Floral" from the Tres Jolie collection by My Mind's Eye. Tonight I thought it was perfect for a Christmas card, even though I didn't necessarily purchase it with that in mind. It's a textured cardstock and it's really beautiful. I added even more texture with the Cuttlebug embossing folder called "Textile" and added a little cocoa ink to bring out that texture a bit. The green ribbon, which I also LOVE, is from Stampin' Up! It has some stretch to it and is so cute and actually is quite thick. I wish it could be purchased individually- I think I'd buy a lot of it.

The glass tag will serve as an ornament once the recipient pulls it off the card (which I will kindly leave instructions inside the card). I purchased the plain red glass tag from Stampington & Company and have made many things with these FANTASTIC glass tags. If you look at the picture of me, my necklace pendant is one of them designed with wire and a crystal. For this ornament on the card, I stamped a snowflake in white StazOn and then embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder. It really sparkles! For more ideas on what I have done with these glass tags, you can always click on the link and browse my Splitcoaststampers gallery anytime.

One more note of interest on this card is the Merry Christmas. It is hard to see without the close-up shot that I stamped the words twice. Once with black ink, second with gold Pearl Ex stamp pad, it really added a simple classy look to the card and carried some additional sparkle across the card from the ornament down. See my picture below:


I decided to try something new tonight that popped in my head a week or two ago. I have so much chipboard around here, I thought I could put it to good use for Christmas time. I had this scalloped square from Stampin' Up's Ginormous Pieces, So I took the same designer paper from above and cut it slightly larger than the square. I used ModPodge to glue it on. I took my Sizzix and, turned on the diagonal, punched out the letter B (Fun Serif font), and then took a craft knife and cut the paper close to the scallop edge. I sanded the edges of the scallop to clean up my cut marks. I punched a hole in the top corner with my Fiskar's hand held 1/8" punch. I took some shimmer white paper and used the same embossing folder as above to emboss it. I cut slightly larger than my square. I mounted the chipboard back to it, including the middle dots of the B. Added some taffeta ribbon, a Prima and an adhesive crystal. Voila, easy monogram Christmas ornament! The pictures are okay tonight, but I think these projects are really pretty in person!

I hope you enjoyed these projects, I'm hoping to have more to share very soon! A chapter in my life has ended today, as I left one full time job and I'm preparing to begin a new one on Monday, much closer to home and just a better situation all around. And so I reflect on a scripture that I specifically remember focusing on back in November from 2 Corinthians: "8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." God has really blessed me. Thanks for visiting my blog today.