December Posts Rolled Into ONE!

So sorry I haven't been posting. When holidays come up that I have to do a bunch of cards for, the world just stops. And that is all that gets done, until they are finished! My hubby even has made a few comments about how that I have been in my room for hours and hours! Yes, I made 75 cards again this year! Do I get 75 in return? Absolutely not, I probably have gotten 10 so far. I know a lot of people who still do make cards to send, only make a few to the ones that will appreciate them. Next year, I am going to make less, send less! I hope! Back to today's blog, I don't put up pics of the cards until they are in the mail so now that has happened. I made 5 different ones. I found that I only had enough supplies for 10 to 18 of each card, so I used the supplies I had and went on to create the next one. Actually, this year, I worked on them differently and I think it helped me to stay focused. I worked on all the pieces for each card and put them in large separate envelopes. And then I went to working on one card at a time, laying all the pieces out and assembling them before moving on to the next card. Here are the card pics ...
The stamps I used here was a clear set I ordered from Verve stamps. (Every year I had the store, I would take new Christmas stamps off the shelf. This year, not possible. So I had to do a little online ordering!) You might have seen this layout on the Verve website. I did case their card sample, but I added a couple of changes. They had stamped their word image directly on the card. I used this Hero Arts word stamp and die cut and layered it onto a dark green die cut circle for added interest. I also, put the background through my dot cuttlebug folder. And added glitter! (Which my hubby has made his comments about ... I just say, it's Christmas, and glitter and Christmas go together!) Anyway, I was lucky to find the same ornament paper they used to stamp the trees on. I love how it came out! Below is the inside.

This one is my own design. The Christmas word image is from the Verve set I used above. But the poinsettia is from one of their older sets. In the set, there is just 3 stamps, an open flower design and a solid flower design and one word image. For this card, I used the open design. I made my own red paper with red alchohol ink and glossy cardstock and then embossed the poinesttia in white embossing powder. I also embossed the flower in white on the solid white glossy cardstock circle. One of my new favorite spellbinders is the fancy tags that I used behind all the circles. This tag was also cut out of the alchohol inked glossy cardstock. This card came out wonderful but I had a lot of trouble getting to this point. But I just kept working with it and I finally there! Below is the inside of the card. Actually none of the other cards had this black piece added. I had the seasons greeting crooked and when I went to move it, the glue made a spot on the card, so to fix it, I had to add this black piece. All the cards were put in the mail before I realized that the only card I had left to take a picture of was this one. Oh well!

This one is my favorite, and probably the most work! The main image is from Art Impressions. I borrowed it from a friend...woo hoo for friends! The little Holiday Hello image is off of a $1 Studio G clear stamp. I love these for added word images. The whole card was cased from Pickled Paper Designs blog, which is one of my favorites. My card is like hers, except it has different images, different papers, etc. but the layout is right on! Thanks to Amy, who I don't personally know, but I thank her anyway! The large snowflakes are from spellbinders and the smaller white one is a punch from Martha Stewart. Below is the inside.

One of the last orders I did at the store, was from Northwoods. And this oval shaped nativity stamp was one I got. Yes, I know it doesn't look round and that is because I used my circle nestibilites to die cut the center out. I just got this pendant shape from Spellbinders and I wanted to use it. Yes, to help me justify buying it! Anyway, this card is simple but beautiful!


And last but not least, do you love this one as much as I do? I tend to be a red, green traditional person. But this cute reindeer just called out to me to use this scrapbook paper that I had bought in Waxahachie a few weeks ago. The reindeer is from a clear stamp set by Impression Obsession. Another new purchase for me. I actually bought it at the new scrapbook store in Hurst. So glad to see someone carrying a few stamps to feed my addiction! (since my LSS store closed -LOL!) Anyway, I also love how this one came out. By the time I got to this card, I only needed about 10 so that is all that got made. Love it! See the inside below.

That is my 5 cards! But wait I have more to share with you!

Way back in June of this last year, at the scrapbook convention, I purchased book componets to make two books, one for each of the youngest stepgrandchildren. You buy the chipboard letters to spell out what you want and also the book solid pieces to glue your letters to. I got one to spell Olivia and one to spell Ethan. Last December I made one for my hubby spelling out PAPAG. I put the grankids pics in it! It was a lot of fun and it came out so great that I decided to do these this year! Ethan, who is 2 loves, cars, anything with wheels. So, when I found paper and stickers from Imagaginisce, I was thrilled! Olivia, 4 years old, loves Strawberry Shortcake. But finding paper and embellishments were a little harder. For embellishements I found stickers. And some items from JoAnn's dollar bin with strawberrys on them. But, I had yet to find paper. I had almost given up, when I went to the scrapbook store in Waxahachie and found the absolute perfect paper! It is from a company called Best Creation. I enjoyed creating both books but Olivia's is the best to me. I guess because the papers are brighter, and it's just more glitzy. I have done my best to take some good pics of both. Enjoy!

So that's it! Let me know what you think of my books! I still have one more project to create before Christmas which is less than a week away! Yikes! I am making my hubby a little book to hold the gift cards I got him. When I get it done, I'll post it here. I do have one more pic for you today ... and that is our Christmas tree that we picked out early this week at a Tree Farm near here in Athens, TX. Because our house is small, we knew we had to go smaller. I think it is just about the prettiest shape tree we have ever had! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Happy Stamping! Tina