Wishing You Joy

Wishing You Joy

(Inside: Sending love & prayers for a blessed Christmas and a joyous new year)

This card features the cardinal from the “Layered Cardinal Stencil & Die Set” from Creek Bank Creations and some pretty patterned paper.

Gina K Designs Faded Brick, Cranberry Tart, Charcoal Brown, and Black inks were used along with pieces from sheet 3 from the “Christmas Memories 2 Card Kit” pack from Photo Play. The inside sentiment is from the “Christmas Blessings” set by Our Daily Bread. The greeting on the front is actually part of the pattern on the patterned paper.

Thanks for checking out my card post!

BetterPressed Merry Christmas

BetterPressed Merry Christmas

(Inside: Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday season)

This simple card features the BetterPress “Chic Merry Christmas” press plate from Spellbinders and some 3mm crystals from Stamplistic. The stamped image is pressed into the cotton paper (instead of just sitting on top).

Versa Fine Clair “Rain Forest” ink was stamped/pressed onto watercolor paper, and red cardstock from the Recollections “Essentials” cardstock paper pack was embossed with SU Subtle embossing folder. Both were layered on a Recollections White Dove card base. The inside sentiment is from the “Joyful Wishes” set from Penny Black.

This also could have been foiled with the Glimmer Hot Foil System, and I may try that at some point.

I am still trying to decide if the BetterPress System from Spellbinders is worth the investment (for me). I LOVED this image, but I’d probably love it as much if it were a plain stamp. There are not that many BetterPress plates on the market at the moment. And while the BetterPress plates CAN be foiled with the Glimmer Hot Foil System, Spellbinders DOES NOT recommend using hot foil plates in the BetterPress System which makes the BetterPress System a bit limiting. Hmmm…

Thanks for checking out my card project!

Santa Belly Gift Box

Santa Belly Gift Box

This cute guy was designed (by Lori Whitlock) as a “belly lantern” (with cut out panels backed with vellum for the belly), but I changed it up a bit with solid panels to make it a gift box.

Santa is 9 inches tall, with a 3 inch sphere (inside) for his belly. The panels that create the round “belly” are attached with tabs (and not glued) so they are easily removed. (As I mentioned, I made this to hold a small gift, but a battery operated tea light would go inside if it were made as a lantern.)

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If all of the panels and circular pieces are removed, it folds flat for storage (or mailing if the recipient would like to reassemble him!).

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I cut all the pieces with my Silhouette, but an svg file is also available for purchase.

There is an assembly tutorial that shows how to create the belly portion of this project. I used the photo to see how the rest of the pieces went together. (There are several designs, but assembling the belly portion is the same for all of them.) Besides the card stock, I used the “Dainty Diamonds” embossing folder from Stampin’ Up to add texture to his belly, and I created the belt and fur on the embossed panel myself as these were not included in the file.

Thanks for checking out my post!