Tag, You're It!

Ideally, we'd all like to have the time to make elaborate Christmas cards that are rich in texture, layers and embellishments, make lots of them and share them with all our friends and loved ones.

Realistically,  that is seldom the case.  We are all busy people, but that doesn't mean we have to give up on the idea of sharing something special with friends and family.

Sometimes, when you're in a hurry, there's a way you can still come up with some cards that are super cute and fun.

Enter into the scene:  Our Snow Festival Designer Printed Tags.  I've shown you how to create a cute little box for them and actually use them as tags, but you can use them for cards, too.  Here are a few ideas of how to incorporate them into your card designs.  Notice that I've used embossing folders and punches in my creations as well - yet another time saver.  So... you do have time to make your own cards this year.  Now, give it a try!

Still worried that you won't finish or won't have all the supplies you need to make your own cards?  Let me help you!  Sign up for one of my Christmas classes and I'll have it all prepared for you.

A Little Christmas Album or Planner

We made this cute little album at our Hostess Scrapbook Club last Monday.  I told them it could be a mini scrapbook album or a little Christmas Planner.  They all chose to make it into a planner.  It's made from 5 envelopes, so its size makes it easy to carry with you.

Here it is closed.  A 'belly band' of ribbon slips around it to hold it together.  I wrapped the Lucky Limeade ribbon around it to get the size I needed, then added a piece of looped Cherry Cobbler yarn trim and a button to fancy it up.  The button is tied on with linen thread.  I decided to tie a knot in each end of the ribbon, for an added detail.

Here it is opened up.  I typed the labels onto CS and then cut then out.  You can decorate the inside pages as fancy as you would like.

It folds up in an accordion style.

Here's the cool part of this project.  Besides using one of our Snow Festival design printed tags (for the cover), I used the Festival of Prints DSP paper stack.  You get 48 sheets, 4 each of 12 designs AND they are double sided.  At Regionals, one of the demonstrators pointed out that one side seems more like Christmas and the other side could be used any time of the year.  Look at all the great designs you get!

At our club, I passed around the paper stack and let everyone choose which pattern they would like.  When we were all finished, it was fun to see everyone's album.  They were all a little different --- and all really cute.

Would you like more details on how to make the album?  Here you go!

• Line up the 5 envelopes in a row, with the bottom of each envelope overlapping the flap of the envelope next to it.
• Attach the 5 envelopes together, using Liquid Tombow. 
• Fold them like an accordion.
• Cut DSP for the cover --- 5 1/2 X 4".
• Cut 5 more pieces of DSP for the insides --- 5 1/2 X 2 3/4".
• Decorate as you wish.
• Hold it together with a ribbon belly band.  (optional:  You could make a DSP belly band.)
• Add labels, if you wish to use it for a planner.  
• Organize receipts etc. inside the pockets formed by the envelopes.  

I hope you'll try to make an album of your own.  They're a lot of fun and easy to do.  They would make great gifts, also.  Have a great day and a great weekend.

...and now... more projects!

Here are the projects I've made (for the More Christmas, Please class) that I promised to share with you today.  These were so much fun to make.

These projects are quick and easy to create and can easily coordinate with the cards I've been sharing with you.

Before I show you a close-up of each project, be sure you read all the way to the end of my post today.  I have a big news flash at the end that you won't want to miss!!!

The first project is for little gifts that you want to give in pretty packaging, but don't know how to wrap them.  You could, of course, put candy treats in them, too.  Remember the angel card from yesterday?  This has the same gold embossed edges as the card.  They would look gorgeous together.

Here's a fun way to treat a friend or loved one to some sweets --- an embossed treat bag.  This would coordinate well with yesterday's snowman card, too.

These are some of my favorite projects.  I used the Scentsational Season stamp set and coordinating framelits to create the tags.  The treat holders are made using the Petite Pocket die.  I used a jumbo wheel to decorate the outside of the treat holder and 'tied it up' with some of our gorgeous yarn.  If you choose this project, your hardest job will be deciding if you want to use red or green / gingerbread man or Christmas tree:)  These would coordinate well with lots of the cards I've been sharing with you (and more to come) because I've been using a lot of Cherry Cobbler and Gumball Green this year.

I love how this little box turned out.  I learned how to make this at the Stampin' Up! Regionals in Chattanooga.  The box is made using the 2 Tags die.  I used the other tag to make actual tags to go into the box.   This would coordinate well with the evergreen tree card I shared with you yesterday.

I cut and scored the CS for this cute little box and the, after embossing it, I added some of our printed tags.  They are already designed for you, so I just added a 'to/from' stamp on them, punched a hole and added some of our fun yarn trim.  I used the silver glimmer paper and Snow Flurry die to help decorate the box.  Again, this would look great with the snowman card and lots of the Cherry Cobbler cards I've been making.

So there you have it... 5 more projects to get you going for Christmas.  I hope you enjoyed these.  Come back soon for more creative stamping and paper crafting ideas to inspire you.  I'm on a roll, getting ready for Christmas!