A Present for You!

I have a present for you today.  It's embossed on red foil and it's pretty fancy. 

I've always liked Real Red and Crumb Cake together and used it for this card, which was inspired by our Holiday Catalog, page 26.  The ribbon is from the same catalog.

It's a pretty quick and easy card to make, just be careful that you don't let your stamp slide when you are stamping onto the slick surface of the red foil.  I hope you like your present:)

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Embossed Trio of Pines

Here's a quick post before I start my Christmas Retreat.  I can't wait!!!  This is a trio of pines embossed in gold onto our Winter Wonderland Specialty Designer Series Papers.  The gold foil layer behind them brings out the pretty image and pulls it all together. 

I wanted to keep this card really simple, yet elegant.  The card base, as well as the stamped trees on the envelope, are all elegant black.  I like how it turned out.

Bye for now.  I'm off to my Retreat.  Let the fun begin!

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Let's Take a Walk in The Forest

It's a beautiful day here today, so let's take a walk... a walk in the forest.  We'll be making this card at my November 21 Christmas Retreat, along with the sneak peek cards you see on the left side of my blog site..  

This is one of my most favorite cards I've ever made... so far.  I've said this before, but it's true:)  

This card is completely covered with Iridescent Ice EP.  In real life, it has a beautiful shimmer to it.

Yesterday, Joey and Ben enjoyed a beautiful walk with me.  We didn't go into the forest, but we did enjoy going around our circle.  We are having a fabulous Indian Summer type of weather and I love it!  If the forest looked like it does in this card, I can see us bundled up for winter and tromping through the snowy forest, looking for nature's treasures.

You may have noticed lately that I'm not always putting a text on the front of my cards.  I think this makes them more versatile. 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Gorgeous Dryer Sheet Technique

I have a super favorite card to share with you today.  I love this technique because it is pretty easy and so much fun!  We'll be making this one at my Nov. 21 Christmas Retreat, as well as the other sneak peek cards shown on the left of my blog page. 

Of course, you have to see it in real life, to see how beautiful the glitter shimmer is on it.  The camera (or photographer) just cannot seem to capture it well enough to do justice to how beautiful it really is.

It makes me feel like we're in the middle of a blizzard.  I have another wonderful technique to share with you in one of my next posts, so be sure to come back and check it out.  Oh, and to be clear about this ... I do NOT like winter ... I just love seeing photos of it, like this one:)

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Sneak Peek at Four of My Cards

Here's more of a sneak peek at 4 of my cards that I made for our Nov. 21 Christmas Retreat.  They each have special techniques.  I had a lot of fun making each and every one of them. 

The 2-ornament card has beautiful silver embossing.
The snowflake card has heat embossing and dry embossing.
The snowy trees card uses a dryer sheet technique.  In real life, it's covered in gorgeous sparkle.
The 4th card uses the negative image from the ornament die.  The CS is then dry embossed.  The DSP showing in the opening is covered with VersaMark ink and then embossed with Iridescent Ice EP, a favorite technique of mine.  In real life, it has a gorgeous sparkle, too.

I still have 2 more cards to design.  What shall I create next?  Oh the fun!!! 

So... who wants to party?  Don't forget to RSVP for my Christmas Open House this Sunday, November 1.  It's from 2:00-5:00 and we'd love to have you.  Don't forget about the clocks changing, too.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Cutest Little Card Ever

Once in a while, a creative idea pops into your head... you go with it... a card comes together in seconds... and you just love it.  That's what happened with today's card.  This is one of the projects I have planned for my Christmas Open House Party this Sunday afternoon.   

When designing cards to make at an Open House Party, I need something that requires minimal supplies, minimal time to make and yet is really fun to make ... AKA ... QUICK AND CUTE!  That can sometimes be a real challenge.
2 things help to make this card a winner --- first of all, the extra layer (raising it on dimensionals always bumps it up a notch) and the rhinestone.
I borrowed some snowflakes from my Wonderland stamp set, to decorate the inside and the envelope a bit.

 This card could be used in several ways:
- a cute little Christmas card
- an invitation to a Christmas party
- a Christmas thank you note
- a gift enclosure card

It's quick, cute and simple to make.  Every card doesn't have to be as complicated as the two in my previous post.  Sometimes, you need something right now.  I think this one is a winner. 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

An Elegant Trio / What Makes a Great Christmas Card?

I have an elegant trio of cards for you today, all in gold and white.  We'll take a look at them and then talk a bit about what goes into the making of a great Christmas card.  We're making these cards at our Christmas Retreat this Saturday, too.  They're even prettier in real life.   

They're all alike, actually, except for the design of the vellum.  I've used our new thick white CS for the card base.  This makes for a sturdier card that can handle the extra layers on the front of the card.

The pine bough sprig is a stamp from our Wonderland stamp set.

My vellum layer is cut 1/4" wider than the layer of white CS beneath it, wrapped around that CS layer, and attached to the back.  This makes for a beautiful layer with NO adhesive showing through the vellum.  This vellum/CS layer is then attached to the card base with Liquid Tombow.  I attached the small focal piece with dimensionals.

The wooden snowflake is altered to coordinate with the card by embossing it with Gold EP..  It is then attached with Liquid Tombow.

So... what makes a great Christmas card?  
     Easy...
-- layers (or appearance of layers)
-- texture (vellum always works well)
-- touches of gold (or silver)
-- bits of sparkle
-- touches of embossing
-- rich embellishments
-- rich colors or bold elegance (such as this set of cards)
-- good images
Be sure to coordinate the inside of your card and the envelope, for a complete look of elegance. 

Now... design your card including as many of these elements as possible and you're likely to come up with a great Christmas card!

Boughs and Berries Wonderland

I have a card for you today that features several fun techniques.  We'll be making this one at my class on October 17 and I think it will be a hit.  My color story features Mossy Meadow with a tiny touch of Real Red. 

The beautiful pines are stamped inside the oval window (behind it, actually) and spritzed with Gold Shimmer Spritz.  The oval window piece has beautiful embossing that is highlighted by sponging over it with gold ink.

The little red ribbon is tied around the side of the oval window.

I think a special someone would be glad to get this card in the mail for Christmas.  

Come back soon to see an elegant trio of Christmas cards and read my thoughts about what goes into a good Christmas card.