Festive Christmas

Believe it or not, this Christmas card took less than 45 minutes to create. Really. The pre-printed panels that are in the Heartfelt Creations paper collections are starting to grow on me, and I'm finding that when I need to put together a card quickly, these panels are my go-to. These gorgeous pre-printed panels are, well, gorgeous and I don't always have time to create gorgeous from scratch.

This sentiment is from the Festive Christmas Background stamp. This stamp, as one big background is absolutely stunning, but I really wanted the versatility of being able to use the sentiments individually without fussing with masking, so I cut the stamp up into the individual sentiments. Love it! I added some dimension on the ribbon banner using copic markers.

As I have said, the pre-printed panels are gorgeous, and all I had to do was choose one and cut it out. The colouring on the panels is fantastic, and I feel like I couldn't do better myself, so use it! The panels are done so well, that they do look like they were hand coloured. So squeal worthy!!

There is much more squeal worthy on the Heartfelt Creations blog, so grab a beverage and go be inspired! This just might be the year I have my Christmas cards done ahead of time for all the people I would really like to give a card to...

stamps; Festive Christmas Background (heartfelt creations)
paper; Festive Christmas Collection Paper, Daphne Collection Paper (heartfelt creations), coconut swirl, kraft, java (bazzill)
ink; rich cocoa memento ink, versamark ink (tsukineko)
accessories; captivating squares (spellbinders), aged gold embossing enamel (stampendous), E70,74,77 copic markers

For Unto You is Born

This week my project for Heartfelt Creations is all stamped. I have a real soft spot for long, vertical sentiments, so I was drawn to this stamp right away, from the O Little Town of Bethlehem set. Even better, I discovered that it coordinates with the Cut-Mat-Create dies, which makes it quick and easy to get a perfectly matted sentiment.

This poinsettia border stamp is one of my favourite images in the Festive Christmas Collection. I was excited to colour it from the moment I set eyes on it! I forgot to keep track of the copics I used - really sorry about that because it was quick and easy to colour and I would like to colour it again and make the border more dimensional by cutting out some of the flowers and building it up. Really, I just love this image...

I invite you to check out the Heartfelt Creations Blog  for more inspiration from the Heartfelt Creations Design Team. Have a lovely week!!

stamps; O little Town, Festive Candlelight (heartfelt creations)
ink; black soot distress ink (ranger)
paper; Festive Christmas Paper Collection (heartfelt creations), coconut swirl (bazzill)
accessories; white satin ribbon (offray), copic markers

Spellbinders 12 Days of Christmas

Happy Tuesday, friends. For the Spellbinders 12 Days of Christmas in August, I have the joy of showing you how I used the S5-223 Heirloom Reflections die set. It is really very beautiful, and I created a set of cards combining some older dies with this beautiful new release set.

I was inspired by beautiful Wedgewood China with the blue base and ivory overlay of textured images. I've seen Wedgewood Christmas ornaments with a nativity creche on it, and I found it to be very beautiful. The display had the ornament nestled in satin, and looked like a precious, treasured family heirloom. 

For these corner embellishments, I used the Kismet filagree die from the Heirloom Reflections set. I think they are so lovely.

I wanted to focus on the appearance of an heirloom ornament by creating a great deal of depth and texture on this card. The bow has the illusion of an ornament ready to hang on the tree.

The instructions for creating this card are on my post on the Spellbinders 12 Days of Christmas in August Post on their website. For the following cards, there are slight modifications, and I will indicate size differences throughout this post.

Occasionally,Wedgewood Ornaments produces colourway variations for their chinaware. That was my thinking behind the following cards. Slight differences which change the whole feel of the project. As with the first card, this gold card is 6"x6". I used the Kismet shape Heirloom Reflections dies combined with 2011 Heirloom Ornaments Die set. 

The corner embellishment is from the Corner Flourish die set. I think it fills the corner space beautifully.

I love the richness and old world feel the burnished gold gives the card. It has an almost tsars of Russia feel, doesn't it?

This card version is 5"x7". To create the frame for the Heirloom Ornament die, I used the Labels Ten die set. It gives the ornament a soft, complimentary contrast.

The corners on this project are embellished using the Corner Flourish die set as well. I used the smaller accent die because the space in the corner was smaller. However, the larger corner die had an astounding effect as well.

This is the baby card in the set as it is only 5"x5". I used vibrant red for this card because of its diminutive stature. In this view, it's also much easier to see the foam squares I used to create so much depth to each project. I happily used a great number of 3D foam squares.

I had to get very creative to create the ornament frame on this card. I used Standard Circles and Classic Squares to create a similar shape to accommodate the Heirloom Reflections die.

As with the 5"x7" card, I used the accent die from Corner Flourish to give some texture to balance the beautiful ornament filagree.

Tomorrow Marielle will have another 12 Days of Christmas in August reveal for you. Please leave a comment on the Spellbinders Blog 12 Days of Christmas EVERYDAY for your chance to win prizes from Spellbinders.

paper; sage sparkle paper - linen closet (DCWV), pearl, emerald, red, burnished gold (paper accents)
spellbinders dies; heirloom reflections, 2010 heirloom ornaments, 2011 heirloom ornaments, labels 10, standard circles, classic squares, corner flourish
accessories; ivory satin ribbon (offray)

Spellbinders Design Team 2014-2015

Today, Spellbinders announced the final member of their new design team.

I am thrilled to share with you that I was invited to be a member of the Spellbinders Design Team for 2014-2015. I am excited and humbled to be working with such a talented group of women. What an adventure! I pulled back from paper crafting for a couple of years because I had other goals that required my undivided attention. Last December I thought it might be a hoot to make a few Christmas cards for my colleagues, and that was a lovely experience, so I participated in a few challenges, blog hops, and here we are!

As I look back at a few of my favourite projects, I have often used Spellbinders dies and they are one of my go-to, comfort zone products. Here is a brief walk down memory lane;

I look forward to working with Spellbinders and this amazing group of extraordinarily talented designers over the next year.

Thank-you for stopping by today! I always appreciate when you leave a comment to let me know you have been by, and I am truly thankful for your support.

Heartfelt Creations Festive Christmas Collection

Hello, friends! Today is the launch of the new Heartfelt Creations Festive Christmas Collection. It is a gorgeous traditional Christmas look using red, green and gold. My favourite part of this collection, which I am showing today and will show more over the next few weeks, is the pre-printed panels that are in the paper packs. They are perfect for making quick, easy and beautiful cards and other Christmas projects.

This project is 9"x9" and fits the Ribba frame from Ikea. I forgot to take a picture of it in the frame. oy! Will you take my word for it that it was quite lovely?...

I love the orderliness of this little panel. Yes, the cans in my pantry are in order too. No, my studio is not, but I do know where most everything is now that I am able to pleasantly spend more time in there. I think the white tatted lace look of these snowflake die cuts is a lovely balance for the white flourishes I used from the cut-mat-create set to frame the sentiment panel. I think a little white goes a long way contrasting so sharply with all that deep red.

This is a 6"x6" pre-printed panel that comes in the paper set. This would be a really nice framed piece to greet guests in an entry way, or a quick project for a gift exchange.

There are plenty more projects on the Heartfelt Creations blog showing more possibilities with this collection. As always, there are instructions listed with each project so you can be easily inspired to create your own projects.

paper; Festive Christmas Collection Paper (heartfelt creations), blackberry, amsterdam, white canvas (bazzill)
accessories; HCD 751 Cut-Mat-Create (heartfelt creations), Create-a-Flake 5 (spellbinders), black satin ribbon (offray), clear adhesive rhinestones (bazzill), clear rhinestone brads (making memories)

Heartfelt Creations - Summer Glory

Today, I wanted to create an over-the-top Thank You card for those times when someone has been an over-the-top blessing! I've incorporated components from the July release Cut-Mat-Create from Heartfelt Creations with other supplies to show the versatility, compatibility and mixability of the new release.

I applied a thin bead of glue to most of the straight edges of the paper for this card, then dunked it in glitter in a tidy tray. The softer, rounded edges of the Cut-Mat-Create die coordinate incredibly well with the rounded edges of these Spellbinders dies, and I think the effect is quite lovely. This card is really very quick and easy to put together with a dramatic look when completed. Love It!!!

There's plenty more inspiration on the Heartfelt Creations blog from the rest of the design team. As always detailed instructions are posted there as well. I hope the rest of your week is blessed!!

stamps; Summer Glory (heartfelt creations)
ink; black soot distress ink (ranger)
paper; Cut-Mat-Create Paper Collection (heartfelt creations), coconut swirl, kraft (bazzill), pearlescent vellum (paper accents)
accessories; HCD 749 Cut-Mat-Create 1A (heartfelt creations), Labels 28, Divine Eloquence, Outrageous Butterfly (spellbinders), crystal glitter (art institute glitter), mini irridescent rhinestones (zva)

Dare to Get Dirty - Miracles

Yes, I need to finish a research proposal, but sometimes I need to relax and let my brain percolate on ideas for a little while, know what I mean? I didn't look at the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges at splitcoast until I had finished reading all my research literature - a mere 1.5" thick, printed on both sides of the paper. It was a good reward. Well earned.

And so I looked through 2 days of challenges, and they looked lovely! I can't believe we are already 2 days into the challenges. eep!! There is no way I can do them all this year, so I have to combine as many as I can, so I feel I've made it worth my time and effort.

My line up of challenges; watercolour, window, inspiration challenge, no printed design paper, and glitter. 5 whole challenges - go me! And I really like this card - so sparkly irl.

This dandelion dies is one of my new faves. It's an easy die to dress up or dress down, just like dandelions - either they are a love bouquet from a darling child or, the kids are popping the heads off!

This is my favourite picture of this card because I love the way the light creates shadow from all the dimension I built into the card. This was caught completely by accident as the card was sitting on my paper cutter, and it took awhile for the sunlight to move across my window. I found it like this at a very serendipitous moment!

Thank you for stopping by! And I hope and trust you are blessed today.

stamps; beautiful you (verve)
ink; weathered wood, forest moss, tumbled glass, stormy sky distress ink (ranger), onyx black versafine (tsukineko)
paper; 140lb cold press watercolor paper (strathmore), white canvas (bazzill)
accessories; lg classic rectangles, d lites dandylion (spellbinders), angel dust glitter (art institute), sea glass, yellow daisy glimmer mist (tattered angel) 

Cute Little Arrows

For a splurge of under $20, this card made me feel like a million bucks! I saw this pad of paper called 'The Story of Us' in a local craft store and thought I'd died and gone to heaven!! 

The backstory; My youngest turned 13 this year. All she wanted for her birthday was a real bow and arrows. She had done some archery at school in Phys Ed, and when we went to Mexico on holidays last year, there was an archery range at the resort. She is really very good at it. And so my awareness of all things bow and arrow related has been heightened.

And I saw this paper. *squeal*. And then I saw the tiny arrow dies from Spellbinders. I nearly fainted from pure, unadulterated joy! This card came together then and there. The trip home took absolutely forever.

This was an incredibly simple card to put together. I used an old verve stamp set, From the Heart. The knot I've used on this card is the Alpine Butterfly Knot because I know someone is going to ask and if I don't write it down now, I will never remember what it is.

I layered the Thankful Hearts die from Verve and stuck the arrow through the middle. I don't even know if Verve makes this die any more, it is that old. But it is absolutely divine here, and I'm so glad I thought of it!

Thank you for popping in on my random creativity. I have news to share next week, so stay tuned. It's a biggun. Really, really big! Have a great weekend.

stamps; from the heart (verve)
ink; onyx black versafine (tsukineko)
paper; the story of us (simple stories), kraft, raven, white, amsterdam (bazzill)
accessories; thankful hearts (verve), shoot!, petite labels one (spellbinders), linen cord (canvas home basics), gingham ribbon (may arts)