Hello!  I’m back with some layouts that I created using the Merry Little Christmas collection from Creative Memories.  I had good intentions of getting this posted right around Christmas, but whew – life got busy!  Better late than never – but I hope that you had been able to purchase the Merry Little Christmas items a few weeks ago before they sold out.  This was a hugely popular collection for CM.  Both of the embellishment packs sold out in October and were later re-introduced only to again sell out with the rest of the collection.  The traditional red and green colors along with playful and trendy gnomes and traditional Christmas icons made this collection a sell-out!  (If you don’t have the Merry Little Christmas items, you can still create my layouts using other materials.)

 

 

For my first layout, I used my favorite sheet of Merry Little Christmas paper – the mistletoe print.  I also used our discontinued cranberry cardstock, but other shades of red would work.  My layout is adorned with photo ornaments highlighted by pieces created with the Petal Frame Punch.  Click here to view a video on how to use the Petal Frame Punch.  To make my layout:

1.  Cut a hollow frame from cranberry cardstock and adhere a piece of 11″ x 11″ mistletoe paper.  Add faux pen stitching around the cranberry frame.
2.   Punch two 4″ x 4″ and one 6″ x 6″ pieces of cranberry cardstock with the Petal Frame Punch.
3.  Use the Custom Cutting System with the Circle Patterns and Red, Green and Blue Blades to cut photos into varying sizes.  Mat photos with slightly larger white cardstock circle mats.
4.  Add faux pen stitching to some of the photo frames.
5.  Adhere some of the photos with Foam Squares.
6.  Add Merry Little Christmas Stickers and Embellishments with Foam Squares.

 

For my second layout,  I was again inspired by CM’s Petal Frame Punch but this time to create packages with bows.  The present print paper is fun and playful and works well on this layout.  I also used the Present Border Punch that was a promo item from CM last year.  If you don’t have this punch, just substitute another punch such as the Dazzle Border Punch or the Lace Trim Border Punch that will create the look of bows across your layout.  To make my layout:

 
1.  From black cardstock, cut 2 partial 1″ hollow frames.  See photo below.
2.  Cut a sheet of white cardstock into 2 pieces that measure 11-3/4″ x 6″ each.
3.  Cut a sheet of present paper into 2 pieces that measure 11-3/4″ x 6″ each.
4.  Adhere the pieces onto each other and the black frames to create your backgrounds.
5.  From black cardstock, use the Present Border Punch (or other punch) to punch 2 borders.  Adhere these pieces onto the center of your layout as shown in the photo above.
6. Add faux pen stitching to the white cardstock as shown.
7.  From red cardstock, cut four 4″ x 4″ squares and two 6″ x 4″ rectangles.  From black cardstock, cut four 4-1/4″ x 4-1/4″ squares and two 6-1/4″ x 4-1/4″ rectangles.  Adhere red and black pieces together to make double-photo mats.  Crop photos to 3-3/4″ x 3-3/4″ and 5-3/4″ x 3-3/4″.
8.  Cut variety mat to 4″ x 4″ and mat.
9.  Punch around 4″ x 4″ squares of black cardstock with the Petal Frame Punch.  Trim pieces with scissors to create bows for your packages.
10.  Cut small squares from red cardstock to stack and use as journaling boxes.
11.  Use the new 3-in-1 Scallop Tag Maker to make small 1″ tags to use as journaling boxes.
12.  Add Merry Little Christmas Stickers and Embellishments using Foam Squares on some.

 

 
CM’s new 3-in-1 Scallop Tag Punch has been a popular seller.  It creates tags in a variety of sizes that can be used as journaling boxes, photo mats, or embellishments.  (For a fun activity with your kids and grandkids, use it to punch old Christmas cards to make tags for your presents next Christmas.)  This layout can easily be adapted into a double-page layout.  To make my page:

 

1.  Cut the white print paper to 11-1/2″ x 3-1/4″ and 11-1/2″ x 1-1/2″.  Cut green print paper to 11-1/2″ x 6-1/4″, and adhere the three pieces onto a sheet of 12″ x 12″ black cardstock.  (I really liked using black cardstock with this collection.)
2.  Use the 3-in-1 Scallop Tag Punch to punch two 2-1/2″ tags, and tuck them under the top edge of the green paper.
3.  Add photos, embellishments, and stickers as shown adhering some with Foam Squares.

 

 
I really love the saying on the variety mat that I used on my layout above and knew that I had to use it with one of our annual family Christmas photos.  To get a better view of everyone, I always enlarge my  big group photos to 7″ x 5″.  It’s not often that we get a complete family photo, and this photo from a few years ago is no exception.  Quite a few family members are missing, but it still helps to commemorate our Christmas Day spent together.  To play with the saying on the variety mat, I created a Christmas Tree from paper squares.  To make my layout:

 

1.  From black cardstock, cut a 8-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ square, and then cut the square in half on the diagonal.
2.  Cut 1″ squares from the mistletoe and tree print papers and adhere to the black triangle.  Cut some pieces in half on the diagonal to fit on the ends of the rows.
3.  From black cardstock, use the Pine Cone Punch (also sold out) to punch 12 pine cones, layer pieces and adhere.
4  From red cardstock, use the Medallion Punch to punch 6 medallions and trim with your scissors.  See photo below.  Adhere top pieces with Foam Squares and add a black dot for the center.
5.  Use the Original Border Maker System with the Ornaments Border Maker Cartridge to punch a border from red cardstock.  (This cartridge sold out quickly when it was first introduced and is expected back in stock in mid-February.)
6.  Use the Original Border Maker System with the (retired) Frame Chain Border Maker Cartridge to punch a border from black cardstock and adhere the pieces behind the ornament border.  If you don’t have this cartridge, you may use CM’s old Small Circle Maker to punch 3/4″ circles to place behind the ornaments.
7.  Adhere the ornament border with Foam Squares.
8.  Cut the variety mat to 4″ x 5″ and adhere to a 4-1/4″ x 5-1/4″ black cardstock mat.
9.  Mat photo with a 7-1/4″ x 5-1/4″ black cardstock mat.
10.  Add Merry Little Christmas Embellishments with Foam Squares.

 

I had created my little gnome as a Make-N-Take item for my annual Holiday Open House in November and knew that I wanted to use him on the darling gnome print paper – my second favorite sheet in the paper pack.  Although I created this as a single page, you can easily adapt into a double-page layout by duplicating the pieces onto a second sheet.  To make this layout:

 

1.  Cut white cardstock to 10-1/4″ x 9-1/4″”.  (I cropped my photos to 5″ x 4″.  If you use 6″ x 4″ photos, you may wish to cut a larger piece of white cardstock.)
2.  Use the Dazzle Border Punch to punch the top edge of the white cardstock.
To create the gnome:
1.  Cut the hat by using the Green Blade on the inside edge of the Diamond Cutting Pattern.  Cut in half.  Embellish hat with narrow strip for the rim and a punched piece of greenery.
2.  Use Petal Frame Punch to punch three 4″ x 4″ pieces of grey cardstock.  Use dark and light grey cardstock, and use the Metallic Silver Dual-Tip Pen to add dimension.
3.  Cut the nose using the smallest oval pattern and the green blade on the inside edge, and chalk edge of nose with brown pen.
4.  Adhere gnome with Foam Squares and add Merry Little Christmas Embellishments.
I hope that I’ve given you a few ideas for your Christmas photos and for some of CM’s newest tools!  You may purchase most of the tools that I used through my personal CM link.  I’ll be back again next month with some winter layouts.  Take care until then!

Karyn