Ho, ho! Tis the season! It’s only December 4th, and I’m already feeling behind in my Christmas preparations! Although this will be a “scaled back” celebration for us this year, I’m trying to maintain as many of my annual Christmas traditions as possible. Each year, I always enjoy making and sending Christmas cards to my family and closest friends. I used the Holly Jolly Card Kit from Creative Memories to make most of my cards this year, but I still need a few more. So I turned to my tools to make a few specialty cards for my grandchildren and also a few extras that I could mass produce easily.
I used our new Treeline Border Punch to create the card below on the right. This simple but beautiful card will be quick and easy to make in duplicates. For the base of my cards, I used blank cards from CM’s Blank Card Kit. The Blank Card Kit contains 12 solid white card bases and envelopes. It’s a smooth pure white card that is cut and scored from heavy cardstock. The quality is superior. I also the Pine Tree Punch from last year to create a similar card (on the left). Again it was easy and will be quick to mass produce.
To Make My Card on the Right:
1. Cut designer paper to 4-6/8″ x 3-1/2″, and punch with the Treeline Border Punch.
2. Reserve the two punched out pieces, and cut the remaining border piece in half at 2-3/8″.
3. Cut ribbon ends on the bottoms of the two punched pieces.
4. Adhere pieces to a Blank Card (5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″).
5. From Scarlet Cardstock, cut a 5-1/2″ x 1/4″ strip and adhere as shown.
6. Use the Merry Blooms Border Punch to punch a border from Scarlet Cardstock and fussy cut apart the flower pieces. Adhere flower with a Foam Square.
To Make My Card on the Left:
1. Cut designer paper into three strips that measure 1-1/2″ x 3-1/2″.
2. Center the strips into the Pine Tree Punch and punch.
3. Pull or cut off the bottom edges of the remaining strips.
4. Adhere pieces as shown to a Blank Card (5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″).
5. From Scarlet Cardstock, cut a 5-1/2″ x 1/4″ strip and adhere as shown.
6. Use the Merry Blooms Border Punch to punch a border from Scarlet Cardstock and fussy cut apart the flower pieces. Adhere flower, and add a rhinestone to the center.
The next two cards require a little bit more time but are super cute and will be perfect to send to my granddaughters. You might recognize my first gnome from a layout that I shared with you last year. I was inspired to create my second gnome by my scrapping friend, Angie. Angie didn’t have the Petal Frame Punch that I originally used, so she used the Baroque Border Punch as a substitute. I liked it so much that I made a similar version.
To Make My First Gnome:
1. Use Petal Frame Punch to punch three 4″ x 4″ pieces of Gray and Charcoal Cardstock. Use dark and light grey cardstock, and layer the pieces as shown. Use the Metallic Silver Dual-Tip Pen to add dimension to the layered beard.
2. Cut the hat by using the Green Blade on the inside edge of the diamond pattern from the Gemstones Cutting patterns. Cut in half. Embellish the hat with a narrow strip for the rim and a punched piece of greenery.
3. Cut the nose using the smallest oval pattern from the Oval Cutting Patterns and the Green Blade on the inside edge, and ink the edge of nose with a Brown Dual-Tip Pen.
4. Add nose and hat to the beard piece to create the gnome.
To Make My Second Gnome:
1. Use the Baroque Border Punch to punch a 4″ x 4″ piece of Gray Cardstock.
2. Use the Custom Cutting System with the largest Circle Pattern and Green Blade on the inside edge to cut a circle from Charcoal Cardstock. Adhere the Baroque beard on top of the circle piece.
3. Cut the hat by using the Green Blade on the inside edge of the diamond pattern from the Gemstones Cutting patterns. Cut in half. Embellish the hat with a narrow strip for the rim, fold over the tip of the hat and add a small star or circle piece with a Foam Square.
4. Cut the nose using the smallest oval pattern from the Oval Cutting Patterns and the Green Blade on the inside edge, and ink the edge of nose with a Brown Dual-Tip Pen. Add nose and hat to the beard piece.
I hope that you too are able to enjoy the simple pleasure and joy of creating and mailing Christmas cards this season! I guarantee that your recipients will love to find a homemade card in their mailboxes!
You can purchase the Holly Jolly Card Kit, Blank Card Kit, Treeline Border Punch, Custom Cutting System, Oval and Gemstone Cutting Patterns, Petal Frame Punch and Baroque Border Punch through my Creative Memories website link.
Happy Scrapping!
Karyn
