Christmas Family

It's almost Christmas!  And here is a last minute card idea for you.  Oh, look!  It's a whole family!
I always like to see what new combination of A Way With Words diecuts I can come up with and I get so excited when you come up with something I haven't thought of before!  With over 100 words in the collection, there is bound to be quite a few!  This is the first time I've used this combination.

Here is what you'll need to make this card.  Of course you can use wherever colours you wish!

Flourished Deer  QFD |  ECD

Flourished Christmas Minis QFD |  ECD

Merry Christmas 3 QFD |  ECD

Family QFD |  ECD

Cardstocks in brown, dark kraft, light kraft, turquoise and pink

Micro Glue Dots

3D Foam Squares by Scrapbook Adhesives

1. Form a tent-fold card base measuring 6x6" from brown cardstock.  Cut a square panel from dark brown measuring 5.25" square and a slightly larger mat from turquoise. Adhere them together.
2. Die cut the Flourished Deer, one each from dark and light kraft cardstock.
3. Die cut the little deer from the Flourished Christmas Minis, one for each child - in whatever colours you (or they) would like!
4. Die cut Christmas and Family from your choice of colours and use Micro Glue Dots to assemble the deer together as shown.
5. Adhere the assembly of deer and words to the brown panel and mat and use 3D Foam Squares to adhere to the card base.

What a sweet card!  Enjoy making your own special version!

Just ask if you have a question.  Merry Christmas!

Suzanne

Simply Merry Christmas

Today I'm sharing a simple yet luminous Christmas card using the new Quietfire Design Merry Christmas 3 die.  As with most of my cards using Quietfire Design dies, the card came together easily.

I started by masking off the center using washi tape - if you find one wide enough, you don't even have to measure out the rectangle.  I just laid my washi tape along the edge of the card base and sponged some yellow ink and a wee bit of orange (any would work but I used Distress Inks Spiced Marmalade and Squeezed Lemonade).

I then die cut out the Merry Christmas out of red card stock.  I shaded some of the red card stock with Copic markers because it is really hard to find the perfect shade of red!  So I've really enjoyed modifying my cardstock using Copics to just get that right shade for smaller parts.

As you can see,the "merry" is beautifully scripted and flowing which makes it hard to glue down without stretching the word.  I first added 3 more layers of red cardstock to give it some weight - it also just looks nicer that way I think.  To make sure it stays spaced the way it was intended, I used the negative portion of my die cut and laid it down  - above the Christmas that is already glued down.  I then put my layered "merry" (with bits of glue on the back) on it inside the negative space.  No worries about making it wonky that way!  I hope the picture above helps make sense of what I just wrote.  :)

I then added the branch from the Carter Bella "Thank you branch die set" that I painted in greens and flecks of gold.  A little ribbon bow completed the card.

Thanks so much for looking!

Merry Christmas 3 dies

Mix and Match your stamps! Merry Christmas and Poinsettia Banner

Hello Crafty Friends!

This is called the most wonderful time of the year for many reasons.  We are able to see family and friends we may only see once a year.  We celebrate family and friendships at social gatherings.  Phone calls are shared with loved ones that we cannot visit.  And, as crafters, we make holiday projects to give to those dear to our hearts.  Today I am sharing a card that you can CASE and give to your family and friends.

The card focal point was created using stamps from two different sets:

Home for the Holidays Sentiments...

...and Poinsettia Banner and Sentiment.

Card Instructions:

1. Create a 5.5 x 4.25 top fold card using red card stock.  Mat white card stock onto base.
2. Cut Kraft card stock (or die cut) smaller than white mat.  (Mine was 5.25 x 4)
3. Use Versamark to stamp Poinsettia Banner to Kraft from Step 2.  Heat emboss using white embossing powder.  Color using Spectrum Noir Glitter Markers.  (Or try colored pencils or chalk.)  Mount onto card base.
   
4. Use Versamark to stamp Merry Christmas onto Kraft.  Heat emboss using white embossing powder.  Cut to size or die cut. Mat onto white card stock.  Mount onto card front using double sided foam tape.
   
5. Create double bow and mount.
   
6. Add gems as desired.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Have a happy, crafty weekend.

Big Hugs,

Kathy Jo

Merry Christmas to you

Hi everyone and it's so nice to have you stop by our blog today to see what is new for the holidays.  Today i am sharing a pretty card that i made with one of Suzanne's newest stamp sets called "Home for the Holidays" sentiments.  This is a gorgeous set with 5 stamps in it that you can use for your cards this year.  I made my card super simple with just a few dies, ribbon and some poinsettia's.

I went really traditional with it and mixed lots of ivory, red and green and the extra doily behind the die gives it a really country feel i think.  The dies are by Becca Feeken and the little hemstitch detail really sets off the sentiment.  It's perfect and is going to a special co worker for Christmas this year.

Here is the stamp set with all the other pieces in it.  As you can see there are lots of other gorgeous designs in the set that you can use for tags and other projects this year.

Thanks so much for stopping by...  Teresa

Elizabeth Craft Designs Pop Up Challenge

Hi there!  It's Suzanne here today.
It might not be the first thing that "pops" into your head, but it does in mine!  Let's use A Way With Words diecuts on a pop up card!

This month's Designer Challenge at Elizabeth Craft Designs was to use their General Pop Ups dies. I fell in love with these whimsical Winter Bears and knew they'd make a fun Christmas card surrounding A Way With Words diecuts!
 For today's challenge, Elizabeth Craft Designs will be giving away a $20 Gift Card to use on their website to 3 lucky winners.  To enter, simply leave a comment on the Elizabeth Craft Designs Challenge Blog Post!  Good luck!



Here is how you can make this fun card with bears sniffing all over the sentiment!  (Supplies are listed below)

Instructions:

1. Form a tent fold card base measuring 6 x 4.5" from blue cardstock.  Cut a rectangle of patterned cardstock measuring 5.5 x 8.5".  Fold in half.
   
2. Place pop up die centered along the fold line (secured with a small piece of removable tape) and die cut.  Fold and reverse-fold the score lines as shown in the photo.
   
3. Stamp the bears on watercolour paper (I used my MISTI - my Tim Holtz Stamp Platform was occupied!) using black ink. Designer Tip: Since stamping on watercolour paper can sometimes be a bit tricky, using a stamp platform allows you to easily and accurately register a second (and maybe third!) impression.  Allow the images to dry.  Colour the images with markers.
   
4. Die cut Merry Christmas from cardstock with Clear Double Sided Adhesive on the front of the cardstock.  Remove the release paper and apply glitter.  Polish glitter with your finger to bring out the sparkle.
5. Die cut Brrrrrr once from white cardstock and the extra snowflake multiple times from white and blue cardstock. I cut 7 in total.
6. Tape snowflake side of the Leaf & Snowflake stencil down across the top of the patterned paper with removable tape and apply embossing paste with a spatula.  Carefully roll up the stencils and wash with water.  Allow the paste to dry before continuing.
   
7. Assemble the card as shown or move the critters around where they please you most! Attach the large bear with foam adhesive to add even more depth.  Much as it pains me, you will have to do some surgery on the bottom flourish on Christmas.  You need a bit more surface area than is available when the flourish is full size, so trim the bottom bit of the flourish with scissors or a craft knife.  Make sure you have at least two points (or one long bit) to adhere the words to the pop up steps otherwise the words might want to twist.
   
8. Stamp Thinking of You with Pearlescent Poppy ink as shown.  On the outside of the card base, stamp Baby It's Cold Outside and thermal emboss in white.
   
9. Tape the pop up assembly to the card base making sure you do not apply adhesive under the pop up elements - or they'll have a hard time popping!
10. Adhere Brrrrrrr to the card front and adhere the snowflakes as desired.
    

Enjoy your creation!  Now, what can you do next with the General Pop Ups?  I see balloons and Happy Birthday, or some of Susan Tierney-Cockburn's flower with Season's Greetings for a completely different look.  The list is fun and endless!

Supplies used for this card:

Elizabeth Craft Designs Supplies:

A Way With Words Merry Christmas 2 | Quietfire

A Way With Words Brrrrrrr  | Quietfire

A Way With Words Clear Stamp Set – Christmas Collection   | Quietfire

A Way With Stencils Leaf & Snowflake | Quietfire

General Pop Ups

Winter Bears – Clear Stamps

Winter Bears – Dies

Silk Microfine Glitter – Bright Cranberry

Clear Double Sided Adhesive 

Watercolor Paper 
Soft Finish Cardstock 100lb - White

Other Supplies:
Tombow Dual Brush Pens
Imagine Crafts VersaMagic Midnight Black Dewdrop Stamp Pad
Imagine Crafts Brilliance Pearlescent Poppy Stamp Pad
Core'dinations Cardstock - Tidal Wave
KaiserCraft Silver Bells Collection
Dreamweaver White Embossing Paste
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L - 3D Foam Squares
Emerald Creek White Embossing Powder
My Sweet Petunia MISTI stamp positioner
Removable tape

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a happy and fun-filled holiday season during all your celebrations

and a safe and creative 2017 filled with new adventures.

Thank you so much for following me.

Suzanne Cannon

December 2016

Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas
and all the best for
a safe, happy and creative 2016!

 

Suzanne & the Quietfire Design Team

 

 

 

A Way With Words - Season's Greetings, Merry Christmas

Welcome to A Way With Words!  Each day during this event we’re sharing projects made with the brand new Elizabeth Craft Designs word dies.  All these designs are from original hand lettering by Suzanne Cannon and can be found on the Quietfire site, and on the Elizabeth Craft Designs site.

Today we have Judi Kauffman joining us for a guest designer spot!

Thank you for inviting me to be a guest designer for the roll-out of your new dies, Suzanne!

When it comes to making a batch of holiday cards I like to keep things simple and I want impressive results without a lot of work. I think these cards fill both requirements thanks to the wonderful dies (A Way With Words Collection). 

Give them a try. They come together very quickly and are so easy to customize.

Add more sparkle. Switch to a different color palette. Use a patterned card base instead of a solid color. Incorporate a berry branch, pine bough, holly, poinsettia or other flat or low-relief dimensional die cuts below the greetings. (Susan Tierney-Cockburn’s dimensional pine cone would be perfect, as would Els van de Burgt’s new Poinsettia.)

If you prefer simpler cards, omit the stars and branches and add a single brad at each corner of the ivory rectangle. Or duplicate the cards precisely as shown.

Instructions:
1. Back a sheet of red cardstock with double-sided adhesive sheet. Die cut Merry Christmas or Season’s Greetings (or both!).

2. Place Season’s Greetings on a 4.75” x 3” ivory cardstock rectangle; place Merry Christmas on a 4.35” x 2.75” ivory cardstock rectangle.

3. Layer onto plaid paper and cut around the ivory rectangle leaving an eighth-inch border. Adhere to red top-fold A2 size card base. (5.5” wide x 4.25” high)

4. Die cut Leaf & Berry Branches from Light and Dark Green Adhesive Velvet Sheets. Arrange the branches below the greeting starting with lighter branches first and darker ones on top. Refer to the photos for placement. Carefully trim the branches where they extend past the edges of the card.

6. Back a small piece of Ruby Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz with double-sided adhesive sheet. Die cut three sparkly stars for each card. (*Reminder: Review Els van de Burgt’s YouTube video if you have not die cut Shimmer Sheetz. You MUST use a metal adaptor plate as instructed, cutting side of the die facing DOWN toward the metal plate with Shimmer Sheetz face UP in between.)

7. Arrange the stars in a cluster where the ends of the branches meet.

Options:

*If you have more time, add a Glitter Dot Peel-off to each berry on the darker green (top) branches. (Tip: Sheets of Glitter Dots have four sizes. To my eye, the smallest is the best fit for the tiny berries, but you may prefer larger Dots.)

*Instead of stars die cut circles, rings, or other small Shimmer Sheetz shapes.

*Instead of stars add a trio of flat-back faceted gems, small flat buttons, or other embellishments.

Supplies:

Elizabeth Craft Designs –
Season’s Greetings die (A Way With Words Collection by Suzanne Cannon)
Merry Christmas die (same collection)
Leaf & Berry Branches dies (Els van de Burgt Studio Collection)
Star-shaped die (a die in the Happy Birthday Pop It Up set by Karen Burniston)
Ruby Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz
Light and Dark Green Velvet Adhesive Sheets
Transparent Double-Sided Adhesive Sheets
Metal Adaptor Plate

Other – Die cutting machine, red cardstock, plaid paper