This past year, I began held Christmas card-making classes June through November. Each, on a Saturday, we gathered and made two each of two different designs.
In June, we made two of this sweet card with mini-images of an ornament, a tree and a star. Each aperture was backed with glittery glimmer paper for the maximum blink effect.
We also made two of this snowflake card to the right.
The base is a navy, with a contrasting layer of Bermuda Bay and then a layer of white, which was randomly stamped with snowflakes in varying sizes, shapes and colors. Hard to see here, but an additional layer of vellum, which had a few random snowflakes stamped on it, lent the impression that some snowflakes were far and some nearer.
The focal point is a metallic blue card stock, in a scalloped circle with the large snowflake hot embossed in white and a rhinestone center. Note the silver metal snowflake charm that adorns the ribbon.
In July, we made this Christmas “bauble”, which was hot embossed in gold and hand-colored with markers to march the coordinating design paper strips.
Note the holly leaves pop out from the die-cut circle and the gold thread peeks out from under that layer in random fashion. The random fine strands of thread just appearing from behind another layer is all the rage in cards right now.
This wreath was stamped first in the lighter shade of green. Then a coordinating stamp with just the few leaves was stamped in the darker green and a third stamp with just the berries was stamped in Cherry Cobbler. The wreath and the bow were die-but and accents of Cherry Cobbler glitter glue added some appropriate bling. The “Joy” was die-cut and made just the right addition to this card without being ostentatious.
In August everyone made one of each of these (the trees and the sled) and two of the snowflake tri-fold below. Both the trees and the sled were water-colored.
This tri-fold snowflake card was interesting to make and I’m quite sure interesting for the recipient to open. See the opened card.
Note the indigo designer paper strips that accent the Silver Glimmer Paper on both front vertical edges.
…..and a partridge in a pear tree….
The tree image was hot-embossed in gold and colored with markers.
Then a layer of shiny lacquer on the partridge and each little pear help “polish” the key focal points.
I like the non-traditional Christmas color of a metallic peach card base.
This and the silver card below were in the September class.
Classic silver and white make this card quietly stunning.
The tree and the greeting are hot-embossed in silver on a silver metallic card stock background and three designer paper banners in white and silver.
Difficult to see, but there are tiny rhinestone accents on the tree image where the flourishes end in snowflake bursts.
Simple, but elegant.
October class: This Christmas cardinal brings happy Christmas wishes and the blue shaker card below.
Olive green branches, tipped in red berries contrast this cardinal, which has been made with two-step stamping to provide lovely shading and then a layer of shiny lacquer in streaks over the feathers for texture.
The cardinal is then cut out and popped up to make him really 3-D.
Note, the envelope is lined in the same red paper.
Magnificent shaker card – always a treat to open!
The single window die-cut has been expanded to be double, capturing the moonlight, the trees (close up and in the distance) and the beautiful shaker sequins and beads inside the window frame. The picture doesn’t quite do it justice. This is too elegant for words.
In November we made the ornaments you see to the right and the wreath/inside hearth card below.
Using intricate die-cuts to cut these ornaments, we just backed them with alternate shiny foil paper. Featured here are the silver, gold and red foil paper and the red glimmer paper.
This wreath on the wooden door opens to reveal the hearth inside. Makes you just want to kick off your shoes and relax in front of the fireplace, doesn’t it?
My advanced classes created this ornament out of 1/2 of the thin lucite ornament shells available everywhere.
The white base is the largest circle from the circle collection framelits. Then a smaller circle cuts the navy background, which has been embossed with Softly Falling Embossing Folder and the raised dots colored with a Chalk Marker. The three other layers are all framelits in a set called Sleigh Ride Edgelits. The tree layer are die cut from the Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper. The village layers is cut from Silver Foil and the horse & sleigh are cut from Gold foil. Cover with 1/2 of a shallow lucite ornament shell you can find in most stores at holiday time.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my tour of my Christmas card-making classes this past year. I’m always “dark” in December so I can prepare for the many classes in the coming year.
Thank you for looking,
Carole
