Christmas is Coming!

I know. That is no secret. It also amazes me that every year about this time I start to panic that I won’t get everything done that I WANT to do before then. I times past, either I was better organized, did less, or did fewer things that were time intensive. By Halloween I ALWAYS had my shopping done, cards were mailed by December 1 and by Thanksgiving most of the wrapping was done as well. That left December free for getting together with relatives to bake and decorate dozens of cookies, to make candy, attend events, practice for the church Christmas program and such things. Now……well.

Today’s card is a Christmas card, though I typically don’t send this kind of card. I honestly think that since Jesus is the reason for the season, my cards should reflect that belief. I do like the red and green traditional colors, the Santa Claus figure, deer, Christmas trees, etc. I just don’t usually send those kinds of cards. However, others do, and our Women’s Club has a bake sale and bazaar the first Saturday of December, so I may sell these for their fundraiser. At any rate, I like this card, and I hope you do too.

 

I began by using the lantern die from the Seasonal Lantern bundle to cut the lantern from Gold Foil Sheets. Using the same die, I cut another out of Very Vanilla card stock so I would have the middle of the lantern to stamp my candle, saving the rest of the lantern for another project. I then used the larger lantern, solid die, to cut one from Real Red Card Stock. I adhered the Gold one to the red lantern with Liquid Glue.

From Old Olive and Garden Green I die cut pine boughs using the Pretty Pines thinlits. Using the Holly Berry Happiness stamp set, I stamped several of the smaller leaves in Garden Green on Garden Green Card stock and the three berries in Real Red on Real Red card stock. These were punched out using the Holly  Berry Builder Punch.

On the center panel of the lantern, I stamped the Seasonal Lantern candle in Real red and the flame and ‘glow’ in Crushed Curry. I outlined the flame in Real Red with my Stampin’ Write Marker. Using a white gel pen, I added a little highlight on the side of the candle. This piece was then liquid glued into the lantern.

I dry embossed a panel of Real Red using the Holly Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. Using Real Red as my card base, I liquid glued a panel of plaid paper to a panel of Garden Green and onto the card base. On the embossed red panel, I wrapped a piece of gold and white ribbon around, taping it to the back.

I assembled all the pieces of the lantern using liquid glue and Stampin’ Dimensionals and Mini-Stampin’ Dimensionals, then used Stampin’ Dimensionals to adhere the finished lantern to the embossed panel.

Taking my sentiment from the Wonder of Christmas stamp set (retired) I stamped it in Versamark on a panel of Very Vanilla and heat embossed it with Gold Emboss Powder. This was punched out using the Everyday Label Punch. I punched out another in Garden Green to use as a mat for the sentiment label. This one was cut in half vertically and liquid glued to the back of the sentiment. Stampin’ Dimensionals adhered it over the ribbon.

This finished panel was put on the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals also.

The inside of the card was made with a plaid panel on a Garden Green mat and adhered to the card base. This sentiment, also from Wonder of Christmas, was heat embossed in gold on a panel of Very Vanilla and adhered to a Real Red mat using Liquid Glue. I lightly drew three holly leaves and filled them in with my Garden Green Stampin’ Write marker. Ditto the red berries, using a Real Red Stampin’ Write marker. I deliberately placed the sentiment toward the left side of the panel to leave room to hand write a message. If I am going to the trouble to make a card for someone, I am going to write a few words of personal greeting as well.

The envelope received a plaid flap and a Garden Green lantern, embossed with Gold on the front.

I am having a little difficulty in wrapping my mind around the fact that October is nearly 1/3 gone already. YIKES! There are only 24 hours in a day, and I think I need at least 30! Either that, or I don’t need to sleep.

Please use the host code for October 1-15 if you decide to order from me. Also, now is a good time to become a demonstrator if you have any thoughts of doing so.

HOST CODE THROUGH OCTOBER 15: 2HRMVCPM

If you apply that Host Code to your online orders under $150, you’ll get a free gift from me. If your order is over $150, please don’t apply the hostess code (you’ll miss out on your own Stampin’ Rewards/Host $$ if you use it), but you’ll still get the free gift, too!

For details on my rewards program just click here

Wild Wing Creations Bird Egg Rewards:

Qualify to earn FREE Stampin’ Up! product from ANY current Stampin’ Up! catalog or promotion!  The Wild Wing Creations Bird Eggs Rewards Program is my way of personally saying “thank you” to my returning customers.

Card Cuts: Real Red: card base 7″ x 10″ scored at 5″, embossed panel 4″ x 5″, inside mat 3-3/4″ x 5-3/4″, solid lantern 3″ x 4″; Garden Green: front mat and inside mat 4-3/4″ x 6-3/4″, mat for sentiment 2″ x 3″, scraps for holly leaves and pine boughs; Very Vanilla: sentiment 2″ x 3″, lantern 3″ x 4″, inside sentiment panel 3-1/2″ x 5-1/2″; Gold Foil sheets: lantern 3″ x 4″; Plaid Designer Paper: front and inside 4-1/2″ x 6-1/2″

NON Stampin’ Up! products used: ribbon, plaid paper. I wanted to use up some older stock, so used these from my stash. You could use instead the DSP Around the world and the gold stripe ribbon, which I will put in my product list.

Product List