Tuesday 10 October 2017

Another four Christmas cards - yay!

Happy dance here as my Christmas card making target total is up to date - for now and I did sort of enjoy making these four cards after such a loss of mojo. I'd been told to take it easy for a couple of days last week - so I spent the time quietly crafting ................. and left the ironing leering at me from the laundry basket.

I made four of the same design but changed the backing paper as I was using up small LOTV snippets - so there are two of each exactly the same:


I used:

- 4.25" x 5.5" white card blank, tent style
 
- a piece of white card stock, die cut using the MFT 'Stitched Cover-up Companion - Diagonal' die

- then I backed the white panels with snippets of LOTV patterned paper - holly print and tartan/plaid from the (sadly discontinued) 'Classic Christmas' paper pad

- added a layer of fun foam, cut just slightly smaller than the panel to the back

- die cut holly leaves and berries, using snippets of plain paper from the LOTV pad (best way to get a good match for the red and green). The dies I used were holly leaves from the Dees Distinctively 'Wreath Builder' set and the berries are from the Poppy Stamps 'Stitched Holly Leaves and Berries set'. The only reason I mixed the two sets was because I wanted very slightly larger holly leaves 

- used the holly leaves and berries as a guide to position the sentiment in place, using the Misti of course. The sentiment is from the Inkylicious 'Seasons Greetings' sentiment set and I used Memento 'Tuxedo Black ink

- glued the foam backed panel onto the card front then added the holly leaves and a berry - using Collall All Purpose glue in a Woodware ultra fine glue applicator

It was interesting stamping the sentiment onto the card panel which was already backed with fun foam - I left the black pad in the Misti - but the magnets held well and the stamping came out crisp.

One really useful tip when using the Misti - when you've positioned your stamp and it's attached to the lid it's a real help to pop a full pad of Post-Its underneath the opened out lid (underneath the stamp is a good place of course) before you begin to ink your stamp up. The thickness of the Post-It pad supports the flipped back lid and also helps with an even covering of ink. Goodness know where I spotted that idea but I've always done it and find it works really well. I think I'd cry if those hinges ever snapped!

Of course, adding the fun foam to the card panel gives it a good 'lift' from the card base which looks better in some ways. Sigh, it also takes the card up into Large Letter size. I have a postal gauge here and it's such a help checking card sizes. I hesitating for a nano second - then decided to still use the foam anyhow. Threw caution to the wind as they say :)

Just added this - GUESS WHAT! LOTV now have some Christmas background papers to download and print for yourself. Three of my very favourite sets are in the collection so far - including the papers I used for this card which are my favourite set of all time!  I only found them when searching for some images I wanted - result - woo, hoo!! Happy dance here :)

To be honest, I'm NOT a printer of papers but was delighted to find what I though were some a long lost designs :)






28 comments:

  1. Gorgeous cards Di, love the papers and the die-cut Holly :)
    Hugs Kaz xx

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  2. I use 150gsm light weight smooth card especially for printing when I print out my digi papers and find the patterns and colours come out perfectly . Just as good as any paper pad. You can even turn the paper over and print out on the other side . Then you have double sided paper. As you know
    I don't buy pads not unless they are a quid a time at the NEC ! . These cards are super . Very elegant looking especially the red plaid one. Hugs Mrs A.

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  3. That is such a neat die & the perfect way to use patterned paper, Di! Love these cards! Thanks for the MISTI tip!

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  4. Hi Di, two pretty cards, love the papers, I'm not into printing papers if I can help it, go through too much printer ink... have a wonderful week... Megan

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  5. Great cards for natch making. Well done on hitting your target. I am trying with my Christmas cards but there's not enough time in my day lol xx

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  6. Lovely cards, this die really is a fab help to make quick cards! Love your choice of papers!

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  7. Totally gorgeous set of cards. Very classy & elegant. Cool die. Thank for tip about post it note pad.
    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  8. Just wonderful, dear Di!
    Hugs,
    Liv

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  9. Well done with keeping up to your target for Christmas cards and of course for your handy hints along the way. Good news that LOTV are doing printables now, very handy I'd say just in case we ever run out of patterned papers and so on - as if!!!!!!

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  10. Love these Di...super crisp and festive and classy! and yes fab papers too.

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  11. Brilliant are your cards card and you made 4 of them your Christmas card list will be near completed l have those papers and just checked out the digi sets what a great idea to download them saves on postages too! take care sending lots of love x

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  12. Gorgeous cards, Di... and I love that diagonal die ;) xoxo

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  13. These are great cards. I really love both of those papers and the design is pretty and simple but so effective.

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  14. Very nice cards. I love the holly and the plaid paper. Like you, I'd probably cry if I snapped a MISTI hinge. Or, maybe we'd become unhinged. Hmm.......... [Bunny]

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  15. Two beautiful Christmas cards Di and a great way to use up those snippets of paper and I love tartan, I think it is one of my favourite backgrounds at Christmastime, the holly is pretty too though and great that some LOTV papers can be downloaded now as their paper designs were hard to beat. x

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  16. Very very nice cards you designed!!! Beautiful colors and backgrounds. Thanks for sharing!
    Henry

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  17. Indeed, classy cards and I love the papers. Thanks for the tip on the MISTI. BTW, I am still making Halloween cards. teehee

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  18. Love these gorgeous cards! Fab papers and thank you so much for the tip about the post it pad under the Misti lid! Brilliant idea! I always worry when I am inking, problem will be solved now! You are a star! Hugs xxxxxxxxx

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  19. What a great design and a great way to use Christmas pp I have around here, Di! I'm pretty sure I even have that die!! I, too, figured out to pad the lid of the Misti because I was getting sloppy ink on lid around the stamp from uneven pressure. I didn't even think about the hinges, but that does make sense. I would cry, too, if they broke! Hope your back gets better soon, my friend! Hugs, Darnell

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  20. Oooh, that plaid is the perfect paper for a Christmas card. Love the warm traditional look and the holly and sentiment work so well with that diagonal die set. Good for you on plugging away with your cards. I'm hoping to keep up with my promise not to leave everything last minute, but we'll see.

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  21. I can see why you like these papers so much, they gre gorgeous and make wonderful cards.

    Sue xx

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  22. Fabulous cards and great to know that we can get hold of some of the yummy papers again x

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  23. What wonderful cards Di - they are really striking
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  24. Great set Di! I love the papers you chose..so festive!!!

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  25. Hi Di,
    oh I love these wonderful cards and your designs as usual are so brilliant.
    Love those wonderful papers also.
    Thank you for the tip on the Misti will bear that one in mind.
    Have you had trouble with the Versamark embossing ink pad pullling your stamps away from it.
    I have to revert to stamping by hand when using this method.
    Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.

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  26. That really is a useful looking die. They are two lovely cards Di. The papers are super. So sorry I'm late. I'm splaying catch up again. Barbxx

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  27. LOL I've no problem whatsoever ignoring my leering ironing pile ;) Beautiful cards, the font on the sentiment you've used is gorgeous

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