Yuletide Joy CTMH Australasian Blog Hop

Welcome to our Australasian Blog Hop. We have all been creating with "Yuletide Joy—October Stamp of the Month" Stamp set. If you have arrived here from Maz Wood- aMAZing Close to My Heart Creations then you are in the right place. If you landed here another way, please join in by following the link at the end of this post. Follow the links, check out all the amazing ideas and eventually you'll come right back here to where you started. 

This is such a pretty stamp set for Christmas. 

Today I would like to share with you my project which features the Yuletide Joy—October Stamp of the Month available exclusively throughout October 2016 for $27 or for just $7.50 when you spend $75. 

My idea for my cards in this project was to make them quick, easy and replicate them easily. I started my Christmas cards with the new Thin Cuts—Christmas and cut out on my BigShot in Black Cardstock. 

The negative cut out is just as valuable with this thin cut word (some of the other words don't easily work to do this). See below. 

I stamped the Star from the Yuletide Joy—October Stamp of the Month in Canary Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad directly on top of the 5 1/2" × 4 1/4" White Cards & Envelopes, Value Pack cards and did the wording in Black Memento™ Ink Pad.

I used the Shimmer Brush—Clear to paint the Thin Cuts—Christmas cutout and I laid it over the top of the three stars but decided eventually that I liked it without the Thin Cut on top of it but I've shown both to see which one you prefer. 

After I made the star card and had the Thin Cuts—Christmas cutout with all the shimmer from the  Shimmer Brush on it, I decided to make another card to use it. 

To make this card I stamped the present in Cranberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad 

and stuck on the Thin Cuts—Christmas cutout with all the shimmer. I stamped the sentiment with Black Memento™ Ink Pad. Then I added three strips of Thin Washi Tape from the City Sidewalks Washi Pack. To complete the look of the card I added two red Red Enamel Gems as the top of the i and the full stop. Quick Christmas card complete. 

To make the third card I stamped the middle stocking in Cranberry Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad and then I did second generation stamping to stamp the lighter stockings (to imitate a mantle piece). I stamped the sentiment with Black Memento™ Ink Pad. Then I added two strips of Thin Washi Tape from the City Sidewalks Washi Pack. Another quick, easy and replicateable card. This would look great with red and green stockings and would be a good one for kids to do for the whole class at school because its only using ink and a little bit of washi tape and the 5 1/2" × 4 1/4" White Cards & Envelopes, Value Pack making this project inexpensive for kids to make for school friends or sporting teams etc.

After I had finished all of the stamp of the month cards, I still had the negative space from the Thin Cuts—Christmas cutout. I didn't want it to get ruined by going back into my scrap stash. I decided to also stick it onto one of the 5 1/2" × 4 1/4" White Cards & Envelopes, Value Pack.

TIP: when you are adhering these negative wording down - use a Bonding Memories™ Glue Pen to get into all the small spaces of the wording so they all stick down (see photo - I used Duck® Easy Stick™ Adhesive around the edges and the Bonding Memories around the inside). 

Now that its stuck down I can add other embellishments later or shimmer trim or bling or something but it won't get ruined or lost in my stash now. Although if I get rushed for time, I quite like it as it is. 

Remember this great stamp set  Yuletide Joy—October Stamp of the Month is only available throughout October from my website or from your Close to My Heart Consultant. 

Thanks so much for dropping by to check out my latest project, I hope you get inspired. I'm really interested to hear what you think about it, so I'd love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop on our Australasian Blog Hop which is Georgia O'Shea - Georgia Creates

Come back to see me again soon.

Piano Cards

I was recently commissioned by a friend to make three black and white Piano/musical cards for my friend to give to her friend who is a piano teacher. I love an artistic challenge. She asked that I didn't put any title on the cards, which made it easy. 

I got some inspiration from Pinterest and created 3 different cards along the piano theme. 

Card 1 - was started with a strip of black cardstock 5.5 x 4.25 inches stuck on our 5 1/2" × 4 1/4" Colonial White Cards & Envelopes, Value Pack with Duck® Easy Stick™ Adhesive.

Next I got a strip of white cardstock about 1.5inches x 5.5 inches. I cut the white at 0.5 inches wide on the SureCut™ Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer. I don't cut things completely evenly so I had a small strip left over at the end but this was perfect because it allowed me to space apart the keys to show the black through them. I cut the black strip of paper about 1 inch wide x 3/8" inch wide.

To get the little music book shape. I used a scrap of 12" × 12" Colonial White Cardstock 

with the musical flower from the Hello Blooms stamp set (shown below) stamped with Black Memento™ Ink Pad. I rounded the top of the "book" so it looked more like a book and added a thin strip of Black Cardstock to finish it off. I stuck it onto the card along the middle and folded up the edges. 

I used Silver Shimmer Trim to complete the edge of the keyboard. 

Card 2 - The next card I made was a sit up card. I used the same measurements for the black and white keys. The base card was cut in Black Cardstock at 5x8 inches. Then I scored the card at 4 inches and 6 inches. I wanted it to fit into the bulk envelopes from the 5 1/2" × 4 1/4" White Cards & Envelopes, Value Pack.

I added an extra piece of Black Cardstock cardstock at 5x4 inches on the front of the folds (see below). I used the retired paper Yuletide Carol that has music on it to mat that in the same size. Then small 1.5x1 inch squares of it x 6 and used small bits of Black Cardstock that I matted the musical paper on. Both sides of the top strip and just the top side of the bottom bit (thats a confusing sentence!). I stuck it together with my Mini Stapler and Mini Staples. I used Gold Shimmer Trim to frame the keys and to make a "shelf". 

I used the Ivy Lane Assortment purple flower to make something to hold the fold card up and it adds a pretty floral element.  

Inside I added a strip of 12" × 12" White Daisy Cardstock for somewhere to write on. 

I folded the little musical book so it stuck out 3D. 

Card 3 - The last card I made was a Piano shape. I freehand cut the shape of the piano in 12" × 12" Black Cardstock scraps. The white and black keys were also the same sizes but I shortened the length of them by a quarter inch. To finish the card I added Gold Shimmer Trim and then the Gold Foil Tape along the top of the piano keys. I had thought I may cut off the white section at the top of the  5 1/2" × 4 1/4" White Cards & Envelopes, Value Pack card but I decided the inside of the card needed the extra space for writing (if I cut off the top section you would have less space to write). 

The below photo with all the cards in was taken where I made them at my regular crop day at Brown Park in Swan View (not the greatest lighting). If you'd like a day of scrapbooking/cardmaking or any kind of crafting, then please let me know and I can give you more info. The day includes morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, table goodies, door prizes, displays and sometimes workshop demonstrations & samples.  

Christmas Card Workshop

I have created this lovely card workshop idea for workshops in the next few months (After 1st September the paper will change to the latest Christmas Themed paper). I was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest and created a similar version using the Close to My Heart Cricut cartridges and latest Christmas Papers. I have designed a template and can cut all the paper prior to the workshop. Please contact me to let me know if you would like to book this workshop. You get to make both of these cards at the workshop and you must have a minimum of 4 people and a maximum of 8 people at your workshop and I can conduct these in your home or mine. The cost of this workshop is the usual $15 workshop charge. Any sales made at the Christmas Card workshop can go towards your host rewards. If you would like to just attend a class like this but don't want to be the host please also let me know so I can put your name down on my list and contact you when the dates get decided.

You need the following Tools for making this card (I will bring all tools and supplies required to the workshops I conduct or host).

Shopping List Items

Yuletide Carol Paper Pack

Kraft Cardstock

Surecut™ Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer

Art Philosophy Collection

Artiste Collection

New England Ivy Ink

Sponge

Daubers 3 pack

Dot Embossing Folder

Stripe Embossing Folder

Woodgrain Embossing Folder

Colonial White cards and envelopes Bulk Pack

Gold Sequins

Silver Sequins

Gold Shimmer Trim

Silver Shimmer Trim

Corner Rounder

Non-Stick Micro-Tip Scissors

Bonding Memories Glue

Bonding Memories Pen

EzDots Adhesive

EzDots Adhesive Refill

Tools Not available from Close to My Heart: 

Cricut (I pre-cut everything)

Embossing Machine (ie. a Big Shot) that I bring to the workshop.

Workshops can be held in your home or my workshop room at my home in Glen Forrest. 
Contact me today via vandra@bigpond.com or my website www.vandra.ctmh.com.au or 9298 9446.