Cats and Christmas Card - a Sweet Combination

Anyone that knows me, knows that cats are an important part of my life.  When I hold KoKo's sweet little warm body to my chest and listen to the soft purring and feel the little rubbing against my neck,  I know that I am holding a precious gift that the Lord has put in my care.  A little gift that quiets my mind and brings on relaxation, and gives me unrestrained love.  I think KoKo must have learned those things from God!

So when I saw a card on the Kittie Kraft blog with a cat on it, I knew that I had to make one also.  This is my version:

 

 

I couldn't resist placing a little cat peeking from behind the wall of the staircase.  So adorable!  Because of all the little pieces, it does take a good bit of time to assemble it all.  But it is well worth the effort and just plain fun!  Following are some directions that should make it easier for you if you decide to take it on. 

 

Enjoy - and blessings to you,

Annie

 





Staircase & Christmas Tree Card

Card Base:  10” x 5”  (makes a 5x5 square card)
Panel:  2 ¾ “ x 5”
Decorative Paper:  2 pieces  5” x 5” and 5 ¼” x 2 7/8”

1.  Glue tops of little Christmas stockings and wheels on train set.  Set aside.

2.  Trace around the inside of the die cut window onto decorative wallpaper.  Cut it out so that no pencil marks show and no wallpaper shows when the window is placed over it.

3.  Using a finger dauber make a sky effect on the small white panel and attach it behind the cutout in the wallpaper.

4.  Adhere the wallpaper to the card base. 

5.  Trim and adhere the baseboard to the bottom of the wall.  Set aside.

6.  On the decorative paper staircase die cut, trim off the banister.  Adhere it to the white staircase die cut, leaving a small amount of white showing at each step.  Trim away excess wallpaper and mount to card base wall.

7.  Attach the two smaller trees to the back of the window frame and then mount over the window opening.

8.  On the large tree, cut off about half of the trunk and mount it to the staircase panel.

9.  Glue the star onto the treetop. 

10.  Trim and glue on the baseboard at the bottom of the staircase panel.

11.  Add light string trim to the tree.

12. Add stockings to windowsill.

13. Use finger dauber to color the cats’ ears and tail.  Glue one on the windowsill and one peeking from behind the staircase.

14.  Add flowers and leaves on banister and one at the corner of the window, lower right side.

15.  Use black ink to stamp the gift image onto white cardstock.  Color with color pencils, cut out, and glue under the tree.

16.  Add Crystal Stickles to the center of each flower and onto the top of the stockings.

17.  Add Pink Stickles to the tree lights and the star.

Memory Box Dies:  Classic Staircase, Festive Lights, Tiny Stockings, Train Set

Impression Obsession Dies:  Fir Trees, Window with Shutter
Cheery Lynn Designs Die:  City Girl Edger

The Reason for Christmas - Worship the King

Brrrr, it's cold outside!  What's a better time to stay cozy and warm inside and carry on with card making. I especially love making nativity Christmas cards and this die from Die-Namites is just perfect because I wanted only Baby Jesus, Joseph, and Mary in the scene.  The palm trees are so cool.  Looking at them brings back memories of when I visited Israel a few years ago.  They grow in many areas there.

The front of the card is a white panel embossed with the Cuttlebug Three Kings folder.  I like the idea of having the Wisemen on the front of the card because they are searching for the Savior.  Open the card and surprise - there He is!  LOL!  Are you  getting the idea that I like to tell a story with some of my cards.  Well, after all, I'm our church librarian - reading is wonderful and helps the mind be creative and imaginative!   Ok, back to the card.  Here's a picture of the card front.  The embossing doesn't show up very good in the pic, and it's really much prettier in person.

Directions

1.  Outside card base – fold in half

2.  Decorative paper panel – fold in half and put DS tape to only the sides of the decorative panel.  Adhere the sides to the inside of the card base, trying to get the center folds to fit as closely as possible.  Be sure to leave the center loose.  Lay it aside.

3.  Inside card base – score at 3½,  5½, and 7½ - Fold the card base so that you have one mountain fold, two valley folds.

4.  Die cut in the center of the panel.

5.  Score manger scene from the right side of the star and between the manger and Mary.

6.  Adhere the bottom only of the manger scene behind the die cut frame.

7.  Put DS tape all around both end panels of the inside card base.

8.  Adhere to the outside card base.

9.  Stamp the inside sentiment on a white panel, round the corners, and adhere to the right inside panel of the card.

10.  Front of card – round corners of the white embossed panel and the light teal panel.

11.  Layer them and then adhere them to the card front.

12. Use finger dauber to add a bit of ink to hi-light the embossed image.

13.  Round the corners of the small white piece and the dark teal piece. Stamp sentiment onto the white, layer it onto teal, and then mount it to the left bottom of the card.

Supplies

Card Base 11 x 4¼  (2 pieces) teal card stock

Light teal panel 5¼ x4

White front panel 5 1/8 x 3 7/8 (emboss on this one)

Outside sentiment panel:  teal 2 x 7/8 and white 1 7/8 x ¾

Inside sentiment panel 2¾ x 1¾

Decorative Paper background panel 5¼ x 4¼

Cuttlebug Embossing folder - Three King

Die-namites die - Nativity Scene

Spellbinders Nestabilities - Labels One

Thanks for stopping by today.

Blessings,

Annie

Christ is our Lamppost, Lighting the Way

Out of all the lamppost dies on the market, this big one by Tim Holtz is my favorite.  It was as though it spoke to me the first time I saw it, but I didn't understand the message.  As I was typing this post, I started singing and humming "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem."  Remember the first verse,            

"O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight."

Now I know why I was so happy making this card.  It made me think about how the Lord is our bright shining light and that all of us can have that light within us!  Oh my goodness!  Ok, back to how to make this card.

Directions:
1.  Card base – 9 x 5 3/4:  fold in half
2.  Front panel – 5 ½  x 4 ¼   emboss with embossing folder, layer onto card front.
3.  Die cut 2 ovals – one from music paper and one from red card stock.  Lightly distress the edge of the music piece and stamp a small sentiment in the center using a black ink pad.
4.  Layer the music oval onto the red oval, slightly offset to the left.  Center and layer onto embossed panel, but leave a bit of room on the left edge so that you can tuck the top ends of the streamers underneath.
5.  Die cut lamppost from black card stock.  Use a piece of light gold shimmer paper to back the lamp globe.  Layer the lamppost onto the right side of the oval die cuts.
6.  Adhere the holly and the berries to the lamppost.
7.  Add the cat next to the lamppost and embellish with a small red flower.
8.  On the left side of the ovals, adhere the streamers and bow.
9.  Hi-light the berries and the flowers with Stickles – red or Stardust.

 Supplies:

Crushed Olive Distress Ink
Memories Black Dye Ink
Tim Holtz Alterations die Holiday Lamppost
Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Ten
Memory Box die Precious Butterflies (used just the small bow section)
Memory Box die Chesapeake Circle (used sections to make streamers)
Impression Obsession die Cats
Darice Embossing Folder Scrolls

I'll be back with another card tomorrow.  Until then, happy stamping!

Blessings,
Annie

Celebrating Thanksgiving!

Hi Card Makers,

Do you love Thanksgiving as much as I do?  I remember to be thankful all through the year, but in November it's especially fun because I get to make Thanksgiving cards and send them out.  Actually I started making these particular cards in October so I would have them ready for my card class.  I have several more designs I want to try and time is flying by!



Ribbon Leaf Card
This card idea came from Pinterest, although mine looks a little different as I used an embossing folder and leaf die that I had on hand.  So don't be concerned if you don't have exactly what I used.  Happily, you can use whatever you have and it will still look great, including the ink pad colors!  For a different effect, you could use Washi tape or strips of several colors of card stock.

Craft Card Base:  8 1/2 x 5 1/2", top folded
Craft Panel:  5 1/4 x 4"
Various colors and widths of Ribbon
Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folder - Dots
Cheery Lynn Designs Die - Large Leaves #2
Fresco Chalk Ink Pad - Tuscan Earth
Brilliance Ink Pad - Moonlight White

Die cut the leaf in the lower right side of the panel.  Emboss, then lightly sponge with Moonlight White.  Distress edges with Tuscan Earth.

Turn panel over and run a tape runner around the leaf cutout.  Lay pieces of ribbon across the cutout, alternating colors and widths.  About 1" from the top of the panel, adhere the ends of a piece of red ribbon to the backside of the panel.  Adhere the panel to the card base.

Make a small tag and stamp with a sentiment.  Punch a 1/8" hole at the top of the tag and tie it to the left center of the red ribbon with Bakers Twine.  Make a red ribbon bow and use a glue dot to glue the bow onto the ribbon.  Stamp a sentiment inside.

Apple Wreath Card
Here is a card using the Apple Wreath stamp set from Our Daily Bread Designs.  I stamped it once on green card stock and then stamped the apple section onto red card stock.  Both the wreath and the apples were hi-lighted with color pencils and then cut out.  The wreath is layered onto the polka dot panel but I used mounting tape for the apples.  This card is also a top folded card, 4 1/4 x 5 1/2.

The  cute little pumpkin on this card is stamped, colored, cut out, and then mounted over the ribbon and embossed background which has been distressed with a light grade of sandpaper.  I really like the writing of the Happy Thanksgiving stamp.

Pumpkin - PSX Stamps

Happy Thanksgiving - Rubber Soul

Tim Holtz Alterations Embossing Folder - Thanksgiving Background 





I was not successful in getting the background to show on the white panel on this card.  I used the Tim Holtz Alterations Hardwood Embossing Folder.  I wish you could see how great it looks.  If you have one of your own, then you know what I'm talking about it.  The leaf stamp is one of my favorites in my leaves collection.  It was made by The Rubbernecker Stamp Co.  I love how the red stands out on the white background.  I used dimensionals to make the leaf stand out even more. 

Among the many things I'm thankful for, I'm thankful for those of you who take the time to look at my blog and I'm thankful to be able to share with you.  Thanksgiving Day is only a couple of weeks away.  Remember this line from an old hymn, "Count your blessings, name them one by one . . . .)  I pray that your day is special and full of blessings.

Annie