Day 1 Projects #1 and #2

       

Hi Everyone!  I hope you are also signed up for and getting inspired by the Holiday Card Boot Camp.  I participated in the Inspiration Showcase class held in September and learned some really great techniques and gained a lot of confidence in my style of card making.  If you are not signed up, take a look at the site. (onlinecardclasses.com)  Registration is open indefinitely.  Once you buy the class, all of the information is available to you for the rest of your life!  Not a bad deal for 30 bucks!

Enough infomercial...here are my projects from Day 1:

This card is inspired by the video tutorial by Kristina Werner.  I maintained the basic sketch, but improvised the colors, ornament size and shape, as well as the sentiment.  I love a little sparkle and Christmas cards are a great place to use it!  The 12" X 12"glitter papers in Aqua, Citron, and Cherry, are from Recollections.  White card base is from Hobby Lobby.  White, Simply Chartreuse, and Spring Moss card stocks are from Papertrey Ink.  The sentiment, is from Tree Trimming Trio, by PTI and stamped with Pure Poppy Ink, also from PTI.  The scalloped border is by Fiskars.  The ornament and signature box are mounted on dimensional adhesive.  Dotted outline is made using a Sakura Red Star gel pen.  I always recognize Kristina's cards from her "signature" white dashed line around much of her work.  It gives so much oomph to her cards, I decided to try my own version of it and I am pleased with the results.

Project #2 is based on a design by Jennifer McGuire.  For me, the outstanding part of the tutorial was learning how to make this beautiful, dimensional star.  Easy peasy and oh so pretty!  I used gold paper from Martha Stewart for the star and mat layer.  The branch and berries are stamps from a Papertrey Ink set called Out on a Limb,  The branch is heat embossed with gold powder and the berries stamped with PTI Pure Poppy Ink and enhanced with a Sakura Red Star gel pen. The 1/8' red satin ribbon ( same as used in previous card) has been around too long for me to remember the source.  The background is dry embossed with the Canvas Impression Plate from PTI.  White card base is from Hobby Lobby.

I have one more card to show you.  Sunday night, I was so anxious to get started on the HCBC, I decided to peruse the Hero Arts Blog to see if Jennifer, et al, might have any sneak peeks.  Well, no they didn't.  BUT I found this adorable design and tutorial by Shari Carroll.  I absolutely fell in love with Shari's "Button Christmas Tree".  Here is my version:

This is certainly not one for mass production, but I think it is really special.  The buttons used include several flat clear buttons that have been backed with scraps of patterned paper.  Others are from PTI's Vintage Buttons Collection, in Vintage Cream. Still others are assorted white buttons that have found their way into my stash from who-knows-where; just like the fine silver thread used for the bow.  Clear gems are from Hero Arts, and the pearls are from Paper Studio.  The tree shape, and background papers are White Shimmer and Rustic Cream, respectively.  They are both from PTI.  The background was run through the Big Shot using PTI's Woodgrain Impression Plate.  Ink used is Aqua Mist, by PTI on the edges of the "snowdrift", and Vintage Sepia, by Tsukineko for the sentiment.  The card base and tree trunk are Soft Suede, by Stampin' Up!.  Button twine is from Michael's.  Finally, a little Martha Stewart Fine Crystal Glitter was glued on to the upper edge of the snowdrift at the bottom of the card.

I hope you have been inspired to check out Holiday Card Boot Camp.  Tomorrow is day 3 so you haven't missed too much to catch up!  Day 2 was all about photo cards and the ideas and tips are terrific! I won't be posting anything from Day 2 since I don't use photo cards.

Thanks for stopping by, 

Suzanne