Happy Blog Hop Day!
I’m not one of those people who work on their Christmas cards all year long… and I’m not one who does more than one or two Christmas cards in July. However, I DO buy Christmas stamps after Christmas and our blog hop today gave me an opportunity to make a card with one such stamp set that was at the top of my wish list in 2020.
But first, let me tell you about our blog hop! We’ve kept the theme pretty flexible this time, so you’ll see a variety of Christmas card inspiration ranging from elegant to cute and everything in between! I’m always so impressed with the diversity on our design team, and I hope you enjoy it too! You’ll find the full list of blogs & links at the bottom of this post. You can also enjoy some Christmas shopping in the SNS online store this weekend- lots of fabulous Christmas items are on sale 20% off! Have fun!
Today I’m using Sketch Greenery Stamps by Tim Holtz, which I fell in love with last fall when it was a new release. I missed out on all the after Christmas sales, but still had to have this one when I found it this spring. I love the mix of greenery and the collection of lovely, simple sentiments… and I can totally envision myself using some of these images during the rest of the year, too! Just watch for it to show up in future projects 🙂
I kept things very simple for my card, going back to basics as it were by featuring gold embossing and plain white card stock with Kraft. I stamped one of the greenery images multiple times and heat embossed with gold, then stamped the holly design with Picket Fence Distress in the open spaces. I added a bit of loose color (aka I scribbled) to the gold leaves with a white watercolor pencil.
I selected one of the many sentiments in the set and heat embossed it as well, then trimmed it down and cut it into a flag shape before mounting it on a white layer. I added a small piece of white sheer ribbon to the flag before gluing it all to my white card base.
As I said, I kept it really simple! Gold heat embossing was one of the first things I learned to do when I started stamping in the early 90’s and it still makes me smile! This card really is a throwback for me though… my VERY first project with stamps was making personalized Christmas wrapping paper on Kraft shipping paper! So fun to think back about what started it all! I’d love to know, what was your first stamping project?
Next up you’re going to hop over to see what KIA has made! And she’ll keep you going from there. If you need it, here’s the full hop list:
Happy Hopping! I hope you’re inspired to get going on some Christmas makes… or at least that it gives you a bit of a mental cool down in the midst of all this heat 🙂
Inky hugs,
Tara
This is gorgeous, Tara! Love the gold and white on the kraft. Gold heat embossing is what really hooked me on cardmaking, too! I still have to heat-emboss just about everything. 😀
The gold leaves on kraft card stock looks so pretty. Casual yet elegant.
I love this set. It is sooooo cute.
Such a classic, pretty card, Tara! Love it 🙂
What a fabulous card. Simple and elegant, who doesn’t love gold on Kraft paper? 🙂
Beautiful card that doesn’t look like a traditional Christmas card!
Oh the little fox an bunny are adorable . I also like the gold on brown for a more classic Xmas card!
Great card, I love the use of Kraft card stock!
Oooo Tara! I LOVE this! The gold on kraft paper is so unique!
This is gorgeous Tara! I love the gold embossing on kraft card stock – so pretty!!
Beautiful card! It’s nice to go back to old techniques and see how far we have come. I have forgotten so many and love when I get reminded of them.
Ah the sweet memories! I purchased a card making cd I could create, rearrange and print greeting cards and I was hooked. I still use the program for my inside notes and now combined with the tools of today stamping and adding dimension, bling, and texture I’m so happy! Planning to make Christmas cards this year for the 1st time, never thought of starting in July, good tip!
Oh man, that gold embossing is beautiful on the Kraft cardstock!
Beautiful card. Love the gold embossing.
Very pretty card..never done gold embossing on kraft so I will need to try.
Very nice card, I somehow missed out on seeing that stamp set, will be on my list now though
Beautiful designs in this set! I had not seen it before! Love the card you created with this Sketch Greenery set! Very pretty with the kraft paper and images in gold and white!
Every year I say I’m going to start Christmas and Hannukah Cards in July but never do..maybe this Hop will get me inspired! Thanks for the giveaway!
Love the gold embossing on the Kraft cardstock. Thanks for the awesome card.
ADORE YOUR CARD ON KRAFT!! Simply Elegant!! My first every project was Christmas cards four years ago. I look back at them now & Gosh, are they terrible! My embossing is flat on them & the ink blending isn’t blended much at all! LoL! I think I might have a go at Kraft Christmas cards this year because yours are Stunning! God Bless & the Love of Christ to you & yours!!
Very pretty card. I love the gold embossing.
I make a ‘few’ Christmas cards year round, but not as many as I should. I guess I ‘like’ (HA! NOT!) the last minute panic of putting them together – and little wonder that most are mailed late!
Wonderful that you kept to basics with your card: the gold/kraft/white combination is a classic and perfect for those pretty leaves! Beautiful!
~carol
Thanks for reminding me to try gold powder on Kraft. It looks fabulous on your card.
Gorgeous card, love the gold embossing on Kraft, your card is inspiring, I am inspired to try making a Kraft/gold card.
Lovely Card Tara! Such a simple design but so elegant.
Love the gold embossing
on your card. I first used
wooden stamps to start
with.
Carla from Arizona
This gold on kraft looks gorgeous.